"'Tain't nothin' to me—no more than your goin' out ter live with Jabe Potter ain't nothin' to me," responded the old man, with an ugly grin.
"You're a pretty fellow, you are, Jasper!" exclaimed Mr. Curtis, and turned his back upon the fellow. "I can't leave the station now—Ah! here's Doctor Davison. He'll know what to do."
Doctor Davison came forward and put his hand upon Ruth's shoulder most kindly. "What is all this?" he asked. "And there is the mastiff. They tell me you are a dog tamer, Miss Fielding."
He listened very closely to what Mr. Curtis had to say, and looked, too, at the smeared handkerchief.
"The dog can find him—no doubt of that. Come, boys, get some lanterns and we'll go right along to the Wilkins Corners road and search it." Then to Ruth he said: "You are a brave girl, sure enough."
But when the party was ready to start, half a dozen strong, with Parloe trailing on behind, and with lanterns and a stretcher, Reno would not budge. The man called him, but he looked up at Ruth and did not move from her side.
"I declare for't," exclaimed one man. "That girl will have to go with us, Doctor Davison. You see what the dog means to do."
Ruth spoke to the mastiff, commanded him to leave her and find "Tom." But although the dog looked at her intelligently enough, and barked his response—a deep, sudden, explosive bark—he refused to start without her.
"It's a long way for the girl," objected Doctor Davison. "Besides, she is waiting to meet her uncle."
"I am not tired," she told him, quickly. "Remember I've been sitting all the afternoon. And perhaps every minute is precious. We don't know how badly the dog's master may be hurt. I'll go. I'm sure I can keep up with you."