Chums of the Camp Fire

busy day for all o

. It might have been noticed too, that they were a little nervous for all they made light o

he pond. If the pickerel declined to bite they might at least pick up some good-sized frogs; so they went prepared for both things; but

bait. Then from selected positions along the bank they meant to cast their lines o

little shallow pond made by banking up mud on the border of the larger sheet of water. Then th

agely. Several fine fish were landed after a fierce struggle that afforded the anglers more o

ut cord, and kept in the water, so that they would remain fresh l

veral times called out; "why don

ring boy condescen

p'raps you think I've g-g-gone and forgot all about how that b-b-bear

t happen, who knows? After a fellow's gone and had half a ham thrown at his head by some animal up in a tree he's ready to believe near anything. If one does come,

re always ready, nothing happened. It might be they were somewhat disappointed, because both had a streak of love for adventu

Steve and Toby certainly took the premium for catching the wary denizens of the pond. They found themselves d

s to be a trap. If the unknown animal came prowling around again on the ens

going to be he would not declare, but pr

o get some fresh eggs and milk?" asked Max

, "because I'm ready to be the victim as soon as I get m

r a whole hour or so he's just logy, and not fit for anything. Now Toby and

r, bridling up. "Well, there's no need for hurrying so. It's a long walk

e bull if you meet him

fter fish. Thought a big pickerel'd jump out of the water and chase you, p'raps. Careful how you let fish take a bite out

emarked; "but as we'll have eggs and milk t

wise way, as though he had determined on a certain course for himsel

with the avowed intention of closely examining

ss it might leave some scratches on the bark that would help explain things. Anyhow no harm

ng," replied Bandy-legs, confident

ing of a watchdog; and Max had taken special pains to locate the direction from which the sound came. All they would have

de, as they walked along in company, following what seemed to be a fair trail that l

hoed Bandy-legs,

will be of considerable help to us in find

toward his companion; "it certainly does take you to think up the best

Max, quick to change the subject when he saw signs o

e we don't meet up with anything that's going

ance of that

g. What it can be beats my time. A tiger'd most likely pounced on poor old Ebenezer, and pa

a little declivity, found that he had better pay more attention to

ear that?" Max as

rooster crowing,"

ontinued; "which goes to show that

e'd have changed our course more than six times. I thought I kn

them for making woodsmen, no matter how much they try. Bandy-legs was apparently of this latter class. Now and then he might flash up, and

ter, and he gav

way for the same. And there isn't anything I like better when camping out than plenty of hen fruit, together with the lacteal fluid from the cows. Whew! h

ax with a chuckle; but all the same he looked about him, and has

nt for tribute.' What about those guns of ours; wouldn't they come in handy right now to keep him off! Get out, you scamp; what are you making st

it would be easier to pounce on a boy with bow-legs than another who stood five foot-ten in height. Then again the fact that Max was

h those shiny white teeth. He also succeeded in giving the animal several hard kicks; but instead of disc

rush in at the very first opening, so as to rescue his chum, for he saw that Bandy-

unce on him like a shot, and perhaps mangle him badly. For this reason Max was bent on jo

to do this, good though hi

e growling and chasing about he he

? Now, there's five mor

x could hardly believe his eyes when he saw him writhing and twisting a

up, and he knew that the other had been wise enough to fetch along with him a little squirtgun called an "ammonia pistol,"

ut used with discretion such punishment is far better than that the rider suffer a fall and

ran. "Next time get wise to the fact that things ain't always as green as they look. Took me for an easy mark, didn't you, but if I

o get out of a bad scrape, and without the least bit of assistance from anybody was a

fellow," Max told him; "but look what

, though? Hadn't we better run for it, Max? Sure I have enough stuff left for five more shots; but gee! whiz! y

he is," returned

ve anything to do with the shooting up of her pet

other; "stay where you are, and leave it

owers of his companion that, although he shivered as he saw the