quiet, sir, and walk right out here," said the voice from
the hall, and it was answered by a low growl; then all was silent.

"Why, where did he go? and why couldn't we see him?" asked one of the
little ones.

"Perhaps we might if we knew where to look and what to look for," said
Violet with a smiling glance at Cousin Ronald.

"But where's that little pup that was in my pocket?" cried Don, as if
with sudden recollection, and glancing about the floor. "I can't see
how in the world he got there, nor how he got out again."

Just as he finished his sentence the puppy's whine was heard, seeming
to come from behind the large armchair in which Cousin Ronald was
seated.

"There he is now!" cried Don. "I wish he'd come out of that corner and
let us all see him."

"Perhaps he will if you invite him," said the old gentleman, rising
and pushing his chair a little to one side.

Don made haste to look behind it. "Why, there's nothing there!" he
cried. "What does go with the little scamp?"

"Perhaps he's afraid of you, Don, so gets out of sight as fast as
possible," said Percy.

"Then why did he get in my pocket?" asked Don; then added quickly,
"But maybe he wasn't there, for I couldn't find him, though I clapped
my hand on it the instant I heard his whine." Just then the whine,
followed by a little bark, seemed to come from the farther side of the
room, and the children hurried over there to make a vain search for
the strangely invisible puppy.

"Where did it go to?" they asked. "How could it get away so fast? and
without anybody seeing it?"

"Well, it isn't here, that's certain," said one. "Let's look in the
hall."

They rushed out there, then out to the porch, looking searchingly
about everywhere, but finding nothing.

"Oh, it must have got away into the grounds," cried one. "Let's look
there," and they ran down the path to the gate, off across and around
the grounds--some in one direction, some in another. But it took only
a few minutes to satisfy them that no little dog was there; and they
trooped back to the house to report their inability to find it.

They were all talking at once, discussing their failure in eager,
excited tones, when again that strange, gruff voice was heard in the
hall.

"Say, youngsters, what have you done with my little dog? He's of fine
stock, and if you don't hand him over right away--why, I'll know the
reason why, and it won't be good fur ye, I can tell ye."

"We didn't take him,"