"Never mind. Don't be frightened," answered the guide. "That isn't the fellow who bothered your camp. That one lies dead some five miles to the north of here with several of your bullets in his body," added Cale with a twinkle in his eyes.
"How did you know about that?" demanded Tad, wheeling on him sharply.
"Never mind how I knew. I usually use my eyes when I am in the woods. And I want to say, right here, that you two boys have fulfilled all my expectations. You went astray as many a better man will go, as I have gone myself, but you have shown more pure woodcraft than ninety-nine men out of any hundred would have shown. I am proud of you. I take off my hat to you."
"Yes," answered Stacy pompously. "I always was an expert at finding my way about in the woods."
That evening the party sat long about the campfire, listening to the story of the experiences of the two lost boys. The story of the charge of the moose and the wrecking of the camp caused Ned Rector and Walter Perkins to open their eyes very wide.
"Young man," remarked Cale Vaughn, addressing Chunky, "you will do well if you don't let your tongue get away from you and rush on to tell everyone about Tad shooting at the moose that wrecked your camp. If you do, you'll by and by get the story around to where you, instead of Tad, shot the animal, and how the animal dropped dead on the spot."
"It would make a fine and dandy story," remarked Chunky, as he chewed reflectively at a blade of grass.
"It would," admitted Cale, "and all stories of that kind travel to the ears of Squire Halliday very quickly. Don't forget that the squire is still doing business in his little old office six days a week. More than that, just keep well in mind the fact that the squire would probably send you to jail next time. Brown, I've been in quite a bit of the world outside of Maine; I was a scout in the world war and did my bit for my country, and I've always kept my eyes open. A fellow had to over there. So I've noticed that nearly all the trouble a fellow gets into is trouble that his tongue gets him into."
The boys nodded their heads in agreement.
"Don't talk too much," continued the guide, "not at any time, and when you do talk always tell the truth. You've seen a great deal of trouble, haven't you?"