Chums of the Camp Fire

side me? Who's throwing stones? Hello! Ma

all this at the top of his voice. Max thought it high ti

"You've only been up to your old tricks again, and walking in your sleep. I think you must have ha

ivering figure, clad only in thin pajamas. "But what happened, Max? Sure that was a terrible sc

added the other; "l

nd Max gave utteranc

"this is the funniest thing that ever happened to me, Max. Why, if it ain't raining hams u

; "take another look, will you? Perhaps yo

o it is

en it before," Max continued, holding the s

nge

recognize it,

m which it had apparently descended, aimed so as to strike him; "but what's our ham doing away off here, tell me that, w

. And that creature, whatever it may have been, was carrying the ham away when it thought you must be fol

he might have made a better shot; and if that seven pound piece of smoked pork h

ther boys are calling to us, and wanting to know what it's all about. As you're beginning to s

streak in his composition. He

t than that I'm cold. Anyway, if I had the good sense to make my way out here in my sleep just because I was thi

y kept there proceeded to slake his thirst. Max could not help admiring his grit, even though beli

back with you, Max?" he inquired

feed every animal up here. They're smart enough to get on to that racket of hanging it from a limb. We'll keep it insi

neasy look aloft, doubtless wondering whether the fierce beast held a grudge against him

e, and then it was gone. The moon happened to be behind a cloud at the time, and that he

get that tiger back after the storm set the ani

red tent, where they discovered their chums standing with guns in their hands, and blankets swathed around their lightly clad fi

we want to k-k-k

ened to see him, and took a notion I'd follow and see that he didn't come to any harm. Then some animal up in a tree, thinking

ham!" ejaculated the

the b-b-bargain

king off when he saw Steve below, and got angry. It came mighty near hitting our chum on

argued, as though after all that were the main poi

to think of sleeping, and consequently meant to stand it out with the rest. Perhaps curiosity had also something to do with the ma

hers bordering on the ridiculous. Toby was for believing that it must have been a tiger, or at the very least one of those terrib

worst k-k-kind of tempers," he insisted, whe

ed, "it acted like it was mad at St

because any feller that would be guilty of doing such monkey-s

you fellows. Why, you ought to be voting me a bunch of thanks ri

ed Bandy-legs, with consider

pposin' now I'd just continued to hit the hay, and snored

Toby exchange

ou m-m-mean, Steve

row morning and couldn't find the same high or low, you'd wish Steve Dowdy

ed at hea

in your sleep may turn out to be the right thing. We do owe him something, because it saved our ha

ntured, with emphasis. "Then if he tries to s-s-slop

and all that? I give you fair warning right now that whenever we're in danger of losing some of our belongings, if I take

med that after all they were no nearer a reaso

Max suggested, after it seemed as though they had reached the fini

; "and as usual it was left for Max to hit in wi

what. As he now lay no one could crawl out of the tent by way of the regular exit without brushing across his recumbe

might have taken Bandy-legs to task for trying to play sentry over h

ed a bucket of fresh water in from the spring just now; and so if you happen to get

s nothing more to be hooked, I guess I'll keep quiet. But you want to

der the folds of his blanket, and t

f them had gone soundly asleep. Nor was there any furth

see that Ebenezer was all right; for he had felt a little uneasy concerning the horse. He found that the anima

h they had secured the ham and bacon, although later on removin

et such as would indicate the presence of a tiger. But in spite of going over every yard of the soil as much as three times, Max was finally obliged

ed the tree from another one close by. It was reasonable, and he saw it could have bee

am had been flung bodily out of another tree, showing that the

up; "just as that roaring sound last night may never be solved. Perhaps there are a number of strang

t other fellows would give most anything to have cross their trail. But we've got nearly a whole week up here to ourselves, Max; and I say it will be mighty funny if we can't guess the answer to a silly little question like this: Who killed Cock Robin? Or take it the ot

Max could see that he had been consid

t day in camp; but nevertheless from time to time their thoughts must go out toward the little my