When Bob's sixth birthday came, he had to go to school. Bob was glad to go, but he was very sorry to leave Rover at home. When the time to start came, he put his arms around the dog's shaggy neck and whispered something in his ear. He would not tell what it was, but ran merrily off to school.

After school had been in session about an hour, a great dog came and stood at the front door, and, as soon as he had a chance, slipped into the hall. He walked about through the halls, and up and down the stairs, smelling at everything he came to.

It happened that nobody saw him, for all the teachers and pupils were in their rooms, busy with their lessons. At last Rover-for it was he-came to a little cap and coat that he knew. "Ha! ha!" thought he to himself, "these are my little master's."

So he took them in his mouth and walked in at the open door of one of the school-rooms, and there he saw Bob. He walked up to him, wagging his tail, and looking very glad.

He laid Bob's cap and coat in his lap, and then took hold of his trousers with his teeth and began pulling him. This was his way of saying, "Come on, Bob! let us go home."

Little Bob was so pleased to see Rover that he forgot where he was. He threw his arms around him, and said, right out in school, "I knew you would come for me, you dear old doggie!"

All the children laughed, and the teacher laughed too. Then she told Bob that he might take his dog home.

What do you think it was that Bob had whispered to Rover that morning? Do you believe that Rover understood him?

Copy the following story, and write words in place of the dashes:

This boy and the little girl with him are going a-fishing. Just back of their house is a brook, with fish in it.

The little girl's name is Annie, and her broth

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er's name is James. When Annie went with James last week, he made her keep very still, and would not let her speak a word, for fear she might scare the fish away.

Annie is very fond of talking, and when she has to be still for a long time she gets sleepy and dull. She does not intend to go to sleep this time, for she has her doll with her, and some pieces of cloth in her pocket; and she means to make a dress for her doll while James catches fish.

But the sun is very warm, and the woods behind them are very still; and nothing happens, until James gets a bite, and draws out the line with a fish hanging on the hook.

Then James takes the fish off the hook and puts it into the basket, and says: "This is a fine fellow ! We will ask mother to fry him for supper.

Annie feels very sorry for the poor little fish, which can not live out of the water; but she thinks, "How can we have fish to eat, if we do not catch them?"

Then she listens to a big bee flying by and saying "Buzz, buzz," until he settles on a flower.

She lays her head on the grass, and thinks

she will watch that noisy bee, just to see how long it will take him to get all the honey out of that flower.

But, before he gets through, Annie falls fast asleep. James laughs, and when his basket is full of fish he says "Buzz!" in Annie's ear, and she wakes up. Then he puts on her hat for her, picks up her doll, and they go home to supper.

Write answers to the following questions, and let each answer be a complete sentence:

Whom do you see in this picture?

What is Annie carrying?

What is James carrying?

What kind of a road are they walking in?
What kind of a wall is beside the road?
Are they going up-hill, or down-hill?

By this time you have learned to recognize at sight a great many short words, and some long

*Inasmuch as these lessons are somewhat difficult, it will be well for the teacher to read and explain them to the class before requiring them to be read by the pupils.