poisonous bites."

"But what were you doing up that stump?" demanded Step-hen; while Thad
and Allan were examining the remains of the once proud tree, as if to
decide what ought to be done, in order to rescue the unlucky scout.

"I know what ails Bumpus," cried Davy; "his old curiosity bump was
working overtime, and coaxed him to climb up there."

"Well, how'd I know the old thing'd give in with me like that?"
protested the other, faintly. "I saw a bee going in a hole up there; and
you know I'm just crazy to find a wild bees' nest in a hollow tree,
because I dote on honey. But I was mistaken about that; it's ants biting
me; because I caught one on my cheek after he'd taken a nibble. Oh!
ain't they making me a sight, though? Where's Thad? I hope you don't
just go on, and leave me here to die, boys. Please get busy!"

"Just hold up a little, Bumpus," called Thad, cheerily. "We haven't any
rope to pull you up again; and besides, Allan says the top of the rotten
stump would like as not give way, if anybody tried to stand on it. But
I've sent Giraffe back to the spring after the ax we carried. We'll just
have to cut a hole, and let you climb out that way."

"But be careful not to give me a jab, won't you, please, Thad?" asked
the other, between his groans. "I'm bad enough off as it is, without
losing a leg."

"Don't be afraid," replied the scout-master; "we're going to let Allan
do the job, and few fellows know how to handle an ax as well as he does.
And here's the tool right now; Giraffe made pretty quick time."

"But what do you want me to do?" asked the prisoner of the stump,
piteously.

"Why, here's a hole already, big enough for me to stick my hand in; feel
that, do you, Bumpus?" and Thad inserted his hand, to clutch the leg of
the other.

"Oh! how you scared me at first, Thad; I sure thought it was a wildcat,
or something, that had grabbed me. I'm trembling all over, what with the
bites, the tumble, and the excitement."

"Now keep as far back from this side as you can," continued the other.
"Is the hollow big enough to allow that, Bumpus?"

"It surely is, Thad," replied the other, somewhat more cheerfully, as if
the confident manner in which Thad went about his business reassured
him. "Guess there must be nearly a foot of space between."

"That's fine," Thad went on to say; "now keep back, and leave it all to
Allan. He's going to commence chopping."

Immediately there sounded the stroke of the descendin