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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/34448-h.zip b/34448-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..99ee628 --- /dev/null +++ b/34448-h.zip diff --git a/34448-h/34448-h.htm b/34448-h/34448-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..396fd41 --- /dev/null +++ b/34448-h/34448-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6613 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Rick And Ruddy, by Howard R. Garis. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; clear: both;} +h3 {margin-top:2.5em; margin-bottom:1.5em;} +div.border {border-style: double; padding: 3%; margin-left:10%; margin-right:10% } +p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} +hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} +.pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: 85%; color:#cccccc; text-align: right;} +.center {text-align: center;} +.right {text-align: left; position: absolute; right: 25%} +.right2 {text-align: right; position: absolute; right: 72%} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.subhead {font-size: 0.8em;} +.caption {font-weight: bold;} +.nowrap {white-space: nowrap;} +.figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} +.tnote {padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rick and Ruddy, by Howard R. Garis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Rick and Ruddy + The Story of a Boy and His Dog + +Author: Howard R. Garis + +Illustrator: John Goss + +Release Date: November 26, 2010 [EBook #34448] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICK AND RUDDY *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Louise Pattison and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/cover.png" width="400" height="597" alt="" title="Cover" /> +</div> + +<h1><span style="font-size:1.7em;">RICK</span> <span style="position:relative; bottom:0.25em;">AND</span> <span style="font-size:1.7em;">RUDDY</span><br /> +A BOY AND HIS DOG</h1> + +<p class="center" style="font-size:1.5em;">HOWARD R. GARIS +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/frontis.jpg" width="400" height="594" alt="" title="" /> +<p class="caption">"Oh, yes, it's Ruddy! It's my dog, all right!" cried +Rick.<br /> <span class="right"><i>Page <a href="#Page_243">243</a>.</i></span></p> +</div> + +<div class="border"> +<h2><span style="font-size:2em;">Rick and Ruddy</span><br /> +THE STORY OF A BOY<br /> +AND HIS DOG</h2> + +<p class="center" style="margin-top:3em;">BY</p> +<p class="center" style="font-size:larger;">HOWARD R. GARIS</p> +<p class="center">Author of the "Uncle Wiggily Bedtime Stories," etc.<br /></p> + +<p class="center" style="margin-top:3em;">ILLUSTRATED BY<br /> +<span style="font-size:larger;">JOHN GOSS</span><br /></p> + +<p class="center" style="margin-top:5em;">1920<br /> +<span style="font-size:larger;">MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY</span><br /> +SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS<br /> +</p> +</div> + + +<p class="center" style="margin-top:5em;">Copyright, 1920, by<br /> +MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY<br /> +<span class="smcap">Springfield, Mass.</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 10%;margin:0.5em;" /> + +<p class="center"><i>Rick and Ruddy</i></p> + +<p style="margin-top:5em; margin-left:13%;"><span style="font-size:larger">Bradley Quality Books</span><br /> +<i>for</i> Children</p> + + + +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> + + +<div style="margin-left:25%;"> +<p><span class="right2">CHAPTER</span> <span class="right">PAGE</span></p> +<p><span class="right2">I.</span> <span class="smcap">Rick Wants a Dog</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">1</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">II.</span> <span class="smcap">Ruddy Wants a Home</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">14</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">III.</span> <span class="smcap">Rick and Ruddy</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">27</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">IV.</span> <span class="smcap">Ruddy's First Hunt</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">43</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">V.</span> <span class="smcap">Rick Gets Lost</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">53</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">VI.</span> <span class="smcap">Haw-Haw the Crow</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">72</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">VII.</span> <span class="smcap">Why Did Ruddy Growl?</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">86</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">VIII.</span> <span class="smcap">The Old Sailor</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">110</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">IX.</span> <span class="smcap">Ruddy Helps Sallie</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">114</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">X.</span> <span class="smcap">Sallie is Caught</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">123</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XI.</span> <span class="smcap">A Mysterious Whistle</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">136</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XII.</span> <span class="smcap">Ruddy is Gone</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">148</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XIII.</span> <span class="smcap">On the Search</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">162</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XIV.</span> <span class="smcap">The Old Cabin</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">173</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XV.</span> <span class="smcap">Ruddy and the Sailor</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">184</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XVI.</span> <span class="smcap">Camping Out</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">195</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XVII.</span> <span class="smcap">The Two Sailors</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">207</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XVIII.</span> <span class="smcap">Scouts on the Watch</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">217</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XIX.</span> <span class="smcap">A Bark in the Night</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">230</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XX.</span> <span class="smcap">Over the Snow</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">238</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XXI.</span> <span class="smcap">Through the Ice</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">253</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XXII.</span> <span class="smcap">The Sailor Comes Again</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">263</a></span></p> +<p><span class="right2">XXIII.</span> <span class="smcap">Happy Days</span> <span class="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">271</a></span></p> +</div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="RICK_AND_RUDDY" id="RICK_AND_RUDDY"></a>RICK AND RUDDY</h2> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RICK WANTS A DOG</span></h3> + + +<p>Rick Dalton sat on the sandy beach tossing white stones and bits of +shell into the little waves that broke almost at his feet. The tide was +just on the turn; soon it would come in, and the big, booming rollers +would drive Rick farther up toward the dunes, where the wind was making +a queer, whistling sound as it bent the long spears of saw-edged grass, +whipping off venturesome, gray hoppers, that had boldly crawled up, +perhaps to get a better view of the heaving ocean.</p> + +<p>"I don't care!" murmured Rick, but, from the tone of his voice, and the +look on his face, one might have said that he did care, and very much, +too, about something.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> But still Rick said: "I don't care!" And he said +it over and over, until it was almost like the song the waves seemed to +sing as they swished up the beach, rolling over and over the white sand, +pebbles and bits of shell, swishing them along as if they, too, didn't +care what happened.</p> + +<p>"I don't care!" exclaimed Rick again, as he tossed a larger stone out so +that it fell with a splash near a floating bit of wood, and frightened +away an osprey that was about to swoop down and catch a sea bass which +had ventured too near the surface. "I want a dog! I just want a dog, and +I think mother might let me have one! I don't care!"</p> + +<p>Just why he said that Rick didn't know, for he did care very much about +something—and that was to have a dog. He dug his fingers deep in the +sand, scooped up a wet mass of it in his palm, and tossed it high into +the air. It fell about him in a little shower, and then, as Rick was +about to repeat this, a wave, larger than any of the others, rolled up +and nearly wet his feet.</p> + +<p>And as Rick had on his shoes and stock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>ings, he hastily scrambled back +out of the way of the ocean, for salt water is bad for leather, as +everyone knows who has ever been to the seashore.</p> + +<p>"Tide's coming in!" mused Rick. "Must be four o'clock. If I had a dog +now<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>He rose slowly to his feet, looked up and down the beach and out across +the sea. In the distance was a smudge of smoke from a coast steamer.</p> + +<p>"Wish I was on her!" murmured the boy. "If I was maybe mother'd let me +have a dog. There's most always a dog on a ship. Oh, why can't I have a +dog?"</p> + +<p>No one answered Rick Dalton. There was no one there to speak, unless, +perhaps, it was the fish hawk, and, if he could have talked Rick's +language he might have told the small boy what he thought about him for +having spoiled his dinner. For the dinner of the osprey depended on his +catch of fish—and, not only his dinner, but the dinner of the hungry, +little whistling birds in the dead pine tree farther inland.</p> + +<p>But all the boy heard was the swish of the waves as they whispered among +the bits<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> of shell and white pebbles—that and the whistle of the wind +in the rank grass that grew atop the sand dunes.</p> + +<p>"Tide's coming in," mused Rick. "Four o'clock, and I've got to go to the +store. If I had a dog he could carry the things for me. Oh, I wish I had +a dog!"</p> + +<p>Rick dug the toe of his shoe into the sand, turned for a last look at +the ocean and then trudged over the little hills that bordered the shore +and soon was on his way to the village. It was when he was at home +again, after having gone to the store, as his mother had told him to do +at 4 o'clock—when the tide turned—it was then that Rick again voiced +his wish.</p> + +<p>"Why can't I have a dog, mother?" he asked. "I'm old enough now, and +lots of the boys have 'em! Henry Blake, he's got a dog he says I can +have. Why can't I have him?"</p> + +<p>"Doesn't Henry want his dog any more?" asked Mrs. Dalton, as she took +the bundle of groceries Rick had brought.</p> + +<p>"No!" was the eager answer, and Rick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> seemed to seize on the question as +a ray of hope. "Oh, can I have his dog?"</p> + +<p>"No, Richard, dear," answered his mother gently. "I'm sorry to +disappoint you, but, really I don't want you to have a dog—just yet."</p> + +<p>"But when may I have one?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps when Mazie gets a little older, so I could trust her +around a dog. As she is now, she'd just as soon pull a dog's tail as +not, or put her hand in his mouth, and she might be bitten. You wouldn't +want your little sister to be bitten, would you?"</p> + +<p>"No, mother! Course not! Henry's dog doesn't bite. And if I could have +him I'd take care of Mazie so she wouldn't pull his tail, or anything! +Please, mother!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dalton shook her head.</p> + +<p>"You might think you could look after Mazie," she said with a smile, +"but I'd always be afraid—for a while, at least."</p> + +<p>"How long before she'll be old enough so I can have a dog, mother?" +asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Oh, in a year, perhaps. But I wish you wouldn't tease now, Rick, dear. +Bring me a few chips to boil the kettle. It's almost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> supper time and +your father will be here soon."</p> + +<p>"If I had a dog," said Rick, in a dull, sad sort of voice, "I could +teach him to bring in a basket of chips every night. It would be a good +trick for him!"</p> + +<p>"Why, Richard, dear! You don't mind bringing me in a few chips; do you?" +asked his mother.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no'm, course not!" he answered quickly. "But it would be a lot of +fun if I had a dog and <i>he</i> could bring 'em in; wouldn't it, mother?"</p> + +<p>"It might, if he didn't run all over the yard with the basket, and spill +my wood," she answered.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dog wouldn't do that!" declared Rick. "He'd be a good dog. Henry +Blake's dog is a good one. His name is Spot and he jumps in Weed River +and brings out sticks when Hen throws 'em in."</p> + +<p>"Why does Henry want to give away his dog?" asked Mrs. Dalton, when Rick +had set the basket of chips behind the stove.</p> + +<p>"'Cause he's going to move away. Hen's father's going to work over in +Bellport at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> the electric light place and Hen said I could have his dog. +He's going to get a new one. Please, couldn't I?"</p> + +<p>"No, Richard, dear! I'm sorry, but really I'd be worried if you had a +dog. I'd be thinking, all the while, that you or Sister were going to be +bitten. After you get older, perhaps you may have a dog. Now go get +Mazie for me, please. I want to wash her and get her ready for supper."</p> + +<p>Rick found his sister playing in the front yard with Mabel Fenton, who +lived next door. The two little girls had their dolls, and were dressing +them up in green leaves, pretending they were new dresses.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Ricky!" exclaimed Mazie (which was a pet name for Mary) as she +walked around the side path with her brother. "Oh, Ricky! What you +think?"</p> + +<p>"What?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Why Mabel and I are goin' to have a doll party to-morrow, and you can +come to it if you want to, Ricky!" invited Mazie.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to come to a doll party!" exclaimed Rick, as he tossed a +bit of stick up into the air, and then hit it with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> swiftly-thrown +stone. "Doll party! Pooh!"</p> + +<p>"We're goin' to have <i>real</i> things to eat—not make-believe!" went on +Mazie.</p> + +<p>"Honest?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Honest cross-my-heart!" exclaimed his sister. She was about two years +younger than Rick, who was "nine-goin'-on-ten."</p> + +<p>"Um! Well, maybe I'll come," said Rick, as if he were giving the favor, +instead of getting it. "Could I bring my dog, Mazie?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Your dog!" exclaimed the little girl. "You hasn't <i>got</i> any dog, Ricky +Dalton!"</p> + +<p>"I know I haven't got one <i>now</i>!" he admitted, very frankly. "But maybe +I'll get one. I keep on asking mother, every day, and maybe she'll let +me have one after a while. You wouldn't be afraid of a dog; would you, +Mazie?"</p> + +<p>"Course not!" she answered.</p> + +<p>"'Cause maybe I'll get Henry Blake's dog after he moves away," went on +Rick. "I wish I had a dog. He could bring in chips and go to the store +with me. I was down to the beach to-day, and I just wanted a dog an +awful lot."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Does dogs ever come up out of the ocean?" asked Mazie.</p> + +<p>"Dogs come out of the ocean? Course not!" exclaimed her brother. "How +could they?"</p> + +<p>"Well, we get wood for the fire out of the ocean—it comes up on the +beach," said Mazie, stopping to look at a little speck of dirt on her +doll's nose. "Wood comes out of the ocean and once we got some lemons +and cocoanuts—don't you 'member?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I remember," answered Rick. "But the lemons and cocoanuts were +washed overboard off a ship that sank, and some of the cocoanuts were +spoiled sour."</p> + +<p>"A dog wouldn't spoil sour if he was in the ocean; would he?" Mazie +wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Course not!" laughed Rick. "But dogs couldn't come up out the ocean, +and be washed on the beach like the lemons and cocoanuts."</p> + +<p>"A dog could, if he was washed overboard off a ship," went on Mazie, +for, having lived all her life near the sea, she knew what being washed +overboard meant. "If a dog fell<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> off a ship and come on shore then you +could have him; couldn't you, Ricky?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered her brother, slowly, "but I don't guess that will +happen. But oh! I do want a dog!"</p> + +<p>It was after supper that night, when Rick was playing ball in the vacant +lots back of his house, and Mazie and the little girl from next door +were sitting on the side steps, talking about the play-party for their +dolls next day, that Mrs. Dalton said to her husband:</p> + +<p>"I don't know what to do about Rick!"</p> + +<p>"Why, he hasn't been bad; has he?" asked Mr. Dalton.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Rick is a very good boy," his mother answered. "But he does +tease so for a dog!"</p> + +<p>"A dog!" exclaimed Mr. Dalton. "Hum, yes, a dog! Well, I s'pose it's +natural for a boy to want a dog. I had one when I was a lad."</p> + +<p>"Did he ever bite you?" asked his wife.</p> + +<p>"No, I can't say he ever did."</p> + +<p>"That's what I'm so afraid of—that if ever Rick did have a dog it might +bite him or Mazie. And, if it did<span class="nowrap">——</span>"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mrs. Dalton did not finish. But she looked at her husband and shook her +head.</p> + +<p>"Good dogs don't very often bite, unless they're teased," he said. "And +I don't believe Rick would tease a dog."</p> + +<p>"No, but Mazie might. She isn't afraid of anything. The other day she +came in with a little snake she had found out in the yard. It was alive, +too."</p> + +<p>"Probably a milk, or garter, snake," said Mr. Dalton with a laugh. "I +used to pick 'em up when I was a boy. They're harmless."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear!" exclaimed his wife. "Would you really want Rick to have a +dog?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Hum! Well, I don't know," he slowly answered. "A boy and a dog seem to +go together, somehow. But I don't s'pose it would do any harm to wait +another year. If Rick teases you too much, let me talk to him, and<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I wouldn't want to do <i>that</i>. I can manage him. He's got a notion +that Henry Blake might give away his dog. But I don't just like that +kind. I'd want a shepherd dog,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> I think, if ever I let the children have +one."</p> + +<p>"I don't know much about Henry Blake's dog," spoke Mr. Dalton. "But I +guess we won't let Rick have one right away. He can wait. Hello, nearly +nine o'clock!" he went on, as he looked at his watch in the faint light +of the moon, which, now and then, shone through the clouds. "I'll call +the children in. Rick's finished playing ball long ago. I hear him +talking with the boys over in the lots. We're going to have a storm, I +guess, by the way the old ocean is booming to-night. Wind's in the +north-east, too!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't like north-easters!" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton. "The wind gets +so terrible!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a September storm can sometimes tear things up pretty badly," said +her husband, as he arose from his seat on the porch. "Well, maybe this +won't be as bad as they sometimes are."</p> + +<p>Rick and Mazie were called in and sent up to bed, and then their father +and mother sat down stairs to read. The wind freshened and the beach, +where Rick had sat that afternoon, tossing pebbles into the little +waves,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> was covered with white-capped breakers.</p> + +<p>"Mazie!" called Rick, in a whisper from his room across the hall. +"Mazie—are you asleep?"</p> + +<p>"Almost," she drowsily answered. "Are you?"</p> + +<p>"No. I say, Mazie, did you—did you ever say your prayers for anything +you wanted an awful lot, like a—like a doll, or a pair of roller +skates?"</p> + +<p>"Yep! I did once!" said the little girl. "Once I prayed for a doll +carriage."</p> + +<p>"Did you get it?" asked Rick, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"No, but I got a cradle and that was just as good. Why, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"Oh—oh, nothin'!" he answered. "Good-night!"</p> + +<p>"G'-night," she murmured, sleepily.</p> + +<p>"She prayed for a doll carriage and she got a cradle," mused Rick. "I—I +wonder if—if I prayed for a dog—if I'd get—a <i>cat</i>?"</p> + +<p>He listened to the distant booming of the surf.</p> + +<p>"I—I guess I'll take a chance," he whispered in the dark.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RUDDY WANTS A HOME</span></h3> + + +<p>Straight out of the north-east blew the wind. It whipped its way across +three thousand miles of open, salty water, growing stronger and fiercer +every mile it traveled, until, when it reached the beach at Belemere, it +was blowing a gale. The ocean waves, which had been small at first, grew +larger and larger, and their white, foamy crests were whipped into spray +that mingled with the whirling sand and made the beach guard shut his +eyes when he felt the stinging in his face.</p> + +<p>"This is a regular rip-snorter of a north-easter!" he muttered to +himself as he pulled his oilskin cap closer down over his head. "A +regular rip-snorter, and I can't see a hundred fathoms out!"</p> + +<p>He strained his eyes, trying to pierce the rainy, wind-swept and +spume-filled dark<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>ness that hovered over the heaving ocean. He wanted to +see—if it were there to be seen—the flickering signal-light of a +vessel in distress.</p> + +<p>That is, it was his duty to see it, if such a signal were flashed, and +to hurry to the nearest station and spread the alarm. And yet he hoped +there would be no need of that.</p> + +<p>"Mighty hard to see a wreck, even if there is one," the coast guard +murmured. He did not open his mouth to speak aloud, as he sometimes did +other nights, on his lonely patrol. If he had opened his mouth this +night it would have been filled at once with rain and salty spray and +his breath might have been blown down his throat by the wind. So he kept +his lips closed and merely murmured.</p> + +<p>"Worst storm for early September I ever see!" was his thought. "Hope +none of the vessels come too close in shore. It'd be a hard job getting +a crew together now for the boat, or breeches buoy."</p> + +<p>In July, August, and early in September, on our Eastern coasts, the life +saving force is on vacation, save for a captain and one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> man at each +station to patrol the beach. The summer months are seldom marked by +storms and wrecks, and there is not often need of the services of the +life-savers. When such occasion arises the station captain, or his one +helper, calls for volunteers.</p> + +<p>Stronger blew the wind, and the rain came down harder, mingling with the +salty spume and spray from the ocean. The place where Rick Dalton had +sat on the beach that afternoon, and wished for a dog, was now a +seething caldron of white foam, and the sand dunes were under water.</p> + +<p>"High tide and a north-easter!" mused the coast guard. "Shouldn't wonder +but what a lot of bulkheads would be torn loose to-night. Bluefish and +moss bunkers! That was a fierce one!"</p> + +<p>A stronger force of the gusty wind fairly stopped him in his tracks, and +he actually had to lean forward to keep his balance. It was hard walking +on the sand. Part of the shore of Belemere was marked by a board walk, +for the place was visited by a small summer population of "city folks," +and on this walk the going was better. But it did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> not extend more than +half a mile. Belemere was not well enough known as yet to have a +fashionable board walk, that would be thronged in the evenings.</p> + +<p>And now there was not a soul on it, even at the early hour of ten +o'clock. For the wind and spray swept over it, and, in places, the waves +actually washed under it, and partly across the road it bordered.</p> + +<p>Trudging along, now and then bringing up to take a view out over the +heaving billows, which showed dimly white in the black night, the coast +guard kept on his beat. He was well protected against the storm, for +there had been ample warning of its coming. But so strongly did the wind +whip the rain along that the drops sought out every opening in his +oilskins and the guard felt the chill of the water.</p> + +<p>"It sure is a rip-snorter!" he murmured.</p> + +<p>He must walk to the end of his particular section, or beat—almost to +Bay Head—the next station, there to meet the guard from the adjoining +section of coast.</p> + +<p>As Sig Bailey, the guard who had been muttering about the storm, swerved +farther<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> up the beach to avoid a far-reaching wave, he saw a dim shape +scurrying among the sand dunes. At first he thought it merely a bunch of +seaweed, blown by the blast, but it did not slump down in a heap as +seaweed naturally would when the gust of wind ceased for a moment.</p> + +<p>"Hello there!" cried the coast guard. "Who are you?"</p> + +<p>For he saw that it was something alive—something that was seeking a +shelter from the storm.</p> + +<p>For a moment he felt a little sensation of fear. There are so many +strange tales of the sea, and that which comes out of the sea. Perhaps +it was some weird creature of the deep, cast up by the churning of the +waves. Sig had heard such stories. Then his common sense came to his +aid.</p> + +<p>There followed a moment's lull in the storm and Sig, clearing his eyes +of the rain and the salt spray, looked among the sand dunes for what he +had seen.</p> + +<p>Yes, there it was again—some moving shape.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i001.png" width="400" height="580" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Why, it's a dog! A puppy!"</span> +</div> + + + +<p>"Might be a man—crawling on his hands +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>and knees," mused the coast guard. "Too weak to stand up, maybe. Been +washed in off some boat. But I haven't heard anything of a wreck. I +wonder<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>The dim shape seemed to come toward him, and for a moment Sig felt +afraid again. Then he thought of the powerful electric flashlight in his +outside pocket. It was the work of a moment to focus its beams on the +subject. Then Sig exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Why, it's a dog! A puppy, and a red one at that! Must be some sort of a +setter! I've seen pictures of 'em—Irish or Gordon setter! Hi, boy!" he +called to the dog.</p> + +<p>The creature slunk toward him, almost crawling on its stomach so far +down did it cringe. Rain-soaked, sea-sprayed and frightened it crawled +to the feet of the coast guard, and lay there whimpering.</p> + +<p>"Well, old boy! Poor dog! Poor puppy! And you aren't really any more'n a +puppy!" murmured the man in his dripping oilskins as he continued to +shine the light on the cringing dog. "What's the matter, old fellow?"</p> + +<p>At the sound of the kind voice the dog<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> looked up and feebly wagged his +tail, thumping it on the wet sand.</p> + +<p>"Somebody's been beating you; more shame to 'em!" murmured the guard as +he patted the wet head. "What's the matter, old boy? Hungry?"</p> + +<p>A little whine, a look such as only a dog can give, and another wag and +thump of the tail. The animal snuggled closer to the rubber boots of the +guard.</p> + +<p>Sig looked up the beach. He was due, soon, to meet the other man from +Bay Head. It would not do to be late. But he saw no flicker of light, +such as his partner of the night sometimes showed. The beach was dark, +wave-swept and rain-soaked.</p> + +<p>"Poor dog!" murmured the guard, turning his back to the wind so he might +not swallow his words. "Wonder where you came from? Never saw you before +that I know of. Nobody in the village owns a dog like you! Did you come +off some boat? Might have in this blow; you're wet enough, land knows!"</p> + +<p>Again he reached over to pat the head and the dog licked his hand. Sig +fumbled in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>side his oilskin coat. He carried a sandwich or two to eat +for his midnight lunch, and he had not yet opened the packet his wife +had put up. He did so now, not daring to bring it from beneath the +shelter of the yellow garment, for fear of having the bread and meat +rained on and salt-soaked at once. But he broke off a part of the +sandwich in his pocket, tearing the paper in which it was wrapped, and +fed it to the dog.</p> + +<p>Eagerly and hungrily the castaway of the night devoured the morsel—it +was small at best.</p> + +<p>"Wish I could spare you more, old boy!" murmured the man. "Tell you what +I'll do," he went on, almost as though speaking to a human. "You stay +here. I'll go meet Bill Park, and maybe he's got more of a snack than he +wants. I'll get some for you. Stay here now. If you go up among the +dunes you'll be out of the wind—some."</p> + +<p>He pointed to a little range of larger hummocks of sand, which would +keep off the worst of the gale. Sig flashed his light toward them and +waved it to and fro. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> dog whined a little and then slunk off, his +tail hanging between his legs.</p> + +<p>"Salt mackerel!" exclaimed Sig. "I hope he doesn't think I'm drivin' him +away. It's only for your own good, red-dog!" he went on. "I'll be back +in a little while with something to eat—if Bill has any. You go up +there and wait for me!"</p> + +<p>Whether the animal really knew what the man said, or thought he was +being ordered away, Sig could not tell. But the dog slunk on in the rain +and storm and darkness, toward the sand dunes. In a few seconds he was +lost to sight.</p> + +<p>"I'd let you follow along after me, but there's no need, and you'd only +get blown away, maybe," mused the man. "Might slip into the inlet, too, +in the dark. Best stay up there until I come back."</p> + +<p>He hurried on, his eyes strained, now out to sea again up the beach. +Presently he caught the gleam of a little flash of light and he sent out +a flicker of his own in answer.</p> + +<p>"That's Bill!" he murmured.</p> + +<p>A little later he and the other coast guard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> were exchanging brass +disks. These, like the watchman's time clock, proved that the men had +walked their posts.</p> + +<p>"Got more grub'n you want to-night, Bill?" asked Sig.</p> + +<p>"Might have—why?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, met a stray dog back near the broken jetty. Seems like he was 'most +starved. I didn't bring more grub than I needed, but if you've got a bit +of bread and meat you can spare<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Sure! Here! Take a sandwich. Wife put me up three to-night. Two's all I +need. Nasty bit of weather!"</p> + +<p>"Regular rip-snorter!"</p> + +<p>They parted, and as Sig neared the place where he had last seen the dog +he whistled and called. He waited, but no slinking form came from the +wet sand dunes.</p> + +<p>"Come on, boy!" called the guard, raising his voice. "I got meat for ye! +Come here!"</p> + +<p>He whistled and flashed his light, but the waif did not come.</p> + +<p>"Poor little red pup," murmured Sig. "I'd like to get hold of the man +who beat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> you! Well, I'll put this away for you. I'll be back here in +about two hours."</p> + +<p>The "red pup," as Sig had called him, had really thought the big man in +the yellow coat was driving him away. "Ruddy," to give him the name he +was afterward called by, had been driven away often of late. His life +had not been a glad one.</p> + +<p>Dimly he remembered some puppy days; brief, happy ones with his mother. +The other, and following days and weeks were spent among boxes and +barrels of refuse on a street in a big city that bordered the river +front—where big ships tied up at the docks.</p> + +<p>Then Ruddy had a dim recollection of a big bearded man, with hob nails +in his shoes, who took him away from the yard where the red pup had +spent some of his early and first unhappy days. And the nails in the +shoes of the big bearded man hurt when he used them on Ruddy as he +did—far too often.</p> + +<p>Ruddy, one night, found himself tossed into a box with such force that +he lay there stunned. If he had been able to listen to, and understand +talk, as, later he came to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> able to do, he would have heard someone +growl:</p> + +<p>"What you got there?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, a red pup I picked up," was the answer. "The old ship needs a +mascot and I brought this one along. I always wanted a dog."</p> + +<p>"You don't act as if you cared much for this one," spoke the first man.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I didn't hurt him," was the reply. But Ruddy was hurt, and from +then on he feared that man.</p> + +<p>He did not remember much—but there was a confused memory of being on a +floor that heaved up and down, and slid this way and that as the floors, +or decks of boats always do. And then came a great storm wave—Ruddy +felt himself washed overboard and into the sea.</p> + +<p>It was not the first time he had been in water, so he knew how to swim. +But he had never tried before to swim in such a smother and swirl of +salty waves, where the wind seemed to blow away his gasping breath. +Still he swam on, until he was cast up on the beach and he met the coast +guard.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> + +<p>And even the guard had seemed to drive Ruddy away. Of course poor Ruddy +was mistaken, but that was his thought. He slunk up among the sand +dunes.</p> + +<p>That little bit of bread and meat meant much to him, for he was +starving. It gave him a little courage. In the storm and darkness he +wandered among the dunes, or little sand hills, until presently he found +himself down on the beach again, where the wind and rain and salty spume +were worse than ever.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if I only had a home—some warm place into which I could crawl!"</p> + +<p>That would have been Ruddy's thought if he could have spoken.</p> + +<p>How he did want a home!</p> + +<p>And how Rick, sleeping in his little white bed, did want a dog!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RICK AND RUDDY</span></h3> + + +<p>Washed overboard from the deck of the vessel, not long after he had been +roughly tossed into a box by the man who wanted a lucky "mascot," Ruddy +had swam ashore. The food given him by the coast guard had dulled, just +a little, the gnawing pangs of hunger, and now, as Ruddy crouched among +the sand hills, trying to find shelter from the storm, he felt the first +gleam of hope that had come to him in many a day.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I'll find a home after all," he thought to himself, for I believe +that dogs can talk and think—not as we do, of course; perhaps sometimes +not as well, and again, perhaps, better. But they do think. And so +Ruddy, which was to be his name, as it was now his color, thought and +hoped.</p> + +<p>The man had driven him away—so Ruddy believed, but in this he was +wrong. Very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> well. It was not the first time he had been driven away. He +would have to look for someone else who would feed him, or at least give +him the chance to feed himself. He would have to look for someone else +whom he might love as only a dog can love—with all his heart and being.</p> + +<p>"I'll stay here until morning," reasoned Ruddy, dog-fashion. "It's too +dark now to see where to go, and it's raining too hard. I'll stay here +in the sand until morning, then I can see better."</p> + +<p>Dogs do not have very good eyesight—not nearly as good as cats. In fact +a dog can not see far enough to tell his master from among a group of +other boys, if his master is more than a few hundred feet away. But if +the wind is blowing toward the dog, and he once catches a whiff of the +scent, or smell, of the boy he knows so well, he does not need eyes to +tell him what he wants to know. An eagle could not dart with any more +sureness toward an object than can a dog, once he catches the smell of +his master.</p> + +<p>And Ruddy, like all dogs, poor of sight even in daytime, and hardly able +to see at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> all in the dark, knew it was useless to try to look for a +home in that blackness and storm. A cat might have found her way to +where she wanted to go, but Ruddy did not even know where to look for a +home. He was a wanderer—an outcast.</p> + +<p>Up among the sand dunes grew clumps of tall, coarse grass. One of these +clumps would make a resting place for the dog. He found a mass of green +stems that were thicker than the others, found it by smelling his way +and feeling, rather than by sight, and then made himself a sort of nest, +by turning around and around before he curled up to lie down.</p> + +<p>Nearly all dogs—even the tiny poodle that sleeps on a blue cushion in +some lady's parlor—turn around and around on their bed before settling +down to go to sleep. Perhaps the dogs themselves do not know why they do +this, but it is because all dogs were once wild, like wolves. In fact +dogs really come from wolves, ages back. And wild animals, going to +sleep in the woods or jungle, have to be careful of where they make +their bed. If they curled up in the first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> bunch of grass they came to, +they might lie down on some snake, or scorpion, which would bite them.</p> + +<p>So, ages back, the wild dogs, little different from wolves, got in the +habit of trampling their grassy bed, walking around and around in it. +They did not do this to make it snug and cozy, as perhaps a cat might +do. They did it to trample on and drive out any snakes that might be +hidden in the grass.</p> + +<p>And so Ruddy, before he curled up to try to go to sleep in the sedge +grass of the sand dunes, did just as his wild, wolfish ancestors had +done—he trampled the grass. Of course there were no snakes in it, but +Ruddy must make sure in the only way he knew.</p> + +<p>"There, I guess this will do until morning," said Ruddy to himself, +thinking in dog-fashion, of course.</p> + +<p>Then he curled up and went to sleep. He was tired from his swim to shore +through the storm, and he was still hungry. The bit of bread and meat +the coast guard had given him was hardly enough for a small kitten, and +Ruddy was quite a large puppy now. But it was the best he could get.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Maybe, in the morning, I'll find a home," thought Ruddy. "The kind of a +home I used to have when I was very little."</p> + +<p>And Rick, sleeping in his white bed, safe and snug and warm away from +the north-easter, awakened for a moment and stared up at the ceiling. He +heard the beat of rain on the dark window of his room.</p> + +<p>"Maybe, when it's morning, I'll have a dog," he whispered. "I—I hope it +isn't a cat!"</p> + +<p>Perhaps Ruddy dreamed of the happy days of his smallest puppyhood. Those +days had been happy, for he had lived them in a fine barn, with his +mother, and several other little reddish-brown puppies like himself. +They tumbled about in the straw, and there were horses that Ruddy +learned to love, in the short time he knew them, almost as much as he +loved a certain boy and girl who raced out from the big house, every +morning, to look at, laugh over and play with the puppies, of whom Ruddy +was one.</p> + +<p>Then had come sad days, when he was sold and taken away from the +tumbling, weak-legged brothers and sisters, and the mother<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> dog, against +whose warm flanks Ruddy loved to cuddle.</p> + +<p>At first these changed days had not been unhappy, for Ruddy was given a +home in another barn, where there was only one horse, instead of many, +and where a man came to feed him every morning. But a tramp had stolen +Ruddy away, and then had left him behind in the woods, too lazy to take +the little dog with him.</p> + +<p>After that Ruddy had taken part in many adventures, coming at last to +live in the slums of a city, where a man claimed him as his own. And the +man had taken Ruddy with him on the ship, and then had come a terrible +time in the storm, when the red-brown puppy was washed overboard.</p> + +<p>All these thoughts and remembrances fleetingly came to Ruddy as he was +curled up in the sedge grass, sheltered as much as he could be sheltered +from the rain and salty spume-scattering wind.</p> + +<p>The longest night must have an end, and so to Ruddy daylight finally +came, and, with it, the breaking of the storm. It was cold, though it +was early September, but Septem<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>ber was being crowded off the calendar +by October, and the rays of the early sun, as the big, golden ball +seemed to rise from the heaving ocean, had little warmth in them. It was +as if the sun's rays came from a looking glass.</p> + +<p>Cold, shivery and hungry, Ruddy crept from his nest in the grass, even +as his jungle ancestors might have crept from theirs. But there was no +warmth to greet him, and he did not know where to get any food.</p> + +<p>"I'm certainly hungry!" said Ruddy to himself. "I wonder where I can get +something to eat?"</p> + +<p>Down a little way from the sand dunes stretched the beach, with the surf +pounding on it. Here and there a stray fish was cast up, and, had Ruddy +known it, this might have provided a breakfast for him. But Ruddy was +not a cat. He was not specially fond of fish, and he was afraid of the +ocean—at any rate for a time. He had nearly been drowned in it, and he +did not want to go near the big waves again; at least right away. So he +turned from the beach and,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> heading inland, sniffed the air, with head +held as high as he could raise it.</p> + +<p>Ruddy remembered that his mother, among the lessons she had taught him, +had told him how much depended on his nose.</p> + +<p>"You can't tell so much about a thing by <i>looking</i> at it as you can by +<i>smelling</i> of it," she had said. That is why Ruddy, as all dogs do, +always smelled of anything before he ate it. His eyesight could not be +depended on, but his nose could. And now Ruddy was sniffing the air.</p> + +<p>It was not because he wanted to eat air for his breakfast, but the air, +and the wind, which is only air in motion, might bring to him the whiff, +or smell, that would tell him where he could find food.</p> + +<p>Now from the ocean came the smell of the salty sea. Ruddy was sure he +had had enough of that. But as he turned his nose inshore he caught the +smell of men and boys and horses—the human smell, so to speak, and he +knew that there, if anywhere, he would find something to eat.</p> + +<p>And so, traveling on rather weak and uncertain legs, because he needed +food, Rud<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>dy started toward the little village of Belemere, where Rick, +the boy, lived. Though, of course, Ruddy did not yet know that.</p> + +<p>It was early, for the sun was just rising, and not many persons were up +and about. Here a milkman was going his rounds, and soon the baker would +follow, for even in the little fishing town few did their own baking, at +least of their daily bread, and there were scarcely any cows.</p> + +<p>Ruddy looked at the rattling milk wagon. He knew what was in the cans +and bottles, and he would have loved a drink of milk. But the man on the +wagon had not time for small, brown puppies, even if he had seen Ruddy, +which perhaps he did not.</p> + +<p>The baker, too, might have tossed him a roll, for there were many in the +wooden bin back of the seat. But the baker did not give Ruddy a thought.</p> + +<p>And so the homeless dog walked slowly on, sniffing here and there trying +to find, in the only way he knew, something to eat. And, as luck would +have it, Ruddy turned into the yard of the house where Rick lived. There +seemed to be no one up, and so, from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> having been a sort of a tramp dog +in at least half of the days he had thus far lived, Ruddy trotted around +to the back door. That is where tramps—whether men or dogs—always go; +to the back door. Later on they may use the front way.</p> + +<p>Ruddy knew at back doors there were sometimes boxes, barrels or cans +filled with what might be called food. It was not as nice as he could +have wished, but often he had found a perfectly good bone in this way—a +bone which was not too hard for his puppy teeth that were fast growing +stronger.</p> + +<p>"I hope I find some meat this morning," thought Ruddy. "There isn't much +on a bone, lots of times it's almost bare, and I'm terribly hungry!"</p> + +<p>He saw some cans at the back door. From one came the delicious smell of +meat, and with a joyful yelp Ruddy began nosing about it. The cover was +on the can, but Ruddy knew how to shove this off—that is if it were not +on too tightly.</p> + +<p>But this one was tight. Push as he did with his paws and nose, Ruddy +could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> uncover the can to get at the meat, the smell of which came +through a crack in the top. And then, being only a little dog—a poor, +cold, hungry puppy, Ruddy raised his head and howled. It was just as if +some small boy or girl had cried.</p> + +<p>Sadly and mournfully Ruddy howled, because he could not shove the cover +off the garbage pail, and get at what was within. And then, with the +first echo of the hungry dog's cry dying away, the kitchen door opened +and there stood Rick.</p> + +<p>At first the boy could scarcely believe that what he saw was real—a +small, reddish-brown dog at his doorsteps. But then, as Ruddy stopped +howling, wagged his tail and crawled to Rick's feet, the boy's eyes +sparkled in delight. He leaned down, put his arms around Ruddy's neck, +hugging him close, as only a boy can hug a dog, and Rick shouted.</p> + +<p>"He's come! He's here! I got him!"</p> + +<p>"What's that? Who's there? What have you got?" asked Rick's mother.</p> + +<p>"I've got a dog!" cried Rick in ringing tones. "He came in the night. I +prayed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> that I'd get him, and I did! He's here! I was afraid it might be +a cat, like Mazie prayed for a doll carriage and got a cradle. But I got +a dog all right. Oh, you're my dog! You're my dog!" and then Ruddy, +looking up into the eyes of Rick, knew that he had found what he wanted +all his short life—someone to whom he could really belong!</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dalton came to the door. She looked at Rick hugging the +reddish-brown puppy, and a troubled look came over her face.</p> + +<p>"Where did you get him?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"He was right here—on the steps waiting for me," answered Rick. "I +hoped he'd be here when I woke up, but I couldn't be sure. You see I +didn't pray very long—only one night."</p> + +<p>"Richard Dalton! You didn't pray for a dog; did you?" asked his mother, +rather shocked, though she did not know exactly why.</p> + +<p>"Course I prayed for a dog," Rick answered. "Isn't it all right to pray +for what you want?"</p> + +<p>His mother did not answer that question.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You can't keep him," she said.</p> + +<p>"Why not?" and there was alarm in Rick's tone and glance as he stopped +patting the brown head and looking into the brown eyes of Ruddy. "Why +can't I keep my dog?"</p> + +<p>"Because he isn't yours," answered his mother.</p> + +<p>"But he came to me—in the night. Maybe he came up out of the sea, like +Mazie said. Anyhow he was here waiting for me. Course he's my dog!" and +the boy put his arms about Ruddy's neck.</p> + +<p>"No, Rick dear," answered his mother. "This may be a nice dog, and you +may like him very much, but he must belong to someone else."</p> + +<p>"Then couldn't I keep him 'till someone comes for him?" asked the boy. +"He likes me—look how he stays with me."</p> + +<p>"Yes, a puppy will stay with anyone," said Mrs. Dalton. "But I don't +want you to have a dog, Rick. I'm afraid of them."</p> + +<p>"Not this one—not—not Ruddy!" exclaimed Rick, giving the dog that name +as it seemed best to fit him. "Why he'd just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> love Mazie! He wouldn't +bite her and he can't scratch like a cat. Please, mother, let me keep +this dog! He's mine! He came to me in the night! He was here waiting for +me when I came down to see if I'd got one!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dalton found it hard to refuse. She loved animals herself, and her +only fear of a dog was on account of little Mazie.</p> + +<p>"Well, you may keep him until after breakfast, anyhow," she said. "I +expect he's hungry. Give him some milk, and then get washed for your own +meal."</p> + +<p>"Couldn't he have some meat, too?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"I'll see if I can find him a few scraps. Too much meat isn't good for +little dogs. Milk is better. But this isn't such a puppy as I thought at +first. I'll see what I can find for him."</p> + +<p>And what a meal that was to half-starved Ruddy! Never had scraps of +meat, bits of bread and potato and milk tasted so good! He paused now +and then, in his eager bolting of the food, to look up at Rick and his +mother. Ruddy divided his glances of affection between them, for he did +not know to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> whom he owed most. He ate quickly. A dog does not need to +chew his food very much, as it is taken care of in his wonderful +stomach. In that he is not like boys and girls, who, the more they chew +their food, the better off they are.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what you got?" cried a voice behind Rick, as he was watching his +dog eat. "What you got?"</p> + +<p>"A dog, Mazie," answered her brother. "It's my dog! He came in the +night, and he was waiting down on the back steps for me. I prayed for +him. Did you pray too, Mazie?"</p> + +<p>"No. I—I was going to," said the little girl, "but I was so sleepy I +forgot whether you said a dog or a cat, so I just prayed for a new doll +for me. Oh, he's a nice dog!"</p> + +<p>"I just guess he is!" cried Rick already proud in ownership of something +real and alive and almost human. "He's my dog!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dalton said nothing, but she looked over the heads of the children +toward her husband.</p> + +<p>"So Rick's found a dog after all; has he?" spoke Mr. Dalton, as he got +ready to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> go to work. "Well! Well! He isn't such a bad dog, either."</p> + +<p>"No, he seems right nice," spoke Mrs. Dalton. "But he must belong to +someone."</p> + +<p>"He belongs to me!" declared Rick. "I don't need Henry Blake's dog now; +I got one of my own!"</p> + +<p>The kitchen door was open. The sun was shining warmer now on the back +steps, and Ruddy wanted to lie down in that patch of yellow light, and +bask in the glow after his meal. Rick followed his new pet outside.</p> + +<p>Sig Bailey, the coast guard, was just coming off duty, and going past +the house on his way to home and breakfast. He looked in the yard and +saw Rick patting Ruddy.</p> + +<p>"Hello there!" called Sig. "Where'd you get my dog, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Your</i> dog?" cried the boy, and his heart seemed to stop beating for a +second. "Is—is this <i>your</i> dog?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RUDDY'S FIRST HUNT</span></h3> + + +<p>Anxiously Rick waited for an answer from the coast guard. Ruddy who was +standing beside the boy, cocked up his ears and sniffed the air that was +blowing from the man toward that sensitive animal nose. Once Ruddy (or +any dog, for that matter) had smelled a person, he never forgot. Years +afterward Ruddy would remember that person's smell, and know whether he +was a friend or enemy. And Ruddy knew he had smelled this man before.</p> + +<p>With the remembrance was both pleasure and something of pain. The +pleasure was in the joyous memory of the bit of bread and meat the coast +guard had given the dog. The pain came when Ruddy recalled how he was +driven away—or at least he thought he was. But we know that the coast +guard was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> only telling the puppy to shelter himself from the storm.</p> + +<p>And then, in that wonderful manner dogs have of really knowing that +men's ways are not their ways, and that sometimes a man makes a dog do +something for the animal's good that the creature would rather not +do—somehow, in this manner Ruddy knew that the coast guard was to be +numbered among his new friends.</p> + +<p>Back and forth wagged the expressive tail, and, with a joyful bark, +Ruddy bounded toward the man who had been out in the storm all night on +the lonely beach. Ruddy was beginning a new life, and the guard and the +boy were the first two important things in it.</p> + +<p>"Is—is he really your dog?" asked Rick again, slowly.</p> + +<p>"Well, don't you see how he comes to me?" asked Sig with a laugh, as he +patted the brown head. "I found him last night. Washed off some wreck, I +reckon. I gave him a bit of my snack, and then I got more from Bill +Park. Told the pup to wait up among the dunes for me, where the wind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +didn't blow so hard, but he must have run along for I didn't see him +after that."</p> + +<p>"He—he came right here to me," spoke Rick. "I—I wanted a dog a long +while. I—I prayed for him and he came. But if—if he's your dog, Mr. +Bailey<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shucks! He isn't my dog; that is special!" exclaimed the coast +guard. He really had no idea of claiming Ruddy, but was only teasing +Rick. And when he saw how badly the boy felt, Sig had not the heart to +keep up the little fun he was having.</p> + +<p>"I don't want him," the coast guard went on. "Course he's a nice pup, +but my wife's got a cat, and they might not get along good together. As +I say, I saw him on the beach in the storm last night. Must have been +washed off some craft, and he swam ashore. Keep him for all of me!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, thanks! Thanks!" cried Rick. "Oh, he's my dog after all! He's mine! +Did you hear, mother!" he exclaimed. "He's a dog from the ocean, just +like Mazie said, and he's mine!"</p> + +<p>Again Rick threw his arms about the wiggling, brown puppy whose tail was +wagging<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> so joyously. Ruddy knew when he was loved, and he began to have +great hopes for the future. Surely a happier day was dawning for him.</p> + +<p>"Did you really find the dog on the beach?" asked Mr. Dalton, as he came +out to go to work.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's a regular sea-dog!" laughed the guard. "Poor pup! He doesn't +look as if he'd had a very good time. Seems sort of thin!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he does need filling out," agreed Mr. Dalton, with a glance at +Ruddy's ribs that plainly showed through the thin sides. "Well, we'll +keep him for a day or so, anyhow."</p> + +<p>"Can't I keep him always, Dad?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Better settle that with your mother," was the answer. "I +don't mind having a dog, 'specially such a nice one as this seems to be. +But my wife's sort of afraid about Mazie and a dog," he added to the +coast guard.</p> + +<p>"A good dog doesn't bite—that is bite children," declared Mr. Bailey. +"It's queer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> how even a dog that's surly and snappy to strangers will +let a baby pull his tail and ears, and never so much as growl. If you +like dogs I'd let Rick keep this one. You won't have any trouble about +him biting Mazie."</p> + +<p>And the little girl herself, coming out just then, seemed to have no +fear of her brother's new pet. For she put her arms around the neck of +Ruddy and he nestled his head close against her.</p> + +<p>"My! What a lot of friends I'm making all of a sudden!" said Ruddy to +himself, in a way all dogs have of thinking.</p> + +<p>"Where you going to keep your pet when you go to school?" asked Mr. +Dalton of his son. "We haven't a good place for a dog."</p> + +<p>"He can sleep in the box where I used to keep my rabbits," Rick +answered. "I'll make it into a kennel for him."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that might answer," agreed Mr. Dalton. "I'll help you fix it up +when I come home to-night. If we're going to keep a dog we must keep him +right—give him a warm, clean kennel to start with. And be sure he has +plenty of water, Rick. Dogs need more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> water than lots of other animals. +Give him fresh water three or four times a day."</p> + +<p>"I guess he got plenty of <i>salt</i> water, swimming in through the waves +last night," spoke the coast guard, as he walked on toward his home. "A +little bit of fresh would be a change for him."</p> + +<p>Ruddy was thirsty, and he quickly lapped up the water that Rick brought +to him in a clean basin. And how glad Ruddy was that the water was +<i>clean</i>. All animals, even pigs, love to be clean and to have clean +food, just as much as we do.</p> + +<p>"Are you going to let Rick keep this dog?" asked Mrs. Dalton, as she +came out in the yard, and watched Ruddy following Rick and Mazie about +in the grass.</p> + +<p>"Well, we might try it," said her husband slowly. "He appears like a +nice, clean puppy. And a boy and dog seem to go together, somehow."</p> + +<p>"But Mazie<span class="nowrap">——</span>" began the mother.</p> + +<p>"I guess she likes him as much as Rick does. Let him stay a while. If he +makes trouble, of course we'll have to get rid of him," he added in a +low voice. "But we'll<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> give Rick and Ruddy a chance together. Quite a +team they make—Rick and Ruddy!" and he smiled as he saw the boy toss a +stick, which Ruddy ran after and brought back to his little master.</p> + +<p>"Well, I hope it will be all right," said Mrs. Dalton, with something +like a sigh. "And he does seem like a nice dog. Come, Rick!" she called. +"Time to get ready for school!"</p> + +<p>"Yes'm!" answered the boy, and he came running in more promptly than he +sometimes did. Somehow Rick felt that if he were to be allowed to keep +the dog he must be "on his mark," and give no chance for complaints.</p> + +<p>"I'll tie him up so he won't run after me," Rick said. "You'll feed him +and give him water while I'm gone; won't you, Mother?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'll look after him," promised Mrs. Dalton. "But don't be thinking +so much of your new dog that you forget your lessons."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he really <i>is</i> my dog; isn't he?" exclaimed Rick in delight. "I +always wanted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> a dog but I never thought I'd get one. Now I have! Yes, +I'll study good and hard to-day!" he promised.</p> + +<p>Ruddy did not take very kindly to being tied to the side of the box in +which Rick had once kept some pet rabbits. At first the dog tried to +pull loose from the soft rope about his neck, and follow Rick and Mazie, +who soon went down the street together to school. But Ruddy knew what it +was to be tied up, though not since the happy days of his early +puppyhood had he so wanted to break away and follow the beloved +boy-master as he wanted to follow now.</p> + +<p>"Stay there! I'll come back soon!" called Rick, as he turned for a last +look at his new pet.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I'll come, too!" added Mazie. "I can like your dog; can't I, +Rick?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Sure!" answered her brother. "We'll both like him and he'll like us, +and he won't bite you, Mazie."</p> + +<p>"I'm not afraid," she said.</p> + +<p>Ruddy pulled and tugged at the rope once or twice and then, giving a sad +little howl<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> and whine, as if saying he would make the best of it, he +began to look about his new home.</p> + +<p>The first thing Ruddy noticed was the rabbit smell—the smell of wild +creatures—about his kennel. For though Rick's rabbits were tame, still +they had had that smell of the wild, of the open fields and the thick +woods—a smell that made Ruddy want to tear loose and go racing among +the trees, scattering the dried leaves about. Ruddy had never hunted +wild things, but, coming from a race of hunting dogs, the feeling was +there in his blood. He whimpered and whined as he smelt about the cracks +of the box. He was trying to understand where the rabbits had gone, for +they were not in sight, though the smell remained.</p> + +<p>Then, as Rick's mother came out with some pieces of carpet to make a bed +for the puppy, and as she gave him a large bone on which to gnaw, Ruddy +forgot about the rabbits for the time.</p> + +<p>The bone interested him more. It was a large bone, with very little meat +on it, and what there was took a deal of gnawing to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> get off. But that +was good for Ruddy, whether he knew it or not, for it made his teeth +stronger. The more a dog gnaws the better his teeth become, and a dog's +teeth are the only weapons he has. A cat has claws and also teeth, but a +dog's claws are of scarcely any use to drive away anything that attacks +him. He has only his teeth.</p> + +<p>So Ruddy gnawed the bone, drank a little of the fresh water and then he +settled himself for a sleep. Around and around he turned on the piece of +carpet Mrs. Dalton had spread in his kennel. Just as the old wolf-dogs +and jungle hounds had turned around and around to drive out any stray +snakes, so Ruddy turned. And then he went to sleep, waiting for Rick to +come home from school.</p> + +<p>As for Rick, I'm afraid he didn't study quite as well as he might have +done if he had not been thinking so much about his dog. Once, during the +day, he wrote a note, and tossed it to his chum, Chot Benson.</p> + +<p>"I got a dog!"</p> + +<p>That was what Rick's note said.</p> + +<p>"Where did you get him? Is he a hunt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>ing dog?" asked Chot in his +answering note.</p> + +<p>Then, before Rick had a chance to flip over an answer in reply, the +teacher saw what was going on, and, as it was against the rule to pass +notes in school, both boys had to stay in five minutes after the others +had left the class room. It was because of this that Mazie reached home +before her brother. And, not stopping to go in the house, she hurried to +the back yard.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy! Ruddy! Where are you?" she called.</p> + +<p>With a joyful yelp and bark the dog came from inside the kennel, wagging +his tail until it thumped against the sides like the sticks of a drum.</p> + +<p>Happy and joyous, Ruddy leaped about Mazie as far as his rope would let +him, and the little girl was trying to loosen it from around his neck +when her brother and Chot, released at last from their punishment, came +racing into the yard.</p> + +<p>"There's my dog!" cried Rick, pointing to Ruddy, who was leaping and +jumping, trying to get as close as possible to his new master.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Say, he's a good one all right!" declared Chot, after looking Ruddy +over. "He's a hunting dog!"</p> + +<p>"Is he?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Sure! You can tell by his ears. He's got almost regular hound dog ears, +and hounds are hunting dogs." Chot was a bit wrong about Ruddy's ears, +however. They were not those of a hound.</p> + +<p>"He's a nice dog, and I like him!" declared Mazie. "Look how funny he's +smelling of you, Chot."</p> + +<p>Ruddy was, indeed, sniffing around the legs of the new boy. But that was +so Ruddy would know Rick's friend again. Ruddy could not depend on his +eyes. He might not see Chot some day when he passed his master's chum, +and Ruddy wanted to know, and be known, by all Rick's friends. So, now, +in the back part of his head, where he could always get at it with his +nose, Ruddy was putting away, so he could remember it, a little part of +the mysterious man-smell that made Chot different from every other boy.</p> + +<p>It was as if you should write on a paper the names of your different +friends, so you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> would not forget them when you met them again. But, as +dogs can not write, they have to carry in their heads and noses the +memory of the smell of their friends. So Ruddy was getting to know Chot.</p> + +<p>Rick loosed the rope from his pet's neck, and now Ruddy could frisk +about as much as he pleased. He was leaping around the two boys, while +Mazie went in the house to change her dress, when, all at once, Ruddy +caught a whiff of something that always set him half wild. It was the +smell of cat, and he, like all dogs, was always ready to chase a cat.</p> + +<p>A gray tabby, who lived next door to the Dalton family, had jumped over +the fence. Very often this cat found bits of good things to eat in the +Dalton garbage can. So Sallie, as the cat was called, came to get +something to eat. She did not know Ruddy was there. Never before had the +Daltons kept a dog.</p> + +<p>But, in an instant, Ruddy was ready for his first real hunt. He had +never chased a cat before, though once one had chased him. And now, with +a joyful yelp and bark, Ruddy started running after Sallie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RICK GETS LOST</span></h3> + + +<p>"Look at him go! Look at him go! Oh, he's a hunting dog all right!" +yelled Chot, as he saw Rick's pet leap after the cat. "Oh, look at him +go! Sic her, old boy! Sic her!"</p> + +<p>Neither Rick nor Chot were cruel boys. They would not have harmed Sallie +for anything, and they would not have let Ruddy hurt the gray cat. But +they could not help wanting to see whether the cat would get to the +fence first, or whether Ruddy would win the race. If Ruddy should happen +to catch the cat—well, then Rick and Chot were ready to stop the puppy +from doing her any harm. But if he should not—why, then it was a good +race between a dog and a cat—that was all.</p> + +<p>You may well believe that Sallie ran as fast as she could. She knew a +lot about dogs—she knew that dogs, almost always, chased<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> cats as they +probably always will—just why I do not know. And Sallie ran as fast as +she could.</p> + +<p>It is not very hard for a cat to get away from a dog. Fear seems to give +the cat greater speed and then, too, there is always a chance of +climbing a fence or a tree. A cat can easily get up in a tree, though it +can not always so easily get down again. And very few dogs can climb +trees. I have seen moving pictures of African hunting dogs getting up in +low trees after panthers, but these trees were covered with branches +close to the ground, so a dog could really leap up among them. No dog +can climb a straight tree trunk, but a cat easily does this.</p> + +<p>And the reason for this is that a cat's claws are sharper than a dog's, +and they are what are called "retractile." That is they can be pushed +out and drawn in again. If you have ever taken pussy's paw, and gently +pressed it, you have seen her claws come out from the little sheaths, or +pockets of skin, in which they are kept under her fur. Sometimes you can +press them out, and sometimes, especially after pussy awakens after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> a +nap, you may see her stick out her claws herself and pull them in again.</p> + +<p>Because of this, and because her claws are sharp, a cat can really climb +a tree, just as the telephone lineman climbs a pole by sticking his +sharp iron spurs in it. The cat sticks her claws in the soft bark of a +tree.</p> + +<p>If a dog's claws were sharp he might climb a tree, but they are not. A +dog's claws always stick out; he can not put them out when he pleases +and pull them back again, as pussy can. And because a dog's claws are +always out they get worn off, and dull, as he runs around on the ground.</p> + +<p>On raced Sallie and Ruddy raced after her, and soon, coming to a tree, +up the cat shot like a flash of light. She reached a limb and sat down +on it, her tail big and fluffy, her back arched and her heart beating +fast.</p> + +<p>Ruddy reached the foot of the tree and there he had to stop. He could +not climb. He just sat there, looking up at Sallie and barked. And the +cat knew the dog could not get her. She was safe as long as she stayed +in the tree.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<p>"He sure is a hunting dog all right!" exclaimed Chot, as he and Rick ran +along after Ruddy.</p> + +<p>"He can run pretty fast, but Sallie beat him," spoke Rick.</p> + +<p>"Some day we'll take your dog out in the woods and have him chase +rabbits," went on Chot. "If he's a hunting dog, and I guess he is, he +can catch rabbits."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't want him to hurt any rabbits," spoke Rick. "I used to have +some rabbits, once, but I let 'em loose in the woods back of the lake, +and maybe they're living there yet. I wouldn't want Ruddy to chase any +of the rabbits that I used to have for pets."</p> + +<p>"No, course we wouldn't 'zactly want Ruddy to <i>hurt</i> any rabbits," +agreed Chot. "But we could just watch him run after 'em, same as he ran +after Sallie. Your dog'll be a good hunter when he grows up. Where'd you +get him?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he just sort of came," answered Rick. "Mr. Bailey saw him swim +ashore in the storm last night."</p> + +<p>"Well, he's a good dog," declared Chot,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> patting Ruddy on the head. The +dog was dividing his time, now, between barking at the cat and leaping +about the boys. He had made friends with Chot almost at once.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said Chot, after a while. "This is no fun. That cat won't +come down as long as we stay here."</p> + +<p>"What'll we do?" asked Rick, who, to tell the truth, was glad his dog +had not caught Sallie.</p> + +<p>"Let's have your dog chase sticks," suggested Chot.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that'll be fun!" agreed Rick.</p> + +<p>The boys raced off across the yard, with the reddish-brown setter +leaping and barking after them. Ruddy was the kind of a dog known as a +"setter"; that is a sort of bird, or hunting, dog.</p> + +<p>Rick found a stick, held it up so Ruddy could see it, and then threw it +as far as he could, off in the grass.