Henry and the Paper Route Read Online Free Page A

the box did not have a lid, he laid newspapers across the top.Maybe the kittens would go to sleep if it was dark inside the box. Then he hurriedly served Ribsy’s dinner and opened the back door. After a good dinner Ribsy might feel more friendly toward the kittens.
    Ribsy trotted in, his toenails clicking on the linoleum, and headed straight for his dish, where he began to gulp down his food. The newspaper over the box moved up and down. An exploring black paw appeared, followed by a black nose and a set of white whiskers. The black-and-white kitten popped out of the box and was followed by the rest of its brothers and sisters. They scampered across the floor, straight for Ribsy’s dish, and acted as if Ribsy were not even there.
    Ribsy was not going to let any kittens get away with his dinner. He growled deep in his throat and went right on eating. The kittens did not care to be growled at. Theyarched their backs, hissed, and puffed up their fur so that their tails changed from exclamation points to bottle brushes.
    Anxious to avoid trouble, Henry snatched up the hissing, spitting kittens and tried to hang on to them. As they struggled to get free, their sharp little claws felt like needles through his T-shirt. “Hey!” protested Henry, while Ribsy gulped his food without stopping to chew.
    The black-and-white kitten leaped out over Henry’s arms and skittered up to Ribsy. Ribsy growled. The kitten swatted Ribsy on the end of his nose.
    Ribsy yelped in surprise and backed away. Then he began to growl as if he really meant it, and lunged at the kitten. Henry managed to snatch it up while the other three kittens escaped from his arms and jumped to the floor.
    Three kittens at once were too much forRibsy. He barked furiously and tried to run in three directions at the same time.

    â€œRibsy!” yelled Henry, trying to rescue at least one more kitten.
    â€œDinner is ready!” Mrs. Huggins called out above the bedlam.
    Henry dropped the black-and-white kitten. Grabbing Ribsy by the collar, hedragged him across the kitchen to the basement door and shoved him onto the top step of the basement stairs. “You be quiet, see?” he said sternly. “How am I going to get to keep a kitten if you act this way?” Before he closed the basement door, Henry snapped on the light so Ribsy would not have to sit in the dark. The house was quiet.
    â€œPeace at last,” said Mr. Huggins, as Henry sat down at the table.
    Ribsy whimpered. Then he barked and finally he howled. His voice came through the floor beneath the Hugginses’ feet, loud and mournful. From the kitchen came the rattle of pans that were being explored by kittens.
    Mr. and Mrs. Huggins were silent. Henry was silent, too. Leave it to old Ribsy, he thought crossly. He’s spoiling everything.
    In the kitchen a milk bottle crashed into the sink. For a moment Ribsy was silent,and then he began to howl even more dismally. Long, quivering wails came up through the floor—wails that said Ribsy was the unhappiest dog in the whole world.
    When the Hugginses had almost finished their uncomfortable meal, the telephone rang. “Yes…oh, no, Mrs. Grumbie,” Henry heard his mother say to the next-door neighbor. “No, Ribsy isn’t sick. He just sounds that way.”
    â€œThat does it,” said Henry’s father, when Mrs. Huggins had finished the conversation. “We can’t have Ribsy bothering the neighbors. Let him out, Henry. That dog knows he has a corner of the living room that he’s supposed to stay in when he’s in the house. For once, he will have to mind.”
    â€œAll right, Dad,” said Henry doubtfully, and opened the basement door. Ribsy bounded up the steps and wagged his tail to show Henry he was willing to forgive himfor shutting him in the basement.
    â€œDown, boy,” said Henry, “and in your corner.” Henry knew it would be a good idea to get the kittens out