The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-01-14
CHAPTER vn-Continued
p.

anything. Out OF Union han ne snot,
on the jump, and even the long hill
didn't slow him down much. He
got his second wind after passing
over the top of the hill and went
flying down into the village, where
the lights were cleaning in the
first hour of darkness.
A man told him where to find
Tletcher's drug store.
Tad was waiting in front OF the
store.
"Where have they taken your dog,
old pal?" Merry asked as he gal
1oped up.
''They got him in the town man.
ayers office now. He's Sid Hawk
ms. He tells 'em what to do bout
dogs they fetch in. It's just around
the next corner. Oh, gosh, Frank,
I'm glad you've come!"
The agitated boys eyes were red
and his cheeks had been streaked
by tears. Frank patted his Shout
der.
"We'n fix this up before you can
say eeny, meeny, miney, mo-" was
his assurance. LEAD me to that
town managers office"
Tilted far back in his swivel chair,
Sid Hawkins was chewing the soggy
end of half-smoked cigar. He was
a languid man and his feet were
bedded in their favorite resting
place on top of his desk. He was
talking to Mike Dugan, whose
bowed legs supported bloated body
that looked heavy enough to make
his feet cry for rest also.
Dugan was holding fast to the end
iof a piece of rope that was tied
around the neck Of small black
Scottie. The whining dog was pull
ing at the rope.
"But you told me, Sid," Dugan
was saying, ''that I'd get SO cents
for every dog I picked up that wasn't
wearing a license, and this dog
didn't have no license on"
sWell, that was because I hadn't
got around to it, Mike" was the Ian
guild mans answer. ''Miss Burrage
paid for his license, but I was just
so pushed with other things that !
forgot to tell the clerk to make it
out" a
Coming in just then, Frank had
checked Tad long enough to hear
this bit of conversation. Now he
let the boy go, and Tad scampered
forward to fall on his knees and
gather the excited dog up into his
arms.
'Well, then," said Merry, advanc-
ing, sit seems that I've broken the
sprinting record over Academy hill
for nothing"
The town manager slowly dragged
his feet off the desk and let them
fall, with a dumping sound, on the
floor. He pulled his bent body up
straighter and gazed at Frank with
interest.
''Now I guess you're the young
Teller that kept that other dog from
chawing INA Burrage up in John
Snodd's grove, amt your" he said.
Merriwell nodded. "Un1ess I've
got very bad memory I'm the fell
low" he admitted.
''Well, / hope you didn't make any
mistake in thinking you wasn't
touched by that critters teeth" said
Sid Hawkins, ''for we got report
that he was mad, all right"
''The way I look at it," said
Frank, sit took a long while to get
that report, Mr.. Hawkins"
The town manager pulled the
wrecked cigar out of his mouth and
yawned like hippopotamus. "Well,
not exactly" he answered. We've
had it quite a few days."
"Have your" exclaimed Merry in
surprise. ''That's odd. / haven't
heard about it before"
"Well, you see we decided it
wasn't best to worry anybody till
we could collect up the loose dogs
around here that the critter might
have bit, and put 'em out of the
way" explained Hawkins leisurely.
$50 we put Mike, here, on the job
right away, and now nobody can
charge us with letting a lot Of I'M
licensed dogs run loose as a men,
ace to the community"
"Oh, / see." Merriwell's smile
was dry as starch. "And you
weren't sure whether had been
scratched by the teeth of that rabid
beast or not. Maybe it didn't occur
to you that by this time ! might 60
. little mad myself"
.sHuh?" Hawkins stared lazily.
"But you said you wasn't touched,
didn't you? John Snodd said SO too,
didn't he? So did Inza Burrage,
didn't7she? So did Tad, here. Well,
don't believe in stirring some
things up too much and getting lot
Of fussy people on my neck. I've
got position to hold"
ssThat explains it," accepted
Frank.
sEven now" the town manager
went on, I'D be for letting folks for
get about it if Pete Smith hadn't
found out about the report and put
piece in the paper today. He
makes you out to be quite hero.
young Teller | s'pose you've read
it?''
NO ss,o Merriwell, still more