d Chip into the water. He yelled to them never to come
near him again. The other fellows ran away, and as soon as Chip could
get out of the water he went after 'em. Then, three days later, Doctor
Clay sent out Mr. Dale and Horsehair, the driver, to look into the
matter, and the wild man met them at the bridge and threw mud balls at
'em. One mud ball hit the teacher in the arm, and one struck Horsehair
in the nose and made it bleed. Horsehair was afraid to go on, because
the wild man jumped around and shouted so furiously. Mr. Dale tried to
catch him, but he ran away."

"Poor chap! He must be crazy," was Dave's comment. "He ought to be
taken care of by the authorities."

"Yes, but they can't catch him," continued Roger. "They have tried
half a dozen ways, but he slips 'em every time."

"Who is he?" asked Dave, as he continued to pack his trunk.

"Nobody has the least idea, so Shadow writes."

"Say, that will give us something to do--when we get back to Oak
Hall!" cried Phil. "We'll organize a posse to round up the wild man!"

"I think we'll have plenty of other things to do when we get to
school, Phil," remarked Dave. "Just remember that we have lost a lot
of time from our lessons, and if we want to make up what we have
missed, and graduate from Oak Hall with honor, we've got to buckle
down and study."

"Oh, I know that," answered Phil, and gave a little sigh. "Just the
same, I'm going to have a try at the wild man--if he comes my way."

"So am I," cried Roger. "And Dave will try with us; won't you, old
man?" And Roger caught his chum affectionately by the shoulder. "You
are the fellow to solve mysteries!"

Dave was about to answer when there came a knock on the bedroom door.
He opened it to find himself confronted by a middle-aged lady, who was
smiling but anxious.

"How are you getting along, boys?" she asked.

"First-rate, Mrs. Wadsworth," answered Roger. "We'll soon be finished
now."

"Are the girls getting anxious?" questioned Dave.

"Say, what do you think?" burst out Phil. "We are going back to Oak
Hall to capture a wild man who----"

"Phil!" burst out both Dave and Roger, and the other youth stopped
short in confusion.

"A wild man?" cried the lady of the house, in consternation. "Oh,
Dave, I hope----"

"Oh, don't let him worry you, Mrs. Wadsworth," responded Dave,
quickly. "There is a wild man up there, but I don't think he will
bother us any, and we've got too much to do to hunt for him." A