He just appears one day - a grayish dog with a tail that wags like crazy. And he keeps coming back, until it feels to James and his sister, Sary, as if the old stray is their very own. Soon they've given the dog a name, and after that both children are bound to protect him no matter what. Even if it means keeping him a secret from Dad.

Home has been a lonely place since Mom died last winter. Dad spends too much time apart from the kids, and though their aunt Lorrie does her best to add cheer, a painful silence fills their house. But now a frisky companion has arrived, and if James can figure out a way to bring the dog into the family, maybe happiness and comfort will tag along with him.