ies went into Peterkins' house and sat about while Raggedy told
him why they had come.

"It has worried me, too!" said Peterkins, "but I had no way of telling
your mistress where Fido was, for she cannot understand dog language!
For you see," Peterkins continued, "Fido and I were having the grandest
romp over in the park when a great big man with a funny thing on the end
of a stick came running towards us. We barked at him and Fido thought he
was trying to play with us and went up too close and do you know, that
wicked man caught Fido in the thing at the end of the stick and carried
him to a wagon and dumped him in with a lot of other dogs!"

"_The Dog Catcher!_" cried Raggedy Ann.

"Yes!" said Peterkins, as he wiped his eyes with his paws. "It was the
dog catcher! For I followed the wagon at a distance and I saw him put
all the dogs into a big wire pen, so that none could get out!"

"Then you know the way there, Peterkins?" asked Raggedy Ann.

"Yes, I can find it easily," Peterkins said.

"Then show us the way!" Raggedy Ann cried, "for we must try to rescue
Fido."

So Peterkins led the way up alleys and across streets, the dolls all
pattering along behind him. It was a strange procession. Once a strange
dog ran out at them, but Peterkins told him to mind his own business and
the strange dog returned to his own yard.

At last they came to the dog catcher's place. Some of the dogs in the
pen were barking at the moon and others were whining and crying.

[Illustration]

There was Fido, all covered with mud, and his pretty red ribbon dragging
on the ground. My, but he was glad to see the dolls and Peterkins! All
the dogs came to the side of the pen and twisted their heads from side
to side, gazing in wonder at the queer figures of the dolls.

"We will try and let you out," said Raggedy Ann.

At this all the dogs barked joyfully.

Then Raggedy Ann, the other dolls and Peterkins went to the gate.

The catch was too high for Raggedy Ann to reach, but Peterkins held
Raggedy Ann in his mouth and stood up on his hind legs so that she could
raise the catch.

When the catch was raised, the dogs were so anxious to get out they
pushed and jumped against the gate so hard it flew open, knocking
Peterkins and Raggedy Ann into the mud. Such a yapping and barking was
never heard in the neighborhood as when the dogs swarmed out of the
enclosure, jumping over one another and scrambling about in the mad rush
out the gate.