indeed, we expected to meet
them on their way home. When we reached Dunham's open, however, and got
no answer to our shouts, we became anxious.

At last we found their tracks leading up the winter road to Adger's
camp, and we hurried along the old trail.

We had not gone more than half a mile when Tom, who was ahead, suddenly
cried, "Hark! I heard some one calling!"

We stopped to listen; and after a moment or two we all heard a distant
cry.

"That's Kate!" Tom muttered. "Something's the matter with them, sure!"

We started to run, but soon heard the same cry again, followed by
indistinct words.

"What's the matter?" Tom shouted.

Again we heard their calls, but could not make out what they were trying
to say. We were pretty sure now that the girls were at the old lumber
camp; and hastening on to the top of the ridge that sloped down toward
the brook, we all shouted loudly. Immediately a reply came back in
hasty, anxious tones:

"Take care! There's a mad fox down here!"

"A what?" Addison cried.

"A fox that has run mad!" Kate repeated.

"Where is he?" Halstead cried.

"Running round in the thickets," Kate answered. "Look out, boys, or
he'll bite you. That's the reason we didn't come home. We didn't dare
leave the camp."

This was such a new kind of danger that for a few moments we were at a
loss how to meet it. Tom looked about for a club.

"It's only a fox," he said. "I guess we can knock him over before he can
bite us."

He and Addison went ahead with the club and the gun; Halstead and I,
following close behind, held the lanterns high so that they could see
what was in front of them. In this manner we moved down the brushy slope
to the camp. The girls, who were peering out of the door, were certainly
glad to see us.

"But where's your 'mad' fox?" we asked.

"He's round here somewhere. He really is," Kate protested earnestly. "We
heard him only a little while ago."

Thereupon, while the girls implored us to be careful, we began to search
about by lantern light. At last we heard a low wheezing noise near the
old dam. On bringing the lantern nearer we finally caught sight of an
animal behind the logs. It was a fox surely enough, and it acted as if
it were disabled or dying. While Halstead and I held the lanterns,
Addison took aim and shot the beast. Tom found a stick with a projecting
knot that he could use as a hook, and with it he hauled the body out
into plain view. It was a large cross-gray