now who this tract of land belongs to, now?" said the
doctor's son.

"It isn't fenced in," answered Carl, and his face took on a leer.
"Anybody can hunt here who wants to."

"That is true---but it will be fenced in next season. And, by the
way, what right had you to tear down one of the signboards and use
it for firewood?"

"Who said we did that?" demanded Ham.

"We saw the half-burned board at your camp fire."

"You can't blame that on us!" cried Carl.

"We can, and do," responded Snap. "You ought to be locked up for it."

"Oh, give us a rest!" growled Ham.

"What brought you here?" demanded Snap sharply.

"Oh, we knew we were being followed---saw you from a distance---and
made up our mind to see who it was. I don't see why you can't leave
us alone."

"We are not following you," said Giant, "And if you'll leave us
alone we'll not bother you."

"But you have got to keep your distance," added Whopper. "No
more underhanded work, like we had before. Understand?"

Ham paid no attention to the last words. He and his crony were
looking at Tommy. Now they whispered together.

"Say, aren't you the kid that ran away from the circus?" demanded
Ham, turning to the small youth.

At the question Tommy looked surprised and then scared.

"Wha---what do you know about me?" he stammered.

"Answer me," ordered Ham. "You ran away from Casso's Railroad
Shows, didn't you?"

"Don't tell him a thing, Tommy!" cried Snap quickly. "It is none
of his business."

"Ha! I knew I was right!" cried Ham triumphantly. "You're the boy
they called Buzz, the Human Fly. I saw you perform at Chester,
and I heard later about your running away. And you helped to let
a lion and a chimpanzee escape, too."

"I did not!" cried Tommy. "The men who were discharged let those
animals get away. I had nothing whatever to do with it."

"Oh, yes, that's your story; but the circus people tell it
differently," put in Carl Dudder. "I was talking to one of them
only the other day. They'd give a good deal to catch you and
those men."

As he spoke he advanced toward Tommy as if to catch hold of the lad.
The boy from the circus shrank back and looked very much alarmed.

"Here, Carl Dudder, you leave that boy alone!" cried the doctor's
son. "Don't you dare to touch him!"

"I'll do as I please. The boy doesn't belong to you," blustered
Carl.

"I know that---but you are not going to lay the weight of your
finger on him."

"Don'