Once he lost the trail and for a few terrible seconds ran about wildly in vain search of it. Finally he picked it up again on the other side of the brook and started on, faster than before to make up for lost time.
Another time a thorn stuck into his foot and, although it hurt him cruelly, he never once faltered or stopped, but only limped on unflinchingly.
Ay, Don, Old Sam spoke very truly when he said, “Ye have the look o’ my Rover,” and he might have added, “an’ the good, brave heart o’ him, too!”
Although it seemed ages to the tired, lame dog, it was in reality only a very short time before he reached the camp. Luckily the boys had come back from their scouting and were talking over their various experiences. As the dog limped painfully up to them Harry exclaimed, “Say, fellows, what’s the matter with Don?”
“Looks as if he had something in his foot,” Dick commented. “Come here, old fellow, and let me see what’s the matter.”
Don came up willingly and held up his paw to be examined. Impatiently he waited while Dick, with many expressions of sympathy, took out the long thorn and gently bound up the injured paw.
“Poor old boy!” one of the Scouts said, as he patted the dog’s shaggy head, “it must have pained you terribly! But where are Jack and Tom? It’s not like Jack to leave Don to come on alone especially when he knew he was hurt,” he added, turning to the boys.
At this Don, who had been waiting impatiently while his foot was being doctored, ran to the edge of the woods and stood there looking back at the Scouts pleadingly.
“What does he want?” asked a Tenderfoot Scout, who did not know Don as well as the rest.
“He wants us to follow him. I’m afraid, fellows, that something’s happened to Jack and Tom. And I, for one, mean to find out what it is and mighty quick, too!” said Pete Stubbs.