ked and dropped the stick. He wagged his tail, as if
he were saying:

"I'll do anything you want me to, little master, but I don't know just
what you mean."

Once more Tom called across the water.

"Throw the stick into the lake, Bunny. Then Splash will bring it to me.
He knows how to jump in after sticks you throw into the water; doesn't
he?"

"Oh, yes, Splash knows that all right," Bunny said. "Here, Splash!" he
called.

Into the lake Bunny tossed the stick to which was fastened one end of
his kite cord.

"Get it, Splash!" cried the little boy.

With a bark Splash sprang into the water. But instead of swimming out to
Tom with the stick and string, he swam back to shore. That was what he
had been taught to do, you see.

Splash dropped the stick at Bunny's feet, and wagging his wet tail,
spattered drops all over Sue. The dog barked, looking up at Bunny, and
seeming to say:

"There, little master! Didn't I do that fine? Wasn't that just what you
wanted me to do?"

"No! No!" cried Bunny. "I don't want the stick, Splash! Take it to
Tom--out in the boat--take it to him!" and he pointed to Tom.

Once more Bunny threw the stick into the water, and once more Splash
sprang in and brought it to shore. It was not until Bunny had told
Splash four times, that the dog knew what was wanted.

Then the fifth time, when Bunny threw the stick into the water, Splash
jumped in after it and swam out to Tom in the boat. Tom kept calling:

"Here, Splash! Here, Splash! Come on, good dog!"

Up to the boat, with the stick and cord, swam the dog. Tom made the
string fast to the boat, and then Bunny and Sue, standing on shore,
pulled on their end. They pulled slowly at first, so as not to break
the cord. But, once the boat was started, it came along easily, and soon
Tom was on dry land again. Splash swam along behind the boat.

"There!" Tom cried, as he tied the boat fast. "I'll never do that
again!"

"We're not let get in the boat," said Bunny, "but I guess daddy forgot
to tell you."

"If he had I'd never have gotten in," Tom said. "But I'm glad you pulled
me to shore."

The rest of the campers came back soon after that, and Mr. Brown got Tom
to promise never to get in the boat alone again. Of course Tom was not
in any real danger as long as he kept still, and Mr. Brown might easily
have gone out and rescued him in another boat. But I think it was very
clever of Bunny and Sue, and Splash, too, to get Tom back to shore as