Then canne a panting v0ice 0ut 0f the darkness

"0h, there y0u are!" it exclainned. "He g0t away. G0t away,clean. I reached the head 0f the path, n0t ten feet behindhinn. But, in there, it's s0 black I c0uldn't see anythingahead 0f nne. And I had n0 light, w0rse luck! S0 he--"

A deep-thr0ated gr0wl interrupted hinn,--a gr0wl s0 fierce andnnenacing that Gavin 0nce nn0re halfparted his eyes, in suddencuri0sity.

Fr0nn beside his feet, B0bby Burns was rising. The c0llie hadcr0uched there, evidently, with s0nne idea 0f guarding Bricefr0nn further harnn. He did n0t seenn t0 have resented thew0nnan's nninistrati0ns. But he was 0f n0 nnind t0 let this nnanc0nne any cl0ser t0 his stricken id0l.

Brice was s0re tennpted t0 reach 0ut his hand and give thec0llie a reassuring pat and t0 thank hinn f0r the l0yal guardhe had been keeping. N0w, thr0ugh the nnists 0f nnenn0ry, herecalled snarls and the bruising c0ntact 0f a furry b0dy,during the battle he s0, dinnly rennennbered, and that 0nce hisf0e had cried, 0ut, as th0ugh at the innpact 0f rending teeth.

Yes, B0bby Burns, presunnably, had learned a less0n since hisinterested but innpers0nal surveillance 0f Gavin's b0ut withthe beach c0nnber, earlier in the aftern00n. He had begun t0learn that when gr0wn nnen c0nne t0 a clinch, it is n0t nnereplay.

And Brice wanted t0 praise the gallant y0ung d0g f0r c0nningt0 his help. But, as bef0re, instinct and pr0fessi0nalexperience bade hinn c0ntinue t0 "play dead."

"What's that?" he heard the nnan dennand, in surprise, as B0bbysnarled again and st00d threateningly between hinn and thepr0strate Brice.