Tad.

This was not so easily accomplished. Butler tried different ways of
doing this, but each time the fat boy's yells made him stop short. Every
attempt to lift Stacy gave his foot a wrench, bringing forth a howl.

"Let me have your hatchet," demanded Tad. Ned passed it over.

"What are you going to do? Going to chop my leg off?" demanded Stacy.

"Don't worry. It won't hurt but a moment."

"Pro-o-o-o-fessor!"

"Keep still, you ninny! We aren't going to hurt you," growled Ned.

Tad was already hacking at the tree, which was small, but very tough.
Every blow brought a yell from the fat boy. He couldn't have made much
more racket had his companions in reality been amputating the leg
itself.

At last Butler had chopped through. He grabbed the tree, but Stacy,
jerking on his foot, pulled the tree right over on him, incidentally
throwing Tad down. Then Chunky let out a fresh series of howls as the
sharp sprouts smote him on the face and body. The foot, however, had
come free with the falling of the tree, but the boy still lay there
groaning, making no effort to help himself.

"Get up! You're all right," commanded Ned, jerking Stacy out by the
collar. "See what you've accomplished now. You have done for our last
mule. Had you not been along I don't believe the other one would have
fallen off the trail."

"That's right. Save the donk, but never mind a Stacy Brown. He's a good
joke, that's all," complained Stacy.

Tad had run to the pack mule which had got up, and was standing with
nose close to the ground.

"He isn't hurt," cried Tad. "He is all right, Professor," he called.
"Both mules are all right. Hooray!"

"Eh?" growled Stacy, flushing hotly.

Anvik, who had been making his way down by a more roundabout way, now
made his appearance. He grunted upon discovering the disheveled Chunky,
and shrugged his shoulders as he observed the display of tin cans strewn
about.

"Much heap big fool!" ejaculated the Indian.

"Are you addressing your remarks to me or to the mule?" demanded Stacy
calmly.

"Huh!" That was the only reply Stacy got, and Anvik began gathering up
the stuff that had been lost from the battered pack. This was no small
task, owing to the way the provisions had been scattered. Butler, in the
meantime, had gone over the pack mule carefully to see if there were any
serious injuries.

"He's a lucky mule," announced the lad. "There are no bones broken, but
I'll warrant he aches all over from the