Midge and Her Idea

 “Why don't you follow me home,” suggested Midge. “Maybe if my owner saw you in the yard, she would bring you in and make you a warm place to stay for the winter.”

“Oh that would be nice,” said Snappy. “Do you think she would give me a warm home for the winter. I don't think I would want to be in there in the summer. I like it out here in summer.”

“We can try Snappy,” said Midge. “She is good person for a human.”

“Come on with us,” said Jake. “I'm cold and ready to go home and warm up inside.”

“Me too Jake,” said Midge. “Come on Snappy. We will walk slow so you can keep up with us.”

The three friends started across the park toward the street. Snappy hurried behind Midge and tried to keep up with her. Midge slowed down a few times waiting for Snappy to catch up. They rushed across the street and started up the sidewalk. They got to Jake's house first.

“Midge, I will see you in the morning,” said Jake. “Be careful going home and good luck with your owner. I hope she takes Snappy into the warm house. He will feel so much better.”

“I hope she will,” said Midge. “Come on Snappy it's not to much further to go now.”

Snappy hurried behind her, breathing hard. Midge stopped a couple times to let Snappy catch up to her.

“Here we are Snappy,” said Midge. “Wait here a minute and I will be right back out.”

“Okay,” said Snappy.

Midge left Snappy sitting near the back porch and hurried inside through her little door. In a few minutes she was back out the door dragging her little blanket. She set it near the porch close to the house out of the wind.

“You can lay down on my blanket til my owner comes home,” said Midge. “I will bring her out here to see you.”

“Okay,” agreed Snappy.

Midge sat with Snappy for a little while til she heard the car pull into the driveway. “Wait here Snappy,” said Midge as she ran for the driveway and met her owner as she stepped out of the car.

“Hi girl,” said her owner. “Why are you out here in the cold snow?”

Midge jumped up and down and started barking and running to the back trying to get her owner to follow her.

“What is it Midge?” she asked. “Is everything okay? What is wrong girl?”

She followed Midge into the back yard where she saw the little turtle laying on Midge's little blanket. Midge looked at Snappy and up at her owner with her sad puppy dog eye look. She looked as if she were begging her owner to take the little turtle into the house.

"Aw Midge," said her owner. "Why is your blanket out here? Were you trying to help this little guy?"

Midge danced around and barked as if she was telling her she did what she could to help and now is was her turn.

"It is so cold out here," she said as she picked up the little blanket with the turtle laying on top. "Come on Midge, lets go inside with this little guy. He must really be cold. Hmmmm, I have never seen a turtle snuggling in a blanket before. How cute."

Midge followed her inside. Inside the house, she laid the blanket with the turtle down on the kitchen floor near the door. She went to the closet and dug around in there for a few minutes and came out with a large shallow tank. "I used to have fish at one time and saved the tank thinking I might again. This will be good for the little guy Midge." said Midge's owner as she set the tank on the counter top and started washing it out inside. She had some supplies left from the fish days and pulled them out and set the tank up to house the turtle. She placed the tank in the living room on the table under the window and placed the little turtle into the tank.

"I will be back in few minutes girl," said Midge's owner. "I'm going to run over to the pet store and pick up some turtle food."

Midge got on the chair near the table after her owner went out the door and poked her head inside the tank. "Are you okay Snappy?"

"This is nice Midge," said Snappy. "But will she let me go back to the pond in the spring after the weather warms up. I don't think I want to be in the tank all year round. I like the pond."

"I don't know Snappy," said Midge. "For now stay warm and maybe Jake and I can think of something before the Spring comes."

"I am happy to be living in your nice house Midge," said Snappy. "Thanks for letting me come to stay. The winter time is hard at the pond."

"I know Snappy," said Midge. "Jake and I worried about you every winter."

"It was lonely at the pond too in winter," said Snappy. "Not very many kids came and you and Jake don't come as often in the winter."

"Sometimes it is too cold and we stay in the warm house," said Midge. "This winter you will be in the nice warm house."

Midge's owner returned with some food for Snappy. "How is our little friend Midge?"

Midge looked up at her and wagged her tail in approval. She laid her head on the edge of the tank as her owner put in some food for Snappy. "I think your little friend you found outside will be good in here for the winter. Maybe when the weather warms up we can let him out at the pond."

Midge nudged her hand with her little nose and barked. Her owner patted her on the head. "Now, how about some dinner for you girl. Come on, lets get something to eat."

Midge got down from the chair and followed her to the kitchen and sat next to her feet waiting for her to set her bowl of food down. She filled Midge's bowl and set it on her mat along with a bowl of fresh water and patted Midge on the head. "There you are girl. I have some work to do now."

Midge finished her meal and went to the living room and leaped into the chair beside the table where Snappy's new winter home was. "How are you doing Snappy?" asked Midge poking her nose over the side of the tank.

"Midge, this is really nice," said Snappy. "I even have a little area I can crawl into and hide. I like it."

"Good," said Midge. "I am happy you will have a warm winter this year."

"Thank you Midge," said Snappy. "You are a really nice friend."

"Good night Snappy," said Midge. "I'm going to lay down over there by the fire if you need me in the night."

"Good night Midge," said Snappy.

Midge jumped out of the chair and went to her little bed near the fire and curled up to sleep.