nded quickly.

Nurse came into the room, leading Bobby, who had been undergoing a
change of garments through a tumble into the duck-pond.

'They're out in the meadows,' she said; 'what's the matter?'

'I'm afraid there's a dog of Mr. Dart's loose; I've just heard say it's
gone mad, and can't be found! It's these dreadful hot days. I've just
chained up Rough. Little Miss Betty must look after that dog of hers.
Tom Dart and a neighbour is out huntin' for theirs now.'

'A mad dog!' exclaimed nurse in horror; 'call them in, Jack, do! What
should I do if they met it?'

And leaving Bobby in the kitchen, she as well as her brother ran out to
warn the children. They found them in a clover field under the trees:
Douglas was busy trying to work his way inside an old hollow trunk;
Molly was digging down a rabbit hole; and Billy was waiting upon them
both.

'Where is Miss Betty?'

'She's gone along the lane,' said Douglas, looking up with a very
heated face; 'I sent her to the brook to get some water: we're going to
lay in provisions for a siege; and this tree will be our hiding-place.'

'And I'm digging for treasure money,' said Molly.

'Is Prince with her?' asked nurse anxiously.

'Yes, he won't ever stay with us.'

'They're safe enough in this field,' said Farmer Giles, looking round;
'but they'd best not wander in the lanes. We must have Miss Betty
back.'

Betty meanwhile was trotting contentedly along, hugging an old
earthenware jar.

'We'll get them some water, Prince, and then you shall be the sentry;
Douglas said you could be; directly you hear a step you must bark!'

Prince looked up, wagged his tail in response, and began to burrow in
the grass for imaginary frogs.

And then Betty, feeling her jar very heavy, sat down against the hedge
bank to rest. She remained there some time, chattering away to her
dog, and was just starting on her way again, when shouts up the lane
startled her.

A moment after, and straight down the lane towards her tore a large
retriever; his mouth was open and covered with foam, and he kept making
snaps at the air as he rushed along. After him came two men and some
boys.

'Out of the way!' they shouted; 'he's mad!'

Poor little Betty stood in the middle of the lane, quite petrified. It
was a very narrow lane; the banks and hedges were high on either side,
and there literally seemed no escape for the child. On he came, with
open jaws and bloodshot eyes; and in anoth