a misstep just about then, and almost rolling down a
little declivity, found that he had better pay more attention to his
gait and talk less; so for some time they walked along in silence.

"There, did you hear that?" Max asked him, presently.

"It certainly was a rooster crowing," the other admitted.

"And right ahead of us, too," Max continued; "which goes to show that
we've been hitting the right trail."

"No thanks to me though, Max, because if I'd followed my bent we'd have
changed our course more than six times. I thought I knew something about
keeping a straight track, but I'm away off."

Some boys seem to take to these things just as naturally as a duck does
to water. There are others who do not appear to have the elements in
them for making woodsmen, no matter how much they try. Bandy-legs was
apparently of this latter class. Now and then he might flash up, and do
something creditable, but it was only to fall back into his old careless
ways again, and depend on others to do the hard thinking for him.

Five minutes later, and he gave a little shout.

"There's the farmhouse ahead of us, Max, with all the outbuildings in
the bargain. Hope we can get the eggs and milk all right, because we've
come a long way for the same. And there isn't anything I like better
when camping out than plenty of hen fruit, together with the lacteal
fluid from the cows. Whew! here's trouble with a big T all right! Look
at the size of that Towser makin' for us, would you? Let him take a
bite, and there wouldn't be much calf left."

"Ok! I don't know, you're pretty good-sized, Bandy-legs," said Max with
a chuckle; but all the same he looked about him, and hastened to pick
up a stout stick that chanced to be lying near by.

"Where's the mate to that, Max; see anything for me around? We've got to
teach him we believe in the old motto, 'Millions for defense; not one
cent for tribute.' What about those guns of ours; wouldn't they come in
handy right now to keep him off! Get out, you scamp; what are you making
straight for me about? I haven't lost any dog that I know of. Why don't
you sick Max there; he's got something for you. Hi! keep away, I tell
you!"

The large and savage dog seemed bent on taking a firm grip of
Bandy-legs. Perhaps he may have rather fancied his build, and believed
it would be easier to pounce on a boy with bow-legs than another who
stood five foot-ten in height. Then again the fact that Max was swinging
that