Silently those in the auto looked along the road for a sight of Sue’s Teddy.  Then suddenly Bunny said,

“No, he didn’t!”

“Who didn’t what?” asked his father, for Bunny would often make these sudden exclamations.

“Dix didn’t go off chasing a rabbit or a squirrel,” said Bunny.  “There he comes now—­with an elephant, I guess,” and the little boy pointed down the road.

There was Dix coming back, and he was half dragging and half carrying something that looked like an animal.

On and on came the dog.  He seemed very tired.  When he saw the automobile he stopped, dropped what he had in his mouth, and lay down beside it.  Then he began to bark joyfully.

“Oh, it’s my Sallie Malinda!  It’s my Teddy bear!” cried Sue.  “You dear old Dix!  You found Sallie Malinda for me!”

And that is just what had happened, they decided after they had talked it over among themselves.  Dix must have been running along behind the auto when he saw Sue’s pet jostled out.  Knowing how the little girl loved her Teddy bear he picked it up and began to half drag and half carry it, for, as Mr. Brown had said, the electrical batteries that made the Teddy’s eyes shine, were heavy.  Poor Dix had all he could do to drag the Teddy bear, but he would not let go, and the noise made by the auto made it impossible for those in the car to hear his barks, which he must have given.

And so they rode on, paying no attention, but leaving Dix far behind, until Sue discovered the loss of her Teddy bear.

“Oh, you are a dear good dog, and I love you!” cried Sue, hugging the Teddy bear with one arm and Dix with the other.  And the dog was plainly overjoyed at being with his friends again.

I suppose the Teddy bear was glad too, but of course she could not even wag her little stub of a tail to show it.  However, Sue could make the pet’s eyes gleam, which she did again and again.

Nor was the Teddy bear much damaged by being dragged in the dirt, for the roads were not muddy, and Dix had held her up out of the dust as much as he could.

“Oh, but I’m glad to get my darling Sallie Malinda back!” cried Sue.

“Dix is a good dog,” put in Bunny.  “He can ride in the auto now, can’t he, Daddy?  He must be tired.”

“Yes, get him and Splash both in,” said Mr. Brown.  “I think it is going to rain, and I want to get to the next town where we will stay overnight.”

“In a hotel?” asked Bunny.

“No; in our auto, of course.”

The dogs were called in, and Dix seemed glad to rest.  Then Daddy Brown turned the big car around and once more they were on their way.  It began to rain before they reached the town of Welldon, on the edge of which they were to stop for the night.

But the rain did not matter to those in the big moving van, which was like a little house.  They had their supper inside, sat reading or playing games by the electric light, and listened to the rain on the roof, for it came down more and more heavily.