spot on his
head--on the top."

"There! What did I tell you?" cried the Professor. "Their poodles were
_white_ and mine are _black_! They can't be the same! Here, King and
Emperor!" he cried, and, stooping down he made a grab for the little dogs
that were staying near Ted and Janet.

With barks and growls the poodles sprang away from the angry man. And, as
it happened, the one the man had called "King" ran against a pail of
water that was near the bottom of the platform. The pail was upset and
some of the water splashed over the black dog.

Then a queer change took place. Instead of being pure black, the poodle
became streaked black and white! The black color began running out of its
hair, and formed a little inky pool on the ground beneath the animal.

"Look! Look!" cried Janet, pointing.

"Those dogs were _colored_ black--they're white poodles dyed black!"
cried the man who had taken the part of the Curlytops. "Now what have
you to say?" he asked the animal trainer.

"Well--er--those dogs are mine! I don't know who stained 'em black. But I
bought 'em of a young man----"

"Was his name Shorty?" asked Ted.

"Well, maybe it was," admitted the showman. "What has that got to do with
it? Those are my dogs!"

"They're ours!" insisted Ted. "Shorty was watching our auto when Tip was
stolen," he went on, "and he knew where we were taking Top. I guess
Shorty broke into our barn the other night, and took Top and colored him
black. These are our poodles, and we're going to have them!"

"It looks as though they had you, Professor," said the kind man.

"And we're going to get a policeman!" added Janet.

"Oh, well, if you're sure they are your dogs, take 'em!" growled the
showman. "I didn't know they were stolen. A young fellow sold me one some
time ago, and I bought the other of him day before yesterday. I did color
the dogs black," he admitted, "because they don't get so dirty as white
ones. The dye will wash off," he said. "If you are sure these are your
poodles, take 'em along!" he said to Ted and Janet.

"Oh, we're sure all right!" cried Janet. And then she took Top up in her
arms, while Teddy carried the partly black and partly white Tip out of
the tent, while the audience laughed and some clapped.

"The show's over!" growled the black-moustached man. "And if I get hold
of that Shorty I'll have him arrested for selling me stolen dogs. They
were valuable, too--as good trick dogs as I ever saw. Do you want to sel