Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-08-11
CHAPTER XII,
ooh, my poor Tootlos."


IA m AYBE II YOU tried again.
IVH said the captain to Lucille
VA the pup might hear you
You didn't whistle YER.
loud the first time"
Lucille whlStlcd again With consid
crably more audible result We nj
listened
There was Il faint whine and n short
sharp. but distant bark. presume
that was the most surprised person
In the party.
"Thcrc she is" Vida declared. "a
thought maybe she was up here"
-, "But that doesn't sound like Too
ties" Lucile objected. -.-
at must be-" Bopp announced thl.
masterpiece OF logic. ",rhcre isn't any
other dog In tho house. is there? Prob
ably her voice sounds different far off,
"And probably she Is pcnned If
somewhere ana frightened. Thai
might make her sound different" All
Why did | have that idea. and why
having 1t, did | not conceal 1t In one OF
the rcccSScs OF my brain instead OF
voicing II to nll?
"Oh, my poor Tootlcs." Lucille be
gan plctur:ng her pet sulrocnting
Maybe she Is dying or dead already
"Whistle again" directed the cap
tain.
Lucille made several Intellectual nj
;empts, but failed. Il can't" she dc
clarcd. IL have to cry"
"Lct me call her." interposcd
She knows nc"
As boy ! used to be able to make
considerable racket by blowing Oh two
fingers held at the proper angle in my
mouth. l tried 1t with gratifying re
suits. must have been heard on tn,
mainland.
The reply was immcdiatc-Short
snppy banks, still long way off. but
very rcassuring rs to vigor and dc
light.
shes right under u.s. Lucille cried
go. over by the window. | SHOULD
say" argued Vida.
Poor darling, she has forgotten how
''h" got into the place, and she thinks
some one is Keeping her coopcd up On.
purpose. Please, Monty, keep on wills
thing. She does recognize you, and
she'll know that help is coming. W,
must take up the floor"
In her excitement and time of nce(
she had turned to me and not to Ropp
I didn't know how Tootlcs, whom l hnG
last seen dashing up the beach amid n
cloud Of sand, could possibly have man
aged to get under the attic floor, but
Lucille had called me Monty, and rcn
son dismountcd from her throne, nni
carnival was king.
l whistlcd hlithcly, piercingly, JOY
fully, coaxingly, and whenever l pnus
ed the barking rewarded me.
Tear up the floor" Lucille ordered
"We can't let her stay there any long
or"
Hadn't we better see If she wont
come out by hcrsclf?" the captain ask
ed tentatively. ut seems shame to
tear up that there planking."
Not for Tootles," Lucille replied.
what do care for an old attic floor
when my Tootlcs Is in danger? She
shan't stay there another minute If
can help It," She tried to pry up n
board with her finger nails.
await" I requested. "Lct me do this
scientifically"
1 wrcnched a leg from an old arm
chair which had already suffered the
amputation Of ono Of It's extrcmitics
and with that rs lever pricd up one
OF the flooring boards at the ends which
extended loose over the floor beams.
AZ the plank came up amid cloud of
dust Lucille gave mo look such as
must have rewarded Iauncclot from
tho grandstand after no ran curtain
pole through cast iron white hoop.
We assembled around tho hole / had
made. No Tootles in sight.
whistle" Lucille comma nded mo.