oy, and a cat, and
a dog had, since the world began, and a little before.

When Jack had eaten his pudding, and Carlo had munched his bones,
and Minnie had lapped her milk, they would all rush out in the
garden together, as if they were distracted with joy; and then
such a hurrying, and a scurrying, and a scampering, and a
scattering, and a cutting round corners, and a hiding under
bushes, and a jumping out of unexpected places, was never seen
or heard of, I do believe. Wasn't it funny? Did you ever
have such fun?

One day, Jack's father and mother had gone out to spend the
day with Mr. and Mrs. Thingumbob, and the cook forgot to give
the poor little boy his dinner.

Into the kitchen he rushed, and nearly tumbled head first into
a tub full of soap-suds. If he had, I couldn't have finished
this story, which would have been a pity. But he did not fall
in; for he immediately shouted out--"Mary! Mary! Mary! I
want a piece of bread and butter! I want my dinner!"

[Illustration: You can't have any dinner, said the cook.]

"But you can't have your dinner yet," said the cook; "I'm just
making the dumpling; the baker has not come, and there isn't a
speck of bread in the house."

"Well, give me a piece of cake then," said Jack.

"Haven't got any cake," said the cook.

"Well, candy then," said Jack.

"Haven't got any candy," said the cook.

"Well, sugar, or sweetmeats, or something; I'm just as hungry
as a little bear," said Jack.

"Haven't got 'em, Master Jack," said the cook; "but I tell you
what! here is a penny; go to the baker that lives on top of
the hill, and buy a loaf of bread for yourself."

"Oh, yes! so I will!" shouted Jack, jumping over a chair and
upsetting the knife-board, and all the knives which the cook
had just been cleaning; and this provoked her so, that she
caught up the broomstick, and ran after him, and fell over the
wash-tub herself; so Jack got off safe. Aren't you glad?

Then he called Carlo, the dog, and said--"Look here, Carlo;
do you want to go to the baker's with me to buy a loaf of
bread?"

"Bow, wow, wow," said Carlo; which meant, "Of course I do.
Hurrah!"

Then he called Minnie, the cat, and said--"Look here, Minnie,
do you want to go to the baker's with us to buy a loaf of
bread?"

Minnie opened her eyes, stiffened her tail, and made her back
as round as a hoop, and said, miau! miau! miau! which was
cat-talk for "Of course I do. Hurrah!"

So they all started off togethe