Obed was inside doing something at the time, and so Max felt that he
could talk freely. He meant that his three chums should know everything
in the beginning, before he called on them to decide whether they would
stay over a few days, and guard the property, while Obed was marketing
his first proceeds in a distant city; for the pups were really too
valuable to be trusted to the tender mercies of an express company, Obed
thought.

"I don't exactly understand how Obed knows that there _is_ a conspiracy
hatched up against him, to complete the ruination of his enterprise,"
continued Max; "but he seems to think some party has a deep grudge
against him. It may be we'll know more about this later on; but for the
present I've promised Obed I'd put up a proposition to you."

"Then let's hear it, Max!" exclaimed Touch-and-Go Steve, "though I
reckon we c'n all give a pretty close guess at what's coming."

"Why, Obed wants to get away with that pair of grown pups, so he can
deliver them to the man he's bargained with; and I've proposed that we
stay here a few days, and guard his property while he's off. Is there
any objection to that plan? I told him I expected I could count on my
chums to stick by me."

"I should say you could, Max," chuckled Bandy-legs. "Why, I'm fairly
counting on depopulating that big frog marsh while we're hanging around
this section. And say, Steve here could keep us supplied with trout
galore, if only he fished from the bank, and didn't wade in."

Both the others were equally prompt to agree. Indeed Toby "fell all over
himself," as Steve termed it, in his eagerness to give assent; and could