"Bet I know," Irene piped up. "They prob'ly went for a last look at the puppies."
"Puppies!" cried the others in amazement. "Where are there any puppies about here?"
"Quite a piece up there on the other side,—they weren't going to tell the rest of us, but I happened to find them myself."
"Here they come now," Rosslyn excitedly interrupted; and sure enough, the trio had appeared on the hillcrest, each tugging something which squirmed and twisted, and snarled and yapped until their flushed, panting owners could scarcely hold them.
"Holy snakes!" ejaculated Decker Simmons.
Mr. Catt whistled. The rest of the party stared.
"What in creation have you got, Susie McKittrick?" demanded Mercedes, with all the severity her gentle nature could muster, as the three children came within speaking distance, Susie in advance.
"A pup," gasped the red-faced girl, taking a fresh grip on the wriggling, sharp-nosed little animal, half hidden in the torn skirt of her dress. "Isn't he cute? See what bright eyes he's got."
"And see how you've snagged your clothes," said Irene reprovingly.
"And scratched your face," added Inez, glad now that she had not been a party in the expedition.