en at last he heard Martha and Noah talking,
he barked and howled most dismally, as when a dog bays at the moon.

They looked everywhere, under boxes and barrels, thinking he might have
turned one over on himself, and under piles of carpet and bedding. Still
they could not find him.

"The sound seems to come from the earth, right down under my feet," said
Martha.

The poor, simple-minded Noah with tears in his eyes, for he was very fond
indeed of Zip, replied, "He's done and gone and buried hisself!"

Just then the doctor drove up the lane, and Martha ran to him to tell him
that Zip was fast under something somewhere and that they could not find
him. When the doctor reached the side yard, where all the household things
were piled, he began to look puzzled and moved the things just as the
others had done. Martha declared it was no use as they had already looked
under all of that stuff.

"Do listen to him now! His cries are growing fainter! He surely is dying!"
she wailed, and threw her apron over her head and began to cry.

At this moment the doctor stepped back and accidentally struck his foot
against the side of the stovepipe, which brought another howl of agony
from Zip. The doctor picked up the pipe and quickly disjointed it in the
middle and out fell the dirtiest but most delighted little dog you ever
saw, for he was free once more. And everyone was as pleased that he was
found as he was that he was rescued, and their tears were turned to smiles
at the comical picture he made, all covered with soot.

After trying to jump up on the doctor to lick his hands in thanks for his
freedom, he started for his usual bath tub, the watering trough.

"Here, where are you going so fast, Zip? Better stay here until I get a
bucket of hot soapsuds to wash you off," called his master, but Zip did
not stop, and the doctor followed him. Imagine his surprise when he saw
him jump in the trough where he always watered his horses!

"So _you_ are the cause of my finding the water so often dirty and all
stirred up, are you? I have been wondering and wondering what caused it.
Well, you can just stop riling old Jim's drinking water."

[Illustration]

But to Zip's dismay, the soot would not come off as the mud and dough had.
It stuck and made him look greasy and black.

"Here, you little rascal, come with me, and I will get soap and towels and
give you a good bath."

And that is how it happened that when Tabby came home from her v