could find anything to laugh at.
Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and
did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his
rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.
It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray
as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black
dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on
either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and
Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.
Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the
doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than
usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at
the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes.
From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry
and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the
coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the
south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the
grass coming from that direction also.
Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up.
There s a cyclone coming, Em, he called to his wife. I ll go look
after the stock. Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and
horses were kept.
Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of
the danger close at hand.
Quick, Dorothy! she screamed. Run for the cellar!
Toto jumped out of Dorothy s arms and hid under the bed, and the girl
started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door
in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole.
Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she
was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind,
and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down
4