der and more excited than ever. "All right! go
on then; I'm after you," he cried. "It will be a grand run before
breakfast, and there's plenty of time."

From this moment, as Tom trotted quickly over the fir-needles at the
dog's heels, the poor brute went steadily on, uttering a low, muffled
bark every now and then as it threaded its way in and out among the
fir-trees as if bound for some particular spot.

This began to impress Tom now, and he wondered why his companion did not
begin to hunt about; then this wonder increased as first one and then
another rabbit was put up, to dart away, eliciting low growls from the
dog, but that was all. It showed not the slightest disposition to dash
after them.

"Can dogs think?" said Tom to himself, with a new interest now in his
pursuit. "He must mean something. Is it an adder? I'll be bound to
say he is going right away to that open place where he was stung, to
show me the dead viper that he has killed."

The farther they went on, the more convinced Tom felt that this was the
case, for they were going right in the direction, and making good
progress too, the dog never stopping for a moment, but just swinging its
ugly head round to see if it was followed before settling to its steady
trot once more.

This went on for quite half-an-hour, and Tom was pretty well breathless
as he stopped to have a bit of rest, while the dog halted, dropped its
bone, turned up its head, and howled again dismally.

"I can't help it, old chap," cried Tom; "I haven't got four legs to run
with; I must walk now."

As the dog saw him advance it barked joyously again, and trotted on once
more, but more slowly as it found that it was not followed so swiftly.

Then all at once a fresh idea flashed through Tom's brain, and he fell
a-wondering whether he could be right. He had never been across the
wood this way before, but it was undoubtedly in the direction of Pete's
lurking-place under the great pine-tree, and it seemed possible that the
dog was making for there.

But why? For what reason?

Tom felt uneasy, and involuntarily, in spite of a slight sensation of
shrinking, began to trot once more, while the dog seemed to gladly
increase its pace after a look back.

"It must be," thought Tom; "he is leading me straight to the sandy cave.
What for?"

An undefined sensation of uneasiness began to increase upon him. He was
getting hot with exercise, but his blood was quite cool. Imagination