"What is it?" demanded Paul, as the other came panting along.

"Wild man!" gasped Little Billie.

"Whee!" exclaimed Bobolink, who had managed to get near enough to catch
what was said.

"'Fraid he nabbed poor Jud!" said Gusty, now reaching the spot, and just
about at his last gasp.

"Not much he didn't, because there he comes now!" ejaculated Bobolink.

"Oh! mercy!" exclaimed Little Billie, evidently thinking he meant
the wild man.

"It's Jud, and all to the good; but even he looks white around the gills,
too, Paul. They must have seen _something_, to give 'em all such a
scare," Bobolink went on to say.

"You just bet we did; ask Jud!" declared Gusty, just as though he
imagined the others might question their veracity, but would believe the
patrol leader, who was now coming along with great leaps and bounds.

And presently Jud Elderkin halted at the group. He looked first at Gusty,
and then at Little Billie. There was a question in his eye.

"Sure, we saw it, too, Jud!" declared Gusty, holding up his quivering
hand just as though he were in the witness box; but then, as his father
was a lawyer, possibly Gusty often experimented on himself, since he
meant to either take up the same pursuit in life, or give his magnificent