After Mr. Brodie left, Danny squatted and let the pup explore. She moved pretty well on her young legs.
“What are you going to call her?”
“Let me think on that.”
Danny got a slice of rope from his room. “How about a little tug-of-war, girl?”
His game with Banjo.
The puppy took hold and pulled, Danny remembering how Banjo loved tug-of-war. He hoped some kind person found him and took him home.
After a few minutes of playing with the puppy, Danny went out to the barn and cut up some old planks. He used them to block off a corner in the kitchen and filled the space inside with newspapers.
“Your own corral. When you get to where you piddle outside, I’ll take this thing down. We got a deal?”
The pup walked lightly over the paper.
“You’ll get used to it.”
“Cute little thing,” Dad said.
“Still can’t believe Mr. Brodie brought it over.”
“He did that for you, Danny.”
Danny nodded.
“Well, I guess I’ll head to bed. Thought of a name yet?”
“Yeah…Ruby.”
“I like it.”
Danny picked her up and held her nose to nose. She licked his face, a dog kiss.
“Hello, Ruby.”
Danny set her back in the kitchen corral and looked at her. This should feel better than it does.
Not too much later, Tyrell came home. “Where’d you get the pup?” he asked, unbuttoning his grease-stained shirt.
“Mr. Brodie gave her to me.”
Tyrell grinned. “You’re kidding.”
“Came over tonight. He said he felt bad about Banjo.”
Tyrell stood watching Ruby in her corral. “He must have felt real bad, because that’s a real nice border collie.”
“Her name is Ruby.”
Tyrell crouched down to pet her, then looked back up at Danny. “You think the Brodie boys know their dad gave you this pup?”
“Sure hope so.”
Tyrell grinned.