turned his back upon the fellow. "I can't leave the station now-- Ah!
here's Doctor Davison. He'll know what to do."

Doctor Davison came forward and put his hand upon Ruth's shoulder most
kindly. "What is all this?" he asked. "And there is the mastiff. They
tell me you are a dog tamer, Miss Fielding."

He listened very closely to what Mr. Curtis had to say, and looked,
too, at the smeared handkerchief.

"The dog can find him-- no doubt of that. Come, boys, get some
lanterns and we'll go right along to the Wilkins Corners road and
search it." Then to Ruth he said: "You are a brave girl, sure enough."

But when the party was ready to start, half a dozen strong, with
Parloe trailing on behind, and with lanterns and a stretcher, Reno
would not budge. The man called him, but he looked up at Ruth and did
not move from her side.

"I declare for't," exclaimed one man. "That girl will have to go with
us, Doctor Davison. You see what the dog means to do."

Ruth spoke to the mastiff, commanded him to leave her and find "Tom."
But although the dog looked at her intelligently enough, and barked
his response-- a deep, sudden, explosive bark-- he refused to start
without her.

"It's a long way for the girl," objected Doctor Davison. "Besides, she
is waiting to meet her uncle."