; films are good enough for him. Well, we managed to get all
the things under the shelter of the other tent, and shivered for some
hours. Finally, after the storm passed, and it began to get very cold, we
started a fire and waited to welcome the rosy dawn."

"Don't get poetic, Frank. I'm really too dead for sleep to appreciate it
now. Wake me up, fellows, when lunch is ready, will you?" and, so
speaking, Jerry curled up again, this time in earnest.

The others amused themselves the balance of the morning in various ways.
Bluff declared that he believed he would stay in camp while the others
went off. Frank looked at him curiously as if wondering what had struck
him, for he considered that the trip was well worth taking, if only to
see the husky-looking wild dogs Jerry had met and slain.

He could remember having heard one or two persons speaking about the
pack that was giving the farmers so much trouble. To think that, after
all, their comrade had been the one to relieve the situation, was
pleasant indeed.

They aroused Jerry when Uncle Toby announced that lunch was ready. The
old man seemed to be kept pretty busy preparing meals for all stragglers
happening in; but that part of the business pleased him. The only thing
he protested against was being left alone in camp. There were too many
visitors at such times to suit him.

First had come the wildcat, and then the wild man. Uncle Toby had
therefore heard Bluff's announcement that he intended remaining behind
when the others went off, with particular pleasure and much relief.

Immediately afterwards the three lads started out. Jerry seemed much
refreshed by his nap, and was as lively as either of his comrades.

A straight line was kept for the shack of the old trapper, and when they
finally reached the place it was to find Jesse just starting out.

"Why, hello, boys, glad to see ye," he said, shaking hands all around,
gravely. "And I'll be hanged, if thar ain't Jerry, big as life. I was
gettin' uneasy about ye, lad, an' just startin' to follow up your route
through the big timber. Ye see, I kinder thought ye might a-fallen foul
o' them fierce wild dogs I told ye about."

Both Frank and Will laughed.

"Well, he did all right, just that same thing. And we're on our way now
to see where he left the critters," declared Will.

"Left 'em--looky here, ye don't mean to tell me--it can't be possible now
he fit that hull pack, an' got out o' it alive?" exclaimed the tr