would have--Hallo!"

This exclamation was called forth by the sudden appearance of the dog,
which crept slowly toward his master, looking altogether as if he had
been guilty of something very mean.

"So you have got back, have you?" said Frank, sternly. "What do you mean
by going off to hunt rabbits when you ought to stay at home? And what
excuse have you to offer for allowing that robber to get up after you
had pulled him down?"

Marmion stopped, and, laying his head close to the pavement, wagged his
tail and whined piteously.

"I don't wonder that you feel ashamed of yourself," said his master.
"Come here, you old coward."

The dog reluctantly obeyed, and, when he came nearer, another mystery
was cleared up, and Frank knew why his favorite had behaved so
strangely. One end of a rope was twisted about his jaws so tightly that
he could scarcely move them, and the other, after being wound around his
head and neck to keep the muzzle from slipping off, was fastened to
both his fore feet, holding them so close together that it was a wonder
that he could walk at all. Frank's anger vanished in an instant. He ran
into his room after his knife, to release the dog from his bonds, and
then he discovered that the animal had not come out of the fight
unharmed. Two gaping wounds in his side bore evidence to the skill with
which Pierre had handled his bowie.

At that moment, Frank felt a good deal as Llewellyn must have felt when