WHAT HAPPENED TO WAGGLES

 Waggles was Jimmie's chum. He was never cross, and he loved Jimmie. And Jimmie loved Waggles, but sometimes Jimmie was cross. It was when he was cross that he tied the can to Waggles's tail.

 

Waggles thought it was a new game, but at his first jump the can bounced up and struck him.

 

This frightened Waggles, and he tried to run away from the horrid¹, bouncing Thing. But the faster he ran the harder the Thing bounced, and the oftener it struck him. Waggles became wild with fright, and he gasped² for breath as he raced along.

 

Suddenly he heard a voice that he loved: "Waggles! Waggles! Waggles!"

 

Waggles stopped running, and dropped, exhausted³, at the feet of Jimmie's father.

 

"Poor Waggles!" said Mr. Brown tenderly as he cut the string. "I didn't suppose there was a boy in this town mean enough to do a thing like that."

 

Waggles licked his hand and looked up at him gratefully. But Waggles was too much of a gentleman to tell on Jimmie, even if he could have spoken.

 

When Mr. Brown went home Waggles trotted⁴ along beside him.

 

"Jimmie," asked Mr. Brown that evening, "who tied that can to Waggles's tail?"

 

Jimmie said nothing, but his face grew red.

 

"Very well," said his father. "A boy who could treat a dog like that, doesn't deserve to have one. I shall give Waggles away."

 

Jimmie was very unhappy. He cried himself to sleep that night. But next morning who should come bounding in but Waggles! He jumped, and barked, and said "I forgive you" in every doggie way that he knew.

 

Jimmie hugged Waggles, and looked wistfully at his father.

 

"Well, Jimmie," said Mr. Brown, "since Waggles has forgiven you, I think I shall have to forgive you, too. Waggles may stay."

1 horrid   

adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的

参考例句：

• I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
• The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

2 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

4 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。