aid
Bunker. "We'll go down the road a way and ask everyone we meet."

Splash, by this time, was pretty well known at the houses along the road
where Grandpa Brown lived, for the dog made friends with everyone, and
was fond of children.

But Bunker, Ben, Bunny and Sue had to ask at a number of places before
they found anyone who had seen Splash.

"Your dog lost; eh?" exclaimed Mr. Black, who lived about a mile from
Grandpa Brown's house. "Why, yes, I saw Splash this morning. He was
running over the fields back of my house. I called to him, thinking you
children might be with him, and there's an old ram, over in my back
pasture, that I didn't want to get after you.

"But Splash wouldn't come when I called to him, and when I saw you two
youngsters weren't with him, I didn't worry about the ram. I knew
Splash could look out for himself."

"Did you see him come back?" asked Bunker.

"No. I didn't notice. I was too busy."

"Then we'll go over and look for him," said Ben. "Maybe the old ram got
him after all."

"Well, maybe he did," said the farmer, "but I guess a dog like Splash
can run faster than a ram. Anyhow we'll have a look."

"Are you going, Bunny?" asked Sue.

"Sure. Aren't you? Don't you want to find Splash?"

"Yes--but--but I don't want a old ram to hook me with his horns."

"I'll take care of you, Sue," said Farmer Black. "I'll take a big stick
with me, and the ram is afraid of that. We'll find Splash for you."

They all went over the field where Mr. Black had seen Splash trotting
early that morning. They saw the ram, who, at first, seemed about to run
toward them. But when Mr. Black shook the stick at him the ram turned
away and nibbled grass.

"No sign of Splash here," said the farmer, as he stood on the fence and
looked across the field.

"Then he's just lost," said Bunny. He was glad the ram had not hurt his
dog. But where could Splash be?

They went on a little farther, and Sue called:

"Splash! Splash! Where are you?"

But there was no answer. Then they went on a little farther, and Bunny
called:

"Splash! Ho, Splash!"

Hark! What was that?

They all listened.

From somewhere, a good way off, the faint barking of a dog could be
heard.

"There he is!" cried Bunker Blue. "That's Splash!"

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Sue.

"But why doesn't he come to us?" Bunny asked. "Splash always comes when
you call him. Why doesn't he come?"

No one could answer this. They listened and waited