“Get your dog off quickly, Hazelton!” urged Fred.

But Harry, at a slight sign from Dick, didn’t stir or open his mouth to call off his dog.

Through the brush came the sound of hurried steps.  Then Lawyer Ripley stepped into the group.

“Fred, what on earth does this mean?” demanded the lawyer, staring hard.

“That’s just what we thought you might like to find out, sir,” Dick replied.  “We’ve been away from camp all day, and just came back to this scene, Mr. Ripley.  You are something of an expert in the matter of evidence, sir.  Will you kindly tell us what you make out of this?  There is our tent cut down.  There are all of our food supplies in a pile, except what you see scattered about on the ground.  Your son appears to have been headed for the lake when our dog overtook him and pinned him down.  As a lawyer, Mr. Ripley, what would you conclude from the evidence thus presented?”

“Call that dog away!” ordered Mr. Ripley.

“Willingly, sir,” Dick agreed, “now that you have had opportunity to look into all the evidence that we found.  Harry, will you do the honors?”

Smiling slightly, Hazelton stepped forward to speak to Towser.  That four-footed guardian of the camp displayed some resentment at first over the idea of letting go of Fred’s shirt.  After a little, however, Hazelton succeeded in getting his dog away and tied to a tree.

Fred rose to his feet, his face fiery red while he trembled visibly.

“What is the meaning of this, young man?” demanded Lawyer Ripley.

“The meaning,” choked the lawyer’s son wrathfully, “is just this:  I was coming by this place this morning in the runabout, when I heard a good deal of coarse laughter down here.  I knew the voices weren’t those of boys, and so I knew that something must be up.  I got out of the car and came over here.  I saw two tramps in the camp.  They had already cut down the tent, and when I arrived they were planning to cart the food away.  Then they saw me as I stepped forward.  I told them what I thought of them for thieving in such fashion.  Then the tramps got ready to jump on me and thrash me.  Just as I raised my hands to defend myself this dog came bounding out of the woods and the tramps ran away.  Having no more sense than any other fool dog, the cur pinned me down and held me here.”

“All day?” asked his father.

“Yes; I’ve been a prisoner here for hours,” quavered Fred.  “And now these fellows want to make out, before the high school friends of mine,” nodding toward the girls, “that I was the thief and destroyer.”

“That story is straightforward enough,” commented the lawyer, turning to the others rather stiffly.  “Do any of you wish to challenge it?”

No one spoke.

“I’ll tell you what I wish, father,” broke in Fred angrily.  “I want an order from the court to have that dog seized and shot.  He’s a vicious and dangerous brute!”