"

There was a concerted rush from three sides. The half dazed beast could
not recover in time to leap upon anyone of his foes, though he snapped
his jaws together so that his terrible teeth met with a clicking sound.

For a short time the clubs rained blows on his head, until Fred finally
called out:

"That's enough, fellows; he's thrown up the sponge!"

"Hurrah for us; we've cleaned the ugly pack out, boys!" cried Bristles,
thought so short of breath after his exertions that he could hardly stand
erect.

Yes, the sheep-killing dog had been slain, and while Fred was of course
very well pleased over the outcome of the fight, at the same time he
looked down with considerable respect upon the dun-colored beast that
could exhibit such desperate courage, and put up such a game defense
against three foes.

Bristles insisted upon shaking hands with each one of his mates, and then
he and Fred turned upon the long-legged Colon with a look of wonder on
their faces, as though they could not understand how it was he had shown
up at such a lucky moment.

CHAPTER VII

THE SHORT-CUT WAY

"Now, where did you drop down from, Colon?" asked Bristles.

"Me?" exclaimed the tall chum, with a broad smile on his face. "Why,
straight from town, if you want to know. You see, I found out, after
all, I could get off, and hurried to where you said you'd start, but
Fred's ma told me you had half an hour the lead of me. Still, as I
happened to know the layout of the trip, I made up my mind I'd follow
along, and hump myself a little to overtake you fellows.

"But how'd you know where we left the road, and started across the
woodland, tell me, Colon?" asked Bristles; whereupon the other nodded
his head, and looked wise.

"Oh! well!" he explained, "you see, Fred told me about where he expected
to break away and so of course I kept looking; and I saw that you'd
turned out just about under that bunch of birch trees. Why, you left a
plain track in the dust on the road. After that I used my eyes and my
head, and kept pushing right along. I'm reckoned something of a scout in
the woods, you must know."

"You certainly have done a big thing in that line this time, Colon,"
asserted Fred, vigorously; "I never would have believed him, if someone
told me you'd done it. And let me remark that you certainly came in on
us at the right time."

"I should say he did," assented Bristles, joyfully. "I was getting tired
of swinging my