Part 9 (1/2)

”Who?” asked his father.

”That big dog that took mother's pocketbook in his mouth and bounced away with it!” was the answer. ”There he goes!”

Bunny pointed out a large, yellowish-brown dog just running around the corner of the next street. Then Bunny pulled his hand from his father's and raced after the strange animal.

”I'll make him show me where mother's ring and pocketbook are!” cried Bunny as he ran down the street.

CHAPTER VII

THE SLEEP-WALKER

So quickly did Bunny Brown pull away from his father to run after the strange dog that Mr. Brown had no chance to call to the little boy to be careful. Sue, however, who had hold of her father's other hand, seemed anxious.

”Maybe the dog will bite Bunny!” exclaimed the little girl. ”Sometimes Splash used to growl if you took a bone away from him, and maybe this dog will growl if Bunny takes the pocketbook away from him.”

”That might happen if the dog had mother's pocketbook,” replied Mr.

Brown. ”But I didn't see him have it, and I don't believe Bunny knows, for sure, whether or not this is the same dog.”

”Maybe if he hasn't the pocketbook in his mouth he has it hid somewhere, and he's going to dig it up just as Splash used to dig up the bones he hid,” went on Sue. ”Let's go and look, Daddy!”

This was just what Mr. Brown wanted to do--to see what happened to Bunny, who had turned the corner running after the strange dog. So, taking a firmer hold of Sue's hand, daddy started to run. When they turned the corner they could see the chubby legs of Bunny working to and fro as he ran along some distance ahead of them. Ahead of him the big, yellow dog was also racing along and Bunny could be heard calling:

”Stop! Hold on there! Come back with my mother's pocketbook and her diamond ring!”

Several persons in the street were attracted by the shouts of the boy and his race after the dog.

”There'll be more excitement here in a little while than I want,”

thought Mr. Brown. ”People will think there has been a theft, and they will join in the chase. Then the dog may get excited and bite some one.

I must catch Bunny and stop him from shouting.”

Now Sue could not, of course, run as fast as could her father, and, though her legs worked to and fro in her very best style, Bunny was getting far ahead of them.

”I'll have to pick you up and carry you, Sue,” said her father. And, stooping, he caught her up in his arms. It was easier for him to run fast this way, and he knew he would soon catch up to Bunny. As for the small boy, he was still chasing the dog. And the dog seemed to know he was being chased, for he ran on, looking back now and then, but never stopping.

”What's the matter, Mr. Brown?” asked a man who knew the fish dealer, as he saw Sue's father hurrying down the street, carrying her and racing after Bunny. ”Has anything happened?”

”Oh, not much,” was the answer. ”My boy is trying to catch that strange dog, and I don't want him to--the dog might bite him.”

”That's so,” said the man.

”Stop, Bunny! Stop!” cried Mr. Brown, getting within calling distance of his little son. ”Don't run after the dog any more!”

”But I want to get mother's pocketbook and ring,” Sue's brother answered, as he slowed up and looked back.

”That dog hasn't it,” went on Mr. Brown. ”He has nothing in his mouth, and----”

”Oh, he has something in his mouth. It's red and I can see it sticking out!” interrupted Sue eagerly. ”Maybe it's mother's pocketbook, Bunny.”