Van Bibber found the household in a state of much
excitement in consequence, and his welcome was necessarily brief. The
arriving guest was not to be considered at all with the departed dog.
The men told Van Bibber, in confidence, that the general relief among
the guests was something ecstatic, but this was marred later by the
gloom of Miss Arnett and her inability to think of anything else but
the finding of the lost collie. Things became so feverish that for the
sake of rest and peace the house-party proposed to contribute to a
joint purse for the return of the dog, as even, nuisance as it was, it
was not so bad as having their visit spoiled by Miss Arnett's
abandonment to grief and crossness.

"I think," said the young woman, after luncheon, "that some of you men
might be civil enough to offer to look for him. I'm sure he can't have
gone far, or, if he has been stolen, the men who took him couldn't have
gone very far away either. Now which of you will volunteer? I'm sure
you'll do it to please me. Mr. Van Bibber, now: you say you're so
clever. We're all the time hearing of your adventures. Why don't you
show how full of expedients you are and rise to the occasion?" The
suggestion of scorn in this speech nettled Van Bibber.

"I'm sure I never posed as being clever," he said, "and finding a lost
dog with all Long Island to pick and choose from isn't a particularly
easy thing to pull off successfully, I should think."

"I didn't suppose you'd take a dare like that, Van Bibber," said one of
the men. "Why, it's just the sort of thing you do so well."

"Yes," said another, "I'll back you to find him if you try."

"Thanks," said Van Bibber, dryly. "There seems to be a disposition on
the part of the young men present to turn me into a dog-catcher. I
doubt whether this is altogether unselfish. I do not say that they
would rather remain indoors and teach the girls how to play billiards,
but I quite appreciate their reasons for not wishing to roam about in
the snow and whistle for a dog. However, to oblige the despondent
mistress of this valuable member of the household, I will risk
pneumonia, and I will, at the same time, in order to make the event
interesting to all concerned, back myself to bring that dog back by
eight o'clock. Now, then, if any of you unselfish youths have any
sporting blood, you will just name the sum."

They named one hundred dollars, and arranged that Van Bibber was to
have the dog b