"But he might as well be, for there's no dog thar," said the voice from the hall. "He's a plucky little feller, but he'll not find that thar dog if he looks all night." "I guess I'll find you then," said Don, running to the door and looking searchingly about the hall. "Well, it's the queerest thing!" he exclaimed. "There's nobody here--nobody at all!" "Is the boy blind, that he goes right past a body and never sees him?" asked the voice; and Don turned quickly to see the speaker, who seemed close behind him. But no one was there, and Don looked really frightened. Cousin Ronald noticed it, and said in kindly tones, "Don't be scared, sonny, it was I who spoke; and I wouldn't harm you for all I am worth." "You, sir?" said Don, looking utterly astonished. "How could it be you? for the fellow was over here, and you are over there." "No; I only made it sound so," Mr. Lilburn said with an amused laugh; "and I must confess that I have been doing all this screaming, scolding, and barking just to make a bit of fun for you all." At that the children crowded around the old gentleman, eagerly asking how he did it and what else he could do. "I can hardly tell you how," he said, "but perhaps I can show some other specimens of my work." He was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking. Then a loud, rough voice said: "Hello there, youngsters, what are you bothering with that stupid old fellow for? Why don't you leave him and go off to your sports? It would be a great deal more fun." The children turned toward the place from which the voice seemed to come, but saw no one. They were surprised at first, laughed, asking, "Was that you, Uncle Ronald?" "Nobody else," he said with a smile. "Oh, hark! there's music!" cried one of the little girls; and all listened in silence. "It is a bagpipe, playing a Scotch air," said Percy, who was standing near their little group. "What queer music!" said one of the little girls when it had ceased; "but I like it. Please, Uncle Ronald, make some more." Several tunes followed, and then the children were told they had monopolized their Uncle Ronald long enough and must leave him to the older people for a while. "But you'll do some more for us some other time, won't you, Uncle Ronald?" asked one of the little girls as they reluctantly withdrew from his immediate neighborhood. "Yes, little dear, I will," he answered kindly. And he did entertain them in the same way a number of times during his short stay in their town. CHAPTER XIII. "Well, papa, where shall we go, or what shall we do, to-day?" asked Grace one bright September morning as they sat about the breakfast table on board the _Dolphin_. "Let me hear the wishes of all three of you in regard to that matter," he said in his accustomed pleasant tones. "Evelyn, what have you to say? Have you any plans you would like carried out?"