He was surprised, now that he had time to think of it, that no one else had joined in the chase, but he had not the slightest inclination to await further developments. He hurried along the road till the silence behind him told him that all immediate danger was passed; then he began to wonder where the other dogs had gone to, and to hope they would be wise enough to seek more comfortable homes. If he only had been able to bring the monkey with him, his expedition would have been really successful! They had been walking for a considerable time, Grif with the cheerful sense that each step must be bringing them nearer home, when they reached another wood, though this one, surrounded by a stone wall, seemed to be a portion of a private estate. Surely, Grif thought, they would be quite safe here, and could sleep the rest of the night away! The wall of rough stone would be easy to climb, and the circus men, even if they discovered their hiding-place, would never dare to follow them. So he helped Pouncer over and then climbed up himself. Once inside, they came immediately on a broad path, and presently caught sight of a big square house, looking very white and silent. But Grif walked past it, and on over moss and bracken, till, in a little hollow, he dropped down, and cuddling up close to Pouncer lay staring at the stars. The air was warm and filled with a delicate aromatic fragrance; the stars were very near and twinkled kindly; the old moon seemed to laugh down on a good boy. He had a sense of being quite close to human beings, for the house was but a hundred yards away, and, after he had shared the remnants of his biscuits and cheese with Pouncer, he said his prayers and fell quietly asleep. CHAPTER XI INSPECTOR DORSET ‘Hark, hark! Bow-wow. The watch-dogs bark: Bow-wow.’ ――_Shakespeare._ Ann had followed Grif a little way down the road, but she soon turned aside to hunt for Pouncer on her own account. Not that she had much hope of finding him: it was indeed more from a sense of duty than anything else that she now and then called aloud, “Bouncer! Bouncer!” But no Bouncer replied, and Ann presently returned to the house. She did not think of telling grandpapa, principally because they had all received strict injunctions from Aunt Caroline that grandpapa’s study was never to be entered except by special invitation: and then, she did not really feel anxious herself; Bouncer would be sure to turn up; for Grif had not told her of his suspicion, and Ann never for a moment connected the missing dog with her Lascar of the morning.