g leaves of the rhubarb plants in the garden just the other
side of the fence from the watering trough. Here he stayed until the
doctor had driven off on his afternoon round of visits to his patients,
and everyone else on the place was taking a nap. Then he barked three
quick, snappy barks for Tabby, but she did not come. He barked again.
Still she did not appear, and he was standing with drooping ears and tail
between his legs in a most dejected manner when he was aroused by Tabby
saying,

"Why, Zip Elsworth! Where in the world have you been? You are as dirty as
a pig, I do declare, and your hair is all sticking up like a porcupine's
quills."

At the word porcupine, Zip braced up and said, "Never mind about my looks!
If you will sit on the edge of the watering trough while I soak this stuff
off, I'll tell you how I got in this mess."

So Tabby obediently jumped up on a board at one end and fixed herself
comfortably to hear of Zip's adventure.

"But first I want to tell you that the doctor is very much displeased with
you," said Tabby. "I heard him tell Martha, the housekeeper, that he did
not know what had gotten into you lately, that you were never around to go
with him any more, and if you were here, that you disappeared somewhere on
the trip and he had to come back without you. He also said that unless you
were around more, he was going to take me."

"He didn't say anything of the kind, I know."

"Indeed he did! Ask Martha!" retorted Tabby.

"You are safe in saying that, for you know I _can't_ ask Martha."

"Well, he did, whether you believe me or not!"

"I shan't give him the chance, for from today I shall be on hand to go
with him, and, what is more, I will stay with him and come back when he
does. I shall cut my visits short until he forgets all about my neglecting
him. Well, do you want to hear what I have been up to or not?"

"I certainly do! Go ahead. I'm all ears," so while Zip walked up and down
in the trough to get clean, Tabby sat curled up on the board at the end,
purring contentedly as she listened to Zip's account of his morning's
doings.

CHAPTER V

ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE

The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his
morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture
moved out into the side yard. At first he thought there must have been a
fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and
Mrs. Huggins,