"Mabel first, please, Max!" said Mazie, as all of them hastened over to
the tree that had been selected as the harbor of refuge on account of
the fact that its lower branches seemed to invite an ascent.

Max gave Steve a knowing nod, and the two of them quickly whisked the
little lame French girl up in the first crotch like magic.

Before Mazie really knew what they were going to do she was following
after the first climber; and as they made room for the others, first
Mrs. Jacobus, and then last of all Bessie found lodgment there.

"If you can manage to get up a little higher it would be safer all
around," Max told them, though he tried his best not to alarm the girls
by intimating that the lower limb of the tree might still be within
jumping distance of an agile hound.

Immediately after performing his duty Steve picked up his club again.
Meanwhile the other three boys had brushed around and armed themselves
with the most available weapons the dead wood afforded. Bandy-legs was
fortunate in having one already to his suiting, and the others did the
best they could; so that there was quite a formidable assortment of
cudgels swinging back and forth as the owners tested their capacity for
mischief; much as the intending batter at a critical stage of a
baseball game may be seen to practice with two clubs before stepping up
to the plate.

There could no longer be any doubt as to the speedy coming of the dog
pack, as their eager yelps and barks sounded very close. It must have
been that in their hungry condition they had picked up the odor of food
far away, because a dog's sense of smell is remarkably acute,
especially when half starved.

Max only waited in order to throw plenty of dry fuel on the fire before
joining the battle line. If they were compelled to put up a stiff
fight in order to keep their food supply intact, he knew that they
would need all the light they could get, because with the coming of
night, darkness had settled upon the forest lining the western bank of
the flooded river.

"Whee! listen to the way they're tearing along, would you?" exclaimed
Bandy-legs, as the noise drew rapidly nearer.

Every fellow seemed to take in a big breath. It was as though he meant
to nerve himself for the exciting times to follow.

"Remember, leave the biggest dog to me!" Max told them, desirous of
impressing this fact upon their minds; for with that powerful little
automatic pistol in his possession, handed ove