even now how a dog feels when you squirt some of this stuff
in his eyes with those little ammonia pistols," Lub remarked.

The process was continued until Ethan arrived with the clay.

This was fastened on the best way possible by the use of Lub's big red
bandanna handkerchief.

Phil had insisted on taking a snap shot of the victim of the hornets
before he had his face bound up. He also got another view after this
operation had been completed.

"I'm doing this partly for your own good, Lub," he explained. "Perhaps
it'll make you feel bad to see how pride always swells before a fall.
But then it's going to be a valuable lesson to you."

"And you'll never kick again before you're dead certain what kind of a
puff-ball it is, because some happen to be inhabited," X-Ray told him.

As Lub would very likely not be fit for anything during the rest of that
day, Phil took charge, while the rival fishermen were out in the canoe.

All the while he enjoyed having the little girl around. She seemed like
a real ray of sunshine.

"Whatever will we do without her, Phil, if her father blows in here any
time and carries her off?"

Lub said this in a muffled tone, for he was tied up good and fast, but
he meant every word of it.

"Perhaps we might get him to let her stay with us," said Phil, showing
that he, too, had been thinking along those lines; "if one of you
fellows agreed to give up your bunk to 'daddy' and sleep on the floor
with me."

"I'd do that, and more, for the sake of keeping her here," declared Lub.

The fishermen reported at noon.

X-Ray seemed in high spirits, and Ethan correspondingly depressed. It
was easy to see which way luck had gone that morning.

"Well, there's another day coming," said Phil, hopefully.

"Yes, and I mean to start in and show him a few wrinkles from now on,"
Ethan declared; at which the other laughed scoffingly as he remarked:

"Oh! so you've just been playing off all this time, have you? Seemed to
me you put in your best licks right along. I'll have to think up a few
dodges myself, if that's the game."

"Everything square and above board, boys," warned Phil.

"As fair as can be, Phil. Neither of us would want to play a mean
trick," said Ethan, and his rival echoed his words.

After lunch Phil told them it was their turn to look after the camp
while he took a stroll.

"Be careful about letting Mazie stray off," was what he told them the
last thing, ere starting away, camera in