There's a homely real small boy quality to this story of Patrick and his exceptionally bright stray dog; Dirty, which will capture other small boys, and they will like the wholly unregenerate manner in which Patrick, with no conscience but with great ingenuity, manages to get what he wants -- only to find he doesn't want it. So after trading everything he could acquire, by fair means or foul, for a coveted pony, he makes a straight trade back again for Dirty. Better story than pictures.