A heavy peal of thunder resounded as the man slumped to the floor in a queer sort of kneeling position which, at any other time, would have been provokingly funny to Doris Force and her chum. But this was serious business and such a dilemma!
“Wags!” shouted Doris, “Come here, come here!”
The dog bounded into the kitchen, around a table, sniffed at some cake placed dangerously near the table edge, madly rushed to a basket of potatoes throwing the potatoes in all directions over the smooth floor, and then at the call from Doris headed again towards the doorway with a dish towel playfully dragging between his teeth.
“Here, puppy, here!” commanded Kitty, catching her breath and setting down her suitcase, while Doris tried to catch a corner of the linen as the dog jumped over the bewildered man, pulling the cloth over the man’s head.
“Help, oh, ouch, help!” shouted the man. “Call your mutt off! Help! Let me get up!”
“Wags, doggie, doggie, come here!” pleaded Doris, as she realized the man was now in no mood to be trifled with.
She and Kitty decided that they now must command their new pet’s attention.
CHAPTER VII
A STRANGE RECEPTION
Frantically, Doris and Kitty called to Wags and in response to their commands he reluctantly returned to them. The man who had fallen scrambled to his feet, and stood glaring angrily at the girls.
“Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry,” Doris apologized. “Wags isn’t really vicious. He was just playing.”