red more than you
advertised to pay. I guess you can't help yourself. You'd better do as
the letter says."

"I'll not!" exclaimed Dick.

"What are you going to do? Inform the police? They won't be able to do
much. Besides, they'll never bother over a dog, no matter how valuable
he is."

"No," replied Dick. "I'm not going to tell the police."

"What then?"

"I'm going to turn detective myself and find Grit! See, here is the
first clue," and he held up the envelope of the letter. "This was mailed
in Leonardville. I'm going there for a starter, and I'll find Grit!"

With flashing eyes Dick hurried to the stables to order Rex saddled.

CHAPTER XVII.

GRIT'S REVENGE.

Peters soon had the horse ready, and as Dick leaped into the saddle his
father came hurrying out to the stables.

"Now be careful, Dick," he cautioned. "Don't do anything rash. What are
your plans?"

"I'm going to ride in the direction of Leonardville. That's about ten
miles by the main road. I'll inquire as I go along; but what I'll do
after I get there I can't tell."

"Well, be careful, that's all," concluded Mr. Hamilton. "The fellows who
stole Grit are no common thieves, I imagine, and I hope you don't get
into trouble with them."

"I'm not worrying about trouble. Once I get where Grit is, he and I can
take care of the thieves all right," and Dick laughed grimly.

He started off at an easy canter, though Rex was full of mettle and
wanted to gallop.

"No, Rex," said Dick, for he had a habit of talking to his horse as he
did to Grit. "We'll take it easy. We've got a long day ahead of us."

It was about ten o'clock, and Dick decided to ride several miles without
stopping to make inquiries, as the day previous he had pretty well
covered the neighborhood near his home. But in about an hour, having
reached a small village, he asked several persons he met if they had
seen anything of his dog. No one had, and he pushed on.

Mile after mile he rode, stopping every little while to make inquiries,
but without avail. He got dinner at a wayside hotel and then resumed his
trip. It was about three o'clock when, as he stopped at a watering
trough under a big chestnut tree on the edge of the road, he saw a wagon
coming toward him.

"I'll ask this man," thought Dick. He waited until the vehicle and the
driver were in plainer view through the cloud of dust raised and then he
exclaimed:

"Why, Henry! How'd you get out here?"

"Oh, I've been