"He must have slipped the collar over his head and gone off; but I never knew him to do it before." "Well, you needn't look so sober about it," said Don.

"He isn't far away.

I'll warrant I can bring him back." Don set up a whistle that could have been heard for half a mile.
Indeed it was heard and recognised at a greater distance than that.
An answering yelp came from the direction of his father's house, but it was not given by the dog Don wanted to see just then.

It was uttered by one of the hounds which had been shut up in the barn when Don went away that morning, and afterward released by the hostler.
The others answered in chorus, and half a dozen fleet animals were seen coming down the road at the top of their speed.

But the pointer was not with them.
"It's likely we shall find him at the house," said Bert, who wanted to say something encouraging for David's benefit.
"I don't doubt it," returned Don.