"No, but I think we had a narrow escape," answered Mark.
They listened and heard Sag Ruff and Soapy Gannon talking at a distance. Soon they heard a splash, as the two men plunged into the river, and then all became silent.
"They have run for it," said Bob. "And I must say I am glad of it." He was pale from excitement.
"It was all my fault," said Si, as soon as the crowd had calmed down a little. "I went to sleep when I had no business to," and then he told his story.
"We can be thankful we got the outfit back so quickly," said Maybe Dixon. "Had they gotten away for thirty or forty miles maybe we'd never have seen this mule an' wagon ag'in."
"After this we must be on our guard," said Mark.
"I know something to do," put in Bob. "Tie a small string to the wagon and run it to where we are sleeping. In the dark a thief won't see the string, and if he tries to pull away the wagon the string will pull somebody and wake him up." This, later on, was done, and worked very well.
As soon as the excitement was over, the whole party pushed along near to the spot where Bob and Mark had left their game. Then the deer and the prairie hens were placed in the wagon and they went back to the camp at the ford.
"I am hungry enough to eat anything!" declared Bob. "A bit of venison will taste prime."
The deer was skinned and cut up, and soon they had some fine steaks broiling over a blaze Si started. They took their time over the meal, and while eating discussed the situation from every possible point of view.