</p> + +<p>"Hi! Fetch it back, Ruddy!" called the boy. Ruddy's legs seemed to work +on springs as he raced across the yard. It took him only a moment to +discover the stick. He located it by smelling, for he could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> see it +in the deep grass. The stick had a bark smell of its own, but it also +had the smell of Rick's hands—the boy-smell that Ruddy had soon come to +know so well. Once Ruddy had this smell of his young master well fixed +in his wonderful dog's nose, Ruddy never forgot it. And anything that +Rick touched, even the sticks and stones that he threw, had, for Ruddy, +that wonderful individual smell by which he could tell his master even +without seeing him.</p> + +<p>And so, throwing sticks for Ruddy to run after and bring back to them, +Rick, Ruddy and Chot had fun together.</p> + +<p>Not far from Rick's house ran a little stream called Weed River. It +really was almost too small for a river, but that is what it was called. +There were so many weeds in it, at certain times of the year, that it +had been given this name. And, because of the weeds, ducks liked to swim +in the river, for ducks eat weeds, and also snails and other small +creatures that live on, or among, the grasses under water.</p> + +<p>Weed River ran into Silver Lake, on which there were swans, which were +like big<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> white geese. And farther off, back of Silver Lake, was a patch +of woods. It was in these woods that Rick had let his pet rabbits run +away when he grew tired of keeping them.</p> + +<p>"We'll throw sticks in the water and Ruddy will bring 'em back to us," +proposed Rick.</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Chot, "and maybe, some day, we can build a raft, and go +sailing down the river and into the lake and we can take your dog with +us and make believe we're looking for a new land, like it tells about in +our school history books."</p> + +<p>"I guess there aren't any new lands," said Rick. "They all have been +discovered."</p> + +<p>"Well, we can make believe to find some, and anyhow it will be fun with +your dog," went on Chot. "Come on!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy was as ready as anyone to have fun, and now he ran along after the +boys, leaping and barking. He had forgotten all about Sallie, the gray +cat.</p> + +<p>"I can chase her some other time," he said to himself. "That is if I +want to.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> Maybe I'll be friends with her and not chase her. But I guess +all dogs have to chase cats."</p> + +<p>There was one cat, though, at the place where Ruddy first lived, that +neither his father nor his mother had chased. She was quite an old cat, +and she would lie down and go to sleep in one of the horse stalls, near +the dog's kennel.</p> + +<p>"But she was a very old cat, and maybe that's why my father or mother +didn't chase her," thought Ruddy. "They used to chase other cats I +remember, so I guess I'd better chase Sallie if I get a chance, until +she gets a little older, or until I get to know her better. But I won't +hurt her."</p> + +<p>But, as I said, Ruddy was having too much fun, now, with Rick and Chot +to think of cats. The boys gathered up some sticks, and going down to +the edge of the river, tossed the bits of wood into the water.</p> + +<p>"Go get 'em!" cried Rick to Ruddy.</p> + +<p>Just as though he had always known man or boy talk, Ruddy jumped into +the stream and swam out. It was not easy, as the weeds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> were so thick, +but he managed to do it, and he brought the sticks back to shore.</p> + +<p>"Good boy!" cried Rick, patting his pet on the head.</p> + +<p>"He's a fast swimmer," said Chot. "Oh, look! He got me all wet!"</p> + +<p>For Ruddy, like all dogs when they come from a swim, had given himself a +hard shake. And, as he happened to be near Chot when he did this, Ruddy +scattered water from his shaggy coat all over the boy.</p> + +<p>"But I don't care—I got on my old clothes," Chot said. "Now let him +bring back my club, Rick."</p> + +<p>It was Chot's turn to toss a piece of wood into the water, and Ruddy +brought that back as quickly as he had brought one back for his master.</p> + +<p>Down the river, walking along the bank, the boys hurried toward Silver +Lake, and, as it happened, there were a number of ducks feeding at the +place where the two bodies of water came together. The ducks belonged to +a man who lived near by.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy, as soon as he saw the ducks. "Bow wow!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<p>Somehow away back in his head was a desire to chase these ducks. Other +dogs in Ruddy's family had always raced thus after birds; for he was a +setter, or dog that is often used in hunting. And, though Ruddy had +never gone hunting, feeling too young up to now, he knew just how to do +it. Chasing the cat had been one kind of a hunt, and now here were a lot +of queer birds that looked just as if they needed chasing. That would be +another hunt.</p> + +<p>And so into the water sprang Ruddy, and straight for the tame ducks he +rushed, splashing his way along.</p> + +<p>"Say, he sure is a smart hunter dog!" cried Chot.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but if he chases these tame ducks my mother won't let me keep +him," said Rick. "Come on back here, Ruddy! Come back!" he called to his +dog. "Leave the ducks alone!"</p> + +<p>But Ruddy was too excited over the chase to mind just then. With joyous, +eager barks he splashed into the water, and the ducks, though tame, did +just what any wild ducks would have done. They scattered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> with many loud +quackings, some even flying, they were so frightened; though a tame duck +can not easily use its wings much. But some of these ducks flew up and +out of the way.</p> + +<p>"Come back here! Come back!" yelled Rick.</p> + +<p>And then, more because the ducks were out of his reach than because he +heard his master calling, Ruddy came back. Up he came, all wet, his +mouth open and his tongue hanging out, and he was panting hard. That is +how a dog cools off, or perspires—by opening his mouth and letting his +tongue hang out. And that is why, if a dog is muzzled too tightly, it is +bad for him. He can not cool off when he is hot.</p> + +<p>Shaking the water from his sides and legs, Ruddy jumped up around Rick +and Chot, and he barked just as if he were saying:</p> + +<p>"There! See what I did! Didn't I scatter those birds fine? Did you see +me make 'em fly!"</p> + +<p>"You leave those ducks alone!" said Rick to his dog. "Those are tame +ducks,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> not wild ones for you to hunt. Leave 'em alone!"</p> + +<p>He spoke rather sharply to Ruddy, and shook his finger at the dog. That +is the best way to tell a dog that he has done wrong. Whipping does +little good, and is cruel because a dog can not understand what he is +beaten for. But a dog knows the tones of his master's voice better than +anything else. And when the master speaks as if he were angry the dog +knows, and remembers.</p> + +<p>"Well, well! This is queer!" thought Ruddy as Rick scolded him. "Here I +thought I was doing him a favor by chasing those birds, and he doesn't +like it. I can tell by the way he talks that he doesn't like it. I +wonder why? Well, I don't want to chase them if he doesn't want me to, +though I think it's fun!"</p> + +<p>So, with another bark or two, Ruddy gave up racing after the ducks, +which, with ruffled feathers and after many frightened quacks, settled +down on the water again.</p> + +<p>Rick, Ruddy and Chot had lots of fun that afternoon, the boys throwing +sticks in the water and the dog bringing them back.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> Ruddy thought he +had never before met two such nice chaps as his master and the latter's +chum, and never were there such a nice places as Belemere, Weed River +and Silver Lake.</p> + +<p>At last it was time for Rick and Chot to go back home. It was nearly the +hour for supper. Ruddy knew that as well as the boys did, for the puppy +was getting hungry, too.</p> + +<p>"I'll be over after supper," called Chot to Rick, as they parted at the +gate. "We'll have some more fun with your dog."</p> + +<p>Ruddy was tied up in his kennel again. He did not like that very much, +but Rick's mother said if the dog were going to be kept he must be made +to know his place, especially at mealtime.</p> + +<p>"I'll feed him in the same spot at the same hours each day, and he will +learn to know when it is time for him to have his breakfast, dinner or +supper," said Mrs. Dalton. "Regular habits are as good for a dog as they +are for a boy, I should think."</p> + +<p>So, though Ruddy did not like it, he was tied up until after Rick and +Mazie had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> eaten their supper. Then Ruddy had his meal, and very good it +tasted.</p> + +<p>"Now for some more fun!" cried Rick, as Chot came over, and the two boys +and the dog played in the yard until it was dark and time to go to bed.</p> + +<p>So it was that Ruddy found a new home, and one he liked very much. The +next day Mr. Dalton made the old rabbit house over into a fine kennel +for Ruddy, and Rick got a collar and chain for his dog, so Ruddy could +be made fast when it was needful. Ruddy did not like being chained up, +but there were times when it was best for him to be kept from running +wherever he liked.</p> + +<p>Sig Bailey, the coast guard, came over several times to see Ruddy, and +the dog knew him every time. They were good friends.</p> + +<p>"I said that was a fine dog, as soon ever as I saw him come ashore on +the beach in that storm," said the guard. "And he is a fine dog; isn't +he, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"He surely is!" declared the boy. "I hope nobody ever comes along and +says he's theirs."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't believe anybody will ever come," spoke Mr. Bailey. "I guess +he's your dog to keep now, Rick."</p> + +<p>And Rick certainly hoped so.</p> + +<p>It was about two weeks after he had become the owner of Ruddy that Rick +went, one day, wandering in the woods on the other side of Silver Lake. +It was Saturday, when there was no school, and Chot had told Rick he +would meet him in the patch of forest. The boys were going to pretend +they were hunters, with sticks for guns, and Ruddy for their hunting +dog. Ruddy was real, of course, but the guns were make believe.</p> + +<p>Rick had been several times to the woods, but he had never gone very far +into their somewhat dark depths. To-day, when he had not met Chot soon +after getting among the trees, Rick walked on and on, and, the first +thing he knew he could see nothing around him but the thick trunks and +tangled bushes. All the houses were out of sight, and he could not even +find the road, or path, by which he had come in.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Chot! Chot! Where are you?" cried Rick. "Where are you?"</p> + +<p>But the boy he had expected to meet in the woods was not there. Later +Rick learned that his chum had been sent on an errand by his mother, and +so did not get to the woods at all that day.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'd better go back home," said Rick to himself, as he saw how +late it was getting. "It'll soon be night. Come on, Ruddy!"</p> + +<p>The dog, who was nosing among the leaves under a fallen log, sprang away +at his master's voice and trotted along behind Rick.</p> + +<p>"We're going home!" Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Bow wow!" answered Ruddy, which was as much as to say: "That suits me!"</p> + +<p>But, somehow or other, as Rick walked along, he did not seem to be +getting any nearer home. The woods had a strange look, and, as he +glanced about, a great fear came to him.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy," said Rick, with a catch in his voice, "I'm lost!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI<br /> + +<span class="subhead">HAW-HAW THE CROW</span></h3> + + +<p>Ruddy, the dog, looked up into the face of Rick, the boy. If Ruddy could +have talked boy language he would have asked:</p> + +<p>"What's the matter? Why are you stopping here instead of running along +among the leaves? Come on, have a race! It's lots of fun! Throw a stick +and I'll go after it!"</p> + +<p>That was what Rick and Ruddy had been doing before Rick began to notice +how late it was, or to think about how far he was from home, and to +realize that he had not met his chum, Chot. Chot, whose real name was +Charlie, was a little older than Rick, and knew his way better in the +woods near Weed River and Silver Lake than did Rick.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy, I—I guess we're lost," said Rick again.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy. That was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> all he said that Rick could hear, +and, in a way, the boy understood what that talk meant.</p> + +<p>It was as if Ruddy had remarked:</p> + +<p>"All right! I'm not afraid as long as I'm with you!"</p> + +<p>For though often dogs may become frightened, because of some danger, +they hardly ever show any sign of fear when they are with their +master—be he a boy or man. It was as if the dog felt its master knew +everything, and could get him, or any other dog, out of trouble.</p> + +<p>And besides barking, Ruddy was talking in a language Rick could not even +hear, much less understand, though, later on, he grew to know what his +dog meant when he stood with head turned on the side, one ear cocked a +little forward and such a sharp look on his face. After he had barked +once, to say, in dog talk: "All right!" Ruddy had gone on saying, in his +silent, animal way:</p> + +<p>"Don't worry, little master, I've been lost lots of times, and I always +found myself. Leave it to me! I'll get you home all right!"</p> + +<p>But Rick did not know this, and, for a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> time, Ruddy did not really think +that Rick was worried or frightened. The dog had had such fun in the +woods, playing with the boy, that he wanted to keep it up. Ruddy wanted +to rustle through the dried leaves. He liked to hear the rattling sound +they made. He wanted to chase more sticks, but Rick did not throw any.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy, which way is home?" asked Rick, as he stood in the woods, and +looked about him. "Where do we live?"</p> + +<p>Ruddy could not quite get this thought. He looked at Rick, and he saw +that his master was now beginning to be troubled. Dogs know when a +person is in trouble more often than you think, and they can sympathize, +or be sorry, for their master and others. But Ruddy was only a puppy and +his thinking-out of things was not as clear as it became afterward. Just +now he reasoned perhaps his master wanted to have some fun in a new way.</p> + +<p>"Well, if he does," thought Ruddy to himself, "there are lots of games I +haven't played with him yet. He doesn't care for chasing cats, so I'll +find something else to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> chase. There are birds in these woods, I'll +chase some of them!"</p> + +<p>Giving a few short barks, and scrabbling about in the leaves, Ruddy +leaped up and down in front of Rick. This was an invitation to come and +play tag. Ruddy knew how to give that invitation, and he had often done +it. That was one of the first games he had learned to play when he lived +in the stable with his father and mother and the other little puppies.</p> + +<p>"No, Ruddy," said Rick, as he saw his dog leaping about. "I don't want +to do that now. Let's go home, Ruddy! Let's go home! I don't know the +way, but maybe you do! Let's go home!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy knew what that word "home" meant. Once or twice, when he had been +tied up, as Rick and Mazie were about to start for school, the dog had +broken loose and run after the master he loved so well. Then Rick would +turn about and say, very sternly:</p> + +<p>"Go home, Ruddy! Go back home!"</p> + +<p>He would point to the house, and, with a sad look and with drooping +tail, the red<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>-brown puppy would slink back. He was a good dog to mind, +was Ruddy.</p> + +<p>But now Rick was using the word "home" in a different way. Ruddy hardly +understood. Rick had not spoken sternly. He was asking Ruddy a +question—asking him to find the home that, somehow or other, Rick had +lost sight of in the woods.</p> + +<p>"Let's go home, Ruddy! Let's go home!" said Rick, over and over.</p> + +<p>Still Ruddy did not understand. He leaped about, pawing aside the dried +leaves. He was trying to find another box tortoise. Once he had +uncovered a tortoise in the woods, and Rick had taken it home. That had +been a great discovery for Ruddy.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I can find another one of those funny, crawling things, that look +like a stone, and which pull in their legs, head and tail as soon as I +bark at them," thought Ruddy as he pawed among the leaves. "I'll try to +find another. Maybe that's what Rick wants."</p> + +<p>"No, I don't want anything like that!" said Rick, as he saw what his dog +was doing. "No more turtles, Ruddy. Let's go home!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> I don't know which +way it is, or I'd go. I'm all turned around, and if I go the wrong way +I'll be more lost than I am now. Where is home, Ruddy?"</p> + +<p>Rick was getting more and more uneasy. He was not exactly frightened, +for he had often read of people becoming lost and spending a night in +the woods.</p> + +<p>"I won't mind that so much as long as Ruddy is with me," thought the +boy. "But I'd rather be home. Maybe I can make Chot hear me now!"</p> + +<p>He called and called again, Ruddy mingling his bark with the voice of +his master. And though Rick seemed to call more loudly than did Ruddy, +the dog's bark was heard farther. It is said that the bark of a dog can +be heard farther than any other sound, and men who have gone up in +balloons say that the last sounds that come to them, from the earth +below, that seems to be dropping away beneath them, are the barkings of +dogs. A dog's bark can be heard several miles.</p> + +<p>But though Ruddy's bark was carried farther through the woods than was +Rick's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> calling, those who heard Ruddy's "bow-wows" did not pay any +attention to them. A dog barks so often, and so much, that few persons +give any heed to it. All barks are alike to them, though there are +really several different kinds, and each one means something different +in dog language.</p> + +<p>"It's no use," said Rick, after he had called aloud and shouted several +times. "I guess Chot didn't come, or else he's lost too. We're both +lost! I wonder what I can do to get home?"</p> + +<p>He sat down on a log. Ruddy came up and put his cold nose close to +Rick's face. As plainly as he could the dog was asking:</p> + +<p>"What's the matter? Can't I help?"</p> + +<p>"I want to go home, Ruddy! I want to go home!" said Rick. If he had been +an older boy he might have started off by himself and have tried to find +his home. But he was afraid of going the wrong way now. If only Ruddy +would lead him!</p> + +<p>As for the dog, if he had been by himself he would, as soon as he was +ready, have trotted off in the direction of Belemere, and have gone +straight to Rick's house. Once a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> dog has settled himself in a home he +can, nearly always, find his way back to it, and sometimes even when he +has been taken many miles away, in an automobile or a train. But, just +now, Ruddy did not know that Rick wanted to go home.</p> + +<p>"I guess he wants me to scare up a bird for him to chase," thought +Ruddy, dog-fashion, of course. "That is the kind of fun he wants. +There's no fun sitting on a log and doing nothing. I'll chase a bird!"</p> + +<p>Several times that day, on their walk through the woods, Ruddy had +scrambled among the bushes and frightened out birds who were perched on +the low branches of trees. Ruddy was a hunting dog and, in times past, +the members of his family had thus driven birds out into the open for +hunters to shoot at. Ruddy did not quite understand why Rick did not +shoot at these birds. But of course Rick would not do that, even if he +had had a gun; which he had not.</p> + +<p>"I'll scare up some other birds," said Ruddy to himself. "That's what he +must want."</p> + +<p>With a cheerful bark, he plunged in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> among the bushes. Several birds +flew out, and Ruddy barked all the louder. But instead of chasing after +these fluttering creatures, as the dog expected he would, Rick sat on +the log.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy.</p> + +<p>That meant, as plainly as he could say it:</p> + +<p>"Come on! Help me catch a bird!"</p> + +<p>"No! None of that," said Rick. "We must go home, Ruddy. Where is home, +Ruddy?"</p> + +<p>It took the dog some little time to find out what his master really +wanted, and then it came to Ruddy in a flash. But perhaps it was more +because the dog, himself, was getting hungry, and knew it was time for +his supper to be given him in his kennel. He knew where that was, of +course. That was "home" to him, and now he began to feel that it was +time to go there.</p> + +<p>Ruddy circled about in the leaves. His nose was close to the ground, and +many smells came to him. Here a rabbit had leaped along, and over there +a squirrel had jumped to the ground after a nut that had fallen from a +tree. Ruddy knew these smells very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> well indeed, and another time he +would have followed them along until he had come to where the rabbit was +in his burrow, or the squirrel was perched high in some hollow tree.</p> + +<p>But Ruddy had something else to do now. He was smelling among the leaves +to catch the scent that led back along the way he and Rick had come—the +trail back home—that is what Ruddy was smelling for. In a few moments +it came to him. He knew he could find it when he wanted it, and here it +was—through the clump of pines, down past where the willows drooped +over the brook, up the hill, down a little hollow and then out on the +road past Silver Lake and Weed River—that was the way home.</p> + +<p>Ruddy knew it, even if Rick did not. With a bark the dog began to lead +the way.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" he said again, and this time it was quite a different bark. +It was as if he said:</p> + +<p>"Come along, Master! Now I know what you want! Home, of course! I'll +lead you home. I know the path very well!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy ran on ahead a little way and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> turned around and waited for +Rick to come to him. This time the boy understood. His dog was not +playing in the leaves now, flushing birds or digging for turtles.</p> + +<p>"Home, Ruddy! Home!" said Rick.</p> + +<p>And straight toward home Ruddy led Rick.</p> + +<p>As the two walked on, Ruddy keeping a little ahead all the while, it +grew darker. Night was fast settling down, though it would be lighter +once they were out from among the trees. As they neared the edge of the +woods Rick halted and looked about.</p> + +<p>"Maybe Chot is in here, and he may be lost, too," he thought. "I'd +better call him."</p> + +<p>So he did, and Ruddy joined in with loud barks, but the other boy did +not answer. As Rick learned, later, Chot had not gone to the woods at +all. So, after waiting a bit, and calling once or twice, Ruddy helping, +Rick walked on with his dog.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, as they were nearing a path, which Rick remembered now as the +one he had followed into the woods, Ruddy, with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> loud bark, sprang +toward something that fluttered among the low branches of a tree.</p> + +<p>A black object flew out, uttering a loud:</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw! Haw!"</p> + +<p>"A crow!" cried Rick. "It's a crow!"</p> + +<p>And so it was. Again sounded the loud:</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw! Haw!"</p> + +<p>Crows really utter that cry, rather than "Caw!" as most persons think. +Listen the next time you hear crows, and see if this is not so.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" barked the dog.</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw!" croaked the crow.</p> + +<p>It fluttered on through the bushes and then fell to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Its wing is broken!" cried Rick. "Somebody must have shot it, and it +can't fly!"</p> + +<p>With an eager bark Ruddy rushed toward the bird which was scrabbling +around among the leaves in a little hollow on the ground. The crow +seemed to be all tired out, and could not even flutter now. Rick cried +aloud:</p> + +<p>"Don't kill it, Ruddy! Don't kill it!"</p> + +<p>He rushed up to save the black bird, hardly knowing why he was doing it, +for he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> had been told, with truth, that crows eat the eggs of other, and +better birds, as well as destroy the farmer's corn.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I can tame this crow and get him to talk," said Rick. "Down, +Ruddy! Down!"</p> + +<p>The dog knew what this meant. He stopped barking; he stopped trying to +bite the crow, and stood off to one side. Careful to keep his hands away +from the sharp, strong beak, Rick picked up the crow. It was a young +one, and a drooping wing showed it was hurt.</p> + +<p>"You're going to be my crow!" said Rick. "I'll call you Haw-Haw, and +take you home. Ruddy, don't hurt this crow! I'm going to tame him!"</p> + +<p>He held the black bird out in his hands for Ruddy to look at.</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw!" the crow cried, rather feebly.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy.</p> + +<p>Perhaps they were talking to one another in that mysterious animal +language. At any rate Ruddy seemed to understand what Rick had said, and +never after that did he try<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +to hurt Haw-Haw. As for the crow—well, I'll tell you more about him +presently.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i002.png" width="400" height="573" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Rick picked up the crow!</span> +</div> + + + +<p>"Now we got to go home, Ruddy," said Rick. "Mother will be worried about +me. We got to go home!"</p> + +<p>And Ruddy, holding his head on one side, looked at Rick and at Haw-Haw +and then, with a short bark, led the way out of the woods, and along the +path to Belemere.</p> + +<p>"Now we're all right," said Rick to himself. "I'm not lost any more, and +I've got a new pet! I wonder if you'll talk?" he asked the crow with the +broken wing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">WHY DID RUDDY GROWL?</span></h3> + +<p>Rick and Ruddy tramped together along the path that led out of the +woods, Rick carrying the crow, which he had already named Haw-Haw. The +black bird, wild at first when the boy had taken it up, was now more +quiet, as Rick held it under one arm. But Rick could feel its heart +beating fast beneath the glossy feathers.</p> + +<p>Ruddy trotted along, now and then looking up at his master, as if trying +to guess what it was all about. Perhaps the setter was wondering if +Rick, in caring for this new, strange pet, would no longer go on romps +and tramps in the woods with the dog who so loved to be among the trees +and the dried leaves, looking for birds.</p> + +<p>It was the nature of Ruddy to hunt birds, not for himself but for +whoever was his master. So, in a way, it seemed perfectly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> right for +Rick to be taking home this bird, even if it was only a crow.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was an Irish setter, one of the three varieties of setter dogs +much used for hunting. Ruddy's coat was like his name, a rich dark red +in color. The Gordon setter has a black coat, marked with dark brown, +and the English setter is nearly white, with mottled spots of different +color.</p> + +<p>A hundred years ago, when men used to spread nets to catch birds, when +they could not shoot them because they had not then the right kind of +guns, dogs like Ruddy were used to help the hunters. The setters were +taught to go in the underbrush, find the game birds, come to a +"point"—that is point their noses toward where they saw the quail, +grouse or pheasants, and then the dogs crouched down, or "set," as the +English hunters called it. That is how the "setter" dog got its name. It +would "set," or lie down low, in the grass, so the net of the hunter +could be thrown over its head to enmesh the half-hidden birds.</p> + +<p>Ruddy had never helped hunt birds with a net, but, years back, his +ancestors had, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> the name clung to him. So, also, did the love of +hunting in the woods. To chase birds, to bark at them, to love to see +them scurry away as he ran toward them was as natural to Ruddy as it is +natural for a bulldog to hold fast to whatever he gets between his jaws.</p> + +<p>And so, as Ruddy walked along beside Rick, the red setter was thinking:</p> + +<p>"Well, my master caught one bird, anyhow. That is doing very well for a +starter. Maybe to-morrow we shall go to the woods again, and I'll find +more birds for him to catch."</p> + +<p>For, really, if it had not been that Ruddy frightened the crow into +fluttering off the branch where it had taken refuge, after being shot, +Rick might never have found it.</p> + +<p>"Dear me! Where have you been?" cried Rick's mother, as he came marching +into the yard, carrying the crow and followed by Ruddy.</p> + +<p>"I was off in the woods," answered the boy. "And I was lost, but Ruddy +showed me the way home."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Lost! Oh, Rick! You mustn't go to the woods alone and get lost!"</p> + +<p>"I wasn't alone," he answered. "Ruddy was with me. I can't get lost with +him. He always will know the way back, I guess. But I didn't see Chot."</p> + +<p>"No, he came, after you had gone, to say he couldn't meet you in the +woods," said Mrs. Dalton. "I thought you would come right back when you +didn't find him. You stayed so long that I was getting afraid. I was +just going to send your father after you."</p> + +<p>"I was afraid myself," spoke Rick. "But Ruddy is a good dog. He didn't +know what I meant first, when I told him to go home, after I couldn't +tell where the path was. But, after a while, he knew what I said and he +led me straight."</p> + +<p>"What you got?" asked Mazie, seeing the black, feathered creature in her +brother's hands.</p> + +<p>"It's a crow. Ruddy found it and I picked it up before he could bite it. +Its wing is broken but maybe we can fix it. I'm going to teach it to +talk."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Crows don't talk—only parrots," said Mazie.</p> + +<p>"Yes, they do—don't crows talk?" asked Rick of his father, who came out +in the yard just then.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have heard them say a few words, and also whistle," said Mr. +Dalton. "Not all of them talk as well as do parrots, but you can +understand some of the things crows say."</p> + +<p>"You have to slit their tongues to make 'em talk," went on Rick. "Chot +Benson told me so. He doesn't know I got this crow, but I'll tell him +after supper. Maybe he knows how to cut their tongues."</p> + +<p>"No, you mustn't cut the crow's tongue," said Mr. Dalton. "It is a cruel +superstition to say that slitting a crow's tongue makes it talk. Not all +crows can say words, but those that do, will say them just as well with +a whole tongue as with one cut down the middle. Leave your crow's tongue +alone, Rick, if you are going to keep him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm going to keep him!" declared the boy. "I'm going to have him +for a pet same as I have Ruddy. But I'm glad I don't<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> have to slit his +tongue. Do you think you can fix his broken wing, Daddy?"</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps we can put it in splints so the bones will grow +together," answered his father. "But I'm afraid the crow will never fly +again. It may be able to flutter about, and it surely can walk, for its +legs are all right," said Mr. Dalton, as he took the black bird from +Rick. "But its flying days are over."</p> + +<p>"Then it won't fly away from me," said the boy. "I'll make a nest for it +in the woodshed, and then I'll teach it to talk."</p> + +<p>"That may take you a long time," said his father, "and this may be the +sort of crow that never says any words. But you can try."</p> + +<p>"And now it's time for supper," exclaimed Rick's mother. "It has been +waiting long enough, and it's almost dark."</p> + +<p>"Ruddy wants his supper, too," said his master.</p> + +<p>"Tie him up and I'll feed him after I feed you," promised Mrs. Dalton +with a laugh. Though not very fond of dogs she was beginning to love +Rick's pet that had come to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> him out of the ocean, and Ruddy knew how to +appreciate the kindness of his master's mother in giving him clean food +and water, and choice bones to gnaw when he had nothing else to do.</p> + +<p>The crow was put in a box filled with soft, dried grass. A tin can of +water was hung on the side, so Haw-Haw could reach it without knocking +it over. And then he was left to himself in the woodshed. Ruddy was tied +in his kennel, and he stretched out with his muzzle between his +forepaws, thinking over what had happened that day. It had been one +filled with delight and adventures, and Ruddy was wishing, with all his +warm, dog's heart, for another day like it.</p> + +<p>To Rick the great adventure had been getting lost, but this, to Ruddy, +was nothing. The dog had not been lost at all. He knew his way back home +all the while.</p> + +<p>While Rick, Mazie and the others were eating supper, and Rick was +telling all that had happened, and how he found Haw-Haw, his dog lay out +in the kennel. It was a soft, warm evening, one of the sort that come in +Indian Summer, and Ruddy was sniffing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> many odors that reached his sharp +nose.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he smelled—cat. Quickly his head was raised. Yes, there was a +cat who had leaped up on the back fence. It was Sallie from next door. +For a moment Ruddy had a wild notion of springing up and chasing after +Sallie as he had done that first day he came to live with Rick. Then, as +the dog felt the collar about his neck, and as the chain by which he was +fastened to the kennel gave a rattle, he knew that it would have been of +no use to get up. The chain would stop him after he had gone a few feet.</p> + +<p>Ruddy settled back on the ground. The cat—having heard the dog's chain +rattle, and knowing the setter could not get her (for Sallie was a wise +cat)—did not run away as fast as she had run the other time. Nor did +she climb a tree.</p> + +<p>Sallie just walked along the fence, to see another cat perhaps, and +Ruddy stretched out, sniffing the many odors that came to his fine, +sharply-pointed nose. The cat smell passed away with the night wind.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, as it grew darker, to the nose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> of the dog came another smell. +It was a smell that made him leap up with a deep growl in his throat. It +was the smell Ruddy did not like, for it brought back to him the memory +of a man who had been cruel to him—a man who had beaten and kicked +him—who had filled his puppy days with misery.</p> + +<p>And now, on the soft airs of the autumn night that terrible man-smell +came to Ruddy. He stood up, sniffed again and again, and the growl in +his throat became deeper. And to Ruddy there also came the sound of +someone walking softly around the yard fence—the footsteps of a man who +did not want to be discovered.</p> + +<p>The setter leaped to the length of his chain and his growl became a +bark. Rick, who was coming out of the house after supper, heard this, +and hastened to his dog's kennel. He heard Ruddy rumbling in his throat.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, old fellow? Why are you growling?" asked Rick. Of +course the different smells on the night air meant nothing to him. +Though a boy's nose is very good for smelling a pie baking in the oven,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +or, in camp for whiffing the delicious odor of bacon and coffee, a boy's +nose is not sharp enough to smell all a dog can smell.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Ruddy?" asked Rick again. "Why are you growling?"</p> + +<p>Of course Ruddy could not speak boy talk, and so he could not tell what +had disturbed him, but he kept on growling.</p> + +<p>"If it's a tramp trying to sneak around the house, go drive him away!" +ordered Rick.</p> + +<p>He loosened the dog's chain and the animal with another bark and growl, +darted away in the darkness. Then Rick became fearful lest his new pet +should get into danger.</p> + +<p>"Come back, Ruddy! Come back!" called the boy.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was following that hated odor that lay on the still, night air. He +smelled it more plainly now, showing that he was coming nearer to it the +farther he went from his new kennel house. Rick was now some distance +back.</p> + +<p>And then, near a dark clump of bushes, Ruddy came to a sudden stop. The +alarm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>ing man-smell came from there. Someone was hiding in the +bushes—someone Ruddy hated and feared. Again the dog growled.</p> + +<p>And then a voice fairly growled back in answer—the voice of a man +hidden in the bushes, and angry words were muttered. They were words +Ruddy had heard before, and they had often been followed by a blow or a +kick.</p> + +<p>Ruddy did not want to be hurt again, and so he decided it would be best +not to go any nearer that bush. He growled once more, sniffed the air to +make sure of the smell, and turned back. Rick was following.</p> + +<p>"What is it? What's the matter, old fellow? Why are you growling?" asked +Rick, but Ruddy could not answer, and the boy could neither see nor +smell anything in the darkness.</p> + +<p>The man in the bushes did not stir. Perhaps he had gone to sleep. Ruddy +did not know. And then, with a final growl, the dog turned away and, +looking up and back to where he dimly saw Rick's form, he followed the +boy.</p> + +<p>But once, and once again, Ruddy turned,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> looked back toward the clump of +bushes, and growled low and fiercely.</p> + +<p>"Was it a tramp or a cat?" asked Rick. "Well, if it's a cat it doesn't +much matter. And if it's a tramp, maybe he'll know I have a dog, and I +guess he won't come too close to our house. Tramps don't like dogs."</p> + +<p>And if it had been light, and if Rick and Ruddy had looked back then, +they would have seen, peering out from the screen of the bush, an ugly +face. It was the face of a ragged man, and the man, as he saw in the +darkness the dog and boy moving away, muttered:</p> + +<p>"He nearly smelled me out! Wonder what kind of a dog that was? Looked +something like the one I want. Well, I can tell better in the mornin'. +This is a good place to sleep." And he curled up again.</p> + +<p>Several times more Ruddy growled down in his throat, and then something +came that made him forget the man in the bush. The man whose smell he so +well remembered.</p> + +<p>With Ruddy leaping and barking about him, Rick got a lantern and went to +look at the broken-winged crow in the woodshed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> The black bird did not +seem to have moved since it had nestled down amid the soft grass in the +box, over which a wire screen had been placed to keep Haw-Haw from +fluttering out.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow I will mend your broken wing," said Rick, as he looked at his +new pet.</p> + +<p>Ruddy, forgetting for the time being about the man smell that came from +the bush, stood with head on one side looking wonderingly toward the box +where the crow nestled.</p> + +<p>"I must fix it so Ruddy won't hurt Haw-Haw by mistake," said Rick. "Look +here, old fellow," he said to his dog, and tapping the edge of the box, +at which sound the crow moved uneasily. "Look here, Ruddy! You mustn't +hurt Haw-Haw. Let him alone! He is my crow and he and you and I are +going to be friends. Don't hurt this black bird!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy whined. He did not quite understand. Something inside him made him +want to take this feathered creature in his mouth and carry it +somewhere, as the dogs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> of his family carried birds from the hunting +field. And this was the hunting instinct Ruddy felt. But he knew he must +also mind his young master. If Rick said not to touch the crow, the crow +must not be touched. And so Ruddy made up his mind he would obey his +young master.</p> + +<p>The dog followed the boy out of the woodshed, and the crow was left +alone, which was the best thing for the bird at present. Its heart did +not beat so wildly when Rick and Ruddy had gone.</p> + +<p>"Come on, Ruddy!" called Rick to his dog. "We'll go over and see Chot! +I'll tell him how I got lost and found a crow!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy was always ready to go anywhere with Rick, and especially over to +Chot's house. For next door to Rick's chum lived Tom Martin, whose dog +and Ruddy had become great friends. This other dog's name was Peter, and +he was a bull terrier, a white dog, with ears like a bat, and queer, +sleepy-looking eyes that gave his long face rather a foolish expression. +But Peter was a brave dog, and loved his master as much as Ruddy loved +Rick. So the two dogs played to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>gether, while Rick and Chot talked on +the back steps in the soft, warm, fall darkness.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was much larger than Peter, and it was all Peter could do, when +Ruddy held his head high, to get hold of one of Ruddy's ears to pull it. +But often Peter did this, and then the two dogs would roll over and over +in the grass, pretending to bite one another, but, of course, not really +doing it.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry you got lost," said Chot to Rick. "I didn't know you would go +so far in the woods if I wasn't there."</p> + +<p>"I didn't mean to," spoke Rick. "But I just kept going. But I'll never +get lost, now, with Ruddy. He'll bring me home."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Ruddy is a good dog."</p> + +<p>Hearing his name spoken Ruddy left his play with Peter, and came running +to his master, laying his muzzle, or nose, on the boy's knee, and +looking up into his face as if to ask:</p> + +<p>"What do you want?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't call you," said Rick. "But I guess it's time to go home. Come +on over and see Haw-Haw, my crow, to-morrow, Chot."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I will. I hope he gets to talking."</p> + +<p>"So do I!"</p> + +<p>Rick and Ruddy raced home together, and soon both were asleep, Rick in +his little white bed, and Ruddy out in his kennel, ready to bark if a +strange footfall should be heard around the house. For though Ruddy +could not see in the dark, even as well as he could in the daytime, +which was little enough, his hearing and smelling were perhaps better +after dark than in daylight. He would know the moment a stranger came +within hearing, or smelling, distance of the house he now called home.</p> + +<p>Again and again Ruddy sniffed the night air, during the hours of +darkness for any trace of the hated man odor he had smelled. But it did +not again come to his nose. Perhaps the wind had changed, for dogs, and +most animals, can not smell persons, or other animals, if the wind is +blowing away from them. When the wind blows from the animal or person to +the dog, then the dog can smell very well indeed.</p> + +<p>Or perhaps the ugly-faced man under the bush had gone away after the dog +had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> growled. Ruddy did not know what it was, but he did know that the +odor he disliked came to him no more. But he was on the alert for the +noise of a strange footstep, or the least whiff of a new smell.</p> + +<p>Mr. Dalton came from the office earlier next day, and with the help of +Rick and Chot bound up the crow's broken wing. It was wound about with +soft strips of cloth close to the glossy, black feathers of the bird's +body.</p> + +<p>"There," said Rick's father. "I think the wing will mend, even if +Haw-Haw can not use it to fly again. Now we'll give him something to +eat, and fresh water, and leave him alone. He's frightened half to +death, for he doesn't know yet that we are trying to be kind to him."</p> + +<p>Some scraps of meat were given Haw-Haw and he seemed to like them. He +nestled down in his box, and there he had to stay for many days, until +his broken wing healed, as it did after a while, though not so he could +fly with it. He could only flutter lamely about the yard.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Rick and Ruddy had many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> good times. When he did not have to +go to school, the boy went on long walks with his dog, sometimes down to +the beach, and again back in the woods or along the river or lake.</p> + +<p>On Silver Lake were a number of swans. They had been bought by the town +of Belemere to make the place attractive for summer visitors, and in +winter the birds were put in shelters. But now they were still in the +open, swimming about the lake, and sometimes in the river, from which +they ate the weeds.</p> + +<p>Ruddy did not understand these swans. To him they were a sort of goose. +But a swan is much larger than a goose and it has powerful wings. It is +said a swan can break a man's arm with a sweep of the wing, but I am not +sure this is so. At any rate swans defend themselves with their bills, +which can nip splinters off a wooden plank, and with their strong wings +they can deal hard blows.</p> + +<p>Whenever Ruddy could slip away from Rick, the dog used to love to chase +these swans. He would rush at them barking loudly, if he saw them +preening their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> feathers, or asleep on the bank of the lake. Then, with +wild hissings, the big, white birds would dash for the water. Sometimes +they would turn on Ruddy, and almost strike him with their wings. But +most times Rick called his dog back as soon as Ruddy made a dash for the +half-tame water fowls. Thus there never had been a real fight between +the swans and the dog.</p> + +<p>But one day Rick was called back by his mother after he had started for +a romp with Ruddy, and the dog went on alone by himself for a while. He +approached the lake and there, asleep on the bank, were two swans.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy, making a sudden rush. He expected the white +creatures would dash into the water, but they seemed to have made up +their minds that they had stood the dog's nonsense long enough. With +loud hisses they both turned and with outstretched necks, with open +bills, with fluttering and spread wings they flew at Ruddy.</p> + +<p>Few dogs would have been brave enough to stand in the face of these +strange enemies.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> Even a bulldog might have turned tail, as Ruddy +certainly did.</p> + +<p>Away ran the dog and after him ran the swans. The big, white birds could +really travel quite fast, even on land, for they used their wings to +help themselves along, just as an ostrich half runs and half flies, +which makes him as speedy as some horses.</p> + +<p>With hisses and flappings of their wings, the swans pursued Ruddy, and +if Rick had seen them after his dog he could easily have guessed what +the swans were saying to one another.</p> + +<p>"We might as well settle this matter once and for all," one swan might +have said.</p> + +<p>"I agree with you," the mate probably hissed in answer. "We have no +peace or quietness at all, with this dog chasing us at unexpected times. +Let's teach him a lesson!"</p> + +<p>And that is what they were trying to do—teach Ruddy a lesson. The swans +wanted to make Ruddy afraid of them, so he would no longer chase them.</p> + +<p>When a cat, I don't mean Sallie, especially, but any cat, wants to teach +a dog a lesson,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> and cause him to fear her, so he will no longer chase +her, the cat turns, arches up her back, makes her tail as large as she +can, hisses at the dog and scratches his nose if possible. A cat seems +to understand that a dog's nose is his most tender spot, as indeed it +is. A dog really hates to have his nose scratched as it bothers him, +hurts him and prevents him from smelling his best, and on a dog's scent, +or sense of smell, nearly everything depends.</p> + +<p>But swans can't scratch. They can pinch with their yellow bills, or, if +they are black swans, with their red beaks. And they can deal hard blows +with their powerful wings.</p> + +<p>And as Ruddy raced along the shore, back toward where he had left Rick, +the dog tucked his tail between his hind legs to keep it out of the way. +Next to a dog's nose his tail is his most tender part.</p> + +<p>Ruddy did not want his tail pinched, or nipped, but that is just what +happened. One of the swans managed to get close to the dog, who was +running away as fast as he could, and, catching the setter's tail in his +strong beak, gave it a hard bite.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> + +<p>My, how Ruddy howled! He howled more than once, and then he ran so fast +and hard that he pulled his tail out of the swan's beak. Ruddy was +loose. The swan had done what he hoped to do.</p> + +<p>Then the first swan, and all the others, stopped chasing Ruddy. They +spread wide their wings to act as brakes, just as an airship man pulls +down the tail rudder of his aeroplane to make it travel over the ground +more slowly when he has made a landing. Birds, too, when they alight +after a fly, spread wide their tails. Just watch them some time.</p> + +<p>Then, having, as they hoped, taught Ruddy a lesson, so he would not +tease them again, the swans waddled back to the lake.</p> + +<p>The setter dog had a queer expression on his face. He held his head on +one side, one long, silky ear was cocked up and Ruddy seemed very much +surprised by what had happened. In fact he appeared very much ashamed of +himself, and animals can be ashamed just as much as can boys or girls. +If you have ever seen a cat, sleeping on the edge of a chair, and, +perhaps while she was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> dreaming of something, suddenly slip off to the +floor, you know what I mean. The cat is ashamed of having fallen out of +bed. It was this way with Ruddy. He was ashamed of having run away from +the swans.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what other dogs would think of me if they knew I had run away +from a bird?" mused Ruddy. "But of course they were the largest birds I +ever saw. I never knew before that birds chased dogs. I thought dogs +always chased birds."</p> + +<p>You see Ruddy was learning.</p> + +<p>Of course Ruddy did not know all there was to be known about birds—that +there are some, like eagles and condors, that can pick a big dog up in +their claws, or talons, and fly away with him. And Ruddy did not know +that there are some birds, like the ostrich or the emu, who are taller +than any dog. Ruddy had much to learn, you see, and, just now, he was a +little ashamed of himself.</p> + +<p>"I wonder," thought Ruddy, in animal fashion, of course, "I wonder what +some of the older dogs who used to live in the stable with me would say +if they had seen me now? I ran away from some bird! A queer thing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> to +happen to a dog! I wonder what other dogs would say?"</p> + +<p>But I think Ruddy need not have been ashamed. Almost any dog would have +run, and turned tail if several big swans had rushed at him. And never +after that did the red setter bother the great white birds on the lake. +They had taught him a lesson he never forgot.</p> + +<p>The days that followed were happy ones for Rick and Ruddy. The boy and +dog grew to love each other more and more, and Mrs. Dalton was not sorry +the setter had come to live with them. No dog could be more gentle with +Mazie, who loved Ruddy as much as did her brother.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">THE OLD SAILOR</span></h3> + + +<p>One day, when Sig Bailey, the coast guard, was sitting outside the +life-saving station, making a little boat from a piece of wood, he saw a +shadow in front of him—a shadow cast on the beach by the bright October +sun. The life guard looked up and saw, standing before him, a ragged man +on whose face grew scraggily whiskers—not a good, proper beard, but +whiskers as though the man ought to have shaved but had been too +lazy—or else had not had a chance. If the guard had known, this was the +same man Ruddy had smelled and rumbled at.</p> + +<p>"Mornin' mate!" growled the ragged man, as he rubbed his rough, scraggy, +stubby chin. "Can you give me somethin' to eat?"</p> + +<p>Sig looked at the man closely and then answered slowly:</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess maybe I can ask the cap<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>tain to. He's boss here. I'm only +one of the crew."</p> + +<p>"Regular ship rules you have around here; eh?" asked the man.</p> + +<p>"Something like that—yes," answered Sig. "In winter we all live here at +the station, and the captain is in charge. In the summer I live inland, +and come on duty at night. But the full crew is here now and—well, I'll +see if I can get you anything. Sit down."</p> + +<p>The ragged man sat down on the bench outside the coast guard station, +while Sig went to find the captain.</p> + +<p>Besides the house in which the captain, his wife and the crew lived at +the Belemere life-saving station, there was another building in which +was stored the motor life-boat, and other things, by means of which +passengers and crews were taken off vessels that might go ashore on the +beach.</p> + +<p>Some of the crew were working about the boat now—painting her and +others were looking over the ropes and the bomb-gun by which a line is +shot out to a vessel when it is too rough to use the boat. The captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +was in the cottage writing out some reports he had to send to +Washington.</p> + +<p>"There's a man outside who wants something to eat," said Sig to Captain +White.</p> + +<p>"What sort of a man is he?"</p> + +<p>"Looks like a tramp, but I guess he's been a sailor to judge by his +walk."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, we can't turn anyone away hungry; eh, Mother?" he asked his +wife, who was busy in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"I can give him a plate of beef stew," she answered.</p> + +<p>"Guess that would just about fit in his locker," spoke Sig, with a grin. +"I'll take it out to him."</p> + +<p>And presently the wanderer was gratefully eating the hot bowl of stew as +he sat on the bench beside Sig, who had again started work on making the +boat. Sig was going to give the boat to Rick when it was finished.</p> + +<p>"Live around here?" asked the life guard of the tramp.</p> + +<p>"No. Just drifted in. I've had hard luck ever since I lost my dog."</p> + +<p>"Lost your dog!" exclaimed Sig, and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> queer feeling came into his +heart. "What kind of a dog did you have?"</p> + +<p>"He was sort of reddish—a setter I guess he was. Got washed overboard +one night just about off this coast I reckon. We were wrecked ourselves +right after that, and I haven't had any luck since. I figger I lost my +luck when I lost my dog. Wish I could get him back!"</p> + +<p>Sig looked sharply at the ragged man. Could he be after Ruddy?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RUDDY HELPS SALLIE</span></h3> + + +<p>Eagerly and hungrily the ragged man ate the bowl of meat and broth. Sig +watched him until he had finished and set the bowl down on the bench +beside him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I've had bad luck ever since I lost my dog," half growled the +ragged man. "I found the dog—he was living in an ash barrel down where +I stayed near the dock. I took him on the boat with me for luck. Nice +little pup he was—sort of brown in color—a dark red. I took him along +for luck, but I didn't have any."</p> + +<p>"Didn't you?" asked Sig. He was doing some hard thinking. Only that +morning he had seen Rick and Ruddy racing along the beach together, and +it was hard to say which was the happier—the dog or the boy.</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't have any luck," went on the ragged sailor, who was not +half as pretty to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> look at as the flower of that name. "I took that pup +with me when I went on the <i>Mary Jane</i>—that was the name of the +schooner. But a storm came up—right when we got off this coast. I was +nearly washed overboard myself, and the pup was—completely. I guess he +was drowned. No dog could live in that storm. He couldn't get ashore."</p> + +<p>The life guard did not answer. He was not sure that Ruddy was the dog +the tramp had taken along "for luck" as he said. And it would not be +fair to Rick or Ruddy to send this man—this ragged sailor—to see if he +could claim the red pup. Sig shook his head.</p> + +<p>"We did have a bad storm early in September," he said. "Regular +north-easter. I didn't see any wreck around here, though."</p> + +<p>"Well, the schooner wasn't exactly wrecked—at least not then," went on +the ragged man. "But my dog was washed overboard—a red pup he was, and +I haven't had any luck since. After the storm our boat got leaking, and +we had to put in. I lost my place on the <i>Mary Jane</i> and I haven't had +any work since—that is not regular work.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> No luck at all. Maybe if I +could find that dog I'd have luck again. But I don't see him around +here."</p> + +<p>"No, we haven't any dogs," said Sig. And again he made up his mind to +say nothing about Ruddy. After all it might not be the same dog. +Besides, this man did not look as though he would be kind to dogs, and +no one has a right to own a dog, or any other animal, unless he is kind.</p> + +<p>"Much obliged for the soup," said the ragged sailor, as he got up from +the bench. "I feel better now. Maybe I'll have some luck after this."</p> + +<p>"I hope so," spoke Sig, as kindly as he could.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I'll find my dog," went on the wayfarer. "Guess I'll look around +this village a bit. It's right about off shore here that he was washed +overboard. He might have swum to land, though I doubt it. But I'll look +around. I think I'd have better luck if I could have my dog!"</p> + +<p>He slouched off down the beach, talking to himself. Sig watched him go. +The life<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> guard had forgotten the boat he was whittling out of a block +of wood.</p> + +<p>"It may be the dog Rick has," said Sig to himself. "But I'm not going to +tell that man. He'd take Ruddy away if I did, and he hasn't any right to +him. That man would be cruel to a dog, I know. I'll just slip up and +tell Rick to keep Ruddy chained up for a day or two. It isn't likely +this tramp will find Ruddy, but he might. I'll go tell Rick."</p> + +<p>And that afternoon, when he had a little time to himself, the coast +guard went up to the village and called on Rick.</p> + +<p>"Where's Ruddy?" asked Sig.</p> + +<p>There was something so strange in his voice that the boy looked up +quickly and asked:</p> + +<p>"You haven't come to take him away; have you? You don't want him back, +do you, just 'cause you found him when he come out of the ocean?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not going to take Ruddy away from you," answered Sig; "but +another man might. Listen, Rick! I saw a tramp to-day. He once had a +reddish dog, for luck,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> as he said, and the dog was washed overboard. +Now I'll tell you what to do."</p> + +<p>Sig told the story of the hungry, ragged sailor who sat on the bench +eating the bowl of beef stew. And Sig told how the tramp-man was going +to look around to see if he could find the dog he had lost.</p> + +<p>"Keep Ruddy chained up!" half-whispered the coast guard.</p> + +<p>"I will!" said Rick in a low voice, and he looked over his shoulder as +if, even then, the man with the scraggy beard on his face might be +coming along, looking for Ruddy.</p> + +<p>And so the setter pup, for the next three days, was kept in his kennel, +or only allowed to run out at night when Rick held him on a leash. Ruddy +did not like it. He whined and barked to be set free, so he might run +where he pleased. But Rick, looking into the brown eyes said:</p> + +<p>"No, Ruddy; you must stay close to the house these days. I don't want to +lose you. No ragged sailor tramp is going to get you!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy had understood there was some need to keep quiet, even as his dog +ancestors had known the need of quiet when their mas<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>ters were hunting +in the woods. And so though the days were long and unhappy ones, Ruddy +stayed close to his kennel.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the ragged sailor wandered about the town, looking at the +different dogs he met. Perhaps if he had found one that he could have +picked up and taken away he would have done so. But all the dogs growled +at the sight of him, and showed their teeth. Dogs, as a rule, do not +like ragged men; though no matter how old are the clothes their master +wears, it makes no difference. But that is another story.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I lost my luck when I lost that dog," growled the tramp, as he +slunk away. "But I guess he never got ashore. He was lost in the ocean, +I reckon. I'll have to get another mascot dog for luck."</p> + +<p>Then he slunk out of town, and, for a time, Ruddy was safe. But Rick did +not let his dog run free until after he had talked to the life guard +again.</p> + +<p>"I guess the tramp has gone away," Sig said. "I haven't seen him around, +though I did the first day after Captain White's wife gave him the bowl +of stew. I guess he's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> gone. It will be safe to let Ruddy have a run."</p> + +<p>And how glad the dog was to be free once more! To dash into the water +and out again, to gallop over the hills and through the woods! And Rick +went with him. Every hour that he was not in school Rick spent with his +dog and his boy chums. And the other boys—Chot and all of Rick's +friends—loved Ruddy as though he was their own.</p> + +<p>Ruddy never bothered the swans now. He did not even bark at them as he +passed them on the shore of Silver Lake. And Ruddy and Sallie kept up +their friendship. No more did Ruddy chase the cat, and no more did +Sallie arch up her back and fluff out her tail if the dog came near.</p> + +<p>One day, when the ground in the forest was thick with the fallen leaves, +Ruddy went off by himself to run through the woods. He knew Rick might +soon be home from school, and the dog wanted to race about by himself +before that. Ruddy was livelier than the liveliest boy you ever saw. He +could run twice as far and twice as fast, and sometimes Rick did not +move fast enough for Ruddy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> who was bubbling over with life and +happiness. So it was that the dog often used to get off by himself for a +joyous race through the woods, where the dried leaves made such a jolly, +rattling sound.</p> + +<p>And it was while Ruddy was racing here and there in the woods among the +leaves, catching, now and then, the most wonderful smells of wild +rabbits, squirrels and quail birds—it was while thus running wildly to +and fro, that Ruddy heard a voice calling.</p> + +<p>"Mew! Mew! Meaouw!" came the sound, and Ruddy well knew what it was.</p> + +<p>"A cat!" he thought to himself, in the way that dogs think, by instinct. +"A cat! and maybe I can have fun chasing her."</p> + +<p>Ruddy and Sallie had become friends by this time, living so close to one +another, and Ruddy had given up chasing the big, gray tabby. But he was +not friends with any other cat. In fact he did not then know any other +cats except Sallie.</p> + +<p>"Mew! Mew!" came the voice again, and Ruddy knew enough of animal talk +to tell that it was a cat in trouble.</p> + +<p>He sniffed and smelled his way to where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> the cat-odor came from until, +passing around a hollow stump, he saw a sad sight.</p> + +<p>Huddled up in a heap among the leaves was Sallie, and the gray cat was +in pain. She was caught in something, as Ruddy could see, and at once he +leaped to her side, though he did not know what was the matter. All he +knew was that he wanted to help a friend, as, very often, animals help +one another.</p> + +<p>The fact was that Sallie was caught in a steel trap, set to catch some +wild animal of the woods.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X<br /> + +<span class="subhead">SALLIE IS CAUGHT</span></h3> + + +<p>Sallie, the big, gray cat, was so huddled up among the dried leaves of +the forest that, at first, Ruddy could see nothing of the trap. It was +down in a hollow, and Sallie was lying close to a stump.</p> + +<p>But Ruddy was a bird dog, and, like all his kind, he was used to nosing +around among dried leaves after quail, pheasants or other game, and, +seeing Sallie lying so still among the dried foliage, and not getting up +to rub noses with him, as she always did since they became friends—not +seeing Sallie do this, Ruddy knew something was wrong, even if Sallie +had not told him. He began to nose around among the leaves to find out +what was the matter.</p> + +<p>Once, when Ruddy was a small puppy, his mother had taken him and some of +the other small dogs out in the fields, and one of Rud<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>dy's brothers had +been nipped on the leg by a large ground mole, that the puppy had caught +as it was trying to burrow under the earth and leaves. Ruddy remembered +that his puppy brother had howled and had held his paw down among the +bushes while the mole clung to it, much as Sallie hid her leg in the +leaves now.</p> + +<p>"There must be something fast to Sallie's leg," thought Ruddy, in dog +fashion. And there was. It was the trap into which Sallie had stepped—a +trap hidden under the dried foliage where she had not seen it.</p> + +<p>Ruddy nosed among the leaves, much as he would have nosed to find a game +bird for which he was searching. And soon he uncovered the trap. He +happened to touch it with his nose, and, as he did so, Sallie gave a +soft cry. It hurt her leg to have the trap moved.</p> + +<p>Ruddy stopped at once. Animals know when one of their kind is hurt, and, +often, they do all they can to help. Ruddy wanted to help Sallie now. He +wanted to help her out of the trap.</p> + +<p>The trap was made of steel, and it had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> two jaws that opened, being held +apart, when the trap was set, by a catch. There was a round, flat piece +of steel, about as large as a fifty-cent piece, and on this round bit of +metal, called a "pan," whoever set the trap had put some bait. Any +animal that touched the pan, in trying to get the bait, would move the +catch and the strong spring would snap the jaws of the trap together, +holding fast anything that was between them. And it was poor Sallie's +paw that was now in the jaws of the trap.</p> + +<p>Sallie had been wandering in the woods, among the leaves, for she liked +to hear them rattle and rustle, as did Ruddy. Sometimes Sallie caught +grasshoppers or crickets in the woods. But this time she was caught +herself—caught in the trap before she knew it.</p> + +<p>Ruddy looked at Sallie's paw and then at Sallie and then at the trap. He +was beginning to understand what had happened. Animals seem to grow +wiser once they have been trapped, or see one of their kind held between +the steel jaws.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was wondering how he could help<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> Sallie. There was only one way, +so it seemed to the red-brown dog. He must have known that he could not +open the trap. He might have been strong enough, but he did not know +just the secret of springing apart the steel jaws. So Ruddy tried the +next best thing.</p> + +<p>As tenderly as he could Ruddy took hold of Sallie by the loose skin at +the back of the cat's neck. Ruddy remembered how, in the stable where he +first lived, he had once seen a mother cat carry her kittens in this +way, by the back of the neck. So, being careful not to bite Sallie in +his teeth, which soon would be strong enough to crush bones, Ruddy tried +to lift Sallie up and out of the trap.</p> + +<p>But he soon stopped when the cat gave a howl of pain. And no wonder +Sallie meaouwed to show that she was hurt. Her paw was pinched in the +trap, and pulling her up by the back of her neck, as Ruddy was doing, +made the pain worse.</p> + +<p>Ruddy let go of Sallie as soon as he heard her cry. He knew the language +of pain as well as he knew the cat's talk of friendship.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> Sallie, with +her tongue, began to lick the paw at the part nearest the trap. Doing +that seemed to ease the ache somewhat.</p> + +<p>Ruddy moved back a little, and sat down among the leaves. He looked +again at Sallie, at her paw and at the trap. Plainly Ruddy was puzzled +as to what next to do to help his friend.</p> + +<p>Ruddy could see a chain on the trap. It was like the chain by which he +was sometimes fastened in his kennel. The other end of the chain was +fast to a log. If it had not been for this Sallie might have limped off +on three legs, carrying the trap snapped shut on her other paw; for the +trap was not a large one, being set only to catch rats or mice. Often +wild animals drag away with them traps by which they have been caught. +That is why hunters fasten the traps to heavy logs or stumps.</p> + +<p>Ruddy knew it was of no use to try to gnaw through the steel chain or +steel trap. He could gnaw wood, but not iron or steel. And after trying +once more to paw around in the leaves, hoping he might free Sallie from +the trap, the dog gave it up.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> + +<p>And then came to Ruddy the right thought. He would go get the Boy—Rick, +his master. Rick meant everything, now, in the dog's small world. There +was nothing Rick could not do. He could easily open this trap. Ruddy +would go get Rick.</p> + +<p>As soon as this thought came to him (as it must have come; or why did he +act as he did?), Ruddy gave a bark and started off. Sallie uttered a +mournful meaouw as she saw her friend leaving. But Ruddy turned and +barked at her—barked just once. But there was much meaning in that +little bark. It was as if he had said:</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry, or be afraid, Sallie. I'm not going to leave you for +long. I'm going for help. I can't get that trap open myself. But Rick +can! I'm going for Rick!"</p> + +<p>And then away leaped Ruddy through the woods, scattering the dry leaves, +and looking back once more, as he came to the edge of the forest, to let +Sallie see he had not forgotten her.</p> + +<p>By leaps and bounds Ruddy hurried through the clumps of trees. He leaped +little brooks, and once, coming to a pond that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> was rather wide, he +swam it, rather than lose time by going around. He was in a hurry to get +his master to help Sallie.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes, so fast did he run, Ruddy was in his kennel-yard, back +of the house. Rick was just coming home from school, with his sister +Mazie.