There was the big one, that could be made into two or even three rooms, for them all to sleep in, Bunny, Daddy Brown, Uncle Tad and Bunker Blue in one part, and Mother Brown and Sue in the other, with a third part for company.

The big tent was almost up.  Only one more rope needed to be made fast.  Bunker Blue was pulling on this when Bunny and Sue, who were helping, heard Splash give a sudden bark.  Then the dog jumped into the lake, and the children, looking, saw a great commotion going on in the water near shore.  Splash seemed either to have caught something, or to have been caught himself.  He was barking, howling and whining.

“Oh, a big fish has caught Splash!  A big fish has caught our dog!” cried Sue, and, dropping the tent rope, of which she had hold, down to the edge of the lake she ran.

CHAPTER VII

A BIG BLACK BEAR

Something certainly seemed to be the matter with Splash.  Bunny and Sue had never seen their dog act in such a funny way.  He would dash into the water, not going far from shore, though, and then he would jump back, barking all the while.

Once or twice he tried to grab, in his sharp teeth, something that seemed to be swimming in the water.  But either Splash could not get it, or he was afraid to come too close to it.

“Oh, Daddy!  What is it?  What is it?” asked Bunny and Sue.

Mr. Brown, who with Bunker Blue and Uncle Tad, was fastening the last ropes of the tent, hurried down to the shore of the lake.

“What is it?  What’s the matter, Splash?  What is it?” asked Mr. Brown.

Splash never turned around to look at daddy.  He again rushed into the water, barking and snapping his sharp teeth.  Then Mr. Brown, taking up a stick, ran toward the dog.

“Let it alone, Splash!  Let it alone!” cried Daddy Brown.  “That’s a big muskrat, and if it bites you it will make a bad sore.  Let it alone!”

Daddy Brown struck at something in the water, and Bunny and Sue, running down to the edge of the lake, saw a large, brown animal, with long hair, swimming out toward the middle.  Splash started to follow but Mr. Brown caught the dog by the collar.

“No you don’t!” cried Bunny’s father, “You let that muskrat alone, Splash.  He’s so big, and such a good swimmer, that he might pull you under the water and drown you.  Let him alone.”

Bunker Blue, who had come down to the edge of the lake, threw a stone at the swimming muskrat.  The queer animal at once made a dive and went under the water, for muskrats can swim under the water as well as on top, and Bunny and Sue saw it no more.

Splash rushed around, up and down the shore, barking loudly, but he did not try to swim out.  I think he knew Mr. Brown was right in what he said—­that it was not good to be bitten by a muskrat.

“Is that what it was, Daddy—­a rat?” asked Bunny.