Bunny called and whistled, in a way he had been doing to get Dix to come
to him ever since the Ward dog had joined the traveling automobile
party. But there came no answering bark, and even Splash seemed
surprised when he could not find his playfellow.

"Hi, Splash!" called Bunny. "Where is Dix? Go find him!"

Splash ran around and barked, which was his only way of talking, but he
came back frequently to the children, who, with their parents and Uncle
Tad, were standing beside the auto, and he did not bring Dix back with
him.

It was as though Splash said:

"I know you want to find Dix, but I don't know where he is. There is no
use in my running my legs off to find him, for he is a long way from
here."

"Dix possibly has been missing a longer while than we know," said Mr.
Brown. "I noticed once, as we were going over a bridge, that Splash went
in and had a little swim. But I did not see Dix with him, though I
didn't think anything about it at the time. We had that trouble with the
engine farther back than that. When I got that fixed Dix was about. But
from then on I haven't seen him, and that was some miles back."

"Maybe that's the time my dear Sallie Malinda fell out," said Sue. "Or
else Dix took her."

"I don't believe he'd do that," said her father. "He was too well
trained. He isn't a puppy any longer, to hide boots, shoes and toys. I