Ward back in Bellemere.

"Surely you may take Dix with you," said Mr. Ward over the telephone
wire. "I only hope he will not be a trouble to you. I know he will make
a fuss just as soon as he comes anywhere near Fred. So, in that way, you
may be able to trace my boy. I hope you will. His mother hopes so too.
She is beside me here as I am talking, and she sends you her thanks.
Take Dix with you if you wish."

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Sue, when she heard the news. "Aren't you,
Bunny? Now we have two dogs!"

"Yes, one will be yours and one mine, until we get back home with Dix.
Then we'll each own half of Splash, as we've always done."

This suited Sue, and, now that the dog question was settled, the
automobile started on again.

For a little while everything was peaceful and quiet in the big
automobile. Bunny went outside on the front seat with his father, and
looked down the road along which they were running. It was a pleasant
road, with trees arching across overhead from one side to the other.

Inside the big car Mrs. Brown and Uncle Tad "got things to rights," as
the children's mother called it, while Sue took out some of her toys,
including the big Teddy bear with the electric eyes, whose adventures
have been told in the book just before this one.

Bunny and his father talked together on the seat in front. Bunny was
interested in whether or not they would find Fred.

"Well, we may and we may not," said Mr. Brown. "It is true Fred said he
was going to run away to Portland, the city where we are going. But we
will not be there for some time, and before then Fred may think he does
not like it there and go somewhere else."

"Well, I think Dix will help find him, don't you?" asked Bunny.

"Yes, I hope so, Son."

Just then came a call from inside the automobile.

"Who's ready for dinner?"

[Illustration: THE TWO DOGS CAME WITH A RUSH.
_Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue on an Auto Tour._ _Page_ 79.]

"I am!" cried Bunny, the first one.

"So am I," added Sue.

"Then come on! Rations are served," said Uncle Tad who had been in the
army.

He and Mrs. Brown had cooked their first meal on the gasolene stove in
the little kitchen and dining room combined, and it was now ready to
serve.

Bunny clambered in by way of the front seat and took his place at the
little table.

"I think we had better stop beside the road while we eat," said Mr.
Brown. "This automobile is all right for traveling, but the roads are so