"Well, I did. Ah! There it is again!" A second time, and unmistakably, Tammie's distinctive whine sounded at the back door. Ted's heart plummeted to his toes and his throat went dry. He was about to rise and let Tammie in--the only thing he could do--but he was forestalled by Jack Callahan. "There he is. He heard you, all right. I'll let him in." He walked to the back door ... opened it. Ted hoped his gasp was not as loud as it seemed. Wearing no pack, Tammie came sedately in, greeted Callahan with a wag of his tail and tripped across the floor to sit down beside his master. The boy bent his head to conceal ecstatic eyes. Poker-faced Callahan showed nothing of what he must be feeling. "Just as handsome as I remember him!" he said admiringly. "That dog's a real credit to you, Ted!" "He has just one little flaw," Ted said gravely. "Sometimes he thinks he sees things he never saw at all." Callahan grinned engagingly. "Some people make that mistake, too. Especially when there's deep shadow. How are you making out, Ted?" "All right. My camp's rented for five weeks and I may rent it for woodcock season, if the flight comes in." "Loring told me there's flight birds at Taylorville. He said there's quite a few, and he thinks there'll be a big flight." "Hope it comes here!" Callahan said soberly, "If it'll help you, so do I. I'm sorry you're in trouble." "Trouble comes." "I know, but being the sheriff who makes it isn't the snap job it's cracked up to be. I've had to hurt a lot of people I'd rather not bother, but when I swore to uphold the law, I didn't make any exceptions and I'm not going to make any. I hope you don't hold that against me." "I don't." "Just so you understand. A lot of people who cuss peace officers would find out for themselves what a mess they'd be in if there weren't any." "I know that, too." "Then you know why I must bring your dad in. When I do, and I will, he'll get every break I'm able to offer. By the same token, Smoky Delbert may have some breaks coming. So long for now, Ted." "So long." Callahan left and Ted was alone with Tammie. He tickled the big dog's soft ears. "The Lord watches over idiots!" he murmured. "He sure enough does!" What had happened was obvious. Disliking the pack anyway, Tammie hadn't gone more than a couple of hundred feet before ridding himself of it. Only he knew how he'd unclasped the buckles, but he'd managed. Of course, when ordered to do so, he should have gone to Al. But he could be forgiven this time. "I'd best get to bed," Ted told him. "I don't know where you left that pack, but do know I'd better find it before Mr. Callahan comes back this way. That man has sixteen eyes, and don't ever let's think he's dumb! He came right close to tipping over our meat house tonight!"