"But you didn't find the tripod! What will Jake say?" asked Polly, anxiously.
"We'll let you know next Sunday," laughed both the boys.
That night when Jake smuggled his two horses back to the corral with the crew's mounts, he turned to the boys and said:
"Whar did you-all leave it?"
"Leave what?" asked Jim, wonderingly.
"Why, mah tripod, yuh coyote!" grinned Jake, winking at Kenneth.
"Oh, yes! Well, Jake, I had to leave it at Pebbly Pit because it was so heavy, but I'll go back for it next Sunday!"
"Nah, yuh won't, eider—some one else brought in th' tripod and ha'r it 'tis!" With that Jake displayed the article wanted.
"Who found it? No one could take a horse," exclaimed Jim, perplexed.
Then Jake leaned over and whispered in his ear: "The Boss hisself! He rode to Yaller Jacket to spend Sunda' with his wife, yuh know, an' what shoul' he do but come acrost the tripod whar Ah left it fer you boys to pick up! Mebbe Ah didn't get hail on Pagoda!"