</p> + +<p>"Oh, there he is!" cried Rick, as soon as he saw his dog. "I was afraid +the old ragged sailor had taken you away."</p> + +<p>Ruddy leaped about his master, who patted him on the head. Ruddy had no +time now to think about ragged sailors, if, indeed, he knew what they +were. He wanted to help Sallie.</p> + +<p>Catching hold of Rick's coat, Ruddy began to pull. He gave two or three +tugs and yanks, and then, letting go, ran a little way along the path +toward the woods. Then he stopped, looked back at Rick and barked.</p> + +<p>It was the first time Rick had ever seen his dog act this way, and he +did not know what it meant. He looked at his pet.</p> + +<p>"What is it, old fellow? What's the matter?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Dear me! Can't you understand? How<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> slow you are!" said Ruddy, in dog +language, which, of course, Rick could not hear. "Why when you want me +to come with you all you have to do is call me once, and I come. Or you +have only to whistle. Now I want you to come with me to help Sallie, and +I've got to pull you along and bark and run on ahead and look back and +run back—dear me! How slow you are!"</p> + +<p>As Rick did not at once come when Ruddy invited him the dog ran back +again, once more grasped his master by the coat, and pulled a second +time. He did not let go so soon, now, and actually dragged Rick along a +few steps.</p> + +<p>"Come on! Come on!" said Ruddy, as plainly as it could be said by any +dog.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he wants you to come and play with him!" exclaimed Mazie.</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't that," her brother answered. "Ruddy would just as soon +play here in the yard as anywhere else. He must want me to come to the +woods. Well, I'll go, old fellow!"</p> + +<p>No sooner did Rick start to follow Ruddy than the dog gave every sign of +being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> pleased. He barked joyfully, leaped about, ran on ahead and then +ran back to put his cold nose against Rick's hand. It was as though +Ruddy was afraid Rick would not keep on following.</p> + +<p>But the boy did, though he could not guess what it was all about. Mazie +wanted to come also, but Rick said she had better not, so he sent her +home. Then he saw Chot crossing the fields, and called to his chum.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Chot, for he could tell by Rick's voice that +something had happened.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what it is," Rick answered, "but Ruddy pulled at my coat, +and wants me to come with him!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know what that means!" cried Chot. "I've often read that dogs do +that when they've caught something too big for them. Maybe he's treed a +bear in the woods, Rick!" Chot's eyes shone with excitement.</p> + +<p>"There aren't any bears around here," Rick said. "But I guess Ruddy has +found something in the woods he wants me to see."</p> + +<p>"I'll come with you," offered Chot.</p> + +<p>And, a little later, Ruddy led the two boys<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> straight to the place where +poor Sallie was held a prisoner in the trap.</p> + +<p>"Oh, look!" cried Chot, as he saw the gray animal fast among the leaves. +"It's a big squirrel, caught in a bush!"</p> + +<p>"No, it's Mrs. Watson's cat, Sallie!" exclaimed Rick. "She's in a trap! +Poor thing!"</p> + +<p>Sallie meaouwed as she saw Ruddy coming back with the boys. The dog +leaped about and barked, as if he were saying, as he really was:</p> + +<p>"There you are, Sallie! I brought someone to help you!"</p> + +<p>"Thank you," Sallie must have answered, but she spoke in a very weak +voice, for she was in much pain.</p> + +<p>As tenderly as they could, Rick and Chot took the trap off the cat's +paw. Her leg was lame and sore, but it was not broken, I'm glad to say. +She limped as she walked, and when Chot saw this he said:</p> + +<p>"I'll carry her! Say, but your dog is smart, Rick, to come to get help +for a cat in a trap!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i003.png" width="400" height="572" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"It's Mrs. Watson's cat, Sallie! She's in a trap!"</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>"Yes, Ruddy is a smart dog," agreed Rick. "I hope the sailor tramp +doesn't come and take him away!"</p> + +<p>Rick had not lost that fear which stayed with him for many days. He and +Chot took turns carrying Sallie home, and very glad the cat was to rest +in the arms of the kind boys. Ruddy leaped along with them, now and then +giving loud barks. At least that is all they sounded like to Chot and +his chum, but, really, Ruddy was talking to Sallie as he trotted along +beside her.</p> + +<p>It was more than a week before Sallie could step on her sore paw. +Meanwhile she stayed in her own yard—at the house where she lived with +Mrs. Watson, her mistress. Ruddy came over to see her each day, and the +two became better friends than ever. Mrs. Watson thanked Rick and Ruddy +for having brought home her pet cat, and as for Ruddy, Sallie's mistress +saved for him every nice bone she got from the butcher's.</p> + +<p>"I never knew a dog who was so smart," she said. "And it's remarkable +how he seems to like Sallie, especially when he used to chase her so at +first."</p> + +<p>One day, when he came home from school,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> Rick asked his mother if he +might go to the woods and see if he could get some chestnuts.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered, "but don't stay too long. Don't get lost as you +once did, and be home before dark."</p> + +<p>Rick promised to be careful, and to be home before supper, and then, +taking a cloth salt bag, in which to carry the chestnuts if he should +find any, off he started with Ruddy following. And the dog leaped about +and barked happily. Nothing pleased him more than going to the woods +with Rick.</p> + +<p>Now chestnut trees were rather hard to find in the forest near where +Rick lived. The blight had killed many of them, and some did not have +any nuts on. So it was not until he had gone more than a mile into the +woods before the small boy found a place where the ground was fairly +well covered with the brown nuts.</p> + +<p>"Now I'll get some!" cried Rick, as he began picking them up. "I'll take +some home, and Mazie and I can roast them on the stove after supper."</p> + +<p>While Rick picked up the nuts Ruddy raced here and there. He was having +as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> much fun as was his master. At last the boy saw no more nuts on the +ground, but there were many on the tree, and Rick began to look for a +way to climb up and shake them down. The chestnut trunk was too big for +him to span with his arms, so he started up a slim maple that grew next +to it. Rick was a good tree climber, but to-day he was out of luck. He +managed to scramble up a few feet and then he suddenly slipped in a +queer way. One leg was caught fast between the trunk of the maple and a +slim branch, and the next Rick knew, he was lying on his back on the +ground, under the tree, with one leg stuck almost upright, and held +fast. Rick was caught, almost as if he were in a trap.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI<br /> + +<span class="subhead">A MYSTERIOUS WHISTLE</span></h3> + + +<p>Rick was at first so shaken and stunned by the fall that he could not +speak. The breath seemed to have been jarred out of him, as it was once +when he fell down stairs, and he could not even cry for nearly a quarter +of a minute. But at last his breath came back to him, and he exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Oh! Oh, dear!"</p> + +<p>Instantly Ruddy was at his master's side. The dog had been nosing around +among the leaves. He had caught the scent of a wild rabbit, and he was +jumping about for joy, getting ready to follow the trail of the little +creature to its burrow. And let me tell you that Ruddy could, by merely +smelling on the ground, over which the rabbit had walked, tell which +path the rabbit had gone, whether away from its underground home or +toward it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> + +<p>And Ruddy would not follow the trail away from the rabbit's home. He +would nose his way along, getting nearer and nearer to the bunny's +burrow at each step until, at last, he might catch the furry little +fellow.</p> + +<p>It was not that Ruddy was cruel, or liked to hurt rabbits. It was just +his nature to want to hunt them. And so it was as he nosed around among +the leaves, the wild smell of the rabbit coming more and more strongly +to him, that Ruddy heard his master's cry of pain.</p> + +<p>Instantly the wild rabbit was forgotten, and Ruddy bounded to the side +of Rick—poor Rick who was lying on the ground, one foot caught in the +crotch of a tree from which he had fallen as he tried to climb up and +get the chestnuts.</p> + +<p>"Oh! Oh, dear!" exclaimed Rick again, for he was in pain, his ankle +being turned on one side. He hoped it wasn't broken.</p> + +<p>"Bow, wow!" barked Ruddy. That was all Rick heard his dog say, and he +almost knew it meant: "Dear me! I'm sorry about this!"</p> + +<p>But Ruddy said a good deal more than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> this, or, at least, he thought it, +in the strange, mysterious way dogs have of thinking.</p> + +<p>"Well, well!" thought Ruddy to himself, dog fashion. "You surely are in +trouble, Master! In almost as much trouble as Sallie was! I wonder if I +can help you?"</p> + +<p>Ruddy sniffed at Rick, walked around him and sniffed again. Ruddy did +not exactly understand what had happened. But he knew his master was +held fast as the cat had been, though in a different way.</p> + +<p>"You can't get me out, Ruddy! You can't get me loose, old boy!" spoke +Rick. "You'd better go home and bring somebody to help, as you brought +me to help the cat! Go home, Ruddy! Go home!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy heard these words and he knew what they meant. Once or twice +before Rick had sent his dog home when Ruddy had followed at a time when +he ought not to have done so. Then Rick had spoken sharply, as one must +do, at times, with a dog, to make sure he obeys. But now Rick's voice +was quite different. He was begging Ruddy to do him a favor.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Go home, Ruddy! Go home!" ordered Rick.</p> + +<p>Ruddy barked once or twice, circled around Rick who lay on his back with +one foot stuck up in the air, where it was held fast in the tree, and +then the dog came and licked Rick's face with his smooth tongue. Dog's +tongues are smooth, you know, and cat's tongues are rough.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know you like me, Ruddy!" said Rick, with a half laugh in spite +of his pain. "You needn't kiss me any more to show that! But run home +and bring somebody to help me get loose."</p> + +<p>And then Ruddy knew just what was wanted of him, and off through the +woods he rushed. He scattered the dried leaves from side to side, he +leaped little brooks, swam larger ones and never stopped, no matter how +often he caught the scent of the wild rabbits and squirrels. And then, +panting from his run, Ruddy leaped into the house just as Mr. Dalton +reached home. Ruddy lost no time. He took hold of Rick's father's coat, +just as he had taken hold of Rick's, the day Sallie was caught in a +trap, and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> the dog tried to pull the man along with him.</p> + +<p>And because of what had happened before—because Mr. Dalton knew Ruddy +would not do this unless he had a reason for it—he followed the dog at +once, running out of the house after him.</p> + +<p>"What is it? Oh, what's the matter?" cried the boy's mother.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered her husband, "except that Rick is in some kind +of trouble, and Ruddy has come to have me help. I'll go get Rick and +bring him home!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, but—but suppose he is badly hurt!" cried Mrs. Dalton.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he is," answered the father. "He may have fallen from a +tree, and, at worst, have broken a leg. I'll get him!"</p> + +<p>He followed Ruddy, and, once the dog had made sure his master's father +was coming along, he lost no time, but ran through the woods, straight +to the place where he had left Rick.</p> + +<p>"Rick! Rick! Where are you?" cried Mr. Dalton, as he entered the +forest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here I am, Dad! Caught fast in a tree!" cried the boy.</p> + +<p>"Are you badly hurt?"</p> + +<p>"No, only my leg is caught. Did Ruddy come after you?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed he did! Good old Ruddy!"</p> + +<p>The dog barked as he heard his name spoken, ran to Rick, who still was +held fast, and again licked his face.</p> + +<p>"Steady now, boy!" said Mr. Dalton, and, in a few moments he had raised +Rick's foot, something which the boy could not do for himself, and had +freed him from the tree-trap. That is really what it was, a tree-trap, +though no one had set it. The trap just grew there.</p> + +<p>To Rick's joy he found that his ankle was not broken, and not even +sprained. It had been twisted rather roughly, and it gave him pain when +he stepped on it, but he could walk slowly, and did not need to be +carried.</p> + +<p>"How did it happen?" asked Rick's father, and the boy told him, +meanwhile picking up the chestnuts that had fallen from his pockets as +he toppled from the tree.</p> + +<p>"It's a good thing I had Ruddy with me,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> said Rick, "or maybe I'd have +been here a long while."</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Mr. Dalton. "But if you hadn't come home by dark I would +have come after you, and if I had had Ruddy with me I think he soon +would have picked up your trail, and he would have led me to you; +wouldn't you, Ruddy old boy?"</p> + +<p>The dog barked in delight as he heard this talk, for he knew he was +being praised, and a dog, or nearly any other animal, likes kindness as +much as we ourselves do. And let me tell you this, your dog can tell, +just by the sound of your voice, whether you are speaking kindly or are +cross with him. Just try it. In harsh, angry tones say to him:</p> + +<p>"You are a bad dog!"</p> + +<p>See how his tail will drop between his legs, and how he will slink +away—that is if he is a natural dog and has not been spoiled. Then say +those same words in the kindest, most gentle voice you can, and see how +your dog will brighten up, and wag his tail.</p> + +<p>So you see it isn't the <i>words</i> so much as it is <i>how you say</i> them, +though I do believe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> that some dogs know certain words, no matter how +they are spoken.</p> + +<p>Anyhow Ruddy understood that his master and the father were pleased with +him, and he capered about, barking and trying to reach up to lick Rick's +face again.</p> + +<p>"We must hurry back home," said Mr. Dalton. "Your mother will be worried +about you, Rick!"</p> + +<p>And Mrs. Dalton was so worried that, half way home, father and son met +her coming along to see what had happened to her boy.</p> + +<p>And when she saw that Rick was all right, and when she heard what had +happened, you may be sure she loved that red dog almost as much as her +boy did; and that was a great deal! There was no question now about not +keeping Ruddy.</p> + +<p>Rick was a little lame for two or three days after his chestnut hunt, +and he had to tell the story to his chums over and over again, of how +Ruddy had gone back home and brought help to him.</p> + +<p>"He sure is a fine dog!" exclaimed Chot, and all the other boys agreed +with him.</p> + +<p>When Rick came home from school each<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> day he used to stop, when about a +block away from his home, and give a shrill whistle. This was to call +Ruddy to him, and the dog, who always seemed to be waiting, would rush +down the street to meet his master. If he had been chained in his kennel +during the day Mrs. Dalton would loosen him shortly before it was time +for Rick to come along. Sometimes she forgot, and then Ruddy would tug +at his chain to get loose as soon as he heard the boy's whistle.</p> + +<p>But one day, about a week after Rick's accident at the chestnut tree, +while Mrs. Dalton was in the kitchen baking a cake, she suddenly heard a +shrill whistle. It seemed to come from down the street, which was from +where Rick always called his dog. And as soon as Mrs. Dalton had heard +the shrill notes, perhaps even before, Ruddy, asleep in his kennel, has +also caught them. He sprang up with a joyful bark, rattling his chain.</p> + +<p>"Why, it isn't time for Rick to be home from school yet!" said his +mother in surprise; "unless he is out earlier than usual. Maybe +something has happened and there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> isn't any more school just now—the +teacher may have given the boys a holiday.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Ruddy! I'm going to let you loose so you may to go meet him!" +spoke Mrs. Dalton, as she hurried out to loosen the chain.</p> + +<p>Again the shrill whistle sounded, and Ruddy barked with impatience. He +could hardly wait to run and meet Rick. Later on I am going to tell you +how Ruddy learned to know when his master was coming without hearing +this call, even when Rick was far off.</p> + +<p>Out of the yard bounded the dog, and Mrs. Dalton went back to her +baking, wondering why her son was returning from school so early. But, a +little later, when Ruddy came back alone, she was more surprised.</p> + +<p>"What!" she exclaimed. "No Rick? That's queer! I thought I surely heard +his whistle, and you did, too, Ruddy. But it must have been some other +boy."</p> + +<p>Ruddy looked puzzled and disappointed. It was the first time he had gone +to meet his master and had not found him. The red dog could not +understand it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It must have been some other boy," said Mrs. Dalton. "But never mind, +Ruddy. It will soon be time for Rick to come."</p> + +<p>Ruddy went back to his kennel, and Mrs. Dalton kept on with her baking. +A little later it was twelve o'clock, and in came Rick. He had forgotten +to whistle because he was so excited over a game of football he, Chot +and some other boys were going to play that afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Ruddy!" cried Rick, as he saw his dog. "Hello, old boy!" and the +setter leaped joyfully about his master.</p> + +<p>"What other boy whistles like you?" asked Rick's mother, as she told +what had happened, and how Ruddy had been disappointed.</p> + +<p>"No other boy that I know of," answered Rick. "I always have a special +whistle for Ruddy, and he knows it."</p> + +<p>"Someone whistled exactly like you," went on Mrs. Dalton. "I was fooled +by it, and so was Ruddy. I wonder<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Hark!" exclaimed Rick.</p> + +<p>Again a shrill whistle sounded. It seemed to come from the street +outside. Ruddy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> sprang up with a bark, his soft, silky ears cocked up as +much as he could raise them.</p> + +<p>"There it is—hear it!" said Mrs. Dalton.</p> + +<p>Again came the signal call, and Ruddy looked toward the gate and then at +his master. Clearly it was not Rick whistling, and yet<span class="nowrap">——</span></p> + +<p>"Someone is trying to call Ruddy away!" said Rick in a low voice. +"They're trying to fool him. Maybe it's that tramp sailor—the one who +was telling Sig about the dog that was washed overboard. Oh, Ruddy! If +they take you away from me!"</p> + +<p>Once more came the shrill whistle. It seemed to be calling the dog, and +Ruddy did not know what to do.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RUDDY IS GONE</span></h3> + + +<p>Rick dropped his strap of school books that had been swinging around his +head as he ran home.</p> + +<p>"Come on, Ruddy!" the boy called to his dog. "We'll see who is doing +that whistling!"</p> + +<p>And by the sharp, short bark the setter gave his master knew that the +dog was as ready as he, himself, to find out who was trying to play a +trick on them, if anyone was.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute, Rick!" called his mother, as the two friends ran toward +the gate. "What was that you said about a tramp sailor?"</p> + +<p>Rick repeated what the coast guard had told him.</p> + +<p>"Then you'd better be careful how you let Ruddy run loose," went on Mrs. +Dalton. "Do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> you think the sailor is hiding out there now, trying to +call Ruddy?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I think, Mother," the boy answered. "But if anyone who +doesn't really own Ruddy tries to take him away from me<span class="nowrap">——</span>" Rick paused +when he had said this much. He really didn't know what he would do. "But +I guess Ruddy won't go with them; will you, old fellow?" he asked his +dog.</p> + +<p>And from the manner in which Ruddy barked and capered about the boy he +had grown to care for so much, it did seem that no one else could ever +get the dog away.</p> + +<p>Once again the whistle sounded, just as if it were Rick himself, or an +echo of the boy's shrill call. Ruddy was puzzled by it and, lifting up +his ears, looked up into Rick's face, as if to ask what it all meant.</p> + +<p>"Come on! We'll find it out!" called the boy.</p> + +<p>Together they ran to the street. Rick looked up and down. No one was in +sight. And then, again came the shrill call. It sounded overhead.</p> + +<p>"Someone is up in a tree!" cried Rick. "Is that you, Chot?" he called, +thinking per<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>haps his chum was trying to play a little joke on him.</p> + +<p>There was no answer, but, after a moment the whistle sounded again, and +then followed a loud, harsh call of:</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw! Haw!"</p> + +<p>If you could have seen the looks, then, on the faces of Rick and Ruddy +you would have laughed. Both boy and dog showed how very much they had +been fooled by the whistling of the pet crow.</p> + +<p>For it was Rick's black bird, Haw-Haw by name, who had been doing the +whistling. The sly fellow had listened to Rick until he could imitate +the boy perfectly and now, up in a tree into which he had managed to +flutter, Haw-Haw was calling Ruddy.</p> + +<p>"Come down out of that, Haw-Haw! Come down!" called Rick, and there was +a flittering amid the branches of the tree on which there were still a +few leaves. Haw-Haw, whose broken wing had healed, not enough to permit +him to fly well, but enough so that he could flutter up into the low +branches of trees, came half tumbling down, half soaring and perched +himself on Rick's shoulder.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I didn't know you could whistle!" exclaimed the boy. "I was going to +teach you, Haw-Haw, but I guess you must have taught yourself. Whistle +again for me!"</p> + +<p>But Haw-Haw did not seem to want to do this. He preened his glossy black +feathers with his black bill, and made funny little noises down in his +throat.</p> + +<p>Ruddy, his head on one side, peered up at the crow on Rick's shoulder +and the queer, puzzled look was still on the dog's face.</p> + +<p>"It's all right, Ruddy! It's all right," said Rick, patting his setter's +head. "It was only Haw-Haw whistling for you."</p> + +<p>Rick had been so busy having fun and going to school that, after his +father had set the crow's broken wing, the boy had almost forgotten +about his black bird. But Haw-Haw had grown stronger and he had grown +tame—so tame that he would perch on the shoulders of any members of the +family and let them feed him. Rick had been talking of teaching the crow +to talk and whistle, as he had read could be done. But he kept putting +it off, for one reason and another, until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> he was much surprised by +hearing the crow's whistle.</p> + +<p>"Did you find who it was trying to call Ruddy?" asked Rick's mother, as +he came back in the yard with the crow on his shoulder and the dog +leaping around him, barking joyously and excitedly. Ruddy did not +altogether like Haw-Haw being so friendly with Rick.</p> + +<p>"It was my crow whistling!" said Rick.</p> + +<p>"Your crow?" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes. He must have been listening to me at different times, until he got +so he could whistle just as I do when I call Ruddy. And Haw-Haw +certainly sounded natural. He fooled even you; didn't he, Ruddy?"</p> + +<p>The dog barked as much as to say:</p> + +<p>"He certainly did!"</p> + +<p>Just how Haw-Haw learned to whistle Rick never found out. Certainly the +boy did not cut the crow's tongue, and perhaps whistling came natural to +the black bird. And it may be that it was not a regular "whistle" at +all, but merely a sound like that. Of course a bird has no lips to +pucker<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> up and whistle with, as boys have, and some girls, too. But many +birds utter whistling notes when they sing, or give their calls. The +quail, or Bob White, seems to whistle, and so does the Whip-poor-will. +And I have heard many men who can, by whistling with their tongue and +lips, imitate many birds. I have even heard a man whistle like a robin, +and so nearly perfectly as to deceive a cat. Pussy came running into the +room where the man was whistling, looking around to find the feathered +songster.</p> + +<p>So it is easily possible for a crow to imitate the whistle of a boy, and +this is what Haw-Haw had done. He must have practised by himself in the +woodshed, whistling in low notes at first, as a singer does who is not +quite sure of the air. And then, when he found he could imitate Rick's +cheerful call to his dog, the crow had fluttered out into a tree, and +had sent his shrill notes echoing.</p> + +<p>"Well, now I know you can whistle I'm going to teach you to talk, +Haw-Haw," said Rick.</p> + +<p>The boy began that very afternoon on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> crow's further education. Rick +got from the kitchen some pieces of meat, which the black bird liked +very much, and, holding one chunk up near the sharp, strong bill, said:</p> + +<p>"Now, Haw-Haw, let me hear you say something! Say 'I want a piece of +meat!'"</p> + +<p>But whether this was too long a sentence for the crow to start on, or +whether he did not understand what Rick wanted I can not say. At any +rate Haw-Haw said nothing. He did not even whistle. He just held his +head on one side, as Ruddy sometimes did when Rick was talking to him, +and Haw-Haw looked at the chunk of meat held in Rick's fingers so +temptingly near.</p> + +<p>"Go on! Say something!" exclaimed Rick.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Ruddy, who was sitting up just behind his master, gave a bark. +Ruddy's eyes, too, were on the meat, and perhaps he thought his boy +master was talking to him. At any rate Ruddy barked, Rick turned his +head aside for a moment to speak to his setter pet.</p> + +<p>And at that instant Haw-Haw, seeing his chance, took it. Rick felt a +sudden jab at his fingers, the meat was snatched from them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> and then +with a loud "Haw! Haw!" the crow fluttered up to the roof of the +woodshed to eat the morsel.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that isn't fair!" cried Rick, but he had to laugh. "That isn't +playing the game!"</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw!" croaked the crow, and it sounded just as if he were laughing +at Rick. He may have been, too, for all I know.</p> + +<p>That was the beginning of the crow's education at the hands of Rick, but +not many times after that could the black bird fool his master by +snatching away the meat or other dainty. Rick was more careful.</p> + +<p>Rick did manage to get Haw-Haw to say a few words. At least the boy +declared they were words, though his father and mother said they could +not understand them. Mazie said she could, so perhaps it was because Mr. +and Mrs. Dalton did not stop long enough to listen.</p> + +<p>And Haw-Haw also tried some other whistling notes, different from the +dog-call he had learned of Rick. But that dog-call was the best thing he +did, and he often fooled Ruddy by fluttering out to a bush in front of +the house and giving the shrill whistle by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> which Rick used to summon +his pet on coming from school.</p> + +<p>After a while, when Haw-Haw knew he could play his tricks on Ruddy, the +crow did it so often that the poor dog was quite puzzled about it. Ruddy +would be sleeping on the porch, perhaps, waiting for Rick to come from +school to have a romp across the fields. And then, about time for the +classes to be dismissed, the crow would softly flutter out from his nest +in the woodshed and take his perch in a bush, or on a low branch of a +tree. There he would give his whistle.</p> + +<p>With a bark of welcome Ruddy would awaken from his sleep and dash off +the porch out to the front gate. There he would glance up and down the +street, where no Rick was in sight.</p> + +<p>With a queer look on his face, the dog would then go back to the porch, +growling and glancing up at the tree where the crow was perched. Ruddy +knew he had been fooled. But, no matter how often this happened, he +would always jump up and run out whenever Haw-Haw whistled. Ruddy could +not tell the difference between the notes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> of the crow and the call of +Rick. As I told you a dog depends on his scent, or by smelling with his +nose, to tell his master and friends, and not on his ears or eyesight, +though a dog's hearing is better than his vision.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'll have to stop whistling for Ruddy when I come home from +school," said Rick to his mother one day, when he had come in with his +books, and had been told that Haw-Haw had played the trick three times +on the setter that afternoon. "It's too bad to plague him that way. I +won't whistle any more when I come along."</p> + +<p>"I guess it would be just as well not to," agreed Mrs. Dalton. "Haw-Haw +is too smart for Ruddy. And he has another trick, too, Rick."</p> + +<p>"You mean Haw-Haw has?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he took some spoons off the kitchen table to-day and dropped them +in the hollow of a tree in front of the house. I saw him, or I wouldn't +have known about it. It's quite a deep hollow and I could hardly reach +down in and get the spoons. And what else do you think I found down in +there?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I don't know. Was it my roller skate key that I lost?"</p> + +<p>"No, but it was the new tea strainer I lost. That disappeared last week. +Haw-Haw must have carried it off. I have heard that crows like to pick +up shiny things and hide them, but this is the first time our crow had +done such a trick."</p> + +<p>"Say, he's a regular trick crow; isn't he?" exclaimed Rick.</p> + +<p>"Too much so!" laughed Mrs. Dalton. "I must watch him."</p> + +<p>"And I must try to teach him some more words to say," went on Rick. "He +can almost say 'I want my supper' now."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad you think it sounds like something," said Rick's mother. +"To me your crow's talk only resembles a lot of screeching and +jabbering."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'll learn to talk all right," declared Rick. "I'm going to teach +him now."</p> + +<p>And when Chot came over, a little later, the two boys took turns at +educating the black crow. They seemed to be satisfied with what Haw-Haw +learned, though when the crow was brought in the house, perched on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +Rick's shoulder, and asked to repeat his latest lesson, he only flapped +his one good wing and whistled shrilly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, say! You're a tease!" cried Rick, and Mazie laughed at the two +boys.</p> + +<p>But Rick gave up whistling to Ruddy on coming home from school, and the +crow soon learned that he could no longer fool the dog. Ruddy was +growing wiser and Haw-Haw gradually stopped that trick, though he did +not forget how to whistle.</p> + +<p>However, though Rick gave up sounding his signal call to his dog on +coming from school, Ruddy seemed to know about the time to expect his +boy master. He would be on the watch and waiting, and, when the hands of +the clock pointed to a little after three, Rick would race out to the +gate and wait for his chum; for that is what Rick and Ruddy were +now—chums.</p> + +<p>One afternoon Rick came running in the gate, swinging his books like the +pendulum of a clock that was running on double time.</p> + +<p>"Where's Ruddy? Where's my football?" cried the boy. "We're going to +have some fun—all the boys over in the big field!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> Where's Ruddy? +Where's my football?"</p> + +<p>"Why, your football must be just where you left it," Mrs. Dalton +answered. "As for Ruddy, didn't he come to meet you?"</p> + +<p>"Come to meet me? No. Was he here a while ago?"</p> + +<p>"Just a little while ago, yes. He was asleep on the porch. I heard a +whistle, and saw him rush out."</p> + +<p>"But, Mother, I didn't whistle for him! I don't call him that way any +more since Haw-Haw played that trick. I didn't call Ruddy!"</p> + +<p>"You didn't?"</p> + +<p>"No!" was the answer. Rick was beginning to be alarmed.</p> + +<p>"Someone whistled and he ran out," went on Mrs. Dalton.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if it was Haw-Haw?" spoke the boy.</p> + +<p>Just then the crow fluttered out from the kitchen, where he sometimes +went to sleep behind the stove.</p> + +<p>"It couldn't have been him," declared Rick.</p> + +<p>"It was someone," said Mrs. Dalton. "I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> saw Ruddy run out as he always +does when he goes to meet you, and<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>Rick did not stop to hear what else his mother had to say. He rushed for +the front gate and looked up and down the street. No Ruddy was in sight, +and a great fear came into the boy's heart.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was gone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">ON THE SEARCH</span></h3> + + +<p>Never, since the red-brown setter had come up out of the ocean to be +Rick's dog, had Ruddy not been on hand to greet his master when the boy +came racing from school. During the hours when Rick had to be at his +classes, studying or reciting his lessons, Ruddy, when not chained in +his kennel, would roam about the woods and fields, not too far away from +the house. Once he had even followed Rick and Mazie to school, and Rick +had been excused, and allowed to bring his pet back home.</p> + +<p>And now, for the first time, Ruddy was not there to greet his master. +Rick looked up and down the street but no dog was in sight; only Sallie, +the cat.</p> + +<p>Rick gave a shrill whistle, the kind he always used to call his pet, but +there was no joyous, answering bark. Sallie, the cat, gave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> a meaouw as +if replying, but Rick did not understand cat language, or at least not +very much of it, so he did not know what Sallie was saying. Perhaps the +cat was telling Rick she knew where Ruddy had gone, but, being unable to +speak boy-talk, the cat was of no use to Rick.</p> + +<p>"Here, Ruddy! Ruddy! Here, Ruddy, boy!" called Rick. Then he whistled +again, and Haw-Haw, being fully awake now, and hearing the shrill notes, +imitated them.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mother!" exclaimed Rick, coming back to the side porch. "Where do +you s'pose Ruddy can be?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess he just ran off, maybe to play with Peter," said Mrs. +Dalton.</p> + +<p>"But he never did it before—not when I was coming home from school," +remarked the boy.</p> + +<p>Just then Haw-Haw whistled again.</p> + +<p>"There!" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton. "I heard a whistle just like that a few +minutes before you came. It wasn't the crow, for he was asleep behind +the stove."</p> + +<p>"And I didn't whistle!" declared Rick. "Oh, do you think it could be +that sailor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>—the one who was asking Mr. Bailey about Ruddy? Maybe he's +been around here, and he heard me whistle, or maybe he heard Haw-Haw, +and he knows how we used to call Ruddy. And maybe he called my dog and +took him away."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I hardly think so," said Mrs. Dalton, though she was afraid this +might have happened. "I guess Ruddy just ran off to play with Peter, or +some other dog."</p> + +<p>"But he never did it before!" exclaimed Rick. "He always knows when I'm +coming from school and he waits for me."</p> + +<p>This was true enough, and Mrs. Dalton knew it. Just then Mazie, who had +stopped on her way home from school to talk to some of her girl friends, +came into the yard.</p> + +<p>"Did you see Ruddy?" asked Rick, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"No," was the answer. "Oh, is he lost, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"I—I'm afraid so," was the reply. "I'm going to go out and look for +him."</p> + +<p>"Better look over in Peter's yard," suggested Mrs. Dalton. "Ruddy may be +there."</p> + +<p>But the red-brown setter dog was not play<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>ing with the queer +sleepy-eyed, though good-natured English bull. Peter was gnawing a bone +near his kennel when Rick hurried in.</p> + +<p>"Bow wow!" barked Peter, for that was his way of saying "Hello!"</p> + +<p>"Here, Ruddy! Ruddy!" called Rick, looking around the yard of Tom +Martin's house, for Rick thought his dog might have been playing with +Peter a game very much like the boys' game of hide-and-go-seek.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy isn't here," said Tom, coming out of the house with a slice of +bread and jam. "What's the matter, can't you find him?"</p> + +<p>Rick told about Ruddy's disappearance.</p> + +<p>"Come on! We'll go and look for him!" offered Tom, making hasty bites at +the bread and jam, after breaking off a piece for his boy friend, and +giving Peter a nibble. "We'll take Peter and look for Ruddy."</p> + +<p>"Thanks!" exclaimed Rick, hungrily chewing away. "I guess that'll be +best. I'll go tell my mother we're going."</p> + +<p>"And maybe when you get back home Ruddy will be there," suggested Tom.</p> + +<p>"No, I don't believe he will," spoke Rick,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> rather sadly. "I don't know +where Ruddy is, but he's gone."</p> + +<p>And gone the setter certainly was—at least he was not back at Rick's +house when Tom and Rick reached there, with Peter running along beside +them, sniffing at every tree and fence post.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Rick! What you doin'?" called Chot from the back yard of his +home, where he was beating a rug.</p> + +<p>"Looking for my dog," answered Rick. "Ruddy's gone!"</p> + +<p>"Whew!" whistled Chot. "That's too bad. Wait a minute, I'll come and +help you look!"</p> + +<p>Searching for a lost dog was more fun, any day, than knocking the dust +out of a rug. Chot must have said as much to his mother, or else have +promised to finish the beating later, for he soon came running out to +join Tom and Rick.</p> + +<p>"Where'd he go?" asked Chot, after he had patted Peter on the head, and +the dog had wagged his tail.</p> + +<p>"We don't know," Rick answered, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> then he told about Ruddy having run +out at the sound of a whistle.</p> + +<p>"It must have been your crow, playing a trick again," Chot said.</p> + +<p>"No," declared Rick. "It was that sailor tramp, this time, I'm sure. He +wants to get Ruddy back—he told the coast guard so. Ruddy's a lucky +dog, and the sailor tramp wanted him."</p> + +<p>"He's a good dog all right," agreed Tom. "But it isn't very lucky for +him to run away and get lost!"</p> + +<p>"'Tisn't his fault!" declared Rick. "That sailor whistled him away. He +must have whistled like I do, and Ruddy knew it wasn't Haw-Haw, 'cause +the crow was asleep behind the stove. Ruddy ran out when he heard the +whistle, and the sailor has him."</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll get him back!" cried Chot, fiercely.</p> + +<p>Making sure, by calling and whistling, that Ruddy had not come back to +the house while he was down street with his boy friends, Rick and his +chums started off on the search.</p> + +<p>"Can't I come?" asked Mazie, for she loved Ruddy as much as did her +brother.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, no, dear! You can't go off with the boys," said Mrs. Dalton. +"They're going across the field, and maybe to the woods. You must be +back before dark!" she called to Rick.</p> + +<p>"Yes'm, I will—if I find Ruddy!" he answered.</p> + +<p>"The first thing we'd better do," suggested Tom, "is to go along the +street and ask people we meet. Peter used to run away a lot, and I +always got him back that way. He's such a funny-looking dog that +everybody remembers him after they have seen him."</p> + +<p>"But Ruddy isn't a funny-looking dog," objected Rick.</p> + +<p>"No, Ruddy is nice," agreed Tom. "But he isn't like any other dog around +here, and if anybody saw an old sailor taking him away they'd remember."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess they would," admitted Chot. "We'd better ask folks, Rick."</p> + +<p>This was decided on, and the three boys began their search, first going +up and down the street on which Rick lived. But no one had seen Ruddy +running around that after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>noon, or at least if they had seen him, they +did not remember.</p> + +<p>The blacksmith, the cigar-store keeper and the grocery man—each one of +whom knew Ruddy—said they had not noticed him. It was not until the +boys went in a small candy store, at the foot of the street, that they +first obtained any information.</p> + +<p>"I didn't exactly see your dog, Rick," said Mrs. Blake, who kept the +store. She had come out to wait on the boys, for Rick had three cents +and he was treating his chums. "I didn't see your dog Ruddy, but, now +that you speak of it, I did see something queer about an hour ago.</p> + +<p>"A rag peddler came to ask if I had any papers, old automobile tires or +anything like that to sell. As if I'd have an auto!" and Mrs. Blake +laughed, for she was rather poor. "However, what I was going to say," +she went on, "was that when I looked out toward the rag man's wagon, I +saw he had another person with him. There was a big man on the seat, and +when I told the junkman I had nothing for him I saw something like a +dog, or some animal, down in among the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> bundles of papers in the wagon. +And the man on the seat was trying to keep this dog, or whatever it was, +from jumping out."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that was Ruddy all right! I'm sure it was!" cried Rick. "That +sailor man must have whistled him away and have put him on the junk +wagon. He couldn't get Ruddy any other way. The old sailor has my dog!"</p> + +<p>"I guess he has!" agreed Tom.</p> + +<p>"Which way did the wagon go? Come on, let's chase after it!" cried Chot.</p> + +<p>"It was headed down the street when I saw it," answered Mrs. Blake. "But +I didn't pay much attention to it. I never thought it might be your dog, +Rick."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure it was," said the boy. "Oh, I wonder if I can get him back?"</p> + +<p>"Sure we can!" cried Tom Martin. "We'll chase after that junk man until +we catch him, and then we'll make the sailor give up the dog!"</p> + +<p>"Come on!" shouted Chot. "We'll have a regular 'cop and robbers' chase! +Come on!"</p> + +<p>Rushing out, leaving open the door of the candy shop, the boys hurried +down the street,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> their eyes eager for a sight of a junk wagon in which +rode two men and a dog.</p> + +<p>"Poor boy!" sighed Mrs. Blake, as she closed the door. "I hope Rick gets +back his pet."</p> + +<p>Tracing a junk wagon in Belemere was easier than trying to find out from +passers by which way a dog had gone. And the boys soon learned that the +wagon had turned off on a road that led to the next town.</p> + +<p>"Come on!" cried Chot. "I know a short cut we can take across the lots, +and get ahead of the junk man. Come on!"</p> + +<p>He led Rick and Tom down a lane, past the small electric light station, +and out into the field. The boys had not gone very far before Rick +cried:</p> + +<p>"Say this is a regular swamp! There's a lot of water here!"</p> + +<p>"'Tisn't deep!" said Chot. "It won't no more than go over the tops of +your shoes! Come on!"</p> + +<p>He was in the lead, but the others were close behind him. Suddenly Rick +gave a cry.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Chot, turn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>ing toward his chum. "Do you see +the junk wagon?"</p> + +<p>"No, but I'm sinking down! I'm sinking, Chot! It's way up over the tops +of my shoes now! I'm stuck in the mud! I can't pull my feet out!" yelled +Rick.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV<br /> + +<span class="subhead">THE OLD CABIN</span></h3> + + +<p>Chot and Tom, who had run on a little ahead of Rick, stopped and looked +back at their chum as they heard his cries. Rick had also come to a +stop, more because he had to, than because he wanted to.</p> + +<p>"Come on back and help me!" he called to his friends.</p> + +<p>And the boy's appeal for aid was answered at once by the two chums.</p> + +<p>"Say, he is 'way down in the muck!" exclaimed Ted. "Isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"He must have walked in the wrong place," added Chot.</p> + +<p>However it had happened poor Rick was indeed, as he said, stuck in the +mud. His two chums saw this as they ran back to him.</p> + +<p>"You got off the path, that's what's the matter!" declared Chot, as he +looked at Rick—standing at a safe distance, of course, so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> that he, +too, would not get caught in the swamp.</p> + +<p>"You ought to have followed us," went on Ted. "We kept to the path. You +got to stay up on one side when you cross this field. There's a sort of +brook running through the middle of it, and you can't see it 'till you +get right in it."</p> + +<p>"Well, I didn't see it, and I'm in it all right," announced Rick. "I +can't hardly lift my feet. Look!"</p> + +<p>He rested his weight on one side, and tried to lift the opposite foot. +There was a sucking sound made, as his shoe came partly up out of the +mud, but it was hard work for the boy to pull himself loose.</p> + +<p>"Look out!" suddenly called Tom, as he saw Rick tottering as if about to +fall to one side. "Look out or you'll go all the way in!"</p> + +<p>"That's what I think," agreed Rick himself. "Say, get hold of me and +pull me out; will you?"</p> + +<p>Tom was going closer, intending to take hold of Rick's outstretched +hands, but Chot called sharply:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Don't do that! If you do you'll be stuck, too!"</p> + +<p>"But we got to do something!" insisted Tom. "We can't leave him stuck +here!"</p> + +<p>"Of course not!" assented Chot. "We'll get you out all right, Rick, and +we'll help you find your dog, too. Come on over here, Tom, and help me +get a fence rail. We can hold that out to Rick and pull him loose that +way!"</p> + +<p>Tom and Chot were about a year older than Rick, and knew a little better +what to do in a case of this kind than did Ruddy's master.</p> + +<p>"Don't be scared," Chot called to his chum, as the two boys walked off +up a little hill toward a fence. "We'll get you out all right. I've been +stuck in the mud here myself. You can wash your shoes off down in the +brook. It isn't very cold to-day."</p> + +<p>"My shoes'll be terrible muddy," declared Rick, trying to get a look at +them, but he could not—they were too deep down in the muck.</p> + +<p>It did not take Tom and Chot long to find a long fence rail that was not +too heavy for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> them to lift. They carried it back to Rick and held out +one end to him, retaining hold of the other end themselves.</p> + +<p>"Now keep a tight grip, and when we pull, you pull and lift your feet +and then you'll be loose," advised Chot.</p> + +<p>Rick did his share, the other boys pulled and pretty soon, with another +queer, sucking, sighing sound Rick felt his feet coming free from the +mud and he could lift them out one after the other. He was glad to see +his feet again, muddy as they were, for he was beginning to fear they +might sink so far down in the swamp of the field that he would never get +them back.</p> + +<p>"They're terrible muddy!" spoke Rick as he got on firm ground and looked +at his shoes. "Terrible!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it'll wash off," consoled Chot. "Come on down to the brook, +and mind you keep on the path, now! You must have got off or you +wouldn't have been stuck."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know you had to stay on the path," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Sure you do," declared Chot. "There's a lot of water, a regular bog, +under this field.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> If you get off the path you'll be stuck. Now after +you wash your shoes you follow Tom and me."</p> + +<p>There was, as Chot had said, a sort of path through the field which a +half-hidden brook had turned into a swamp. The path led along on top of +numbers of big grass hummocks, or "footstools," as Rick called them. By +jumping from one grass hummock to the other the boys could keep out of +the mud.</p> + +<p>Chot went on ahead, while Rick came next, and Tom brought up the rear +guard for Rick. He safely reached the brook, and there he washed the +worst of the mud off his shoes. He was thinking what his mother would +say when she saw them.</p> + +<p>"That's good enough!" declared Chot, after Rick had dabbled each foot in +the brook several times. "That's good enough. The rest of the mud'll dry +off when we run through the grass. Come on!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we don't want to stop here too long," agreed Rick. "I want to find +Ruddy."</p> + +<p>"We'll be out on the road soon," said Chot. "If that peddler and the +sailor drove<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> out of Belemere they'd have to come over on this road +we're coming to. And unless they drove terrible fast we ought to be +ahead of 'em."</p> + +<p>"Junk wagons don't drive fast," declared Tom. "They stop at every house +to buy papers and bottles."</p> + +<p>"That's the reason I think we'll get ahead of these fellows," said Chot. +"Come on, Rick."</p> + +<p>The boy's shoes were fairly clean now, and, as his chums had remarked, +they would dry and be cleaned more as he ran through the grass. Once +again the chase was taken up. By keeping to the path, and by leaping +from hummock to hummock, Rick managed to avoid sinking down in any more +bog holes. Soon the three chums came out on the solid road.</p> + +<p>Rick looked up and down, hoping to get a sight of the junk wagon in +which, he felt sure, was his dog Ruddy, enticed away by the old +sailor—the tramp sailor.</p> + +<p>Chot began looking down in the dust of the highway, walking back and +forth his eyes close to the ground.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What you doing?" demanded Rick, as he watched his friend. "Did you lose +something?"</p> + +<p>"I'm looking for wagon tracks," answered Chot.</p> + +<p>"Wagon tracks?" cried Rick and Tom together.</p> + +<p>"Yes," went on Chot, "but I can't make out whether the junk wagon has +been along here or not. There's too many other tracks, and marks of auto +tires, besides."</p> + +<p>"Do you really think you can tell if the junk wagon has been along +here?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Well, I thought maybe I could," answered Chot. "You see I belong to the +Boy Scouts," he went on, "and we're learning how to tell marks on the +ground. Course animal marks, like the paws of a dog, are easier to tell +than wagon tracks. But if there was smooth ground here, instead of a lot +of dust that other wagons and autos had run over, maybe I could tell if +the junk wagon had been along. I could for sure if I knew what kind of +marks the tires made."</p> + +<p>"But as long as you don't know you can't<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> tell very much," spoke Tom. +"But I know that Boy Scout business is good. I'm going to join a troop, +I guess."</p> + +<p>"But which way shall we go to catch up to that junk wagon and get Ruddy +back?" asked Rick. He, too, was interested in Boy Scouts, but not at a +time like this. He wanted his dog.</p> + +<p>"This is the way the junk man would go after coming from Belemere," +announced Chot, pointing down the road. "If he went that way," and he +pointed in the opposite direction, "he'd be going back where he came +from."</p> + +<p>"Then let's chase along!" cried Rick. "I want my dog!"</p> + +<p>"That's it!" exclaimed Tom. "We got to catch that junk man!"</p> + +<p>"And the sailor," added Rick, "he's the one that's got my dog, I'm sure. +The junk man is only giving him a ride so he can get away quicker."</p> + +<p>"And is this the sailor that had your dog before he come up out of the +ocean and the coast guard found him?" asked Chot.</p> + +<p>"I guess so," was Rick's answer as the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> three boys walked along. "But, +anyhow, even if that sailor did have the dog, maybe he hasn't any right +to him now. Ruddy came to me. Maybe he ran away from the sailor. And if +a dog runs away from a man he doesn't belong to him any more."</p> + +<p>I do not say Rick was right in this belief, but his chums thought that +he was, for they exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Sure! That's it! He's your dog!"</p> + +<p>Along the road they hurried, for it was getting late and Rick's mother +had told him to come back home before dark. The highway turned around a +clump of trees, where the brook ran close to the road. After that there +was a straight stretch for some distance. Reaching this, and looking +down it, Rick and his chums saw no junk wagon, and no sight of any dog.</p> + +<p>"Maybe he didn't come here at all!" murmured Rick, who was much +disappointed.</p> + +<p>"We'll ask at the next house," suggested Chot. "If the junk wagon came +along here the man would ask to buy old rags or bottles. We'll ask, at +the next house, if anybody saw him."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> + +<p>And there they received news which showed them that they were on the +right track.</p> + +<p>"Yep, a junk peddler was here," said the man who was watering his horse +in the barnyard back of the house. "He wanted to buy stuff but I didn't +have anything to sell. Sold it all last week."</p> + +<p>"Did you see a dog—a sort of reddish-brown dog?" asked Rick eagerly.</p> + +<p>"No, I can't say I did," answered the man, who ran a small truck farm. +"There was another fellow sitting out in the wagon. But I didn't see any +dog."</p> + +<p>"Did you hear one?" asked Chot, for he was trying to remember what a Boy +Scout would do, and to ask questions that would bring the kind of +information needed.</p> + +<p>"Did I <i>hear</i> a dog—that's so, I <i>did</i> hear one!" exclaimed the farmer. +"Come to think of it I did hear a dog whining and whimpering in the junk +wagon. I didn't pay much attention then—though it was only half an hour +ago—maybe a little more. But I did hear a dog!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i004.png" width="400" height="573" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Near the log cabin stood a junk wagon."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Then it was Ruddy—I'm sure it was!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>exclaimed Rick. "Oh, fellows, come on! Maybe we'll have him, soon, now!"</p> + +<p>Hardly stopping to thank the man for his news, though Chot did remember +to fling back, over his shoulder, a hasty "much obliged," the boys +hurried on.</p> + +<p>"We're hot on the trail now!" exclaimed Chot, recalling some of the +things his Boy Scout friends had said. "We'll get him!"</p> + +<p>It was getting dusk now, but the three chums hardly noticed this. Along +the road they raced, looking for a sight of the junk wagon. And, as they +came to a lonely stretch they saw, off to one side, in a field a small +house—a log cabin it really was, and near it stood a ramshackle old +vehicle—a junk wagon beyond a doubt.</p> + +<p>"Fellows, we've found it!" cried Rick. He pointed toward the old log +cabin. Yes, there was no doubt of it. There was the junk wagon, but +there was no sign of horse, or men or Ruddy, the dog.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV<br /> + +<span class="subhead">RUDDY AND THE SAILOR</span></h3> + + +<p>Just before it was time for his master, Rick, to come home from school +that afternoon, Ruddy had been peacefully sleeping on the side porch, in +a place where the sun shone down, making a warm spot. Ruddy liked to +sleep in warm places. So did Sallie, the cat. Perhaps Sallie loved warm +places even more than Ruddy did, for dogs can better stand the cold than +can cats, even though they have warm fur.</p> + +<p>And suddenly, when Ruddy was sleeping, and perhaps dreaming, for it is +said that dogs do dream, all at once there sounded on the other side of +the hedge that separated the Dalton yard from the street, a low whistle.</p> + +<p>It was not the kind of a whistle with which Rick had been in the habit +of calling his dog,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> nor was it the kind of a whistle that Haw-Haw, the +crow, had learned to imitate.</p> + +<p>But Ruddy heard the whistle, and instantly he was awake, sitting up with +ears lifted to catch the slightest sound. Ruddy looked toward the hedge, +for though he could not see very well he could hear better, and smell +best of all. And he could hear well enough to know that the whistle came +from the other side of the hedge.</p> + +<p>Now if dogs think, and I am beginning to believe more and more that they +do something very like thinking, Ruddy must have reasoned something like +this:</p> + +<p>"Hello! Here's Rick home from school ahead of time! He must have been a +good boy and the teacher let him out early. Now for some fun!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy knew about the time that Rick came home from school each day. +Ruddy could tell time a little. I mean, by this, that he knew at about +what hour each day certain things would happen. He always knew it was +meal time, though of course he could not look at the face of the clock +and tell at what hour the hands pointed. I doubt if he could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> have told +which were the clock hands and which were the black figures. But Ruddy +knew when it was time for his meals, and he had come to know about the +time Rick came home from school each day. And now, as he heard the +whistle, the dog thought it was his master who had arrived ahead of the +usual hour.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was not much surprised at hearing the whistle. True Rick, of late, +had given up uttering the shrill call from away down the street as he +ran from school. It was this call that Haw-Haw had imitated and so often +puzzled the dog. This which Ruddy had heard was a different whistle, +such as Rick often used to call his dog back, when the two of them were +racing over the fields, and the setter would run too far ahead.</p> + +<p>"Now for some fun!" thought Ruddy, in the only way dogs can think. +"Rick's home and we'll have a grand race!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy must have known it was not the crow whistling this time, though +whether he recalled seeing Haw-Haw asleep in the warm corner behind the +stove I cannot say.</p> + +<p>Anyhow, up jumped Ruddy, and, with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> joyous bark, he leaped over the +hedge, at a low place, and found himself on the other side.</p> + +<p>And then came a big disappointment. For Rick was not there at all. +Instead there was a ragged man, a man whose face needed shaving, a man +whose scent Ruddy remembered only too well—a man whom the dog feared.</p> + +<p>"O ho! You came when I whistled all right; didn't you?" spoke the man in +a low voice. "I thought you would! I thought I'd find you if I sneaked +around long enough. Now I've got you back, maybe I'll have some luck!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy was too surprised and frightened to leap back over the hedge and +take refuge in the house of Rick. As soon as he saw the man he +remembered, with pain and fear, the days he had spent in the company of +the ragged sailor—for this is who the man was.</p> + +<p>Ruddy crouched down, growled as was natural at the sight of an enemy, +and then he whined, for he saw the man raise his hand and the dog knew +what happened when the heavy hand fell.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span></p> + +<p>But this time, for some reason or other, the sailor did not strike the +dog. Perhaps he saw that Ruddy was crouching down and was afraid, and +thus he knew that he had mastered the poor animal.</p> + +<p>"'Tisn't as if you ran away from me!" growled the man. "You didn't do +that. A wave carried you overboard, same as it might me. You didn't run +away, but now I have you back. I guess I'll have luck from now on, for +I'm going to keep you."</p> + +<p>Of course Ruddy did not understand this talk. All he knew was that there +was the man he had grown, even in a short time, to fear and hate. The +very smell of the man was hateful to the dog, for it is by the smell, or +personal odor, that a dog remembers his friends and enemies.</p> + +<p>After the first fear, the first crouching, growling and then whining +Ruddy might have leaped up and gotten away. But a setter is not like +many dogs. Ruddy did not have the fierceness of the bulldog, nor the +suspicion of a collie. He was an affectionate, loving dog, ready and +willing to make friends with everyone who was kind to him, and fear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>ing +those who were unkind to him. And that is why, being afraid, he crouched +down, and waited for what was to happen, instead of running away.</p> + +<p>And, a moment later, the sailor reached down and caught Ruddy up in +powerful arms, held one hand around the dog's nose, or muzzle, and +hurried with him toward a waiting wagon.</p> + +<p>It was a junk wagon, and on the seat was a dirty, ragged man with a +straggly black beard. He seemed to be waiting for the sailor, who had +jumped off the wagon to take Ruddy.</p> + +<p>"I got him!" cried the sailor, as he hastened back to the wagon. "I got +him. Maybe, now, I'll have some luck!"</p> + +<p>"Um!" was all the junk man answered.</p> + +<p>The sailor took a bag from among the bundles of papers, and quickly tied +it around Ruddy's head. The poor dog struggled and howled faintly, and +even tried to bite the man, as was natural. But he could not get away, +and his howls, rather faint as they were, effectually were muffled in +the bag.</p> + +<p>"There you are!" growled the sailor, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> he finished tying the bag +around Ruddy's head. "I guess you won't get away! But I'll make sure!"</p> + +<p>With some bits of rope, of which there were many in the junk wagon, the +sailor tied Ruddy's legs. Then he let the dog stretch out among the old +pieces of iron, burst automobile tires, paper and other trash in the +junk wagon.</p> + +<p>"You won't get away now!" growled the sailor. "Come on! Drive along that +old bundle of bones you call a horse!" he ordered the junk man. "We got +to get out of here! That boy may be along any minute, and I don't want +him to see me!"</p> + +<p>"You goin' t' sell de dog?" asked the junk man, who had agreed to help +the sailor. On his part the ragged old man of the sea had promised to +help the junk man unload his wagon that night. "You goin' t' sell him?"</p> + +<p>"Sell him? No, I guess not! Think I want to sell my luck? I never had +any luck since this pup was washed overboard! That's why I wanted him +back. Now I got him."</p> + +<p>"But what good is he if you can't sell him?" asked the junk man. To him +every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>thing was measured in value by how cheaply he could buy it and how +dearly he could sell.</p> + +<p>"Oh, a dog's good for something else than selling," declared the sailor. +"They bring you luck! I'm going to keep this one. Course I'll have to +watch him that he don't run away, but when I get him on a ship he can't +run off. I've got him all right now!"</p> + +<p>And, surely enough, the ragged sailor did have Ruddy. It had all +happened so quickly—the stopping of the junk wagon outside the Dalton +house, the whistling of the sailor, the carrying off of the dog—it had +all happened so quickly that Ruddy himself hardly knew all the details.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dalton had not seen Ruddy leap the hedge. She had heard a low +whistle, just before Rick came racing home from school, but she had not +thought much about it, and she certainly did not know that Ruddy had +left the porch, in answer to the call, and had been captured by his +enemy.</p> + +<p>And now Ruddy was being taken away in the junk wagon.</p> + +<p>"Drive along!" ordered the sailor. "I want to get off this street. Too +many kids<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> here would know this dog if they saw him; he won't stay +covered up!" he exclaimed, for Ruddy was struggling, trying to get his +head loose and to work the ropes off his legs, and these struggles +disturbed the old sacks the sailor had thrown over the dog to hide him +in the bottom of the wagon. "Drive on, fast!" said the sailor.</p> + +<p>"But I should must stop and buy things!" declared the junk man. "All +right it is for you to say a red dog he brings you luck. He brings no +such to me. I of got to buy paper and rags and bottles and old auto +tires, and I of got to sell 'em to make money."</p> + +<p>"All right, but hurry all you can!" growled the ragged man—in fact they +were both ragged men. "I want to get out of town and back to a ship," he +added. "Then I'll have some luck!"</p> + +<p>And so the ramshackle old wagon rattled down the street, stopping only +at Mrs. Blake's candy store, where Rick and his chums received their +first clue or information.</p> + +<p>Then the junk wagon drove out of Belemere, just as the boys had been +told, and as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> evening was coming on the junk man headed his outfit +toward the old log cabin.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do here?" asked the sailor in the gruff, growling +voice that seemed natural to him.</p> + +<p>"I can leave my horse and wagon here for the night," was the answer. "I +do so—lots of times. Nobody ever here comes along—the place is too +lonesome."</p> + +<p>"Going to leave your horse and wagon here, eh?" spoke the sailor. "What +are you going to do? What am I going to do—and the dog?"</p> + +<p>"For me, I should go on a little further to a friend of mine in the same +business," said the junk dealer. "I can sleep there for the night, and +he will make room for you and the dog—cheap, too. You do not of need to +feed the dog."</p> + +<p>"Well, if you're going on to a friend's place, why don't you drive there +and leave your horse and wagon?" asked the sailor. "What's the use of +stopping half way?"</p> + +<p>The black bearded man smiled to show how very white his teeth were amid +his dark whiskers. Then he said:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You should not of understand. He is a business rival and he might see +what I have bought. Besides, anyhow, he maybe would want to sell me some +feed for the horse, and I can let him stay here to eat the grass where +it doesn't cost even a penny! We leave the horse in the cabin, and the +wagon outside. Me, I go to my friend's house and buy my supper and a +bed. If you want to sell the dog maybe he'll buy—he buys lots of +things."</p> + +<p>"No, I'll not sell him," was the gruff, growled answer. "I'm not going +to sell my luck. I've got a few shots left in the locker. I can pay for +my supper and a bed, and a bone for the dog. I'll go with you."</p> + +<p>The junk wagon was driven from the road close to the old log cabin, the +horse was turned out to graze on the free grass at the rear of the +shack, and the junkman and the sailor started down the road. The sailor +took the bag off the dog's head, unbound his legs, and led him along +with a cord around his neck. Poor Ruddy slunk along, half dragged by the +ragged man. The dog tried to hold back but it was of no use.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI<br /> + +<span class="subhead">CAMPING OUT</span></h3> + + +<p>Rick, Chot and Tom—the three boys who were trailing the dog that had +been taken away by the ragged sailor—came to a stop as they saw the old +log cabin in the lonely hollow just off the road.</p> + +<p>"We've found it!" Rick had said, and this was true enough as to the junk +wagon. But there was no horse, no men and certainly not a dog. If Ruddy +had been there you may well believe he would have been running around, +if free. And as soon as the wind had brought to his sensitive nose the +scent of his boy master he would have run to Rick with leaps and bounds +and joyous barks.</p> + +<p>"What'll we do?" asked Tom.</p> + +<p>"Let's go up there and get back Rick's dog!" exclaimed Chot.</p> + +<p>"But maybe Ruddy isn't there," suggested Tom. "I don't see him, and +maybe that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> isn't the junk wagon we're looking for."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure it's the right wagon," spoke Rick. "But I don't see Ruddy. And +I don't see any horse."</p> + +<p>"Whistle for him!" advised Tom.</p> + +<p>"Whistle for the horse?" Rick wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Whistle for the dog, I mean. If he's there he'll come out to you. Maybe +he's inside the log cabin. I wonder what it's for, anyhow? I have never +been over so far on this road before."</p> + +<p>"This is a log cabin that a gun club used to use when they shot at +targets," said Chot. "Some of us Boy Scouts stopped here one day and +cooked our dinner. The gun club doesn't use the cabin any more."</p> + +<p>"It'd be a fine place to camp out—if there weren't a lot of junk men in +it," declared Tom. "Go on and whistle for your dog, Rick."</p> + +<p>"But don't whistle too loud," advised Chot. "If the old junk man, and +the sailor who must have rode with him, are there we don't want them to +hear us. All we want is the dog."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That's so," agreed Tom. "Course we ought to have that man arrested for +taking Rick's dog. But no use looking for trouble. If we can get Ruddy +back that's all we want."</p> + +<p>"I'll whistle," offered Rick.</p> + +<p>He puckered up his lips and gave a low, but clear call—one he often +used to summon Ruddy. But this time there was no answer. Ruddy did not +burst out from under a bush, or from among the weeds, as he frequently +did, with dried leaves clinging to him when he had nosed in among them +seeking the cause of many strange, wild smells.</p> + +<p>"Guess Ruddy isn't there," said Rick, with a sigh, after several +whistles.</p> + +<p>"Come on; let's go up and look!" advised Chot. "Maybe they've got him +hidden inside the cabin."</p> + +<p>The boys hesitated a moment. They were not very big nor old, and the +idea of facing two grown men, one of whom had been bold enough to entice +away, or steal, Ruddy, was a little alarming at first.