Part 9 (1/2)

”You can tell from the way he's acting that Bones has never been near him. More than that, I believe the smart dog knows that something has happened to his master, for he's just wild to get free!” declared Frank.

”Sure as you live! Just listen to him growl and bark. I never heard a bulldog do that before!” cried Ralph.

”Oh, Kaiser is only a half-breed mongrel, but looks like a full-blooded bull. But an idea just occurred to me, fellows.”

”Then let's have it, Frank. We're short of ideas at present, just as we are of a bully good football player needed in to-morrow's game. What is it?” asked Molly Manners, unduly excited by these strange occurrences.

”Perhaps the dog might lead us to where Bones is!” said Frank.

”Say, now, that's just a crackerjack suggestion. Of course, he will, if someone could only hold him in by his leas.h.!.+” exclaimed Lanky, with the light of antic.i.p.ation s.h.i.+ning on his face.

”Come on, let's try it!” shouted another fellow.

”But who's going to unfasten Kaiser, and hold him?” asked Frank, always practical, even at such moments as this.

”Here's Buster, he knows the dog better than anyone else,” said Jack Eastwick, pus.h.i.+ng the fat boy forward.

”Oh, yes, I've had an intimate acquaintance with him. He's tasted of me three different times,” declared the unwilling candidate for honors.

”Still, he knows you?” said Jack, in a wheedling voice.

”Sure, and I think he likes me, which shows Kaiser has good taste.

But I'm willing to be the victim, if you'll all promise to see that my remains are gathered up and given a fitting burial.

Everyone who likes a good show, this way, now. The only and original dog-tamer is about to give an exhibition of how not to do it.”

Kaiser was acting in a very ugly way, as they approached the spot where he had been tied up by his master, upon reaching the hall.

He jumped up and out in a furious manner, always in the one direction, Frank noticed.

”You see, fellows, he pays no attention to us. His growls are for someone else, and he is trying to break loose, in order that he may chase after them. I shouldn't be surprised if we had some success, after all. Do it, Buster. The whole world is looking to you now as the hero of the occasion.”

Buster gave Frank a plaintive look, as he bent down, and began to speak soothingly to the furious dog.

”Listen to his soft soap talk, would you!”

”Buster knows how to lay it on; he's kissed the blarney stone!”

”Pat him, why don't you, old fellow; he likes the taste of you all right!”

But to none of these suggestions did Buster pay the least heed. He was working with the end of the rope all the time he talked so soothingly to the brute. Frank suspected what might happen if this suddenly came free when the dog was making one of his frantic plunges. Consequently, he made sure to be ready to seize hold, so as to a.s.sist the fat boy.

It was just as he thought. Only for the quick clutch he made, the dog must have sped away like the wind, and they would have been as badly off as before. But with the weight of the two boys on the rope, even the powerful Kaiser was not able to go faster than the crowd could follow.

”Ralph, keep close beside me!” called out Frank, who did not want a second disaster to overtake them while trying to remedy the first.

It was really a curious sight to see that crowd of boys rus.h.i.+ng over the territory adjoining Dyckman's Hall, following the pair who pooled their strength in order to restrain the wildly eager dog.

Frank quickly took note of a certain fact.