“Maybe Splash is chasing a cat!” exclaimed Bunny.

“It must be a strange cat,” said Sue; “’cause he likes all the other cats around here.”

The children ran around the corner of the house and there saw a strange sight.  Mr. Treadwell was running about the yard.  After him ran Splash, and the dog was holding tightly to Mr. Treadwell’s coat, shaking the tails as if trying to tear it off the actor.

“Oh!  Oh!” screamed Sue.  “Our Splash is mad at Mr. Treadwell!”

CHAPTER XV

TICKETS FOR THE SHOW

Back and forth across the snow-covered yard ran Mr. Treadwell, and after him went Splash, the dog, holding to the flying coat-tails of the actor.

“Splash!  Splash!  Come here to me!” cried Bunny.  But the dog did not obey.

“Oh, Mother, come quick!” called Sue.  “Our dog is going to eat Mr. Treadwell all up!”

Splash, indeed, did seem very angry, for he barked and growled.  He growled more than he barked, for he could not open his mouth wide enough to bark when he was holding to the coat.

Mrs. Brown rushed to the kitchen door, and she was as much surprised as the children were at what she saw.

“Oh, call some one!  Get some man to make Splash let Mr. Treadwell alone!” cried Sue.

The actor, with the dog still clinging to him, was running toward the children now, and, to his surprise, Bunny saw that Mr. Treadwell was laughing.

“Is he—­is he hurting you?” asked the little boy.

“Not a bit,” was the answer.  “Is Splash holding fast?”

“He’s holding tight!” said Sue.  “Oh, is he mad at you?”

Before Mr. Treadwell could answer there was a ripping sound, and a piece of cloth came loose from his coat.  The piece of cloth stayed in Splash’s teeth and the children’s dog at once began to shake and worry it, as he might a big rat he had caught.  And as Splash shook the piece of cloth he growled louder than before.

“Oh, has he torn your coat?” asked Mrs. Brown.  “I never knew Splash to act that way before.  He is always kind and gentle.”

“He’s all right now,” answered Mr. Treadwell, with a laugh.  “This is only in fun and part of the play.”

“Part of the play!” exclaimed Bunny.  “Didn’t he really tear your coat?”

“No,” answered the actor, and, turning around, he showed that his coat was not ripped a bit.  Yet Splash certainly had a piece of cloth in his jaws.

“It’s just a trick I have been teaching Splash during the last few days,” explained Mr. Treadwell.  “You see, I’m to take the part of a tramp in the first act.  Now, most dogs don’t like tramps, so I thought I’d have that sort of dog in the farm play.

“Splash will make a good actor dog, I think.  First I found a bit of old cloth that he was used to playing with and shaking as he might shake a rat.  Then I sewed this piece of cloth to my coat, so it would not pull off too easily.  Then I took Splash out to the barn to train him.  As soon as he saw his own private piece of cloth sewed on my coat he chased after me and wanted to get it.  I ran away and we played at that game until Splash did just what I wanted him to.