"My pet is a big collie dog. His name is Hero. When my mother goes to
market she takes Hero with her. He trots by her side and carries a
basket in his mouth.

"Sometimes my mother sends Hero home with the meat and bread for dinner.
He goes right along. He does not stop or look around. When he comes
to our house he sets the basket down. Then he watches it until Mother
comes. If anyone calls, 'Here, Hero,' he pricks up his ears, but he will
not move from his place.

"One day I tried to coax him away with a big bone. I know the bone
looked and smelled good to Hero. He sniffed the air and looked at the
bone with hungry brown eyes, but he never moved from the basket.

"Last summer we went to the seashore. We took Hero with us. One day I
was on the beach, playing in the sand. Hero was lying asleep in the sun.
I was making a sand fort and my back was toward the sea.

"Suddenly a big wave dashed in and knocked me down. Then another big
wave came and carried me out into the water. As I did not know how to
swim, I was very much frightened. I tried to call out, but my mouth was
full of sea water. I could make only a little frightened sound; but Hero
heard me. What do you think he did? He jumped into the water and swam
out to me. I was too nearly drowned to catch hold of him. So he took my
clothes in his mouth and began to swim with me to the shore.

"I was heavy, and Hero was almost worn out before he got there. But he
never once let go. He kept right on until he dropped me on dry land.
Then he lay panting on the sand.