morning!" And Mr. Ward had said the same thing. They, too, would soon be
better acquainted.

"I know the Wards are nice people," said Sue, as she trotted along
beside her mother.

"What makes you think so?" asked Mrs. Brown, as she walked slowly across
her lawn toward the house next door.

"'Cause they have a nice dog named Dix, and he and Splash are good
friends. First they sort of growled at each other, and then they smelled
noses and now they always wag their tails when they meet."

"Well, that's a good sign," laughed Sue's mother.

"But I wonder what can be the matter with the boy next door," said Sue
to her brother. "Are you sure you heard Mr. and Mrs. Ward talking about
Fred?"

"Yes, I'm sure," answered Bunny.

"Well, I didn't hear that part," said Sue. "But we'll soon find out what
the matter is."

As the Browns walked across the lawn, a dog came running out of the
house where lived "the boy next door," as Bunny and Sue called Fred
Ward, even though they knew his name. They had spoken several times to
him.

"Is that dog savage?" asked Mrs. Brown.