“No name or license,” he spoke at last, “but somebody will be looking for him.  I wonder how long he has been wandering around with this muzzle on him, poor chap!”

“Bring water, children,” said the mother, “and the things that were left over from lunch.  He must be hungry.”

The tin pail was rescued from the ground and filled twice with water before Jan’s thirst was slaked and he looked up with grateful eyes and dripping jaws.  While he was drinking his fill, a basket had been opened by the children and slices of cold meat and bits of buttered bread were placed before him.  He swallowed the food greedily, but paused between gulps to wag his tail and let them know how he thanked them.

For some time after this he lay quietly resting while the sunbonnet children sat close beside him and wondered where he came from and what his name was.  Ruth, the younger, put out her hand to touch him timidly.

“I’m not afraid of him.  He won’t bite.  He isn’t a bear to eat us all up, is he, Charlotte?”

“I—­I—­aren’t afraid, either,” Charlotte’s voice was uncertain, but her hand touched the dog’s big head.  Then both children lost all fear of him and Jan forgot about William and the hours of suffering, for the two little girls curled close to him, and soon they were all three fast asleep.

The sun was almost setting when the father and mother tucked the basket and shawls into the automobile.  Jan watched with puzzled eyes as they carefully put away some little boards.  He had noticed when he woke from his doze that both the man and the woman were sitting on stools with these boards propped before them, and they were making marks on them.  The father was already in the machine and the little girls climbed in, then the mother put her foot on the step and Jan let out a wild howl that made them all start.  He thought they were going to leave him behind and he knew that he could never run fast enough to follow them.

“Good gracious!  What a howl!” exclaimed the man, laughing.  “We won’t leave you.  Jump up, old chap!”

Jan lost no time scrambling into the automobile, then it ran swiftly along a smooth road which finally twisted through a beautiful canon.  Great trees were on all sides and a tiny stream bubbled and danced far below.  Birds sang and rabbits dashed out of the brush with swift hops and jerks, but Jan did not want to eat the rabbits now.  The children kept laughing and clapping their hands, calling to Jan, “Look, look, quick!” Sometimes their hands pressed his head to make him turn where they pointed.

Jan was very happy on that ride, but he still hoped that by and by he might get back home to Hippity-Hop and the captain.

Chapter X

THE HOME OF THE SUNBONNET BABIES

The home of Jan’s new friends was perched high on the top of a mountain peak, far above the canon through which they had driven.  Jan heard them call this place Topango Pass.  The house stood alone with overhanging oak trees and a garden full of flowers that made him think of the yard in front of the captain’s bungalow.