"Awful sorry, old man," snickered Bob, "but I can't help it. Maybe Tige isn't a beautiful sight, and your face—wow!"
"Funniest thing I ever saw," gasped Dick.
The artist was calmly wiping his forehead and cheeks, thereby spreading the color.
As for the owner of the dog which had caused all the trouble, he now seized the animal by the collar, and bending forward looked at Dave with a scared expression.
"I'm awful sorry," he said. "I——"
"Might have known your old brute would raise the mischief, Ben Henderson," growled Sanders, aiming a kick at Tige which sent the sadly bedaubed animal scurrying away.
"Honest—it wasn't my fault," pleaded the boy. "I'm awful sorry."
"It's all right, son," put in Dave.
"Nip's kind of out of humor to-day, and——"
"'Nip'? That's a mighty queer name."