"Where are you going?" called Mother Brown.

"Oh, just down to the sh.o.r.e," answered Bunny.

"Very well; but don't go into the water, and don't step into any of the boats until daddy comes."

"We won't," promised Bunny Brown and his sister Sue. Their mother could always depend on them to keep their promises, though sometimes the things they did were worse than those they promised her not to do. They were just different, that was all.

Sue and Bunny went down to the edge of Lake Wanda. They could not see their father's boat, so they walked along the sh.o.r.e. Before they knew it they had gone farther than they had ever gone before, and, all at once, in the side of the hill, that led down to the beach of the lake, they saw a hole that seemed to go away back under the hill.

"Oh, what's that?" asked Sue, stepping a little behind Bunny.

"It's a cave," answered her brother.

"What's a cave?" Sue next asked.

"Well, a cave is a hole," explained Bunny.

"Then a hole and a cave are the same thing," said Sue.

"Yes, I guess they are pretty much," admitted the little boy. "Only in a cave you have adventures, and in a hole you only fall down and get your clothes dirty."

"Don't you ever get your clothes dirty in a cave?" Sue demanded.

"Oh, yes, but that's different. n.o.body minds how dirty your clothes get if you have an adventure in a cave," Bunny said.

"And can we go into this one?" Sue asked.

"I guess so," answered Bunny. "Mother told us not to get in any boats, and we're not. A cave isn't a boat. Come on."

"See, Splash is going in," pointed out Sue. "If he isn't afraid we oughtn't to be."

"Who's afraid?" asked Bunny. "I'm not!" And with that he walked into the cave. As he still held Sue's hand he dragged her along with him, and as Sue did not want to be left alone on the beach of the lake, she followed. Bunny saw Splash running ahead. For a little way into the cave it was light, but it soon began to darken, as the sun could not shine in that far.

"Oh, I don't want to go any farther," said Sue. "It's dark. If I had my Teddy bear I could make a light with her eyes."

"I've got something better than that," said Bunny.

"What?" asked Sue.

"My pocket flashlight I got for Christmas. That gives a good light. Come on, now we can see."

From his pocket Bunny took the little flashlight. It was the same kind, made with the same storage dry battery, that ran his train and lighted the Teddy bear's eyes.

"Yes, now I can see!" cried Sue. "I'm not afraid any more."

With Bunny holding the light, the two children went farther on into the cave. They were looking about, wondering what they would find, when, all of a sudden, there was a noise farther in.

"Oh!" cried Sue. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes," answered Bunny, "I did. What was it?"

Splash began to bark.

"Quiet!" ordered Bunny, and the dog whined. Then the noise sounded again. It was like some one crying.

"Oh, I don't want to stay here!" exclaimed Sue, clasping Bunny's hand.

"Wait a minute," he said.

Then came a voice from out of the darkness, saying:

"Please don't run away. I won't hurt you and I'm all alone. I want to get out. I'm lost. I can just see your light. Stand still a minute and I can see you. I'm coming."

Bunny and Sue did not know whether or not to wait, but, in the end, they stood still. Splash whined, but did not bark. They could hear some one walking toward them.

A moment later there came into the light of the flashlight a slim, ragged boy. He was even more ragged than Mr. Bixby.

"Please don't run away," he said. "I won't hurt you. I need some one to help me."

Bunny and Sue felt sorry for the boy.

CHAPTER XV

HIDDEN IN THE HAY

For two or three seconds the two children and the ragged boy stood in the queer cave looking at one another. Splash had come to a stop near his little master and mistress, and with one fore leg raised from the ground was looking sharply at the boy. It seemed as if the dog were saying:

"Just say the word, Bunny or Sue, and I'll drive this boy away from here. He doesn't look like a proper person for you to be with."

But Bunny and Sue had no such feeling. They did not mind how ragged a person was if he were only clean. Of course a dog is different. Splash never did like ragged persons, though in a good many cases they were just as good as the well dressed ones with whom he made friends.

So, in this case, seeing the ragged boy coming near to Sue and Bunny in the dark, where the only light was that of the little boy's electric lamp, the dog growled and seemed about to spring on the lad. The boy took a few steps backward.

"What's the matter?" asked Bunny. "You're not afraid of us, are you?"

"No, little feller, I'm not. But I don't like the way your dog acts. He seems as if he didn't like tramps, and I expect he thinks I'm one. Well, I 'spect I do look like one, 'count of my clothes, but I ain't never begged my way yet, though many a time I've been hungry enough to do it."

"Splash, behave yourself!" cried Bunny Brown. "Charge! Lie down!"

Splash did as he was told, but it was easy to see he did not like it. He would rather have run toward and barked at the ragged lad.

"Don't be afraid of him," said Sue. "We won't let him hurt you. Bunny, why don't you make Splash shake hands with this boy, and then they'll be friends forever. You ought to introduce 'em."

"That's so! I will," said Bunny. "I forgot about that. Splash, come here!" he ordered, and the dog obeyed. "Now go over and shake hands with him," went on the little fellow, pointing to the strange boy.