f we
could take those two tramps back with us, having the goods on them?
Then we'd say to Mr. Briggs: 'There you are, sir! These are the men
you want! And we'd trouble you to make your apology just as public as
your hasty accusation was.'"

"Hurrah!" cried Tom Betts. "That's the ticket."

But Paul was not to be hurried into giving a decision. He wanted more
time to consider matters, and settle his plan of campaign. The other
scouts, however, found little reason to doubt that in the end he would
conclude to look favorably on the bold proposition Jud had advanced.

Just as they had anticipated, the return journey was not anywhere
nearly so strenuous an undertaking as the outward tramp had been. Even
where they had to cross great drifts a passage had been broken for
them, and the wind, not being high, had failed to fill up the gaps
thus far.

The rescue party arrived in the vicinity of the cabin long before
sundown, and could catch whiffs of the wood smoke that blew their way,
which gave promise of the delightful warmth they would find once
inside the forest retreat.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE WILD DOG PACK

"Well! well! what under the sun's been going on here while we've been
away?"

Bobolink burst out with this exclamation the very minute he passed
hastily in at the cabin door. A jolly fire blazed on the hearth, and
the interior of the cabin was well lighted by the flames.

Paul, as well as all the other arrivals, stared. And well they might,
for Sandy Griggs and Bluff were swathed in seemingly innumerable
bandages. They looked a bit sheepish too, even while grinning
amiably.

"Oh! 'tisn't as bad as it seems, fellows!" sang out Spider Sexton,
cheerfully. "Phil thought it best to wash every scratch with that
stuff we keep for such things, so as to avoid any danger of blood
poisoning. But shucks! they got off pretty easy, let me tell you."

"What happened?" demanded Jud Elderkin, curiously. "Did they run
across that old bear after all, and get scratched or bitten?"

"Or was it the other bobcat that came around to smell the pelt of his
mate, and gave you something of a tussle?" asked Bobolink.

"Both away off your base," said Bluff, with a fresh grin. "It was
dogs, that's all."

"Dogs!" echoed Jud, unbelievingly. "You must mean wolves, don't you?
They look a heap like some kinds of mongrel dogs."

"'Tis the lad as knows what he is talkin' about, I guess," remarked
Tolly Tip just then. "Sure, for these m