lay.

Will, with his camera, was, of course, in evidence.

"I wouldn't have missed that for a cookie!" he declared. "And if that
frightened horse had only allowed me to take a crack at the time the old
hermit toppled over, I'd be ever so much happier."

Frank, remembering how the other had been forced to clasp his arms
around the neck of his frantic steed at the time, smiled at the
impossibility of such a thing coming about.

"Give us a grip of your paw, old fellow!" cried Bluff, rushing up,
brimming over with enthusiasm and admiration. "I'll sure never forget
that sight! And he did the Rod, Gun and Camera Club proud when he used
your weapon, didn't he, Mr. Mabie?"

"I knew he would," was the quiet remark of the stockman; and Frank
understood that the other had been forming a favorable opinion of the
chums from the minute he saw them come off the train.

"Would you like that skin to remember the event by, Jerry?" Mr. Mabie
asked, a little later, while they were watching the cowboys remove the
hide.

"It would give my mother a cold chill to see it, if she ever heard the
story; but then we have a clubroom over our boathouse, and I guess it
would look nice there. So, since you are so kind as to offer it, I'll
say yes, Mr. Mabie."