s fast as he had come up.

"Well! that was some way of dealing with a mad dog!" said Billy, with a
laugh. "You knocked all the fight out of him in a jiffy."

"Has he gone for sure?" asked one of the small boys of Jack.

"Yes, and you need not be afraid. Whose dog was it and what brought him
up here?"

"H'm, has he gone?" asked the Colonel who had reached the crotch of the
tree, fortunately not far from the ground and now turned a very red and
sweaty face upon the group below.

"Yes, sir," said Jack, saluting and at the same time having the greatest
difficulty to refrain from smiling or even laughing outright at the
comical appearance of the doughty warrior.

"Go and enquire more about the matter, Sheldon," said the Colonel and
Jack went away, smiling broadly now but fortunately holding in his
laugh.

"He wants a chance to get down from the tree, adjust his wig and get
back his dignity," whispered Billy, who went off with Jack.

"Yes, but how did he get there?"

"It was one of my jokes and I'll get a wigging if he finds it out,"
chuckled Billy. "There wasn't any mad dog at first but I made him think
there was. You should have seen him climb that tree, Jack. It would've
delighted your heart. He won't be scoring us again in a hurry but if
there had not been a mad dog I guess I would have caught it."

"Be careful how you play jokes on the Colonel, Billy," said Jack, when
he heard the whole story and laughed over it. "There are some persons at
whom it is not safe to poke fun and Colonel Bull is one."

"He forgot to put the last letter to his name, that's all," laughed
Billy, "for he is a bully all right, but your advice is good and I will
take it--or at least I will try."

"That is well put," said Jack, dryly, "for I don't believe you could
help making jokes if you did try."

CHAPTER XVI

AN ANONYMOUS ACCUSATION

When next Jack saw the Colonel the latter had regained his wig, his
natural complexion and his dignity, the last being so great that it was
a perfect danger signal warning away all levity or even the slightest
sign of it on the part of the boys.

"You showed very commendable bravery, Sheldon," said the Colonel, "and I
congratulate you for your spirit. Rescuing those in danger is more
commendable than conducting an imitation newspaper."

"Thank you, sir," said Jack, saluting and going back to his friends.

"What has Bull got against the _Gazette_?" he asked Arthur and Harry.

"Oh, it p