</p> + +<p>"Oh, come on!" said Chot, desperately enough. "There's nothing to be +afraid of!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> We got a right to help Rick get back his dog!"</p> + +<p>And so, rather timidly it must be admitted, they went through the fence, +at the bars where the junk wagon had found a passage, and approached the +cabin. They could see the wagon more plainly now. It was filled with +odds and ends of the sort of junk which the men who collect it seem to +make money on. There were bundles of papers, part of a broken stove, the +spring of a bed, some old auto tires and bags of rags.</p> + +<p>"It's funny he left it here without the horse," said Tom.</p> + +<p>"Maybe his horse lost a shoe, same as an automobile gets a puncture," +said Rick, "and he had to take his horse to a blacksmith shop. So he +left the wagon here."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," agreed Chot. "But blacksmiths aren't open after dark—anyhow +the one on our street isn't."</p> + +<p>"Well, anyhow here's the wagon, but the horse is gone and so are the men +and so's Ruddy!" spoke Tom.</p> + +<p>But at that instant there was a noise that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> seemed to come from behind +the cabin. It was a loud noise.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" cried Tom.</p> + +<p>For a moment his two chums were so startled that they could not answer. +Then, as the strange sound came again, Chot said:</p> + +<p>"It's just a horse whinneying!"</p> + +<p>"The junk man's horse," added Rick.</p> + +<p>And so it was. They saw the animal a moment later, tied by a long rope +to the back of the log cabin. The horse looked up and stopped chewing a +mouthful of grass he had just pulled. He had whinneyed as he heard the +footsteps of the boys and their voices. Perhaps the horse thought his +master was coming to give him a drink of water or take him to a stable.</p> + +<p>However, the junk man's horse went to cropping grass again when he saw +that the boys were evidently not coming any nearer to him.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy isn't here," announced Rick, looking across the fast-dimming +meadow back of the log cabin. Night was falling rapidly now, for the +long, summer days were at an end, and autumn would soon give place<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> to +winter. "My dog isn't here!" and there was a catch in Rick's voice that +sounded as though he were going to cry; but he didn't.</p> + +<p>Again Chot was walking around, leaning over close to the ground. +Suddenly, out near the place in the fence where the bars had been taken +down, to allow the wagon to be driven in, Chot lighted a match.</p> + +<p>"He's been here!" he cried, pointing to something in the moist earth. +There was a patch where the grass, from the side of the highway, had +grown partly over the road. It was a spot seldom touched by horses, +autos or wagons. And here the earth was damp because, not far away, was +a trickling rill of water. "He's been here!" exclaimed Chot.</p> + +<p>"Who?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Your dog! I can see the marks of his feet! Look, those are a dog's +tracks!"</p> + +<p>Surely they were the marks of some animal, and when Rick looked more +closely at them, in the light of another flickering match, he knew they +were made by a dog's paws.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if it could be Ruddy?" he murmured. "I wonder?"</p> + +<p>"Sure it was," asserted Chot. "I'm a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> Boy Scout, and I know a lot of +different animals' footprints. I can tell a rabbit's when I see 'em in +the snow. This is your dog all right, Rick!"</p> + +<p>"But where is he?" asked the boy, whose pet had come to him out of the +ocean.</p> + +<p>"He must be somewhere around here," spoke Tom. "I guess the junk man and +the sailor drove here, and left the wagon for the night. Then they went +on somewhere else with your dog."</p> + +<p>"But where did they go?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"That's what we got to find out," said Chot. "I'll tell you what we've +got to do," he added, drawing his chums toward him, and speaking in a +low voice, though no one but the two boys was within hearing distance, +as far as the lads knew. "We got to stay here until that junk man comes +back after his horse and wagon. Then we'll make him tell us where the +dog is."</p> + +<p>"S'posin' he won't?" asked Tom.</p> + +<p>"We'll make him! If he hasn't got your dog, Rick, maybe the sailor has, +and we'll find out where he went. We've got to stay here until that junk +fellow comes back.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> He'll come all right. He won't go away and leave his +horse and wagon."</p> + +<p>"Where can we stay?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"In the log cabin, of course," answered Chot. "Some of the older Boy +Scouts camp out here two or three nights. There's a fireplace in the +cabin where you can cook, and an old oil stove; and there's some +sleeping bunks. Course it isn't real good, but Boy Scouts don't mind."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean we should stay camping out here all night?" asked Rick, and +his voice had a strange awesome note in it.</p> + +<p>"Sure, stay camping here all night—or until the junk man comes back," +answered Chot. "Why not?"</p> + +<p>"I'd have to ask my mother," Rick said. "I promised to be back before +night, and it's almost dark now."</p> + +<p>Chot thought this over a moment or two before answering.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what we can do," he said. "We'll all go back home—we got +to get things to eat, anyhow, and some blankets. Then we'll come back +here and stay all night."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> + +<p>"All alone?" asked Tom.</p> + +<p>"There's three of us," retorted Chot. "I stayed out all night once with +some Boy Scouts. Course we had the Scout Master with us<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, no wonder!" cried Tom.</p> + +<p>"Well, maybe I can get our Scout Master to come back with us now and +stay all night," went on Chot. "He'd like it. That's what we'll do! +We'll go back home, get something to cook for supper, bring some +blankets and stay all night. We'll camp out in the log cabin. It'll be +lots of fun!"</p> + +<p>"Will you sure get the Scout Master?" asked Rick, to whom the idea was +appealing more and more strongly.</p> + +<p>"Sure I'll get him!" promised Chot. "He'll come. Now come on! Let's +hurry back home and get the things."</p> + +<p>They started on their way, down the now almost dark road, and then Rick +happened to think of something.</p> + +<p>"S'posin' the junk man and the sailor come back while we're gone?" he +asked. "Then how we going to get Ruddy?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't think of that," admitted Chot.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> "Let's see," he said, +musingly. "We passed a house a ways back, just before we saw this cabin. +We could stop there and ask 'em to sort of keep an eye on this shack +until we get back."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we could do that," agreed Rick. "But it's going to take us a long +time to go home and come back."</p> + +<p>"Oh, maybe we'll get a lift," suggested Chot, always a hopeful sort of +chap.</p> + +<p>They had better luck than they expected. At the nearest house to the log +cabin, where they stopped, they told their story of how they were +searching for Ruddy. The place was a farm, and a boy who lived there +belonged to the Scouts, though not to the same troop of which Chot was a +member.</p> + +<p>"I'll go down and keep watch on the place 'till you get back," offered +this boy. "And I'll stay with you all night, if dad'll let me."</p> + +<p>"That's fine!" exclaimed Rick and his chums echoed this sentiment.</p> + +<p>And they had not finished talking about this before the farmer, who had +heard their story, not only gave permission for his son to help, and aid +in standing guard through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> the night, but also offered to run Rick, Chot +and Tom over to Belemere in his auto.</p> + +<p>"I'll bring you back, too!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm sure we'll find Ruddy now!" declared Rick, who was both excited +and delighted.</p> + +<p>There was some more excitement when he reached home. His parents were +beginning to be alarmed about him. But he quickly told what had +happened, and as the Scout Master, summoned by Chot over the telephone, +agreed to accompany the boys back to the cabin, Rick was allowed to go +with them.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I do hope he'll be all right!" said his mother. "He's never been +away from home like this before!"</p> + +<p>"It will do him good, and we can safely trust him with the Scout +Master," said Mr. Dalton.</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh!" Mazie had exclaimed when she heard the plans. "Are you going +to sleep in the cabin all night, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't sleep <i>all</i> night," he answered, as he rolled up his +blankets and took his bundle of food. "We got to stay on watch, some of +us, to catch the junk man, or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> the sailor, if he comes back with the +junk fellow, to get his horse and wagon. That's how we'll get Ruddy."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I want Ruddy! I love him!" said the little girl, and in thinking +about the lost dog she did not feel so much fear at having Rick stay +away from home over night.</p> + +<p>But, even in spite of the confidence Mr. Dalton had in the scout master, +Mrs. Dalton was nervous.</p> + +<p>"I'll take good care of him—never fear!" Harry Taylor, the Scout +Master, promised with a smile, as the boys piled in the auto for the +ride back with the farmer. "I won't let him get even the snuffles!"</p> + +<p>"That's what I'm afraid of—having him catch cold!" said Rick's mother.</p> + +<p>But she wanted her son to be a manly boy, so she let him go. And you may +well believe there were joyous hearts in the little party of lads who +were on their way to camp in the old log cabin. It was more than a mere +camping crowd—they were trying to catch the man who had Rick's dog!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">THE TWO SAILORS</span></h3> + + +<p>While Rick, his boy chums and the Scout Master were on their way to the +old log cabin, there to camp all night, if need be, to wait for the +sailor to come back with the dog, poor Ruddy himself was not having a +very good time.</p> + +<p>He had been lifted out of the junk wagon by Matt Stanton, the ragged +sailor who had stolen Ruddy away "for luck," as he called it. And Ruddy +was half dragged along the road by a rope the sailor had tied around his +neck.</p> + +<p>Ruddy growled and whined and whimpered. If he could have talked +man-language, instead of only in dog fashion, he would have said:</p> + +<p>"Don't you know you are hurting me, pulling me along like this? You are +almost choking me! If you won't pull so hard I'll<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> come along just the +same. Of course I don't want to come with you, for I don't like you. I +like Rick, the boy, best. But you are stronger than I am, and we dogs +have to do as our masters want, even if we don't like it. But, oh dear! +how I wish I were back with Rick!"</p> + +<p>That is what Ruddy was most likely saying or thinking to himself as the +sailor half dragged him along. The junk man, whose name was Ike Stein, +walked on ahead, down the road, after having left his horse and wagon +near the old cabin.</p> + +<p>"Where's this friend of yours, where we're going to stop all night and +have something to eat?" grumbled the sailor as he walked along, pulling +Ruddy after him. "Where's his shack?"</p> + +<p>"Only a little farther now," the junk man answered. "It's down of the +road and over by in the woods. You can't of see it from here, but it +isn't far."</p> + +<p>And, a little later, the junk man left the road, and started down a path +that led across the fields toward a clump of woods. As soon as Ruddy saw +this path, and smelled the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> clean smell of woods and leaves, he gave a +little joyous bark.</p> + +<p>"Here now! What's the matter with you? Keep still!" growled the sailor, +pulling on the rope around the dog's neck.</p> + +<p>Poor Ruddy's tail dropped and he crouched down, for he feared he was +going to be struck. But the sailor was not quite as bad as that. He +rather cared for the dog, in a way, though he did not know how to be +really kind to animals. Some men and boys are that way, and I am sorry +for them. It is wonderful to know how to love animals, and have them +care for you.</p> + +<p>So the sailor growled and shook his finger at Ruddy to make him keep +still, and Ruddy whimpered and did not bark again.</p> + +<p>"First thing I know you'll be bringing a crowd around us, and somebody +may take you away from me," grumbled the ragged man. "I don't want that. +I don't want to lose my luck again."</p> + +<p>And the only reason Ruddy had barked half-joyously when he smelled the +woods was that he remembered how he and Rick had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> used to romp among the +trees and dried leaves, having glorious times.</p> + +<p>"Come along now!" growled the sailor, and again he jerked on the rope +around Ruddy's neck. "How much farther is it?" he asked of the junk man.</p> + +<p>"Oh, just a little ways," was the answer. "We'll of come to the house in +a minute." He looked behind him, as if to make sure no one was +following, and then added in a whisper: "My friend, he lives down in an +old house away off in the trees. He doesn't of want anybody to know he's +there."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see!" exclaimed the sailor. "Sort of hiding away, is he? Well, +I've done that myself."</p> + +<p>They walked on a little farther, the sailor still dragging Ruddy along, +and at last the two men pushed their way through some bushes and came to +an old, tumble-down house, that did not seem a much better place to +sleep in than was the old log cabin.</p> + +<p>"Here we are," said Ike Stein, the junk man. "Here we are!"</p> + +<p>The sailor looked about him, shook his head once or twice, and then +said:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I guess we can stand it here for one night, eh, Ruddy?"</p> + +<p>He called the dog the same name as did Rick—the name that just seemed +to fit the setter. And Ruddy looked up and wagged his tail just a +little, for these were the first kind words the sailor had spoken to +him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess we can stand it here one night," went on the ragged +sailor. "Where's your friend?" he asked the junk man, "and where's +something to eat for me, and a bone for my dog?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my friend he will of be right out," promised Ike Stein, rubbing his +hands as though giving them a dry wash to get off some of the dirt. +"He's most probable of looking at us now from one of the windows."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he is, eh? Spying like! Well, I don't see him!" said the sailor +glancing from one broken window to another.</p> + +<p>"No, Sam doesn't like to be seen until he sees who his company of is. +But he knows me all right. Hello, Sam!" he called and a voice answered:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Ikey!"</p> + +<p>Then from the old, ramshackle house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> there came a man who looked almost +like the junk peddler, except that he was not as clean, if such a thing +could be, and his beard was longer and blacker.</p> + +<p>"Here's a friend of mine, Sam," went on Ikey. "We have come to stay all +night and have supper. We'll pay, of course," he added, for he saw that +Sam was going to say something.</p> + +<p>"Oh, sure you may stay—if you pay!" spoke the man who lived in the +tumble-down shack. "Did you bring your horse and wagon?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I left them down the road," answered the junk man. "Now we of are +hungry."</p> + +<p>"And so is the dog, I expect," growled the sailor. "Give him a +bone—Sam."</p> + +<p>"A bone? A bone for the dog? It should of cost you five cents, or for a +bigger one ten cents," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Well, give Ruddy a ten cent bone!" exclaimed the sailor. "Here's your +money," and, dipping his hand down in his ragged trousers, as though he +were diving into the water, he fished up a dime, which he threw to the +junk man's friend.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span></p> + +<p>The second ragged man—whose name was Sam, went into his house and came +out with a bone which he threw down in front of Ruddy, who, by this +time, had been tied to a post in the yard.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" mumbled the sailor, as he looked at the bone. "It's a good thing +I bought a ten cent one. If you'd handed out a fiver there wouldn't have +been enough meat on for a spider crab. Well, now the dog's eatin' let's +us eat!"</p> + +<p>"Right away!" promised Sam, and he led the way into the house.</p> + +<p>"Mind you don't try to run away from me again!" growled the sailor, +shaking his finger at Ruddy.</p> + +<p>The poor dog, smelling a little good meat on the bone, had lain down +with it between his fore paws and was gnawing it. He had no intention of +running away just then. He was too hungry, and this was his supper. It +was not like the good supper he would have had at home in his kennel, +where Rick always fed him. But it must answer now.</p> + +<p>Sailor Matt Stanton looked around the old ramshackle house as he and the +junk man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> entered. It appeared to be filled with the same sort of trash +and odds and ends that Ike gathered in his wagon. Sam Levy was in the +junk business also, only he bought the things the other men gathered up +in their wagons, and sold them to the larger dealers in bottles, rags +and paper. He was a wholesale junk dealer and the others were retailers, +you might say.</p> + +<p>The three men went to the kitchen of the old house, and Sam began to +cook a meal. It was now quite dark, and a lantern hung on the wall did +not give a very good light.</p> + +<p>Sailor Matt looked about him while waiting for his meal. He saw piles of +rags, larger stacks of papers, old pieces of iron, torn automobile tires +and other junk.</p> + +<p>"I only do a small business," said Sam, looking around from where he was +bending over the stove, making some sort of a stew in a broken kettle. +"I only been here a little while. Lots of folks don't know I'm here at +all—only my friends, like Iky and you."</p> + +<p>"You needn't call me a friend," growled the sailor. "I ain't friends +with nobody since I got out of luck losing my dog. Now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>I have him back maybe I'll get a ship, and start over again."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i005.png" width="400" height="572" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"A man came in—a sailor like himself."</span> +</div> + + + +<p>"Maybe," muttered Sam, "and maybe we should of be friends. If you got +anything to sell I gives you a good price."</p> + +<p>"I've got nothing to sell, and not much money to buy anything," grumbled +the sailor. "But I got enough for a meal. Hurry it up!"</p> + +<p>"Sure, it'll be ready in a minute!" promised Sam.</p> + +<p>He was stirring the contents of the broken kettle when a step was heard +outside. Instantly the three men looked around, and Sam stopped rattling +the long-handled spoon.</p> + +<p>"Somebody's comin'!" whispered Ike Stein.</p> + +<p>Sailor Matt Stanton got up from a pile of rags and started toward the +door. As he reached it a man came in; a man who, it could be seen almost +at first glance, was a sailor like himself.</p> + +<p>"What ho, mate!" cried the newcomer in a jolly voice. "Well, well! To +think of finding my old sailing chum here! Shake, Matt!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> How are you and +what's the matter with the dog howling out in the yard?"</p> + +<p>He clapped on the back the ragged sailor who had taken Ruddy away from +Rick.</p> + +<p>"Hush! Not so loud!" exclaimed Sailor Matt, in a hoarse whisper. "Keep +still, Jed Porter! Keep still!"</p> + +<p>"What for?" asked the sailor called Jed. "Why should I keep still? +Anybody would think you were afraid of being found out!" And he laughed +heartily, at which sound the junk man quickly pulled down a window while +Sam hurried from the stove and shut the door that had been left open.</p> + +<p>The two sailors stood looking at one another, while out in the yard poor +Ruddy howled and whimpered.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">SCOUTS ON THE WATCH</span></h3> + + +<p>"Now, boys!" said Scout Master Harry Taylor, as Rick and the others +reached the old log cabin, "if we are going to camp out here and find +Ruddy, we must go at it right."</p> + +<p>"Can we build a fire and cook things to eat?" asked Rick, as he put on +one of the rude bunks the bundle he had brought from home.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, we'll cook and eat," the Scout Master promised with a smile. +"I guess you haven't done much camping out, Rick," he added.</p> + +<p>"No," was the answer. "But I like it, and I'm going to be a Boy Scout +after this."</p> + +<p>"It's lots of fun!" declared Tom. "Come on, Rick, and help me get wood."</p> + +<p>"I'll make up the beds," added Chot.</p> + +<p>"And I'll help," said a voice in the door-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>way of the log cabin. Sam +Brown, son of the farmer who had taken the boys to Belemere and brought +them back, had come to join the others as he had promised. He was going +to do what he could to help get Ruddy back for Rick.</p> + +<p>"That's right," said Master Harry Taylor, "each Boy Scout must do his +part when camp is to be made."</p> + +<p>Several lanterns had been brought with them, and, by the light of one, +Rick and Tom gathered some wood outside to make a fire on the hearth. +Chot and Sam did what they could to set the interior of the log cabin to +rights, and Mr. Taylor opened the bundles of food and filled the oil +stove from a kerosene can he had brought with him.</p> + +<p>Each boy had a "mess" outfit, consisting of tin cup and plate, a knife, +fork and spoon and a small frying pan. Chot had borrowed an outfit from +a boy friend, for Rick, as Ruddy's master, was not yet a Scout.</p> + +<p>In a little while a fire was blazing on the hearth, and the steaks which +had been brought were being cooked by Mr. Taylor over the hot embers. He +decided to do this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> himself rather than trust the boys, for if the meat +were spoiled in the broiling some one would have to go hungry, no extra +supply having been provided. The coffee was made on the oil stove.</p> + +<p>"Say, this is fun!" exclaimed Rick, as they sat about the old table and +ate off their tin plates. "I didn't think being a Boy Scout was half so +jolly!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, you haven't seen a quarter of it!" declared Chot. "Wait until you +camp out in the open; eh, Mr. Taylor?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is quite different from this," answered the Scout Master. +"This is quite a luxury, having a log cabin, even if it is an old +ramshackle one."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm going to do this every time I have the chance," said Rick. "But +just now I want to find Ruddy."</p> + +<p>"And we're here to help you," said Mr. Taylor, who though older than any +of the boys was still "one of them." If he had not been he would never +have developed into a good Scout Master. "I think the best we can do," +he added, "is to keep watch. As you boys said, the junk man will +probably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> come back, either to-night or early in the morning, to get his +horse and wagon. When he does we will ask him what he did with Ruddy."</p> + +<p>"I think the sailor took him," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps he did. We'll find out. And to do that we'll have to keep +watch. We'll take turns, as sentries do in the army. After we finish +eating and get the bunks ready we'll divide into watches."</p> + +<p>"Oh, this sure is fun!" cried Rick, with eager, sparkling eyes. The +novelty of camping almost made him forget, at moments, the loss of +Ruddy. But not quite.</p> + +<p>"I can't see why the junk man left his horse and wagon here and went +away," said the Scout Master, as the rattle of knives and forks on the +tin plates told that little more remained to be eaten.</p> + +<p>"Maybe he ran away because he was afraid of being caught," suggested +Chot.</p> + +<p>"No, I think not," spoke Sam Brown. "There's another junk man located +somewhere around here. He hasn't been here long, and he stays in an old +tumble-down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> house near the swamp, I guess. There used to be gypsies +there, but they went away."</p> + +<p>"Do you think the sailor took my dog there?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"Maybe," answered Sam. "We can look."</p> + +<p>"But I think it would not be wise for us to go there to-night," remarked +the Scout Master, as he guessed what Rick was going to say. "Those men +could easily hide Ruddy in the darkness. The safest and best plan will +be to wait for them to come here, as they are sure to do."</p> + +<p>Rick, who was going to become a Boy Scout, did as all members of those +troops do—he obeyed the Scout Master, and then began the long watch and +wait through the night.</p> + +<p>The boys had brought blankets, and with these the beds were made up on +the bunks which the former gun club members had built in the log cabin +so some of them could sleep there when they wished.</p> + +<p>As two of the boys would be on guard at a time, taking turns in two hour +stretches, while the others would be in the bunks at the same period, +there were blankets enough<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> to keep them warm, especially as they were +under shelter, rude as it was.</p> + +<p>"But if we had to sleep out in the open, we would have made a lean-to, +or a wickiup, near a camp fire, and that would have kept us warm," said +Chot.</p> + +<p>"What's a lean-to and a wickiup?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"A lean-to," explained the Scout Master, "is just some tree branches +laid with one end raised over a pole, like the half of a letter V turned +upside down. If you build a fire in front of it you can keep pretty +warm. A wickiup is just some branches of low bushes or small trees bent +in toward the center, and there fastened together, or you can throw a +heavy blanket over them. They are both pretty poor shelters, but they're +better than nothing."</p> + +<p>And so, after the supper detail had been cleared, and the bunks made, +the boys and the Scout Master sat about the fire on the hearth, talking. +The heat felt comfortable, for the night was growing colder.</p> + +<p>"Do you think we'll find Ruddy?" asked Rick more than once.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I think so," answered Mr. Taylor. "If that junk man doesn't come back +after his wagon and horse we'll go looking, in the morning, for the old +house in the swamp."</p> + +<p>The junk man's horse had been brought around from in back, and tied near +the front of the cabin.</p> + +<p>"We can tell the moment he comes after him, if the animal is left here," +said the Scout Master. "And he can't move his wagon, even in the dark, +without us hearing him."</p> + +<p>"The bells will jingle," said Tom. For the junk man, like many of his +kind, had a string of jangling cowbells fastened to his wagon.</p> + +<p>It was the turn of Chot and Tom to stand the first "trick" of night +guard duty, and this was to be from ten to twelve o'clock. Rick and Sam +would take the second watch, from midnight until 2 o'clock in the +morning, and the Scout Master, and Sam's brother, Pete, who had come +over after supper to ask if he couldn't share in the fun, would be on +guard from two until four<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> o'clock. After that it would be the turn of +Chot and Tom again.</p> + +<p>"Hark!" exclaimed Rick, as he and Sam were preparing to turn-in to the +bunks where they were to sleep. "I thought I heard something!"</p> + +<p>They all listened, but the only noises were those made by the chirping +of the crickets and the songs of some late-staying Katy-dids.</p> + +<p>"I guess the junk man's horse moved around," suggested the Scout Master +with a smile. "Don't be too quick to give an alarm, when you're on +watch, if you hear an odd noise. First try to find out what it is."</p> + +<p>Then, as night settled down over the lonely log cabin, and the others +went to their bunks, Tom and Chot began their tour of guard duty. They +could spend it outside or inside the cabin as they chose, and, as it was +rather cool, they would probably be most of the time inside.</p> + +<p>"But you can hear if the junk man comes back," said Mr. Taylor. "And, if +he does, sound the alarm."</p> + +<p>And so the watch of the night began. Rick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> found it hard to go to sleep +at first, not being used to this bunk style of bed. But Sam and his +brother Pete were soon breathing heavily and regular, which showed they +were not lying awake. As for the Scout Master, he seemed to have dropped +off into slumber as soon as he wrapped up in his blanket.</p> + +<p>But at last Rick's eyes closed and he, too, was soon, if not in +Dreamland, next door to it.</p> + +<p>But while the boys were in the old log cabin, quite a different scene +was taking place in the ramshackle house where the sailor had taken +Ruddy, tying the dog outside. When the second sailor appeared, making so +much noise that the others were afraid, for some reason or other, Ruddy +had whimpered in lonesomeness and fear.</p> + +<p>"What you going to do with that dog?" asked Jed Porter, the second +sailor.</p> + +<p>"I got him for a mascot—to bring me good luck!" answered Matt Stanton. +"And if anybody takes him away from me I'll<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Not so loud! Don't make so much noise, mine friends!" whispered Sam +Levy. "I don't want the farmers around to know I do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> a junk business +here. They think this old place has of nobody to live in it. I don't +want them to come and bother me."</p> + +<p>"You see, sometimes, by mistakes, my friend he of gets things here that +belongs to the farmers," explained Ike Stein, the driver of the junk +wagon. "So as he doesn't want to be boddered with farmers of coming here +to look for maybe their chickens or ducks."</p> + +<p>"Oh, so that's what you do!" exclaimed Jed Porter, who had a broad, +smiling face, quite different from the rather sneaking looks of Matt +Stanton. "Well, it isn't any of my affairs, of course. I'm not going to +stay, anyhow. I just happened to be passing and I saw a gleam of light +through the trees, so I walked over to see what it was. I'm hungry!"</p> + +<p>"The meal, he will be ready soon," said Sam. "Your friend, he should of +pay for you; will he?" and he looked at the second sailor as he asked +this question.</p> + +<p>"He might pay it with some of the money he took from me," growled Jed, +"but I don't s'pose he will! I'll pay for myself!"</p> + +<p>"I'll pay you back as soon as I have better<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> luck, and I will have it +now I've got the dog," whined Matt. He acted as though afraid of the +other sailor, and well he might be for he had not been honest with Jed, +and had taken some of Jed's money.</p> + +<p>"Now don't laugh with such a loudness, and make so much of noiseness," +whispered the old man who lived in the ruin of a house. "We don't want +anybody coming here!"</p> + +<p>"All right," agreed Jed, as he sat down and began to eat, while the +others did the same.</p> + +<p>The two junk men talked together in low tones after supper. Matt, the +ragged sailor, stretched out on a bundle of rags as if to go to sleep. +Jed took a piece of newspaper from his pocket and began to read by the +light of a smoking lamp, and poor Ruddy whined and whimpered outside.</p> + +<p>After a while Sailor Jed got up and started for the door.</p> + +<p>"Where you going?" demanded Matt.</p> + +<p>"Out for a breath of fresh air," was the answer. "Too hot in here."</p> + +<p>"Take the dog a bone," requested Matt. "I guess he's hungry. He can have +the one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> I left on my plate," he added quickly, as he saw that Sam was +going to object.</p> + +<p>"Guess there isn't much meat on any bone <i>you</i> picked!" was the remark +of Jed. "But I'll give it to him."</p> + +<p>He carried the bone out to Ruddy, who cringed low when he dimly saw, and +heard, and keenly smelled the man coming toward him.</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow!" spoke the sailor in a low, kind voice. "You needn't be +afraid of <i>me</i>. I won't hurt you. I love dogs, and I'm sorry Matt +Stanton has you. He won't exactly kick or beat you, but he won't be kind +to you. And you look as if you had come from a better home than he'll +ever give you."</p> + +<p>Jed looked back toward the house where the light dimly glowed. Then he +looked down at the cringing dog, tied by a heavy rope.</p> + +<p>"I'll do it!" suddenly whispered the sailor to himself. "I'll do it! +'Tis a shame to let Matt keep you. I wonder, if I cut you loose, if you +can find your way home? I'll try it."</p> + +<p>He whipped out his knife, and, with one sweep, cut through the rope, +close to where it was tied around Ruddy's neck. The dog<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> felt that he +was free. He could scarcely believe it.</p> + +<p>Pausing only long enough to lick the hand of the sailor who had thus +been so good to him, Ruddy, with a low whine of delight, sped away in +the darkness of the night.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX<br /> + +<span class="subhead">A BARK IN THE NIGHT</span></h3> + + +<p>Ruddy, the brown setter dog, free from the rope which had held him to +the cellar door of the old, tumble-down house, ran swiftly off through +the night.</p> + +<p>"I hope you know which way to go," softly said Sailor Jed, as he turned +to go back to the kitchen where the others were. "Yes, I sure do hope +you know how to steer a straight course back to your friends. I won't +tell Matt I cut you loose, then he won't come after you until morning. +Maybe, by then, you'll be safe at home."</p> + +<p>And so, as Ruddy ran on through the darkness, the good sailor went back +in the old, ramshackle house.</p> + +<p>"Is the dog all right?" asked Matt.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's all right," and Jed smiled, but not so Matt could see him. "I +hope he'll be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> more all right than he would be with you," he thought to +himself.</p> + +<p>And now we must follow Ruddy for a while, until we see what happens to +him.</p> + +<p>Ruddy's nose was as keen on the scent as ever, in fact more so, for now +he was eager to get back to Rick, the boy master whom he loved so well. +And, though it was dark, Ruddy had hopes of finding Rick.</p> + +<p>As I have told you dogs can not see very well, and they can not hear as +well as can some other animals. But their sense of smell is wonderful, +and it was on this that the setter depended to take him back to home and +Rick.</p> + +<p>So, in a way, it did not matter much about the dark. It was better for +him that it was dark, as the sailor who had taken him from Rick's house +would not see the brown dog running away.</p> + +<p>"Ha! This is the path I came! This is where he dragged me with a rope +around my neck after he took me out of the wagon," said Ruddy to +himself, dog fashion, as he ran along in the darkness, his nose close to +the ground. I don't mean, of course, that Ruddy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> said that out loud, or +that he even thought it, as you or I would think it. But he thought, and +he knew, in his own dog way, that he was on the right track back toward +the place where he had been taken out of the wagon.</p> + +<p>By running with his nose close to the ground Ruddy could smell where his +own paws had left a scent on the earth. He could also catch the scent of +the junk man and the sailor who had walked along with him. And Ruddy's +nose was so keen that he could tell where the sailor had stepped and +where the junk man had left his shoe marks on the roadside path. To +Ruddy each person had a different scent, just as to us, even over a +telephone when we can not see them, each of our friends has a different +voice.</p> + +<p>"Yes, this is where they led me along, after they took me out of the +wagon," thought Ruddy, dog fashion. "I'll soon get back to that place. +Then—well, after that, I'll have to do the best I can."</p> + +<p>Ruddy was doing what is called, by hunters, "back-tracking." That is he +was following the scent back to the place where it had started from. In +running after game<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> birds, and animals, Ruddy, or any other dog used for +that kind of sport, generally does just the opposite. That is they +follow the scent along until they get to the place where the rabbit, +squirrel or bird has <i>gone</i>, and not to the place where they have <i>come +from</i>. Once in a while, though, a hunting dog will make a mistake and +"back-track" when he ought to "front-track." A dog that does this is not +of much value to a hunter, for the man with the gun wants to go where +the game <i>is,</i> not where it <i>isn't</i>.</p> + +<p>So Ruddy, running through the night, with his nose to the ground, traced +his way along the path where he had been led with the rope around his +neck. As yet he had caught no scent of his master, for Rick and his +friends had not come this far. They had not gone more than a hundred +feet beyond the old cabin, after seeing there the junk man's horse and +wagon.</p> + +<p>"I certainly want to find Rick," was the thought that kept coming again +and again into Ruddy's mind. "I want to find that Boy!"</p> + +<p>Once or twice Ruddy got off the trail. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span> was a young setter, and they +often make mistakes. And the errors Ruddy made were because other dogs +and different animals had crossed his tracks since he had made them.</p> + +<p>Twice he caught the scent of other dogs. Who they were he did not know, +of course, being a stranger in the neighborhood. But they probably were +animals living on the farms nearby; and they had crossed Ruddy's trail, +very likely catching a whiff of his scent as he did of theirs.</p> + +<p>Once Ruddy caught the odor of a rabbit which had leaped across the road +to get a drink of water from a spring that bubbled up under a rock. At +any other time Ruddy would have followed this trail of the rabbit, +barking joyously to call Rick to follow. That is Ruddy would have done +this if his boy master had been with him.</p> + +<p>But it was no time, now, to be chasing after rabbits.</p> + +<p>And once the brown setter caught the scent of a squirrel that had leaped +down out of a tree after a nut it had dropped. For a moment Ruddy +stopped, and lifted his nose in the air. He had a notion he would like +to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> trail that squirrel, and find where it had its nest in a hollow +tree. True the nest would be high up, out of Ruddy's reach, for the dog +could not climb like a cat. But if Ruddy trailed the squirrel to its +tree the dog could bark joyously at the foot, to show he had done his +work well.</p> + +<p>But it was no time, now, to be chasing after squirrels.</p> + +<p>So Ruddy shook his head, sneezed a little as if to get the smell of the +rabbit and squirrel out of his delicate nose and ran on. He was hungry, +for there had not been much meat, even on the ten cent bone, but Ruddy +forgot his hunger in his great desire to get back to Rick.</p> + +<p>And he was weary, for he had not been kindly treated after the sailor +had tied him in the junk wagon. But he forgot about being tied, also as +he hurried on through the night.</p> + +<p>Along the silent country road he went, up the hill, still keeping his +nose close to the ground so as not to lose his own scent. It was still +"warm." That is it had been made within a few hours. And the longer a +scent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> lies on the ground the harder it is for a dog to trace it. That +is why dogs are said to be "hot on the scent," the meaning being that +the game has passed along only a little while before.</p> + +<p>It is supposed that rabbits, squirrels and other animals each have a +scent of their own, and it clings to the ground for some time, even as +the smell of perfume clings to a handkerchief after it has been washed.</p> + +<p>Pretty soon Ruddy came within sight of the old log cabin. He knew when +he was there even before he could see it, for he could smell it, and +smell the place where he had walked near it.</p> + +<p>But besides this smell there was another. The smell of boys and a man. +And among the boys' odors was one that made Ruddy's heart beat faster as +he caught it.</p> + +<p>It was not the scent of Rick, for the boy master of the dog was inside +the cabin, whence the odor did not come out so plainly. But Ruddy caught +the smell of Chot, with whom he had played almost as often as he had +with Rick.</p> + +<p>"Here's a friend of mine! Here he is!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> Ruddy would have said, if he +could have talked our language. "I know that smell! It's almost the same +as Rick's! Oh, I wonder where Rick is?"</p> + +<p>And then Ruddy raised his head and gave a bark—a short, sharp joyous +bark in the night. A bark that said, as plainly as could be said:</p> + +<p>"Here I am, Rick! Where are you! I smell a smell I know—a smell that +seems to be a part of you! Where are you, Rick?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX<br /> + +<span class="subhead">OVER THE SNOW</span></h3> + + +<p>Chot and Tom, standing the first guard watch outside the log cabin, had +been walking around it, now and then stepping inside to get a drink of +water. They did not go far away, for what they wanted to see, if such a +thing should happen, was the coming back of the sailor or the junk man.</p> + +<p>For the first hour of their watch nothing had happened. It had been too +early, perhaps. And perhaps the junk man had no idea of coming back for +his horse and wagon until morning. At any rate Tom and Chot walked +silently around the log cabin, now and then listening to see if they +could hear any strange noises.</p> + +<p>They heard noises—plenty of them—noises of the night, but they were +not strange to these boys who had lived much of their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> lives in what was +part country and part town.</p> + +<p>There were the chirp of the crickets, the disputing calls of the +Katy-dids and the Katy-didn'ts, the whistling call of the tree toad and, +now and then, the distant bark of a dog. As I have told you, the sound +of a dog's bark carries a long way, especially at night.</p> + +<p>"Wonder if that's Rick's dog?" asked Tom of his chum in a low voice as +they met in front of the log cabin door.</p> + +<p>"It might be," agreed Chot. "I hope we can get Ruddy back."</p> + +<p>"So do I," added Tom.</p> + +<p>The two boys had divided the cabin neighborhood into two sections. Each +one walked half way around the shack at intervals, so that part of the +time they met in back, and part of the time in front, like two coast +guards meeting each other on their beach patrols.</p> + +<p>After a while it grew more silent as the creatures of the night ceased +their calling, and seemed to go to sleep. It was colder, too, and Tom +and Chot were glad they had put on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> warm clothes. But they rather liked +the time they were having. As Boy Scouts they had often camped out, but +never for the reason they were now doing it—to help a chum get back his +dog.</p> + +<p>"Well, our time is 'most up," remarked Tom, as he looked at the +radium-dial of a wrist watch his father had given him. "It'll soon be +twelve," he added.</p> + +<p>"Then Rick and Sam will come out," spoke Chot. "Wouldn't it be funny if +Rick should find his own dog when it was his turn to be on guard."</p> + +<p>"It would be dandy!" said Tom. "But I guess<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>All at once the two boys heard a little crackling and rustling in the +bushes which grew almost up to the old log cabin.</p> + +<p>"Someone's coming!" whispered Chot.</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Tom, in a low voice. "I wonder who it is?"</p> + +<p>And just then there came the bark of a dog close at hand—the bark of a +dog in the night.</p> + +<p>Hearing it so near, Tom and Chot, for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> moment, were quite startled. +Then Chot exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"It sounds just like Ruddy!"</p> + +<p>He spoke aloud and the dog heard him—heard his own name. This was +enough for the brown setter, for he it was who had barked. He had +smelled his way back along the path over which the sailor had led him, +until he reached the log cabin. Then had come to him the odor he knew so +well—the scent of Chot with whom Ruddy had romped and played.</p> + +<p>Then Ruddy barked loudly—the first, real bark he had given since he had +been cut loose by the good sailor. And it was this bark that Chot and +Tom heard.</p> + +<p>"Do you s'pose it is Ruddy?" asked Tom.</p> + +<p>"I hope so," murmured Chot.</p> + +<p>Then the dog heard more plainly the voices—the voices of boys whom he +knew. It was almost as good as if he had heard Rick's voice.</p> + +<p>Once more Ruddy barked, and then he sprang forward, straight toward the +cabin and the two lads on guard. Dimly, in the darkness of the night, +Tom and Chot saw a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> dog bounding toward them, along the path that led to +the front door of the old cabin.</p> + +<p>"There he is!" cried Tom.</p> + +<p>For a moment Chot thought perhaps it might be some other dog, maybe some +half-wild sheep-killing dog that had come to dispute with them for the +possession of the old cabin. But, an instant later, Ruddy was leaping +and barking about his two friends, trying to get into their very arms, +it seemed, he was so glad to be back with them again.</p> + +<p>And how he did bark!</p> + +<p>"Where's Rick? Where's that boy Rick?" Ruddy seemed to be saying.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Ruddy! You did come back! We've found you! Rick will be so glad!" +cried Tom. "We must tell Rick that Ruddy is back!" he added.</p> + +<p>Chot rushed into the cabin and shook Rick, who was asleep in one of the +bunks.</p> + +<p>"Get up! Get up, Rick!" Chot called.</p> + +<p>Slowly and sleepily Rick opened his eyes.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter? Is it my turn to stand watch?" he asked.</p> + +<p>And then he was almost smothered by the rush of Ruddy, who fairly threw +himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> upon the bunk which held his master, and the dog filled the +cabin with his loud bark, so that Scout Master Taylor and the other boys +were awakened.</p> + +<p>"What is it? What's the matter?" asked the Scout Master, for he slept +off in one corner, and all he could see, in the dim light of the +lantern, was a mass of moving forms—several boys and a dog.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy's come back!" cried Tom. "Ruddy is here!"</p> + +<p>"He came up to us when we were on guard outside," explained Chot. "And +he barked!"</p> + +<p>"Is it really Ruddy?" asked Mr. Taylor.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, it's Ruddy! It's my dog all right!" cried Rick. And it needed +but one look to show how glad the dog and his boy-master were to be +together again.</p> + +<p>Then the lantern was turned higher and, when matters had quieted down a +little, it was seen that Ruddy carried around his neck a collar of rope.</p> + +<p>"He's been tied up!" exclaimed Rick. "The sailor and the junk man must +have tied him up so he couldn't get away."</p> + +<p>"And he broke loose," said Tom.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, this rope has been cut," said the Scout Master, as he looked +carefully at the end of the heavy cord on the dog's neck. "This has been +cut by a sharp knife. If some one tied Ruddy up some one cut him loose."</p> + +<p>And so, without having seen it done, Mr. Taylor told exactly what had +happened. He had read the "signs," just as Indians and scouts of the +plains used to read signs, and as Boy Scouts of to-day are learning to +do.</p> + +<p>"Ruddy had a regular collar on," said Rick, as he looked at the harsh +rope around his pet's neck. "I wonder where it is?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess the junk man took it off to sell it," said Sam Brown. +"Those fellows will sell anything they get that way."</p> + +<p>"I'll cut this rope off," went on Rick. "It may hurt him."</p> + +<p>"Hadn't you better leave it on?" asked Tom. "You'll want to tie him up, +Rick, so he won't be taken away again."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess nobody will take him now!" boasted Rick. "He'll stay right +in here the rest of the night."</p> + +<p>And that is what Ruddy did. The dog was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> given some food and water and +then he lay down beneath Rick's bunk and refused to move from there. +Ruddy knew when he had found what he wanted.</p> + +<p>Of course there was no more need of standing guard that night. As the +recovery of Ruddy was all that was desired, Mr. Taylor said there was no +use in sitting up, just to catch the junk man and sailor.</p> + +<p>"We have your dog," he said to Rick, "and the most we could do would be +to have the men arrested. And perhaps it would be hard to prove that +they really enticed Ruddy away. So let them go, if they come."</p> + +<p>But they did not return during the night, neither the sailor, nor the +junk man after his horse and wagon. For the rather bony steed was still +tied to the old log cabin and the wagon load of junk was in the +grass-grown yard in the morning.</p> + +<p>"Well, now we'll have breakfast and go home with Ruddy," said Rick, as +morning dawned and the boys, rather stiff and cold it must be confessed, +arose and stretched themselves out of the bunks. They had been obliged +to "double-up" when it was decided<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> that it was no longer needful to +stand watch as the bunks were only intended to hold four.</p> + +<p>"Yes, we'll be getting back," the Scout Master said. "We have just about +enough food for breakfast."</p> + +<p>"Won't you come up to our house?" invited Sam Brown. "Mother will be +glad to have you."</p> + +<p>"Yes, come on!" urged his brother Pete. "I'll run ahead and tell 'em +you're coming," and before they could stop him he had sped away. He came +back a little later shouting:</p> + +<p>"Come on! Mother's all ready for you! She's going to have pancakes and +sausage and hot coffee and syrup and gravy and everything! Come on!"</p> + +<p>And you may well believe that Rick and his friends did not pass by an +invitation like this.</p> + +<p>Ruddy had a good breakfast, too, though he did not eat at the table with +the boys and the Scout Master. And between bites the boys told the +farmer and his wife of the events of the night.</p> + +<p>"Those junk fellows ought to be cleaned out!" declared Mr. Brown. +"They're as bad<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> as the Gypsies! We farmers will have to get together +and drive 'em away."</p> + +<p>After breakfast preparations were made for the boys to go back to their +homes. As it was Saturday there would be no school, so they planned to +have a good time after reaching Belemere.</p> + +<p>"But first I want to take a look at the log cabin," said Mr. Brown. "If +those junk fellows are around I'm going to give 'em notice to clear +out."</p> + +<p>However he did not have that chance, for when Rick and his friends +reached the old log cabin where they had camped out for the night the +junk man's horse, and the wagon loaded with odds and ends, were gone.</p> + +<p>"They came and got 'em while we were eating!" exclaimed Mr. Brown. "They +must have been watching their chance."</p> + +<p>And, very likely, the men were. At any rate there was no further sign of +them, and as Rick had Ruddy back, and as it was thought best not to get +into a dispute, just then, with the junk men living in the ramshackle +old house near the swamp, nothing was done about it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But we farmers will get together and drive those fellows out!" declared +Mr. Brown. "If they'll take dogs they'll take other things, especially +now with winter coming on. We must clear them out!"</p> + +<p>Then Rick, with Ruddy following joyously, the dog now and then running +back and sniffing at the legs of the boys, started for home.</p> + +<p>"We did what we set out to do," said Mr. Taylor, "and that is generally +the way with Boy Scouts. But we didn't do it in just the way we +planned."</p> + +<p>"But we got Ruddy back!" exclaimed Rick, "and I'm going to be a Boy +Scout!"</p> + +<p>"That's the way to talk!" cried Chot.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Dalton and Mazie listened eagerly to the story Rick +told—of the night spent in the log cabin, and how Ruddy came back.</p> + +<p>"But who cut him loose?" asked Rick's father.</p> + +<p>"That's what we don't know," said the boy. "It must have been somebody +who liked dogs."</p> + +<p>And it was not until some time later that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> they heard about the sailor, +who, with his knife, slashed the rope that kept Ruddy a prisoner.</p> + +<p>For several days after this adventure Rick kept close watch over Ruddy, +as, indeed, Mrs. Dalton did when Rick was at school. The whole Dalton +family, as well as the boys and girls in the neighborhood of Rick's +house, had come to know and care for the brown setter. The setter is a +very lovable sort of dog, not perhaps as strong in character as a bull, +a collie or Airedale, but of a disposition that makes you love him in +spite of the tricks he sometimes plays.</p> + +<p>But as the days passed, and neither the ragged sailor nor the still more +ragged junk man was seen in Belemere, Rick began to feel that his dog +was safe.</p> + +<p>"I guess he won't try to take him again, Rick," said Sig Bailey, the +coast guard. "And if I see that sailor along the beach again I'll tell +him what I think of him!"</p> + +<p>But the sailor did not come again for a long time.</p> + +<p>Winter was now at hand. Several times the clouds had seemed to promise +snow, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> the hopes of the boys and girls who had sleds rose high. But +the hopes came to naught, for the clouds blew away without sending down +the sifting, white flakes.</p> + +<p>At last, however, the glorious days of winter really came. One morning +when Rick jumped out of bed and looked from the window, he saw a sight +that gladdened his heart.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mazie!" he cried. "It's snowing! It's snowing!"</p> + +<p>And Mazie took up the happy cry:</p> + +<p>"It's snowing! It's snowing!"</p> + +<p>Down in the kitchen, where he was having a warm breakfast, Ruddy barked +joyously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what fun we'll have!" chanted Rick. "We'll ride down hill, we'll +make a snow man, a snow house, a fort and everything! Oh, what fun we'll +have!"</p> + +<p>And Rick and the boys did have fun. So did the girls. So did Ruddy and +his friend Peter, the bulldog, floundering about in the snow. It was +ever so much more fun for the dogs to play in the snow than in the rain, +just as it is more fun for boys and girls to scatter the white flakes +rather than dodge the pattering drops of water.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span></p> + +<p>As Rick had said, there was coasting and the building of snow houses. +Snow men were made, and pelted with snowballs. Snow forts were built on +the hills and the boys divided into soldier companies and had battles +with snowballs.</p> + +<p>One day when Rick had been coasting with the other boys he had stayed so +late that it was almost dark. One by one his chums went home after long, +swift rides over the snow-covered hill, but Rick and Ruddy remained on +the slope. One or twice Rick took Ruddy down on the sled with him, and +the dog seemed to like the swift motion, just as dogs like auto riding.</p> + +<p>"One more coast and we'll go!" said Rick, as he saw that he was the last +boy left on the hill. His sister Mazie had gone home some time before, +telling Rick he had better hurry or he would be late for supper.</p> + +<p>"One more ride!" the boy told himself.</p> + +<p>He got on his sled. Ruddy, who had been capering about until he was +tired, lay down in the snow at the top of the hill. Rick gave himself a +push and started down the steep grade.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span></p> + +<p>Just how it happened he never knew, but his sled must have struck a +stone, or some obstruction, and in a moment it went off the side of the +hill, down into a deep gully, filled with a deep, white drift.</p> + +<p>Into this drift plunged Rick, head first, sled and all. And down into +the soft snow he fell. At first he was not alarmed, for he had often +rolled from his sled into a drift. But this drift was different. At one +edge was a big rock, and Rick's head struck on this.</p> + +<p>In an instant all seemed to get black before the eyes of the boy—much +blacker than the blackness of approaching night. A queer, dizzy feeling +came over Rick. He appeared to be sinking away down deep—as if into the +depths of the ocean out of which Ruddy had come to him.</p> + +<p>And the last thing Rick remembered was the distant barking of his dog. +Then the boy fell into the drift, making a hole as he plunged into the +soft mass of snow. Down, down he went, he and his sled. And then Rick +disappeared from the view of Ruddy up on top of the hill.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI<br /> + +<span class="subhead">THROUGH THE ICE</span></h3> + + +<p>How long he lay in the blackness, which was caused by the blow on his +head, Rick did not know. But when he opened his eyes, to find himself +lying half under his sled which had fallen with him, it was dark all +about him—that is, all dark except a faint light which came from the +snow pile into which he had tumbled. That made a gleam of whiteness even +when all else was black.</p> + +<p>"I wonder—I wonder what happened?" asked Rick, speaking in a faint +voice.</p> + +<p>Then it came back to him—how he had taken one last coast down the hill, +how something had slipped and how he had fallen down into the hole in +the snow.</p> + +<p>That was where he found himself now, and, as he opened his eyes, though +his head hurt him very much as he did this, he saw the snow all about +him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span></p> + +<p>And then Rick heard the barking of a dog, and at once he knew whose dog +it was.</p> + +<p>"That's Ruddy!" he murmured. "Good, old Ruddy! Here, Rud! Rud!" he +called.</p> + +<p>The barking came louder, and Rick looked up toward the top of the hole. +It was as if he were down in a well, the sides of which were made of +snow. At the top he could see the sky, from which the last glow of the +sun had faded, but a few stars were glittering there. And Rick saw +something else. It was the head of Ruddy.</p> + +<p>Ruddy was leaning over the hole in the snow drift, looking down at Rick +who had fallen to the bottom.</p> + +<p>"Come on down, Ruddy. Come and help me up!" called Rick, after he had +tried to move and found that he could not. Something seemed to be the +matter with one of his legs, and when he turned his head the least bit, +he felt dizzy. It even hurt him to call to his dog.</p> + +<p>And no sooner had Rick told Ruddy to jump down into the snow hole with +him than he wished he had not done so.</p> + +<p>"If Ruddy comes down here," thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> Rick, "he can't get out either, and +then we'll both be in a hole! Stay back, Ruddy! Stay back!" he called, +faintly.</p> + +<p>But there was no need to tell Ruddy that. The setter was a wise dog, and +though he very much wanted to aid his master, he was not going to run +into danger himself, and so make it impossible for him to help Rick. +Ruddy was a wise dog.</p> + +<p>He had seen Rick go down in the snow drift, and at first thought nothing +of it. It was not the first time Rick had toppled into the snow that +day.</p> + +<p>But when several minutes went by, and Rick did not come out, laughing as +he always did, Ruddy became uneasy. He ran down the hill, almost as fast +as the coasting sled had gone down, and when he came to the edge of the +hole he stopped. That was where Ruddy was wise.</p> + +<p>If he had gone on much farther he would have slipped into the drift +himself, and, while he might have been able to flounder his way out, he +would not have been of any use to his master.</p> + +<p>So Ruddy stopped on the hard, firm edge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> of the hole, at the place where +Rick had toppled in. And there Ruddy stood, looked down at his master, +and barked.</p> + +<p>Ruddy could not see as well, by looking down into the hole of snow, as +Rick could see by looking up, but the dog knew his master was there.</p> + +<p>"Stay up there, Ruddy! Stay there!" called Rick, faintly, trying to +fight off the feeling of weakness and the blackness that appeared to be +trying to cover him with a heavy blanket. "Stay up there—and go get +help! Go home, Ruddy!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy barked again, and there was a different meaning to it. If another +dog had been there he could have very easily have understood what Ruddy +was saying. It was this:</p> + +<p>"All right, Master! I'll go home! I'll go get help! But I just wanted +you to know that I wasn't going to run off and leave you all alone. I'm +going to help you, but I can't do it if I jump down there with you."</p> + +<p>Giving a last bark, as if to tell Rick to keep up his courage and not to +worry, Ruddy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> sprang away, and raced up the hill toward home.</p> + +<p>Rick had a final glimpse of his dog as the animal drew back from the top +of the well-like hole in the snow. Then Rick decided to try to do +something for himself.</p> + +<p>"I wonder why I can't get up and dig my way out?" he asked himself. "I +can use my sled for a shovel."</p> + +<p>But when he tried to move he felt such a sharp pain in his leg, and his +head pained him so, and he felt so dizzy, that he had to stop. The night +seemed to be settling down now, blacker than ever. Rick could see no +stars now, but he began to feel a warm glow coming over him, as though +he had drawn near some blazing fire.</p> + +<p>Somehow Rick remembered reading that travelers, overcome in the snow, +felt this warmth before they lost their senses and froze to death. And +he tried to fight off the drowsiness.</p> + +<p>"I must wake up! I must wake up and dig my way out of here!" he said to +himself over and over again. But each time he tried to move he was +unable.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span></p> + +<p>And then for a time he knew nothing. He just lay there, all crumpled up +at the bottom of a deep hole in the snow.</p> + +<p>The next thing Rick knew was that he heard voices. At first they seemed +to be a long way off, but they came nearer. Then he felt himself being +moved, and he opened his eyes to see lights gleaming. He saw his father +bending over him, lifting him up, and he heard his father's voice +saying:</p> + +<p>"Well, Rick, my boy! Ruddy did you another good turn! He brought us to +you! Now you're all right!"</p> + +<p>And somehow, though his leg still hurt him, and his head pained, Rick +knew it was all right. He settled back in his father's arms, and felt +himself being carried along, through a sort of snow tunnel.</p> + +<p>And that is just the way Rick was taken out of the hole into which he +had fallen with his sled. Ruddy, after leaving his master, having +barked, as well as he knew how to tell him what he was going to do, had +raced home. There he acted so strangely, grasping Mr. Dalton by the +coat, and fairly pulling the boy's father toward the door, that Mazie +cried:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, what makes Ruddy act so funny? Something must be the matter!"</p> + +<p>"Something has happened to Rick!" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton. "I know it!"</p> + +<p>"I think that must be it," her husband replied. "I'll go with Ruddy and +see."</p> + +<p>Quickly putting on his hat, Mr. Dalton went out with the dog, and Ruddy +showed, very plainly by his joyful barks, that this was just what he +wanted.</p> + +<p>"It's just like the time Rick fell out of the tree when he was +chestnutting," said Mazie.</p> + +<p>"But he wouldn't be climbing trees now," said Mrs. Dalton, who was +beginning to get worried. "Rick went coasting."</p> + +<p>"Maybe he went so fast that his sled climbed a tree," suggested the +little girl.</p> + +<p>And Ruddy led Mr. Dalton right to the hole down which Rick had fallen +with his sled. Mazie had not guessed it quite right. The sled had taken +her brother down, not up.</p> + +<p>Flashing the rays of a pocket electric torch he carried, down into the +hole in the snow, Mr. Dalton saw Rick lying at the bottom, and it did +not take the father long, with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> help of some neighbors who brought +shovels, to dig a tunnel through the snow to where Rick was and carry +him out of the drift. If they had started to get him from above they +might have caved the pile of snow down on top of him.</p> + +<p>"But what made my head feel so funny?" asked Rick, when he had been +taken home, put to bed and the doctor called.</p> + +<p>"You struck on your head pretty hard," answered Dr. Wayne with a smile. +"It made you partly unconscious at times, and then you got numb with the +cold, and almost went too sound asleep."</p> + +<p>"Is my leg broken?" asked Rick. "I couldn't stand up on it."</p> + +<p>"No, it was only twisted by your fall," the doctor told him. "You will +be all right in a few days."</p> + +<p>And so Rick was, but during those few days he had to stay in bed, though +part of the time he could lie on a couch and look out of the window at +the snow. And all this time Ruddy never left him. The dog stayed beside +his master, only going out at night to his kennel when Rick had fallen +asleep.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And don't let that old sailor or the junk man get him," Rick begged of +his father and mother, when it came time to put Ruddy out.</p> + +<p>"I guess Ruddy himself won't let them come near him again," spoke Mr. +Dalton.</p> + +<p>And so there grew between Rick and Ruddy a firmer bond of love and +affection than ever. When Rick grew tired of reading or of looking out +of the window he would glance toward Ruddy. And the dog, who had been, +perhaps, asleep on the rug near his master's chair, seemed to know the +minute Rick looked at him, even if the dog's eyes were shut, for Ruddy +would give a low bark of pleasure and his tail would thump the floor.</p> + +<p>That was Ruddy's way of talking.</p> + +<p>The winter days passed. Rick grew strong again and went out to play in +the snow and on the ice with Ruddy. And all the boys wished they had +such a dog as was the red setter.</p> + +<p>There came a thaw, a rain and then a freeze. Instead of the ground being +covered with snow, all the ponds, lakes and streams were frozen over.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now for some skating!" cried Rick. And Ruddy barked joyously. For, +though he could not skate, and though he slid over the ice when he tried +to walk on it, still he had fun, and loved to be out of doors with his +master and the other boys.</p> + +<p>One day Rick, Chot and Tom were down on Weed River with their skates. +Rick had taken Mazie with him, and while she skated with some other +little girls, her brother and his chums started a game of hockey.</p> + +<p>They were in the midst of it, and Rick's side was winning, when, +suddenly, there sounded a loud, cracking noise.</p> + +<p>"There goes the ice!" cried Chot. "Skate to shore, everybody! The ice is +breaking!"</p> + +<p>Forgetting their game, Rick and the others headed for the safe shore. +But even as Rick glided along, followed by Ruddy, the boy glanced down +toward where he had left Mazie. He could not see her, but he noticed the +other girls fleeing toward the river bank. And then from one of them +came the cry:</p> + +<p>"Mazie's in the water! Mazie went through the ice!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">THE SAILOR COMES AGAIN</span></h3> + + +<p>Rick and the other boys knew what this meant—to break through the ice +when they were skating. It had happened more than once on Weed River, +and once, when Chot fell in, there was hard work to get him out. Rick +remembered that time.</p> + +<p>And now, as Rick heard the call of the frightened girls, and saw them +running toward the shore without Mazie, his heart seemed to feel like a +lump of lead. Ruddy, the dog, ran barking with the boys.</p> + +<p>"Mazie's in the water! Mazie fell through the ice!" cried the shrill +voices of the girls.</p> + +<p>"Boys, we've got to get her out!" shouted Rick. "We got to save my +sister!"</p> + +<p>"That's what we have!" echoed Chot.</p> + +<p>The boys turned, as soon as they reached the bank, and ran toward the +place where they saw a hole in the ice. And, as Rick ran<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> he caught a +glimpse of his sister Mazie. She was down in the hole that had broken +open when the ice cracked. Her head and shoulders were out of the hole.</p> + +<p>But even ahead of the boys ran Ruddy, the dog. He seemed to know +something had happened, as he knew it the time Rick was caught in the +tree, and when his master fell into the snow drift.</p> + +<p>He barked loudly, did Ruddy, and he looked back, every once in a while +to see if the boys were coming. And they were, you may be sure of that. +Rick, Chot, Tom and the others were hurrying to save Mazie.</p> + +<p>"How—how we going to get her out?" gasped Tom.</p> + +<p>"Run right up to her and pull her out!" cried Chot. "She's holding to +the edge of the ice. I can see her. Her head isn't under water! We got +to pull her out!"</p> + +<p>"But we mustn't run up to her!" exclaimed Rick. "If we do—we'll—go in +the water, too! The ice will break with us—same as—it did +with—Mazie!"</p> + +<p>He could hardly talk he was so excited and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> out of breath from running. +He was gasping for breath.</p> + +<p>"How we going to get your sister to shore if we don't pull her up out of +the hole?" asked Tom.</p> + +<p>"We got to get a board—or something—put it on the ice and walk out on +it!" Rick answered.</p> + +<p>"That's right!" cried Chot. "I remember now! It's in our Boy Scout book. +You got to use fence rails, or something to put down on the ice when +it's cracking, to hold your weight. There's a fence! We can pull off +some boards."</p> + +<p>The girls continued screaming and jumping up and down on the bank, +pointing toward Mazie, who was still in the water. She was holding to +the ice at the edge of the hole through which she had fallen, and she +was trying to call for Rick. But she was so cold and frightened she +could hardly make a sound.</p> + +<p>"Get the boards!" cried Rick to his chums.</p> + +<p>But Ruddy waited for no boards. He saw that Mazie was in danger and he +went to help her in the only way he knew—by going<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> straight to the +hole, reaching down and catching hold of the loose shoulder of the +little girl's coat.