llow! Yes; I know," laughed Dick.

"Where is he? Listen!"

But only the night sounds of the woods answered them.

"We'd better put for camp," whispered Dick, "or that fellow will
slip around us and pillage the supplies before we get there."

Dave started back at a dog trot, Dick following at a more leisurely
gait. Both were soon by the campfire again.

"Was it the same fellow?" demanded Darry, in a low voice.

"It must have been," Dick nodded, "though you didn't see him at
all when you encountered him, and I didn't get a view of his face.
But he had on a tan colored shirt. He also had on brown corduroy
trousers and low-cut black shoes. He kept his torn cap pulled
down over his eyes so that I couldn't get a look at his face that
would enable me to know it again if I saw it."

"Hang the fellow!" growled Darry. "Does he take us for a human
meal ticket with six coupons?"

"He must be hungry," rejoined Dick, "when he could get away with
all that steak and then come back, within a few hours, for more
of our food."

"How did you come to catch him?" Dave asked curiously.

Prescott explained how he had managed to remain awake and on guard,
against a possible second visit from the young prowler.

"So we've got to stay up the rest of the night, and mount guard
every night, have we?" grunted Darry disgustedly. "Fine!"

"We'll either have to watch, or part with our food," Dick assented.

"We ought to have brought Harry Hazelton's bull-dog. That would
have spared us guard duty."

"I'm glad we didn't bring the pup," Dick rejoined. "That pup
is growing older, and crosser. He'd bite a pound or two out of
some prowler's leg, and we don't want that to happen."

"Why not?" demanded Dave grimly, opening his eyes very wide.

Dick laughed softly by way of answer.

"I'd just as soon have a tramp chewed up as have our food supplies
vanish," Darry maintained.

"Little David, your temper has the upper hand of you at this moment,"
laughed Prescott.

"When that temper is on top you're dangerous---almost bloodthirsty.
When your temper is in check you're as kind and gentle as any
good-natured fellow. You wouldn't really want to see any human
being mangled by a bull-pup's teeth."

"Well, maybe not mangled," Darry agreed. "But I don't believe
Harry's pup would do any more than take hold---and keep hold."

"We won't have the pup, anyway," Dick replied, in a low voice.

"Why not?" Dave again demanded.

"Because,