As Bunny and the stranger were walking back toward the hose, Splash, the
big dog, ran out from under the back porch and took hold of the hose in
his teeth. He began to shake it as he often shook things with which he
played.

"There!" laughed the man. "That's how I was sprayed! Your dog picked up
the hose after you left it, and raised it high, so the water shot over
the hedge and on me! Now the mystery is explained! It was the dog that
did it!"

And so it was.

"Splash!" cried Bunny. "Drop that hose!"

Splash dropped it, and with a bark came running up to be petted. He did
not know he had done wrong.

"I'm very sorry," said Bunny. "Splash, you're a bad dog!" he declared,
and Splash drooped his tail between his legs.

"Oh, don't scold him," the man begged. "I like dogs, and I know they
don't like to be scolded any more than we do--or than boys or girls do.
It wasn't his fault. He thought the hose was left there for him to play
with."

"Is anything wrong?" asked Mrs. Brown. Sue had told her mother about a
strange man, all wet, in the yard talking to Bunny, and Mrs. Brown had
come down to see about it.