"That boy!" cried Snap. "Oh, I don't think he had anything to do with it."

"Well, that's what the circus men say. If they catch the men and the boy they'll have the whole crowd locked up."

"I am sure the boy is innocent," said the doctor's son.

"I got shot by somebody hunting that lion," said Giant. "Do you know who fired his shotgun out yonder?"

"Oh, that was Hank Donaldson. He's always blowing about what he can do with a gun, and he was so worked up and nervous he killed Mack's dog and smashed the plate-gla.s.s window in the new five-and-ten-cent store. He got scared to death when somebody told him a boy over here fell from the roof and got hit. Is it bad?"

"No, but it might have been."

"You ought to pitch into Hank. He ought to know better than to fire so promiscuous-like in the city streets. He meant well, but if he had killed you, what then?" And the man pa.s.sed on, shaking his head earnestly.

In the morning Giant felt quite like himself and insisted upon leaving off the bandage that had been placed over his forehead.

"I don't want to become an object of curiosity," he explained. "Even as it is, I suppose lots of folks will want to know all about it."

While the boys were eating the door bell rang, and the hired girl announced a man to see the lad who had been shot. The visitor proved to be Hank Donaldson, a big, burly fellow, now nervous to the degree of collapsing.

"I---I hope yer don't think I did it a-purpose," said Donaldson.

"'Cos I didn't---I only wanted to shoot that 'ere lion, 'fore he ate sombuddy up."

"I understand," answered Giant. "But you were very careless.

After this you had better give up lion hunting."

"I sure will. I am very sorry---yes, I am. Hope you'll forgive it."

"I will---if you didn't mean it," answered Giant.

"I've got a heap o' troubles, I have," went on Hank Donaldson.

"Got to pay 'bout a hundred dollars fer a plate-gla.s.s winder I smashed, an' got to pay fer a dorg, too. Ye don't catch me huntin' lions no more." And he heaved a mountainous sigh. A few minutes later he departed, saying he hoped Giant would soon get over his hurts.

"I guess he will be punished enough when he pays for the gla.s.s and the dog," said the small youth, and smiled in spite of his wounds.

Getting a ladder, the boys fixed up the brokendown honeysuckle vine, and then bid good-by to Mrs. Carson. She was still a bit timid about letting them go.

"You keep your eyes open for that lion," she said. "And if you see him, run into the first house or store that's handy. Don't think you can shoo him off again with a stone, because it isn't likely you'll be able to."

"We'll be on our guard, aunty," answered Shep.

The circus had left town, as it was billed to perform in another city forty miles away. But several employees had been left behind, and these men, aided by a number of others, went on a long hunt for the lion and the chimpanzee. The lion had been seen making for the woods, but what had become of the chimpanzee n.o.body knew.

"The loss of that chimpanzee is a big one for the circus," said Snap, while on the way home. "Just see how they feature him on the bills. They have other lions, but Abe was their only man-monkey."

What the youth said about the chimpanzee was true. Abe, as he had been named, was a wonderful drawing-card. At first a reward of fifty dollars was offered for his return, and later this sum was increased. It may be as well to state here that the owner of the circus suspected that the men who had been discharged by him had the chimpanzee and would have it returned to him when the reward was large enough. What had become of the men n.o.body knew, and the boy acrobat had likewise disappeared.

"That boy interested me," said Snap. "I'd like to meet him again and have a talk with him."

"Maybe we will meet him again some time," answered the doctor's son.

"Oh, it's not likely. There won't be anything to keep him in these parts. If he is a regular acrobat, more than likely he'll join some other circus or some vaudeville show."

"He didn't look as if he liked the life," said Whopper.

"That's the way it struck me," came from Giant.

When the boys got home they had quite a story to tell. Mrs. Caslette was much alarmed over the injuries her son had received and insisted upon it that Giant let Dr. Reed attend him, which the physician did willingly.

"Not much damaged," said the doctor. "But he had what folks call a close shave."

The boys told the doctor about what they had learned from Mr. Jally, and in turn he gave them instructions concerning the photographs he desired them to obtain during their outing in the Windy Mountains.

As there might be a little delay in getting the new cameras and in getting some other supplies the start of the trip was postponed until Tuesday.

"And how do you propose to go?" asked Snap of the doctor's son.

"Father thinks it would be wise for us to row to Firefly Lake.

Then we can hide our boat and tote our supplies over to the mountains."

"That suits me, Shep."

"Did Ham Spink and his crowd go that way?" asked Whopper.

"I think they did, but I am not sure."

"Well, I don't want to meet them if they did," came from Giant.

"They can keep their distance and we'll keep ours."

CHAPTER VII

UP THE RIVER

Coming from Sunday-school on Sunday afternoon the boys fell in with Jed Sanborn, the old hunter who had gone out with them on more than one trip. They were rather surprised to see the man carrying his shotgun, for Jed usually believed in respecting the Sabbath day.

"Been out hunting?" queried Snap as all came to a halt.

"Well, yes, kind of," answered the old hunter. "But not any reg'lar game."

"I didn't think you'd be out on Sunday," said Whopper.

"I took it into my head yesterday to look fer that lion as got away at Railings," was Jed Sanborn's answer. "Somebuddy said as how he was keepin' shady over to Merrick's woods, so I tramped over. Stayed in the woods all night an' this mornin'."

"Did you see the lion?" asked Snap eagerly.

"Nary a hair o' him, lad, an' I don't think he's in the woods, nuther."