“Where?” asked Will, showing sudden interest; and then after getting down to look at short range he laughed, saying:  “Everything is just as Jerry says.  I know it was Andy he pulled out from under this tree.”

“How do you know?” demanded the party in question, curiously.

“Why, you see it was Andy Lasher who knocked Bluff off that log into the lake.  We guessed it at the time, and he afterwards said as much to Jerry here.  Well, we found his footprints, and you see one of his shoes had a queer patch on the sole, a sort of triangle.  Here it is, as big as life!”

He pointed triumphantly downward.  Frank fairly shouted, and even Jerry grinned.

“Talk about your great detectives!  Why, they ain’t in the same class as our chum here.  You see, fellows, truth will out.  What more proof do you want?” demanded Jerry.

“Everything has been proven.  You are the hero of the hunt, Jerry.  I pass up my claim when you’re around.  And so Andy means to let us alone, does he?  Can he speak for his whole crowd, too?” queried Frank.

“I don’t know; perhaps not He said something about Pet Peters having to do it himself if he insisted on carrying on this nasty business of bothering us.  So perhaps we may have more trouble with them, unless Andy takes the bit in his teeth, and licks a few of his pals.”

Will was meanwhile busily engaged with his camera.  He first of all dragged several of the dead dogs around until they presented a gruesome appearance, bunched close together.

“Oh, if you would only run around that old tree a few times, Jerry, you don’t know how much obliged I’d be.  Of course any one must imagine that the dog pursuing you happens to just be out of sight at the time I snap you off.  But think how much pleasure the picture will give future generations. Please do!” he begged.

“What do I care about future generations?  It would give me the nightmare every time I looked at the measly thing.  I guess you’d feel the same way if you just imagined you were going to have a piece gobbled from your leg with every revolution you made.  Nixey for me, old chum,” observed the other, indignantly.

“Then if you won’t, I suppose I’ll have to take a still picture; but it’s really too bad.  However, I have others of you, and some day I’ll try a composite picture, inserting you in the honorable position you decline to fill,” grumbled Will, as he pressed the button, and secured his view of the venerable tree with the clump of dogs near its base.

“Talk about your obstinate chaps, did you ever see the equal of him?  When I decline to do the tall running act, he’s going to get out a fake picture anyway, with me in it!  In that case I might as well stand for it.  Here, you, I’ll conspire with you to fix it.  If it’s got to be a counterfeit, let’s make it a decent one.”

So, after all, Will’s persistency won out.

“You’ll be glad when you see the result, I’m sure,” he said, as he assisted Jerry to stand the dead hound on his stiffened feet, and make it appear as though he might be stretching out in furious pursuit of some one.