Love's Enduring Promise (Love Comes Softly Series #2) by Janette Oke Page B

point.
    "Well," said Clark, "thought ya of any good names yet?" "I think we should call 'im Cougar," said Clare. "Cougar, fer a dog?" Missie was unimpressed.
    "Thet's the color he is," argued Clare.
    "I like King or Prince, or somethin' like thet," said Missie. "Fer a little puppy?" Clare was just as incredulous. "He'll grow," Missie said defiantly.
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    "What about you, Sport?" Clark asked Arnie. Arnie pushed in a big spoonful of potatoes and gravy with the help of his free hand. He shifted them around, swallowed some and then answered.
    "Ole Bob."
    "But what ya want to call the new puppy?"
    "Ole Bob."
    "But Ole Bob be the name of--Ole Bob," Clark finished lamely.
    "I know," said Arnie. "I like it."
    "Ya want Ole Bob an' Ole Bob?" asked Clare, thinking that only he was really capable of understanding and interpreting the young Arnie.
    "Yeah," said Arnie shaking his head. "Now we got--" two rather potatoey fingers struggled to stand upright with the rest remaining tucked in. "Now we got two Ole Bobs."
    The others all laughed, but it was finally agreed that the new puppy would carry the name of Ole Bob as well.
    "He'll grow," said Missie.
    "Yeah, an' he'll git old someday too," said Clare. " 'Sides when we call 'em, we'll jest hafta say one name an' they'll both come."
    Clark smiled, "Save ourselves a heap of time and trouble thet way, won't we?"
    Arnie grinned. "Now we got a little Ole Bob, an' a big Ole Bob."
    As it happened, big Ole Bob did not stay with them for long. As Clark had hoped, the loss of the old dog was much easier for the children to accept with the growing young pup running and nipping at their heels.
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    Chapter 19
    Tommie's Friend
    The school year passed by quickly, and before it seemed possible it was time for the summer break. Some of the older boys left school early in order to help with the spring planting. Others carried on until the month of June. Missie ended her year by bringing home bouquets of flowers or red ripe strawberries in the red pail that had, over the winter months, lost a little of its shine.
    Summer passed as quickly as it came--before, it seemed, they had time to enjoy it to its fullest.
    Then it was fall again with the flurry of school preparations. Clare was still a year short of school age and again grumbled about being kept at home.
    Clae and Missie were anxious to return. Clae had spent the summer poring over books that Mr. Whittle had supplied and was closing the gap between where she was and where she should have been with surprising speed. Mr. Whittle was pleased.
    Missie, too, was a promising pupil and looked forward to school with much anticipation.
    Only Nandry balked. At first she seemed just unenthused, but as the day for school opening drew nearer she finally dared voice her position.
    "I'm not goin' back," she declared with finality, "--not with all those little kids."
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    She was so determined about it that Clark and Marty discussed it and decided that as much as they hated to do so, they would allow her to drop out.
    "We'll jest have to concentrate on the homemaking an' the baby carin'," said Marty. "Nandry has the makin's of a good wife an' mother. Maybe thet's plenty. An' at least now she can read and write some."
    Clark nodded his head. At fifteen Nandry seemed quite capable of caring for a home. Some area young man was bound to welcome her as a helpmate.
    So school started again. It was easier this time. Easier to watch Missie go. Easier to put up with the two boys at home, because Nandry was there.
    Marty welcomed Nandry's help more than she could express, for in two short months her family would increase again. Nandry, with few words, assumed a great deal of the youngsters' care, taking them with her to feed the chickens, putting Arnie down for his naps--Clare having declared himself too big for such nonsense--and in general assisting with the household duties. Marty greatly appreciated her helpful hands and often told her so.
    Then one day as Marty sat in the