ail going."

"Wags it is," announced Tom. "How do you like it, Wags, old boy?"
And the dog barked again and leaped up and down several times in joy.

"Vell, he vos goot enough," was Hans' comment. "Bud I ton't see vy
he couldn't introduce himselluf by der daydime alretty. I vos going
to ped again," and he rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"So am I going to bed," said Fred. "Tom, are you going to stay awake
to watch the dog?"

"No, he is going to sleep with me," answered the fun-loving youth.
"Come on, Wags, get your nightcap and come to bed."

He made a certain move of his hand and the canine suddenly sat upon
his haunches and cocked his head to one side.

"Hullo, he's a trick dog!" exclaimed Dick. "Shake hands," and the
dog did so. Then, as Sam snapped his fingers, the animal began to
walk around the camp on his hind legs.

"I'll wager he knows a lot of tricks," said Tom. "And, if so, he must
be valuable."

"Then whoever owns him will want him back," was Songbird's comment.

"Well, I guess he can travel with us until somebody claims him," said
Tom; and so it was decided.

CHAPTER XII

THE RUNAWAY STEER

On the following morning there was the promise of a storm in the air,
and the boys felt a bit blue over the prospects. But, by nine o'clock,
the sun came out as brightly as ever and they were correspondingly
elated.

"I don't care to do any camping out in wet weather," said Fred. "I
got enough of that at the Hall."

"Well, when you camp out, you must take what comes, as the shark said
when he swallowed a naval officer and found a sword sticking in his
throat," answered Tom. "We can't have the weather built to order for
anybody."

Wags was up and moving around, with his tail wagging as furiously as
ever. He seemed to feel perfectly at home.

"Acts as if he had known us all our lives," said Dick. "He is certainly
a fine creature, or he will be after he is fed up a bit."

"If he belongs around here, I don't see how he should be starved,"
said Sam.

"Well, you must remember, there are some pretty poor folks living in
these parts, Sam. The colored folks are passionately fond of dogs,
and very often they don't have enough to support themselves."

"I am going to claim Wags as my own until his rightful owner comes
along," announced Tom. "Maybe I'll even take him home with me. Our
old dog is dead."

This was final, and nobody saw fit to dispute the decision. So Wags
was given his breakfast, after which t