“Well, I’d like to have Dix come along with us then.  It will save time now in taking him back.”

“Yes, it will do that,” said Mr. Brown.  “And it’s quite a way back home this time.”

“And Splash will have company to play with all the while,” went on Bunny.  “Two dogs are happier than one, aren’t they?” he asked.  “If two dogs eat more than one then two must be happier than one.”

“It’s a new way of looking at it, but I guess it may be true,” laughed Mrs. Brown.  “But are you doing all this talking, Bunny, just to have company for Splash?”

“No indeedy I’m not!” exclaimed Bunny.  “I haven’t ’splained it all.”

“What else is there?” asked Mr. Brown, laughing.

“Well, if Mr. Ward will let us take Dix along—­and you can find out about that over the telephone—­then maybe we can find Fred.”

For a moment no one spoke after Bunny had announced his plan.  His father and mother looked sharply at him, and so did Sue and Uncle Tad.

“How can Dix find Fred?” asked Sue.

“’Cause didn’t the bloodhounds find the runaway slaves in Uncle Tom’s Cabin?” demanded Bunny.

“Yes,” answered Sue.  “I ’member that.”

“Well then, won’t Dix find Fred the same way?” went on Bunny.  “He can smell his tracks along the road and we’ll find that runaway boy a lot quicker than if we didn’t have his dog along.  Fred and Dix were always together, and I guess Fred couldn’t have run away if Dix had seen him.  So if we take Dix along, and have to look for Fred in big crowds, Dix’ll come in ’specially handy.”

“Oh, won’t that be fun!” cried Sue, clapping her hands.  “Do let’s take Dix along!”

“I believe Bunny’s plan is a good one,” said Mr. Brown, after thinking about it a while.  “We don’t know Fred very well, and he may look different, now that he has gone away from home, from what he did before.  His dog would know him, however, no matter how Fred dressed.”

“He’d know him even if he had on a Hallowe’en false face, wouldn’t he?” asked Sue.

“I guess so,” answered Daddy Brown.  “Well, I’ll go and telephone to Mr. Ward and see what he says.”

The people in the house into which the telephone wires ran were very willing Mr. Brown should use the instrument, and he was soon talking to Mr. Ward back in Bellemere.

“Surely you may take Dix with you,” said Mr. Ward over the telephone wire.  “I only hope he will not be a trouble to you.  I know he will make a fuss just as soon as he comes anywhere near Fred. So, in that way, you may be able to trace my boy.  I hope you will.  His mother hopes so too.  She is beside me here as I am talking, and she sends you her thanks.  Take Dix with you if you wish.”

“Oh, I’m so glad!” cried Sue, when she heard the news.  “Aren’t you, Bunny?  Now we have two dogs!”

“Yes, one will be yours and one mine, until we get back home with Dix.  Then we’ll each own half of Splash, as we’ve always done.”