run away? That's what I want
to know. There isn't a door or window open. The cabin was shut tight
last night after Skyrocket was in."

"That's what we think," said Uncle Toby. "But some door or window may
have been left open by mistake, and Skyrocket may have got out that way
and be roaming in the woods, having a good time. Don't you often find,
Aunt Sallie," asked Uncle Toby, "that you forget to shut a door or
window, and later in the night get up to close it?"

As Mr. Bardeen asked this question of his housekeeper he winked one eye
at her--an eye the children could not see. Uncle Toby wanted Aunt Sallie
to say "yes" to his question, and she, knowing the little trick he was
trying to play, did as he wanted her to.

"There, you are!" exclaimed Uncle Toby to the children. "Aunt Sallie or
I may have left a door or window open, after you young folks went to
bed, and Sky may have gotten out that way. Then we might have closed it,
locking him out."

"Oh, do you think it could have happened that way?" asked Ted.

"Of course it could!" replied Uncle Toby, but he did not really say that
it had happened like that. In fact Uncle Toby knew it had not happened
this way. He felt pretty sure that some one had come in the night and
stolen Skyrocket away, but he did not want to tell the Curlytops this
for fear of making them afraid.

"Well, if Skyrocket has just run away he'll run back again," said Ted.

"Yes, he will, for he's done it before," added Janet.

Then the children felt better, and sat down to breakfast. But when Uncle
Toby had a chance to speak quietly to Aunt Sallie he said:

"Don't say anything to the children, but I think some tramp--maybe the
same one who took your plum pudding--came in the night and stole
Skyrocket."

"But why would a tramp want Skyrocket?" asked Aunt Sallie.

"Perhaps he thought we would pay money to get the dog back--as I will do
if he doesn't come back himself," said Uncle Toby. "You can't tell what
a tramp would do. Anyhow, I know we didn't leave any doors or windows
open. I just said that to quiet the children. I feel sure Skyrocket has
been stolen by a tramp."

"What are you going to do about it, Uncle Toby?"

"I'm going to get Jim Nelson and some of the lumbermen around here and
have a look around. For one place, we'll go to that old cabin of Newt
Baker's, which we saw the man running away from that day. Maybe he's
the tramp who took Skyrocket and also your plum pudding."

"Dear