Thoughtful care goes into a child's efforts to help an abused dog learn to trust humans again. Stooping near the bush where the dog is hiding, offering scraps of food, and leaving an umbrella in a rainstorm all convince the dog that the child's offering of friendship is real. When Mom insists on putting up "lost dog" signs, the boy is worried. But in the end, the dog and child find a new friend in each other.