</p> + +<p>That's what Ruddy did! He ran straight over the ice toward the hole. And +because Ruddy was a dog, and had four feet resting on the ice, instead +of only two, like the boys, and because he was not as heavy as either +Rick, Chot or Tom, the ice did not break under the dog's weight. Ruddy, +standing on four feet, spread his weight over a larger part of the ice, +and this is just why a board should be used by anyone who is trying to +save a person who has fallen into an ice hole. A board, or two or three +fence rails, will hold you up on ice that would be too thin to walk on.</p> + +<p>So it was that Ruddy did not break through, even when he went to the +edge of the hole, in which poor Mazie was floundering. He reached over, +caught hold of her loose coat in his teeth, and tried to pull her out. +But this was too much for Ruddy. His paws were not made for getting a +good hold on the ice, and he began to slip toward the dark, cold water.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i006.png" width="400" height="575" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Catch hold of her, now!" cried Rick.</span> +</div> + +<p>"Ruddy! Ruddy! Come back!" cried Rick, when he saw what was happening. +"You can't get Mazie out, and you'll go in yourself."</p> + +<p>"We'll get her out! We have the fence rails!" shouted Chot. "Come here, +Ruddy!"</p> + +<p>But Ruddy would not let go of Mazie until he saw Rick and Chot close +beside him, at the edge of the hole. The boys were standing on some +fence rails, and these bore them up on the thin ice.</p> + +<p>"Catch hold of her, now!" cried Rick, and he and Chot took a firm grip, +one at each of the little girl's shoulders. The fence rails were on +either side of the hole, and the boys, lifting with all their strength, +pulled Mazie out of the water. Ruddy ran back, barking, toward shore, +when Rick told him to. Tom held the two shore ends of the rails steady +so they would not slide on the smooth, hard, frozen surface.</p> + +<p>In another moment Rick and Chot had Mazie safe on the firm ice and were +hurrying with her toward the bank.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mazie! are you—are you drowned?" asked Edna, one of her chums.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No—no! I—I—I'm not drowned," chattered Mazie, "but I'm terrible +c-c-c-old!"</p> + +<p>"We got to get her home!" cried Rick. "She's got to be warm!"</p> + +<p>Quickly the boys took off Mazie's skates, and then, with Rick on one +side of her and Chot on the other, while Tom took the other frightened +girls in charge, the homeward trip was quickly made.</p> + +<p>You may be sure there was much excitement in the Dalton house when the +children were seen coming along, Mazie dripping wet and with Rick and +Chot holding either arm. But Mrs. Dalton was accustomed to things +happening, and as long as she saw that Mazie was alive and not hurt, she +did not worry, but began making ready to warm the drenched and cold +little girl.</p> + +<p>Mazie was soon dried and put into a warm bed, with a hot water bag at +her feet. She was given hot chocolate to drink and when the doctor came +he said she might not be any the worse off for her adventure; at least +he hoped she would not be.</p> + +<p>And Mazie was not. Aside from a little cold, which she could hardly help +having, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span> did not suffer much from having broken through the ice.</p> + +<p>"Were you scared?" asked Rick, when it was all over.</p> + +<p>"I just guess I was!" answered Mazie. "But when I saw Ruddy coming for +me I seemed to know it would be all right. He saved me and he saved you; +didn't he, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"He sure did!" exclaimed the boy.</p> + +<p>"And you and your chums did well, too," said Mr. Dalton. "You did just +the right thing in getting the fence rails. I am glad to know Chot +remembered some of his Boy Scout rules, and glad that you did not get so +excited that you 'lost your heads,' as it is called."</p> + +<p>"They would look funny without any heads!" laughed Mazie.</p> + +<p>And so Rick loved Ruddy more than ever, and so did everyone who knew the +dog.</p> + +<p>The winter brought many good times to Rick and his friends, but there +were no more such accidents as falling into a snow drift or breaking +through the ice.</p> + +<p>The snow storms and the freezing nights<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> began to pass away. Spring was +near and though Rick liked winter he was glad the days were coming when +he and his dog could roam over the fields and through the woods; when he +could toss sticks into Weed River or Silver Lake, and have Ruddy swim +out to get them and bring them back.</p> + +<p>One day, when Rick had come home from school, after a little April +shower, and when it seemed as if May flowers were just ready to bloom, +he fed his pet crow, Haw-Haw, and then ran to Ruddy's kennel.</p> + +<p>"Come on boy! Now for a run!" cried Rick.</p> + +<p>And Ruddy, with a joyful bark, seemed to answer:</p> + +<p>"Here I am, Rick, ready and waiting for you!"</p> + +<p>As dog and boy ran toward the front gate, and as Rick gave his cry of +"<i>Ee-oh!</i>" to call Chot to come out and have fun, a strange, harsh voice +snapped out:</p> + +<p>"There he is! There he is!"</p> + +<p>And down the street came the old ragged sailor!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII<br /> + +<span class="subhead">HAPPY DAYS</span></h3> + + +<p>Ruddy growled. Rick stood very still, and then, slowly, his hand went +out to grasp his dog's collar, to hold him against being taken away. As +for the ragged sailor he just stood there, smiling at Rick.</p> + +<p>And somehow, as the man smiled, it seemed to make Rick feel better. He +was not so much afraid. But still he kept hold of Ruddy's collar.</p> + +<p>And then, suddenly, that harsh voice called again:</p> + +<p>"There he is! There he is!"</p> + +<p>It reminded Rick of a time he had once been to an entertainment in the +school, when a ventriloquist had seemed to make a wooden doll, which he +held on his knee, speak as though alive.</p> + +<p>The voice appeared to come from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> ragged sailor, yet the strange man +of the sea had not opened his lips.</p> + +<p>And again came the harsh cry:</p> + +<p>"There he is! Over the fence with him! Ha! Ha! The stormy winds do blow! +Do blow! Do blow!"</p> + +<p>And then, with a start of surprise, Rick saw, crawling up from behind +the sailor, and sitting on his shoulder a green parrot. And the parrot, +as he pulled himself along the sailor's coat, using claws and his big, +hooked beak, opened his mouth, stuck out his queer, thick black tongue +and cried:</p> + +<p>"Ship ahoy! Where away! Two points off on the weather bow! Bow wow! Bow +wow!"</p> + +<p>Ruddy uttered a growl and started forward, his eyes fixed on the green +bird, but Rick pulled him back.</p> + +<p>"Quiet, Ruddy! Down!" spoke the boy in a low voice, and Ruddy, with one +look up into his master's face stretched out at his feet. Ruddy, like a +good and well-trained dog, had learned to mind, and a dog that will not +obey is of very little use, even as a pet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I've come back, you see!" said the sailor, and he reached up his +hand to stroke the gaily-colored feathers of the parrot. "I've come +back."</p> + +<p>"Yes—yes," said Rick, slowly. "I—I see you!"</p> + +<p>"And do you see my parrot?" went on the sailor. "Do you see Poll? Look +at her!"</p> + +<p>Indeed Rick was looking at the green bird, and the parrot, as she heard +her name spoken, screeched out:</p> + +<p>"Pretty Poll! Very pretty! Polly bite!"</p> + +<p>"No you don't!" quickly exclaimed the sailor, shaking his finger and +tapping the bird's beak. "If you bite not another cracker do you get for +a week!"</p> + +<p>"Ha! Ha! Pretty Poll! Pretty Poll! Over the fence is out! What ho! Sail +ho! Ho! Ho!"</p> + +<p>Thus cried the green parrot, and then from the woodshed came another +voice, almost like that of the bird on the sailor's shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Haw! Haw! Haw!" was shouted from the wood shed. "Get up! Get up! +Whew-ew-ew-e-e-e-e-e-ah!" and a shrill whistle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span> ended the jumble of +queer sounds, at which Ruddy barked again.</p> + +<p>"Have you a parrot, too?" asked the ragged sailor, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"No, that's Haw-Haw, my tame crow," answered Rick, who still stood close +to Ruddy, as though guarding his dog.</p> + +<p>"A—a crow!" the sailor exclaimed. "I didn't know they could talk."</p> + +<p>"Haw-Haw can't talk very much," answered Rick. "But he whistles a lot. +He whistles like I do, and—and you must have whistled like me or my +crow once!" he went on, and fear began to come into his eyes. "You +whistled like Haw-Haw and Ruddy went out and<span class="nowrap">——</span>"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know," said the sailor. "That's what I came back about."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean about my dog—about Ruddy?" asked Rick and there was a +catch in his voice. "Have you come back<span class="nowrap">——"</span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I came back about your dog," spoke the sailor.</p> + +<p>"Are you—are you going to take him—away?" asked Rick in a low voice. +He remembered how he had come to own Ruddy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span>—the dog who had suddenly +appeared out of the sea, after he had prayed one night. Now here was the +sailor, looking as though he were going back to the sea, for, besides +the parrot, he had a satchel. Was he going to take Ruddy to the ocean? +That was the thought in Rick's mind.</p> + +<p>And then the sailor smiled—he smiled in a way that, better than words +could have done, told Rick everything was all right. And even Ruddy +seemed to understand that matters were going well for him, as he thumped +his tail on the ground. And that always is a sure sign with a dog—a +sign that he is pleased, happy and knows that he is with his friends.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have come back, but not to take your dog away," said the ragged +sailor. "He's your dog—he did belong to me once, but I know he'll be +happier with you. I don't want him now."</p> + +<p>"Don't you—really?" cried Rick.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not going to take him. That's what I came to tell you," went on +the sailor. "I'm on my way back to go aboard a ship<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> for a long sea +voyage, but Ruddy isn't going with me."</p> + +<p>"What is all this, Rick?" asked his mother, coming out to the sidewalk. +She had heard voices, and had seen the ragged man, with the green bird +on his shoulder, standing at the gate talking to Rick. And she +remembered about the ragged sailor and the junk man. "What is all this?" +she asked.</p> + +<p>"I came back, lady," spoke the ragged sailor, taking off his hat and +making a bow, "I came back to tell your boy he needn't worry any more +about losing his dog. I am not going to try to get him back, though he +once belonged to me. I have another mascot now. I have something else to +bring me good luck. Here she is!" and he pointed to the green bird on +his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Hip hurray! What ho! What ho! The stormy winds do blow! Do blow!" cried +the parrot.</p> + +<p>"You mean that you are not going to try to whistle Rick's dog away +again?" asked Mrs. Dalton.</p> + +<p>"That's it, yes, lady," answered the sailor,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> with another bow. "I did +whistle the boy's dog away, and I'm sorry for it. You see the dog +belonged to me, and he was washed overboard in a storm. After that I had +nothing but bad luck. Maybe it was because I wasn't as good to Ruddy as +I ought to have been.</p> + +<p>"Anyhow when I found out where he was, from talking with some fish men, +I made up my mind to have the dog back. So I sneaked around until I +found him, and then I whistled for him. I'm a pretty good whistler. I +can whistle like some birds. Listen!"</p> + +<p>And then such shrill, trilling and sweet piping whistles came from the +sailor's lips that Haw-Haw, the crow, tried to imitate them and answer, +and Ruddy barked joyously, while Rick and his mother looked and listened +with wonder.</p> + +<p>"Say, but you can whistle!" cried Rick. "That was great!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have a knack that way," said the sailor. "Well, after I took +your dog away in the junk wagon I thought I was going to have good luck. +But I didn't. We went to the old house near the swamp, and there I met +another sailor. I wasn't good friends<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> with him, for once I had played a +mean trick on him. And, just to get even with me, I suppose, he went out +in the night and cut loose the dog I had tied up."</p> + +<p>"Oh, so that's how Ruddy got loose, was it?" asked Rick.</p> + +<p>"That was it; yes," answered the ragged sailor. "At first I was mad at +Jed Porter, but afterward I was glad. Then he and I got to be friends +again, and he gave me this parrot."</p> + +<p>"Pretty Poll! Pretty Poll!" shrieked the green bird.</p> + +<p>"She always calls herself that when you mention her," went on the ragged +sailor. "Well, as I say, after I had the parrot I began to think she +would do me as a good luck mascot, instead of the dog, and she did. I +began to do better right away. Now I have a chance to sail on a long +voyage aboard a good ship, and I'm going to take Polly with me."</p> + +<p>"Over the bounding waves, we sail, we sail, we sail!" shrilled the bird. +"What ho! The stormy winds do blow!"</p> + +<p>"Now please keep quiet a minute until I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span> finish," called the sailor, +shaking his finger close to the bird's beak. She opened it but did not +bite.</p> + +<p>"I've taught her not to," the sailor went on. "Well, as I was saying, +when I had this parrot for a mascot I felt I didn't need the dog. So I +stopped around to tell you not to worry any more. I'll never whistle him +away again."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Rick. "Now you belong to me forever, Ruddy!" +and he put his arms around the setter's neck.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's yours forever," said the sailor. "He was mine, but I give him +to you. A dog that could get to shore after being blown overboard the +way he was, is a good dog!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Ruddy is a good dog, and we all like him very much," said Mrs. +Dalton.</p> + +<p>"And I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble in taking him away," +concluded the sailor, as he picked up his valise and was about to travel +on.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we had fun camping out, and I'm going to be a Boy Scout," said +Rick. "And Ruddy's going to belong, too!"</p> + +<p>"That'll be fine!" said the sailor. "Well,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> now having said all I'm +going to, I'll haul up my anchor and get under way. Good-bye!" he added. +"Good-bye to you, lady, and to you, boy and you, Ruddy, the red dog! +I'll never trouble you again! I'm off on a long voyage!"</p> + +<p>And with a wave of his cap toward Mrs. Dalton, he swung his valise up on +one shoulder while, with the parrot perched on the other, he walked +slowly down the street.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye! Oh, my eye! Ho! Ho! The stormy winds do blow!" cried the +green bird.</p> + +<p>And that was the last Rick saw of the sailor and his parrot for a long +time.</p> + +<p>"But now you're mine, Ruddy! Mine forever!" cried the boy, and then he +threw a stick far down the street and the setter raced after it.</p> + +<p>Chot came out of his yard with Tom. The two boys saw the leaping dog.</p> + +<p>"Ee-o, Ruddy! Ee-o!" they cried.</p> + +<p>"Ee-o!" answered Rick. "Oh, fellows! Come here! I have such a lot to +tell you!" he added.</p> + +<p>And you may be sure Tom and Chot opened their eyes in wonder when they +heard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span> about the ragged sailor and his green parrot good-luck mascot.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad Ruddy is yours to keep, and that you don't have to worry +about him being whistled away again," said Chot.</p> + +<p>"So'm I," added Tom.</p> + +<p>"Come on, now, we'll have some fun!" said Rick, and then boys and dog +raced over the meadow toward Weed River.</p> + +<p>This was the beginning of many happy days for Rick and Ruddy, and +Haw-Haw, the tame crow, shared in them, for, having seen the parrot +perched on the sailor's shoulder, Rick taught his black pet to do the +same trick, and also some new whistles.</p> + +<p>And on the bright and breezy days of spring and summer you might have +seen Rick, Ruddy and Haw-Haw playing about in the fields, or near Silver +Lake, whereon the white swans floated. But Ruddy never chased them, now, +and so the setter did not have to flee in terror from the big birds. +Ruddy had learned his lesson.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you are the best dog in the world, Ruddy!" said Rick, over and +over again. "What good times we'll have!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span></p> + +<p>And they did have many adventures. If you would like to read more about +the boy and his dog I may write another book. I think I shall call it +"Rick and Ruddy in Camp," but, as for this volume, we have come to</p> + +<p class="center" style="font-size:1.5em;">THE END</p> + + + +<div class="tnote"> +<h3 style="margin-top:0.75em;">Transcriber's Note:</h3> + +<p>Irregular hyphenation e.g. "bow-bow" vs. "bow wow", "good-luck" vs. +"good luck" is as per the original. Punctuation errors corrected without note. +The following typographical errors have been corrected:</p> +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Page</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_18">18</a> the deep, cast up by the churning of the waves [had "deap"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_61">61</a> weeds in it, at certain times ["at" was "as"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_80">80</a> Ruddy circled about in the leaves [had "Rudy"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_126">126</a> known that he could not open the trap ["he" was "the"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_162">162</a> Rick gave a shrill whistle ["Rick" was "Ruddy"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_189">189</a> a man with a straggly black beard [had "straggily"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_271">271</a> a ventriloquist had seemed to make [had "ventroquilist"]</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_272">272</a> Ruddy uttered a growl and started forward [had "forard"]</span><br /></p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rick and Ruddy, by Howard R. 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Garis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Rick and Ruddy + The Story of a Boy and His Dog + +Author: Howard R. Garis + +Illustrator: John Goss + +Release Date: November 26, 2010 [EBook #34448] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICK AND RUDDY *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Louise Pattison and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + RICK AND RUDDY + + A BOY AND HIS DOG + + HOWARD R. GARIS + + + + +[Illustration: "Oh, yes, it's Ruddy! It's my dog, all right!" cried +Rick. _Page 243._] + + + + + Rick and Ruddy + + THE STORY OF A BOY + AND HIS DOG + + BY + HOWARD R. GARIS + Author of the "Uncle Wiggily Bedtime Stories," etc. + + ILLUSTRATED BY + JOHN GOSS + + 1920 + MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY + SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS + + + + + Copyright, 1920, by + MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY + SPRINGFIELD, MASS. + + * * * * * + + _Rick and Ruddy_ + + Bradley Quality Books + _for_ Children + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. RICK WANTS A DOG 1 + + II. RUDDY WANTS A HOME 14 + + III. RICK AND RUDDY 27 + + IV. RUDDY'S FIRST HUNT 43 + + V. RICK GETS LOST 53 + + VI. HAW-HAW THE CROW 72 + + VII. WHY DID RUDDY GROWL? 86 + + VIII. THE OLD SAILOR 110 + + IX. RUDDY HELPS SALLIE 114 + + X. SALLIE IS CAUGHT 123 + + XI. A MYSTERIOUS WHISTLE 136 + + XII. RUDDY IS GONE 148 + + XIII. ON THE SEARCH 162 + + XIV. THE OLD CABIN 173 + + XV. RUDDY AND THE SAILOR 184 + + XVI. CAMPING OUT 195 + + XVII. THE TWO SAILORS 207 + + XVIII. SCOUTS ON THE WATCH 217 + + XIX. A BARK IN THE NIGHT 230 + + XX. OVER THE SNOW 238 + + XXI. THROUGH THE ICE 253 + + XXII. THE SAILOR COMES AGAIN 263 + + XXIII. HAPPY DAYS 271 + + + + +RICK AND RUDDY + + + + +CHAPTER I + +RICK WANTS A DOG + + +Rick Dalton sat on the sandy beach tossing white stones and bits of +shell into the little waves that broke almost at his feet. The tide was +just on the turn; soon it would come in, and the big, booming rollers +would drive Rick farther up toward the dunes, where the wind was making +a queer, whistling sound as it bent the long spears of saw-edged grass, +whipping off venturesome, gray hoppers, that had boldly crawled up, +perhaps to get a better view of the heaving ocean. + +"I don't care!" murmured Rick, but, from the tone of his voice, and the +look on his face, one might have said that he did care, and very much, +too, about something. But still Rick said: "I don't care!" And he said +it over and over, until it was almost like the song the waves seemed to +sing as they swished up the beach, rolling over and over the white sand, +pebbles and bits of shell, swishing them along as if they, too, didn't +care what happened. + +"I don't care!" exclaimed Rick again, as he tossed a larger stone out so +that it fell with a splash near a floating bit of wood, and frightened +away an osprey that was about to swoop down and catch a sea bass which +had ventured too near the surface. "I want a dog! I just want a dog, and +I think mother might let me have one! I don't care!" + +Just why he said that Rick didn't know, for he did care very much about +something--and that was to have a dog. He dug his fingers deep in the +sand, scooped up a wet mass of it in his palm, and tossed it high into +the air. It fell about him in a little shower, and then, as Rick was +about to repeat this, a wave, larger than any of the others, rolled up +and nearly wet his feet. + +And as Rick had on his shoes and stockings, he hastily scrambled back +out of the way of the ocean, for salt water is bad for leather, as +everyone knows who has ever been to the seashore. + +"Tide's coming in!" mused Rick. "Must be four o'clock. If I had a dog +now----" + +He rose slowly to his feet, looked up and down the beach and out across +the sea. In the distance was a smudge of smoke from a coast steamer. + +"Wish I was on her!" murmured the boy. "If I was maybe mother'd let me +have a dog. There's most always a dog on a ship. Oh, why can't I have a +dog?" + +No one answered Rick Dalton. There was no one there to speak, unless, +perhaps, it was the fish hawk, and, if he could have talked Rick's +language he might have told the small boy what he thought about him for +having spoiled his dinner. For the dinner of the osprey depended on his +catch of fish--and, not only his dinner, but the dinner of the hungry, +little whistling birds in the dead pine tree farther inland. + +But all the boy heard was the swish of the waves as they whispered among +the bits of shell and white pebbles--that and the whistle of the wind +in the rank grass that grew atop the sand dunes. + +"Tide's coming in," mused Rick. "Four o'clock, and I've got to go to the +store. If I had a dog he could carry the things for me. Oh, I wish I had +a dog!" + +Rick dug the toe of his shoe into the sand, turned for a last look at +the ocean and then trudged over the little hills that bordered the shore +and soon was on his way to the village. It was when he was at home +again, after having gone to the store, as his mother had told him to do +at 4 o'clock--when the tide turned--it was then that Rick again voiced +his wish. + +"Why can't I have a dog, mother?" he asked. "I'm old enough now, and +lots of the boys have 'em! Henry Blake, he's got a dog he says I can +have. Why can't I have him?" + +"Doesn't Henry want his dog any more?" asked Mrs. Dalton, as she took +the bundle of groceries Rick had brought. + +"No!" was the eager answer, and Rick seemed to seize on the question as +a ray of hope. "Oh, can I have his dog?" + +"No, Richard, dear," answered his mother gently. "I'm sorry to +disappoint you, but, really I don't want you to have a dog--just yet." + +"But when may I have one?" he asked. + +"Well, perhaps when Mazie gets a little older, so I could trust her +around a dog. As she is now, she'd just as soon pull a dog's tail as +not, or put her hand in his mouth, and she might be bitten. You wouldn't +want your little sister to be bitten, would you?" + +"No, mother! Course not! Henry's dog doesn't bite. And if I could have +him I'd take care of Mazie so she wouldn't pull his tail, or anything! +Please, mother!" + +Mrs. Dalton shook her head. + +"You might think you could look after Mazie," she said with a smile, +"but I'd always be afraid--for a while, at least." + +"How long before she'll be old enough so I can have a dog, mother?" +asked Rick. + +"Oh, in a year, perhaps. But I wish you wouldn't tease now, Rick, dear. +Bring me a few chips to boil the kettle. It's almost supper time and +your father will be here soon." + +"If I had a dog," said Rick, in a dull, sad sort of voice, "I could +teach him to bring in a basket of chips every night. It would be a good +trick for him!" + +"Why, Richard, dear! You don't mind bringing me in a few chips; do you?" +asked his mother. + +"Oh, no'm, course not!" he answered quickly. "But it would be a lot of +fun if I had a dog and _he_ could bring 'em in; wouldn't it, mother?" + +"It might, if he didn't run all over the yard with the basket, and spill +my wood," she answered. + +"Oh, my dog wouldn't do that!" declared Rick. "He'd be a good dog. Henry +Blake's dog is a good one. His name is Spot and he jumps in Weed River +and brings out sticks when Hen throws 'em in." + +"Why does Henry want to give away his dog?" asked Mrs. Dalton, when Rick +had set the basket of chips behind the stove. + +"'Cause he's going to move away. Hen's father's going to work over in +Bellport at the electric light place and Hen said I could have his dog. +He's going to get a new one. Please, couldn't I?" + +"No, Richard, dear! I'm sorry, but really I'd be worried if you had a +dog. I'd be thinking, all the while, that you or Sister were going to be +bitten. After you get older, perhaps you may have a dog. Now go get +Mazie for me, please. I want to wash her and get her ready for supper." + +Rick found his sister playing in the front yard with Mabel Fenton, who +lived next door. The two little girls had their dolls, and were dressing +them up in green leaves, pretending they were new dresses. + +"Oh, Ricky!" exclaimed Mazie (which was a pet name for Mary) as she +walked around the side path with her brother. "Oh, Ricky! What you +think?" + +"What?" he asked. + +"Why Mabel and I are goin' to have a doll party to-morrow, and you can +come to it if you want to, Ricky!" invited Mazie. + +"I don't want to come to a doll party!" exclaimed Rick, as he tossed a +bit of stick up into the air, and then hit it with a swiftly-thrown +stone. "Doll party! Pooh!" + +"We're goin' to have _real_ things to eat--not make-believe!" went on +Mazie. + +"Honest?" asked Rick. + +"Honest cross-my-heart!" exclaimed his sister. She was about two years +younger than Rick, who was "nine-goin'-on-ten." + +"Um! Well, maybe I'll come," said Rick, as if he were giving the favor, +instead of getting it. "Could I bring my dog, Mazie?" he asked. + +"Your dog!" exclaimed the little girl. "You hasn't _got_ any dog, Ricky +Dalton!" + +"I know I haven't got one _now_!" he admitted, very frankly. "But maybe +I'll get one. I keep on asking mother, every day, and maybe she'll let +me have one after a while. You wouldn't be afraid of a dog; would you, +Mazie?" + +"Course not!" she answered. + +"'Cause maybe I'll get Henry Blake's dog after he moves away," went on +Rick. "I wish I had a dog. He could bring in chips and go to the store +with me. I was down to the beach to-day, and I just wanted a dog an +awful lot." + +"Does dogs ever come up out of the ocean?" asked Mazie. + +"Dogs come out of the ocean? Course not!" exclaimed her brother. "How +could they?" + +"Well, we get wood for the fire out of the ocean--it comes up on the +beach," said Mazie, stopping to look at a little speck of dirt on her +doll's nose. "Wood comes out of the ocean and once we got some lemons +and cocoanuts--don't you 'member?" + +"Yes, I remember," answered Rick. "But the lemons and cocoanuts were +washed overboard off a ship that sank, and some of the cocoanuts were +spoiled sour." + +"A dog wouldn't spoil sour if he was in the ocean; would he?" Mazie +wanted to know. + +"Course not!" laughed Rick. "But dogs couldn't come up out the ocean, +and be washed on the beach like the lemons and cocoanuts." + +"A dog could, if he was washed overboard off a ship," went on Mazie, +for, having lived all her life near the sea, she knew what being washed +overboard meant. "If a dog fell off a ship and come on shore then you +could have him; couldn't you, Ricky?" she asked. + +"Yes," answered her brother, slowly, "but I don't guess that will +happen. But oh! I do want a dog!" + +It was after supper that night, when Rick was playing ball in the vacant +lots back of his house, and Mazie and the little girl from next door +were sitting on the side steps, talking about the play-party for their +dolls next day, that Mrs. Dalton said to her husband: + +"I don't know what to do about Rick!" + +"Why, he hasn't been bad; has he?" asked Mr. Dalton. + +"Oh, no, Rick is a very good boy," his mother answered. "But he does +tease so for a dog!" + +"A dog!" exclaimed Mr. Dalton. "Hum, yes, a dog! Well, I s'pose it's +natural for a boy to want a dog. I had one when I was a lad." + +"Did he ever bite you?" asked his wife. + +"No, I can't say he ever did." + +"That's what I'm so afraid of--that if ever Rick did have a dog it might +bite him or Mazie. And, if it did----" + +Mrs. Dalton did not finish. But she looked at her husband and shook her +head. + +"Good dogs don't very often bite, unless they're teased," he said. "And +I don't believe Rick would tease a dog." + +"No, but Mazie might. She isn't afraid of anything. The other day she +came in with a little snake she had found out in the yard. It was alive, +too." + +"Probably a milk, or garter, snake," said Mr. Dalton with a laugh. "I +used to pick 'em up when I was a boy. They're harmless." + +"Oh, dear!" exclaimed his wife. "Would you really want Rick to have a +dog?" she asked. + +"Hum! Well, I don't know," he slowly answered. "A boy and a dog seem to +go together, somehow. But I don't s'pose it would do any harm to wait +another year. If Rick teases you too much, let me talk to him, and----" + +"Oh, I wouldn't want to do _that_. I can manage him. He's got a notion +that Henry Blake might give away his dog. But I don't just like that +kind. I'd want a shepherd dog, I think, if ever I let the children have +one." + +"I don't know much about Henry Blake's dog," spoke Mr. Dalton. "But I +guess we won't let Rick have one right away. He can wait. Hello, nearly +nine o'clock!" he went on, as he looked at his watch in the faint light +of the moon, which, now and then, shone through the clouds. "I'll call +the children in. Rick's finished playing ball long ago. I hear him +talking with the boys over in the lots. We're going to have a storm, I +guess, by the way the old ocean is booming to-night. Wind's in the +north-east, too!" + +"Oh, I don't like north-easters!" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton. "The wind gets +so terrible!" + +"Yes, a September storm can sometimes tear things up pretty badly," said +her husband, as he arose from his seat on the porch. "Well, maybe this +won't be as bad as they sometimes are." + +Rick and Mazie were called in and sent up to bed, and then their father +and mother sat down stairs to read. The wind freshened and the beach, +where Rick had sat that afternoon, tossing pebbles into the little +waves, was covered with white-capped breakers. + +"Mazie!" called Rick, in a whisper from his room across the hall. +"Mazie--are you asleep?" + +"Almost," she drowsily answered. "Are you?" + +"No. I say, Mazie, did you--did you ever say your prayers for anything +you wanted an awful lot, like a--like a doll, or a pair of roller +skates?" + +"Yep! I did once!" said the little girl. "Once I prayed for a doll +carriage." + +"Did you get it?" asked Rick, eagerly. + +"No, but I got a cradle and that was just as good. Why, Rick?" + +"Oh--oh, nothin'!" he answered. "Good-night!" + +"G'-night," she murmured, sleepily. + +"She prayed for a doll carriage and she got a cradle," mused Rick. "I--I +wonder if--if I prayed for a dog--if I'd get--a _cat_?" + +He listened to the distant booming of the surf. + +"I--I guess I'll take a chance," he whispered in the dark. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +RUDDY WANTS A HOME + + +Straight out of the north-east blew the wind. It whipped its way across +three thousand miles of open, salty water, growing stronger and fiercer +every mile it traveled, until, when it reached the beach at Belemere, it +was blowing a gale. The ocean waves, which had been small at first, grew +larger and larger, and their white, foamy crests were whipped into spray +that mingled with the whirling sand and made the beach guard shut his +eyes when he felt the stinging in his face. + +"This is a regular rip-snorter of a north-easter!" he muttered to +himself as he pulled his oilskin cap closer down over his head. "A +regular rip-snorter, and I can't see a hundred fathoms out!" + +He strained his eyes, trying to pierce the rainy, wind-swept and +spume-filled darkness that hovered over the heaving ocean. He wanted to +see--if it were there to be seen--the flickering signal-light of a +vessel in distress. + +That is, it was his duty to see it, if such a signal were flashed, and +to hurry to the nearest station and spread the alarm. And yet he hoped +there would be no need of that. + +"Mighty hard to see a wreck, even if there is one," the coast guard +murmured. He did not open his mouth to speak aloud, as he sometimes did +other nights, on his lonely patrol. If he had opened his mouth this +night it would have been filled at once with rain and salty spray and +his breath might have been blown down his throat by the wind. So he kept +his lips closed and merely murmured. + +"Worst storm for early September I ever see!" was his thought. "Hope +none of the vessels come too close in shore. It'd be a hard job getting +a crew together now for the boat, or breeches buoy." + +In July, August, and early in September, on our Eastern coasts, the life +saving force is on vacation, save for a captain and one man at each +station to patrol the beach. The summer months are seldom marked by +storms and wrecks, and there is not often need of the services of the +life-savers. When such occasion arises the station captain, or his one +helper, calls for volunteers. + +Stronger blew the wind, and the rain came down harder, mingling with the +salty spume and spray from the ocean. The place where Rick Dalton had +sat on the beach that afternoon, and wished for a dog, was now a +seething caldron of white foam, and the sand dunes were under water. + +"High tide and a north-easter!" mused the coast guard. "Shouldn't wonder +but what a lot of bulkheads would be torn loose to-night. Bluefish and +moss bunkers! That was a fierce one!" + +A stronger force of the gusty wind fairly stopped him in his tracks, and +he actually had to lean forward to keep his balance. It was hard walking +on the sand. Part of the shore of Belemere was marked by a board walk, +for the place was visited by a small summer population of "city folks," +and on this walk the going was better. But it did not extend more than +half a mile. Belemere was not well enough known as yet to have a +fashionable board walk, that would be thronged in the evenings. + +And now there was not a soul on it, even at the early hour of ten +o'clock. For the wind and spray swept over it, and, in places, the waves +actually washed under it, and partly across the road it bordered. + +Trudging along, now and then bringing up to take a view out over the +heaving billows, which showed dimly white in the black night, the coast +guard kept on his beat. He was well protected against the storm, for +there had been ample warning of its coming. But so strongly did the wind +whip the rain along that the drops sought out every opening in his +oilskins and the guard felt the chill of the water. + +"It sure is a rip-snorter!" he murmured. + +He must walk to the end of his particular section, or beat--almost to +Bay Head--the next station, there to meet the guard from the adjoining +section of coast. + +As Sig Bailey, the guard who had been muttering about the storm, swerved +farther up the beach to avoid a far-reaching wave, he saw a dim shape +scurrying among the sand dunes. At first he thought it merely a bunch of +seaweed, blown by the blast, but it did not slump down in a heap as +seaweed naturally would when the gust of wind ceased for a moment. + +"Hello there!" cried the coast guard. "Who are you?" + +For he saw that it was something alive--something that was seeking a +shelter from the storm. + +For a moment he felt a little sensation of fear. There are so many +strange tales of the sea, and that which comes out of the sea. Perhaps +it was some weird creature of the deep, cast up by the churning of the +waves. Sig had heard such stories. Then his common sense came to his +aid. + +There followed a moment's lull in the storm and Sig, clearing his eyes +of the rain and the salt spray, looked among the sand dunes for what he +had seen. + +Yes, there it was again--some moving shape. + +[Illustration: "Why, it's a dog! A puppy!"] + +"Might be a man--crawling on his hands and knees," mused the coast +guard. "Too weak to stand up, maybe. Been washed in off some boat. But I +haven't heard anything of a wreck. I wonder----" + +The dim shape seemed to come toward him, and for a moment Sig felt +afraid again. Then he thought of the powerful electric flashlight in his +outside pocket. It was the work of a moment to focus its beams on the +subject. Then Sig exclaimed: + +"Why, it's a dog! A puppy, and a red one at that! Must be some sort of a +setter! I've seen pictures of 'em--Irish or Gordon setter! Hi, boy!" he +called to the dog. + +The creature slunk toward him, almost crawling on its stomach so far +down did it cringe. Rain-soaked, sea-sprayed and frightened it crawled +to the feet of the coast guard, and lay there whimpering. + +"Well, old boy! Poor dog! Poor puppy! And you aren't really any more'n a +puppy!" murmured the man in his dripping oilskins as he continued to +shine the light on the cringing dog. "What's the matter, old fellow?" + +At the sound of the kind voice the dog looked up and feebly wagged his +tail, thumping it on the wet sand. + +"Somebody's been beating you; more shame to 'em!" murmured the guard as +he patted the wet head. "What's the matter, old boy? Hungry?" + +A little whine, a look such as only a dog can give, and another wag and +thump of the tail. The animal snuggled closer to the rubber boots of the +guard. + +Sig looked up the beach. He was due, soon, to meet the other man from +Bay Head. It would not do to be late. But he saw no flicker of light, +such as his partner of the night sometimes showed. The beach was dark, +wave-swept and rain-soaked. + +"Poor dog!" murmured the guard, turning his back to the wind so he might +not swallow his words. "Wonder where you came from? Never saw you before +that I know of. Nobody in the village owns a dog like you! Did you come +off some boat? Might have in this blow; you're wet enough, land knows!" + +Again he reached over to pat the head and the dog licked his hand. Sig +fumbled inside his oilskin coat. He carried a sandwich or two to eat +for his midnight lunch, and he had not yet opened the packet his wife +had put up. He did so now, not daring to bring it from beneath the +shelter of the yellow garment, for fear of having the bread and meat +rained on and salt-soaked at once. But he broke off a part of the +sandwich in his pocket, tearing the paper in which it was wrapped, and +fed it to the dog. + +Eagerly and hungrily the castaway of the night devoured the morsel--it +was small at best. + +"Wish I could spare you more, old boy!" murmured the man. "Tell you what +I'll do," he went on, almost as though speaking to a human. "You stay +here. I'll go meet Bill Park, and maybe he's got more of a snack than he +wants. I'll get some for you. Stay here now. If you go up among the +dunes you'll be out of the wind--some." + +He pointed to a little range of larger hummocks of sand, which would +keep off the worst of the gale. Sig flashed his light toward them and +waved it to and fro. The dog whined a little and then slunk off, his +tail hanging between his legs. + +"Salt mackerel!" exclaimed Sig. "I hope he doesn't think I'm drivin' him +away. It's only for your own good, red-dog!" he went on. "I'll be back +in a little while with something to eat--if Bill has any. You go up +there and wait for me!" + +Whether the animal really knew what the man said, or thought he was +being ordered away, Sig could not tell. But the dog slunk on in the rain +and storm and darkness, toward the sand dunes. In a few seconds he was +lost to sight. + +"I'd let you follow along after me, but there's no need, and you'd only +get blown away, maybe," mused the man. "Might slip into the inlet, too, +in the dark. Best stay up there until I come back." + +He hurried on, his eyes strained, now out to sea again up the beach. +Presently he caught the gleam of a little flash of light and he sent out +a flicker of his own in answer. + +"That's Bill!" he murmured. + +A little later he and the other coast guard were exchanging brass +disks. These, like the watchman's time clock, proved that the men had +walked their posts. + +"Got more grub'n you want to-night, Bill?" asked Sig. + +"Might have--why?" + +"Oh, met a stray dog back near the broken jetty. Seems like he was 'most +starved. I didn't bring more grub than I needed, but if you've got a bit +of bread and meat you can spare----" + +"Sure! Here! Take a sandwich. Wife put me up three to-night. Two's all I +need. Nasty bit of weather!" + +"Regular rip-snorter!" + +They parted, and as Sig neared the place where he had last seen the dog +he whistled and called. He waited, but no slinking form came from the +wet sand dunes. + +"Come on, boy!" called the guard, raising his voice. "I got meat for ye! +Come here!" + +He whistled and flashed his light, but the waif did not come. + +"Poor little red pup," murmured Sig. "I'd like to get hold of the man +who beat you! Well, I'll put this away for you. I'll be back here in +about two hours." + +The "red pup," as Sig had called him, had really thought the big man in +the yellow coat was driving him away. "Ruddy," to give him the name he +was afterward called by, had been driven away often of late. His life +had not been a glad one. + +Dimly he remembered some puppy days; brief, happy ones with his mother. +The other, and following days and weeks were spent among boxes and +barrels of refuse on a street in a big city that bordered the river +front--where big ships tied up at the docks. + +Then Ruddy had a dim recollection of a big bearded man, with hob nails +in his shoes, who took him away from the yard where the red pup had +spent some of his early and first unhappy days. And the nails in the +shoes of the big bearded man hurt when he used them on Ruddy as he +did--far too often. + +Ruddy, one night, found himself tossed into a box with such force that +he lay there stunned. If he had been able to listen to, and understand +talk, as, later he came to be able to do, he would have heard someone +growl: + +"What you got there?" + +"Oh, a red pup I picked up," was the answer. "The old ship needs a +mascot and I brought this one along. I always wanted a dog." + +"You don't act as if you cared much for this one," spoke the first man. + +"Oh, I didn't hurt him," was the reply. But Ruddy was hurt, and from +then on he feared that man. + +He did not remember much--but there was a confused memory of being on a +floor that heaved up and down, and slid this way and that as the floors, +or decks of boats always do. And then came a great storm wave--Ruddy +felt himself washed overboard and into the sea. + +It was not the first time he had been in water, so he knew how to swim. +But he had never tried before to swim in such a smother and swirl of +salty waves, where the wind seemed to blow away his gasping breath. +Still he swam on, until he was cast up on the beach and he met the coast +guard. + +And even the guard had seemed to drive Ruddy away. Of course poor Ruddy +was mistaken, but that was his thought. He slunk up among the sand +dunes. + +That little bit of bread and meat meant much to him, for he was +starving. It gave him a little courage. In the storm and darkness he +wandered among the dunes, or little sand hills, until presently he found +himself down on the beach again, where the wind and rain and salty spume +were worse than ever. + +"Oh, if I only had a home--some warm place into which I could crawl!" + +That would have been Ruddy's thought if he could have spoken. + +How he did want a home! + +And how Rick, sleeping in his little white bed, did want a dog! + + + + +CHAPTER III + +RICK AND RUDDY + + +Washed overboard from the deck of the vessel, not long after he had been +roughly tossed into a box by the man who wanted a lucky "mascot," Ruddy +had swam ashore. The food given him by the coast guard had dulled, just +a little, the gnawing pangs of hunger, and now, as Ruddy crouched among +the sand hills, trying to find shelter from the storm, he felt the first +gleam of hope that had come to him in many a day. + +"Maybe I'll find a home after all," he thought to himself, for I believe +that dogs can talk and think--not as we do, of course; perhaps sometimes +not as well, and again, perhaps, better. But they do think. And so +Ruddy, which was to be his name, as it was now his color, thought and +hoped. + +The man had driven him away--so Ruddy believed, but in this he was +wrong. Very well. It was not the first time he had been driven away. He +would have to look for someone else who would feed him, or at least give +him the chance to feed himself. He would have to look for someone else +whom he might love as only a dog can love--with all his heart and being. + +"I'll stay here until morning," reasoned Ruddy, dog-fashion. "It's too +dark now to see where to go, and it's raining too hard. I'll stay here +in the sand until morning, then I can see better." + +Dogs do not have very good eyesight--not nearly as good as cats. In fact +a dog can not see far enough to tell his master from among a group of +other boys, if his master is more than a few hundred feet away. But if +the wind is blowing toward the dog, and he once catches a whiff of the +scent, or smell, of the boy he knows so well, he does not need eyes to +tell him what he wants to know. An eagle could not dart with any more +sureness toward an object than can a dog, once he catches the smell of +his master. + +And Ruddy, like all dogs, poor of sight even in daytime, and hardly able +to see at all in the dark, knew it was useless to try to look for a +home in that blackness and storm. A cat might have found her way to +where she wanted to go, but Ruddy did not even know where to look for a +home. He was a wanderer--an outcast. + +Up among the sand dunes grew clumps of tall, coarse grass. One of these +clumps would make a resting place for the dog. He found a mass of green +stems that were thicker than the others, found it by smelling his way +and feeling, rather than by sight, and then made himself a sort of nest, +by turning around and around before he curled up to lie down. + +Nearly all dogs--even the tiny poodle that sleeps on a blue cushion in +some lady's parlor--turn around and around on their bed before settling +down to go to sleep. Perhaps the dogs themselves do not know why they do +this, but it is because all dogs were once wild, like wolves. In fact +dogs really come from wolves, ages back. And wild animals, going to +sleep in the woods or jungle, have to be careful of where they make +their bed. If they curled up in the first bunch of grass they came to, +they might lie down on some snake, or scorpion, which would bite them. + +So, ages back, the wild dogs, little different from wolves, got in the +habit of trampling their grassy bed, walking around and around in it. +They did not do this to make it snug and cozy, as perhaps a cat might +do. They did it to trample on and drive out any snakes that might be +hidden in the grass. + +And so Ruddy, before he curled up to try to go to sleep in the sedge +grass of the sand dunes, did just as his wild, wolfish ancestors had +done--he trampled the grass. Of course there were no snakes in it, but +Ruddy must make sure in the only way he knew. + +"There, I guess this will do until morning," said Ruddy to himself, +thinking in dog-fashion, of course. + +Then he curled up and went to sleep. He was tired from his swim to shore +through the storm, and he was still hungry. The bit of bread and meat +the coast guard had given him was hardly enough for a small kitten, and +Ruddy was quite a large puppy now. But it was the best he could get. + +"Maybe, in the morning, I'll find a home," thought Ruddy. "The kind of a +home I used to have when I was very little." + +And Rick, sleeping in his white bed, safe and snug and warm away from +the north-easter, awakened for a moment and stared up at the ceiling. He +heard the beat of rain on the dark window of his room. + +"Maybe, when it's morning, I'll have a dog," he whispered. "I--I hope it +isn't a cat!" + +Perhaps Ruddy dreamed of the happy days of his smallest puppyhood. Those +days had been happy, for he had lived them in a fine barn, with his +mother, and several other little reddish-brown puppies like himself. +They tumbled about in the straw, and there were horses that Ruddy +learned to love, in the short time he knew them, almost as much as he +loved a certain boy and girl who raced out from the big house, every +morning, to look at, laugh over and play with the puppies, of whom Ruddy +was one. + +Then had come sad days, when he was sold and taken away from the +tumbling, weak-legged brothers and sisters, and the mother dog, against +whose warm flanks Ruddy loved to cuddle. + +At first these changed days had not been unhappy, for Ruddy was given a +home in another barn, where there was only one horse, instead of many, +and where a man came to feed him every morning. But a tramp had stolen +Ruddy away, and then had left him behind in the woods, too lazy to take +the little dog with him. + +After that Ruddy had taken part in many adventures, coming at last to +live in the slums of a city, where a man claimed him as his own. And the +man had taken Ruddy with him on the ship, and then had come a terrible +time in the storm, when the red-brown puppy was washed overboard. + +All these thoughts and remembrances fleetingly came to Ruddy as he was +curled up in the sedge grass, sheltered as much as he could be sheltered +from the rain and salty spume-scattering wind. + +The longest night must have an end, and so to Ruddy daylight finally +came, and, with it, the breaking of the storm. It was cold, though it +was early September, but September was being crowded off the calendar +by October, and the rays of the early sun, as the big, golden ball +seemed to rise from the heaving ocean, had little warmth in them. It was +as if the sun's rays came from a looking glass. + +Cold, shivery and hungry, Ruddy crept from his nest in the grass, even +as his jungle ancestors might have crept from theirs. But there was no +warmth to greet him, and he did not know where to get any food. + +"I'm certainly hungry!" said Ruddy to himself. "I wonder where I can get +something to eat?" + +Down a little way from the sand dunes stretched the beach, with the surf +pounding on it. Here and there a stray fish was cast up, and, had Ruddy +known it, this might have provided a breakfast for him. But Ruddy was +not a cat. He was not specially fond of fish, and he was afraid of the +ocean--at any rate for a time. He had nearly been drowned in it, and he +did not want to go near the big waves again; at least right away. So he +turned from the beach and, heading inland, sniffed the air, with head +held as high as he could raise it. + +Ruddy remembered that his mother, among the lessons she had taught him, +had told him how much depended on his nose. + +"You can't tell so much about a thing by _looking_ at it as you can by +_smelling_ of it," she had said. That is why Ruddy, as all dogs do, +always smelled of anything before he ate it. His eyesight could not be +depended on, but his nose could. And now Ruddy was sniffing the air. + +It was not because he wanted to eat air for his breakfast, but the air, +and the wind, which is only air in motion, might bring to him the whiff, +or smell, that would tell him where he could find food. + +Now from the ocean came the smell of the salty sea. Ruddy was sure he +had had enough of that. But as he turned his nose inshore he caught the +smell of men and boys and horses--the human smell, so to speak, and he +knew that there, if anywhere, he would find something to eat. + +And so, traveling on rather weak and uncertain legs, because he needed +food, Ruddy started toward the little village of Belemere, where Rick, +the boy, lived. Though, of course, Ruddy did not yet know that. + +It was early, for the sun was just rising, and not many persons were up +and about. Here a milkman was going his rounds, and soon the baker would +follow, for even in the little fishing town few did their own baking, at +least of their daily bread, and there were scarcely any cows. + +Ruddy looked at the rattling milk wagon. He knew what was in the cans +and bottles, and he would have loved a drink of milk. But the man on the +wagon had not time for small, brown puppies, even if he had seen Ruddy, +which perhaps he did not. + +The baker, too, might have tossed him a roll, for there were many in the +wooden bin back of the seat. But the baker did not give Ruddy a thought. + +And so the homeless dog walked slowly on, sniffing here and there trying +to find, in the only way he knew, something to eat. And, as luck would +have it, Ruddy turned into the yard of the house where Rick lived. There +seemed to be no one up, and so, from having been a sort of a tramp dog +in at least half of the days he had thus far lived, Ruddy trotted around +to the back door. That is where tramps--whether men or dogs--always go; +to the back door. Later on they may use the front way. + +Ruddy knew at back doors there were sometimes boxes, barrels or cans +filled with what might be called food. It was not as nice as he could +have wished, but often he had found a perfectly good bone in this way--a +bone which was not too hard for his puppy teeth that were fast growing +stronger. + +"I hope I find some meat this morning," thought Ruddy. "There isn't much +on a bone, lots of times it's almost bare, and I'm terribly hungry!" + +He saw some cans at the back door. From one came the delicious smell of +meat, and with a joyful yelp Ruddy began nosing about it. The cover was +on the can, but Ruddy knew how to shove this off--that is if it were not +on too tightly. + +But this one was tight. Push as he did with his paws and nose, Ruddy +could not uncover the can to get at the meat, the smell of which came +through a crack in the top. And then, being only a little dog--a poor, +cold, hungry puppy, Ruddy raised his head and howled. It was just as if +some small boy or girl had cried. + +Sadly and mournfully Ruddy howled, because he could not shove the cover +off the garbage pail, and get at what was within. And then, with the +first echo of the hungry dog's cry dying away, the kitchen door opened +and there stood Rick. + +At first the boy could scarcely believe that what he saw was real--a +small, reddish-brown dog at his doorsteps. But then, as Ruddy stopped +howling, wagged his tail and crawled to Rick's feet, the boy's eyes +sparkled in delight. He leaned down, put his arms around Ruddy's neck, +hugging him close, as only a boy can hug a dog, and Rick shouted. + +"He's come! He's here! I got him!" + +"What's that? Who's there? What have you got?" asked Rick's mother. + +"I've got a dog!" cried Rick in ringing tones. "He came in the night. I +prayed that I'd get him, and I did! He's here! I was afraid it might be +a cat, like Mazie prayed for a doll carriage and got a cradle. But I got +a dog all right. Oh, you're my dog! You're my dog!" and then Ruddy, +looking up into the eyes of Rick, knew that he had found what he wanted +all his short life--someone to whom he could really belong! + +Mrs. Dalton came to the door. She looked at Rick hugging the +reddish-brown puppy, and a troubled look came over her face. + +"Where did you get him?" she asked. + +"He was right here--on the steps waiting for me," answered Rick. "I +hoped he'd be here when I woke up, but I couldn't be sure. You see I +didn't pray very long--only one night." + +"Richard Dalton! You didn't pray for a dog; did you?" asked his mother, +rather shocked, though she did not know exactly why. + +"Course I prayed for a dog," Rick answered. "Isn't it all right to pray +for what you want?" + +His mother did not answer that question. + +"You can't keep him," she said. + +"Why not?" and there was alarm in Rick's tone and glance as he stopped +patting the brown head and looking into the brown eyes of Ruddy. "Why +can't I keep my dog?" + +"Because he isn't yours," answered his mother. + +"But he came to me--in the night. Maybe he came up out of the sea, like +Mazie said. Anyhow he was here waiting for me. Course he's my dog!" and +the boy put his arms about Ruddy's neck. + +"No, Rick dear," answered his mother. "This may be a nice dog, and you +may like him very much, but he must belong to someone else." + +"Then couldn't I keep him 'till someone comes for him?" asked the boy. +"He likes me--look how he stays with me." + +"Yes, a puppy will stay with anyone," said Mrs. Dalton. "But I don't +want you to have a dog, Rick. I'm afraid of them." + +"Not this one--not--not Ruddy!" exclaimed Rick, giving the dog that name +as it seemed best to fit him. "Why he'd just love Mazie! He wouldn't +bite her and he can't scratch like a cat. Please, mother, let me keep +this dog! He's mine! He came to me in the night! He was here waiting for +me when I came down to see if I'd got one!" + +Mrs. Dalton found it hard to refuse. She loved animals herself, and her +only fear of a dog was on account of little Mazie. + +"Well, you may keep him until after breakfast, anyhow," she said. "I +expect he's hungry. Give him some milk, and then get washed for your own +meal." + +"Couldn't he have some meat, too?" asked Rick. + +"I'll see if I can find him a few scraps. Too much meat isn't good for +little dogs. Milk is better. But this isn't such a puppy as I thought at +first. I'll see what I can find for him." + +And what a meal that was to half-starved Ruddy! Never had scraps of +meat, bits of bread and potato and milk tasted so good! He paused now +and then, in his eager bolting of the food, to look up at Rick and his +mother. Ruddy divided his glances of affection between them, for he did +not know to whom he owed most. He ate quickly. A dog does not need to +chew his food very much, as it is taken care of in his wonderful +stomach. In that he is not like boys and girls, who, the more they chew +their food, the better off they are. + +"Oh, what you got?" cried a voice behind Rick, as he was watching his +dog eat. "What you got?" + +"A dog, Mazie," answered her brother. "It's my dog! He came in the +night, and he was waiting down on the back steps for me. I prayed for +him. Did you pray too, Mazie?" + +"No. I--I was going to," said the little girl, "but I was so sleepy I +forgot whether you said a dog or a cat, so I just prayed for a new doll +for me. Oh, he's a nice dog!" + +"I just guess he is!" cried Rick already proud in ownership of something +real and alive and almost human. "He's my dog!" + +Mrs. Dalton said nothing, but she looked over the heads of the children +toward her husband. + +"So Rick's found a dog after all; has he?" spoke Mr. Dalton, as he got +ready to go to work. "Well! Well! He isn't such a bad dog, either." + +"No, he seems right nice," spoke Mrs. Dalton. "But he must belong to +someone." + +"He belongs to me!" declared Rick. "I don't need Henry Blake's dog now; +I got one of my own!" + +The kitchen door was open. The sun was shining warmer now on the back +steps, and Ruddy wanted to lie down in that patch of yellow light, and +bask in the glow after his meal. Rick followed his new pet outside. + +Sig Bailey, the coast guard, was just coming off duty, and going past +the house on his way to home and breakfast. He looked in the yard and +saw Rick patting Ruddy. + +"Hello there!" called Sig. "Where'd you get my dog, Rick?" + +"_Your_ dog?" cried the boy, and his heart seemed to stop beating for a +second. "Is--is this _your_ dog?" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +RUDDY'S FIRST HUNT + + +Anxiously Rick waited for an answer from the coast guard. Ruddy who was +standing beside the boy, cocked up his ears and sniffed the air that was +blowing from the man toward that sensitive animal nose. Once Ruddy (or +any dog, for that matter) had smelled a person, he never forgot. Years +afterward Ruddy would remember that person's smell, and know whether he +was a friend or enemy. And Ruddy knew he had smelled this man before. + +With the remembrance was both pleasure and something of pain. The +pleasure was in the joyous memory of the bit of bread and meat the coast +guard had given the dog. The pain came when Ruddy recalled how he was +driven away--or at least he thought he was. But we know that the coast +guard was only telling the puppy to shelter himself from the storm. + +And then, in that wonderful manner dogs have of really knowing that +men's ways are not their ways, and that sometimes a man makes a dog do +something for the animal's good that the creature would rather not +do--somehow, in this manner Ruddy knew that the coast guard was to be +numbered among his new friends. + +Back and forth wagged the expressive tail, and, with a joyful bark, +Ruddy bounded toward the man who had been out in the storm all night on +the lonely beach. Ruddy was beginning a new life, and the guard and the +boy were the first two important things in it. + +"Is--is he really your dog?" asked Rick again, slowly. + +"Well, don't you see how he comes to me?" asked Sig with a laugh, as he +patted the brown head. "I found him last night. Washed off some wreck, I +reckon. I gave him a bit of my snack, and then I got more from Bill +Park. Told the pup to wait up among the dunes for me, where the wind +didn't blow so hard, but he must have run along for I didn't see him +after that." + +"He--he came right here to me," spoke Rick. "I--I wanted a dog a long +while. I--I prayed for him and he came. But if--if he's your dog, Mr. +Bailey----" + +"Oh, shucks! He isn't my dog; that is special!" exclaimed the coast +guard. He really had no idea of claiming Ruddy, but was only teasing +Rick. And when he saw how badly the boy felt, Sig had not the heart to +keep up the little fun he was having. + +"I don't want him," the coast guard went on. "Course he's a nice pup, +but my wife's got a cat, and they might not get along good together. As +I say, I saw him on the beach in the storm last night. Must have been +washed off some craft, and he swam ashore. Keep him for all of me!" + +"Oh, thanks! Thanks!" cried Rick. "Oh, he's my dog after all! He's mine! +Did you hear, mother!" he exclaimed. "He's a dog from the ocean, just +like Mazie said, and he's mine!" + +Again Rick threw his arms about the wiggling, brown puppy whose tail was +wagging so joyously. Ruddy knew when he was loved, and he began to have +great hopes for the future. Surely a happier day was dawning for him. + +"Did you really find the dog on the beach?" asked Mr. Dalton, as he came +out to go to work. + +"Yes, he's a regular sea-dog!" laughed the guard. "Poor pup! He doesn't +look as if he'd had a very good time. Seems sort of thin!" + +"Yes, he does need filling out," agreed Mr. Dalton, with a glance at +Ruddy's ribs that plainly showed through the thin sides. "Well, we'll +keep him for a day or so, anyhow." + +"Can't I keep him always, Dad?" asked Rick. + +"I don't know. Better settle that with your mother," was the answer. "I +don't mind having a dog, 'specially such a nice one as this seems to be. +But my wife's sort of afraid about Mazie and a dog," he added to the +coast guard. + +"A good dog doesn't bite--that is bite children," declared Mr. Bailey. +"It's queer how even a dog that's surly and snappy to strangers will +let a baby pull his tail and ears, and never so much as growl. If you +like dogs I'd let Rick keep this one. You won't have any trouble about +him biting Mazie." + +And the little girl herself, coming out just then, seemed to have no +fear of her brother's new pet. For she put her arms around the neck of +Ruddy and he nestled his head close against her. + +"My! What a lot of friends I'm making all of a sudden!" said Ruddy to +himself, in a way all dogs have of thinking. + +"Where you going to keep your pet when you go to school?" asked Mr. +Dalton of his son. "We haven't a good place for a dog." + +"He can sleep in the box where I used to keep my rabbits," Rick +answered. "I'll make it into a kennel for him." + +"Yes, that might answer," agreed Mr. Dalton. "I'll help you fix it up +when I come home to-night. If we're going to keep a dog we must keep him +right--give him a warm, clean kennel to start with. And be sure he has +plenty of water, Rick. Dogs need more water than lots of other animals. +Give him fresh water three or four times a day." + +"I guess he got plenty of _salt_ water, swimming in through the waves +last night," spoke the coast guard, as he walked on toward his home. "A +little bit of fresh would be a change for him." + +Ruddy was thirsty, and he quickly lapped up the water that Rick brought +to him in a clean basin. And how glad Ruddy was that the water was +_clean_. All animals, even pigs, love to be clean and to have clean +food, just as much as we do. + +"Are you going to let Rick keep this dog?" asked Mrs. Dalton, as she +came out in the yard, and watched Ruddy following Rick and Mazie about +in the grass. + +"Well, we might try it," said her husband slowly. "He appears like a +nice, clean puppy. And a boy and dog seem to go together, somehow." + +"But Mazie----" began the mother. + +"I guess she likes him as much as Rick does. Let him stay a while. If he +makes trouble, of course we'll have to get rid of him," he added in a +low voice. "But we'll give Rick and Ruddy a chance together. Quite a +team they make--Rick and Ruddy!" and he smiled as he saw the boy toss a +stick, which Ruddy ran after and brought back to his little master. + +"Well, I hope it will be all right," said Mrs. Dalton, with something +like a sigh. "And he does seem like a nice dog. Come, Rick!" she called. +"Time to get ready for school!" + +"Yes'm!" answered the boy, and he came running in more promptly than he +sometimes did. Somehow Rick felt that if he were to be allowed to keep +the dog he must be "on his mark," and give no chance for complaints. + +"I'll tie him up so he won't run after me," Rick said. "You'll feed him +and give him water while I'm gone; won't you, Mother?" he asked. + +"Yes, I'll look after him," promised Mrs. Dalton. "But don't be thinking +so much of your new dog that you forget your lessons." + +"Oh, he really _is_ my dog; isn't he?" exclaimed Rick in delight. "I +always wanted a dog but I never thought I'd get one. Now I have! Yes, +I'll study good and hard to-day!" he promised. + +Ruddy did not take very kindly to being tied to the side of the box in +which Rick had once kept some pet rabbits. At first the dog tried to +pull loose from the soft rope about his neck, and follow Rick and Mazie, +who soon went down the street together to school. But Ruddy knew what it +was to be tied up, though not since the happy days of his early +puppyhood had he so wanted to break away and follow the beloved +boy-master as he wanted to follow now. + +"Stay there! I'll come back soon!" called Rick, as he turned for a last +look at his new pet. + +"Yes, and I'll come, too!" added Mazie. "I can like your dog; can't I, +Rick?" she asked. + +"Sure!" answered her brother. "We'll both like him and he'll like us, +and he won't bite you, Mazie." + +"I'm not afraid," she said. + +Ruddy pulled and tugged at the rope once or twice and then, giving a sad +little howl and whine, as if saying he would make the best of it, he +began to look about his new home. + +The first thing Ruddy noticed was the rabbit smell--the smell of wild +creatures--about his kennel. For though Rick's rabbits were tame, still +they had had that smell of the wild, of the open fields and the thick +woods--a smell that made Ruddy want to tear loose and go racing among +the trees, scattering the dried leaves about. Ruddy had never hunted +wild things, but, coming from a race of hunting dogs, the feeling was +there in his blood. He whimpered and whined as he smelt about the cracks +of the box. He was trying to understand where the rabbits had gone, for +they were not in sight, though the smell remained. + +Then, as Rick's mother came out with some pieces of carpet to make a bed +for the puppy, and as she gave him a large bone on which to gnaw, Ruddy +forgot about the rabbits for the time. + +The bone interested him more. It was a large bone, with very little meat +on it, and what there was took a deal of gnawing to get off. But that +was good for Ruddy, whether he knew it or not, for it made his teeth +stronger. The more a dog gnaws the better his teeth become, and a dog's +teeth are the only weapons he has. A cat has claws and also teeth, but a +dog's claws are of scarcely any use to drive away anything that attacks +him. He has only his teeth. + +So Ruddy gnawed the bone, drank a little of the fresh water and then he +settled himself for a sleep. Around and around he turned on the piece of +carpet Mrs. Dalton had spread in his kennel. Just as the old wolf-dogs +and jungle hounds had turned around and around to drive out any stray +snakes, so Ruddy turned. And then he went to sleep, waiting for Rick to +come home from school. + +As for Rick, I'm afraid he didn't study quite as well as he might have +done if he had not been thinking so much about his dog. Once, during the +day, he wrote a note, and tossed it to his chum, Chot Benson. + +"I got a dog!" + +That was what Rick's note said. + +"Where did you get him? Is he a hunting dog?" asked Chot in his +answering note. + +Then, before Rick had a chance to flip over an answer in reply, the +teacher saw what was going on, and, as it was against the rule to pass +notes in school, both boys had to stay in five minutes after the others +had left the class room. It was because of this that Mazie reached home +before her brother. And, not stopping to go in the house, she hurried to +the back yard. + +"Ruddy! Ruddy! Where are you?" she called. + +With a joyful yelp and bark the dog came from inside the kennel, wagging +his tail until it thumped against the sides like the sticks of a drum. + +Happy and joyous, Ruddy leaped about Mazie as far as his rope would let +him, and the little girl was trying to loosen it from around his neck +when her brother and Chot, released at last from their punishment, came +racing into the yard. + +"There's my dog!" cried Rick, pointing to Ruddy, who was leaping and +jumping, trying to get as close as possible to his new master. + +"Say, he's a good one all right!" declared Chot, after looking Ruddy +over. "He's a hunting dog!" + +"Is he?" asked Rick. + +"Sure! You can tell by his ears. He's got almost regular hound dog ears, +and hounds are hunting dogs." Chot was a bit wrong about Ruddy's ears, +however. They were not those of a hound. + +"He's a nice dog, and I like him!" declared Mazie. "Look how funny he's +smelling of you, Chot." + +Ruddy was, indeed, sniffing around the legs of the new boy. But that was +so Ruddy would know Rick's friend again. Ruddy could not depend on his +eyes. He might not see Chot some day when he passed his master's chum, +and Ruddy wanted to know, and be known, by all Rick's friends. So, now, +in the back part of his head, where he could always get at it with his +nose, Ruddy was putting away, so he could remember it, a little part of +the mysterious man-smell that made Chot different from every other boy. + +It was as if you should write on a paper the names of your different +friends, so you would not forget them when you met them again. But, as +dogs can not write, they have to carry in their heads and noses the +memory of the smell of their friends. So Ruddy was getting to know Chot. + +Rick loosed the rope from his pet's neck, and now Ruddy could frisk +about as much as he pleased. He was leaping around the two boys, while +Mazie went in the house to change her dress, when, all at once, Ruddy +caught a whiff of something that always set him half wild. It was the +smell of cat, and he, like all dogs, was always ready to chase a cat. + +A gray tabby, who lived next door to the Dalton family, had jumped over +the fence. Very often this cat found bits of good things to eat in the +Dalton garbage can. So Sallie, as the cat was called, came to get +something to eat. She did not know Ruddy was there. Never before had the +Daltons kept a dog. + +But, in an instant, Ruddy was ready for his first real hunt. He had +never chased a cat before, though once one had chased him. And now, with +a joyful yelp and bark, Ruddy started running after Sallie. