The last exclamation broke from her lips as a large black dog bounded past her, and made for the little figure at the water's edge. It was Nero. Miss Warren recognised him immediately, and glanced around nervously, expecting to see his master near; but the dog was apparently quite alone. She drew a sigh of relief, and watched Nero with some amusement as he sprang around Dick, barking with delight at having discovered his new friend.
"Dear Nero! Good dog!" Dick cried, his face aglow with pleasure.
Nero allowed himself to be patted and caressed with exemplary patience for a few minutes; then he bounded into the sea, and back to Dick's side again, evidently inviting him to throw something into the water for him to fetch. The little boy at once complied with the dog's request, and soon he and Nero were having a most enjoyable time together. Dick tired of throwing stones long before Nero tired of fetching them. The sagacious creature never made the mistake of bringing another stone instead of the one thrown.
Miss Warren watched the boy and the dog for some while, her face wreathed in smiles, then she turned her attention to her needlework.
Meanwhile, Dick having wearied of throwing stones, wandered away between the rocks. He took off his shoes and stockings, and placed them in a spot where he thought he would have no difficulty in finding them again; and then, rolling up his knickerbocker above his knees, paddled in and out of the little pools between the rocks. He forgot all about his aunt's desire that he would not go out of sight, and his promise, and presently found himself walking beneath the shade of the high cliffs which surrounded the coast at that point. How he wished he could find the entrance to the secret passage! Fired with the ambition to do so, he peered hither and thither into every nook and cranny he came across, totally regardless of how the time was passing. Nero kept by his side, every now and again picking up lumps of sea-weed and offering them to Dick as though he realised the boy was looking for something, and desired to assist him if he could. At length Dick, for the first time, glanced behind him, and saw that he had wandered much further than he had intended. Holton beach, with Miss Warren seated on her camp-stool, the fishing-boats drawn up out of reach of the incoming tide, and the nets spread to dry in the sun, were out of sight; only a strip of rock-strewn sand beneath overhanging cliffs was to be seen. Suddenly remembering that he had disobeyed his aunt, and not kept his word, Dick hastily retraced his footsteps. When he reached the spot where he considered he had left his shoes and stockings, they were nowhere to be seen; he glanced hastily around, and lo! there they were apparently floating out to sea. For one moment Dick was in despair of ever getting them again; but then he remembered Nero, and, pointing them out to him, the intelligent animal grasped the situation at once and fetched them immediately.
"Nero, you are the dearest, cleverest dog I know!" cried Dick, with mingled enthusiasm and gratitude in his voice.
One trouble over, Dick hastened on, and had nearly turned the corner of the cliff which would bring him within sight of Holton beach, when he slipped on a piece of sea-weed and fell into a pool of water on his face and hands. He emerged sputtering and dripping, whilst Nero barked as though he thought it the best joke in the world.
Dick was in despair. What would Aunt Mary Ann say when she saw his deplorable condition? She would have every right to be very angry. Whilst he was thinking thus Miss Warren herself came upon the scene, having missed him, and become uneasy as to his safety.
"Dick!" was all she could find voice to say, as her astonished eyes fell upon the little, dripping figure; "Dick!" she repeated, and positively gasped with dismay.
"I'm rather wet, Aunt Mary Ann," Dick acknowledged with a slight shiver. "I fell into a pool. I don't quite know how it happened. Oh, it wasn't Nero's fault!" he added quickly, as he saw her eyes turn to the dog. "Nero has been so good! The tide came in and carried my shoes and stockings out to sea, and he fetched them back. Wasn't that clever of him?"