"What is it, Top? What's the matter, old fellow?" asked Teddy.
A bark was the dog's answer. But a moment later, as the children turned a bend in the stream, they heard a howl coming from a bunch of tall cat-tail plants growing on the edge of a swamp not far from the brook. It was the mournful howl of a dog in pain.
"That's Skyrocket!" cried Teddy.
"And he's in trouble!" added Janet.
"And that's why Top came to get us," declared Jimmy.
Top was barking louder than ever now, and as the Curlytops and their friend hurried along they could hear, more plainly, the howls of the dog they felt sure was their own, dear Skyrocket.
And a moment later, as they parted the green spears of the cat-tails, they saw, lying on the ground in the mud and water, poor Skyrocket. Their pet looked up at them and howled mournfully.
"Oh, he's drowning!" cried Janet, as she saw that Skyrocket was partly covered by the water of the swamp.
"He's got a broken leg!" said Jimmy.
"Dogs can go on three legs, if one is broken, though they can't go very fast," said Teddy. "Skyrocket is caught fast, that's what's the matter."