The night of the third day there was a full moon, and dim shadows were cast by scattered trees near the road.  It was very warm and Jan’s muzzle worried him; then, too, he was stiff from lack of the exercise to which he had been accustomed.  Shorty noticed the dog’s restlessness and leaned down.  His fingers slipped under the strap and wires, then touched the buckle at the side of the head.  Jan squirmed nearer and wagged his tail.  Each night when they were well on the way, Shorty did this much to help the dog, but he had to tighten the muzzle before William turned the machine from the road to camp for the day.

As Shorty leaned over, the car reached a clear place in the road, where the moon shone brightly.  Shorty did not see William turn, but a brutal fist struck full force against Shorty’s face and he tumbled from the seat into the bottom of the automobile against Jan.

The dog growled, but the growl was meant for William, not Shorty.  Then Jan knew that Shorty was up on his feet and both men were swearing and fighting, while the automobile twisted from side to side of the road, and was going faster and faster.  There was a crash.  Jan whirled over and over through the air and as he struck the ground he heard a man’s scream of pain.  He did not know whether it was Shorty or William who cried out, but he did know that he was free, and he dashed into the darkness of the thick trees, not knowing where he was going, not caring where he went, only the one thing was in his mind—­he was leaving William behind and he must run as fast as he could.

Chapter IX

JAN’S JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE

After the first wild dash for freedom, Jan settled to a steady jog for the rest of the night.  When dawn came, some instinct made him turn into the brush where it grew most thickly.  His one fear now was that William might find him.  His one wish was to get back home.  He did not know what kept him moving toward the south.  He had nothing to guide him save the strange feeling that made him sure if he just kept on, some day he would reach the gate of the bungalow and see Hippity-Hop and the captain watching down the street for him.

Jan was able to lap water when he found it, but he could not fight, nor eat, even if he had found food, for the muzzle clamped his jaws together.  He knew better now than to tug at it with his claws or rub it against the ground.  The second night he was very hungry, but he started hopefully on his way, plodding steadily in the same direction.  At dawn he was faint and weak from hunger and exhaustion, and when it grew dark again he did not want to move.  Then he thought of the captain.  Wearily Jan rose to his feet and with low-hanging head he dragged slowly along.