Rags

walked down the sidewalk looking at every house. In front of one was a lady watering her flowers. Rags walked up to her politely.

"Woof! Woof!" he said, and wagged his tail.

The lady turned.

"Oh, you dirty, ragged creature!" she cried, "Get off my lawn!" And with that, she turned the water upon him.

Rags ran. He didn't want a home in that lady's house--or in her neighborhood.

Cold and wet and frightened, he ran along the street. He was too tired to run any more, when he saw a man rocking on the porch of a very pretty house. Perhaps this man would give him a home. Rags stood still. Did he dare go up and ask him? Timidly, he crept up, stood very still, and wagged his tail.

The man looked over his glasses and said, "Well! Well!"

Rags looked up and said, "Woof!" which meant in dog language, "I need a home."

Rags didn't see the cat on the arm of the man's chair. He didn't know she was there until, arching her back, she sprang forward and landed on his face.

"Rrrow!" she screeched. Her claws we