se's feet sounded from up the road. And since some one must
soon drive over the bridge, which crossed right above the dam, Red
scurried back again and dived into the pond, into which Johnnie Green
and the others had already plunged.

Red rose to the surface spluttering. And finding that he could touch
bottom with his feet, he stood with his carroty head out of water,
watching for the wagon.

It soon came into view, out of the woods, and the horse that drew it
thundered upon the bridge. The horse was old Ebenezer; and Farmer Green
was driving him.

"Hi!" Red shouted. "Stop! Wait a minute!"

Johnnie Green's father pulled Ebenezer to a halt.

"What's going on here?" he inquired.

"Spot took my clothes," Red explained. "He's run down the road with
them. Get them for me--please!"

Hoots and catcalls from the other boys followed Red's speech, which was
a wonderfully polite one--for him.

Farmer Green couldn't help laughing.

"I'm going to the village," he said. "If I find any clothes along the
road I'll pick them up and put them in the wagon. And if you're here
when I come back I'll give them to you."

"He'll be here!" Johnnie Green shouted. "Red'll wait for you."

"If you hurry, maybe you can catch Spot," Red called to Farmer Green as
he drove off. "I can't stay here all day."

"You'll have to," the boys jeered.

"Maybe you'll have to wait here till dark," Johnnie Green suggested.

"I won't!" Red replied, as he swam towards the bank. "Your dog took my
clothes," he cried as he ran up to the big hickory. "And I'm going to
take yours."

[Illustration: Spot Started After Frisky Squirrel.

(_Page 42_)]

It was Johnnie's turn to yell then. He was on the further side of the
mill pond. And long before he could cross it Red had snatched up
Johnnie's clothes from the shade of the hickory and dodged into the
bushes with them.

IX

A BUNDLE OF CLOTHES

Old dog Spot was trotting down the road with the bundle of clothes in
his mouth--the clothes which belonged to Johnnie Green's friend Red, who
was one of the swimming party in the mill pond.

Somewhat to Spot's surprise the boys had not come tearing down the road
after him.

"It's queer," he said to himself. "I wonder why they don't follow me.
This would be fun if they'd only chase me."

Just then he happened to spy a squirrel on a stone wall. Spot promptly
made for this gentleman. Keeping a firm hold on his bundle, he plunged
through a tangle of bl