CHAPTER XXX

GOOD-BY TO THE BOY HUNTERS

“I’ll kill that monkey!” roared Ham as he ran into the camp and picked up his ruined clothing.  “Look at this!”

“And this!” added Carl Dudder, snatching up the remains of his sleeping blanket.

“It was the chimpanzee, sure enough,” said Dick Bush.

“Come on after him!” exclaimed Shep.  “Remember the reward,” he whispered to his chums.

All presently made off after the chimpanzee.  They kept in a bunch at first, but gradually separated, the Spink crowd going one way and Snap and his chums in another.

“I’m glad we caught sight of him as we did,” said Whopper.  “Now those fellows know we were not guilty of the rough-housing.”

“It certainly was rough,” was Giant’s comment.  “Three-quarters of their things are ruined.”

“Perhaps they can hold the circus proprietor responsible,” said the doctor’s son.

They moved forward for nearly a quarter of a mile, and were on the point of giving up the search and returning to camp when Giant caught sight of a small, cave-like opening on the mountain side.

“Let’s look in there,” he said.  “See, there is a vest on the ground in front of it!”

“Be careful—–­the chimpanzee may be dangerous!” warned Snap.

They hurried forward, with eyes and ears on the alert.  Giant looked into the opening.

“No monkey here,” he announced.  “But he has been here.  Look!”

And much to Snap’s delight he held up the missing camera.  Then he ran into the cave and came forth with Shep’s watch, and a number of trinkets taken from the Spink camp.

“He must have come here after he left the old cabin,” said Snap.  “See, there is some food.  He must have gotten that last night, when he raided Spink’s place.”

They took with them all the things to be found, and then made another search for the chimpanzee.  But they could not locate the marauding creature, and so turned their steps toward their camp.

“Well, we’ve got a few of those others fellows’ things for them,” said Whopper.  “We can return them after dinner.”

“The camera is O.K.,” said Snap, after an examination.

“And so is the watch,” came from the doctor’s son.

“And to think it was only a chimpanzee, after all!” cried Giant.

“‘Only’ is good!” exclaimed Shep.  “He’s had enough for anybody, I’m thinking!”

As they came closer to their camp they heard Tommy talking in a loud voice to somebody.  Wags was barking gaily.

“Now you sit still and behave yourself,” the circus boy was saying.  “Then you’ll get a fine lump of sugar.”

“Talking to the dog, I suppose,” said Whopper.   “He thinks Wags-----No,
he isn’t, either.   Well, I never!   If this doesn’t beat anything
I ever saw!”

All came into the clearing and gazed in amazement at the sight presented.  Chained to a tree was Abe, the chimpanzee, smiling and chattering, and in front of him were Tommy and the dog, the former with some sugar in his hand.