“Why, what brings you two here?” cried Uncle Dick. “What’s the matter?”
“That’s what we want to know. How long has the dog been uneasy?”
“For the past hour. I had gone to lie down; Bob was watchman. All at once Piter began barking furiously, and I got up directly.”
“Let’s have another look round,” said Uncle Jack.
“Here, Piter!” I cried; “what’s the matter, old fellow?”
The dog whined and laid his great jowl in my hand, blinking up at me and trying to make his savage grin seem to be a pleasant smile; but all at once he started away, threw up his head, and barked again angrily.
“What is it, old fellow?” I said. “Here, show us them. What is it?”
Piter looked at me, whined, and then barked again angrily as if there was something very wrong indeed; but he could only smell it in the air. What it was or where it was he did not seem to know.
We had a good look round, searching everywhere, and not without a great deal of trepidation; for after the past night’s experience with the powder it was impossible to help feeling nervous.
That’s what Uncle Jack called it. I felt in a regular fright.