round the camp fire, about how hunters of big game, sent out by
those who dealt in wild animals, always used this trap in the shape of
a pit in order to secure various species that could not be caught in
their lion and tiger nets.

They had slept so poorly of late that once they did manage to forget
things the entire four boys slumbered heavily for several hours. Any
ordinary noise would not have awakened Toby when at home; indeed, his
folks had threatened to get a patent bed that, connected with clock-work
machinery, would throw him out on the floor at a certain hour arranged
for. But he had something on his mind now, and hence when there suddenly
arose a tremendous squealing and crashing, Toby was up on his feet as
quickly as any of his three chums.

"Whoop! hurrah! we've g-g-got him at last, fellers! Quick, let's hurry
and k-k-keep the beggar from c-c-climbing out again! Oh! joy! D-d-didn't
he make an awful r-r-row, though? Listen to him, would you? P-p-please
hurry, Bandy-legs; you're as s-s-slow as molasses in winter!"

Not stopping to even pull on their shoes they all hastened to reach the
outer air, and rush toward the spot where the pit had been dug.

CHAPTER XVI

THE LAST CAMP FIRE--CONCLUSION

"Ain't he a squealer, though?" cried Steve, as they came close to the
place, and saw that the thin mattress had indeed been broken down.

The sounds welled up from the hole they had dug, and there was some sort
of movement down there.

"Oh! let's h-h-hurry and g-g-get him fastened to this chain!" Toby was
crying. "He might j-j-jump out any minute unless we're c-c-careful. Max,
have you thought about the l-l-lantern like you said you would?"

"It's here, all right," replied the other; "now, surround the pit, while
I light up, so we can see how to get the old sinner out."

Accordingly they formed what Steve called "a hollow square" around the
hole in the ground, out of which was coming that series of discordant
squeals; but in Toby's ears no music could ever sound sweeter, for did
they not mean a clever victory over the shrewdest of wild animals, an
educated monkey?

Max had matches along, for a box had been fastened to the lantern, so
that no unnecessary delay might be encountered should they want to do
things in haste, and light was needed.

When he had applied one of these to the wick, and turned down the globe,
Max swung the lantern around, and then held it over the edge of the pit
very cautiously