on the back of the deer I saw. So you needn’t52 worry about that. But how did you come to see this deer, anyhow? And where is he from?” asked Mr. Mason.

52

The boys told of first seeing the deer when they went in the woods to look for Teddy’s plane. As to where the deer had come from, they could give no information.

“Most likely from a circus,” decided Mr. Mason as he listened to the boys’ story.

“But there hasn’t been any circus around here,” Teddy objected.

“That’s so,” agreed the farmer. “Well, anyhow, there’s a deer around here and I’ll have to notify the game warden to get rid of him. There may be more than one of the animals. I can’t afford to have my crops ruined.”

“We thought you said something about getting your gun,” said Teddy.

“Oh,” laughed Mr. Mason, “that was just to scare the pesky deer. I wouldn’t have shot him. In the first place, it’s against the53 law to shoot deer now. Out of season, you know.”

53

“Yes,” murmured Teddy.

“And in the second place,” went on the farmer, “I wouldn’t shoot a deer, anyhow. All I wanted was to scare him off my place, and I think I did; either with the stones which didn’t hit him, or by my talk of the gun. Of course, it was only talk,” he resumed with a laugh. “But sometimes strong talk does a lot of good.”

“Do you want us to let you know if we see that deer again?” asked Joe.

“If it’s on my land, yes. But I don’t believe it will come back.”

“You haven’t any idea whose deer it might be, have you?” asked Dick.

“Not the least in the world, my boy. Either it got away from a circus or a traveling show, or else it must have made its way here from a long distance. There is no deer country around here.”

54 “So it’s a sort of mystery, isn’t it?” asked Teddy.

54

“You’re right there, my boy. It sure is a mystery.”

“Well, we’re going to solve it!” Teddy declared as he and his chums started toward their homes.

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