Part 32 (1/2)
”But we could take the two dogs, Dix and Splash, with us, and they could bite the lion if he chased us,” said Bunny.
His mother shook her head, and Bunny knew there was no use teasing any more.
”I wouldn't go after any lion!” declared Sue. ”And I want to find a good place to hide Sallie Malinda.”
”What for?” asked Bunny.
”So the lion can't find her,” said the little girl. ”Lions don't like bears and this one might bite Sallie Malinda. Then maybe she couldn't flash her eyes any more.” The Teddy bear had dried out after the fall into the lake, and was as good as ever.
So Bunny and Sue had to stay and play around the automobile, not going far away. Though at first they missed the long tramps in the fields and through the woods, they were good children and did as they were bid.
Besides, deep down in his heart, Bunny was just a _little bit_ afraid of the lion, even though he had said he wanted to go hunting for him with Uncle Tad.
Two days pa.s.sed, and the lion had not been found. The circus had gone on, leaving two men in the town near which the automobile was stranded.
These men, with a spare cage which had been left with them, were ready to go out with nets and ropes and capture the lion as soon as any one should bring in word as to where it was hiding.
The countrymen and the boys, who had no other work to do, still kept up the lion hunt, some with dogs, but the big circus animal was well hidden.
”If he was playing hide-and-go-seek,” said Bunny, ”I'd holler 'Givie-up!
Givie-up! Come on in free!' For I never could find him, he has hidden himself so good.”
”Well, I wish he would go and hide himself far, far away,” almost snapped Sue. ”Then we could go around like we used to, and go on the lake.”
”I wish so too,” agreed Bunny.
It was getting rather tiresome for the children to stay so close to ”home,” as they called the automobile, but Mr. Brown said the new spring would arrive in a few days, and then they would travel on again, far from where the lion was hiding.
”And we can keep on looking for Fred Ward,” said Bunny. In the excitement over the circus the runaway boy had been almost forgotten.
It was three days after the lion had broken loose, and evening was approaching, when Mrs. Jason, wife of the farmer who had been so kind to the Browns, came hurrying down to the automobile beside the road. She was out of breath and seemed much excited.
”Oh, Mr. Brown!” she exclaimed. ”Do you know anything about doctoring?”
”About doctoring! Why? Is Mr. Jason ill?”
”No, but I've got a badly hurt boy up at my house. He's all scratched up.”
”Has he been picking berries?” asked Bunny.
”No. They're worse scratches than that. Big, deep ones on his face, hands and shoulders. I've bandaged him as best I could, and sent Mr.
Jason for the doctor; but I was wondering if you could do anything until Dr. Fandon came.”
”A scratched boy?” repeated Mr. Brown slowly. ”What scratched him?”
”A great big lion, he says!” exclaimed Mrs. Jason. ”I declare I'm so excited I don't know what to do!” and she sat down on a stool Mrs. Brown placed for her near the back steps of the automobile.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE BARKING DOG