The man seemed so much in earnest that the boys remained silent for a time. Then Jack asked, "Can she do tricks?"
"If you mean sit up and roll over and play dead, no," said Sam. "I don't believe in spoilin' a good bird dog by teachin' 'em things that don't do 'em no good. But what she don't know about huntin' ain't worth knowin'. It positively ain't."
For half an hour more Sam Bumpus told the boys of various incidents that proved the sagacity of Nan and the other dogs he had owned. He told how once, when a burning log rolled from his fireplace in the night and set his little house on fire, a pointer named Roger had seen the flames through the window, had broken his collar, plunged through the mosquito netting across the window, and had wakened his master by pulling off the bedclothes and barking.
"If that dog hadn't known how to think and plan, I wouldn't be here to-day talkin' to you boys."
"That reminds me," said he. "I've been sittin' talkin' here too long. I've got to be about my business and your folks'll wonder why you don't come home to dinner. Come, Nan, old girl."
The setter sprang up, yawned, and then stood ready for the next command. Both boys patted her and then held out their hands to Sam.
"I hope we'll see you again sometime," said Ernest. "We like to hear you tell about your dogs."
The man's tanned face seemed to soften a little as he shook hands with the boys.
"Well," said he, "I guess you can see me if you want to. My social engagements ain't very pressin' just now. I ain't got one of my business cards with me, but you can just call anywhere in these woods and ask for Sam Bumpus. The dogs'll know me if the men don't. So long, boys," and he strode off down the bank with Nan dashing joyously ahead.
"Good-by, Mr. Bumpus," called Ernest and Jack.
He paused in the act of leaping the brook and looked around, with the twinkle in his eyes.
"Say," he called back, "if I ever hear you call me that again I'll set the dog on you. My name's Sam, d'ye hear?" Then he slipped in among the underbrush and was gone.
Talking animatedly about their new acquaintance and about dogs, the two boys hastened to lock up their treasure chest and depart.
"Say, Ernest," said Jack, as they started off through the woods with their bags of chestnuts over their shoulders, "the Cave is a great place for adventures, isn't it?"