"That's sound doctrine," declared Cowboy Jack.

But he did not smile as he usually did when he was talking with the
little Bunkers. He was gazing all around the fields in sight. He asked
Russ:

"Which way did you come down here from the house, Son?"

Russ pointed. "Down across that lot where the bushes are all piled up."

"Come on," said Cowboy Jack. "We'd better look for him."

"Oh!" cried Margy suddenly, "you don't s'pose the Indians got him, do
you?"

"Those Injuns wouldn't hurt a flea," declared the ranchman, striding
away so fast up the slope that the children had to trot to keep up with
him.

"Do the Indians like fleas?" asked Vi. "I shouldn't think they would.
Our cat at home doesn't."

"I know a riddle about a flea," said Laddie, more cheerfully. A riddle
always cheered Laddie. "It is: 'What is the difference between a flea
and a leopard?'"

"Jumping grasshoppers!" exclaimed Cowboy Jack. "I should think there was
a deal of difference--in their size, anyway."

"No, their size hasn't anything to do with it," said Laddie, delighted
to have puzzled the big man.

"A leopard is a big cat," said Russ. "And a flea can only live on a
cat."

"Pooh! That isn't the answer," declared Laddie. "I guess that is a good
riddle."

"It sure is," agreed Cowboy Jack, still striding up the hill. "What is
the difference between a flea and a leopard? It beats me!"

"Why," said the little boy, panting, "it's because--because a leopard
can't change its spots, but a flea can. You see, the flea is very lively
and jumps around a whole lot----"

"Can't a leopard jump?" demanded Vi.

"We--ell, that's the answer. Somebody told it to me. A leopard just
_can't_ change its spots--so there."

"I think that's silly," declared Vi impatiently. "And I want to know
what has become of Mun Bun."

They all wanted to know that. They were too much worried about the
littlest Bunker to laugh at Laddie's riddle. They went up to the fence
and crept through an opening where the tumble-weeds had not piled up in
great heaps as they had in many places along its length. The wind was
still blowing in fitful gusts, and Laddie and Margy and Vi took hold of
hands when they stood up in the field.

"Now, where can that boy be?" demanded Cowboy Jack in his big voice,
staring all about again. "If he followed you children down this way----"

"Mun Bun! Oh, Mun Bun!" shouted Rose.

Russ joined his voice to hers, and they continued to call as they