THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED
Butler's first act was to dismount, tossing the bridle rein to Stacy. Tad then hurried to the spot where he had left the deer hanging.
"I guess the bear has been here all right," chuckled the fat boy. "Did you really kill a deer, Tad?"
"Can't you take my word for it?" demanded Tad somewhat testily.
"Oh, yes, of course. Don't get touchy about it."
"I think I have reason to be touchy. I not only lose my deer, but my companion doubts that I ever had one."
"I was only joking, Tad."
"All right."
"What do you think?" Stacy resumed.
"I don't think. I am trying to see." Tad stood still before destroying the clues by tramping about on the scene. The poles on which the deer had been hung had been flung to one side. He could see where the deer had fallen to the ground when the poles had been removed, and his first impression was that a bear had chanced that way and torn down the dead animal. But Tad knew that a bear would not have dragged the prey away, that the bear, if hungry, would have made a meal of it, then crawled away somewhere to sleep or rest. The deer had disappeared. That meant that some person had carried it away.