He swung a hand around at the mess on the ground.
"So, while Teddy was down at the corral, Dode and I sat down to develop some snapshots. We never looked out at all! After we had a lot of pictures ready to show on your return, we heard a noise outside and thought Teddy had come back."
"And there is when we got it!" Dode cut in.
"Yes, there, is where we got it in the neck," Oliver went on, while Teddy grinned. "The gun I looked into seemed about as large as the tunnel under the Hudson, and I became the good little boy without further argument."
"I thought the gun I saw was a room in a cavern!" grinned Dode.
"So they performed with their ropes and gags, and we lay there like two little kittens while they tore up our work and smashed things generally. And the way they wrecked the trunks and boxes was a caution."
"What did they talk to each other about while they were searching?" asked Ned.
"Nothing much. They seemed to be too busy looking for papers. From what I could make out; I reckon they thought you had some official document with you."
"I have," laughed Ned, "but they did not find it."
"After they had made all the trouble they could," Oliver went on, "they spoke of burning the tent, and I guess they would haved one it, too, if other things hadn't attracted their attention just at that time!" he added, with a wink at Ned.