He took a small leather strap from his pocket. It had a nice, strong
smell. We all licked it, and each dog wished to have it. "No, Joe
and Billy," said Ned, holding us both by our collars; "you wait a
minute. Here, Jim."

Jim watched him very earnestly, and Ned threw the strap half-way
across the garden, and said, "Fetch it."

Jim never moved till he heard the words, "Fetch it." Then he ran
swiftly, brought the strap, and dropped it in Ned's hand. Ned sent
him after it two or three times, then he said to Jim, "Lie down,"
and turned to me. "Here, Joe; it is your turn."

He threw the strap under the raspberry bushes, then looked at me
and said, "Fetch it." I knew quite well what he meant, and ran
joyfully after it. I soon found it by the strong smell, but the
queerest thing happened when I got it in my mouth. I began to
gnaw it and play with it, and when Ned called out, "fetch it," I
dropped it and ran toward him. I was not obstinate, but I was
stupid.

Ned pointed to the place where it was, and spread out his empty
hands. That helped me, and I ran quickly and got it. He made me
get it for him several times. Sometimes I could not find it, and
sometimes I dropped it; but he never stirred. He sat still till I
brought it to him.

After a while he tried Billy, but it soon got dark, and we could not
see, so he took Billy and went into the house.