Read "B" Is for Betsy for Free Online

cried Betsy, "you shouldn't make her sit up and not give her anything. You're a very naughty boy."
    "Well, I'm glad I'm not a girl," said Christopher, and he pulled one of Betsy's braids and ran off.
    Betsy patted Curly's silk head and scratched her ears. "Never mind, Curly, I'll bring you something tomorrow," said Betsy, and she trotted off to school.
    That afternoon, when Betsy went home, she climbed up on a chair and took Big Bill off her mantel shelf. Big Bill was very heavy with all the pennies he had swallowed. Betsy took a tiny key from a box on her bureau. She unlocked a door that was hidden under one of Big Bill's wings. She shook out a handful of pennies and closed the little door. Off she ran with the pennies to the corner grocery store.
    "Well, Betsy," said the grocer, "what do you want?"
    "How much is a box of puppy biscuits?" asked Betsy.
    "Ten cents," said the grocer.
    "I want a box, please," said Betsy.
    She counted out the ten pennies and the grocer gave her a box of biscuits.
    "When did you get a dog, Betsy?" asked the grocer.
    "We didn't get any," said Betsy, as she closed the shop door.
    The grocer chuckled and wondered what Betsy was going to do with puppy biscuits and no dog. But Betsy knew.
    The next morning, she tucked a puppy biscuit in the little pocket of her schoolbag. She could hardly wait to see Curly. When she reached the white fence, there was no little black dog running up and down. Betsy looked around the side of the house. Curly was nowhere in sight. She called, "Here, Curly!" but there was no patter of soft paws. The yard looked empty without Curly.
She must be here somewhere,
thought Betsy.
She always is.
    Betsy waited by the fence, hoping that Curly
would appear. She waited until she was afraid she would be late for school. Then she ran as fast as her legs could go. Just as she sat down at her desk, the bell rang.
I'll give Curly the puppy biscuit on the way home,
thought Betsy.
    But after school, when Betsy stopped at the fence, the yard was still empty. Again she called, "Here, Curly! Here, Curly!" It was no use. Betsy waited by the fence a long time. All of the other children had gone home but Betsy still waited, hoping that Curly would come out. She did want to give her the biscuit. At last Betsy decided to go home. She would keep the puppy biscuit until tomorrow.
    When Betsy reached the wide street, Mr. Kilpatrick was just about to drive away in his police car. When he saw Betsy he got out of the car. "Well, Little Red Ribbons, don't tell me that you were kept after school!" said Mr. Kilpatrick, as he took Betsy across the street.

    "No," said Betsy, "I wanted to give Curly a puppy biscuit, but she wasn't in the yard."
    "Wouldn' t Curly be sorry if she knew that she had missed a free lunch!" said Mr. Kilpatrick.
    Betsy trotted along, thinking of Curly. Soon she reached the railroad station. As she walked under the bridge, she heard a whining cry. It sounded like a baby crying. Then she heard a little sharp bark. Betsy stopped and listened. She heard the cry again. Betsy looked around her. There was a dirt road beside her. The road led to the baggage station. Betsy started up the road. The cries grew louder, and the sharp bark sounded just like Curly. Betsy's heart beat very fast. She began to run. Back of the baggage station there was a big open lot. The cries came from somewhere on the lot. In a few moments she came upon a deep pit which had been dug in the ground. There in the bottom of the pit was Curly. "Oh, Curly!" cried Betsy. "How did you get way out here?" Curly gave little yelps and wagged her tail. Betsy stooped down to lift Curly out of the pit. It was so deep, she could not reach the little dog. Then Betsy lay down flat on her stomach. Now she could reach Curly. She took hold of her and lifted her out of the
pit. Curly was so happy she rolled over and over. Betsy took the strap off of her schoolbag and hooked it through Curly's collar. Then she started back to the house