rised as Teddy and Janet were over the loss of Tip. As for
Trouble, he was not worrying much. He had climbed into the front seat of
the automobile, and was playing with Snuff, the yellow Persian cat. As
long as Trouble had some animal near him he did not worry much about
anything else.

"Have you been right here all the while, young man?" asked Mr. Martin of
the youth who had been left on guard. "You didn't go away, did you, and
give someone a chance to come up and take one of the dogs?"

"Oh, no, sir! I stayed right here all the while. I sat down on the
running-board and waited. The only thing that happened was that the
alligator tried to crawl out, but I put him back. I was sitting here,
thinking how funny it was that anybody should have so many pets, when,
all of a sudden, I felt something rough on my neck."

"What was it?" asked Janet, while Teddy was looking under the automobile,
thinking that perhaps Tip might be hiding there.

"It was the little alligator, with his rough tail," explained the young
man, who said he was called "Shorty" by his chums. He was very tall, and
perhaps that was why he was called "Shorty," in fun you know. "It was the
little alligator that was crawling up my shoulder and scratching my
neck," he explained. "I put him back in his cage, or tank, or whatever
you call it, though I was afraid he'd bite me."

"Oh, no, Slider is very gentle," said Ted, who came up on the sidewalk,
after having peered under the automobile. "Oh, dear, I don't see where
Tip can be!" he said.

"It is queer that he should go away and leave Top," said Mrs. Martin, for
the other white poodle dog was there, safe in the automobile.

Top looked up at the friends gazing down at him, barked and wagged his
tail. Perhaps he, too, was asking what had become of his chum, Tip.

"The dog must have jumped out on the opposite side of the car from where
you were sitting," said Mr. Martin to Shorty. "Though if that had
happened I should have thought you would have heard him," and the father
of the Curlytops looked rather sharply at Shorty.

"No, sir, I didn't hear a thing," was the answer. "All I know is that the
alligator tried to crawl up my neck. I didn't see the dog run away."

"Perhaps he didn't run away," suggested Mrs. Martin.

"What do you mean?" asked Janet.

"I mean someone may have stepped up softly, when this young man had his
back turned, and, reaching over, may have lifted Tip up and taken him
away. I wish yo