teddy and his chums set up their little night camp in a field near a small patch of woods and beside a small stream. the woods were just the beginning of the state park, oak forest and were not very dense. farther on in the state park the trees were much thicker and larger.
“this is a good place,” teddy remarked as he threw his blanket roll on the ground. “we can stay here tonight and start after the deer first thing in the morning.”
“that is if he waits for us and doesn’t go on into oak forest during the night,” said joe.
“it would be just like him to do that,” said dick.
“no, i think not,” teddy said. “we’ve188 kept after that deer pretty steady. he must be tired and will be glad to rest and sleep during the night.”
“well,” remarked dick with a sigh, “if that deer is as tired as i am he won’t get up until noon tomorrow.”
“and if he’s as hungry as i am,” chuckled joe, “he will spend most of the night eating.”
“well, fellows,” teddy said, “we’ll soon be resting and eating. but we can’t loaf until noon tomorrow. we’ve got to get up early and chase after that deer. that is, if we want to catch him and find out why he’s roaming around here, where deer don’t belong.
“of course if you fellows want to give up,” said teddy after a pause, “i can’t make you stick at it. but—”
“there are no ‘buts’ about it,” joe interrupted quickly. “of course we’ll stick with you. what about it, dick?”
“oh, sure. only i was wondering what189 teddy expects to find out after we catch the deer—if we do. think he’ll talk after we capture him, teddy?”
“no,” teddy laughed. “but he may have some mark on him that will help us trace where he came from and what he’s doing around here. anyhow let’s catch him first and find out about him later.”
“what we should do first is eat,” said dick firmly.
“second the motion!” laughed joe.
“motion carried!” announced teddy.
mrs. benson had put up rather a complete camping outfit for the boys. at least, it would serve for one night. there were blankets and some light cellophane coverings which could be used in case of rain. these cellophane coverings folded up into small, light packages. this left more room for food and a small cooking outfit.
“if you fellows will get the water and wood, i’ll start to cook supper,” offered teddy.
190 “fair enough!” cried dick as he began to gather some dried driftwood from the banks of the stream.
“where’s the water pail?” asked joe. “i saw a small spring back by that pile of rocks. i don’t fancy drinking water from this stream. it might not be clean.”
in a short time teddy had put up a small iron frame to hold a coffee pot and frying pan. the frame set over a bed of glowing coals from the burning driftwood, and in a short time the little camp smelled of frying bacon and eggs and boiling coffee.
“boy, am i hungry!” dick announced, sniffing the air.
“teddy’s the best cook we ever had!” laughed joe.
“somebody else has to get breakfast!” teddy warned the others.
“i’ll let dick do it,” spoke joe. “i always was a big-hearted chap,” he added with a laugh.
after supper the boys made ready to191 spend the night in the open. there was no sign of rain and it was not cold. the cellophane coverings, between which the boys could crawl into their blankets, would keep away the dampness from the ground.
“are we going to keep watch?” asked dick, when it was about time to turn in.
“what for?” asked teddy. “there’s no danger. we don’t need even to keep a fire going. we have our flashlights.”
“there’ll be a moon later,” said joe.
“then if the deer comes nosing around we can spot him,” suggested dick. “but the way i feel now i’m going to do nothing but sleep.”
“same here,” echoed joe.
“i don’t believe the deer will bother us,” was teddy’s opinion. “he’s likely as tired and sleepy as we are.”
so it was decided not to take turns watching during the night. the three boys would go to sleep together and trust to luck to get on the trail of the deer again in the morning.
192 “if we had a dog it would be easier,” said joe somewhat sleepily as they were all dozing off.
“easier for what?” asked teddy.
“easier to trail the deer. but we haven’t any dog, have we?”
“no,” teddy admitted, “we haven’t. unless dick brought one,” he added with a chuckle and a nudge of his chum.
“brought what?” mumbled dick, half asleep.
“a dog,” said teddy. “did you bring one?”
“i don’t know what you’re talking about,” said dick less clearly than before. “i—i—” but he was asleep before he could finish the sentence.
a little later the deep and even breathing of teddy and joe showed that they, also, were asleep.
who awakened first was always a disputed point with the three boys when ever they talked about what happened that night.193 but teddy suddenly found himself roused by feeling something cold and wet on his face. for a moment he thought it was raining. but as he opened his eyes he saw that the moon was shining brightly.
but he still felt that cool dampness on his face and suddenly, with a shout of alarm, he sat up, scattering his blanket and reaching for his flashlight.
“golly! it’s a dog!” he shouted.
“what’s that?” cried joe.
“a dog—licking my face with his tongue! it woke me up!” said teddy in a loud voice.
“did dick bring a dog after all?” asked joe.
“i don’t know, but here’s a dog!” went on teddy excitedly. “dick!” he shouted.
but dick was awake. instinctively he had reached for his flashlight and switched it on, though the moon was bright. and in the glow of the combined lights the boys saw a large dog regarding them from the ash-strewn spot where the campfire had been made. it194 was a huge beast and its eyes glowed in the shafts of the flashlights.
there it stood, looking intently at the boys as if ready to spring on them.
