It was a bright sunny afternoon. Max the dog was basking happily on his fluffy cushion. You see, today was Max’s birthday. But suddenly, Max’s tail drooped down. He was getting frightened at the thought that his birthday might be no fun at all. In fact, not one of his friends had come to wish him a happy birthday. But it was still only afternoon, so perhaps they would come soon.
“Only three more hours till supper-time,” thought Max. The hours ticked by slowly. Then two more hours! And still none of Max’s little four-legged friends had come to play.
“You don’t think you could manage to wait another whole hour, do you, Max?” said Mistress Mary.
“Maybe some of my friends will come at the last moment,” thought Max hopefully. An hour went by. And then Master John came out and gave him his supper.
“Aren’t my friends coming?” Max seemed to ask, looking up at him with his big soft eyes.
“No, none of them have come yet,” said Master John. Then he went back into the house, and the door was closed.
Max did not feel like playing. He just lay on his cushion and sighed. As he lay there, what do you think happened? First one little dog came trotting down the garden path, stopping for a moment here and there, to smell the flowers, just as Max had done when he first came, a little unknown puppy, to perhaps-to say where he’d never been before. Max came first to the gate to meet him.
“Is it true? Have I permission to come in?” asked the little dog.
“Certainly. To be sure I’m glad to see you,” said Max. And as soon as little Dandy was through the gate, Master John and Mistress Mary opened the door of the house, and their pretty little cousin, who had been staying with them for a few days, ran out into the garden crying:
“Hooray! Hooray! I’m the first of all the guests to arrive!” Then came little Bonny, and little Rita, of course, in her scapular and prayer, with little Grumba, and the playful Poodle, and the well-bred and dignified Marko who seldom forgot himself enough to scamper about like all the others! And then came a little box that had come in the post.
“Here’s an electric cannon, a splendid surprise for you,” said the pretty cousin as she opened the little box.
Shoo! Shoo! the red and blue rockets flew from the hose of the little cannon, soaring aloft like arrows high in the sky, while all the dogs and the children barked and shouted with delight.
And you know what still greater surprise there was? A blue rubber bone for the dogs, intended for a Christmas present, but of course it had not been the right time of the year for giving it. Master and Mistress Mary had tuckered it away carefully, and forgotten it. And now, just as it seemed all the rest of the guests had come, and Max was looking so “smug and so tight,” and seemed to say:
“Now there’s really going to be a grand good party for us, and I could eat a pound of Russian dried plumb-cake,” the fast-closed front-door of the house was opened, and guess who then came in? Yes, it was pretty little Amy, in her Friday’s frock!
“Max! Max!” cried all the children, dancing with delight.
Oh happiness, oh rapture! The most delightful of all desserts was now there, ready to greet the rich black plumb-cake with its dripping blue pointed cap and its rich spiced smell. A few jolly verses had been written upon the shining paper that covered the cake, and they were even read aloud. It was all quite correct and regular.
“Now, children,” said Mistress Mary.
And they all made quite a round circle to sit down in. Max firmly decided he would sit by the legs of little Master Jonny, where there were not so many feet about. The cover of the cake was lifted off, the paper that had wrapped it was also taken off, and cups filled with ice-cream were brought and handed round. Max considered he might sit quietly where he was.
Dandy said nothing at all. “I’ve got a good deal of ice-cream in the middle of my cake,” he said, “I’ve heard tell it ought to be there.”
However, he kept it quiet in front, and ate it all piece by piece. But soon, too soon for the children, it vanished completely!
Bonny made like a thrush. He swallowed both the cake and the ice-cream right away! Then he got down his fore-feet from the table again, ready for a second turn.
“What sort of beating do you think you can give me, Miss Daw,” said Marko, who limited himself rather to what’s proper and right, being but a little man by birth.
All amongst the barking, and laughing, and chatting, and good-natured revelry, Max broke his way through, for he felt sure there must be something for a birthday present in the snug warm corner where all the pretty hats used to hang. He drew it slowly and carefully backwards, having first closed his eyes, and tugged and dragged with all his might. At last it came free; and to the delighted surprise of every one, it was the prettiest knitted real warm woollen muff possible, for shutting in either paw, suitable both for hot weather and cold, a present sent to him by his cousin little Aline.
He capered for joy and gratitude. Everyone then stretched out a warm hand to receive it from him, feeling glad they had not been too late in coming to the party. And Max, proud and happy, returned thanks in good attitude and in an elegant manner.