Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish Read Free Page B

have carry in the suitcases.”
    “We can help, Dawdi,” Noah offered as he
opened the barn's half door.
    The puppy scampered to the side of his pen
when he heard their voices. He yipped an excited greeting, jumped
up and planted his front paws on the side of the pen then bounced
off. He twisted in a circle, chased his tail a moment and jumped up
on the pen again to be patted.
    “He's sure a cute fellow,” Jim said. “What
breed is he?”
    Daniel patted the pup's head. “Black and Tan
coon hound.”
    “You taking him coon hunting when he gets a
little older?” Jim asked.
    “Jah,” Noah answered.
    “You will have to train him. You know
how?”
    Daniel shook his head a slow yes. “We know
how. What we do not know is if we will be able to do it.”
    Noah suggested, “We might take him out when
it is just me and Daniel. We have not decided what to do yet.”
    “Why not? He should learn what he is to do
easy enough. Be quick to train him I'd think since coon hunting is
bred into him,” Jim exclaimed.
    “That is for sure and certain,” Noah agreed.
“You see Dawdi Jim there is a problem. We told Mama Hal she could
name the puppy. We thought she would like him better if we let her
name him.” He paused to look at Daniel.
    Jim looked down his nose at the boys.
“And?”
    Daniel said plaintively, “She named our dog
Biscuit.”
    “No kidding.” Jim chuckled.
    “Dawdi, this is not funny. It is a big
problem. Can you see us out with a bunch of boys, and we call for
Biscuit to come to us. They are going to tease us something
awful.”
    Jim rubbed the back of his neck and tried to
put on a serious face. “You fellows have a problem for sure. Hallie
wouldn't give the dog another name?”
    Noah shrugged. “She might have, but Dad will
not let us ask her. He said that would be welshing on the deal. She
was to get to pick the name if she let us keep the dog.”
    “What can we do, Dawdi Jim?” Daniel
implored.
    Jim rubbed his chin as he thought. “Seems to
me what Hal doesn't know won't upset her. Let her call the dog
Biscuit. When you're alone with this pup and training him out away
from the house call him Dog. He'll figure that's his name if you
use it often enough. Actually, I doubt a dog really knows his name.
They just know from the sound of your voice when you say something
what you want. Any word you say will work for a name.
    When you're among your friends call him Dog,
and they won't think anything of it. If you slip up and say Dog in
front of Hallie that will sound natural. She won't think anything
of it. Just remember to call him Biscuit where she can hear you
once in awhile.”
    “Dawdi Jim, you are a genius,” Noah praised,
grinning from ear to ear.
    “I knew you would think of something,” Daniel
agreed happily.
    “Seems like a win win situation to me,” Jim
said. “Now we best go back and help your dad with the suitcases, or
he will be giving all of us a hard time for keeping him from his
chores.”
    “You bring that much stuff to carry in?”
Daniel asked.
    “Not me, but when you get a little older,
you'll find out women can't go anywhere without bringing half of
what they own along with them,” Jim grumped. He looked at his wrist
watch. “Besides, it will be time to milk soon. I want to help so I
have to hunt up my old jeans and work shoes to put on. If I don't
get out of my Sunday clothes before I come back to the barn, your
grandma's going to have a cow.”
    Daniel's face scrunched up. He said in
concern to Noah. “Mammi Nora would take one of our cows if Dawdi
Jim doesn't mind her?”
    Baffled, Noah shrugged.
    Jim laughed. “No, I just meant she will be
mad at me.”
    Once the men and boys left for the barn to
milk, Emma and Hal started supper while Nora and Tootie sat at the
table.
    Tootie gave a faint sniffle. “Hallie, there
are a few things you should know about my diet before you do a lot
of cooking. In the morning for breakfast, I only like two kinds of
juice – grape or