being armed, of course, but that
is a chance that we must take," suggested Phil.

"I think I know a better scheme than that," interrupted Garry. "What do
you do when a coon takes refuge from the dogs in a tree?"

Both of his hearers were silent for a moment, and then Dick burst out:

"Why, you smoke him out of course!"

"Exactly. That is what I propose to do with this fellow."

They gathered a quantity of dry brush, and then proceeded to wet a
portion of it in the spring.

"What are we going to do about letting it down the chimney? If we drop
it all the way to the fireplace the chap can put it out, and if we use a
piece of lariat, it will burn it off," said Phil.

"I thought of that, and have a solution for you. When Dick and I started
for our hike, or rather were about to start when you came back with the
news, we thought we might climb a tree or two, and so we put some wire
in our pockets to use for a ring in climbing. That will work like a
charm and drive him out in no time," answered Garry.

The wet and dry brush was rolled into a sort of a bundle, care being
taken so that there was enough dry wood and twigs to catch fire
properly. When these had caught fire, the wet brush would burn less
easily, and cause a thick acrid smoke to be given off.

The bundle was then secured with a piece of the wire, while the other
was attached to it by an end. At the other end of the free wire, a hook
was bent, so that it could be hung over the edge of the chimney,
allowing the smoking bundle to drop about two feet down the chimney.

"I'm counting on this chap thinking that the shack may be on fire, and
will not investigate the chimney and try to pull the bundle down," said
Garry, "so we must make no more noise than is absolutely necessary."

Cautiously they approached the house, and here Dick and Garry, being the
heaviest, formed a sort of a human ladder and allowed Phil to mount to
their shoulders. It was then easy for him to clamber noiselessly to the
roof.

The bundle of brush was thrown up to him, and then they stripped their
coats off and tossed these to him. The coats were to lay over the top of
the chimney and keep the smoke from following its natural course upward.

In a few moments the bundle of brush was afire and in the chimney.

"Now we'll get action in a little while," opined Garry.

He was not mistaken, for in a minute they heard the sound of some one
hurriedly groping at the fastenings of the back door