t on my nose. I could look myself, only
it makes me cross-eyed, and I don't like that."

So Jimmie looked, very carefully, and he saw a white spot on the puppy
dog's nose, and told him so.

"It's all right. I'm Jackie then," answered the little fellow. "I thought
I was, but it's best to make sure."

"Can you play ball?" asked Jimmie. "My sister told me about you. It was
very kind of you to bring her home. You haven't lived here very long, have
you?"

"Not very. But I'm glad I could help your sister. She is a nice girl."

"Where's your brother, Peetie?" asked Jimmie.

"Oh, he's gone to the store for mamma."

"Then let's you and I have a catch until he comes back. You can play ball,
can't you?"

"Of course."

So Jimmie tossed the ball to Jackie, and the puppy dog stood up on his
hind legs and caught it in his front paws, and then he fell right over,
ker-thump, and rolled along the ground.

"Here!" cried the boy duck. "That's no way to play ball! You must stand up
and catch."

"Oh, I know that," declared Jackie. "You see I was only practising at
biting the ball with my teeth. I always bite things to sharpen my teeth
so I can gnaw big bones when I get to be a big dog."

"Well, you needn't sharpen your teeth on my new ball!" cried Jimmie, and
he felt a little angry; not much, you know, but a little and he took the
ball and was going home, for he didn't like Jackie, he thought.

It was too bad the little creatures had had a falling-out so soon, but
please wait just a moment and see what happens. No sooner had Jimmie
started to go home--Jackie didn't know why, you see, for he didn't know it
was wrong to bite the ball--no sooner, I say, did Jimmie start home, than
out from the bushes jumped a great big water rat, with ugly, cruel, sharp
teeth and wicked eyes.

Oh, how frightened Jimmie was, for he knew big water rats ate ducks. But
what do you suppose Jackie, that puppy dog, did? Why he just growled away
down in his throat, and he stuck up one ear as far as it would go, and he
let the other ear fall down as far as it would fall, and he opened his
mouth, and he showed his teeth, that he had sharpened on Jimmie's ball,
and he jumped right at that bad rat! Yes, sir, right at him, growling all
the while!

At first the rat was going to fight, but when it saw how brave Jackie
was, it turned and ran away. And then that puppy dog just put his little
tail between his legs, and howled, and ran away, too; Jimmie waddlin