"But he was only a boy," remarked Uncle Tad.

"I wish he hadn't run away," said Mother Brown. "I don't believe he got
half enough to eat. He took only a little." She could tell that by
looking in the ice box.

By this time Splash, the big dog, who had not come up with the others,
now rushed into camp. He sniffed around, and then, all of a sudden, he
made a dash for a clump of bushes, and, standing in front of it began
barking loudly.

"Oh, maybe the bear's come back and is hiding in there!" cried Bunny.

"More likely it's that ragged boy," said Uncle Tad. "That's where he
made a rush for as soon as we came up."

Splash seemed about to go into the bushes himself, and drive, or drag,
out whatever was hiding there.

But Mr. Brown called:

"Here, Splash! Come here, sir!"

The dog came back and then Bunny's father, going over to the bushes,
looked down among them.

"You'd better come out," he said, to someone. The children could not see
who it was. "Come on out," said Mr. Brown, "we won't hurt you."