Free Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary Page B

to stop. “Now get your dogs ready,” he ordered.
    Henry didn’t know what he meant, so he watched the others. Some of them knelt by their dogs and made them stand still and look ahead.
    That must be what the judge meant. Henry knelt beside Ribsy. Ribsy sat down. He opened his mouth and let his long pink tongue hang out. He was thirsty.
    â€œCome on, Ribs, stand up,” begged Henry. “Be a good dog.” Ribsy began to pant. “Come on, get up!”
    Ribsy lay down on the grass and panted harder. Henry pulled and tugged. He looked over his shoulder at the judge. The judge was looking at the ears and teeth of a dog that was standing properly. Then he ran his hands over the dog. The dog didn’t move.
    â€œCome on, Ribsy!” begged Henry. “It’ll be our turn pretty soon.” Ribsy closed his eyes. “I know you’re thirsty. I’ll get you a drink of water just as soon as I can.”
    The loud-speaker made an announcement. “Will the boy scouts please take pans of water to each ring?”
    Henry was relieved to see a boy scout coming with water, but when Ribsy’s turn came, he sniffed at the pan and refused to drink.
    â€œI guess he’s used to his own dishes,” explained Henry. “He just doesn’t want to use the same pan as the other dogs.”
    â€œCan’t help it,” said the boy scout. “It’s the only one I have.”
    Ribsy continued to pant.
    At last the judge came to Henry. “Well, well, a pink dog,” he exclaimed.
    â€œYes, sir,” said Henry. It was lucky his own green hair had grown out so it could be cut off. A green-haired boy and a pale pink dog would have looked funny.
    â€œCome on, son. Stand him up.”
    Henry boosted Ribsy to his feet. Ribsy tried to sit down again, but Henry held up his hind end by the tail. The judge looked at his ears and teeth. Then he ran his hands over him. He looked at his fingers afterward. They were pink. “Hmmmm,” he said.
    When the judge had looked at all the dogs, he ordered each child to walk across the ring and back with his dog. Henry noticed that the boys and girls who knew about these things held the leash in the left hand. When his turn came he held the clothesline in his left hand and started across the ring. Halfway across, Ribsy sat down to scratch behind his left ear. Henry pulled at the rope. When he reached the other side of the ring and turned back, Ribsy turned the wrong way so that he crossed in front of Henry.
    Henry tripped on the rope and started to change it to his right hand, but just then Ribsy ran around behind Henry to growl at a dog that was mostly spaniel. The boy who owned the spaniel pulled him away and started to the other side of the ring. Ribsy ran in front of Henry and pulled at his rope to get closer to the other dog. The harder he pulled, the tighter the rope drew around Henry’s legs. The children began to laugh. Ribsy was so excited he ran around behind Henry and pulled the rope even tighter. The laughter increased.

    â€œCut that out, Ribsy!” Henry ordered, looking over his shoulder at his dog. He felt silly standing there wound up in a clothesline.
    â€œCome on, son,” said the judge. “We can’t waste time. A lot of other boys and girls want to show their dogs, too.”
    Now, on top of all his troubles, the judge was cross with him. Henry knew a cross judge would never give him a silver cup. Discouraged and feeling even sillier, Henry twirled around like a top to unwind himself from the rope. Relieved to have that part of the show over, he dragged Ribsy to the side of the ring. In a few minutes he could take his dog home and give him a drink.
    After each child had walked his dog, the judge went around the ring pointing to different boys and girls, saying, “All right, you stay in the ring.” He looked at Henry and his dog. “Hmmmm,” he said. “All right, you stay