her kennel. Pass that tobacco jar, Rube."

Kiddie had a profound faith in his deerhound's sagacity, and he was
more than a little disappointed that she had not yet discovered his
presence in the camp.

He did not again refer to her absence that night, assuming that the
hound could hardly have scented him passing in the canoe, or heard him
landing so far away from the cabin as Grizzly Notch. But when he went
to bed he began to wonder anew. He stood at the open window,
listening, hoping to hear her bark. Hearing no sound but the
whispering of the wind in the trees, he got his feet on a chair and
leant out. He whistled, a long shrill whistle.

Rube Carter was already asleep in the same room. The whistle awoke him.

"What you whistlin' that way for?" Rube asked in alarm. "Shanty ain't
afire, is it?"

"I'm whistling for Sheila," Kiddie told him. "Lie quiet while I listen
if she answers."

"She won't hear you all this way off," said Rube. "Wind's against you."

"So it is," laughed Kiddie, stepping down from the chair. "Never mind!
I shall see her in the morning. Sorry I disturbed you. Good night."

During their camping trip Kiddie and Rube had accustomed themselves to
early rising, and on the following morning they were out and about
before the rest of the household.

Kiddie looked at some of his letters, and then took his towel and went
down to the creek for his morning swim, leaving Rube to help to get the
breakfast ready. Kiddie returned looking astonishingly fresh and clean.

At the end of the meal he sat very silent, watching his companions
taking out their pipes. He seemed to be particularly interested in Abe
Harum, who was feeling in one pocket after another.

"Lost your pipe, Abe?" Kiddie inquired, thrusting a hand into his own
side pocket.

"No," Abe answered. "I got it in my hand. I was feelin' for my
matches."

"Oh, then," returned Kiddie, withdrawing his hand and producing a
briar, "this ain't yours that I found?"

Abe looked at the pipe and shook his head.

"That ain't mine," he said. "Where'd you pick it up, Kiddie?"

"In the spare canoe, when I went down to have a bathe. I supposed
you'd left it there."

"Ain't used that canoe since you've bin away," said Abe. "Nobody's
used it, only Isa, when he went out on the lake t' look for you that
time. Mebbe it's Isa's."

But the sheriff also shook his head.

"'Tain't mine," he said, glancing at the pipe, which Kiddie had push