Two little boys were running through the meadows as hard as they could go. "What are you doing there?" said a man who was passing along.

"Catching blackbirds?" said Willie. "Have you caught any?" said the man.

"No, not yet," said Willie. "But grandpa is going to give me five dollars when I catch one. He wants one."

Willie's grandpa did happen to say to him that morning, "You catch me a blackbird, and I will give you five dollars." He said it just out of fun. He did not think that Willie would ever try to do it.

The dog