"Did you get the pictures?" questioned Snap, leaping down the rocks to where the game lay.

"We sure did," answered the doctor's son. "And I've got one of you aiming your gun right at the bear. I tilted the camera up a little to get it."

"What a fine bear!" cried Giant.

"We never got a better," answered Snap. "Oh, this is certainly prime luck!"

"We'll have to take some more pictures---of our game," said Shep, and without delay they took several plates and films---the two cameras being of each kind. All the boys were in the pictures, and of these photographs they were justly proud.

"Now, the question is, what are we going to do with the bear?"

said Snap. "We can't drag such a load to our camp."

"We'll have to skin the animal and take what meat we want," answered the doctor's son. "It's too bad to leave so much behind, but it can't be helped. It won't keep in this weather, anyway."

"If only Jed Sanborn was here---he might take some of it home."

"I'll tell you what we can do," said Giant. "Try to drag the carca.s.s---or a big part of it---up to the lion's pit. It will help to feed that beast until the circus folks come."

"That's an idea," said Shep. "And if we keep the lion well fed he won't try so hard to get away. Menagerie animals are always lazy when well fed---one of the keepers told me that. They only get restless when they are hungry."

It took the boys some time to skin the dead bear and cut away such meat as they thought they could tote along. The rest of the meat they hung in a tree, thinking they might possibly come back for it later. Then they started once more for camp.

"I hope the Spink crowd hasn't been bothering Whopper and Tommy since we have been away," said Snap. "If they have-----"

"Don't borrow trouble," interrupted the doctor's son. "Wait till it comes."

With their heavy loads, they made slow progress through the woods, and they were glad when they reached the lion pit and could dispose of some of the bear meat. The lion greeted them with a roar, but that was all. He had not yet eaten the second wildcat; nevertheless, they threw to him a chunk of the bear meat, the fresh blood of which was very much to his satisfaction.

It was late when they reached camp, thoroughly tired out. Whopper and Tommy were glad to see them, and immediately bustled about to get them a good supper. Those left behind listened with interest to the tale the others had to tell. When Shep told about the tracks around the lonely cabin, tracks that had caused Jed Sanborn to ask if they had seen a dog, Tommy looked greatly interested.

"Say!" he cried. "Do you suppose-----" And then he stopped short.

"Do we suppose what?" queried Shep.

"Oh, I suppose it couldn't be, but I was just thinking. Maybe that isn't a crazy man at all."

"Well, what do you think it can be?" asked Giant.

"Maybe it's Abe, the runaway chimpanzee."

CHAPTER XXIX

THE BOTTOM OF A MYSTERY

All the others listened to Tommy's words with interest. Then Whopper spoke of the face he had seen as looking particularly impish.

"It was pretty dark, so we couldn't see very well," said he. "It might have been the chimpanzee."

"Would that chimpanzee steal a watch, and a camera, and a gun?"

demanded the doctor's son.

"He'll take whatever happens to interest him," answered the boy from the circus. "They are constantly trying to teach him new tricks.

If you'll remember, one of his tricks is to fire a gun into the air.

And another is to look at a watch and pretend to tell the time."

"That's so!" cried Snap. "I saw him do both at the show."

"Would he untie our boat?" asked Giant.

"He might."

"If it is the chimpanzee we'll have a hard job of it catching him,"

said Shep slowly. "He won't stay at the cabin, but roam from place to place---and there is no telling what he'll do with our things."

"Don't forget the reward that has been offered," said Giant. "If we can find the chimpanzee we can get that as well as the reward for the lion."

Whopper and Tommy had not been bothered by the Spink crowd, and were of the opinion that the latter had shifted their camp to a new locality, closer to the lake.

"Well, let them keep their distance, that's all I ask," said the doctor's son.

The next day Snap, Shep and Giant rested, while Whopper and Tommy went on a short hunt, bringing in some partridges and several squirrels. The boys took a few pictures, Snap using an extra camera that had been brought along. They now had a fine collection, of which they were exceedingly proud.

Sunday pa.s.sed, and still they heard nothing from Jed Sanborn. The boys went hunting several times and brought in a variety of small game. They made a trip to the mountain-top and got several more photographs of value. Films and plates were carefully stored away in water-and-light-tight cases.

"I am sure my father will be greatly pleased when he sees what we have accomplished," said Shep. "I don't believe he thought we could do so well."

On Tuesday morning, just after breakfast, the young hunters heard somebody coming through the woods toward them. Wags set up a violent barking.

"Maybe it's Sanborn with the circus folks," said Whopper.

"Oh, what shall I do?" asked Tommy in alarm. "I don't want them to see me."

"It's the Spink crowd!" cried Giant. "Say, something must be wrong!

Look how excited they are!"

"We ought to shoot 'em---that's what we ought to do!" they heard Carl Dudder say loudly.

"We'll make 'em pay for the things, that's what we'll make 'em do,"

answered Ham Spink.

"Call off your dog, you rascals!" sang out d.i.c.k Bush, for Wags had walked toward him, barking angrily.

"Come here, Wags!" cried Tommy, and the collie obeyed instantly. But he evidently knew that the newcomers were enemies, for he continued to eye them suspiciously.

"Think you're smart, don't you?" roared Ham Spink, striding into the camp and facing Shep and Snap. "Well, I want you to know that you have gone too far. You've got to pay damages, or we'll have you all locked up."