By this time the two ladies, and the policeman, had made their way back through the hole in the Marden fence, the officer to go out on the streets, up and down which he marched all day, keeping order. And Mrs. Marden wanted to get the children's lunch.
As for the two boys and the two girls, they lingered about the clump of weeds, near which Thump also stood, his head cocked on one side and his ears held up.
Oh, Thump could tell a strange story had he wished!
"I wonder what Thump saw here that made him bark so hard?" asked Nat.
"Maybe a strange cat," answered Rod. "Or maybe a big rat."
"Oh—a rat! I'm going in!" cried Weezie, making a dash for the fence.
"So am I!" echoed Addie, so the two boys were left there with Thump.
"Ho! Ho!" laughed Nat. "Rats won't hurt you!"
"Not with Thump around," declared Rod. "Look!" he called to his chum, "see how the weeds are all trampled down, as if there had been a fight here."
"Maybe Thump was fighting another dog," suggested Nat.