THE girls worked hard to the interior of the with ; to spread and hang the rugs they had brought; but before their task was finished distant whistles warned Jean. She took Bouncer’s face between her hands and charged him with May Nell’s protection as if he were human. And Bouncer wagged his tail, and in a short, sharp bark pledged himself as if he were human.  
“Don’t go off Mr. Potter’s land, will you, May Nell? The fenced part, I mean. Eat some lunch soon; Billy may be gone an hour longer. Good-bye. Don’t get too tired. I’ll send Clarence if I can find him.”
 
Jean, too, crossed the little bridge, climbed the fence, mounted her wheel, and rolled off down the dusty road.
 
May Nell watched the flying figure turn out of sight around the mountain; and for a minute the forest grew absolutely still, and the child began to tremble. But a meadow , almost from under her feet it seemed, sent a song; across the river her mate replied. A flock of white ducks came and from the opposite field, into the water, and swam about noisily, tipping their little tails up and their big bills down as they reached for submerged . Bouncer made a swift circuit of the Lodge, now and then questioningly; but came soon and sat down in front of May Nell; put his paw on her knee and gave her another short bark.
 
“Good dog! I understand you, Bouncer, and I’m not lonesome any more.”
 
She opened the lunch pail and gave him a from it; ate a sandwich herself; and in a moment started off to find the Idean vine. Nothing appeared that fitted her mind’s picture of that creeper; but she found a great sheet of delicate wild clematis, covering the roots of a fallen oak with its pale green tendrils. The earth was soft, the roots easily lifted; and shortly she had masses of it and trailing after her to the Lodge.
 
Many times she had seen Mrs. Bennett transplant the garden flowers, had helped; now she put all her to use. Patiently she with sticks and stones till the vine was replanted against the rude walls; emptied the dinner pail and back and forth to the river several times for water, to wet the earth above the roots; and patted it down with muddy little hands.
 
She was happy and the time passed unnoticed till she had finished, and put the food back in the pail, when a queer, dizzy feeling came upon her and she sank down on one of the rugs.
 
“Why doesn’t Billy come?” she asked of Bouncer; and the dog ran out of the door and stood on three legs, one forefoot lifted, his eyes on the spot where Billy had disappeared. But no master was to be seen, and he went back to May Nell, , and put his nose on her knee.
 
“My stomach’s crying so I’ll have to eat one more sandwich, Bouncer. It’s a shame when Billy isn’t here. I’ll give you half, old dog.”
 
She put out her hand for the pail but stopped suddenly, for the dog ; and the next instant the room darkened, and a man stood in the .
 
May Nell looked at him with wide eyes. She saw that he was not a vineyard workman, his clothes were too fine. She did not see them in detail, the large checked trousers, the shiny gloves, and the big diamond, but she felt that one who could dress so was different from the men she knew. And the look in his face made her cold.
 
“Well, Miss Smith, are you alone here?”
 
How did he know her name, she wondered, yet answered more bravely than she felt. “Yes, sir.” She thought it best to be as polite as possible. “I’m alone now, but the boys are expected every minute.” She would say “boys” even if Clarence didn’t come; it sounded more protecting.
 
“You’re George Rideout Smith’s kid, ain’t you?”
 
“Yes; but I’m afraid my papa’s dead, he’s been gone so long.” How she hated that word “kid.”
 
“Well, he ain’t dead; he’s alive and , with a wad that . I’m going to take you to him.”
 
“Right—now—are you?” The arm that was around Bouncer , and she thought her “heart would fly right up into her throat.”
 
“Yes, right now.” He stepped nearer, and Bouncer growled and .
 
The man swore and looked for a cudgel.
 
“Oh, please, mister, sir, don’t hurt Bouncer. I’d rather you’d hit me. He’s the best dog ever lived, and I won’t let you hurt him.” Her courage grew as she , and he stopped his search and glanced her way. She looked up, bravely pleading for the dog she hugged harder.
 
“You’re a ki............