deer paddock in Oakdale whence the deer might have escaped. The appearance of the deer was a complete mystery.

“But it comes at just the right time,” Teddy remarked. “We haven’t any school. We can spend the whole summer solving the deer mystery.”

“Unless your folks go away,” said Joe.

“I don’t believe we’re going away this year,” Teddy said. “My father has to make a business trip and my mother doesn’t feel like going to the country or seashore. So we may stay home. Or maybe we might go away in August.”

“That’s what our folks are planning to do,” said Joe.

26 “And my mother says she can’t afford to go away,” spoke Dick. “So we’re going to stay home.” Dick’s mother was a widow.

26

“Well, this is just fine and dandy then,” declared Teddy. “We are all going to be around Oakdale most of the summer. So we can have plenty of time to solve the mystery.”

“If there is one,” commented Joe.

“Don’t you call meeting a leaping deer, with horns, in a wood where no deer has been seen since Indian days—don’t you call that a mystery?” asked Dick.

“Yes, I guess I do,” admitted Joe.

“It sure is,” agreed Teddy. “And as soon as I get my plane we’ll have a start at solving the mystery.”

He left his chums to walk a short distance down the first slope of the gully to where the toy model lay at the foot of a great rock.

“Good thing it didn’t smash into the rock,” commented Joe.

27 “Sure is,” assented Dick.

27

The two watched Teddy reach his toy and stoop to pick it up. The tall lad examined his model carefully and Joe called:

“Is it damaged any?”

“One propeller blade is chipped a bit,” Teddy answered. “Otherwise it’s all right. I’m lucky.”

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