A moment later something happened. Budge seemed to shoot through the air, as if blown up in an explosion. He shot over the top of a small tree, and coming down on the other side, hung suspended by one foot.
“Help me down! Help me down!” he cried.
“What’s the matter?” called Jack, spurring his horse forward.
“I’m caught!” answered Budge.
“It certainly does look so,” spoke Nat, and he could not refrain from laughing at the odd spectacle Budge presented as he hung by one leg in a rope that was fast to the top of a tree, which bent like a bow with his weight.
“Take me down!” wailed the unfortunate one.
“How did it happen?” asked Sam.
“Long Gun made a spring trap,” gasped Budge, “and—and——”
“And you wanted to try it,” finished Jack, as he went to his chum’s aid.