Forward ran the children, laughing and shouting until, all of a sudden, Addie exclaimed:
"Hark! Some one is calling us!"
They stopped to listen. They heard a noise behind them. Then Rodney began to laugh.
"That's our dog Thump," he said. "We forgot to take him with us, and he's following after."
"Good! Let him come!" decided Nat. "He can smell along the track, where it only shows faint, and help us find Racky."
"Come on, Thump! Help us find Racky!" and Rod pointed to the marks on the ground.
Thump knew what this meant, of course. He could tell that the rocking chair had come this way, and now Thump knew the children were seeking Racky. What should Thump do?
"I can lead those children on the wrong trail, away from where Racky went, and tease them off into the deep woods, where they can never find that chair," thought Thump to himself. "I can do that, or I can lead them straight to where Racky is hiding. He cannot be far off, for he is a slow rocker."
Then Thump thought again:
"If I lead the children to Racky, he will never forgive me, for he does not want to be found and brought back to Happy Home. But winter is coming on, there will be snow and ice, soon. Racky may catch cold in his legs. I think it will be best if the children find him and bring him home. After all, he may thank me for it. Perhaps Grandma Marden will not sit on him so hard after he comes back. Yes, I'll lead the children to Racky!"