t's say anything about it," continued Reba.
"Don't you say so, girls?" She looked over her shoulder at Edna and
Reliance who were walking behind.

"I don't see any reason why we should," said Reliance. "Of course, if
she should ask questions, we wouldn't tell her a story."

"Oh, no, we wouldn't do that," agreed the other girls.

But Alcinda had no thought of old houses or anything else at this time
but her little dog, Jetty, a handsome, black Pommeranian to whom she was
devoted and of whom she was very proud. "Oh, girls," she exclaimed as
she came up, "have you seen or heard anything of Jetty? We haven't seen
him since morning, and I am so afraid he has been stolen."

"Oh, wouldn't that be dreadful?" said Edna sympathetically.

"I don't see who would steal him," said Esther Ann, practically.
"Everyone knows he belongs to you, and there aren't many strangers that
come through the village."

"There are a few. There was a tramp at our back door only a few days
ago."

"But you didn't lose Jet a few days ago; it was only to-day that you
missed him."

"I think it's more likely he is shut up somewhere," decided Reba. "Where
have you looked, Alcinda?"

"Oh, pretty near everywhere I could think of, and I have asked everybody
who might have seen him."

"Maybe he has gone off with some other dogs," suggested Reliance. "Dogs
will do that, and sometimes they don't come back for two or three days.
Mr. Prendergast had a dog that did that way. He lives near where we used
to, you know, and he had a collie named Rob Roy that would go off now
and then, and the other dogs would bring him back after a while. He
would come in looking so ashamed, while they stood off to see how he
would be treated."

"Jetty never did run away before," said Alcinda, doubtfully, although
Reliance's words were comforting.

"When did you see him last and what was he doing?" asked Esther Ann.

"Mother heard him barking at a wagon that was going by. He doesn't bark
at everyone, but there are some people he can't bear."

"What people?" inquired Esther Ann, trying to get a clue.

"He doesn't like the butcher boy nor the man that drives the mill wagon,
nor the man that brings the laundry. He always runs out and barks at
them."

"Have you asked any of them about him?"

"No, not yet."

"Then I'll tell you what let's do, girls," proposed Esther Ann. "Two of
us can go around by the mill, two of us can go to the butcher's and
Alcinda can go to the l