Dan had not said a word up to then, and Dick, glancing toward him, could see a proud look beginning to take possession of the other’s face.
“You’re all wrong, fellows!” exclaimed Dan, unable to hold in any longer. “You’ve got another guess coming, I tell you. Don’t you remember that it was over there that I set my trap? Well, she worked all right, and mebbe I’ve got our wild man safely caged at this very minute!”
The announcement created great excitement.
“Hey! let’s hurry and get some duds on, so we can go and see!” called Peg, who was hopping about on one foot, as he had stubbed a toe in the haste with which he rushed forth from his sleeping quarters.
“How about that, Mr. Bartlett?” asked Dick, seeing the camp director among them, he having hurriedly slipped on a bath robe before making his appearance.
“We ought to get there with as little waste of time as possible,” replied Harry Bartlett, looking interested. “If it should turn out that the trap has done what Dan intended, the poor fellow may be hurt in some way, and it would be cruel for us to wait until morning to investigate.”
“Whew! from the racket I should say something fierce had happened!” declared Phil Harkness, as he hastened back to where his clothes hung suspended from nails driven into the pole of sleeping tent Number Three.
There was some hurried work done about that time, as every lad wanted to get himself in readiness as quickly as possible. Many hands quivered with excitement, and buttons were much more difficult to fasten than ordinarily.
One by one the boys assembled by the resurrected fire, some still hurriedly fastening their garments. It was an excited group that collected around Mr. Holwell, Mr. Bartlett, the physical director and Dick, as camp leaders.
“Hadn’t we better take something along with us, to defend ourselves in case he turns out to be ugly?” asked Dick.