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +RICK GETS LOST + + +"Look at him go! Look at him go! Oh, he's a hunting dog all right!" +yelled Chot, as he saw Rick's pet leap after the cat. "Oh, look at him +go! Sic her, old boy! Sic her!" + +Neither Rick nor Chot were cruel boys. They would not have harmed Sallie +for anything, and they would not have let Ruddy hurt the gray cat. But +they could not help wanting to see whether the cat would get to the +fence first, or whether Ruddy would win the race. If Ruddy should happen +to catch the cat--well, then Rick and Chot were ready to stop the puppy +from doing her any harm. But if he should not--why, then it was a good +race between a dog and a cat--that was all. + +You may well believe that Sallie ran as fast as she could. She knew a +lot about dogs--she knew that dogs, almost always, chased cats as they +probably always will--just why I do not know. And Sallie ran as fast as +she could. + +It is not very hard for a cat to get away from a dog. Fear seems to give +the cat greater speed and then, too, there is always a chance of +climbing a fence or a tree. A cat can easily get up in a tree, though it +can not always so easily get down again. And very few dogs can climb +trees. I have seen moving pictures of African hunting dogs getting up in +low trees after panthers, but these trees were covered with branches +close to the ground, so a dog could really leap up among them. No dog +can climb a straight tree trunk, but a cat easily does this. + +And the reason for this is that a cat's claws are sharper than a dog's, +and they are what are called "retractile." That is they can be pushed +out and drawn in again. If you have ever taken pussy's paw, and gently +pressed it, you have seen her claws come out from the little sheaths, or +pockets of skin, in which they are kept under her fur. Sometimes you can +press them out, and sometimes, especially after pussy awakens after a +nap, you may see her stick out her claws herself and pull them in again. + +Because of this, and because her claws are sharp, a cat can really climb +a tree, just as the telephone lineman climbs a pole by sticking his +sharp iron spurs in it. The cat sticks her claws in the soft bark of a +tree. + +If a dog's claws were sharp he might climb a tree, but they are not. A +dog's claws always stick out; he can not put them out when he pleases +and pull them back again, as pussy can. And because a dog's claws are +always out they get worn off, and dull, as he runs around on the ground. + +On raced Sallie and Ruddy raced after her, and soon, coming to a tree, +up the cat shot like a flash of light. She reached a limb and sat down +on it, her tail big and fluffy, her back arched and her heart beating +fast. + +Ruddy reached the foot of the tree and there he had to stop. He could +not climb. He just sat there, looking up at Sallie and barked. And the +cat knew the dog could not get her. She was safe as long as she stayed +in the tree. + +"He sure is a hunting dog all right!" exclaimed Chot, as he and Rick ran +along after Ruddy. + +"He can run pretty fast, but Sallie beat him," spoke Rick. + +"Some day we'll take your dog out in the woods and have him chase +rabbits," went on Chot. "If he's a hunting dog, and I guess he is, he +can catch rabbits." + +"I wouldn't want him to hurt any rabbits," spoke Rick. "I used to have +some rabbits, once, but I let 'em loose in the woods back of the lake, +and maybe they're living there yet. I wouldn't want Ruddy to chase any +of the rabbits that I used to have for pets." + +"No, course we wouldn't 'zactly want Ruddy to _hurt_ any rabbits," +agreed Chot. "But we could just watch him run after 'em, same as he ran +after Sallie. Your dog'll be a good hunter when he grows up. Where'd you +get him?" + +"Oh, he just sort of came," answered Rick. "Mr. Bailey saw him swim +ashore in the storm last night." + +"Well, he's a good dog," declared Chot, patting Ruddy on the head. The +dog was dividing his time, now, between barking at the cat and leaping +about the boys. He had made friends with Chot almost at once. + +"Come on," said Chot, after a while. "This is no fun. That cat won't +come down as long as we stay here." + +"What'll we do?" asked Rick, who, to tell the truth, was glad his dog +had not caught Sallie. + +"Let's have your dog chase sticks," suggested Chot. + +"Yes, that'll be fun!" agreed Rick. + +The boys raced off across the yard, with the reddish-brown setter +leaping and barking after them. Ruddy was the kind of a dog known as a +"setter"; that is a sort of bird, or hunting, dog. + +Rick found a stick, held it up so Ruddy could see it, and then threw it +as far as he could, off in the grass. + +"Hi! Fetch it back, Ruddy!" called the boy. Ruddy's legs seemed to work +on springs as he raced across the yard. It took him only a moment to +discover the stick. He located it by smelling, for he could not see it +in the deep grass. The stick had a bark smell of its own, but it also +had the smell of Rick's hands--the boy-smell that Ruddy had soon come to +know so well. Once Ruddy had this smell of his young master well fixed +in his wonderful dog's nose, Ruddy never forgot it. And anything that +Rick touched, even the sticks and stones that he threw, had, for Ruddy, +that wonderful individual smell by which he could tell his master even +without seeing him. + +And so, throwing sticks for Ruddy to run after and bring back to them, +Rick, Ruddy and Chot had fun together. + +Not far from Rick's house ran a little stream called Weed River. It +really was almost too small for a river, but that is what it was called. +There were so many weeds in it, at certain times of the year, that it +had been given this name. And, because of the weeds, ducks liked to swim +in the river, for ducks eat weeds, and also snails and other small +creatures that live on, or among, the grasses under water. + +Weed River ran into Silver Lake, on which there were swans, which were +like big white geese. And farther off, back of Silver Lake, was a patch +of woods. It was in these woods that Rick had let his pet rabbits run +away when he grew tired of keeping them. + +"We'll throw sticks in the water and Ruddy will bring 'em back to us," +proposed Rick. + +"Yes," agreed Chot, "and maybe, some day, we can build a raft, and go +sailing down the river and into the lake and we can take your dog with +us and make believe we're looking for a new land, like it tells about in +our school history books." + +"I guess there aren't any new lands," said Rick. "They all have been +discovered." + +"Well, we can make believe to find some, and anyhow it will be fun with +your dog," went on Chot. "Come on!" + +Ruddy was as ready as anyone to have fun, and now he ran along after the +boys, leaping and barking. He had forgotten all about Sallie, the gray +cat. + +"I can chase her some other time," he said to himself. "That is if I +want to. Maybe I'll be friends with her and not chase her. But I guess +all dogs have to chase cats." + +There was one cat, though, at the place where Ruddy first lived, that +neither his father nor his mother had chased. She was quite an old cat, +and she would lie down and go to sleep in one of the horse stalls, near +the dog's kennel. + +"But she was a very old cat, and maybe that's why my father or mother +didn't chase her," thought Ruddy. "They used to chase other cats I +remember, so I guess I'd better chase Sallie if I get a chance, until +she gets a little older, or until I get to know her better. But I won't +hurt her." + +But, as I said, Ruddy was having too much fun, now, with Rick and Chot +to think of cats. The boys gathered up some sticks, and going down to +the edge of the river, tossed the bits of wood into the water. + +"Go get 'em!" cried Rick to Ruddy. + +Just as though he had always known man or boy talk, Ruddy jumped into +the stream and swam out. It was not easy, as the weeds were so thick, +but he managed to do it, and he brought the sticks back to shore. + +"Good boy!" cried Rick, patting his pet on the head. + +"He's a fast swimmer," said Chot. "Oh, look! He got me all wet!" + +For Ruddy, like all dogs when they come from a swim, had given himself a +hard shake. And, as he happened to be near Chot when he did this, Ruddy +scattered water from his shaggy coat all over the boy. + +"But I don't care--I got on my old clothes," Chot said. "Now let him +bring back my club, Rick." + +It was Chot's turn to toss a piece of wood into the water, and Ruddy +brought that back as quickly as he had brought one back for his master. + +Down the river, walking along the bank, the boys hurried toward Silver +Lake, and, as it happened, there were a number of ducks feeding at the +place where the two bodies of water came together. The ducks belonged to +a man who lived near by. + +"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy, as soon as he saw the ducks. "Bow wow!" + +Somehow away back in his head was a desire to chase these ducks. Other +dogs in Ruddy's family had always raced thus after birds; for he was a +setter, or dog that is often used in hunting. And, though Ruddy had +never gone hunting, feeling too young up to now, he knew just how to do +it. Chasing the cat had been one kind of a hunt, and now here were a lot +of queer birds that looked just as if they needed chasing. That would be +another hunt. + +And so into the water sprang Ruddy, and straight for the tame ducks he +rushed, splashing his way along. + +"Say, he sure is a smart hunter dog!" cried Chot. + +"Yes, but if he chases these tame ducks my mother won't let me keep +him," said Rick. "Come on back here, Ruddy! Come back!" he called to his +dog. "Leave the ducks alone!" + +But Ruddy was too excited over the chase to mind just then. With joyous, +eager barks he splashed into the water, and the ducks, though tame, did +just what any wild ducks would have done. They scattered with many loud +quackings, some even flying, they were so frightened; though a tame duck +can not easily use its wings much. But some of these ducks flew up and +out of the way. + +"Come back here! Come back!" yelled Rick. + +And then, more because the ducks were out of his reach than because he +heard his master calling, Ruddy came back. Up he came, all wet, his +mouth open and his tongue hanging out, and he was panting hard. That is +how a dog cools off, or perspires--by opening his mouth and letting his +tongue hang out. And that is why, if a dog is muzzled too tightly, it is +bad for him. He can not cool off when he is hot. + +Shaking the water from his sides and legs, Ruddy jumped up around Rick +and Chot, and he barked just as if he were saying: + +"There! See what I did! Didn't I scatter those birds fine? Did you see +me make 'em fly!" + +"You leave those ducks alone!" said Rick to his dog. "Those are tame +ducks, not wild ones for you to hunt. Leave 'em alone!" + +He spoke rather sharply to Ruddy, and shook his finger at the dog. That +is the best way to tell a dog that he has done wrong. Whipping does +little good, and is cruel because a dog can not understand what he is +beaten for. But a dog knows the tones of his master's voice better than +anything else. And when the master speaks as if he were angry the dog +knows, and remembers. + +"Well, well! This is queer!" thought Ruddy as Rick scolded him. "Here I +thought I was doing him a favor by chasing those birds, and he doesn't +like it. I can tell by the way he talks that he doesn't like it. I +wonder why? Well, I don't want to chase them if he doesn't want me to, +though I think it's fun!" + +So, with another bark or two, Ruddy gave up racing after the ducks, +which, with ruffled feathers and after many frightened quacks, settled +down on the water again. + +Rick, Ruddy and Chot had lots of fun that afternoon, the boys throwing +sticks in the water and the dog bringing them back. Ruddy thought he +had never before met two such nice chaps as his master and the latter's +chum, and never were there such a nice places as Belemere, Weed River +and Silver Lake. + +At last it was time for Rick and Chot to go back home. It was nearly the +hour for supper. Ruddy knew that as well as the boys did, for the puppy +was getting hungry, too. + +"I'll be over after supper," called Chot to Rick, as they parted at the +gate. "We'll have some more fun with your dog." + +Ruddy was tied up in his kennel again. He did not like that very much, +but Rick's mother said if the dog were going to be kept he must be made +to know his place, especially at mealtime. + +"I'll feed him in the same spot at the same hours each day, and he will +learn to know when it is time for him to have his breakfast, dinner or +supper," said Mrs. Dalton. "Regular habits are as good for a dog as they +are for a boy, I should think." + +So, though Ruddy did not like it, he was tied up until after Rick and +Mazie had eaten their supper. Then Ruddy had his meal, and very good it +tasted. + +"Now for some more fun!" cried Rick, as Chot came over, and the two boys +and the dog played in the yard until it was dark and time to go to bed. + +So it was that Ruddy found a new home, and one he liked very much. The +next day Mr. Dalton made the old rabbit house over into a fine kennel +for Ruddy, and Rick got a collar and chain for his dog, so Ruddy could +be made fast when it was needful. Ruddy did not like being chained up, +but there were times when it was best for him to be kept from running +wherever he liked. + +Sig Bailey, the coast guard, came over several times to see Ruddy, and +the dog knew him every time. They were good friends. + +"I said that was a fine dog, as soon ever as I saw him come ashore on +the beach in that storm," said the guard. "And he is a fine dog; isn't +he, Rick?" + +"He surely is!" declared the boy. "I hope nobody ever comes along and +says he's theirs." + +"Oh, I don't believe anybody will ever come," spoke Mr. Bailey. "I guess +he's your dog to keep now, Rick." + +And Rick certainly hoped so. + +It was about two weeks after he had become the owner of Ruddy that Rick +went, one day, wandering in the woods on the other side of Silver Lake. +It was Saturday, when there was no school, and Chot had told Rick he +would meet him in the patch of forest. The boys were going to pretend +they were hunters, with sticks for guns, and Ruddy for their hunting +dog. Ruddy was real, of course, but the guns were make believe. + +Rick had been several times to the woods, but he had never gone very far +into their somewhat dark depths. To-day, when he had not met Chot soon +after getting among the trees, Rick walked on and on, and, the first +thing he knew he could see nothing around him but the thick trunks and +tangled bushes. All the houses were out of sight, and he could not even +find the road, or path, by which he had come in. + +"Chot! Chot! Where are you?" cried Rick. "Where are you?" + +But the boy he had expected to meet in the woods was not there. Later +Rick learned that his chum had been sent on an errand by his mother, and +so did not get to the woods at all that day. + +"I guess I'd better go back home," said Rick to himself, as he saw how +late it was getting. "It'll soon be night. Come on, Ruddy!" + +The dog, who was nosing among the leaves under a fallen log, sprang away +at his master's voice and trotted along behind Rick. + +"We're going home!" Rick said. + +"Bow wow!" answered Ruddy, which was as much as to say: "That suits me!" + +But, somehow or other, as Rick walked along, he did not seem to be +getting any nearer home. The woods had a strange look, and, as he +glanced about, a great fear came to him. + +"Ruddy," said Rick, with a catch in his voice, "I'm lost!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +HAW-HAW THE CROW + + +Ruddy, the dog, looked up into the face of Rick, the boy. If Ruddy could +have talked boy language he would have asked: + +"What's the matter? Why are you stopping here instead of running along +among the leaves? Come on, have a race! It's lots of fun! Throw a stick +and I'll go after it!" + +That was what Rick and Ruddy had been doing before Rick began to notice +how late it was, or to think about how far he was from home, and to +realize that he had not met his chum, Chot. Chot, whose real name was +Charlie, was a little older than Rick, and knew his way better in the +woods near Weed River and Silver Lake than did Rick. + +"Ruddy, I--I guess we're lost," said Rick again. + +"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy. That was all he said that Rick could hear, +and, in a way, the boy understood what that talk meant. + +It was as if Ruddy had remarked: + +"All right! I'm not afraid as long as I'm with you!" + +For though often dogs may become frightened, because of some danger, +they hardly ever show any sign of fear when they are with their +master--be he a boy or man. It was as if the dog felt its master knew +everything, and could get him, or any other dog, out of trouble. + +And besides barking, Ruddy was talking in a language Rick could not even +hear, much less understand, though, later on, he grew to know what his +dog meant when he stood with head turned on the side, one ear cocked a +little forward and such a sharp look on his face. After he had barked +once, to say, in dog talk: "All right!" Ruddy had gone on saying, in his +silent, animal way: + +"Don't worry, little master, I've been lost lots of times, and I always +found myself. Leave it to me! I'll get you home all right!" + +But Rick did not know this, and, for a time, Ruddy did not really think +that Rick was worried or frightened. The dog had had such fun in the +woods, playing with the boy, that he wanted to keep it up. Ruddy wanted +to rustle through the dried leaves. He liked to hear the rattling sound +they made. He wanted to chase more sticks, but Rick did not throw any. + +"Ruddy, which way is home?" asked Rick, as he stood in the woods, and +looked about him. "Where do we live?" + +Ruddy could not quite get this thought. He looked at Rick, and he saw +that his master was now beginning to be troubled. Dogs know when a +person is in trouble more often than you think, and they can sympathize, +or be sorry, for their master and others. But Ruddy was only a puppy and +his thinking-out of things was not as clear as it became afterward. Just +now he reasoned perhaps his master wanted to have some fun in a new way. + +"Well, if he does," thought Ruddy to himself, "there are lots of games I +haven't played with him yet. He doesn't care for chasing cats, so I'll +find something else to chase. There are birds in these woods, I'll +chase some of them!" + +Giving a few short barks, and scrabbling about in the leaves, Ruddy +leaped up and down in front of Rick. This was an invitation to come and +play tag. Ruddy knew how to give that invitation, and he had often done +it. That was one of the first games he had learned to play when he lived +in the stable with his father and mother and the other little puppies. + +"No, Ruddy," said Rick, as he saw his dog leaping about. "I don't want +to do that now. Let's go home, Ruddy! Let's go home! I don't know the +way, but maybe you do! Let's go home!" + +Ruddy knew what that word "home" meant. Once or twice, when he had been +tied up, as Rick and Mazie were about to start for school, the dog had +broken loose and run after the master he loved so well. Then Rick would +turn about and say, very sternly: + +"Go home, Ruddy! Go back home!" + +He would point to the house, and, with a sad look and with drooping +tail, the red-brown puppy would slink back. He was a good dog to mind, +was Ruddy. + +But now Rick was using the word "home" in a different way. Ruddy hardly +understood. Rick had not spoken sternly. He was asking Ruddy a +question--asking him to find the home that, somehow or other, Rick had +lost sight of in the woods. + +"Let's go home, Ruddy! Let's go home!" said Rick, over and over. + +Still Ruddy did not understand. He leaped about, pawing aside the dried +leaves. He was trying to find another box tortoise. Once he had +uncovered a tortoise in the woods, and Rick had taken it home. That had +been a great discovery for Ruddy. + +"Maybe I can find another one of those funny, crawling things, that look +like a stone, and which pull in their legs, head and tail as soon as I +bark at them," thought Ruddy as he pawed among the leaves. "I'll try to +find another. Maybe that's what Rick wants." + +"No, I don't want anything like that!" said Rick, as he saw what his dog +was doing. "No more turtles, Ruddy. Let's go home! I don't know which +way it is, or I'd go. I'm all turned around, and if I go the wrong way +I'll be more lost than I am now. Where is home, Ruddy?" + +Rick was getting more and more uneasy. He was not exactly frightened, +for he had often read of people becoming lost and spending a night in +the woods. + +"I won't mind that so much as long as Ruddy is with me," thought the +boy. "But I'd rather be home. Maybe I can make Chot hear me now!" + +He called and called again, Ruddy mingling his bark with the voice of +his master. And though Rick seemed to call more loudly than did Ruddy, +the dog's bark was heard farther. It is said that the bark of a dog can +be heard farther than any other sound, and men who have gone up in +balloons say that the last sounds that come to them, from the earth +below, that seems to be dropping away beneath them, are the barkings of +dogs. A dog's bark can be heard several miles. + +But though Ruddy's bark was carried farther through the woods than was +Rick's calling, those who heard Ruddy's "bow-wows" did not pay any +attention to them. A dog barks so often, and so much, that few persons +give any heed to it. All barks are alike to them, though there are +really several different kinds, and each one means something different +in dog language. + +"It's no use," said Rick, after he had called aloud and shouted several +times. "I guess Chot didn't come, or else he's lost too. We're both +lost! I wonder what I can do to get home?" + +He sat down on a log. Ruddy came up and put his cold nose close to +Rick's face. As plainly as he could the dog was asking: + +"What's the matter? Can't I help?" + +"I want to go home, Ruddy! I want to go home!" said Rick. If he had been +an older boy he might have started off by himself and have tried to find +his home. But he was afraid of going the wrong way now. If only Ruddy +would lead him! + +As for the dog, if he had been by himself he would, as soon as he was +ready, have trotted off in the direction of Belemere, and have gone +straight to Rick's house. Once a dog has settled himself in a home he +can, nearly always, find his way back to it, and sometimes even when he +has been taken many miles away, in an automobile or a train. But, just +now, Ruddy did not know that Rick wanted to go home. + +"I guess he wants me to scare up a bird for him to chase," thought +Ruddy, dog-fashion, of course. "That is the kind of fun he wants. +There's no fun sitting on a log and doing nothing. I'll chase a bird!" + +Several times that day, on their walk through the woods, Ruddy had +scrambled among the bushes and frightened out birds who were perched on +the low branches of trees. Ruddy was a hunting dog and, in times past, +the members of his family had thus driven birds out into the open for +hunters to shoot at. Ruddy did not quite understand why Rick did not +shoot at these birds. But of course Rick would not do that, even if he +had had a gun; which he had not. + +"I'll scare up some other birds," said Ruddy to himself. "That's what he +must want." + +With a cheerful bark, he plunged in among the bushes. Several birds +flew out, and Ruddy barked all the louder. But instead of chasing after +these fluttering creatures, as the dog expected he would, Rick sat on +the log. + +"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy. + +That meant, as plainly as he could say it: + +"Come on! Help me catch a bird!" + +"No! None of that," said Rick. "We must go home, Ruddy. Where is home, +Ruddy?" + +It took the dog some little time to find out what his master really +wanted, and then it came to Ruddy in a flash. But perhaps it was more +because the dog, himself, was getting hungry, and knew it was time for +his supper to be given him in his kennel. He knew where that was, of +course. That was "home" to him, and now he began to feel that it was +time to go there. + +Ruddy circled about in the leaves. His nose was close to the ground, and +many smells came to him. Here a rabbit had leaped along, and over there +a squirrel had jumped to the ground after a nut that had fallen from a +tree. Ruddy knew these smells very well indeed, and another time he +would have followed them along until he had come to where the rabbit was +in his burrow, or the squirrel was perched high in some hollow tree. + +But Ruddy had something else to do now. He was smelling among the leaves +to catch the scent that led back along the way he and Rick had come--the +trail back home--that is what Ruddy was smelling for. In a few moments +it came to him. He knew he could find it when he wanted it, and here it +was--through the clump of pines, down past where the willows drooped +over the brook, up the hill, down a little hollow and then out on the +road past Silver Lake and Weed River--that was the way home. + +Ruddy knew it, even if Rick did not. With a bark the dog began to lead +the way. + +"Bow-wow!" he said again, and this time it was quite a different bark. +It was as if he said: + +"Come along, Master! Now I know what you want! Home, of course! I'll +lead you home. I know the path very well!" + +Ruddy ran on ahead a little way and then turned around and waited for +Rick to come to him. This time the boy understood. His dog was not +playing in the leaves now, flushing birds or digging for turtles. + +"Home, Ruddy! Home!" said Rick. + +And straight toward home Ruddy led Rick. + +As the two walked on, Ruddy keeping a little ahead all the while, it +grew darker. Night was fast settling down, though it would be lighter +once they were out from among the trees. As they neared the edge of the +woods Rick halted and looked about. + +"Maybe Chot is in here, and he may be lost, too," he thought. "I'd +better call him." + +So he did, and Ruddy joined in with loud barks, but the other boy did +not answer. As Rick learned, later, Chot had not gone to the woods at +all. So, after waiting a bit, and calling once or twice, Ruddy helping, +Rick walked on with his dog. + +Suddenly, as they were nearing a path, which Rick remembered now as the +one he had followed into the woods, Ruddy, with a loud bark, sprang +toward something that fluttered among the low branches of a tree. + +A black object flew out, uttering a loud: + +"Haw! Haw! Haw!" + +"A crow!" cried Rick. "It's a crow!" + +And so it was. Again sounded the loud: + +"Haw! Haw! Haw!" + +Crows really utter that cry, rather than "Caw!" as most persons think. +Listen the next time you hear crows, and see if this is not so. + +"Bow-wow!" barked the dog. + +"Haw! Haw!" croaked the crow. + +It fluttered on through the bushes and then fell to the ground. + +"Its wing is broken!" cried Rick. "Somebody must have shot it, and it +can't fly!" + +With an eager bark Ruddy rushed toward the bird which was scrabbling +around among the leaves in a little hollow on the ground. The crow +seemed to be all tired out, and could not even flutter now. Rick cried +aloud: + +"Don't kill it, Ruddy! Don't kill it!" + +He rushed up to save the black bird, hardly knowing why he was doing it, +for he had been told, with truth, that crows eat the eggs of other, and +better birds, as well as destroy the farmer's corn. + +"Maybe I can tame this crow and get him to talk," said Rick. "Down, +Ruddy! Down!" + +The dog knew what this meant. He stopped barking; he stopped trying to +bite the crow, and stood off to one side. Careful to keep his hands away +from the sharp, strong beak, Rick picked up the crow. It was a young +one, and a drooping wing showed it was hurt. + +"You're going to be my crow!" said Rick. "I'll call you Haw-Haw, and +take you home. Ruddy, don't hurt this crow! I'm going to tame him!" + +He held the black bird out in his hands for Ruddy to look at. + +"Haw! Haw!" the crow cried, rather feebly. + +"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy. + +[Illustration: Rick picked up the crow!] + +Perhaps they were talking to one another in that mysterious animal +language. At any rate Ruddy seemed to understand what Rick had said, and +never after that did he try to hurt Haw-Haw. As for the crow--well, +I'll tell you more about him presently. + +"Now we got to go home, Ruddy," said Rick. "Mother will be worried about +me. We got to go home!" + +And Ruddy, holding his head on one side, looked at Rick and at Haw-Haw +and then, with a short bark, led the way out of the woods, and along the +path to Belemere. + +"Now we're all right," said Rick to himself. "I'm not lost any more, and +I've got a new pet! I wonder if you'll talk?" he asked the crow with the +broken wing. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +WHY DID RUDDY GROWL? + + +Rick and Ruddy tramped together along the path that led out of the +woods, Rick carrying the crow, which he had already named Haw-Haw. The +black bird, wild at first when the boy had taken it up, was now more +quiet, as Rick held it under one arm. But Rick could feel its heart +beating fast beneath the glossy feathers. + +Ruddy trotted along, now and then looking up at his master, as if trying +to guess what it was all about. Perhaps the setter was wondering if +Rick, in caring for this new, strange pet, would no longer go on romps +and tramps in the woods with the dog who so loved to be among the trees +and the dried leaves, looking for birds. + +It was the nature of Ruddy to hunt birds, not for himself but for +whoever was his master. So, in a way, it seemed perfectly right for +Rick to be taking home this bird, even if it was only a crow. + +Ruddy was an Irish setter, one of the three varieties of setter dogs +much used for hunting. Ruddy's coat was like his name, a rich dark red +in color. The Gordon setter has a black coat, marked with dark brown, +and the English setter is nearly white, with mottled spots of different +color. + +A hundred years ago, when men used to spread nets to catch birds, when +they could not shoot them because they had not then the right kind of +guns, dogs like Ruddy were used to help the hunters. The setters were +taught to go in the underbrush, find the game birds, come to a +"point"--that is point their noses toward where they saw the quail, +grouse or pheasants, and then the dogs crouched down, or "set," as the +English hunters called it. That is how the "setter" dog got its name. It +would "set," or lie down low, in the grass, so the net of the hunter +could be thrown over its head to enmesh the half-hidden birds. + +Ruddy had never helped hunt birds with a net, but, years back, his +ancestors had, and the name clung to him. So, also, did the love of +hunting in the woods. To chase birds, to bark at them, to love to see +them scurry away as he ran toward them was as natural to Ruddy as it is +natural for a bulldog to hold fast to whatever he gets between his jaws. + +And so, as Ruddy walked along beside Rick, the red setter was thinking: + +"Well, my master caught one bird, anyhow. That is doing very well for a +starter. Maybe to-morrow we shall go to the woods again, and I'll find +more birds for him to catch." + +For, really, if it had not been that Ruddy frightened the crow into +fluttering off the branch where it had taken refuge, after being shot, +Rick might never have found it. + +"Dear me! Where have you been?" cried Rick's mother, as he came marching +into the yard, carrying the crow and followed by Ruddy. + +"I was off in the woods," answered the boy. "And I was lost, but Ruddy +showed me the way home." + +"Lost! Oh, Rick! You mustn't go to the woods alone and get lost!" + +"I wasn't alone," he answered. "Ruddy was with me. I can't get lost with +him. He always will know the way back, I guess. But I didn't see Chot." + +"No, he came, after you had gone, to say he couldn't meet you in the +woods," said Mrs. Dalton. "I thought you would come right back when you +didn't find him. You stayed so long that I was getting afraid. I was +just going to send your father after you." + +"I was afraid myself," spoke Rick. "But Ruddy is a good dog. He didn't +know what I meant first, when I told him to go home, after I couldn't +tell where the path was. But, after a while, he knew what I said and he +led me straight." + +"What you got?" asked Mazie, seeing the black, feathered creature in her +brother's hands. + +"It's a crow. Ruddy found it and I picked it up before he could bite it. +Its wing is broken but maybe we can fix it. I'm going to teach it to +talk." + +"Crows don't talk--only parrots," said Mazie. + +"Yes, they do--don't crows talk?" asked Rick of his father, who came out +in the yard just then. + +"Yes, I have heard them say a few words, and also whistle," said Mr. +Dalton. "Not all of them talk as well as do parrots, but you can +understand some of the things crows say." + +"You have to slit their tongues to make 'em talk," went on Rick. "Chot +Benson told me so. He doesn't know I got this crow, but I'll tell him +after supper. Maybe he knows how to cut their tongues." + +"No, you mustn't cut the crow's tongue," said Mr. Dalton. "It is a cruel +superstition to say that slitting a crow's tongue makes it talk. Not all +crows can say words, but those that do, will say them just as well with +a whole tongue as with one cut down the middle. Leave your crow's tongue +alone, Rick, if you are going to keep him." + +"Oh, I'm going to keep him!" declared the boy. "I'm going to have him +for a pet same as I have Ruddy. But I'm glad I don't have to slit his +tongue. Do you think you can fix his broken wing, Daddy?" + +"Well, perhaps we can put it in splints so the bones will grow +together," answered his father. "But I'm afraid the crow will never fly +again. It may be able to flutter about, and it surely can walk, for its +legs are all right," said Mr. Dalton, as he took the black bird from +Rick. "But its flying days are over." + +"Then it won't fly away from me," said the boy. "I'll make a nest for it +in the woodshed, and then I'll teach it to talk." + +"That may take you a long time," said his father, "and this may be the +sort of crow that never says any words. But you can try." + +"And now it's time for supper," exclaimed Rick's mother. "It has been +waiting long enough, and it's almost dark." + +"Ruddy wants his supper, too," said his master. + +"Tie him up and I'll feed him after I feed you," promised Mrs. Dalton +with a laugh. Though not very fond of dogs she was beginning to love +Rick's pet that had come to him out of the ocean, and Ruddy knew how to +appreciate the kindness of his master's mother in giving him clean food +and water, and choice bones to gnaw when he had nothing else to do. + +The crow was put in a box filled with soft, dried grass. A tin can of +water was hung on the side, so Haw-Haw could reach it without knocking +it over. And then he was left to himself in the woodshed. Ruddy was tied +in his kennel, and he stretched out with his muzzle between his +forepaws, thinking over what had happened that day. It had been one +filled with delight and adventures, and Ruddy was wishing, with all his +warm, dog's heart, for another day like it. + +To Rick the great adventure had been getting lost, but this, to Ruddy, +was nothing. The dog had not been lost at all. He knew his way back home +all the while. + +While Rick, Mazie and the others were eating supper, and Rick was +telling all that had happened, and how he found Haw-Haw, his dog lay out +in the kennel. It was a soft, warm evening, one of the sort that come in +Indian Summer, and Ruddy was sniffing many odors that reached his sharp +nose. + +Suddenly he smelled--cat. Quickly his head was raised. Yes, there was a +cat who had leaped up on the back fence. It was Sallie from next door. +For a moment Ruddy had a wild notion of springing up and chasing after +Sallie as he had done that first day he came to live with Rick. Then, as +the dog felt the collar about his neck, and as the chain by which he was +fastened to the kennel gave a rattle, he knew that it would have been of +no use to get up. The chain would stop him after he had gone a few feet. + +Ruddy settled back on the ground. The cat--having heard the dog's chain +rattle, and knowing the setter could not get her (for Sallie was a wise +cat)--did not run away as fast as she had run the other time. Nor did +she climb a tree. + +Sallie just walked along the fence, to see another cat perhaps, and +Ruddy stretched out, sniffing the many odors that came to his fine, +sharply-pointed nose. The cat smell passed away with the night wind. + +Suddenly, as it grew darker, to the nose of the dog came another smell. +It was a smell that made him leap up with a deep growl in his throat. It +was the smell Ruddy did not like, for it brought back to him the memory +of a man who had been cruel to him--a man who had beaten and kicked +him--who had filled his puppy days with misery. + +And now, on the soft airs of the autumn night that terrible man-smell +came to Ruddy. He stood up, sniffed again and again, and the growl in +his throat became deeper. And to Ruddy there also came the sound of +someone walking softly around the yard fence--the footsteps of a man who +did not want to be discovered. + +The setter leaped to the length of his chain and his growl became a +bark. Rick, who was coming out of the house after supper, heard this, +and hastened to his dog's kennel. He heard Ruddy rumbling in his throat. + +"What's the matter, old fellow? Why are you growling?" asked Rick. Of +course the different smells on the night air meant nothing to him. +Though a boy's nose is very good for smelling a pie baking in the oven, +or, in camp for whiffing the delicious odor of bacon and coffee, a boy's +nose is not sharp enough to smell all a dog can smell. + +"What's the matter, Ruddy?" asked Rick again. "Why are you growling?" + +Of course Ruddy could not speak boy talk, and so he could not tell what +had disturbed him, but he kept on growling. + +"If it's a tramp trying to sneak around the house, go drive him away!" +ordered Rick. + +He loosened the dog's chain and the animal with another bark and growl, +darted away in the darkness. Then Rick became fearful lest his new pet +should get into danger. + +"Come back, Ruddy! Come back!" called the boy. + +Ruddy was following that hated odor that lay on the still, night air. He +smelled it more plainly now, showing that he was coming nearer to it the +farther he went from his new kennel house. Rick was now some distance +back. + +And then, near a dark clump of bushes, Ruddy came to a sudden stop. The +alarming man-smell came from there. Someone was hiding in the +bushes--someone Ruddy hated and feared. Again the dog growled. + +And then a voice fairly growled back in answer--the voice of a man +hidden in the bushes, and angry words were muttered. They were words +Ruddy had heard before, and they had often been followed by a blow or a +kick. + +Ruddy did not want to be hurt again, and so he decided it would be best +not to go any nearer that bush. He growled once more, sniffed the air to +make sure of the smell, and turned back. Rick was following. + +"What is it? What's the matter, old fellow? Why are you growling?" asked +Rick, but Ruddy could not answer, and the boy could neither see nor +smell anything in the darkness. + +The man in the bushes did not stir. Perhaps he had gone to sleep. Ruddy +did not know. And then, with a final growl, the dog turned away and, +looking up and back to where he dimly saw Rick's form, he followed the +boy. + +But once, and once again, Ruddy turned, looked back toward the clump of +bushes, and growled low and fiercely. + +"Was it a tramp or a cat?" asked Rick. "Well, if it's a cat it doesn't +much matter. And if it's a tramp, maybe he'll know I have a dog, and I +guess he won't come too close to our house. Tramps don't like dogs." + +And if it had been light, and if Rick and Ruddy had looked back then, +they would have seen, peering out from the screen of the bush, an ugly +face. It was the face of a ragged man, and the man, as he saw in the +darkness the dog and boy moving away, muttered: + +"He nearly smelled me out! Wonder what kind of a dog that was? Looked +something like the one I want. Well, I can tell better in the mornin'. +This is a good place to sleep." And he curled up again. + +Several times more Ruddy growled down in his throat, and then something +came that made him forget the man in the bush. The man whose smell he so +well remembered. + +With Ruddy leaping and barking about him, Rick got a lantern and went to +look at the broken-winged crow in the woodshed. The black bird did not +seem to have moved since it had nestled down amid the soft grass in the +box, over which a wire screen had been placed to keep Haw-Haw from +fluttering out. + +"To-morrow I will mend your broken wing," said Rick, as he looked at his +new pet. + +Ruddy, forgetting for the time being about the man smell that came from +the bush, stood with head on one side looking wonderingly toward the box +where the crow nestled. + +"I must fix it so Ruddy won't hurt Haw-Haw by mistake," said Rick. "Look +here, old fellow," he said to his dog, and tapping the edge of the box, +at which sound the crow moved uneasily. "Look here, Ruddy! You mustn't +hurt Haw-Haw. Let him alone! He is my crow and he and you and I are +going to be friends. Don't hurt this black bird!" + +Ruddy whined. He did not quite understand. Something inside him made him +want to take this feathered creature in his mouth and carry it +somewhere, as the dogs of his family carried birds from the hunting +field. And this was the hunting instinct Ruddy felt. But he knew he must +also mind his young master. If Rick said not to touch the crow, the crow +must not be touched. And so Ruddy made up his mind he would obey his +young master. + +The dog followed the boy out of the woodshed, and the crow was left +alone, which was the best thing for the bird at present. Its heart did +not beat so wildly when Rick and Ruddy had gone. + +"Come on, Ruddy!" called Rick to his dog. "We'll go over and see Chot! +I'll tell him how I got lost and found a crow!" + +Ruddy was always ready to go anywhere with Rick, and especially over to +Chot's house. For next door to Rick's chum lived Tom Martin, whose dog +and Ruddy had become great friends. This other dog's name was Peter, and +he was a bull terrier, a white dog, with ears like a bat, and queer, +sleepy-looking eyes that gave his long face rather a foolish expression. +But Peter was a brave dog, and loved his master as much as Ruddy loved +Rick. So the two dogs played together, while Rick and Chot talked on +the back steps in the soft, warm, fall darkness. + +Ruddy was much larger than Peter, and it was all Peter could do, when +Ruddy held his head high, to get hold of one of Ruddy's ears to pull it. +But often Peter did this, and then the two dogs would roll over and over +in the grass, pretending to bite one another, but, of course, not really +doing it. + +"I'm sorry you got lost," said Chot to Rick. "I didn't know you would go +so far in the woods if I wasn't there." + +"I didn't mean to," spoke Rick. "But I just kept going. But I'll never +get lost, now, with Ruddy. He'll bring me home." + +"Yes, Ruddy is a good dog." + +Hearing his name spoken Ruddy left his play with Peter, and came running +to his master, laying his muzzle, or nose, on the boy's knee, and +looking up into his face as if to ask: + +"What do you want?" + +"I didn't call you," said Rick. "But I guess it's time to go home. Come +on over and see Haw-Haw, my crow, to-morrow, Chot." + +"I will. I hope he gets to talking." + +"So do I!" + +Rick and Ruddy raced home together, and soon both were asleep, Rick in +his little white bed, and Ruddy out in his kennel, ready to bark if a +strange footfall should be heard around the house. For though Ruddy +could not see in the dark, even as well as he could in the daytime, +which was little enough, his hearing and smelling were perhaps better +after dark than in daylight. He would know the moment a stranger came +within hearing, or smelling, distance of the house he now called home. + +Again and again Ruddy sniffed the night air, during the hours of +darkness for any trace of the hated man odor he had smelled. But it did +not again come to his nose. Perhaps the wind had changed, for dogs, and +most animals, can not smell persons, or other animals, if the wind is +blowing away from them. When the wind blows from the animal or person to +the dog, then the dog can smell very well indeed. + +Or perhaps the ugly-faced man under the bush had gone away after the dog +had growled. Ruddy did not know what it was, but he did know that the +odor he disliked came to him no more. But he was on the alert for the +noise of a strange footstep, or the least whiff of a new smell. + +Mr. Dalton came from the office earlier next day, and with the help of +Rick and Chot bound up the crow's broken wing. It was wound about with +soft strips of cloth close to the glossy, black feathers of the bird's +body. + +"There," said Rick's father. "I think the wing will mend, even if +Haw-Haw can not use it to fly again. Now we'll give him something to +eat, and fresh water, and leave him alone. He's frightened half to +death, for he doesn't know yet that we are trying to be kind to him." + +Some scraps of meat were given Haw-Haw and he seemed to like them. He +nestled down in his box, and there he had to stay for many days, until +his broken wing healed, as it did after a while, though not so he could +fly with it. He could only flutter lamely about the yard. + +Meanwhile Rick and Ruddy had many good times. When he did not have to +go to school, the boy went on long walks with his dog, sometimes down to +the beach, and again back in the woods or along the river or lake. + +On Silver Lake were a number of swans. They had been bought by the town +of Belemere to make the place attractive for summer visitors, and in +winter the birds were put in shelters. But now they were still in the +open, swimming about the lake, and sometimes in the river, from which +they ate the weeds. + +Ruddy did not understand these swans. To him they were a sort of goose. +But a swan is much larger than a goose and it has powerful wings. It is +said a swan can break a man's arm with a sweep of the wing, but I am not +sure this is so. At any rate swans defend themselves with their bills, +which can nip splinters off a wooden plank, and with their strong wings +they can deal hard blows. + +Whenever Ruddy could slip away from Rick, the dog used to love to chase +these swans. He would rush at them barking loudly, if he saw them +preening their feathers, or asleep on the bank of the lake. Then, with +wild hissings, the big, white birds would dash for the water. Sometimes +they would turn on Ruddy, and almost strike him with their wings. But +most times Rick called his dog back as soon as Ruddy made a dash for the +half-tame water fowls. Thus there never had been a real fight between +the swans and the dog. + +But one day Rick was called back by his mother after he had started for +a romp with Ruddy, and the dog went on alone by himself for a while. He +approached the lake and there, asleep on the bank, were two swans. + +"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy, making a sudden rush. He expected the white +creatures would dash into the water, but they seemed to have made up +their minds that they had stood the dog's nonsense long enough. With +loud hisses they both turned and with outstretched necks, with open +bills, with fluttering and spread wings they flew at Ruddy. + +Few dogs would have been brave enough to stand in the face of these +strange enemies. Even a bulldog might have turned tail, as Ruddy +certainly did. + +Away ran the dog and after him ran the swans. The big, white birds could +really travel quite fast, even on land, for they used their wings to +help themselves along, just as an ostrich half runs and half flies, +which makes him as speedy as some horses. + +With hisses and flappings of their wings, the swans pursued Ruddy, and +if Rick had seen them after his dog he could easily have guessed what +the swans were saying to one another. + +"We might as well settle this matter once and for all," one swan might +have said. + +"I agree with you," the mate probably hissed in answer. "We have no +peace or quietness at all, with this dog chasing us at unexpected times. +Let's teach him a lesson!" + +And that is what they were trying to do--teach Ruddy a lesson. The swans +wanted to make Ruddy afraid of them, so he would no longer chase them. + +When a cat, I don't mean Sallie, especially, but any cat, wants to teach +a dog a lesson, and cause him to fear her, so he will no longer chase +her, the cat turns, arches up her back, makes her tail as large as she +can, hisses at the dog and scratches his nose if possible. A cat seems +to understand that a dog's nose is his most tender spot, as indeed it +is. A dog really hates to have his nose scratched as it bothers him, +hurts him and prevents him from smelling his best, and on a dog's scent, +or sense of smell, nearly everything depends. + +But swans can't scratch. They can pinch with their yellow bills, or, if +they are black swans, with their red beaks. And they can deal hard blows +with their powerful wings. + +And as Ruddy raced along the shore, back toward where he had left Rick, +the dog tucked his tail between his hind legs to keep it out of the way. +Next to a dog's nose his tail is his most tender part. + +Ruddy did not want his tail pinched, or nipped, but that is just what +happened. One of the swans managed to get close to the dog, who was +running away as fast as he could, and, catching the setter's tail in his +strong beak, gave it a hard bite. + +My, how Ruddy howled! He howled more than once, and then he ran so fast +and hard that he pulled his tail out of the swan's beak. Ruddy was +loose. The swan had done what he hoped to do. + +Then the first swan, and all the others, stopped chasing Ruddy. They +spread wide their wings to act as brakes, just as an airship man pulls +down the tail rudder of his aeroplane to make it travel over the ground +more slowly when he has made a landing. Birds, too, when they alight +after a fly, spread wide their tails. Just watch them some time. + +Then, having, as they hoped, taught Ruddy a lesson, so he would not +tease them again, the swans waddled back to the lake. + +The setter dog had a queer expression on his face. He held his head on +one side, one long, silky ear was cocked up and Ruddy seemed very much +surprised by what had happened. In fact he appeared very much ashamed of +himself, and animals can be ashamed just as much as can boys or girls. +If you have ever seen a cat, sleeping on the edge of a chair, and, +perhaps while she was dreaming of something, suddenly slip off to the +floor, you know what I mean. The cat is ashamed of having fallen out of +bed. It was this way with Ruddy. He was ashamed of having run away from +the swans. + +"I wonder what other dogs would think of me if they knew I had run away +from a bird?" mused Ruddy. "But of course they were the largest birds I +ever saw. I never knew before that birds chased dogs. I thought dogs +always chased birds." + +You see Ruddy was learning. + +Of course Ruddy did not know all there was to be known about birds--that +there are some, like eagles and condors, that can pick a big dog up in +their claws, or talons, and fly away with him. And Ruddy did not know +that there are some birds, like the ostrich or the emu, who are taller +than any dog. Ruddy had much to learn, you see, and, just now, he was a +little ashamed of himself. + +"I wonder," thought Ruddy, in animal fashion, of course, "I wonder what +some of the older dogs who used to live in the stable with me would say +if they had seen me now? I ran away from some bird! A queer thing to +happen to a dog! I wonder what other dogs would say?" + +But I think Ruddy need not have been ashamed. Almost any dog would have +run, and turned tail if several big swans had rushed at him. And never +after that did the red setter bother the great white birds on the lake. +They had taught him a lesson he never forgot. + +The days that followed were happy ones for Rick and Ruddy. The boy and +dog grew to love each other more and more, and Mrs. Dalton was not sorry +the setter had come to live with them. No dog could be more gentle with +Mazie, who loved Ruddy as much as did her brother. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE OLD SAILOR + + +One day, when Sig Bailey, the coast guard, was sitting outside the +life-saving station, making a little boat from a piece of wood, he saw a +shadow in front of him--a shadow cast on the beach by the bright October +sun. The life guard looked up and saw, standing before him, a ragged man +on whose face grew scraggily whiskers--not a good, proper beard, but +whiskers as though the man ought to have shaved but had been too +lazy--or else had not had a chance. If the guard had known, this was the +same man Ruddy had smelled and rumbled at. + +"Mornin' mate!" growled the ragged man, as he rubbed his rough, scraggy, +stubby chin. "Can you give me somethin' to eat?" + +Sig looked at the man closely and then answered slowly: + +"Well, I guess maybe I can ask the captain to. He's boss here. I'm only +one of the crew." + +"Regular ship rules you have around here; eh?" asked the man. + +"Something like that--yes," answered Sig. "In winter we all live here at +the station, and the captain is in charge. In the summer I live inland, +and come on duty at night. But the full crew is here now and--well, I'll +see if I can get you anything. Sit down." + +The ragged man sat down on the bench outside the coast guard station, +while Sig went to find the captain. + +Besides the house in which the captain, his wife and the crew lived at +the Belemere life-saving station, there was another building in which +was stored the motor life-boat, and other things, by means of which +passengers and crews were taken off vessels that might go ashore on the +beach. + +Some of the crew were working about the boat now--painting her and +others were looking over the ropes and the bomb-gun by which a line is +shot out to a vessel when it is too rough to use the boat. The captain +was in the cottage writing out some reports he had to send to +Washington. + +"There's a man outside who wants something to eat," said Sig to Captain +White. + +"What sort of a man is he?" + +"Looks like a tramp, but I guess he's been a sailor to judge by his +walk." + +"Oh, well, we can't turn anyone away hungry; eh, Mother?" he asked his +wife, who was busy in the kitchen. + +"I can give him a plate of beef stew," she answered. + +"Guess that would just about fit in his locker," spoke Sig, with a grin. +"I'll take it out to him." + +And presently the wanderer was gratefully eating the hot bowl of stew as +he sat on the bench beside Sig, who had again started work on making the +boat. Sig was going to give the boat to Rick when it was finished. + +"Live around here?" asked the life guard of the tramp. + +"No. Just drifted in. I've had hard luck ever since I lost my dog." + +"Lost your dog!" exclaimed Sig, and a queer feeling came into his +heart. "What kind of a dog did you have?" + +"He was sort of reddish--a setter I guess he was. Got washed overboard +one night just about off this coast I reckon. We were wrecked ourselves +right after that, and I haven't had any luck since. I figger I lost my +luck when I lost my dog. Wish I could get him back!" + +Sig looked sharply at the ragged man. Could he be after Ruddy? + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +RUDDY HELPS SALLIE + + +Eagerly and hungrily the ragged man ate the bowl of meat and broth. Sig +watched him until he had finished and set the bowl down on the bench +beside him. + +"Yes, I've had bad luck ever since I lost my dog," half growled the +ragged man. "I found the dog--he was living in an ash barrel down where +I stayed near the dock. I took him on the boat with me for luck. Nice +little pup he was--sort of brown in color--a dark red. I took him along +for luck, but I didn't have any." + +"Didn't you?" asked Sig. He was doing some hard thinking. Only that +morning he had seen Rick and Ruddy racing along the beach together, and +it was hard to say which was the happier--the dog or the boy. + +"No, I didn't have any luck," went on the ragged sailor, who was not +half as pretty to look at as the flower of that name. "I took that pup +with me when I went on the _Mary Jane_--that was the name of the +schooner. But a storm came up--right when we got off this coast. I was +nearly washed overboard myself, and the pup was--completely. I guess he +was drowned. No dog could live in that storm. He couldn't get ashore." + +The life guard did not answer. He was not sure that Ruddy was the dog +the tramp had taken along "for luck" as he said. And it would not be +fair to Rick or Ruddy to send this man--this ragged sailor--to see if he +could claim the red pup. Sig shook his head. + +"We did have a bad storm early in September," he said. "Regular +north-easter. I didn't see any wreck around here, though." + +"Well, the schooner wasn't exactly wrecked--at least not then," went on +the ragged man. "But my dog was washed overboard--a red pup he was, and +I haven't had any luck since. After the storm our boat got leaking, and +we had to put in. I lost my place on the _Mary Jane_ and I haven't had +any work since--that is not regular work. No luck at all. Maybe if I +could find that dog I'd have luck again. But I don't see him around +here." + +"No, we haven't any dogs," said Sig. And again he made up his mind to +say nothing about Ruddy. After all it might not be the same dog. +Besides, this man did not look as though he would be kind to dogs, and +no one has a right to own a dog, or any other animal, unless he is kind. + +"Much obliged for the soup," said the ragged sailor, as he got up from +the bench. "I feel better now. Maybe I'll have some luck after this." + +"I hope so," spoke Sig, as kindly as he could. + +"Maybe I'll find my dog," went on the wayfarer. "Guess I'll look around +this village a bit. It's right about off shore here that he was washed +overboard. He might have swum to land, though I doubt it. But I'll look +around. I think I'd have better luck if I could have my dog!" + +He slouched off down the beach, talking to himself. Sig watched him go. +The life guard had forgotten the boat he was whittling out of a block +of wood. + +"It may be the dog Rick has," said Sig to himself. "But I'm not going to +tell that man. He'd take Ruddy away if I did, and he hasn't any right to +him. That man would be cruel to a dog, I know. I'll just slip up and +tell Rick to keep Ruddy chained up for a day or two. It isn't likely +this tramp will find Ruddy, but he might. I'll go tell Rick." + +And that afternoon, when he had a little time to himself, the coast +guard went up to the village and called on Rick. + +"Where's Ruddy?" asked Sig. + +There was something so strange in his voice that the boy looked up +quickly and asked: + +"You haven't come to take him away; have you? You don't want him back, +do you, just 'cause you found him when he come out of the ocean?" + +"No, I'm not going to take Ruddy away from you," answered Sig; "but +another man might. Listen, Rick! I saw a tramp to-day. He once had a +reddish dog, for luck, as he said, and the dog was washed overboard. +Now I'll tell you what to do." + +Sig told the story of the hungry, ragged sailor who sat on the bench +eating the bowl of beef stew. And Sig told how the tramp-man was going +to look around to see if he could find the dog he had lost. + +"Keep Ruddy chained up!" half-whispered the coast guard. + +"I will!" said Rick in a low voice, and he looked over his shoulder as +if, even then, the man with the scraggy beard on his face might be +coming along, looking for Ruddy. + +And so the setter pup, for the next three days, was kept in his kennel, +or only allowed to run out at night when Rick held him on a leash. Ruddy +did not like it. He whined and barked to be set free, so he might run +where he pleased. But Rick, looking into the brown eyes said: + +"No, Ruddy; you must stay close to the house these days. I don't want to +lose you. No ragged sailor tramp is going to get you!" + +Ruddy had understood there was some need to keep quiet, even as his dog +ancestors had known the need of quiet when their masters were hunting +in the woods. And so though the days were long and unhappy ones, Ruddy +stayed close to his kennel. + +Meanwhile the ragged sailor wandered about the town, looking at the +different dogs he met. Perhaps if he had found one that he could have +picked up and taken away he would have done so. But all the dogs growled +at the sight of him, and showed their teeth. Dogs, as a rule, do not +like ragged men; though no matter how old are the clothes their master +wears, it makes no difference. But that is another story. + +"Yes, I lost my luck when I lost that dog," growled the tramp, as he +slunk away. "But I guess he never got ashore. He was lost in the ocean, +I reckon. I'll have to get another mascot dog for luck." + +Then he slunk out of town, and, for a time, Ruddy was safe. But Rick did +not let his dog run free until after he had talked to the life guard +again. + +"I guess the tramp has gone away," Sig said. "I haven't seen him around, +though I did the first day after Captain White's wife gave him the bowl +of stew. I guess he's gone. It will be safe to let Ruddy have a run." + +And how glad the dog was to be free once more! To dash into the water +and out again, to gallop over the hills and through the woods! And Rick +went with him. Every hour that he was not in school Rick spent with his +dog and his boy chums. And the other boys--Chot and all of Rick's +friends--loved Ruddy as though he was their own. + +Ruddy never bothered the swans now. He did not even bark at them as he +passed them on the shore of Silver Lake. And Ruddy and Sallie kept up +their friendship. No more did Ruddy chase the cat, and no more did +Sallie arch up her back and fluff out her tail if the dog came near. + +One day, when the ground in the forest was thick with the fallen leaves, +Ruddy went off by himself to run through the woods. He knew Rick might +soon be home from school, and the dog wanted to race about by himself +before that. Ruddy was livelier than the liveliest boy you ever saw. He +could run twice as far and twice as fast, and sometimes Rick did not +move fast enough for Ruddy, who was bubbling over with life and +happiness. So it was that the dog often used to get off by himself for a +joyous race through the woods, where the dried leaves made such a jolly, +rattling sound. + +And it was while Ruddy was racing here and there in the woods among the +leaves, catching, now and then, the most wonderful smells of wild +rabbits, squirrels and quail birds--it was while thus running wildly to +and fro, that Ruddy heard a voice calling. + +"Mew! Mew! Meaouw!" came the sound, and Ruddy well knew what it was. + +"A cat!" he thought to himself, in the way that dogs think, by instinct. +"A cat! and maybe I can have fun chasing her." + +Ruddy and Sallie had become friends by this time, living so close to one +another, and Ruddy had given up chasing the big, gray tabby. But he was +not friends with any other cat. In fact he did not then know any other +cats except Sallie. + +"Mew! Mew!" came the voice again, and Ruddy knew enough of animal talk +to tell that it was a cat in trouble. + +He sniffed and smelled his way to where the cat-odor came from until, +passing around a hollow stump, he saw a sad sight. + +Huddled up in a heap among the leaves was Sallie, and the gray cat was +in pain. She was caught in something, as Ruddy could see, and at once he +leaped to her side, though he did not know what was the matter. All he +knew was that he wanted to help a friend, as, very often, animals help +one another. + +The fact was that Sallie was caught in a steel trap, set to catch some +wild animal of the woods. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SALLIE IS CAUGHT + + +Sallie, the big, gray cat, was so huddled up among the dried leaves of +the forest that, at first, Ruddy could see nothing of the trap. It was +down in a hollow, and Sallie was lying close to a stump. + +But Ruddy was a bird dog, and, like all his kind, he was used to nosing +around among dried leaves after quail, pheasants or other game, and, +seeing Sallie lying so still among the dried foliage, and not getting up +to rub noses with him, as she always did since they became friends--not +seeing Sallie do this, Ruddy knew something was wrong, even if Sallie +had not told him. He began to nose around among the leaves to find out +what was the matter. + +Once, when Ruddy was a small puppy, his mother had taken him and some of +the other small dogs out in the fields, and one of Ruddy's brothers had +been nipped on the leg by a large ground mole, that the puppy had caught +as it was trying to burrow under the earth and leaves. Ruddy remembered +that his puppy brother had howled and had held his paw down among the +bushes while the mole clung to it, much as Sallie hid her leg in the +leaves now. + +"There must be something fast to Sallie's leg," thought Ruddy, in dog +fashion. And there was. It was the trap into which Sallie had stepped--a +trap hidden under the dried foliage where she had not seen it. + +Ruddy nosed among the leaves, much as he would have nosed to find a game +bird for which he was searching. And soon he uncovered the trap. He +happened to touch it with his nose, and, as he did so, Sallie gave a +soft cry. It hurt her leg to have the trap moved. + +Ruddy stopped at once. Animals know when one of their kind is hurt, and, +often, they do all they can to help. Ruddy wanted to help Sallie now. He +wanted to help her out of the trap. + +The trap was made of steel, and it had two jaws that opened, being held +apart, when the trap was set, by a catch. There was a round, flat piece +of steel, about as large as a fifty-cent piece, and on this round bit of +metal, called a "pan," whoever set the trap had put some bait. Any +animal that touched the pan, in trying to get the bait, would move the +catch and the strong spring would snap the jaws of the trap together, +holding fast anything that was between them. And it was poor Sallie's +paw that was now in the jaws of the trap. + +Sallie had been wandering in the woods, among the leaves, for she liked +to hear them rattle and rustle, as did Ruddy. Sometimes Sallie caught +grasshoppers or crickets in the woods. But this time she was caught +herself--caught in the trap before she knew it. + +Ruddy looked at Sallie's paw and then at Sallie and then at the trap. He +was beginning to understand what had happened. Animals seem to grow +wiser once they have been trapped, or see one of their kind held between +the steel jaws. + +Ruddy was wondering how he could help Sallie. There was only one way, +so it seemed to the red-brown dog. He must have known that he could not +open the trap. He might have been strong enough, but he did not know +just the secret of springing apart the steel jaws. So Ruddy tried the +next best thing. + +As tenderly as he could Ruddy took hold of Sallie by the loose skin at +the back of the cat's neck. Ruddy remembered how, in the stable where he +first lived, he had once seen a mother cat carry her kittens in this +way, by the back of the neck. So, being careful not to bite Sallie in +his teeth, which soon would be strong enough to crush bones, Ruddy tried +to lift Sallie up and out of the trap. + +But he soon stopped when the cat gave a howl of pain. And no wonder +Sallie meaouwed to show that she was hurt. Her paw was pinched in the +trap, and pulling her up by the back of her neck, as Ruddy was doing, +made the pain worse. + +Ruddy let go of Sallie as soon as he heard her cry. He knew the language +of pain as well as he knew the cat's talk of friendship. Sallie, with +her tongue, began to lick the paw at the part nearest the trap. Doing +that seemed to ease the ache somewhat. + +Ruddy moved back a little, and sat down among the leaves. He looked +again at Sallie, at her paw and at the trap. Plainly Ruddy was puzzled +as to what next to do to help his friend. + +Ruddy could see a chain on the trap. It was like the chain by which he +was sometimes fastened in his kennel. The other end of the chain was +fast to a log. If it had not been for this Sallie might have limped off +on three legs, carrying the trap snapped shut on her other paw; for the +trap was not a large one, being set only to catch rats or mice. Often +wild animals drag away with them traps by which they have been caught. +That is why hunters fasten the traps to heavy logs or stumps. + +Ruddy knew it was of no use to try to gnaw through the steel chain or +steel trap. He could gnaw wood, but not iron or steel. And after trying +once more to paw around in the leaves, hoping he might free Sallie from +the trap, the dog gave it up. + +And then came to Ruddy the right thought. He would go get the Boy--Rick, +his master. Rick meant everything, now, in the dog's small world. There +was nothing Rick could not do. He could easily open this trap. Ruddy +would go get Rick. + +As soon as this thought came to him (as it must have come; or why did he +act as he did?), Ruddy gave a bark and started off. Sallie uttered a +mournful meaouw as she saw her friend leaving. But Ruddy turned and +barked at her--barked just once. But there was much meaning in that +little bark. It was as if he had said: + +"Don't you worry, or be afraid, Sallie. I'm not going to leave you for +long. I'm going for help. I can't get that trap open myself. But Rick +can! I'm going for Rick!" + +And then away leaped Ruddy through the woods, scattering the dry leaves, +and looking back once more, as he came to the edge of the forest, to let +Sallie see he had not forgotten her. + +By leaps and bounds Ruddy hurried through the clumps of trees. He leaped +little brooks, and once, coming to a pond that was rather wide, he +swam it, rather than lose time by going around. He was in a hurry to get +his master to help Sallie. + +In a few minutes, so fast did he run, Ruddy was in his kennel-yard, back +of the house. Rick was just coming home from school, with his sister +Mazie. + +"Oh, there he is!" cried Rick, as soon as he saw his dog. "I was afraid +the old ragged sailor had taken you away." + +Ruddy leaped about his master, who patted him on the head. Ruddy had no +time now to think about ragged sailors, if, indeed, he knew what they +were. He wanted to help Sallie. + +Catching hold of Rick's coat, Ruddy began to pull. He gave two or three +tugs and yanks, and then, letting go, ran a little way along the path +toward the woods. Then he stopped, looked back at Rick and barked. + +It was the first time Rick had ever seen his dog act this way, and he +did not know what it meant. He looked at his pet. + +"What is it, old fellow? What's the matter?" asked Rick. + +"Dear me! Can't you understand? How slow you are!" said Ruddy, in dog +language, which, of course, Rick could not hear. "Why when you want me +to come with you all you have to do is call me once, and I come. Or you +have only to whistle. Now I want you to come with me to help Sallie, and +I've got to pull you along and bark and run on ahead and look back and +run back--dear me! How slow you are!" + +As Rick did not at once come when Ruddy invited him the dog ran back +again, once more grasped his master by the coat, and pulled a second +time. He did not let go so soon, now, and actually dragged Rick along a +few steps. + +"Come on! Come on!" said Ruddy, as plainly as it could be said by any +dog. + +"Oh, he wants you to come and play with him!" exclaimed Mazie. + +"No, it isn't that," her brother answered. "Ruddy would just as soon +play here in the yard as anywhere else. He must want me to come to the +woods. Well, I'll go, old fellow!" + +No sooner did Rick start to follow Ruddy than the dog gave every sign of +being pleased. He barked joyfully, leaped about, ran on ahead and then +ran back to put his cold nose against Rick's hand. It was as though +Ruddy was afraid Rick would not keep on following. + +But the boy did, though he could not guess what it was all about. Mazie +wanted to come also, but Rick said she had better not, so he sent her +home. Then he saw Chot crossing the fields, and called to his chum. + +"What's the matter?" asked Chot, for he could tell by Rick's voice that +something had happened. + +"I don't know what it is," Rick answered, "but Ruddy pulled at my coat, +and wants me to come with him!" + +"Oh, I know what that means!" cried Chot. "I've often read that dogs do +that when they've caught something too big for them. Maybe he's treed a +bear in the woods, Rick!" Chot's eyes shone with excitement. + +"There aren't any bears around here," Rick said. "But I guess Ruddy has +found something in the woods he wants me to see." + +"I'll come with you," offered Chot. + +And, a little later, Ruddy led the two boys straight to the place where +poor Sallie was held a prisoner in the trap. + +"Oh, look!" cried Chot, as he saw the gray animal fast among the leaves. +"It's a big squirrel, caught in a bush!" + +"No, it's Mrs. Watson's cat, Sallie!" exclaimed Rick. "She's in a trap! +Poor thing!" + +Sallie meaouwed as she saw Ruddy coming back with the boys. The dog +leaped about and barked, as if he were saying, as he really was: + +"There you are, Sallie! I brought someone to help you!" + +"Thank you," Sallie must have answered, but she spoke in a very weak +voice, for she was in much pain. + +As tenderly as they could, Rick and Chot took the trap off the cat's +paw. Her leg was lame and sore, but it was not broken, I'm glad to say. +She limped as she walked, and when Chot saw this he said: + +"I'll carry her! Say, but your dog is smart, Rick, to come to get help +for a cat in a trap!" + +[Illustration: "It's Mrs. Watson's cat, Sallie! She's in a trap!"] + +"Yes, Ruddy is a smart dog," agreed Rick. "I hope the sailor tramp +doesn't come and take him away!" + +Rick had not lost that fear which stayed with him for many days. He and +Chot took turns carrying Sallie home, and very glad the cat was to rest +in the arms of the kind boys. Ruddy leaped along with them, now and then +giving loud barks. At least that is all they sounded like to Chot and +his chum, but, really, Ruddy was talking to Sallie as he trotted along +beside her. + +It was more than a week before Sallie could step on her sore paw. +Meanwhile she stayed in her own yard--at the house where she lived with +Mrs. Watson, her mistress. Ruddy came over to see her each day, and the +two became better friends than ever. Mrs. Watson thanked Rick and Ruddy +for having brought home her pet cat, and as for Ruddy, Sallie's mistress +saved for him every nice bone she got from the butcher's. + +"I never knew a dog who was so smart," she said. "And it's remarkable +how he seems to like Sallie, especially when he used to chase her so at +first." + +One day, when he came home from school, Rick asked his mother if he +might go to the woods and see if he could get some chestnuts. + +"Yes," she answered, "but don't stay too long. Don't get lost as you +once did, and be home before dark." + +Rick promised to be careful, and to be home before supper, and then, +taking a cloth salt bag, in which to carry the chestnuts if he should +find any, off he started with Ruddy following. And the dog leaped about +and barked happily. Nothing pleased him more than going to the woods +with Rick. + +Now chestnut trees were rather hard to find in the forest near where +Rick lived. The blight had killed many of them, and some did not have +any nuts on. So it was not until he had gone more than a mile into the +woods before the small boy found a place where the ground was fairly +well covered with the brown nuts. + +"Now I'll get some!" cried Rick, as he began picking them up. "I'll take +some home, and Mazie and I can roast them on the stove after supper." + +While Rick picked up the nuts Ruddy raced here and there. He was having +as much fun as was his master. At last the boy saw no more nuts on the +ground, but there were many on the tree, and Rick began to look for a +way to climb up and shake them down. The chestnut trunk was too big for +him to span with his arms, so he started up a slim maple that grew next +to it. Rick was a good tree climber, but to-day he was out of luck. He +managed to scramble up a few feet and then he suddenly slipped in a +queer way. One leg was caught fast between the trunk of the maple and a +slim branch, and the next Rick knew, he was lying on his back on the +ground, under the tree, with one leg stuck almost upright, and held +fast. Rick was caught, almost as if he were in a trap. