"That little dog 'ud scratch at that door
And go on a-whinin' two hours before
He'd ever let up! There!—Jane: Let him in.—
(Hah, there, you little rat!) Look at him grin!
Come down off o' that!—
W'y, look at him! (Drat
You! you-rascal-you!)—bring me that hat!
Look out!—He'll snap you!—He wouldn't let
You take it away from him, now you kin bet!
That little rascal's jist natchurly mean.—
I tell you, I never (Git out!! ) never seen
A spunkier little rip! (Scratch to git in,
And now yer a-scratchin' to git out agin!
Jane: Let him out!) Now, watch him from here
Out through the winder!—You notice one ear
Kindo' in side-out, like he holds it?—Well,
He's got a tick in it—I kin tell!
Yes, and he's cunnin'—
Jist watch him a-runnin',
Sidelin'—see!—like he ain't 'plum'd true'
And legs don't 'track' as they'd ort to do:—
Plowin' his nose through the weeds—I jing!
Ain't he jist cuter'n anything!

"W'y, that little dog's got grown-people's sense!—
See how he gits out under the fence?—
And watch him a-whettin' his hind-legs 'fore
His dead square run of a miled er more—
'Cause Noey's a-comin', and Trip allus knows
When Noey's a-comin'—and off he goes!—
Putts out to meet him and—There they come now! Well-sir! it's raially singalar how
That dog kin tell,—
But he knows as well
When Noey's a-comin' home!—Reckon his smell 'Ud carry two miled?—You needn't to smile—
He runs to meet him, ever'-once-n-a-while,
Two miled and over—when he's slipped away
And left him at home here, as he's done to-day—
'Thout ever knowin' where Noey wuz goin'—
But that little dog allus hits the right way!
Hear him a-whinin' and scratchin' agin?—
(Little tormentin' fice!) Jane: Let him in.

"—You say he ain't there?—
Well now, I declare!—
Lem me limp out and look! ... I wunder where—
Heuh, Trip!—Heuh, Trip!—Heuh, Trip!... There—
There he is!—Little sneak!—What-a'-you-'bout?—
There he is—quiled up as meek as a mouse,
His tail turnt up like a teakittle-spout,
A-sunnin' hisse'f at the side o' the house!
Next time you scratch, sir, you'll haf to git in,
My fine little feller, the best way you kin!
—Noey he learns him sich capers!—And they—
Both of 'em's ornrier every day!—
Both tantalizin' and meaner'n sin—
Allus a—(Listen there!)—Jane: Let him in.

"—O! yer so innocent! hangin' yer head!—
(Drat ye! you'd better git under the bed!)
—Listen at that!—
He's tackled the cat!—
Hah, there! you little rip! come out o' that!—
Git yer blame little eyes scratched out
'Fore you know what yer talkin' about!—
Here! come away from there!—(Let him alone—
He'll snap you, I tell ye, as quick as a bone!)
Hi, Trip!—Hey, here!—What-a'-you-'bout!—
Oo! ouch! 'Ll I'll be blamed!—Blast ye! GIT OUT!
... O, it ain't nothin'—jist scratched me, you see.—
Hadn't no idy he'd try to bite me!
Plague take him!—Bet he'll not try that agin!—
Hear him yelp.—(Pore feller!) Jane: Let him in."