As if sure the dog was no longer a danger, the cowboy took the lasso from the neck of the dog, who had been choked a little. And a moment later the cowboy had secured the deer with the same rope. He did it gently, however. Then, having made the end of his deer lasso fast to the fence, the cowboy walked toward the boys and smiled.
“Well,” he said, “I guess the chase is over.”
“Is that your deer?” asked Teddy.
“No, but I’m responsible for it and I’m glad I have it back. I want to thank you boys for what you did, trying to help capture this deer and I want to tell you I’m sorry I lassoed one of you. Which one was it?”
“You lassoed me,” Teddy said with a laugh. “But it’s all right. You didn’t hurt me any.”
“But why did you do it?” asked Joe.
“It was all a mistake. I thought I saw the horns of my missing deer and I let go with my lasso. Then I was ashamed of what I had done, the silly mistake I’d made, and I thought maybe you boys would blame me and make trouble. So I just got out of the way. I secured another lasso and I’ve been hunting this deer ever since.”
“If he isn’t your deer, whose is he?” demanded Teddy in a puzzled voice.
“He belongs in Oak Forest,” was the answer. “That’s where I’m going to take him now.”
“Won’t he get away again?” asked Joe.