“Yes, I really did,” replied Mr. Brown.  “But I guess you didn’t know a fox was in there; did you?”

“No, I didn’t,” answered the farmer.  “He must have gone in during the night, when the door was open.  The place sort of smells of meat, you know.  Then the door blew shut, and the fox couldn’t get out.

“And Splash smelled him!” cried Bunny, who had gotten up and was brushing the dust off.  Sue was doing the same thing.

“Yes, your dog smelled the fox,” said Mr. Trimble.  “That was what made him bark and get all excited.”

“I’m going to catch a fox in my trap,” said Bunny.  “I’ve got a trap set over by our spring.  Maybe this is the fox I’m going to catch,” he went on.

“I’m afraid not,” said Mr. Brown.  “This fox is so scared that he’ll run for miles.  He’ll never come back this way again.  Well, we haven’t found Tom Vine yet; have we?” and he looked at Bunny and Sue.

“No, and you never will find him,” said Mr. Trimble.  “Boys are no good.  Tom ran away from you same as he did from me.  But maybe I was a little too harsh with him.  I wouldn’t lock him up in a dark smoke-house, though.  That’s no place for a boy.”

Bunny and Sue were glad to hear the farmer say that.

“Well, we’d better be getting on to the village,” said Mr. Brown.  “Come along, children.”

“Oh, let’s wait for Splash to come back,” said Bunny.  “I don’t want him to be lost.”

CHAPTER XX

IN BUNNY’S TRAP

Pretty soon Splash was seen coming over the hills.  He did not run fast, for he was tired from having chased the fox.  The dog was wet and muddy, too.

“Oh, Daddy!  What happened to Splash?” asked Bunny, as the dog came slowly along, and stretched out in the shade of a tree.

“Did the fox bite him?” Sue wanted to know.  “If he did I don’t like foxes, and I don’t want Bunny to catch any in his trap.”

“No, the fox didn’t bite your dog,” said Mr. Brown.  “I guess he just ran away from Splash.  And Splash tried to catch him, and ran through mud and water until he got all tired out.  You don’t like foxes, either, do you, Splash?”

Splash barked once, and did not even wag his tail.  That one bark must have meant “No.”  And I guess Splash was too tired to wag his tail, as he always did when he was happy, or pleased.

“Maybe he’d like a drink of water,” said the farmer.  “I’ll bring him some from the well.  It’s good and cold.  I’m going to drink some myself, as it’s a hot day.  I could give the children a glass of milk,” went on Mr. Trimble to Daddy Brown.  “I’ve got plenty up at the house.”

“Oh, I don’t want to trouble you,” said the children’s father.

“It’s no trouble!” said the farmer.  “My wife will be glad to give them some.  Come on, Splash!” he called.  “We’ll get you a cold drink after your run.  So the fox got away from you same as that boy Tom Vine ran away from me.”