boat again, and we'll row to our camp."

The three got in, the strange boy sitting in the stern. Shep and
Snap took up the oars and soon the craft was heading for the cove
where it had been tied up the night before. A shot was fired to
notify Giant and Whopper that the boat had been found.

"What's your name?" asked Snap on the way.

"Tommy Cabot; but up to the show they called me Buzz."

"Are your folks with the circus?"

"My folks are dead---that is, my father and mother are. I've got
a sister somewhere, older than myself, but I don't know just where
she is."

"How did you happen to go with the circus?" asked Shep.

"They picked me up at Centerport. They saw that I was limber and
could do a turn or two, and they made me join. They promised me
good wages and a fine time, but as soon as we got on the road they
treated me worse than my dog."

"Your dog?"

"Yes. I had a dog, and I said I wouldn't join unless they took the
dog, too. Jones wanted me to give him, the dog---he was a fine
collie---but I wouldn't do it, and when I left I took my dog with me."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. He ran away several days ago, and I haven't seen him
since."

"And he was a collie?" asked Snap.

"Yes." Tommy Cabot's eyes brightened expectantly. "You haven't
seen him, have you? He must be somewhere around these lakes."

"We found a dog---a collie. He's got a tag on his collar---number
444."

"My dog!" cried the circus boy. "Oh, I'll be glad to see him! He's
my best friend, even if he did run away. Anyway, I guess he went
to get something to eat. I hadn't much for him."

"What do you call your dog?" asked the doctor's son.

"Wags---because he moves his tail so much."

"Well, I never! That's what we dubbed him."

"Tell me," broke in Snap. "Do you know what happened at the circus
after you left?"

"I heard that some of the animals got away. I didn't hear the
particulars. I went down among the farms and laid low, waiting for
the circus to go east."

"A lion got away, and also Abe, the educated chimpanzee. The circus
folks think those men who were discharged and you were responsible."

"Me! I didn't do it, and I never had anything to do with those men
who were discharged. They were a hard crowd."

A little later the camp was gained. As soon as the dog saw Tommy
Cabot he became frantic with joy and leaped up and licked the
hand of his youthful master. Tommy fairly hugged Wags to his