The Ranger Boys Outwit the Timber Thieves

tant until the leader, true to tradition, called the men to order, and the musicians swung into a stirring march. Circus hands, aided by

ee what he would do. Garry had taken one look and saw the beast at the far end of the tent, las

so from his shoulder, and in a moment they had under

try for his head, and you two try for a foot each. I think

thought that it was perhaps a part of the circus, and began to shout to each other that it was a feature of the program. The sight of the three boys making their way fe

t he generally carried in his knapsack, but had not thought to take it out and transfer the contents from the package to the can. He reached into his pocket and brought out the can. Hastily opening the top, he kept on his way toward the lion, holding the package ou

il darted ahead almost up to the lion, and, with a well directed aim, em

fell to earth and stuck a great paw into his eyes, as th

e same moment that the lion struck the ground, ran forward

bility to see, and in another moment the boys ha

helpers had arrived on the scene, and, dashing in, t

f relief and then became suddenly quiet. Many still thought it was a part of the program, bu

foregoing had taken much less time than the minutes necessary to describe it. In a moment the owner came

they stood watching the anim

outmatches the first. Will you please come back to the ticket wagon with me." Then t

office, where the owner first asked for an a

escape was being made, and that and very likely a heart stroke killed him quickly. I think perhaps he thought it was near time

silent for a mom

the lion did no other damage, either by starting a great panic or by attacking some

ng what we did. It was luck on our part that enabled us to lasso him, and w

services. Had the lion done great damage, I would have ha

rst. Was the workman that was k

record of all the workers with their home addresses was kept in a card index and in a moment the

every worker insured, and then the management always

and add to the amount. I think my chums agree with me that this is the best thing that could be done.

ill do so, but I will find some way to show you that

e offered to take the boys along with them on the tour. Of course they refused, explaining t

watched the circus torn down and loaded in the

wner they took their leave, and hiking beyond

ilding a fire soon had coffee, spider bread

to camp there for awhile, either right at the lumber camp, or a short distance in the woods. Of course we shall give no inkling of the nature of our visit, not even to the manager, at least until we have sized him up. To my mind, everyone will be under suspicion until he has proven that the suspicion is unfounded. We can go all over the camp and keep our eyes open, getting all the information we can. When we ask questions

fficers' bunkhouse and offices; the other was apparently the cookhouse, for the boys could see a youth sitting on an upturned tub in front of the door peeling potatoes, and a thin wisp of smoke issued from the chimney. Since it was mi

. On hearing the word "manager," a thin, sharpfaced man approa

tract you're out of luck. This is a lumber operation a

will or won't do?" asked Garry, as an angry red flush overspread his face. Garry was an extremely civil boy,

" asked the manager, sti

ngs happens to be my father. Didn't you get a l

nager. A smirking smile took the place of the

uild cabins and what not on the cutting, and I thought from your appearance that you boys were more of the same tribe," he sa

e made more inquiries before showing his temper. Still he said nothin

ntended to stay awhile and camp somewhere in the vicinity

ed Garry, "and so we ought to get some good fishing." At the mentio

ather, and I hear there are some very good bass and pickerel to be found there. The reports about the larger lake are not so encouraging. Also there are two or three small streams,-brooks perhaps it would be better to call them,-whe

, but dismissed the matter with the thought that the manager was simply trying to make amends for his ungraciousness o

uilt to accommodate the officers of the camp; that is myself, the sealer, the timekeeper and the bookkeeper. Of course you would not want to live in the bu

er from, we can throw ourselves up a cabin in a short time, so don't bother about a tent

couple or three men to help you and do the work if y

ld him, "but if we could have two or three for a few minutes to help

uiser go a few days to do some business he had waiting him, and I have been scaling myself. In fact I do that often. Whenever he is cruising to mark trees for cutting I do the measuring and that saves a lot of time, also it

at ranges stood at one end of the kitchen, and on one of the ranges were two enormous kettle

s regarded as being just a little bit better than the boss or even the owner of the timber tract. Lumberjacks

r fashion. Camp owners and managers always pay the greatest attention to the sort of man they pick for this po

men away from a camp qu

d to be a genial chap, and the three boys wondered whether he was one of the ring of trouble makers or not. They reserved any decision in their own minds to await future developm

l potatoes, wash dishes, wait on the table-rather set the tables than wait, for everything is piled

mumbled a word or two when he was introduced, and went on with his work, which was slicing bread for the dinner hour that was n

the door and asked for a pail of water to take out to where several of the men were trimming trees. The cookee brought the water and s

eavesdropping because of a natural desire to do so; it was merely that he was on the watch every moment for a possib

l heard

t the usual place a

t was, and hear what transpired. He could hardly wait to get the others with

the cook called for his helper, who came hustling back into the

his chums just in time

ht here when the camp started just for such an emergency. That would mean that you could be all located before nightfall. As for heat, I have a Sibley stove, one of those small ones such as they use in army camps for tents, that will do very well. It isn't likely that y

ime. He was anxious to get going about the camp as soon as possible and see what there was to pick up in

bout, so if you will show us where we can cut enough good heavy saplings for supports, we will start right at it. We can have them cut

ered. "It is about an hour to dinner time, and you will

e camp, where there was a clump of saplings that

you from dragging your saplings to any great distance. I'll gash each of

so that we may have a w

rather a bit about shanty building. Do you know much about logging operations? I suppo

asking this question for a pur

About the only thing we understand about timbering operations is the log drive in the spring. We were up once to w

but guardedly at Barrows. He thought he noticed

red to watch them at work, although Phil was on tenterhooks to have him get away in order that he might im

ops of these, four more were placed horizontally to support the roof. Then in the center of the front, two were ere

r Phil, who would have almost exploded had he been forced to k

the traitors in the camp; it is the cookee. He is going to meet some one to

?" hazar

Baptiste