Patrick told Henry what Mrs. Robin discovered and about the decision that he and Cricket had to make. "Are you prepawed to make such a serious decision?" asked Henry. "Cricket is pretty upset," said Patrick.  "This was never what we imagined, and on top of everything, poor Wiggle is sick." "I'm working on helping Wiggle.  I called Colonel Kramer," said Henry.  "He is sending someone who can help her.  In the meantime, are you ready to bring a puppy home?" "I am fixing up a bed for him," just like Mr. Robin did for his babies," said Patrick.  "Cricket and I are talking about our decision."

'

Patrick had asked Mrs. Upright if he could have the old toddler bed that the upright boy had grown out of. It was hard to believe an upright had ever fit in the little bed, but Patrick knew if he could paint it and get the "baby cooties" off, the little bed would be pawfect.  "Reclaim, Reuse, Recycle," said Patrick.  "The pawfect thing to do in an econ-no-money." As Patrick painted the little bed for the puppy he hoped to have someday, he understood what Mr. and Mrs. Robin went through when they took the stuffing from the bus seat in the Gumdrop Garden.  "They just wanted the best for their babies, and now they are helping us to find a baby of our own," thought Patrick.

Patrick was concentrating so deeply while he painted the little bed, that he didn't notice Cricket watching him.  "That looks really nice," she said, "how much did it cost?" "Free!" said Patrick proudly. "Mrs. Upright said we could have it! Wait until you see it when I'm done!  It's going to be for our son!" "Molly is calling Grannie Annie about the Missouri puppy," said Cricket, "but I am scared to adopt a puppy that isn't going to live very long.  It's going to be so hard to love someone and lose him so soon.  I hate puppy mills!"

"It's going to be ok Crickleberry," said Patrick, "we have each other, and we wanted to adopt the best puppy in the world. Now that we have found him, we will love him furever, no matter what. After all, it's not what we need, it's what he needs. Love isn't measured by how much time we have together.  Love is measured by how much of our heart we give."

Cricket loved Patrick's confidence, even when things were scary.  "That's just it," she told him. "I'm afraid I have already given him my heart.  The poor little orphan." "Then there is only one thing left to do," said Patrick. "Are you going to make me guess?" giggled Cricket.

"The one thing left to do," said Patrick, "is to follow the Rescue Dust." "Of all the prepawrations we can make," said Patrick, "the most important one is the one we make in our hearts."