# Willie and Bounce - Source: McGuffey's Second Reader (second-reader.gutenberg.org), Public domain, William Holmes McGuffey, 1879, via Project Gutenberg - Reading level: Grades 1 and 2 - Subjects: Stories, Nature, Animals - Topics: bounce, willie, river, came, near, stone - Length: 229 words, about 2 min - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: WILLIE AND BOUNCE. - Two fast friends were Willie Brown and his little dog Bounce. Willie could never think of taking a walk without Bounce. Cake and play were equally shared between them. - Willie taught his dog many cunning tricks, and often said that Bounce could do almost anything in the world but talk. - There came a time, however, when Bounce really told Willie's father something, though he could not talk. Let me tell you how he did this. - It was on a bright summer afternoon. Willie had strolled with Bounce down to the river, which was not more than two blocks from his father's store. - Willie began to throw stones into the water, and to watch the ripples as they made one circle after another. - Bounce lay on the grass, watching the flies that buzzed around his nose, and catching any that came too near. - There were some logs floating in the river near the shore. Willie jumped upon one of them, to see if he could throw a stone across the river. - He drew back, and sent the stone with all his might. just as it left his hand, the log turned, and he fell into the water. - He was very much frightened, for he did not know how to swim, and there was no one to hear, though he called as loud as he could for help. ## Picture credits - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain () - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain ()