"Oh, call some one! Get some man to make Splash let Mr. Treadwell
alone!" cried Sue.
The actor, with the dog still clinging to him, was running toward the
children now, and, to his surprise, Bunny saw that Mr. Treadwell was
laughing.
"Is he--is he hurting you?" asked the little boy.
"Not a bit," was the answer. "Is Splash holding fast?"
"He's holding tight!" said Sue. "Oh, is he mad at you?"
Before Mr. Treadwell could answer there was a ripping sound, and a piece
of cloth came loose from his coat. The piece of cloth stayed in Splash's
teeth and the children's dog at once began to shake and worry it, as he
might a big rat he had caught. And as Splash shook the piece of cloth he
growled louder than before.
"Oh, has he torn your coat?" asked Mrs. Brown. "I never knew Splash to
act that way before. He is always kind and gentle."
"He's all right now," answered Mr. Treadwell, with a laugh. "This is
only in fun and part of the play."
"Part of the play!" exclaimed Bunny. "Didn't he really tear your coat?"
"No," answered the actor, and, turning around, he showed that his coat
was not ripped a bit. Yet Splash certainly had a piece of cloth in his
jaws.
"It's just a trick I have been teaching Splash during the last few
days," explained Mr. Treadwell. "You see, I'm to take the part of a
tramp in the first act.
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