that boy," he said. "But I'm a hard working
man, and them as works for me has to work hard, same as I do. But maybe
I was too hard on Tom. I certainly was mad when he ran away and left me,
and I made up my mind I'd punish him, if I could get him back. But I
haven't seen him since he was at your camp. And you thought he was in
the smoke-house?" he asked.

"Yes, I really did," replied Mr. Brown. "But I guess you didn't know a
fox was in there; did you?"

"No, I didn't," answered the farmer. "He must have gone in during the
night, when the door was open. The place sort of smells of meat, you
know. Then the door blew shut, and the fox couldn't get out.

"And Splash smelled him!" cried Bunny, who had gotten up and was
brushing the dust off. Sue was doing the same thing.

"Yes, your dog smelled the fox," said Mr. Trimble. "That was what made
him bark and get all excited."

"I'm going to catch a fox in my trap," said Bunny. "I've got a trap set
over by our spring. Maybe this is the fox I'm going to catch," he went
on.

"I'm afraid not," said Mr. Brown. "This fox is so scared that he'll run
for miles. He'll never come back this way again. Well, we haven't found
Tom Vine yet; have we?" and he looked at Bunny and Sue.

"No, and you never will find him," said Mr. Trimble. "Boys are no good.
Tom ran away from you same as he did from me. But maybe I was a little
too harsh with him. I wouldn't lock him up in a dark smoke-house,
though. That's no place for a boy."

Bunny and Sue were glad to hear the farmer say that.

"Well, we'd better be getting on to the village," said Mr. Brown. "Come
along, children."

"Oh, let's wait for Splash to come back," said Bunny. "I don't want him
to be lost."

CHAPTER XX

IN BUNNY'S TRAP

Pretty soon Splash was seen coming over the hills. He did not run fast,
for he was tired from having chased the fox. The dog was wet and muddy,
too.

"Oh, Daddy! What happened to Splash?" asked Bunny, as the dog came
slowly along, and stretched out in the shade of a tree.

"Did the fox bite him?" Sue wanted to know. "If he did I don't like
foxes, and I don't want Bunny to catch any in his trap."

"No, the fox didn't bite your dog," said Mr. Brown. "I guess he just ran
away from Splash. And Splash tried to catch him, and ran through mud and
water until he got all tired out. You don't like foxes, either, do you,
Splash?"

Splash barked once, and did not even wag his tail. That one bark must