Chapter 3 Summary
The narrator—Billy—finds temporary solace by working alongside his father on his family’s farm. He still longs for hound pups but fears that his family will always be too poor to afford them. Just as he is coming to terms with his disappointment, he finds reason to hope.
Billy’s family farm is located adjacent to a river. One day, as he is performing his chores in the field, he notices the remains of a fishermen’s camp. Even before completing his chores, he rushes to the abandoned camp to see what the fishermen may have left behind. He excitedly explores the site, hoping to find discarded or forgotten treasures. To his surprise and delight, he finds that the campers have discarded a sporting magazine. Within the pages of the magazine is an advertisement for hound pups. In the advertisement, a kennel in Kentucky is offering two hound pups for fifty dollars. Although Billy does not have the money, he is determined to find a way to earn it.
Finding the means to purchase the hounds in the advertisement begins to preoccupy Billy’s thoughts. As he considers the cost of the pups, the he realizes that although he does not have the money, he possesses the earning potential. He can harvest and sell vegetables, wild berries, and fishing bait. He can also trap animals and sell the hides at his grandfather’s store. He immediately puts his plan into action. He begins by finding an old baking powder can and depositing twenty-three cents into the can. This is the money he has already saved. All summer, he works tirelessly to earn more. His grandfather is curious about why he works and earns yet never spends, so he asks him about his plans for the money. He explains that he is saving fifty dollars to buy two hound pups. He asks his grandfather to help him make the purchase once he saves the money. His grandfather agrees to do so and to keep his plan a secret from the boy’s parents.
After two years, Billy’s industrious efforts pay off. He finds that he has earned the fifty dollars he needs to buy the hound pups. The next morning, Billy gathers his money and rushes to his grandfather’s store. When he arrives, he patiently waits until his grandfather assists his customers. Once they are gone from the store, he approaches the counter and pours the coins into a mound in front of his grandfather. His grandfather is completely surprised and asks the narrator how he obtained this mountain of money. He reminds his grandfather of their conversation from two years ago. Then he explains that he has worked two years earning the money and that he intends to purchase the two hound pups advertised in the sporting magazine. His grandfather notices scars and cuts on his feet and asks him how he sustained the injuries. The boy explains that he cut them on thorns and briars as he picked berries. His grandfather sees his great sacrifice, and he turns away to hide his tears.
Now that Billy had earned enough money to purchase the pups, his grandfather informs him that they need to contact the kennel and find out if the pups are still available and if they still cost fifty dollars. His grandfather also advises him to wait before he tells his parents about his plan to buy the pups. Billy agrees and prepares to go home. As he nears the door, his grandfather stops him and gives him a full bag of candy, which Billy begins to enjoy on his long walk home. He decides to save most of the candy and share it with his sisters. They are thrilled when he arrives home and scatters the candy on the bed for all to enjoy.
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