Russ Bunker quickly drew back away from the end of the log after he had stooped down and had seen "something with shoes," as he said.
"Maybe it's a bear!" said Vi.
"Pooh! How could a bear wear shoes?" asked Laddie.
"Well, I don't care!" exclaimed Vi. "I saw a bear in a circus once, and he wore roller skates. And if a bear can wear roller skates I guess a bear can wear shoes."
"There aren't any bears around here," said the farm boy. "Let me take a look."
He stooped down as Russ had done, and looked within the log for some little time, the dog, meanwhile, leaping around and barking.
"Do you see anything?" asked Russ.
"Yes, I do," answered the farm boy. "I see something with shoes on, and I see two legs and I see——"
Just then there was a movement inside the log, the dog barked louder than ever, and then, from the other end of the fallen, hollow tree came—the missing boy Tad!
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" exclaimed Russ, Rose, and Laddie in turn. As for Vi, she had just opened her mouth to ask a question and she was so surprised that she forgot what it was, and she had no time to cry "Oh!" as did the others.