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A MYSTERIOUS WHISTLE + + +Rick was at first so shaken and stunned by the fall that he could not +speak. The breath seemed to have been jarred out of him, as it was once +when he fell down stairs, and he could not even cry for nearly a quarter +of a minute. But at last his breath came back to him, and he exclaimed: + +"Oh! Oh, dear!" + +Instantly Ruddy was at his master's side. The dog had been nosing around +among the leaves. He had caught the scent of a wild rabbit, and he was +jumping about for joy, getting ready to follow the trail of the little +creature to its burrow. And let me tell you that Ruddy could, by merely +smelling on the ground, over which the rabbit had walked, tell which +path the rabbit had gone, whether away from its underground home or +toward it. + +And Ruddy would not follow the trail away from the rabbit's home. He +would nose his way along, getting nearer and nearer to the bunny's +burrow at each step until, at last, he might catch the furry little +fellow. + +It was not that Ruddy was cruel, or liked to hurt rabbits. It was just +his nature to want to hunt them. And so it was as he nosed around among +the leaves, the wild smell of the rabbit coming more and more strongly +to him, that Ruddy heard his master's cry of pain. + +Instantly the wild rabbit was forgotten, and Ruddy bounded to the side +of Rick--poor Rick who was lying on the ground, one foot caught in the +crotch of a tree from which he had fallen as he tried to climb up and +get the chestnuts. + +"Oh! Oh, dear!" exclaimed Rick again, for he was in pain, his ankle +being turned on one side. He hoped it wasn't broken. + +"Bow, wow!" barked Ruddy. That was all Rick heard his dog say, and he +almost knew it meant: "Dear me! I'm sorry about this!" + +But Ruddy said a good deal more than this, or, at least, he thought it, +in the strange, mysterious way dogs have of thinking. + +"Well, well!" thought Ruddy to himself, dog fashion. "You surely are in +trouble, Master! In almost as much trouble as Sallie was! I wonder if I +can help you?" + +Ruddy sniffed at Rick, walked around him and sniffed again. Ruddy did +not exactly understand what had happened. But he knew his master was +held fast as the cat had been, though in a different way. + +"You can't get me out, Ruddy! You can't get me loose, old boy!" spoke +Rick. "You'd better go home and bring somebody to help, as you brought +me to help the cat! Go home, Ruddy! Go home!" + +Ruddy heard these words and he knew what they meant. Once or twice +before Rick had sent his dog home when Ruddy had followed at a time when +he ought not to have done so. Then Rick had spoken sharply, as one must +do, at times, with a dog, to make sure he obeys. But now Rick's voice +was quite different. He was begging Ruddy to do him a favor. + +"Go home, Ruddy! Go home!" ordered Rick. + +Ruddy barked once or twice, circled around Rick who lay on his back with +one foot stuck up in the air, where it was held fast in the tree, and +then the dog came and licked Rick's face with his smooth tongue. Dog's +tongues are smooth, you know, and cat's tongues are rough. + +"Oh, I know you like me, Ruddy!" said Rick, with a half laugh in spite +of his pain. "You needn't kiss me any more to show that! But run home +and bring somebody to help me get loose." + +And then Ruddy knew just what was wanted of him, and off through the +woods he rushed. He scattered the dried leaves from side to side, he +leaped little brooks, swam larger ones and never stopped, no matter how +often he caught the scent of the wild rabbits and squirrels. And then, +panting from his run, Ruddy leaped into the house just as Mr. Dalton +reached home. Ruddy lost no time. He took hold of Rick's father's coat, +just as he had taken hold of Rick's, the day Sallie was caught in a +trap, and then the dog tried to pull the man along with him. + +And because of what had happened before--because Mr. Dalton knew Ruddy +would not do this unless he had a reason for it--he followed the dog at +once, running out of the house after him. + +"What is it? Oh, what's the matter?" cried the boy's mother. + +"I don't know," answered her husband, "except that Rick is in some kind +of trouble, and Ruddy has come to have me help. I'll go get Rick and +bring him home!" + +"Oh, but--but suppose he is badly hurt!" cried Mrs. Dalton. + +"I don't believe he is," answered the father. "He may have fallen from a +tree, and, at worst, have broken a leg. I'll get him!" + +He followed Ruddy, and, once the dog had made sure his master's father +was coming along, he lost no time, but ran through the woods, straight +to the place where he had left Rick. + +"Rick! Rick! Where are you?" cried Mr. Dalton, as he entered the +forest. + +"Here I am, Dad! Caught fast in a tree!" cried the boy. + +"Are you badly hurt?" + +"No, only my leg is caught. Did Ruddy come after you?" + +"Indeed he did! Good old Ruddy!" + +The dog barked as he heard his name spoken, ran to Rick, who still was +held fast, and again licked his face. + +"Steady now, boy!" said Mr. Dalton, and, in a few moments he had raised +Rick's foot, something which the boy could not do for himself, and had +freed him from the tree-trap. That is really what it was, a tree-trap, +though no one had set it. The trap just grew there. + +To Rick's joy he found that his ankle was not broken, and not even +sprained. It had been twisted rather roughly, and it gave him pain when +he stepped on it, but he could walk slowly, and did not need to be +carried. + +"How did it happen?" asked Rick's father, and the boy told him, +meanwhile picking up the chestnuts that had fallen from his pockets as +he toppled from the tree. + +"It's a good thing I had Ruddy with me," said Rick, "or maybe I'd have +been here a long while." + +"Yes," agreed Mr. Dalton. "But if you hadn't come home by dark I would +have come after you, and if I had had Ruddy with me I think he soon +would have picked up your trail, and he would have led me to you; +wouldn't you, Ruddy old boy?" + +The dog barked in delight as he heard this talk, for he knew he was +being praised, and a dog, or nearly any other animal, likes kindness as +much as we ourselves do. And let me tell you this, your dog can tell, +just by the sound of your voice, whether you are speaking kindly or are +cross with him. Just try it. In harsh, angry tones say to him: + +"You are a bad dog!" + +See how his tail will drop between his legs, and how he will slink +away--that is if he is a natural dog and has not been spoiled. Then say +those same words in the kindest, most gentle voice you can, and see how +your dog will brighten up, and wag his tail. + +So you see it isn't the _words_ so much as it is _how you say_ them, +though I do believe that some dogs know certain words, no matter how +they are spoken. + +Anyhow Ruddy understood that his master and the father were pleased with +him, and he capered about, barking and trying to reach up to lick Rick's +face again. + +"We must hurry back home," said Mr. Dalton. "Your mother will be worried +about you, Rick!" + +And Mrs. Dalton was so worried that, half way home, father and son met +her coming along to see what had happened to her boy. + +And when she saw that Rick was all right, and when she heard what had +happened, you may be sure she loved that red dog almost as much as her +boy did; and that was a great deal! There was no question now about not +keeping Ruddy. + +Rick was a little lame for two or three days after his chestnut hunt, +and he had to tell the story to his chums over and over again, of how +Ruddy had gone back home and brought help to him. + +"He sure is a fine dog!" exclaimed Chot, and all the other boys agreed +with him. + +When Rick came home from school each day he used to stop, when about a +block away from his home, and give a shrill whistle. This was to call +Ruddy to him, and the dog, who always seemed to be waiting, would rush +down the street to meet his master. If he had been chained in his kennel +during the day Mrs. Dalton would loosen him shortly before it was time +for Rick to come along. Sometimes she forgot, and then Ruddy would tug +at his chain to get loose as soon as he heard the boy's whistle. + +But one day, about a week after Rick's accident at the chestnut tree, +while Mrs. Dalton was in the kitchen baking a cake, she suddenly heard a +shrill whistle. It seemed to come from down the street, which was from +where Rick always called his dog. And as soon as Mrs. Dalton had heard +the shrill notes, perhaps even before, Ruddy, asleep in his kennel, has +also caught them. He sprang up with a joyful bark, rattling his chain. + +"Why, it isn't time for Rick to be home from school yet!" said his +mother in surprise; "unless he is out earlier than usual. Maybe +something has happened and there isn't any more school just now--the +teacher may have given the boys a holiday. + +"Yes, Ruddy! I'm going to let you loose so you may to go meet him!" +spoke Mrs. Dalton, as she hurried out to loosen the chain. + +Again the shrill whistle sounded, and Ruddy barked with impatience. He +could hardly wait to run and meet Rick. Later on I am going to tell you +how Ruddy learned to know when his master was coming without hearing +this call, even when Rick was far off. + +Out of the yard bounded the dog, and Mrs. Dalton went back to her +baking, wondering why her son was returning from school so early. But, a +little later, when Ruddy came back alone, she was more surprised. + +"What!" she exclaimed. "No Rick? That's queer! I thought I surely heard +his whistle, and you did, too, Ruddy. But it must have been some other +boy." + +Ruddy looked puzzled and disappointed. It was the first time he had gone +to meet his master and had not found him. The red dog could not +understand it. + +"It must have been some other boy," said Mrs. Dalton. "But never mind, +Ruddy. It will soon be time for Rick to come." + +Ruddy went back to his kennel, and Mrs. Dalton kept on with her baking. +A little later it was twelve o'clock, and in came Rick. He had forgotten +to whistle because he was so excited over a game of football he, Chot +and some other boys were going to play that afternoon. + +"Hello, Ruddy!" cried Rick, as he saw his dog. "Hello, old boy!" and the +setter leaped joyfully about his master. + +"What other boy whistles like you?" asked Rick's mother, as she told +what had happened, and how Ruddy had been disappointed. + +"No other boy that I know of," answered Rick. "I always have a special +whistle for Ruddy, and he knows it." + +"Someone whistled exactly like you," went on Mrs. Dalton. "I was fooled +by it, and so was Ruddy. I wonder----" + +"Hark!" exclaimed Rick. + +Again a shrill whistle sounded. It seemed to come from the street +outside. Ruddy sprang up with a bark, his soft, silky ears cocked up as +much as he could raise them. + +"There it is--hear it!" said Mrs. Dalton. + +Again came the signal call, and Ruddy looked toward the gate and then at +his master. Clearly it was not Rick whistling, and yet---- + +"Someone is trying to call Ruddy away!" said Rick in a low voice. +"They're trying to fool him. Maybe it's that tramp sailor--the one who +was telling Sig about the dog that was washed overboard. Oh, Ruddy! If +they take you away from me!" + +Once more came the shrill whistle. It seemed to be calling the dog, and +Ruddy did not know what to do. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +RUDDY IS GONE + + +Rick dropped his strap of school books that had been swinging around his +head as he ran home. + +"Come on, Ruddy!" the boy called to his dog. "We'll see who is doing +that whistling!" + +And by the sharp, short bark the setter gave his master knew that the +dog was as ready as he, himself, to find out who was trying to play a +trick on them, if anyone was. + +"Wait a minute, Rick!" called his mother, as the two friends ran toward +the gate. "What was that you said about a tramp sailor?" + +Rick repeated what the coast guard had told him. + +"Then you'd better be careful how you let Ruddy run loose," went on Mrs. +Dalton. "Do you think the sailor is hiding out there now, trying to +call Ruddy?" + +"That's what I think, Mother," the boy answered. "But if anyone who +doesn't really own Ruddy tries to take him away from me----" Rick paused +when he had said this much. He really didn't know what he would do. "But +I guess Ruddy won't go with them; will you, old fellow?" he asked his +dog. + +And from the manner in which Ruddy barked and capered about the boy he +had grown to care for so much, it did seem that no one else could ever +get the dog away. + +Once again the whistle sounded, just as if it were Rick himself, or an +echo of the boy's shrill call. Ruddy was puzzled by it and, lifting up +his ears, looked up into Rick's face, as if to ask what it all meant. + +"Come on! We'll find it out!" called the boy. + +Together they ran to the street. Rick looked up and down. No one was in +sight. And then, again came the shrill call. It sounded overhead. + +"Someone is up in a tree!" cried Rick. "Is that you, Chot?" he called, +thinking perhaps his chum was trying to play a little joke on him. + +There was no answer, but, after a moment the whistle sounded again, and +then followed a loud, harsh call of: + +"Haw! Haw! Haw!" + +If you could have seen the looks, then, on the faces of Rick and Ruddy +you would have laughed. Both boy and dog showed how very much they had +been fooled by the whistling of the pet crow. + +For it was Rick's black bird, Haw-Haw by name, who had been doing the +whistling. The sly fellow had listened to Rick until he could imitate +the boy perfectly and now, up in a tree into which he had managed to +flutter, Haw-Haw was calling Ruddy. + +"Come down out of that, Haw-Haw! Come down!" called Rick, and there was +a flittering amid the branches of the tree on which there were still a +few leaves. Haw-Haw, whose broken wing had healed, not enough to permit +him to fly well, but enough so that he could flutter up into the low +branches of trees, came half tumbling down, half soaring and perched +himself on Rick's shoulder. + +"I didn't know you could whistle!" exclaimed the boy. "I was going to +teach you, Haw-Haw, but I guess you must have taught yourself. Whistle +again for me!" + +But Haw-Haw did not seem to want to do this. He preened his glossy black +feathers with his black bill, and made funny little noises down in his +throat. + +Ruddy, his head on one side, peered up at the crow on Rick's shoulder +and the queer, puzzled look was still on the dog's face. + +"It's all right, Ruddy! It's all right," said Rick, patting his setter's +head. "It was only Haw-Haw whistling for you." + +Rick had been so busy having fun and going to school that, after his +father had set the crow's broken wing, the boy had almost forgotten +about his black bird. But Haw-Haw had grown stronger and he had grown +tame--so tame that he would perch on the shoulders of any members of the +family and let them feed him. Rick had been talking of teaching the crow +to talk and whistle, as he had read could be done. But he kept putting +it off, for one reason and another, until he was much surprised by +hearing the crow's whistle. + +"Did you find who it was trying to call Ruddy?" asked Rick's mother, as +he came back in the yard with the crow on his shoulder and the dog +leaping around him, barking joyously and excitedly. Ruddy did not +altogether like Haw-Haw being so friendly with Rick. + +"It was my crow whistling!" said Rick. + +"Your crow?" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton, in surprise. + +"Yes. He must have been listening to me at different times, until he got +so he could whistle just as I do when I call Ruddy. And Haw-Haw +certainly sounded natural. He fooled even you; didn't he, Ruddy?" + +The dog barked as much as to say: + +"He certainly did!" + +Just how Haw-Haw learned to whistle Rick never found out. Certainly the +boy did not cut the crow's tongue, and perhaps whistling came natural to +the black bird. And it may be that it was not a regular "whistle" at +all, but merely a sound like that. Of course a bird has no lips to +pucker up and whistle with, as boys have, and some girls, too. But many +birds utter whistling notes when they sing, or give their calls. The +quail, or Bob White, seems to whistle, and so does the Whip-poor-will. +And I have heard many men who can, by whistling with their tongue and +lips, imitate many birds. I have even heard a man whistle like a robin, +and so nearly perfectly as to deceive a cat. Pussy came running into the +room where the man was whistling, looking around to find the feathered +songster. + +So it is easily possible for a crow to imitate the whistle of a boy, and +this is what Haw-Haw had done. He must have practised by himself in the +woodshed, whistling in low notes at first, as a singer does who is not +quite sure of the air. And then, when he found he could imitate Rick's +cheerful call to his dog, the crow had fluttered out into a tree, and +had sent his shrill notes echoing. + +"Well, now I know you can whistle I'm going to teach you to talk, +Haw-Haw," said Rick. + +The boy began that very afternoon on the crow's further education. Rick +got from the kitchen some pieces of meat, which the black bird liked +very much, and, holding one chunk up near the sharp, strong bill, said: + +"Now, Haw-Haw, let me hear you say something! Say 'I want a piece of +meat!'" + +But whether this was too long a sentence for the crow to start on, or +whether he did not understand what Rick wanted I can not say. At any +rate Haw-Haw said nothing. He did not even whistle. He just held his +head on one side, as Ruddy sometimes did when Rick was talking to him, +and Haw-Haw looked at the chunk of meat held in Rick's fingers so +temptingly near. + +"Go on! Say something!" exclaimed Rick. + +Suddenly Ruddy, who was sitting up just behind his master, gave a bark. +Ruddy's eyes, too, were on the meat, and perhaps he thought his boy +master was talking to him. At any rate Ruddy barked, Rick turned his +head aside for a moment to speak to his setter pet. + +And at that instant Haw-Haw, seeing his chance, took it. Rick felt a +sudden jab at his fingers, the meat was snatched from them and then +with a loud "Haw! Haw!" the crow fluttered up to the roof of the +woodshed to eat the morsel. + +"Oh, that isn't fair!" cried Rick, but he had to laugh. "That isn't +playing the game!" + +"Haw! Haw!" croaked the crow, and it sounded just as if he were laughing +at Rick. He may have been, too, for all I know. + +That was the beginning of the crow's education at the hands of Rick, but +not many times after that could the black bird fool his master by +snatching away the meat or other dainty. Rick was more careful. + +Rick did manage to get Haw-Haw to say a few words. At least the boy +declared they were words, though his father and mother said they could +not understand them. Mazie said she could, so perhaps it was because Mr. +and Mrs. Dalton did not stop long enough to listen. + +And Haw-Haw also tried some other whistling notes, different from the +dog-call he had learned of Rick. But that dog-call was the best thing he +did, and he often fooled Ruddy by fluttering out to a bush in front of +the house and giving the shrill whistle by which Rick used to summon +his pet on coming from school. + +After a while, when Haw-Haw knew he could play his tricks on Ruddy, the +crow did it so often that the poor dog was quite puzzled about it. Ruddy +would be sleeping on the porch, perhaps, waiting for Rick to come from +school to have a romp across the fields. And then, about time for the +classes to be dismissed, the crow would softly flutter out from his nest +in the woodshed and take his perch in a bush, or on a low branch of a +tree. There he would give his whistle. + +With a bark of welcome Ruddy would awaken from his sleep and dash off +the porch out to the front gate. There he would glance up and down the +street, where no Rick was in sight. + +With a queer look on his face, the dog would then go back to the porch, +growling and glancing up at the tree where the crow was perched. Ruddy +knew he had been fooled. But, no matter how often this happened, he +would always jump up and run out whenever Haw-Haw whistled. Ruddy could +not tell the difference between the notes of the crow and the call of +Rick. As I told you a dog depends on his scent, or by smelling with his +nose, to tell his master and friends, and not on his ears or eyesight, +though a dog's hearing is better than his vision. + +"I guess I'll have to stop whistling for Ruddy when I come home from +school," said Rick to his mother one day, when he had come in with his +books, and had been told that Haw-Haw had played the trick three times +on the setter that afternoon. "It's too bad to plague him that way. I +won't whistle any more when I come along." + +"I guess it would be just as well not to," agreed Mrs. Dalton. "Haw-Haw +is too smart for Ruddy. And he has another trick, too, Rick." + +"You mean Haw-Haw has?" + +"Yes, he took some spoons off the kitchen table to-day and dropped them +in the hollow of a tree in front of the house. I saw him, or I wouldn't +have known about it. It's quite a deep hollow and I could hardly reach +down in and get the spoons. And what else do you think I found down in +there?" + +"I don't know. Was it my roller skate key that I lost?" + +"No, but it was the new tea strainer I lost. That disappeared last week. +Haw-Haw must have carried it off. I have heard that crows like to pick +up shiny things and hide them, but this is the first time our crow had +done such a trick." + +"Say, he's a regular trick crow; isn't he?" exclaimed Rick. + +"Too much so!" laughed Mrs. Dalton. "I must watch him." + +"And I must try to teach him some more words to say," went on Rick. "He +can almost say 'I want my supper' now." + +"Well, I'm glad you think it sounds like something," said Rick's mother. +"To me your crow's talk only resembles a lot of screeching and +jabbering." + +"Oh, he'll learn to talk all right," declared Rick. "I'm going to teach +him now." + +And when Chot came over, a little later, the two boys took turns at +educating the black crow. They seemed to be satisfied with what Haw-Haw +learned, though when the crow was brought in the house, perched on +Rick's shoulder, and asked to repeat his latest lesson, he only flapped +his one good wing and whistled shrilly. + +"Oh, say! You're a tease!" cried Rick, and Mazie laughed at the two +boys. + +But Rick gave up whistling to Ruddy on coming home from school, and the +crow soon learned that he could no longer fool the dog. Ruddy was +growing wiser and Haw-Haw gradually stopped that trick, though he did +not forget how to whistle. + +However, though Rick gave up sounding his signal call to his dog on +coming from school, Ruddy seemed to know about the time to expect his +boy master. He would be on the watch and waiting, and, when the hands of +the clock pointed to a little after three, Rick would race out to the +gate and wait for his chum; for that is what Rick and Ruddy were +now--chums. + +One afternoon Rick came running in the gate, swinging his books like the +pendulum of a clock that was running on double time. + +"Where's Ruddy? Where's my football?" cried the boy. "We're going to +have some fun--all the boys over in the big field! Where's Ruddy? +Where's my football?" + +"Why, your football must be just where you left it," Mrs. Dalton +answered. "As for Ruddy, didn't he come to meet you?" + +"Come to meet me? No. Was he here a while ago?" + +"Just a little while ago, yes. He was asleep on the porch. I heard a +whistle, and saw him rush out." + +"But, Mother, I didn't whistle for him! I don't call him that way any +more since Haw-Haw played that trick. I didn't call Ruddy!" + +"You didn't?" + +"No!" was the answer. Rick was beginning to be alarmed. + +"Someone whistled and he ran out," went on Mrs. Dalton. + +"I wonder if it was Haw-Haw?" spoke the boy. + +Just then the crow fluttered out from the kitchen, where he sometimes +went to sleep behind the stove. + +"It couldn't have been him," declared Rick. + +"It was someone," said Mrs. Dalton. "I saw Ruddy run out as he always +does when he goes to meet you, and----" + +Rick did not stop to hear what else his mother had to say. He rushed for +the front gate and looked up and down the street. No Ruddy was in sight, +and a great fear came into the boy's heart. + +Ruddy was gone. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +ON THE SEARCH + + +Never, since the red-brown setter had come up out of the ocean to be +Rick's dog, had Ruddy not been on hand to greet his master when the boy +came racing from school. During the hours when Rick had to be at his +classes, studying or reciting his lessons, Ruddy, when not chained in +his kennel, would roam about the woods and fields, not too far away from +the house. Once he had even followed Rick and Mazie to school, and Rick +had been excused, and allowed to bring his pet back home. + +And now, for the first time, Ruddy was not there to greet his master. +Rick looked up and down the street but no dog was in sight; only Sallie, +the cat. + +Rick gave a shrill whistle, the kind he always used to call his pet, but +there was no joyous, answering bark. Sallie, the cat, gave a meaouw as +if replying, but Rick did not understand cat language, or at least not +very much of it, so he did not know what Sallie was saying. Perhaps the +cat was telling Rick she knew where Ruddy had gone, but, being unable to +speak boy-talk, the cat was of no use to Rick. + +"Here, Ruddy! Ruddy! Here, Ruddy, boy!" called Rick. Then he whistled +again, and Haw-Haw, being fully awake now, and hearing the shrill notes, +imitated them. + +"Oh, Mother!" exclaimed Rick, coming back to the side porch. "Where do +you s'pose Ruddy can be?" + +"Oh, I guess he just ran off, maybe to play with Peter," said Mrs. +Dalton. + +"But he never did it before--not when I was coming home from school," +remarked the boy. + +Just then Haw-Haw whistled again. + +"There!" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton. "I heard a whistle just like that a few +minutes before you came. It wasn't the crow, for he was asleep behind +the stove." + +"And I didn't whistle!" declared Rick. "Oh, do you think it could be +that sailor--the one who was asking Mr. Bailey about Ruddy? Maybe he's +been around here, and he heard me whistle, or maybe he heard Haw-Haw, +and he knows how we used to call Ruddy. And maybe he called my dog and +took him away." + +"Oh, I hardly think so," said Mrs. Dalton, though she was afraid this +might have happened. "I guess Ruddy just ran off to play with Peter, or +some other dog." + +"But he never did it before!" exclaimed Rick. "He always knows when I'm +coming from school and he waits for me." + +This was true enough, and Mrs. Dalton knew it. Just then Mazie, who had +stopped on her way home from school to talk to some of her girl friends, +came into the yard. + +"Did you see Ruddy?" asked Rick, eagerly. + +"No," was the answer. "Oh, is he lost, Rick?" + +"I--I'm afraid so," was the reply. "I'm going to go out and look for +him." + +"Better look over in Peter's yard," suggested Mrs. Dalton. "Ruddy may be +there." + +But the red-brown setter dog was not playing with the queer +sleepy-eyed, though good-natured English bull. Peter was gnawing a bone +near his kennel when Rick hurried in. + +"Bow wow!" barked Peter, for that was his way of saying "Hello!" + +"Here, Ruddy! Ruddy!" called Rick, looking around the yard of Tom +Martin's house, for Rick thought his dog might have been playing with +Peter a game very much like the boys' game of hide-and-go-seek. + +"Ruddy isn't here," said Tom, coming out of the house with a slice of +bread and jam. "What's the matter, can't you find him?" + +Rick told about Ruddy's disappearance. + +"Come on! We'll go and look for him!" offered Tom, making hasty bites at +the bread and jam, after breaking off a piece for his boy friend, and +giving Peter a nibble. "We'll take Peter and look for Ruddy." + +"Thanks!" exclaimed Rick, hungrily chewing away. "I guess that'll be +best. I'll go tell my mother we're going." + +"And maybe when you get back home Ruddy will be there," suggested Tom. + +"No, I don't believe he will," spoke Rick, rather sadly. "I don't know +where Ruddy is, but he's gone." + +And gone the setter certainly was--at least he was not back at Rick's +house when Tom and Rick reached there, with Peter running along beside +them, sniffing at every tree and fence post. + +"Hello, Rick! What you doin'?" called Chot from the back yard of his +home, where he was beating a rug. + +"Looking for my dog," answered Rick. "Ruddy's gone!" + +"Whew!" whistled Chot. "That's too bad. Wait a minute, I'll come and +help you look!" + +Searching for a lost dog was more fun, any day, than knocking the dust +out of a rug. Chot must have said as much to his mother, or else have +promised to finish the beating later, for he soon came running out to +join Tom and Rick. + +"Where'd he go?" asked Chot, after he had patted Peter on the head, and +the dog had wagged his tail. + +"We don't know," Rick answered, and then he told about Ruddy having run +out at the sound of a whistle. + +"It must have been your crow, playing a trick again," Chot said. + +"No," declared Rick. "It was that sailor tramp, this time, I'm sure. He +wants to get Ruddy back--he told the coast guard so. Ruddy's a lucky +dog, and the sailor tramp wanted him." + +"He's a good dog all right," agreed Tom. "But it isn't very lucky for +him to run away and get lost!" + +"'Tisn't his fault!" declared Rick. "That sailor whistled him away. He +must have whistled like I do, and Ruddy knew it wasn't Haw-Haw, 'cause +the crow was asleep behind the stove. Ruddy ran out when he heard the +whistle, and the sailor has him." + +"Well, we'll get him back!" cried Chot, fiercely. + +Making sure, by calling and whistling, that Ruddy had not come back to +the house while he was down street with his boy friends, Rick and his +chums started off on the search. + +"Can't I come?" asked Mazie, for she loved Ruddy as much as did her +brother. + +"Oh, no, dear! You can't go off with the boys," said Mrs. Dalton. +"They're going across the field, and maybe to the woods. You must be +back before dark!" she called to Rick. + +"Yes'm, I will--if I find Ruddy!" he answered. + +"The first thing we'd better do," suggested Tom, "is to go along the +street and ask people we meet. Peter used to run away a lot, and I +always got him back that way. He's such a funny-looking dog that +everybody remembers him after they have seen him." + +"But Ruddy isn't a funny-looking dog," objected Rick. + +"No, Ruddy is nice," agreed Tom. "But he isn't like any other dog around +here, and if anybody saw an old sailor taking him away they'd remember." + +"Yes, I guess they would," admitted Chot. "We'd better ask folks, Rick." + +This was decided on, and the three boys began their search, first going +up and down the street on which Rick lived. But no one had seen Ruddy +running around that afternoon, or at least if they had seen him, they +did not remember. + +The blacksmith, the cigar-store keeper and the grocery man--each one of +whom knew Ruddy--said they had not noticed him. It was not until the +boys went in a small candy store, at the foot of the street, that they +first obtained any information. + +"I didn't exactly see your dog, Rick," said Mrs. Blake, who kept the +store. She had come out to wait on the boys, for Rick had three cents +and he was treating his chums. "I didn't see your dog Ruddy, but, now +that you speak of it, I did see something queer about an hour ago. + +"A rag peddler came to ask if I had any papers, old automobile tires or +anything like that to sell. As if I'd have an auto!" and Mrs. Blake +laughed, for she was rather poor. "However, what I was going to say," +she went on, "was that when I looked out toward the rag man's wagon, I +saw he had another person with him. There was a big man on the seat, and +when I told the junkman I had nothing for him I saw something like a +dog, or some animal, down in among the bundles of papers in the wagon. +And the man on the seat was trying to keep this dog, or whatever it was, +from jumping out." + +"Oh, that was Ruddy all right! I'm sure it was!" cried Rick. "That +sailor man must have whistled him away and have put him on the junk +wagon. He couldn't get Ruddy any other way. The old sailor has my dog!" + +"I guess he has!" agreed Tom. + +"Which way did the wagon go? Come on, let's chase after it!" cried Chot. + +"It was headed down the street when I saw it," answered Mrs. Blake. "But +I didn't pay much attention to it. I never thought it might be your dog, +Rick." + +"I'm sure it was," said the boy. "Oh, I wonder if I can get him back?" + +"Sure we can!" cried Tom Martin. "We'll chase after that junk man until +we catch him, and then we'll make the sailor give up the dog!" + +"Come on!" shouted Chot. "We'll have a regular 'cop and robbers' chase! +Come on!" + +Rushing out, leaving open the door of the candy shop, the boys hurried +down the street, their eyes eager for a sight of a junk wagon in which +rode two men and a dog. + +"Poor boy!" sighed Mrs. Blake, as she closed the door. "I hope Rick gets +back his pet." + +Tracing a junk wagon in Belemere was easier than trying to find out from +passers by which way a dog had gone. And the boys soon learned that the +wagon had turned off on a road that led to the next town. + +"Come on!" cried Chot. "I know a short cut we can take across the lots, +and get ahead of the junk man. Come on!" + +He led Rick and Tom down a lane, past the small electric light station, +and out into the field. The boys had not gone very far before Rick +cried: + +"Say this is a regular swamp! There's a lot of water here!" + +"'Tisn't deep!" said Chot. "It won't no more than go over the tops of +your shoes! Come on!" + +He was in the lead, but the others were close behind him. Suddenly Rick +gave a cry. + +"What's the matter?" asked Chot, turning toward his chum. "Do you see +the junk wagon?" + +"No, but I'm sinking down! I'm sinking, Chot! It's way up over the tops +of my shoes now! I'm stuck in the mud! I can't pull my feet out!" yelled +Rick. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE OLD CABIN + + +Chot and Tom, who had run on a little ahead of Rick, stopped and looked +back at their chum as they heard his cries. Rick had also come to a +stop, more because he had to, than because he wanted to. + +"Come on back and help me!" he called to his friends. + +And the boy's appeal for aid was answered at once by the two chums. + +"Say, he is 'way down in the muck!" exclaimed Ted. "Isn't he?" + +"He must have walked in the wrong place," added Chot. + +However it had happened poor Rick was indeed, as he said, stuck in the +mud. His two chums saw this as they ran back to him. + +"You got off the path, that's what's the matter!" declared Chot, as he +looked at Rick--standing at a safe distance, of course, so that he, +too, would not get caught in the swamp. + +"You ought to have followed us," went on Ted. "We kept to the path. You +got to stay up on one side when you cross this field. There's a sort of +brook running through the middle of it, and you can't see it 'till you +get right in it." + +"Well, I didn't see it, and I'm in it all right," announced Rick. "I +can't hardly lift my feet. Look!" + +He rested his weight on one side, and tried to lift the opposite foot. +There was a sucking sound made, as his shoe came partly up out of the +mud, but it was hard work for the boy to pull himself loose. + +"Look out!" suddenly called Tom, as he saw Rick tottering as if about to +fall to one side. "Look out or you'll go all the way in!" + +"That's what I think," agreed Rick himself. "Say, get hold of me and +pull me out; will you?" + +Tom was going closer, intending to take hold of Rick's outstretched +hands, but Chot called sharply: + +"Don't do that! If you do you'll be stuck, too!" + +"But we got to do something!" insisted Tom. "We can't leave him stuck +here!" + +"Of course not!" assented Chot. "We'll get you out all right, Rick, and +we'll help you find your dog, too. Come on over here, Tom, and help me +get a fence rail. We can hold that out to Rick and pull him loose that +way!" + +Tom and Chot were about a year older than Rick, and knew a little better +what to do in a case of this kind than did Ruddy's master. + +"Don't be scared," Chot called to his chum, as the two boys walked off +up a little hill toward a fence. "We'll get you out all right. I've been +stuck in the mud here myself. You can wash your shoes off down in the +brook. It isn't very cold to-day." + +"My shoes'll be terrible muddy," declared Rick, trying to get a look at +them, but he could not--they were too deep down in the muck. + +It did not take Tom and Chot long to find a long fence rail that was not +too heavy for them to lift. They carried it back to Rick and held out +one end to him, retaining hold of the other end themselves. + +"Now keep a tight grip, and when we pull, you pull and lift your feet +and then you'll be loose," advised Chot. + +Rick did his share, the other boys pulled and pretty soon, with another +queer, sucking, sighing sound Rick felt his feet coming free from the +mud and he could lift them out one after the other. He was glad to see +his feet again, muddy as they were, for he was beginning to fear they +might sink so far down in the swamp of the field that he would never get +them back. + +"They're terrible muddy!" spoke Rick as he got on firm ground and looked +at his shoes. "Terrible!" + +"Yes, but it'll wash off," consoled Chot. "Come on down to the brook, +and mind you keep on the path, now! You must have got off or you +wouldn't have been stuck." + +"I didn't know you had to stay on the path," Rick said. + +"Sure you do," declared Chot. "There's a lot of water, a regular bog, +under this field. If you get off the path you'll be stuck. Now after +you wash your shoes you follow Tom and me." + +There was, as Chot had said, a sort of path through the field which a +half-hidden brook had turned into a swamp. The path led along on top of +numbers of big grass hummocks, or "footstools," as Rick called them. By +jumping from one grass hummock to the other the boys could keep out of +the mud. + +Chot went on ahead, while Rick came next, and Tom brought up the rear +guard for Rick. He safely reached the brook, and there he washed the +worst of the mud off his shoes. He was thinking what his mother would +say when she saw them. + +"That's good enough!" declared Chot, after Rick had dabbled each foot in +the brook several times. "That's good enough. The rest of the mud'll dry +off when we run through the grass. Come on!" + +"Yes, we don't want to stop here too long," agreed Rick. "I want to find +Ruddy." + +"We'll be out on the road soon," said Chot. "If that peddler and the +sailor drove out of Belemere they'd have to come over on this road +we're coming to. And unless they drove terrible fast we ought to be +ahead of 'em." + +"Junk wagons don't drive fast," declared Tom. "They stop at every house +to buy papers and bottles." + +"That's the reason I think we'll get ahead of these fellows," said Chot. +"Come on, Rick." + +The boy's shoes were fairly clean now, and, as his chums had remarked, +they would dry and be cleaned more as he ran through the grass. Once +again the chase was taken up. By keeping to the path, and by leaping +from hummock to hummock, Rick managed to avoid sinking down in any more +bog holes. Soon the three chums came out on the solid road. + +Rick looked up and down, hoping to get a sight of the junk wagon in +which, he felt sure, was his dog Ruddy, enticed away by the old +sailor--the tramp sailor. + +Chot began looking down in the dust of the highway, walking back and +forth his eyes close to the ground. + +"What you doing?" demanded Rick, as he watched his friend. "Did you lose +something?" + +"I'm looking for wagon tracks," answered Chot. + +"Wagon tracks?" cried Rick and Tom together. + +"Yes," went on Chot, "but I can't make out whether the junk wagon has +been along here or not. There's too many other tracks, and marks of auto +tires, besides." + +"Do you really think you can tell if the junk wagon has been along +here?" asked Rick. + +"Well, I thought maybe I could," answered Chot. "You see I belong to the +Boy Scouts," he went on, "and we're learning how to tell marks on the +ground. Course animal marks, like the paws of a dog, are easier to tell +than wagon tracks. But if there was smooth ground here, instead of a lot +of dust that other wagons and autos had run over, maybe I could tell if +the junk wagon had been along. I could for sure if I knew what kind of +marks the tires made." + +"But as long as you don't know you can't tell very much," spoke Tom. +"But I know that Boy Scout business is good. I'm going to join a troop, +I guess." + +"But which way shall we go to catch up to that junk wagon and get Ruddy +back?" asked Rick. He, too, was interested in Boy Scouts, but not at a +time like this. He wanted his dog. + +"This is the way the junk man would go after coming from Belemere," +announced Chot, pointing down the road. "If he went that way," and he +pointed in the opposite direction, "he'd be going back where he came +from." + +"Then let's chase along!" cried Rick. "I want my dog!" + +"That's it!" exclaimed Tom. "We got to catch that junk man!" + +"And the sailor," added Rick, "he's the one that's got my dog, I'm sure. +The junk man is only giving him a ride so he can get away quicker." + +"And is this the sailor that had your dog before he come up out of the +ocean and the coast guard found him?" asked Chot. + +"I guess so," was Rick's answer as the three boys walked along. "But, +anyhow, even if that sailor did have the dog, maybe he hasn't any right +to him now. Ruddy came to me. Maybe he ran away from the sailor. And if +a dog runs away from a man he doesn't belong to him any more." + +I do not say Rick was right in this belief, but his chums thought that +he was, for they exclaimed: + +"Sure! That's it! He's your dog!" + +Along the road they hurried, for it was getting late and Rick's mother +had told him to come back home before dark. The highway turned around a +clump of trees, where the brook ran close to the road. After that there +was a straight stretch for some distance. Reaching this, and looking +down it, Rick and his chums saw no junk wagon, and no sight of any dog. + +"Maybe he didn't come here at all!" murmured Rick, who was much +disappointed. + +"We'll ask at the next house," suggested Chot. "If the junk wagon came +along here the man would ask to buy old rags or bottles. We'll ask, at +the next house, if anybody saw him." + +And there they received news which showed them that they were on the +right track. + +"Yep, a junk peddler was here," said the man who was watering his horse +in the barnyard back of the house. "He wanted to buy stuff but I didn't +have anything to sell. Sold it all last week." + +"Did you see a dog--a sort of reddish-brown dog?" asked Rick eagerly. + +"No, I can't say I did," answered the man, who ran a small truck farm. +"There was another fellow sitting out in the wagon. But I didn't see any +dog." + +"Did you hear one?" asked Chot, for he was trying to remember what a Boy +Scout would do, and to ask questions that would bring the kind of +information needed. + +"Did I _hear_ a dog--that's so, I _did_ hear one!" exclaimed the farmer. +"Come to think of it I did hear a dog whining and whimpering in the junk +wagon. I didn't pay much attention then--though it was only half an hour +ago--maybe a little more. But I did hear a dog!" + +[Illustration: "Near the log cabin stood a junk wagon."] + +"Then it was Ruddy--I'm sure it was!" exclaimed Rick. "Oh, fellows, +come on! Maybe we'll have him, soon, now!" + +Hardly stopping to thank the man for his news, though Chot did remember +to fling back, over his shoulder, a hasty "much obliged," the boys +hurried on. + +"We're hot on the trail now!" exclaimed Chot, recalling some of the +things his Boy Scout friends had said. "We'll get him!" + +It was getting dusk now, but the three chums hardly noticed this. Along +the road they raced, looking for a sight of the junk wagon. And, as they +came to a lonely stretch they saw, off to one side, in a field a small +house--a log cabin it really was, and near it stood a ramshackle old +vehicle--a junk wagon beyond a doubt. + +"Fellows, we've found it!" cried Rick. He pointed toward the old log +cabin. Yes, there was no doubt of it. There was the junk wagon, but +there was no sign of horse, or men or Ruddy, the dog. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +RUDDY AND THE SAILOR + + +Just before it was time for his master, Rick, to come home from school +that afternoon, Ruddy had been peacefully sleeping on the side porch, in +a place where the sun shone down, making a warm spot. Ruddy liked to +sleep in warm places. So did Sallie, the cat. Perhaps Sallie loved warm +places even more than Ruddy did, for dogs can better stand the cold than +can cats, even though they have warm fur. + +And suddenly, when Ruddy was sleeping, and perhaps dreaming, for it is +said that dogs do dream, all at once there sounded on the other side of +the hedge that separated the Dalton yard from the street, a low whistle. + +It was not the kind of a whistle with which Rick had been in the habit +of calling his dog, nor was it the kind of a whistle that Haw-Haw, the +crow, had learned to imitate. + +But Ruddy heard the whistle, and instantly he was awake, sitting up with +ears lifted to catch the slightest sound. Ruddy looked toward the hedge, +for though he could not see very well he could hear better, and smell +best of all. And he could hear well enough to know that the whistle came +from the other side of the hedge. + +Now if dogs think, and I am beginning to believe more and more that they +do something very like thinking, Ruddy must have reasoned something like +this: + +"Hello! Here's Rick home from school ahead of time! He must have been a +good boy and the teacher let him out early. Now for some fun!" + +Ruddy knew about the time that Rick came home from school each day. +Ruddy could tell time a little. I mean, by this, that he knew at about +what hour each day certain things would happen. He always knew it was +meal time, though of course he could not look at the face of the clock +and tell at what hour the hands pointed. I doubt if he could have told +which were the clock hands and which were the black figures. But Ruddy +knew when it was time for his meals, and he had come to know about the +time Rick came home from school each day. And now, as he heard the +whistle, the dog thought it was his master who had arrived ahead of the +usual hour. + +Ruddy was not much surprised at hearing the whistle. True Rick, of late, +had given up uttering the shrill call from away down the street as he +ran from school. It was this call that Haw-Haw had imitated and so often +puzzled the dog. This which Ruddy had heard was a different whistle, +such as Rick often used to call his dog back, when the two of them were +racing over the fields, and the setter would run too far ahead. + +"Now for some fun!" thought Ruddy, in the only way dogs can think. +"Rick's home and we'll have a grand race!" + +Ruddy must have known it was not the crow whistling this time, though +whether he recalled seeing Haw-Haw asleep in the warm corner behind the +stove I cannot say. + +Anyhow, up jumped Ruddy, and, with a joyous bark, he leaped over the +hedge, at a low place, and found himself on the other side. + +And then came a big disappointment. For Rick was not there at all. +Instead there was a ragged man, a man whose face needed shaving, a man +whose scent Ruddy remembered only too well--a man whom the dog feared. + +"O ho! You came when I whistled all right; didn't you?" spoke the man in +a low voice. "I thought you would! I thought I'd find you if I sneaked +around long enough. Now I've got you back, maybe I'll have some luck!" + +Ruddy was too surprised and frightened to leap back over the hedge and +take refuge in the house of Rick. As soon as he saw the man he +remembered, with pain and fear, the days he had spent in the company of +the ragged sailor--for this is who the man was. + +Ruddy crouched down, growled as was natural at the sight of an enemy, +and then he whined, for he saw the man raise his hand and the dog knew +what happened when the heavy hand fell. + +But this time, for some reason or other, the sailor did not strike the +dog. Perhaps he saw that Ruddy was crouching down and was afraid, and +thus he knew that he had mastered the poor animal. + +"'Tisn't as if you ran away from me!" growled the man. "You didn't do +that. A wave carried you overboard, same as it might me. You didn't run +away, but now I have you back. I guess I'll have luck from now on, for +I'm going to keep you." + +Of course Ruddy did not understand this talk. All he knew was that there +was the man he had grown, even in a short time, to fear and hate. The +very smell of the man was hateful to the dog, for it is by the smell, or +personal odor, that a dog remembers his friends and enemies. + +After the first fear, the first crouching, growling and then whining +Ruddy might have leaped up and gotten away. But a setter is not like +many dogs. Ruddy did not have the fierceness of the bulldog, nor the +suspicion of a collie. He was an affectionate, loving dog, ready and +willing to make friends with everyone who was kind to him, and fearing +those who were unkind to him. And that is why, being afraid, he crouched +down, and waited for what was to happen, instead of running away. + +And, a moment later, the sailor reached down and caught Ruddy up in +powerful arms, held one hand around the dog's nose, or muzzle, and +hurried with him toward a waiting wagon. + +It was a junk wagon, and on the seat was a dirty, ragged man with a +straggly black beard. He seemed to be waiting for the sailor, who had +jumped off the wagon to take Ruddy. + +"I got him!" cried the sailor, as he hastened back to the wagon. "I got +him. Maybe, now, I'll have some luck!" + +"Um!" was all the junk man answered. + +The sailor took a bag from among the bundles of papers, and quickly tied +it around Ruddy's head. The poor dog struggled and howled faintly, and +even tried to bite the man, as was natural. But he could not get away, +and his howls, rather faint as they were, effectually were muffled in +the bag. + +"There you are!" growled the sailor, as he finished tying the bag +around Ruddy's head. "I guess you won't get away! But I'll make sure!" + +With some bits of rope, of which there were many in the junk wagon, the +sailor tied Ruddy's legs. Then he let the dog stretch out among the old +pieces of iron, burst automobile tires, paper and other trash in the +junk wagon. + +"You won't get away now!" growled the sailor. "Come on! Drive along that +old bundle of bones you call a horse!" he ordered the junk man. "We got +to get out of here! That boy may be along any minute, and I don't want +him to see me!" + +"You goin' t' sell de dog?" asked the junk man, who had agreed to help +the sailor. On his part the ragged old man of the sea had promised to +help the junk man unload his wagon that night. "You goin' t' sell him?" + +"Sell him? No, I guess not! Think I want to sell my luck? I never had +any luck since this pup was washed overboard! That's why I wanted him +back. Now I got him." + +"But what good is he if you can't sell him?" asked the junk man. To him +everything was measured in value by how cheaply he could buy it and how +dearly he could sell. + +"Oh, a dog's good for something else than selling," declared the sailor. +"They bring you luck! I'm going to keep this one. Course I'll have to +watch him that he don't run away, but when I get him on a ship he can't +run off. I've got him all right now!" + +And, surely enough, the ragged sailor did have Ruddy. It had all +happened so quickly--the stopping of the junk wagon outside the Dalton +house, the whistling of the sailor, the carrying off of the dog--it had +all happened so quickly that Ruddy himself hardly knew all the details. + +Mrs. Dalton had not seen Ruddy leap the hedge. She had heard a low +whistle, just before Rick came racing home from school, but she had not +thought much about it, and she certainly did not know that Ruddy had +left the porch, in answer to the call, and had been captured by his +enemy. + +And now Ruddy was being taken away in the junk wagon. + +"Drive along!" ordered the sailor. "I want to get off this street. Too +many kids here would know this dog if they saw him; he won't stay +covered up!" he exclaimed, for Ruddy was struggling, trying to get his +head loose and to work the ropes off his legs, and these struggles +disturbed the old sacks the sailor had thrown over the dog to hide him +in the bottom of the wagon. "Drive on, fast!" said the sailor. + +"But I should must stop and buy things!" declared the junk man. "All +right it is for you to say a red dog he brings you luck. He brings no +such to me. I of got to buy paper and rags and bottles and old auto +tires, and I of got to sell 'em to make money." + +"All right, but hurry all you can!" growled the ragged man--in fact they +were both ragged men. "I want to get out of town and back to a ship," he +added. "Then I'll have some luck!" + +And so the ramshackle old wagon rattled down the street, stopping only +at Mrs. Blake's candy store, where Rick and his chums received their +first clue or information. + +Then the junk wagon drove out of Belemere, just as the boys had been +told, and as evening was coming on the junk man headed his outfit +toward the old log cabin. + +"What are you going to do here?" asked the sailor in the gruff, growling +voice that seemed natural to him. + +"I can leave my horse and wagon here for the night," was the answer. "I +do so--lots of times. Nobody ever here comes along--the place is too +lonesome." + +"Going to leave your horse and wagon here, eh?" spoke the sailor. "What +are you going to do? What am I going to do--and the dog?" + +"For me, I should go on a little further to a friend of mine in the same +business," said the junk dealer. "I can sleep there for the night, and +he will make room for you and the dog--cheap, too. You do not of need to +feed the dog." + +"Well, if you're going on to a friend's place, why don't you drive there +and leave your horse and wagon?" asked the sailor. "What's the use of +stopping half way?" + +The black bearded man smiled to show how very white his teeth were amid +his dark whiskers. Then he said: + +"You should not of understand. He is a business rival and he might see +what I have bought. Besides, anyhow, he maybe would want to sell me some +feed for the horse, and I can let him stay here to eat the grass where +it doesn't cost even a penny! We leave the horse in the cabin, and the +wagon outside. Me, I go to my friend's house and buy my supper and a +bed. If you want to sell the dog maybe he'll buy--he buys lots of +things." + +"No, I'll not sell him," was the gruff, growled answer. "I'm not going +to sell my luck. I've got a few shots left in the locker. I can pay for +my supper and a bed, and a bone for the dog. I'll go with you." + +The junk wagon was driven from the road close to the old log cabin, the +horse was turned out to graze on the free grass at the rear of the +shack, and the junkman and the sailor started down the road. The sailor +took the bag off the dog's head, unbound his legs, and led him along +with a cord around his neck. Poor Ruddy slunk along, half dragged by the +ragged man. The dog tried to hold back but it was of no use. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +CAMPING OUT + + +Rick, Chot and Tom--the three boys who were trailing the dog that had +been taken away by the ragged sailor--came to a stop as they saw the old +log cabin in the lonely hollow just off the road. + +"We've found it!" Rick had said, and this was true enough as to the junk +wagon. But there was no horse, no men and certainly not a dog. If Ruddy +had been there you may well believe he would have been running around, +if free. And as soon as the wind had brought to his sensitive nose the +scent of his boy master he would have run to Rick with leaps and bounds +and joyous barks. + +"What'll we do?" asked Tom. + +"Let's go up there and get back Rick's dog!" exclaimed Chot. + +"But maybe Ruddy isn't there," suggested Tom. "I don't see him, and +maybe that isn't the junk wagon we're looking for." + +"I'm sure it's the right wagon," spoke Rick. "But I don't see Ruddy. And +I don't see any horse." + +"Whistle for him!" advised Tom. + +"Whistle for the horse?" Rick wanted to know. + +"Whistle for the dog, I mean. If he's there he'll come out to you. Maybe +he's inside the log cabin. I wonder what it's for, anyhow? I have never +been over so far on this road before." + +"This is a log cabin that a gun club used to use when they shot at +targets," said Chot. "Some of us Boy Scouts stopped here one day and +cooked our dinner. The gun club doesn't use the cabin any more." + +"It'd be a fine place to camp out--if there weren't a lot of junk men in +it," declared Tom. "Go on and whistle for your dog, Rick." + +"But don't whistle too loud," advised Chot. "If the old junk man, and +the sailor who must have rode with him, are there we don't want them to +hear us. All we want is the dog." + +"That's so," agreed Tom. "Course we ought to have that man arrested for +taking Rick's dog. But no use looking for trouble. If we can get Ruddy +back that's all we want." + +"I'll whistle," offered Rick. + +He puckered up his lips and gave a low, but clear call--one he often +used to summon Ruddy. But this time there was no answer. Ruddy did not +burst out from under a bush, or from among the weeds, as he frequently +did, with dried leaves clinging to him when he had nosed in among them +seeking the cause of many strange, wild smells. + +"Guess Ruddy isn't there," said Rick, with a sigh, after several +whistles. + +"Come on; let's go up and look!" advised Chot. "Maybe they've got him +hidden inside the cabin." + +The boys hesitated a moment. They were not very big nor old, and the +idea of facing two grown men, one of whom had been bold enough to entice +away, or steal, Ruddy, was a little alarming at first. + +"Oh, come on!" said Chot, desperately enough. "There's nothing to be +afraid of! We got a right to help Rick get back his dog!" + +And so, rather timidly it must be admitted, they went through the fence, +at the bars where the junk wagon had found a passage, and approached the +cabin. They could see the wagon more plainly now. It was filled with +odds and ends of the sort of junk which the men who collect it seem to +make money on. There were bundles of papers, part of a broken stove, the +spring of a bed, some old auto tires and bags of rags. + +"It's funny he left it here without the horse," said Tom. + +"Maybe his horse lost a shoe, same as an automobile gets a puncture," +said Rick, "and he had to take his horse to a blacksmith shop. So he +left the wagon here." + +"Maybe," agreed Chot. "But blacksmiths aren't open after dark--anyhow +the one on our street isn't." + +"Well, anyhow here's the wagon, but the horse is gone and so are the men +and so's Ruddy!" spoke Tom. + +But at that instant there was a noise that seemed to come from behind +the cabin. It was a loud noise. + +"What's that?" cried Tom. + +For a moment his two chums were so startled that they could not answer. +Then, as the strange sound came again, Chot said: + +"It's just a horse whinneying!" + +"The junk man's horse," added Rick. + +And so it was. They saw the animal a moment later, tied by a long rope +to the back of the log cabin. The horse looked up and stopped chewing a +mouthful of grass he had just pulled. He had whinneyed as he heard the +footsteps of the boys and their voices. Perhaps the horse thought his +master was coming to give him a drink of water or take him to a stable. + +However, the junk man's horse went to cropping grass again when he saw +that the boys were evidently not coming any nearer to him. + +"Ruddy isn't here," announced Rick, looking across the fast-dimming +meadow back of the log cabin. Night was falling rapidly now, for the +long, summer days were at an end, and autumn would soon give place to +winter. "My dog isn't here!" and there was a catch in Rick's voice that +sounded as though he were going to cry; but he didn't. + +Again Chot was walking around, leaning over close to the ground. +Suddenly, out near the place in the fence where the bars had been taken +down, to allow the wagon to be driven in, Chot lighted a match. + +"He's been here!" he cried, pointing to something in the moist earth. +There was a patch where the grass, from the side of the highway, had +grown partly over the road. It was a spot seldom touched by horses, +autos or wagons. And here the earth was damp because, not far away, was +a trickling rill of water. "He's been here!" exclaimed Chot. + +"Who?" asked Rick. + +"Your dog! I can see the marks of his feet! Look, those are a dog's +tracks!" + +Surely they were the marks of some animal, and when Rick looked more +closely at them, in the light of another flickering match, he knew they +were made by a dog's paws. + +"I wonder if it could be Ruddy?" he murmured. "I wonder?" + +"Sure it was," asserted Chot. "I'm a Boy Scout, and I know a lot of +different animals' footprints. I can tell a rabbit's when I see 'em in +the snow. This is your dog all right, Rick!" + +"But where is he?" asked the boy, whose pet had come to him out of the +ocean. + +"He must be somewhere around here," spoke Tom. "I guess the junk man and +the sailor drove here, and left the wagon for the night. Then they went +on somewhere else with your dog." + +"But where did they go?" asked Rick. + +"That's what we got to find out," said Chot. "I'll tell you what we've +got to do," he added, drawing his chums toward him, and speaking in a +low voice, though no one but the two boys was within hearing distance, +as far as the lads knew. "We got to stay here until that junk man comes +back after his horse and wagon. Then we'll make him tell us where the +dog is." + +"S'posin' he won't?" asked Tom. + +"We'll make him! If he hasn't got your dog, Rick, maybe the sailor has, +and we'll find out where he went. We've got to stay here until that junk +fellow comes back. He'll come all right. He won't go away and leave his +horse and wagon." + +"Where can we stay?" asked Rick. + +"In the log cabin, of course," answered Chot. "Some of the older Boy +Scouts camp out here two or three nights. There's a fireplace in the +cabin where you can cook, and an old oil stove; and there's some +sleeping bunks. Course it isn't real good, but Boy Scouts don't mind." + +"Do you mean we should stay camping out here all night?" asked Rick, and +his voice had a strange awesome note in it. + +"Sure, stay camping here all night--or until the junk man comes back," +answered Chot. "Why not?" + +"I'd have to ask my mother," Rick said. "I promised to be back before +night, and it's almost dark now." + +Chot thought this over a moment or two before answering. + +"I'll tell you what we can do," he said. "We'll all go back home--we got +to get things to eat, anyhow, and some blankets. Then we'll come back +here and stay all night." + +"All alone?" asked Tom. + +"There's three of us," retorted Chot. "I stayed out all night once with +some Boy Scouts. Course we had the Scout Master with us----" + +"Oh, well, no wonder!" cried Tom. + +"Well, maybe I can get our Scout Master to come back with us now and +stay all night," went on Chot. "He'd like it. That's what we'll do! +We'll go back home, get something to cook for supper, bring some +blankets and stay all night. We'll camp out in the log cabin. It'll be +lots of fun!" + +"Will you sure get the Scout Master?" asked Rick, to whom the idea was +appealing more and more strongly. + +"Sure I'll get him!" promised Chot. "He'll come. Now come on! Let's +hurry back home and get the things." + +They started on their way, down the now almost dark road, and then Rick +happened to think of something. + +"S'posin' the junk man and the sailor come back while we're gone?" he +asked. "Then how we going to get Ruddy?" + +"I didn't think of that," admitted Chot. "Let's see," he said, +musingly. "We passed a house a ways back, just before we saw this cabin. +We could stop there and ask 'em to sort of keep an eye on this shack +until we get back." + +"Yes, we could do that," agreed Rick. "But it's going to take us a long +time to go home and come back." + +"Oh, maybe we'll get a lift," suggested Chot, always a hopeful sort of +chap. + +They had better luck than they expected. At the nearest house to the log +cabin, where they stopped, they told their story of how they were +searching for Ruddy. The place was a farm, and a boy who lived there +belonged to the Scouts, though not to the same troop of which Chot was a +member. + +"I'll go down and keep watch on the place 'till you get back," offered +this boy. "And I'll stay with you all night, if dad'll let me." + +"That's fine!" exclaimed Rick and his chums echoed this sentiment. + +And they had not finished talking about this before the farmer, who had +heard their story, not only gave permission for his son to help, and aid +in standing guard through the night, but also offered to run Rick, Chot +and Tom over to Belemere in his auto. + +"I'll bring you back, too!" he said. + +"Oh, I'm sure we'll find Ruddy now!" declared Rick, who was both excited +and delighted. + +There was some more excitement when he reached home. His parents were +beginning to be alarmed about him. But he quickly told what had +happened, and as the Scout Master, summoned by Chot over the telephone, +agreed to accompany the boys back to the cabin, Rick was allowed to go +with them. + +"Oh, I do hope he'll be all right!" said his mother. "He's never been +away from home like this before!" + +"It will do him good, and we can safely trust him with the Scout +Master," said Mr. Dalton. + +"Oh! oh!" Mazie had exclaimed when she heard the plans. "Are you going +to sleep in the cabin all night, Rick?" + +"Well, I won't sleep _all_ night," he answered, as he rolled up his +blankets and took his bundle of food. "We got to stay on watch, some of +us, to catch the junk man, or the sailor, if he comes back with the +junk fellow, to get his horse and wagon. That's how we'll get Ruddy." + +"Oh, I want Ruddy! I love him!" said the little girl, and in thinking +about the lost dog she did not feel so much fear at having Rick stay +away from home over night. + +But, even in spite of the confidence Mr. Dalton had in the scout master, +Mrs. Dalton was nervous. + +"I'll take good care of him--never fear!" Harry Taylor, the Scout +Master, promised with a smile, as the boys piled in the auto for the +ride back with the farmer. "I won't let him get even the snuffles!" + +"That's what I'm afraid of--having him catch cold!" said Rick's mother. + +But she wanted her son to be a manly boy, so she let him go. And you may +well believe there were joyous hearts in the little party of lads who +were on their way to camp in the old log cabin. It was more than a mere +camping crowd--they were trying to catch the man who had Rick's dog! