, then
darted off on an oblique line.

Bellowing, stumbling, the bull turned clumsily to follow him.

Again Dick changed his course, though, purposely, he took pains
not to get too far from camp.

Now he saw his chums running towards him.

"Keep away! Don't get near the bull!" he yelled.

"We've sent Dan to get the rope in the tent," Reade called back.

"Now, what in the world do the boys think they're going to do
with a rope?" Prescott wondered.

Suddenly, as he dodged off on a new track to escape the bull,
a plan flashed into Prescott's mind.

"Get up a tree!" yelled Dave.

"Hardly time enough," Dick retorted, dodging again and sprinting
briefly out of harm's way. "When Dan brings the rope throw it
so that one end will rest in the lowest fork of that young chestnut
tree."

Dave Darrin heard, understood and nodded.

"Rope's ready in the chestnut tree," he called, as Dick started
on still another track, pursued, clumsily, by the angry bull.

"Get back out of harm's way," shouted Dick. "Get back, or you
will hinder me."

In three changing sprints Dick manoeuvred to reach the chestnut
tree, though the clumsy bull was barely twenty feet behind him
and coming fast.

As the rope hung from the crotch of the tree both ends trailed
on the ground. Seizing both lines Dick went up rapidly hand over
hand, his feet braced against the tree trunk. In this position
he was able to run nimbly up the side of the trunk.

Bump! The bull's head landed against the tree, the shock nearly
bringing the high school boy to the ground. Dick managed to hold
on to the rope, though his feet slipped from the trunk.

Rapidly he drew himself up into the crotch of the tree. Bump---again!
Any animal with a head less hard would have been stunned outright.

Even Mr. Bull, after the second charge at the tree, backed off,
head lowered, pawing the ground, willing to consider ere making
a renewed attack.

The tree was in no danger of snapping. It was too stout for that.
Prescott's only danger, just at present, was that of being dislodged
by the force of those mad charges.

Turning, and beholding his friends closer than was safe, Prescott
shouted to them:

"Get back, fellows! You can't do any good here now, and the bull
may turn on you. Get 'way back! I'll call you when I'm ready
for your help."

"What do you think you're going to be able to do up that tree?"
jeered Danny Grin, as he nevertheless backed away with the oth