sical look appeared on his sunburned
face.

"Jest because I set on a limb, and looked down at the critter three whole
hours, till he got so pizen hungry he slunk off, and let me get home. He
come nigh ketchin' me afore I cud git up in a tree; and from the looks of
them ugly fangs, chances are he'd a-tore me right bad."

"Then I should think you'd know that dog again if ever you saw him?"
suggested Bristles, with a wink toward his chums.

"I hopes I'll never have the bad luck to see him alive again!" declared
the old farmer, as he started to climb up to the seat of his wagon.

"Now watch the circus!" hissed Bristles.

The farmer had just about drawn himself up when they heard him give
utterance to a startled exclamation, for he found himself facing the
uninvited passenger in the back of his open wagon bed. Had Bristles been
more inclined to be cruel, he might have fixed the dog so that he would
appear lifelike, and in the attitude of springing.

The farmer remained there as though turned into stone. Then he managed
to recover his wits, and burst out into a shout.

"It's the same pizen critter!" he exclaimed joyously, "and keeled over at
last! But I'd like to know---say, you don't meant to tell me now, boys,
'twas you that done for that turrible beast?"

"Well," said Bristles, trying hard not to look too important, "they
tackled us in the woods, and it was either us or him, so we managed to
pound the leader until he kicked the bucket, and the rest of the pack lit
out. I guess that combine's broken up for good, mister. You won't lose
any more of your sheep, believe me."

The old man got down, and insisted upon shaking hands all around, he felt
so delighted over the new turn affairs had taken.

"And the next time I go to Riverport, I'll tell what a fine thing you
boys did up here," he remarked, as the three runners prepared to start
down the road, heading for the home town.

On the way it was finally decided that they would go to the office of the
Chief of Police and tell him about finding the empty tin box, but not say
a thing in connection with that pin. Afterwards, Fred said, they might
see Mr. Periwinkle, So as to learn whether the tin box was really his
property.

They felt uncertain as to just what their duty might be in a case like
this, for while it seemed only right that the guilty one should suffer,
at the same time both Fred and Bristles remembered what sorrowful faces
that brother and sister