He could remember having heard one or two persons speaking about the pack that was giving the farmers so much trouble.  To think that, after all, their comrade had been the one to relieve the situation, was pleasant indeed.

They aroused Jerry when Uncle Toby announced that lunch was ready.  The old man seemed to be kept pretty busy preparing meals for all stragglers happening in; but that part of the business pleased him.  The only thing he protested against was being left alone in camp.  There were too many visitors at such times to suit him.

First had come the wildcat, and then the wild man.  Uncle Toby had therefore heard Bluff’s announcement that he intended remaining behind when the others went off, with particular pleasure and much relief.

Immediately afterwards the three lads started out.  Jerry seemed much refreshed by his nap, and was as lively as either of his comrades.

A straight line was kept for the shack of the old trapper, and when they finally reached the place it was to find Jesse just starting out.

“Why, hello, boys, glad to see ye,” he said, shaking hands all around, gravely.  “And I’ll be hanged, if thar ain’t Jerry, big as life.  I was gettin’ uneasy about ye, lad, an’ just startin’ to follow up your route through the big timber.  Ye see, I kinder thought ye might a-fallen foul o’ them fierce wild dogs I told ye about.”

Both Frank and Will laughed.

“Well, he did all right, just that same thing.  And we’re on our way now to see where he left the critters,” declared Will.

“Left ’em—­looky here, ye don’t mean to tell me—­it can’t be possible now he fit that hull pack, an’ got out o’ it alive?” exclaimed the trapper.

Then Jerry, with a laugh, dangled the four tails before his startled eyes.

CHAPTER XX

PROVING HIS CLAIM

“Jerusalem!  I surely believes he’s gone an’ done it!” exclaimed old Jesse Wilcox.

Frank and Will burst out into a laugh.

“Do you recognize these tails then, trapper?” asked the former; “because we even accused Jerry of trying to palm off some substitute on us for the originals?”

“Oh! them there is original tails all right.  How did ye do it, youngster?  An’ if they ever was fierce dogs, that pack filled the bill.  I’d kinder hated to be up agin ’em myself; an’ you on’y a boy!”

“A boy armed with a double-barreled shotgun loaded with buck is able to do just as much as a man, I suppose.  I got my deer, too, Jesse, thanks to the directions you gave me.  It was a bully old time all around,” said Jerry, contentedly.

“Well, I should smile to mention it.  Ye take the cake, Jerry.  An’ now ye want me to lead ye thar, I s’pose.  Can ye describe the place well enough for me to recognize it?” asked the trapper.

“Possibly I can.  Let’s see, I remember that there was a queer-looking oak standing close by—­three trees in one, as though sprouts had grown up when the parent trunk was smashed by lightning long ago.  Remember having seen anything like that in your trips through the big timber, Jesse?” asked the other, seriously.