"It's something trying
to get in."

"Yes," said Bunny. "It does sound like that."

"Maybe--maybe it's a wolf, Bunny!"

Bunny looked at the door and windows to make sure they were closed.

"There aren't any wolves up here," he said, shaking his head.

"How do you know?" Sue asked.

"'Cause I asked Grandpa Brown if there were any bears, and he said
there wasn't any--not a one. And wolves are always where bears are. So
if there aren't any bears there aren't any wolves. Sue."

"Maybe," said Sue. "But what is it scratching at the door, Bunny?"

"I don't know, Sue. I could open it and look out. Shall I?"

"No," she cried. "For, if you opened the door, it would come in. Now it
can't get in, or else it would. It can only scratch."

Bunny thought it would be best not to open the door. But what could that
queer noise be? He wished he knew. Again it sounded.

"Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!"

And then, all at once there came a bark. Both Bunny and Sue cried out at
the same time:

"A dog!"

And Bunny added:

"Oh, I guess it's Splash! I'll let him in!"

He ran to the door and opened it, for it was not locked. And, a second
later, in bounded good old Splash, the big dog. He was all wet with the
rain, but oh! how glad he was to see Bunny and Sue! He barked, and
jumped all over the cabin, getting the children wet from his dripping
coat. But Bunny and Sue did not mind that. They were so glad to see
Splash.

"And I--I thought you were a wolf!" laughed Sue, putting her arms around
the neck of Splash. Sue was wide awake now.

"I wonder how he got here?" questioned Bunny. "Maybe he ran on ahead of
the folks. They must be coming for us now."

"I think Splash just came by himself," said Sue, and that was what had
happened.

Bunny and Sue listened, but they did not hear their father or mother or
the hermit coming along. It was still raining, but the thunder and
lightning had stopped. The children were glad of that.

"Splash just came off by himself and found us, just as he did lots of
times before," said Sue. "Didn't you, doggie?" she asked.

Splash barked, and that might have meant "yes" or "no." Bunny and Sue
did not know dog language, and I don't either, so I can't tell you.

But, anyhow, Splash was there, and Bunny and Sue were very glad. It was
not at all lonesome in the hermit's cabin now. There was no clock, so
Bunny did not know how late it was, though he could have told time had
there been a clock.

After s