“Oh, may we come?” asked Bunny.

“Yes,” said Mr. Brown.  “I guess so.  I’ll take you and Bunker Blue with me.  And if we find Tom we’ll bring him back with us.  That man has no right to keep him!”

CHAPTER XVI

“WHO TOOK THE PIE?”

The shortest way to go to the Trimble farm was to row across the lake in the boat, and then to walk a little distance through the wood.  Mr. Brown, with Bunny and Sue, started, with Bunker Blue at the oars, dipping them in the water, pulling hard on them, and lifting them out for another dip.

“Don’t row too hard, Bunker,” said Mr. Brown.  “It is a hot day, and I don’t want you to get tired out.  Besides, we are in no hurry, so take it easy.”

At the last minute, Splash, the dog, had run down the hill to the lake, and climbed into the boat.  He did not want to be left behind.

“May we take him, Daddy?” asked Bunny.

“Oh, yes.  Let him come along.  He’s a good dog, and maybe he can help us find Tom.”

Splash was a regular water-dog.  He could swim across the lake, he could jump in and bring back sticks that Bunny or Sue would toss in, and he liked to be in a boat.  Splash knew that dogs, as well as boys and girls, must keep quiet in boats, especially small boats, so they would not tip over.  And now Splash perched himself up in the bow, or front part of the boat, and quietly sat there, looking across at the other shore.

Bunny looked down over the side, where he was sitting, and saw some fish swimming about, for the water of the lake was very clear.

“I wish I had brought my fishpole,” Bunny said.  “I could catch some fish for dinner.”

“We’ve something else to do besides catching fish to-day, Bunny,” replied his father.  “We’ve got to find Tom Vine.”

“Do you think we’ll find him, Daddy?” asked Sue, as she hugged one of her dolls, which she had brought with her.

“Well, maybe so, little girl.  I can’t think of anything else that would happen to Tom, except that he would be taken by Mr. Trimble.  I think we’ll find him.”

They were half way across the lake when Sue suddenly cried: 

“Oh, there she goes!  Oh, she’s fallen in!”

“What is it?” asked Mr. Brown, turning around quickly, for he was seated with his back toward his little girl.

“It’s my doll!” Sue cried.  “She jumped right out of my arms, and fell in the lake.”

I guess Sue meant that her doll slipped out of her arms, for dolls can’t jump—­at least not unless they have a spring wound up inside them, like an alarm clock, and Sue’s doll wasn’t that kind.

“Stop the boat, Bunker!  Row back!” cried Mr. Brown.  “Sue’s doll fell overboard, and we don’t want to lose her!”

Bunker stopped rowing, and he was reaching out with an oar to pull in the doll, which was floating like a little boat on top of the water, not far away.  But before Bunker could save the doll, Splash, with a loud bark, jumped in and swam out toward the plaything of his little mistress.