not knowing that he was doing wrong. She took the hat away, and pointing
from it to him, said, "Bad Billy!" Then she gave him two or three slaps
with a bootlace. She never struck a little dog with her hand or a stick.

She said clubs were for big dogs and switches for little dogs, if one
had to use them. The best way was to scold them, for a good dog feels a
severe scolding as much as a whipping.

Billy was very much ashamed of himself. Nothing would induce him even to
look at a hat again. But he thought it was no harm to worry other
things. He attacked one thing after another, the rugs on the floor,
curtains, anything flying or fluttering, and Miss Laura patiently
scolded him for each one, till at last it dawned upon him that he must
not worry anything but a bone. Then he got to be a very good dog.

There was one thing that Miss Laura was very particular about, and that
was to have him fed regularly. We both got three meals a day. We were
never allowed to go into the dining room, and while the family was at
the table, we lay in the hall outside and watched what was going on.

Dogs take a great interest in what any one gets to eat. It was quite
exciting to see the Morrises passing each other different dishes, and to
smell the nice, hot food. Billy often wished that he could get up on the
table. He said that he would make things fly. When he was growing, he
hardly ever got enough to eat. I used to tell him that he would kill
himself if he could eat all he wanted to.

As soon as meals were over, Billy and I scampered after Miss Laura to
the kitchen. We each had our own plate for food. Mary the cook often
laughed at Miss Laura, because she would not let her dogs "dish"