did see such c-c-crazy antics in all your life as when they f-f-found
that red rag had a jag in it. Great g-g-governor! how they'd try to
c-c-crawl up the string backwards, or any old way. Near died alaughin'
at the s-s-same; then I reckoned it was kind of c-c-cruel to keep 'em
sufferin' so, and I'd knock 'em on the head. 'Bout time I g-g-got busy
with the fryingpans, ain't it?"

No one told him to "hold his horses," for they were only too well
pleased nowadays when Toby offered to take upon himself the getting of a
meal, since he had proved his ability to do fair camp cooking. Time was
when they would have utterly refused to let him try his hand, because
they knew how he would spoil everything he attempted to serve up; but
times had changed apparently, and Nora's lessons were bearing fruit.

It was just as well that Toby cooked an unusual amount of stuff for
luncheon, because it happened that the camp was destined to have
visitors before they had gotten very far along with the meal.

Perhaps the smoke made by their fire attracted attention, for the first
thing the boys knew they heard the sound of voices somewhere near, and
belonging to men at that.

They looked up at each other, and Bandy-legs was the first to express an
opinion.

"Say, I wouldn't be s'prised now, if it's Farmer Ketcham and one of his
hired men acomin' over to see us about something."

"Whew!" exclaimed Steve, "I hope his old bull hasn't broke loose now,
and is on the rampage. Seems to me as if we had about enough to bother
with, as things stand, without having a bull tearing in on us any old
time; and Toby here wearing that red bandana around his neck all the
time, trying to make believe he's a cowboy from out on the plains."

"There they come!" said Max, pointing as he spoke.

A few seconds later, and Toby uttered a loud cry.

"Why, I d-d-declare if 'tain't M-m-mister Jenks!" he announced.

"Jenks!" echoed Steve; "seems like I ought to know that name; heard it
somewhere or other. Who is he, Toby, and where'd you meet him?"

"Why, d-d-don't you remember, boys, he owns the c-c-circus!"

"Oh! sure, that's a fact!" Steve exclaimed, "and you had some mighty
pleasant dealings with him, too, didn't you, Toby? Fifty plunks was it
he paid you because you sent in the first news about his missing
animals? Mebbe he's changed his mind, and wants that hard cash back
again--followed you all the way up here to coax you to pan out. Mebby he
thinks he n