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE TWO SAILORS + + +While Rick, his boy chums and the Scout Master were on their way to the +old log cabin, there to camp all night, if need be, to wait for the +sailor to come back with the dog, poor Ruddy himself was not having a +very good time. + +He had been lifted out of the junk wagon by Matt Stanton, the ragged +sailor who had stolen Ruddy away "for luck," as he called it. And Ruddy +was half dragged along the road by a rope the sailor had tied around his +neck. + +Ruddy growled and whined and whimpered. If he could have talked +man-language, instead of only in dog fashion, he would have said: + +"Don't you know you are hurting me, pulling me along like this? You are +almost choking me! If you won't pull so hard I'll come along just the +same. Of course I don't want to come with you, for I don't like you. I +like Rick, the boy, best. But you are stronger than I am, and we dogs +have to do as our masters want, even if we don't like it. But, oh dear! +how I wish I were back with Rick!" + +That is what Ruddy was most likely saying or thinking to himself as the +sailor half dragged him along. The junk man, whose name was Ike Stein, +walked on ahead, down the road, after having left his horse and wagon +near the old cabin. + +"Where's this friend of yours, where we're going to stop all night and +have something to eat?" grumbled the sailor as he walked along, pulling +Ruddy after him. "Where's his shack?" + +"Only a little farther now," the junk man answered. "It's down of the +road and over by in the woods. You can't of see it from here, but it +isn't far." + +And, a little later, the junk man left the road, and started down a path +that led across the fields toward a clump of woods. As soon as Ruddy saw +this path, and smelled the clean smell of woods and leaves, he gave a +little joyous bark. + +"Here now! What's the matter with you? Keep still!" growled the sailor, +pulling on the rope around the dog's neck. + +Poor Ruddy's tail dropped and he crouched down, for he feared he was +going to be struck. But the sailor was not quite as bad as that. He +rather cared for the dog, in a way, though he did not know how to be +really kind to animals. Some men and boys are that way, and I am sorry +for them. It is wonderful to know how to love animals, and have them +care for you. + +So the sailor growled and shook his finger at Ruddy to make him keep +still, and Ruddy whimpered and did not bark again. + +"First thing I know you'll be bringing a crowd around us, and somebody +may take you away from me," grumbled the ragged man. "I don't want that. +I don't want to lose my luck again." + +And the only reason Ruddy had barked half-joyously when he smelled the +woods was that he remembered how he and Rick had used to romp among the +trees and dried leaves, having glorious times. + +"Come along now!" growled the sailor, and again he jerked on the rope +around Ruddy's neck. "How much farther is it?" he asked of the junk man. + +"Oh, just a little ways," was the answer. "We'll of come to the house in +a minute." He looked behind him, as if to make sure no one was +following, and then added in a whisper: "My friend, he lives down in an +old house away off in the trees. He doesn't of want anybody to know he's +there." + +"Oh, I see!" exclaimed the sailor. "Sort of hiding away, is he? Well, +I've done that myself." + +They walked on a little farther, the sailor still dragging Ruddy along, +and at last the two men pushed their way through some bushes and came to +an old, tumble-down house, that did not seem a much better place to +sleep in than was the old log cabin. + +"Here we are," said Ike Stein, the junk man. "Here we are!" + +The sailor looked about him, shook his head once or twice, and then +said: + +"Well, I guess we can stand it here for one night, eh, Ruddy?" + +He called the dog the same name as did Rick--the name that just seemed +to fit the setter. And Ruddy looked up and wagged his tail just a +little, for these were the first kind words the sailor had spoken to +him. + +"Yes, I guess we can stand it here one night," went on the ragged +sailor. "Where's your friend?" he asked the junk man, "and where's +something to eat for me, and a bone for my dog?" + +"Oh, my friend he will of be right out," promised Ike Stein, rubbing his +hands as though giving them a dry wash to get off some of the dirt. +"He's most probable of looking at us now from one of the windows." + +"Oh, he is, eh? Spying like! Well, I don't see him!" said the sailor +glancing from one broken window to another. + +"No, Sam doesn't like to be seen until he sees who his company of is. +But he knows me all right. Hello, Sam!" he called and a voice answered: + +"Hello, Ikey!" + +Then from the old, ramshackle house there came a man who looked almost +like the junk peddler, except that he was not as clean, if such a thing +could be, and his beard was longer and blacker. + +"Here's a friend of mine, Sam," went on Ikey. "We have come to stay all +night and have supper. We'll pay, of course," he added, for he saw that +Sam was going to say something. + +"Oh, sure you may stay--if you pay!" spoke the man who lived in the +tumble-down shack. "Did you bring your horse and wagon?" he asked. + +"I left them down the road," answered the junk man. "Now we of are +hungry." + +"And so is the dog, I expect," growled the sailor. "Give him a +bone--Sam." + +"A bone? A bone for the dog? It should of cost you five cents, or for a +bigger one ten cents," was the answer. + +"Well, give Ruddy a ten cent bone!" exclaimed the sailor. "Here's your +money," and, dipping his hand down in his ragged trousers, as though he +were diving into the water, he fished up a dime, which he threw to the +junk man's friend. + +The second ragged man--whose name was Sam, went into his house and came +out with a bone which he threw down in front of Ruddy, who, by this +time, had been tied to a post in the yard. + +"Hum!" mumbled the sailor, as he looked at the bone. "It's a good thing +I bought a ten cent one. If you'd handed out a fiver there wouldn't have +been enough meat on for a spider crab. Well, now the dog's eatin' let's +us eat!" + +"Right away!" promised Sam, and he led the way into the house. + +"Mind you don't try to run away from me again!" growled the sailor, +shaking his finger at Ruddy. + +The poor dog, smelling a little good meat on the bone, had lain down +with it between his fore paws and was gnawing it. He had no intention of +running away just then. He was too hungry, and this was his supper. It +was not like the good supper he would have had at home in his kennel, +where Rick always fed him. But it must answer now. + +Sailor Matt Stanton looked around the old ramshackle house as he and the +junk man entered. It appeared to be filled with the same sort of trash +and odds and ends that Ike gathered in his wagon. Sam Levy was in the +junk business also, only he bought the things the other men gathered up +in their wagons, and sold them to the larger dealers in bottles, rags +and paper. He was a wholesale junk dealer and the others were retailers, +you might say. + +The three men went to the kitchen of the old house, and Sam began to +cook a meal. It was now quite dark, and a lantern hung on the wall did +not give a very good light. + +Sailor Matt looked about him while waiting for his meal. He saw piles of +rags, larger stacks of papers, old pieces of iron, torn automobile tires +and other junk. + +"I only do a small business," said Sam, looking around from where he was +bending over the stove, making some sort of a stew in a broken kettle. +"I only been here a little while. Lots of folks don't know I'm here at +all--only my friends, like Iky and you." + +[Illustration: "A man came in--a sailor like himself."] + +"You needn't call me a friend," growled the sailor. "I ain't friends +with nobody since I got out of luck losing my dog. Now I have him +back maybe I'll get a ship, and start over again." + +"Maybe," muttered Sam, "and maybe we should of be friends. If you got +anything to sell I gives you a good price." + +"I've got nothing to sell, and not much money to buy anything," grumbled +the sailor. "But I got enough for a meal. Hurry it up!" + +"Sure, it'll be ready in a minute!" promised Sam. + +He was stirring the contents of the broken kettle when a step was heard +outside. Instantly the three men looked around, and Sam stopped rattling +the long-handled spoon. + +"Somebody's comin'!" whispered Ike Stein. + +Sailor Matt Stanton got up from a pile of rags and started toward the +door. As he reached it a man came in; a man who, it could be seen almost +at first glance, was a sailor like himself. + +"What ho, mate!" cried the newcomer in a jolly voice. "Well, well! To +think of finding my old sailing chum here! Shake, Matt! How are you and +what's the matter with the dog howling out in the yard?" + +He clapped on the back the ragged sailor who had taken Ruddy away from +Rick. + +"Hush! Not so loud!" exclaimed Sailor Matt, in a hoarse whisper. "Keep +still, Jed Porter! Keep still!" + +"What for?" asked the sailor called Jed. "Why should I keep still? +Anybody would think you were afraid of being found out!" And he laughed +heartily, at which sound the junk man quickly pulled down a window while +Sam hurried from the stove and shut the door that had been left open. + +The two sailors stood looking at one another, while out in the yard poor +Ruddy howled and whimpered. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +SCOUTS ON THE WATCH + + +"Now, boys!" said Scout Master Harry Taylor, as Rick and the others +reached the old log cabin, "if we are going to camp out here and find +Ruddy, we must go at it right." + +"Can we build a fire and cook things to eat?" asked Rick, as he put on +one of the rude bunks the bundle he had brought from home. + +"Oh, yes, we'll cook and eat," the Scout Master promised with a smile. +"I guess you haven't done much camping out, Rick," he added. + +"No," was the answer. "But I like it, and I'm going to be a Boy Scout +after this." + +"It's lots of fun!" declared Tom. "Come on, Rick, and help me get wood." + +"I'll make up the beds," added Chot. + +"And I'll help," said a voice in the door-way of the log cabin. Sam +Brown, son of the farmer who had taken the boys to Belemere and brought +them back, had come to join the others as he had promised. He was going +to do what he could to help get Ruddy back for Rick. + +"That's right," said Master Harry Taylor, "each Boy Scout must do his +part when camp is to be made." + +Several lanterns had been brought with them, and, by the light of one, +Rick and Tom gathered some wood outside to make a fire on the hearth. +Chot and Sam did what they could to set the interior of the log cabin to +rights, and Mr. Taylor opened the bundles of food and filled the oil +stove from a kerosene can he had brought with him. + +Each boy had a "mess" outfit, consisting of tin cup and plate, a knife, +fork and spoon and a small frying pan. Chot had borrowed an outfit from +a boy friend, for Rick, as Ruddy's master, was not yet a Scout. + +In a little while a fire was blazing on the hearth, and the steaks which +had been brought were being cooked by Mr. Taylor over the hot embers. He +decided to do this himself rather than trust the boys, for if the meat +were spoiled in the broiling some one would have to go hungry, no extra +supply having been provided. The coffee was made on the oil stove. + +"Say, this is fun!" exclaimed Rick, as they sat about the old table and +ate off their tin plates. "I didn't think being a Boy Scout was half so +jolly!" + +"Oh, you haven't seen a quarter of it!" declared Chot. "Wait until you +camp out in the open; eh, Mr. Taylor?" + +"Yes, that is quite different from this," answered the Scout Master. +"This is quite a luxury, having a log cabin, even if it is an old +ramshackle one." + +"Oh, I'm going to do this every time I have the chance," said Rick. "But +just now I want to find Ruddy." + +"And we're here to help you," said Mr. Taylor, who though older than any +of the boys was still "one of them." If he had not been he would never +have developed into a good Scout Master. "I think the best we can do," +he added, "is to keep watch. As you boys said, the junk man will +probably come back, either to-night or early in the morning, to get his +horse and wagon. When he does we will ask him what he did with Ruddy." + +"I think the sailor took him," Rick said. + +"Well, perhaps he did. We'll find out. And to do that we'll have to keep +watch. We'll take turns, as sentries do in the army. After we finish +eating and get the bunks ready we'll divide into watches." + +"Oh, this sure is fun!" cried Rick, with eager, sparkling eyes. The +novelty of camping almost made him forget, at moments, the loss of +Ruddy. But not quite. + +"I can't see why the junk man left his horse and wagon here and went +away," said the Scout Master, as the rattle of knives and forks on the +tin plates told that little more remained to be eaten. + +"Maybe he ran away because he was afraid of being caught," suggested +Chot. + +"No, I think not," spoke Sam Brown. "There's another junk man located +somewhere around here. He hasn't been here long, and he stays in an old +tumble-down house near the swamp, I guess. There used to be gypsies +there, but they went away." + +"Do you think the sailor took my dog there?" asked Rick. + +"Maybe," answered Sam. "We can look." + +"But I think it would not be wise for us to go there to-night," remarked +the Scout Master, as he guessed what Rick was going to say. "Those men +could easily hide Ruddy in the darkness. The safest and best plan will +be to wait for them to come here, as they are sure to do." + +Rick, who was going to become a Boy Scout, did as all members of those +troops do--he obeyed the Scout Master, and then began the long watch and +wait through the night. + +The boys had brought blankets, and with these the beds were made up on +the bunks which the former gun club members had built in the log cabin +so some of them could sleep there when they wished. + +As two of the boys would be on guard at a time, taking turns in two hour +stretches, while the others would be in the bunks at the same period, +there were blankets enough to keep them warm, especially as they were +under shelter, rude as it was. + +"But if we had to sleep out in the open, we would have made a lean-to, +or a wickiup, near a camp fire, and that would have kept us warm," said +Chot. + +"What's a lean-to and a wickiup?" asked Rick. + +"A lean-to," explained the Scout Master, "is just some tree branches +laid with one end raised over a pole, like the half of a letter V turned +upside down. If you build a fire in front of it you can keep pretty +warm. A wickiup is just some branches of low bushes or small trees bent +in toward the center, and there fastened together, or you can throw a +heavy blanket over them. They are both pretty poor shelters, but they're +better than nothing." + +And so, after the supper detail had been cleared, and the bunks made, +the boys and the Scout Master sat about the fire on the hearth, talking. +The heat felt comfortable, for the night was growing colder. + +"Do you think we'll find Ruddy?" asked Rick more than once. + +"I think so," answered Mr. Taylor. "If that junk man doesn't come back +after his wagon and horse we'll go looking, in the morning, for the old +house in the swamp." + +The junk man's horse had been brought around from in back, and tied near +the front of the cabin. + +"We can tell the moment he comes after him, if the animal is left here," +said the Scout Master. "And he can't move his wagon, even in the dark, +without us hearing him." + +"The bells will jingle," said Tom. For the junk man, like many of his +kind, had a string of jangling cowbells fastened to his wagon. + +It was the turn of Chot and Tom to stand the first "trick" of night +guard duty, and this was to be from ten to twelve o'clock. Rick and Sam +would take the second watch, from midnight until 2 o'clock in the +morning, and the Scout Master, and Sam's brother, Pete, who had come +over after supper to ask if he couldn't share in the fun, would be on +guard from two until four o'clock. After that it would be the turn of +Chot and Tom again. + +"Hark!" exclaimed Rick, as he and Sam were preparing to turn-in to the +bunks where they were to sleep. "I thought I heard something!" + +They all listened, but the only noises were those made by the chirping +of the crickets and the songs of some late-staying Katy-dids. + +"I guess the junk man's horse moved around," suggested the Scout Master +with a smile. "Don't be too quick to give an alarm, when you're on +watch, if you hear an odd noise. First try to find out what it is." + +Then, as night settled down over the lonely log cabin, and the others +went to their bunks, Tom and Chot began their tour of guard duty. They +could spend it outside or inside the cabin as they chose, and, as it was +rather cool, they would probably be most of the time inside. + +"But you can hear if the junk man comes back," said Mr. Taylor. "And, if +he does, sound the alarm." + +And so the watch of the night began. Rick found it hard to go to sleep +at first, not being used to this bunk style of bed. But Sam and his +brother Pete were soon breathing heavily and regular, which showed they +were not lying awake. As for the Scout Master, he seemed to have dropped +off into slumber as soon as he wrapped up in his blanket. + +But at last Rick's eyes closed and he, too, was soon, if not in +Dreamland, next door to it. + +But while the boys were in the old log cabin, quite a different scene +was taking place in the ramshackle house where the sailor had taken +Ruddy, tying the dog outside. When the second sailor appeared, making so +much noise that the others were afraid, for some reason or other, Ruddy +had whimpered in lonesomeness and fear. + +"What you going to do with that dog?" asked Jed Porter, the second +sailor. + +"I got him for a mascot--to bring me good luck!" answered Matt Stanton. +"And if anybody takes him away from me I'll----" + +"Not so loud! Don't make so much noise, mine friends!" whispered Sam +Levy. "I don't want the farmers around to know I do a junk business +here. They think this old place has of nobody to live in it. I don't +want them to come and bother me." + +"You see, sometimes, by mistakes, my friend he of gets things here that +belongs to the farmers," explained Ike Stein, the driver of the junk +wagon. "So as he doesn't want to be boddered with farmers of coming here +to look for maybe their chickens or ducks." + +"Oh, so that's what you do!" exclaimed Jed Porter, who had a broad, +smiling face, quite different from the rather sneaking looks of Matt +Stanton. "Well, it isn't any of my affairs, of course. I'm not going to +stay, anyhow. I just happened to be passing and I saw a gleam of light +through the trees, so I walked over to see what it was. I'm hungry!" + +"The meal, he will be ready soon," said Sam. "Your friend, he should of +pay for you; will he?" and he looked at the second sailor as he asked +this question. + +"He might pay it with some of the money he took from me," growled Jed, +"but I don't s'pose he will! I'll pay for myself!" + +"I'll pay you back as soon as I have better luck, and I will have it +now I've got the dog," whined Matt. He acted as though afraid of the +other sailor, and well he might be for he had not been honest with Jed, +and had taken some of Jed's money. + +"Now don't laugh with such a loudness, and make so much of noiseness," +whispered the old man who lived in the ruin of a house. "We don't want +anybody coming here!" + +"All right," agreed Jed, as he sat down and began to eat, while the +others did the same. + +The two junk men talked together in low tones after supper. Matt, the +ragged sailor, stretched out on a bundle of rags as if to go to sleep. +Jed took a piece of newspaper from his pocket and began to read by the +light of a smoking lamp, and poor Ruddy whined and whimpered outside. + +After a while Sailor Jed got up and started for the door. + +"Where you going?" demanded Matt. + +"Out for a breath of fresh air," was the answer. "Too hot in here." + +"Take the dog a bone," requested Matt. "I guess he's hungry. He can have +the one I left on my plate," he added quickly, as he saw that Sam was +going to object. + +"Guess there isn't much meat on any bone _you_ picked!" was the remark +of Jed. "But I'll give it to him." + +He carried the bone out to Ruddy, who cringed low when he dimly saw, and +heard, and keenly smelled the man coming toward him. + +"Poor fellow!" spoke the sailor in a low, kind voice. "You needn't be +afraid of _me_. I won't hurt you. I love dogs, and I'm sorry Matt +Stanton has you. He won't exactly kick or beat you, but he won't be kind +to you. And you look as if you had come from a better home than he'll +ever give you." + +Jed looked back toward the house where the light dimly glowed. Then he +looked down at the cringing dog, tied by a heavy rope. + +"I'll do it!" suddenly whispered the sailor to himself. "I'll do it! +'Tis a shame to let Matt keep you. I wonder, if I cut you loose, if you +can find your way home? I'll try it." + +He whipped out his knife, and, with one sweep, cut through the rope, +close to where it was tied around Ruddy's neck. The dog felt that he +was free. He could scarcely believe it. + +Pausing only long enough to lick the hand of the sailor who had thus +been so good to him, Ruddy, with a low whine of delight, sped away in +the darkness of the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +A BARK IN THE NIGHT + + +Ruddy, the brown setter dog, free from the rope which had held him to +the cellar door of the old, tumble-down house, ran swiftly off through +the night. + +"I hope you know which way to go," softly said Sailor Jed, as he turned +to go back to the kitchen where the others were. "Yes, I sure do hope +you know how to steer a straight course back to your friends. I won't +tell Matt I cut you loose, then he won't come after you until morning. +Maybe, by then, you'll be safe at home." + +And so, as Ruddy ran on through the darkness, the good sailor went back +in the old, ramshackle house. + +"Is the dog all right?" asked Matt. + +"Yes, he's all right," and Jed smiled, but not so Matt could see him. "I +hope he'll be more all right than he would be with you," he thought to +himself. + +And now we must follow Ruddy for a while, until we see what happens to +him. + +Ruddy's nose was as keen on the scent as ever, in fact more so, for now +he was eager to get back to Rick, the boy master whom he loved so well. +And, though it was dark, Ruddy had hopes of finding Rick. + +As I have told you dogs can not see very well, and they can not hear as +well as can some other animals. But their sense of smell is wonderful, +and it was on this that the setter depended to take him back to home and +Rick. + +So, in a way, it did not matter much about the dark. It was better for +him that it was dark, as the sailor who had taken him from Rick's house +would not see the brown dog running away. + +"Ha! This is the path I came! This is where he dragged me with a rope +around my neck after he took me out of the wagon," said Ruddy to +himself, dog fashion, as he ran along in the darkness, his nose close to +the ground. I don't mean, of course, that Ruddy said that out loud, or +that he even thought it, as you or I would think it. But he thought, and +he knew, in his own dog way, that he was on the right track back toward +the place where he had been taken out of the wagon. + +By running with his nose close to the ground Ruddy could smell where his +own paws had left a scent on the earth. He could also catch the scent of +the junk man and the sailor who had walked along with him. And Ruddy's +nose was so keen that he could tell where the sailor had stepped and +where the junk man had left his shoe marks on the roadside path. To +Ruddy each person had a different scent, just as to us, even over a +telephone when we can not see them, each of our friends has a different +voice. + +"Yes, this is where they led me along, after they took me out of the +wagon," thought Ruddy, dog fashion. "I'll soon get back to that place. +Then--well, after that, I'll have to do the best I can." + +Ruddy was doing what is called, by hunters, "back-tracking." That is he +was following the scent back to the place where it had started from. In +running after game birds, and animals, Ruddy, or any other dog used for +that kind of sport, generally does just the opposite. That is they +follow the scent along until they get to the place where the rabbit, +squirrel or bird has _gone_, and not to the place where they have _come +from_. Once in a while, though, a hunting dog will make a mistake and +"back-track" when he ought to "front-track." A dog that does this is not +of much value to a hunter, for the man with the gun wants to go where +the game _is_, not where it _isn't_. + +So Ruddy, running through the night, with his nose to the ground, traced +his way along the path where he had been led with the rope around his +neck. As yet he had caught no scent of his master, for Rick and his +friends had not come this far. They had not gone more than a hundred +feet beyond the old cabin, after seeing there the junk man's horse and +wagon. + +"I certainly want to find Rick," was the thought that kept coming again +and again into Ruddy's mind. "I want to find that Boy!" + +Once or twice Ruddy got off the trail. He was a young setter, and they +often make mistakes. And the errors Ruddy made were because other dogs +and different animals had crossed his tracks since he had made them. + +Twice he caught the scent of other dogs. Who they were he did not know, +of course, being a stranger in the neighborhood. But they probably were +animals living on the farms nearby; and they had crossed Ruddy's trail, +very likely catching a whiff of his scent as he did of theirs. + +Once Ruddy caught the odor of a rabbit which had leaped across the road +to get a drink of water from a spring that bubbled up under a rock. At +any other time Ruddy would have followed this trail of the rabbit, +barking joyously to call Rick to follow. That is Ruddy would have done +this if his boy master had been with him. + +But it was no time, now, to be chasing after rabbits. + +And once the brown setter caught the scent of a squirrel that had leaped +down out of a tree after a nut it had dropped. For a moment Ruddy +stopped, and lifted his nose in the air. He had a notion he would like +to trail that squirrel, and find where it had its nest in a hollow +tree. True the nest would be high up, out of Ruddy's reach, for the dog +could not climb like a cat. But if Ruddy trailed the squirrel to its +tree the dog could bark joyously at the foot, to show he had done his +work well. + +But it was no time, now, to be chasing after squirrels. + +So Ruddy shook his head, sneezed a little as if to get the smell of the +rabbit and squirrel out of his delicate nose and ran on. He was hungry, +for there had not been much meat, even on the ten cent bone, but Ruddy +forgot his hunger in his great desire to get back to Rick. + +And he was weary, for he had not been kindly treated after the sailor +had tied him in the junk wagon. But he forgot about being tied, also as +he hurried on through the night. + +Along the silent country road he went, up the hill, still keeping his +nose close to the ground so as not to lose his own scent. It was still +"warm." That is it had been made within a few hours. And the longer a +scent lies on the ground the harder it is for a dog to trace it. That +is why dogs are said to be "hot on the scent," the meaning being that +the game has passed along only a little while before. + +It is supposed that rabbits, squirrels and other animals each have a +scent of their own, and it clings to the ground for some time, even as +the smell of perfume clings to a handkerchief after it has been washed. + +Pretty soon Ruddy came within sight of the old log cabin. He knew when +he was there even before he could see it, for he could smell it, and +smell the place where he had walked near it. + +But besides this smell there was another. The smell of boys and a man. +And among the boys' odors was one that made Ruddy's heart beat faster as +he caught it. + +It was not the scent of Rick, for the boy master of the dog was inside +the cabin, whence the odor did not come out so plainly. But Ruddy caught +the smell of Chot, with whom he had played almost as often as he had +with Rick. + +"Here's a friend of mine! Here he is!" Ruddy would have said, if he +could have talked our language. "I know that smell! It's almost the same +as Rick's! Oh, I wonder where Rick is?" + +And then Ruddy raised his head and gave a bark--a short, sharp joyous +bark in the night. A bark that said, as plainly as could be said: + +"Here I am, Rick! Where are you! I smell a smell I know--a smell that +seems to be a part of you! Where are you, Rick?" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +OVER THE SNOW + + +Chot and Tom, standing the first guard watch outside the log cabin, had +been walking around it, now and then stepping inside to get a drink of +water. They did not go far away, for what they wanted to see, if such a +thing should happen, was the coming back of the sailor or the junk man. + +For the first hour of their watch nothing had happened. It had been too +early, perhaps. And perhaps the junk man had no idea of coming back for +his horse and wagon until morning. At any rate Tom and Chot walked +silently around the log cabin, now and then listening to see if they +could hear any strange noises. + +They heard noises--plenty of them--noises of the night, but they were +not strange to these boys who had lived much of their lives in what was +part country and part town. + +There were the chirp of the crickets, the disputing calls of the +Katy-dids and the Katy-didn'ts, the whistling call of the tree toad and, +now and then, the distant bark of a dog. As I have told you, the sound +of a dog's bark carries a long way, especially at night. + +"Wonder if that's Rick's dog?" asked Tom of his chum in a low voice as +they met in front of the log cabin door. + +"It might be," agreed Chot. "I hope we can get Ruddy back." + +"So do I," added Tom. + +The two boys had divided the cabin neighborhood into two sections. Each +one walked half way around the shack at intervals, so that part of the +time they met in back, and part of the time in front, like two coast +guards meeting each other on their beach patrols. + +After a while it grew more silent as the creatures of the night ceased +their calling, and seemed to go to sleep. It was colder, too, and Tom +and Chot were glad they had put on warm clothes. But they rather liked +the time they were having. As Boy Scouts they had often camped out, but +never for the reason they were now doing it--to help a chum get back his +dog. + +"Well, our time is 'most up," remarked Tom, as he looked at the +radium-dial of a wrist watch his father had given him. "It'll soon be +twelve," he added. + +"Then Rick and Sam will come out," spoke Chot. "Wouldn't it be funny if +Rick should find his own dog when it was his turn to be on guard." + +"It would be dandy!" said Tom. "But I guess----" + +All at once the two boys heard a little crackling and rustling in the +bushes which grew almost up to the old log cabin. + +"Someone's coming!" whispered Chot. + +"Yes," agreed Tom, in a low voice. "I wonder who it is?" + +And just then there came the bark of a dog close at hand--the bark of a +dog in the night. + +Hearing it so near, Tom and Chot, for the moment, were quite startled. +Then Chot exclaimed: + +"It sounds just like Ruddy!" + +He spoke aloud and the dog heard him--heard his own name. This was +enough for the brown setter, for he it was who had barked. He had +smelled his way back along the path over which the sailor had led him, +until he reached the log cabin. Then had come to him the odor he knew so +well--the scent of Chot with whom Ruddy had romped and played. + +Then Ruddy barked loudly--the first, real bark he had given since he had +been cut loose by the good sailor. And it was this bark that Chot and +Tom heard. + +"Do you s'pose it is Ruddy?" asked Tom. + +"I hope so," murmured Chot. + +Then the dog heard more plainly the voices--the voices of boys whom he +knew. It was almost as good as if he had heard Rick's voice. + +Once more Ruddy barked, and then he sprang forward, straight toward the +cabin and the two lads on guard. Dimly, in the darkness of the night, +Tom and Chot saw a dog bounding toward them, along the path that led to +the front door of the old cabin. + +"There he is!" cried Tom. + +For a moment Chot thought perhaps it might be some other dog, maybe some +half-wild sheep-killing dog that had come to dispute with them for the +possession of the old cabin. But, an instant later, Ruddy was leaping +and barking about his two friends, trying to get into their very arms, +it seemed, he was so glad to be back with them again. + +And how he did bark! + +"Where's Rick? Where's that boy Rick?" Ruddy seemed to be saying. + +"Oh, Ruddy! You did come back! We've found you! Rick will be so glad!" +cried Tom. "We must tell Rick that Ruddy is back!" he added. + +Chot rushed into the cabin and shook Rick, who was asleep in one of the +bunks. + +"Get up! Get up, Rick!" Chot called. + +Slowly and sleepily Rick opened his eyes. + +"What's the matter? Is it my turn to stand watch?" he asked. + +And then he was almost smothered by the rush of Ruddy, who fairly threw +himself upon the bunk which held his master, and the dog filled the +cabin with his loud bark, so that Scout Master Taylor and the other boys +were awakened. + +"What is it? What's the matter?" asked the Scout Master, for he slept +off in one corner, and all he could see, in the dim light of the +lantern, was a mass of moving forms--several boys and a dog. + +"Ruddy's come back!" cried Tom. "Ruddy is here!" + +"He came up to us when we were on guard outside," explained Chot. "And +he barked!" + +"Is it really Ruddy?" asked Mr. Taylor. + +"Oh, yes, it's Ruddy! It's my dog all right!" cried Rick. And it needed +but one look to show how glad the dog and his boy-master were to be +together again. + +Then the lantern was turned higher and, when matters had quieted down a +little, it was seen that Ruddy carried around his neck a collar of rope. + +"He's been tied up!" exclaimed Rick. "The sailor and the junk man must +have tied him up so he couldn't get away." + +"And he broke loose," said Tom. + +"No, this rope has been cut," said the Scout Master, as he looked +carefully at the end of the heavy cord on the dog's neck. "This has been +cut by a sharp knife. If some one tied Ruddy up some one cut him loose." + +And so, without having seen it done, Mr. Taylor told exactly what had +happened. He had read the "signs," just as Indians and scouts of the +plains used to read signs, and as Boy Scouts of to-day are learning to +do. + +"Ruddy had a regular collar on," said Rick, as he looked at the harsh +rope around his pet's neck. "I wonder where it is?" + +"Well, I guess the junk man took it off to sell it," said Sam Brown. +"Those fellows will sell anything they get that way." + +"I'll cut this rope off," went on Rick. "It may hurt him." + +"Hadn't you better leave it on?" asked Tom. "You'll want to tie him up, +Rick, so he won't be taken away again." + +"Oh, I guess nobody will take him now!" boasted Rick. "He'll stay right +in here the rest of the night." + +And that is what Ruddy did. The dog was given some food and water and +then he lay down beneath Rick's bunk and refused to move from there. +Ruddy knew when he had found what he wanted. + +Of course there was no more need of standing guard that night. As the +recovery of Ruddy was all that was desired, Mr. Taylor said there was no +use in sitting up, just to catch the junk man and sailor. + +"We have your dog," he said to Rick, "and the most we could do would be +to have the men arrested. And perhaps it would be hard to prove that +they really enticed Ruddy away. So let them go, if they come." + +But they did not return during the night, neither the sailor, nor the +junk man after his horse and wagon. For the rather bony steed was still +tied to the old log cabin and the wagon load of junk was in the +grass-grown yard in the morning. + +"Well, now we'll have breakfast and go home with Ruddy," said Rick, as +morning dawned and the boys, rather stiff and cold it must be confessed, +arose and stretched themselves out of the bunks. They had been obliged +to "double-up" when it was decided that it was no longer needful to +stand watch as the bunks were only intended to hold four. + +"Yes, we'll be getting back," the Scout Master said. "We have just about +enough food for breakfast." + +"Won't you come up to our house?" invited Sam Brown. "Mother will be +glad to have you." + +"Yes, come on!" urged his brother Pete. "I'll run ahead and tell 'em +you're coming," and before they could stop him he had sped away. He came +back a little later shouting: + +"Come on! Mother's all ready for you! She's going to have pancakes and +sausage and hot coffee and syrup and gravy and everything! Come on!" + +And you may well believe that Rick and his friends did not pass by an +invitation like this. + +Ruddy had a good breakfast, too, though he did not eat at the table with +the boys and the Scout Master. And between bites the boys told the +farmer and his wife of the events of the night. + +"Those junk fellows ought to be cleaned out!" declared Mr. Brown. +"They're as bad as the Gypsies! We farmers will have to get together +and drive 'em away." + +After breakfast preparations were made for the boys to go back to their +homes. As it was Saturday there would be no school, so they planned to +have a good time after reaching Belemere. + +"But first I want to take a look at the log cabin," said Mr. Brown. "If +those junk fellows are around I'm going to give 'em notice to clear +out." + +However he did not have that chance, for when Rick and his friends +reached the old log cabin where they had camped out for the night the +junk man's horse, and the wagon loaded with odds and ends, were gone. + +"They came and got 'em while we were eating!" exclaimed Mr. Brown. "They +must have been watching their chance." + +And, very likely, the men were. At any rate there was no further sign of +them, and as Rick had Ruddy back, and as it was thought best not to get +into a dispute, just then, with the junk men living in the ramshackle +old house near the swamp, nothing was done about it. + +"But we farmers will get together and drive those fellows out!" declared +Mr. Brown. "If they'll take dogs they'll take other things, especially +now with winter coming on. We must clear them out!" + +Then Rick, with Ruddy following joyously, the dog now and then running +back and sniffing at the legs of the boys, started for home. + +"We did what we set out to do," said Mr. Taylor, "and that is generally +the way with Boy Scouts. But we didn't do it in just the way we +planned." + +"But we got Ruddy back!" exclaimed Rick, "and I'm going to be a Boy +Scout!" + +"That's the way to talk!" cried Chot. + +Mr. and Mrs. Dalton and Mazie listened eagerly to the story Rick +told--of the night spent in the log cabin, and how Ruddy came back. + +"But who cut him loose?" asked Rick's father. + +"That's what we don't know," said the boy. "It must have been somebody +who liked dogs." + +And it was not until some time later that they heard about the sailor, +who, with his knife, slashed the rope that kept Ruddy a prisoner. + +For several days after this adventure Rick kept close watch over Ruddy, +as, indeed, Mrs. Dalton did when Rick was at school. The whole Dalton +family, as well as the boys and girls in the neighborhood of Rick's +house, had come to know and care for the brown setter. The setter is a +very lovable sort of dog, not perhaps as strong in character as a bull, +a collie or Airedale, but of a disposition that makes you love him in +spite of the tricks he sometimes plays. + +But as the days passed, and neither the ragged sailor nor the still more +ragged junk man was seen in Belemere, Rick began to feel that his dog +was safe. + +"I guess he won't try to take him again, Rick," said Sig Bailey, the +coast guard. "And if I see that sailor along the beach again I'll tell +him what I think of him!" + +But the sailor did not come again for a long time. + +Winter was now at hand. Several times the clouds had seemed to promise +snow, and the hopes of the boys and girls who had sleds rose high. But +the hopes came to naught, for the clouds blew away without sending down +the sifting, white flakes. + +At last, however, the glorious days of winter really came. One morning +when Rick jumped out of bed and looked from the window, he saw a sight +that gladdened his heart. + +"Oh, Mazie!" he cried. "It's snowing! It's snowing!" + +And Mazie took up the happy cry: + +"It's snowing! It's snowing!" + +Down in the kitchen, where he was having a warm breakfast, Ruddy barked +joyously. + +"Oh, what fun we'll have!" chanted Rick. "We'll ride down hill, we'll +make a snow man, a snow house, a fort and everything! Oh, what fun we'll +have!" + +And Rick and the boys did have fun. So did the girls. So did Ruddy and +his friend Peter, the bulldog, floundering about in the snow. It was +ever so much more fun for the dogs to play in the snow than in the rain, +just as it is more fun for boys and girls to scatter the white flakes +rather than dodge the pattering drops of water. + +As Rick had said, there was coasting and the building of snow houses. +Snow men were made, and pelted with snowballs. Snow forts were built on +the hills and the boys divided into soldier companies and had battles +with snowballs. + +One day when Rick had been coasting with the other boys he had stayed so +late that it was almost dark. One by one his chums went home after long, +swift rides over the snow-covered hill, but Rick and Ruddy remained on +the slope. One or twice Rick took Ruddy down on the sled with him, and +the dog seemed to like the swift motion, just as dogs like auto riding. + +"One more coast and we'll go!" said Rick, as he saw that he was the last +boy left on the hill. His sister Mazie had gone home some time before, +telling Rick he had better hurry or he would be late for supper. + +"One more ride!" the boy told himself. + +He got on his sled. Ruddy, who had been capering about until he was +tired, lay down in the snow at the top of the hill. Rick gave himself a +push and started down the steep grade. + +Just how it happened he never knew, but his sled must have struck a +stone, or some obstruction, and in a moment it went off the side of the +hill, down into a deep gully, filled with a deep, white drift. + +Into this drift plunged Rick, head first, sled and all. And down into +the soft snow he fell. At first he was not alarmed, for he had often +rolled from his sled into a drift. But this drift was different. At one +edge was a big rock, and Rick's head struck on this. + +In an instant all seemed to get black before the eyes of the boy--much +blacker than the blackness of approaching night. A queer, dizzy feeling +came over Rick. He appeared to be sinking away down deep--as if into the +depths of the ocean out of which Ruddy had come to him. + +And the last thing Rick remembered was the distant barking of his dog. +Then the boy fell into the drift, making a hole as he plunged into the +soft mass of snow. Down, down he went, he and his sled. And then Rick +disappeared from the view of Ruddy up on top of the hill. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THROUGH THE ICE + + +How long he lay in the blackness, which was caused by the blow on his +head, Rick did not know. But when he opened his eyes, to find himself +lying half under his sled which had fallen with him, it was dark all +about him--that is, all dark except a faint light which came from the +snow pile into which he had tumbled. That made a gleam of whiteness even +when all else was black. + +"I wonder--I wonder what happened?" asked Rick, speaking in a faint +voice. + +Then it came back to him--how he had taken one last coast down the hill, +how something had slipped and how he had fallen down into the hole in +the snow. + +That was where he found himself now, and, as he opened his eyes, though +his head hurt him very much as he did this, he saw the snow all about +him. + +And then Rick heard the barking of a dog, and at once he knew whose dog +it was. + +"That's Ruddy!" he murmured. "Good, old Ruddy! Here, Rud! Rud!" he +called. + +The barking came louder, and Rick looked up toward the top of the hole. +It was as if he were down in a well, the sides of which were made of +snow. At the top he could see the sky, from which the last glow of the +sun had faded, but a few stars were glittering there. And Rick saw +something else. It was the head of Ruddy. + +Ruddy was leaning over the hole in the snow drift, looking down at Rick +who had fallen to the bottom. + +"Come on down, Ruddy. Come and help me up!" called Rick, after he had +tried to move and found that he could not. Something seemed to be the +matter with one of his legs, and when he turned his head the least bit, +he felt dizzy. It even hurt him to call to his dog. + +And no sooner had Rick told Ruddy to jump down into the snow hole with +him than he wished he had not done so. + +"If Ruddy comes down here," thought Rick, "he can't get out either, and +then we'll both be in a hole! Stay back, Ruddy! Stay back!" he called, +faintly. + +But there was no need to tell Ruddy that. The setter was a wise dog, and +though he very much wanted to aid his master, he was not going to run +into danger himself, and so make it impossible for him to help Rick. +Ruddy was a wise dog. + +He had seen Rick go down in the snow drift, and at first thought nothing +of it. It was not the first time Rick had toppled into the snow that +day. + +But when several minutes went by, and Rick did not come out, laughing as +he always did, Ruddy became uneasy. He ran down the hill, almost as fast +as the coasting sled had gone down, and when he came to the edge of the +hole he stopped. That was where Ruddy was wise. + +If he had gone on much farther he would have slipped into the drift +himself, and, while he might have been able to flounder his way out, he +would not have been of any use to his master. + +So Ruddy stopped on the hard, firm edge of the hole, at the place where +Rick had toppled in. And there Ruddy stood, looked down at his master, +and barked. + +Ruddy could not see as well, by looking down into the hole of snow, as +Rick could see by looking up, but the dog knew his master was there. + +"Stay up there, Ruddy! Stay there!" called Rick, faintly, trying to +fight off the feeling of weakness and the blackness that appeared to be +trying to cover him with a heavy blanket. "Stay up there--and go get +help! Go home, Ruddy!" + +Ruddy barked again, and there was a different meaning to it. If another +dog had been there he could have very easily have understood what Ruddy +was saying. It was this: + +"All right, Master! I'll go home! I'll go get help! But I just wanted +you to know that I wasn't going to run off and leave you all alone. I'm +going to help you, but I can't do it if I jump down there with you." + +Giving a last bark, as if to tell Rick to keep up his courage and not to +worry, Ruddy sprang away, and raced up the hill toward home. + +Rick had a final glimpse of his dog as the animal drew back from the top +of the well-like hole in the snow. Then Rick decided to try to do +something for himself. + +"I wonder why I can't get up and dig my way out?" he asked himself. "I +can use my sled for a shovel." + +But when he tried to move he felt such a sharp pain in his leg, and his +head pained him so, and he felt so dizzy, that he had to stop. The night +seemed to be settling down now, blacker than ever. Rick could see no +stars now, but he began to feel a warm glow coming over him, as though +he had drawn near some blazing fire. + +Somehow Rick remembered reading that travelers, overcome in the snow, +felt this warmth before they lost their senses and froze to death. And +he tried to fight off the drowsiness. + +"I must wake up! I must wake up and dig my way out of here!" he said to +himself over and over again. But each time he tried to move he was +unable. + +And then for a time he knew nothing. He just lay there, all crumpled up +at the bottom of a deep hole in the snow. + +The next thing Rick knew was that he heard voices. At first they seemed +to be a long way off, but they came nearer. Then he felt himself being +moved, and he opened his eyes to see lights gleaming. He saw his father +bending over him, lifting him up, and he heard his father's voice +saying: + +"Well, Rick, my boy! Ruddy did you another good turn! He brought us to +you! Now you're all right!" + +And somehow, though his leg still hurt him, and his head pained, Rick +knew it was all right. He settled back in his father's arms, and felt +himself being carried along, through a sort of snow tunnel. + +And that is just the way Rick was taken out of the hole into which he +had fallen with his sled. Ruddy, after leaving his master, having +barked, as well as he knew how to tell him what he was going to do, had +raced home. There he acted so strangely, grasping Mr. Dalton by the +coat, and fairly pulling the boy's father toward the door, that Mazie +cried: + +"Oh, what makes Ruddy act so funny? Something must be the matter!" + +"Something has happened to Rick!" exclaimed Mrs. Dalton. "I know it!" + +"I think that must be it," her husband replied. "I'll go with Ruddy and +see." + +Quickly putting on his hat, Mr. Dalton went out with the dog, and Ruddy +showed, very plainly by his joyful barks, that this was just what he +wanted. + +"It's just like the time Rick fell out of the tree when he was +chestnutting," said Mazie. + +"But he wouldn't be climbing trees now," said Mrs. Dalton, who was +beginning to get worried. "Rick went coasting." + +"Maybe he went so fast that his sled climbed a tree," suggested the +little girl. + +And Ruddy led Mr. Dalton right to the hole down which Rick had fallen +with his sled. Mazie had not guessed it quite right. The sled had taken +her brother down, not up. + +Flashing the rays of a pocket electric torch he carried, down into the +hole in the snow, Mr. Dalton saw Rick lying at the bottom, and it did +not take the father long, with the help of some neighbors who brought +shovels, to dig a tunnel through the snow to where Rick was and carry +him out of the drift. If they had started to get him from above they +might have caved the pile of snow down on top of him. + +"But what made my head feel so funny?" asked Rick, when he had been +taken home, put to bed and the doctor called. + +"You struck on your head pretty hard," answered Dr. Wayne with a smile. +"It made you partly unconscious at times, and then you got numb with the +cold, and almost went too sound asleep." + +"Is my leg broken?" asked Rick. "I couldn't stand up on it." + +"No, it was only twisted by your fall," the doctor told him. "You will +be all right in a few days." + +And so Rick was, but during those few days he had to stay in bed, though +part of the time he could lie on a couch and look out of the window at +the snow. And all this time Ruddy never left him. The dog stayed beside +his master, only going out at night to his kennel when Rick had fallen +asleep. + +"And don't let that old sailor or the junk man get him," Rick begged of +his father and mother, when it came time to put Ruddy out. + +"I guess Ruddy himself won't let them come near him again," spoke Mr. +Dalton. + +And so there grew between Rick and Ruddy a firmer bond of love and +affection than ever. When Rick grew tired of reading or of looking out +of the window he would glance toward Ruddy. And the dog, who had been, +perhaps, asleep on the rug near his master's chair, seemed to know the +minute Rick looked at him, even if the dog's eyes were shut, for Ruddy +would give a low bark of pleasure and his tail would thump the floor. + +That was Ruddy's way of talking. + +The winter days passed. Rick grew strong again and went out to play in +the snow and on the ice with Ruddy. And all the boys wished they had +such a dog as was the red setter. + +There came a thaw, a rain and then a freeze. Instead of the ground being +covered with snow, all the ponds, lakes and streams were frozen over. + +"Now for some skating!" cried Rick. And Ruddy barked joyously. For, +though he could not skate, and though he slid over the ice when he tried +to walk on it, still he had fun, and loved to be out of doors with his +master and the other boys. + +One day Rick, Chot and Tom were down on Weed River with their skates. +Rick had taken Mazie with him, and while she skated with some other +little girls, her brother and his chums started a game of hockey. + +They were in the midst of it, and Rick's side was winning, when, +suddenly, there sounded a loud, cracking noise. + +"There goes the ice!" cried Chot. "Skate to shore, everybody! The ice is +breaking!" + +Forgetting their game, Rick and the others headed for the safe shore. +But even as Rick glided along, followed by Ruddy, the boy glanced down +toward where he had left Mazie. He could not see her, but he noticed the +other girls fleeing toward the river bank. And then from one of them +came the cry: + +"Mazie's in the water! Mazie went through the ice!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE SAILOR COMES AGAIN + + +Rick and the other boys knew what this meant--to break through the ice +when they were skating. It had happened more than once on Weed River, +and once, when Chot fell in, there was hard work to get him out. Rick +remembered that time. + +And now, as Rick heard the call of the frightened girls, and saw them +running toward the shore without Mazie, his heart seemed to feel like a +lump of lead. Ruddy, the dog, ran barking with the boys. + +"Mazie's in the water! Mazie fell through the ice!" cried the shrill +voices of the girls. + +"Boys, we've got to get her out!" shouted Rick. "We got to save my +sister!" + +"That's what we have!" echoed Chot. + +The boys turned, as soon as they reached the bank, and ran toward the +place where they saw a hole in the ice. And, as Rick ran he caught a +glimpse of his sister Mazie. She was down in the hole that had broken +open when the ice cracked. Her head and shoulders were out of the hole. + +But even ahead of the boys ran Ruddy, the dog. He seemed to know +something had happened, as he knew it the time Rick was caught in the +tree, and when his master fell into the snow drift. + +He barked loudly, did Ruddy, and he looked back, every once in a while +to see if the boys were coming. And they were, you may be sure of that. +Rick, Chot, Tom and the others were hurrying to save Mazie. + +"How--how we going to get her out?" gasped Tom. + +"Run right up to her and pull her out!" cried Chot. "She's holding to +the edge of the ice. I can see her. Her head isn't under water! We got +to pull her out!" + +"But we mustn't run up to her!" exclaimed Rick. "If we do--we'll--go in +the water, too! The ice will break with us--same as--it did +with--Mazie!" + +He could hardly talk he was so excited and out of breath from running. +He was gasping for breath. + +"How we going to get your sister to shore if we don't pull her up out of +the hole?" asked Tom. + +"We got to get a board--or something--put it on the ice and walk out on +it!" Rick answered. + +"That's right!" cried Chot. "I remember now! It's in our Boy Scout book. +You got to use fence rails, or something to put down on the ice when +it's cracking, to hold your weight. There's a fence! We can pull off +some boards." + +The girls continued screaming and jumping up and down on the bank, +pointing toward Mazie, who was still in the water. She was holding to +the ice at the edge of the hole through which she had fallen, and she +was trying to call for Rick. But she was so cold and frightened she +could hardly make a sound. + +"Get the boards!" cried Rick to his chums. + +But Ruddy waited for no boards. He saw that Mazie was in danger and he +went to help her in the only way he knew--by going straight to the +hole, reaching down and catching hold of the loose shoulder of the +little girl's coat. + +That's what Ruddy did! He ran straight over the ice toward the hole. And +because Ruddy was a dog, and had four feet resting on the ice, instead +of only two, like the boys, and because he was not as heavy as either +Rick, Chot or Tom, the ice did not break under the dog's weight. Ruddy, +standing on four feet, spread his weight over a larger part of the ice, +and this is just why a board should be used by anyone who is trying to +save a person who has fallen into an ice hole. A board, or two or three +fence rails, will hold you up on ice that would be too thin to walk on. + +So it was that Ruddy did not break through, even when he went to the +edge of the hole, in which poor Mazie was floundering. He reached over, +caught hold of her loose coat in his teeth, and tried to pull her out. +But this was too much for Ruddy. His paws were not made for getting a +good hold on the ice, and he began to slip toward the dark, cold water. + +[Illustration: "Catch hold of her, now!" cried Rick.] + +"Ruddy! Ruddy! Come back!" cried Rick, when he saw what was happening. +"You can't get Mazie out, and you'll go in yourself." + +"We'll get her out! We have the fence rails!" shouted Chot. "Come here, +Ruddy!" + +But Ruddy would not let go of Mazie until he saw Rick and Chot close +beside him, at the edge of the hole. The boys were standing on some +fence rails, and these bore them up on the thin ice. + +"Catch hold of her, now!" cried Rick, and he and Chot took a firm grip, +one at each of the little girl's shoulders. The fence rails were on +either side of the hole, and the boys, lifting with all their strength, +pulled Mazie out of the water. Ruddy ran back, barking, toward shore, +when Rick told him to. Tom held the two shore ends of the rails steady +so they would not slide on the smooth, hard, frozen surface. + +In another moment Rick and Chot had Mazie safe on the firm ice and were +hurrying with her toward the bank. + +"Oh, Mazie! are you--are you drowned?" asked Edna, one of her chums. + +"No--no! I--I--I'm not drowned," chattered Mazie, "but I'm terrible +c-c-c-old!" + +"We got to get her home!" cried Rick. "She's got to be warm!" + +Quickly the boys took off Mazie's skates, and then, with Rick on one +side of her and Chot on the other, while Tom took the other frightened +girls in charge, the homeward trip was quickly made. + +You may be sure there was much excitement in the Dalton house when the +children were seen coming along, Mazie dripping wet and with Rick and +Chot holding either arm. But Mrs. Dalton was accustomed to things +happening, and as long as she saw that Mazie was alive and not hurt, she +did not worry, but began making ready to warm the drenched and cold +little girl. + +Mazie was soon dried and put into a warm bed, with a hot water bag at +her feet. She was given hot chocolate to drink and when the doctor came +he said she might not be any the worse off for her adventure; at least +he hoped she would not be. + +And Mazie was not. Aside from a little cold, which she could hardly help +having, she did not suffer much from having broken through the ice. + +"Were you scared?" asked Rick, when it was all over. + +"I just guess I was!" answered Mazie. "But when I saw Ruddy coming for +me I seemed to know it would be all right. He saved me and he saved you; +didn't he, Rick?" + +"He sure did!" exclaimed the boy. + +"And you and your chums did well, too," said Mr. Dalton. "You did just +the right thing in getting the fence rails. I am glad to know Chot +remembered some of his Boy Scout rules, and glad that you did not get so +excited that you 'lost your heads,' as it is called." + +"They would look funny without any heads!" laughed Mazie. + +And so Rick loved Ruddy more than ever, and so did everyone who knew the +dog. + +The winter brought many good times to Rick and his friends, but there +were no more such accidents as falling into a snow drift or breaking +through the ice. + +The snow storms and the freezing nights began to pass away. Spring was +near and though Rick liked winter he was glad the days were coming when +he and his dog could roam over the fields and through the woods; when he +could toss sticks into Weed River or Silver Lake, and have Ruddy swim +out to get them and bring them back. + +One day, when Rick had come home from school, after a little April +shower, and when it seemed as if May flowers were just ready to bloom, +he fed his pet crow, Haw-Haw, and then ran to Ruddy's kennel. + +"Come on boy! Now for a run!" cried Rick. + +And Ruddy, with a joyful bark, seemed to answer: + +"Here I am, Rick, ready and waiting for you!" + +As dog and boy ran toward the front gate, and as Rick gave his cry of +"_Ee-oh!_" to call Chot to come out and have fun, a strange, harsh voice +snapped out: + +"There he is! There he is!" + +And down the street came the old ragged sailor! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +HAPPY DAYS + + +Ruddy growled. Rick stood very still, and then, slowly, his hand went +out to grasp his dog's collar, to hold him against being taken away. As +for the ragged sailor he just stood there, smiling at Rick. + +And somehow, as the man smiled, it seemed to make Rick feel better. He +was not so much afraid. But still he kept hold of Ruddy's collar. + +And then, suddenly, that harsh voice called again: + +"There he is! There he is!" + +It reminded Rick of a time he had once been to an entertainment in the +school, when a ventriloquist had seemed to make a wooden doll, which he +held on his knee, speak as though alive. + +The voice appeared to come from the ragged sailor, yet the strange man +of the sea had not opened his lips. + +And again came the harsh cry: + +"There he is! Over the fence with him! Ha! Ha! The stormy winds do blow! +Do blow! Do blow!" + +And then, with a start of surprise, Rick saw, crawling up from behind +the sailor, and sitting on his shoulder a green parrot. And the parrot, +as he pulled himself along the sailor's coat, using claws and his big, +hooked beak, opened his mouth, stuck out his queer, thick black tongue +and cried: + +"Ship ahoy! Where away! Two points off on the weather bow! Bow wow! Bow +wow!" + +Ruddy uttered a growl and started forward, his eyes fixed on the green +bird, but Rick pulled him back. + +"Quiet, Ruddy! Down!" spoke the boy in a low voice, and Ruddy, with one +look up into his master's face stretched out at his feet. Ruddy, like a +good and well-trained dog, had learned to mind, and a dog that will not +obey is of very little use, even as a pet. + +"Well, I've come back, you see!" said the sailor, and he reached up his +hand to stroke the gaily-colored feathers of the parrot. "I've come +back." + +"Yes--yes," said Rick, slowly. "I--I see you!" + +"And do you see my parrot?" went on the sailor. "Do you see Poll? Look +at her!" + +Indeed Rick was looking at the green bird, and the parrot, as she heard +her name spoken, screeched out: + +"Pretty Poll! Very pretty! Polly bite!" + +"No you don't!" quickly exclaimed the sailor, shaking his finger and +tapping the bird's beak. "If you bite not another cracker do you get for +a week!" + +"Ha! Ha! Pretty Poll! Pretty Poll! Over the fence is out! What ho! Sail +ho! Ho! Ho!" + +Thus cried the green parrot, and then from the woodshed came another +voice, almost like that of the bird on the sailor's shoulder. + +"Haw! Haw! Haw!" was shouted from the wood shed. "Get up! Get up! +Whew-ew-ew-e-e-e-e-e-ah!" and a shrill whistle ended the jumble of +queer sounds, at which Ruddy barked again. + +"Have you a parrot, too?" asked the ragged sailor, in surprise. + +"No, that's Haw-Haw, my tame crow," answered Rick, who still stood close +to Ruddy, as though guarding his dog. + +"A--a crow!" the sailor exclaimed. "I didn't know they could talk." + +"Haw-Haw can't talk very much," answered Rick. "But he whistles a lot. +He whistles like I do, and--and you must have whistled like me or my +crow once!" he went on, and fear began to come into his eyes. "You +whistled like Haw-Haw and Ruddy went out and----" + +"Yes, I know," said the sailor. "That's what I came back about." + +"Do you mean about my dog--about Ruddy?" asked Rick and there was a +catch in his voice. "Have you come back----" + +"Yes, I came back about your dog," spoke the sailor. + +"Are you--are you going to take him--away?" asked Rick in a low voice. +He remembered how he had come to own Ruddy--the dog who had suddenly +appeared out of the sea, after he had prayed one night. Now here was the +sailor, looking as though he were going back to the sea, for, besides +the parrot, he had a satchel. Was he going to take Ruddy to the ocean? +That was the thought in Rick's mind. + +And then the sailor smiled--he smiled in a way that, better than words +could have done, told Rick everything was all right. And even Ruddy +seemed to understand that matters were going well for him, as he thumped +his tail on the ground. And that always is a sure sign with a dog--a +sign that he is pleased, happy and knows that he is with his friends. + +"Yes, I have come back, but not to take your dog away," said the ragged +sailor. "He's your dog--he did belong to me once, but I know he'll be +happier with you. I don't want him now." + +"Don't you--really?" cried Rick. + +"No, I'm not going to take him. That's what I came to tell you," went on +the sailor. "I'm on my way back to go aboard a ship for a long sea +voyage, but Ruddy isn't going with me." + +"What is all this, Rick?" asked his mother, coming out to the sidewalk. +She had heard voices, and had seen the ragged man, with the green bird +on his shoulder, standing at the gate talking to Rick. And she +remembered about the ragged sailor and the junk man. "What is all this?" +she asked. + +"I came back, lady," spoke the ragged sailor, taking off his hat and +making a bow, "I came back to tell your boy he needn't worry any more +about losing his dog. I am not going to try to get him back, though he +once belonged to me. I have another mascot now. I have something else to +bring me good luck. Here she is!" and he pointed to the green bird on +his shoulder. + +"Hip hurray! What ho! What ho! The stormy winds do blow! Do blow!" cried +the parrot. + +"You mean that you are not going to try to whistle Rick's dog away +again?" asked Mrs. Dalton. + +"That's it, yes, lady," answered the sailor, with another bow. "I did +whistle the boy's dog away, and I'm sorry for it. You see the dog +belonged to me, and he was washed overboard in a storm. After that I had +nothing but bad luck. Maybe it was because I wasn't as good to Ruddy as +I ought to have been. + +"Anyhow when I found out where he was, from talking with some fish men, +I made up my mind to have the dog back. So I sneaked around until I +found him, and then I whistled for him. I'm a pretty good whistler. I +can whistle like some birds. Listen!" + +And then such shrill, trilling and sweet piping whistles came from the +sailor's lips that Haw-Haw, the crow, tried to imitate them and answer, +and Ruddy barked joyously, while Rick and his mother looked and listened +with wonder. + +"Say, but you can whistle!" cried Rick. "That was great!" + +"Yes, I have a knack that way," said the sailor. "Well, after I took +your dog away in the junk wagon I thought I was going to have good luck. +But I didn't. We went to the old house near the swamp, and there I met +another sailor. I wasn't good friends with him, for once I had played a +mean trick on him. And, just to get even with me, I suppose, he went out +in the night and cut loose the dog I had tied up." + +"Oh, so that's how Ruddy got loose, was it?" asked Rick. + +"That was it; yes," answered the ragged sailor. "At first I was mad at +Jed Porter, but afterward I was glad. Then he and I got to be friends +again, and he gave me this parrot." + +"Pretty Poll! Pretty Poll!" shrieked the green bird. + +"She always calls herself that when you mention her," went on the ragged +sailor. "Well, as I say, after I had the parrot I began to think she +would do me as a good luck mascot, instead of the dog, and she did. I +began to do better right away. Now I have a chance to sail on a long +voyage aboard a good ship, and I'm going to take Polly with me." + +"Over the bounding waves, we sail, we sail, we sail!" shrilled the bird. +"What ho! The stormy winds do blow!" + +"Now please keep quiet a minute until I finish," called the sailor, +shaking his finger close to the bird's beak. She opened it but did not +bite. + +"I've taught her not to," the sailor went on. "Well, as I was saying, +when I had this parrot for a mascot I felt I didn't need the dog. So I +stopped around to tell you not to worry any more. I'll never whistle him +away again." + +"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Rick. "Now you belong to me forever, Ruddy!" +and he put his arms around the setter's neck. + +"Yes, he's yours forever," said the sailor. "He was mine, but I give him +to you. A dog that could get to shore after being blown overboard the +way he was, is a good dog!" + +"Yes, Ruddy is a good dog, and we all like him very much," said Mrs. +Dalton. + +"And I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble in taking him away," +concluded the sailor, as he picked up his valise and was about to travel +on. + +"Oh, we had fun camping out, and I'm going to be a Boy Scout," said +Rick. "And Ruddy's going to belong, too!" + +"That'll be fine!" said the sailor. "Well, now having said all I'm +going to, I'll haul up my anchor and get under way. Good-bye!" he added. +"Good-bye to you, lady, and to you, boy and you, Ruddy, the red dog! +I'll never trouble you again! I'm off on a long voyage!" + +And with a wave of his cap toward Mrs. Dalton, he swung his valise up on +one shoulder while, with the parrot perched on the other, he walked +slowly down the street. + +"Good-bye! Oh, my eye! Ho! Ho! The stormy winds do blow!" cried the +green bird. + +And that was the last Rick saw of the sailor and his parrot for a long +time. + +"But now you're mine, Ruddy! Mine forever!" cried the boy, and then he +threw a stick far down the street and the setter raced after it. + +Chot came out of his yard with Tom. The two boys saw the leaping dog. + +"Ee-o, Ruddy! Ee-o!" they cried. + +"Ee-o!" answered Rick. "Oh, fellows! Come here! I have such a lot to +tell you!" he added. + +And you may be sure Tom and Chot opened their eyes in wonder when they +heard about the ragged sailor and his green parrot good-luck mascot. + +"Well, I'm glad Ruddy is yours to keep, and that you don't have to worry +about him being whistled away again," said Chot. + +"So'm I," added Tom. + +"Come on, now, we'll have some fun!" said Rick, and then boys and dog +raced over the meadow toward Weed River. + +This was the beginning of many happy days for Rick and Ruddy, and +Haw-Haw, the tame crow, shared in them, for, having seen the parrot +perched on the sailor's shoulder, Rick taught his black pet to do the +same trick, and also some new whistles. + +And on the bright and breezy days of spring and summer you might have +seen Rick, Ruddy and Haw-Haw playing about in the fields, or near Silver +Lake, whereon the white swans floated. But Ruddy never chased them, now, +and so the setter did not have to flee in terror from the big birds. +Ruddy had learned his lesson. + +"Oh, but you are the best dog in the world, Ruddy!" said Rick, over and +over again. "What good times we'll have!" + +And they did have many adventures. If you would like to read more about +the boy and his dog I may write another book. I think I shall call it +"Rick and Ruddy in Camp," but, as for this volume, we have come to + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + +Irregular hyphenation e.g. "bow-bow" vs. "bow wow", "good-luck" vs. +"good luck" is as per the original. Punctuation errors corrected without +note. The following typographical errors have been corrected: + + Page + 18 the deep, cast up by the churning of the waves [had "deap"] + 61 weeds in it, at certain times ["at" was "as"] + 80 Ruddy circled about in the leaves [had "Rudy"] + 126 known that he could not open the trap ["he" was "the"] + 162 Rick gave a shrill whistle ["Rick" was "Ruddy"] + 189 a man with a straggly black beard [had "straggily"] + 271 a ventriloquist had seemed to make [had "ventroquilist"] + 272 Ruddy uttered a growl and started forward [had "forard"] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rick and Ruddy, by Howard R. 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