he groped with his hand. His fingers touched the long, silky
hair on the animal's neck. Slowly he drew the creature from its place
of concealment. It was a sheep-dog pup, of about four months.

"Pretty-looking dog," exclaimed Vernon. "I wonder how it came here?
Suppose it was frightened at the racket. It looks terrified out of its
wits. Good dog!"

The pup fixed its large brown eyes upon Vernon's face, and attempted to
wag its stumpy tail. As it did so the lads discovered that its hind
quarters were tinged with blood.

"Oh, you poor little beggar!" said Vernon sympathetically. "However
did you get that? I say, Ross, fill that basin with water."

"Better send for the boots," suggested Trefusis. "He'll take it to a
vet.'s, or perhaps he'll know whose dog it is."

"Not much chance of finding a vet. at this time of night," objected
Vernon. "Even the chemist will be busy with minor casualties. No, I
won't worry the management. I've doctored dogs before now."

He began bathing the matted hair. The flow of blood had ceased, but
upon examining the wound he found that it was a small circular incision.

He felt the spot. The pup, hitherto patient, uttered a low moan.

"There's something hard there," reported Vernon. "It's only a little
way under the skin. We'll have it out. Hold his head, old man. Don't
let him yelp; keep your hand over his muzzle. I'm afraid I must hurt
the poor little beggar a bit."

Using the little blade of a knife, Haye adroitly probed the wound.
Soft-hearted as he was, the action seemed to hurt him more than the
patient; but his efforts were rewarded by the extraction of a small
steel ball.

"A shrapnel bullet!" exclaimed Ross. "That accounts for the poor
little brute being in such a terrible funk. Give him a drink of water.
He'll be better now. We can bandage the wound with our handkerchiefs."

Five minutes later the dumb patient, his hind quarters swathed in
elaborate bandages, was lying contentedly upon the hearth-rug, his
stumpy tail, protruding between the folds of linen, wagging, as he
tried to express his gratitude in doggy fashion.

"Now what's to be done?" enquired Ross.

"Let him stop until morning," replied Vernon decisively. "There might
be a row if the hotel people know that there's a dog in the bedroom.
The owner can't be much of a chap if he doesn't make enquiries."

"Perhaps he hasn't missed the dog," suggested Ross; "or it's just
likely he isn't stopp