The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-23
GORDON PAIGE,'? WRITTEN BY
 AN ELEVEN-YEAR-O OLD GIRI,

Boys Life, the Boy Scout Mag azine, is conducting a monthly short story contest. The winner for Jan uary whose story, Mike On the Trail,'' follows is Gordon Page, age II. Mike is an Irish terrier, thorough bred, with dark brown friendly eyes and a very good disposition from the first day he was born He arrived on St. Valentines day with two brothers and three sisters; and, like all the rest, he wcfbbledI around with no par ticular purpose, locking very 2ornical with his big head and little bit of body. In two weeks he looked better. for his body had grown considerably. Yet, somehow, he didn't seem to stand chance. His brothers, and even his sisters, beat him to it at meal time: and he was always crowded out. ] Before he was two months old he 1 found himself turned out into the l world at a cut price; because Big Pete thought he was no good. Pete fig ured he was weak and timid. because he didn't fight for his food with the rest of the litter.
 It all happened one day when Big Pete was showing the pups to Saimpy, who sold papers on the corner.
 'fGo on, Pete, gimme one!" Skinny was begging, you been promising me one long time'' And Big Pete an swered: Tell you what I'll do, S4dmp, he's worth twenty-five dollars if he's worth cent, but I'll let you have him for two -fifty.''
 He's mine!" yelled Skinny, and led him home, for Skinny also had an eye to profit Skinny kept him three months, and sold him again; he said he cleaned up fifty, not counting what he fed him.
 So Mike found himself boxed in a |crate on Q train, without food or wa ter. Mike got his name from Skimpy,
 but Skinny was most too mean to give him anything else Mike travelled
 nearly three days without food or wa ter, but never made a yip, and might have starved to death if a baggage
 man who liked dogs hadn't noticed
 him and got him something to eat, and also gave him some water. Mike
 was mighty thankful, and ate every
 thing up and drank all the water, then
 felt so happy he went to sleep. He
 was awakened by the banging of his crate when it was thrown off the train. After a little while he was put
 on board a boat bound for Galveston,
 In three more days. with little food
 and little water, he reached Calves
 ton, where he was again put on q train and shipped through to Texas Hill, Arizona. When he got to Texas
 Hill. he found three men waiting for him in a little four-yvheeled cart. Much to his delight, O9ike fourd
 these men were not so rough as he
 had come to the conclusion all men
 were. They talked pleasantly to him;
 and he grinned and wiggfed his body
 It was a friendly trick he had, and the men roared. After less than ar : hours ride in the rickety old cart 7 they reached ranch.
 They opened his box, and out at :, jumped grinning and yelpins and rae. l ing around.
 eI Well, here's the dog your uncle = sent you," he heard one of the noey
 say to a red-headed chap, who grab bed him up in his arms. and carried 5 him into the house.
 $ That night Mike found out a grea: r many things. He learned that COW,
 had hard substance on their fee
 which they used to kick with, and i s left bruise. Also, when he heard iy the witch-grass a sound like the f baby's rattle at Skimpy's house. tha
 meant he better run. There was lot
 of curiosity in Mikes makeup, ant e he felt bad when Sandy, his neS = master, tied him up for the night. bu : he was glad he came.
 In the morning Mike had a nic,
 big breakfast, and set out over tn, s sand He heard a rattle, and ra1 g blindly regardless of where he went
 and landed in cactus plant H,
 pulled himself out bravely and head n ed the other way, when he was SIT, q he saw a ghost-dog It was a wolf 0 He chased the wolf round and round land finally grabbed him with ht