Mark Templeton called to his mother Jane.   "I'm going downtown to buy an ice cream cone."

Mother Jane called back, "Okay."

Mark Templeton lifted Samuel P. Cat and took him outside.

Sanuel P. Cat had on his bright red collar with the bell attached.

Samuel P. Cat wasn't used to being outside.

Although he was a very big cat and weighed twenty-three pounds, everything scared him.

The breeze on his nose scared him.

The grass under his toes scared him.

He sat down on the driveway and wouldn't move.

"Sammy, come along," said Mark Templeton.

"It is a nice sunny day and I am going downtown to buy an ice cream cone.   I have two quarters, six dimes, six nickels, and ten pennies.   That is exactly what an ice cream cone costs."

Samuel P. Cat didn't move.

Mark Templeton reached down and tugged on Sammy's bright red collar with the bell attached.

Samuel P. Cat still didn't move.

Mark Templeton started walking slowly.

"Kitty, Kitty," he called.

Samuel P. Cat followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

As they passed by Mrs. Middleton's house, a leaf blew by Samuel P. Cat's ear.

"Meee-ooow", he screeched as he jumped under a bush.

"Samuel P. Cat, you are a big chicken," said Mark Templeton.

He reached under the bush and tugged on Samuel P. Cat's bright red collar with the bell attached.

"Come out from under there.   It was only a leaf that scared you, not a Tee I Double Grr Err."

Mark Templeton tugged and tugged and scratched his arm on the branches of the bush.

Finally, Samuel P. Cat came out from under the bush and followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

As they passed Mr. Sommerville's yard, a bright yellow butterfly landed on Samuel P. Cat's nose.

"Meee-ooow," he screeched as he leaped into the air and ran under Mr. Sommerville's porch.

"Samuel P. Cat, you are weird for sure," said Mark Templeton.   "That was just a beautiful butterfly, not a giant-cat-eating vulture."

Mark Templeton slid under the porch and tugged on Samuel P. Cat's bright red collar with the bell attached.   He tugged and tugged and got his white tee shirt all dirty.

Finally, Samuel P. Cat came out from under the porch and followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

As they passed Mr. Honeywell's yard, his tiny Poodle FiFi barked at them.

"Meee-ooow," screeched Samuel P. Cat as he ran and hid under Mr. Honeywell's parked car.

"Samuel P. Cat, you are such a scaredy cat," said Mark Templeton.   "That is only a little Poodle, not a T-Rex trying to eat you."

Mark Templeton crouched down and looked under Mr. Honeywell's parked car.   He reached out and grabbed Samuel P. Cat's bright red collar with the bell attached and tugged and tugged and tore the knee of his jeans on the driveway.

Finally, Samuel P. Cat came out from under the parked car and followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

Mark Templeton passed by the ice cream store and went into the pet store.

Samuel P. Cat sat and watched as Mark Templeton counted out his money.

He had two quarters, six dimes, six nickels and ten pennies and the man behind the counter told him that was exactly what a leash cost.

Mark Templeton put the leash on Samuel P. Cat's bright red collar with the bell attached.

Samuel P. Cat didn't move.

Mark Templeton tugged gently on the leash and Samuel P. Cat followed behind him down the sidewalk.

Samuel P. Cat felt safe with the leash hooked onto his bright red collar with the bell attached.   He felt Mark Templeton was holding him safe.

When they passed Mr. Honeywell's yard and FiFi barked, Samuel P. Cat did not run under the parked car.   He followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

When they pased Mr. Sommerville's house and a butterfly flew by Samuel P. Cat, he did not run under the porch.   He followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

When they passed Mrs. Middleton's house and a leaf blew by Samuel P. Cat, he did not run under the bush.   He followed Mark Templeton down the sidewalk.

When Mark Templeton and Samuel P. Cat went into the house, Mother Jane asked, "You were gone for a long time.   Did you get your ice cream cone?"

"No," answered Mark Templeton.   "I bought some courage for Samuel P. Cat."