out of
the fryingpan into the fire. It seemed tough enough battling with Carlo;
but the way she looked at me, like she could eat me up, was a whole lot
worse. But then that was all put on, I guess; and anyhow I'm ready to
vote Mrs. Ketcham a trump. She makes the bulliest doughnuts ever, and
her buttermilk is--well, it beats the Dutch!"
When they finally reached camp it was without any further adventure.
They had seen no sign of any wild animal on the way, a fact Bandy-legs
was glad to be able to report when Steve and Toby wanted to know about
their trip.
The camp was now in good trim. Lots of little things could be done from
time to time, that might add to their comfort. Nails had been driven
into trees upon which they hung their cooking utensils; so that each
article could be found whenever wanted. Steve had improved on the
fireplace, too, having noticed that it had not been built so as to get
the most favorable draught, for the prevailing winds would be apt to
come from the southwest during their stay, and the front should face
that way to secure the best results.
Then Toby had made a nice drain around the upper side of the tent. This
was intended to shed the water in case a heavy rain set in, as it was
apt to do, this being April weather. There is nothing more uncomfortable
when camping than to find that the tent leaks, or that on account of the
lay of the land water keeps coming in to make everything soggy, when a
little precaution would have prevented such a happening.
Toby had finished his trap, and proudly exhibited the same to the chums
who had just returned.
"You s-s-see," he remarked, as he led them forward to where a young
sapling seemed to be trying to form a bow in the air, held down by some
invisible influence, "it's a very old idea, and I don't c-c-claim to be
the inventor. This sapling is h-h-hickory, and she's got a d-d-dickens
of a s-s-spring too. It was all S-s-steve and me could do to bend her
d-d-down so the n-n-notch I cut in the end could be caught on the
p-p-peg I drove in the g-g-ground. You can see how she works, with that
l-l-loop of stout rope trailin' along here."
"I reckon you mean to have some attractive bait on the ground, so as to
draw the prowler here," suggested Max. "Yes, I've read of traps like
this before, though I never used one. They catch crocodiles with them in
some places, besides all other kinds of things."
"The idea is this, I take it," Bandy-legs proceeded to
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