“Whoa! Stop!” cried the Dutch boy to the old white horse, that was now attached to a light but rickety wagon. “It iss no further you vill haf to go py this direction. Pack up undt around turn.” Before getting out he headed the horse away from the camp. This accomplished, he gave the animal some unnecessary advice about standing still and not running away, after which he turned cheerfully to greet the campers. “It peen again a goot morning,” he beamed. “You vas glad to see me, I oxpect.” “We sure are,” returned Grant, “though you near gave us heart failure by your early arrival. How did you ever succeed in waking up at such an unearthly hour?” “Oh, sometimes I up vake when you didt not oxpect me,” replied Carl, getting the can of milk and at the same time carefully removing from the wagon a sizeable tin pail with a cover, the latter being held securely in place with a leather strap that passed the longest way round the pail. Watching him, the boys noted that he handled that pail carefully, placing it gently on the ground some distance from the wagon, after which he delivered the milk. “What yeou got in there?” asked Crane, pointing at the pail. “Oh, nefer you mindt about dot,” was the mysterious answer. “Vot I haf in der pail got is somethings my own amusements for. Yah.” He could not have chosen a better way to stimulate the curiosity of the boys. “Show us what it is, won’t you?” urged Springer. The Dutch boy shook his head. “I couldt not so do. It vould not be safety.” “Oh, come on,” entreated Sile. “Jest give us a peek.” “Maype vot I haf got vould out come.” “It must be something mighty dangerous, considering the way you’ve got it sus-strapped up,” said Springer. Piper rose to his feet. “I scent a mystery,” he declared in a low, sibilant tone, his eyes fixed on the pail as if they would bore it through. Crane stepped forward, whereupon, with evident great excitement, Duckelstein hastened to intercept him. “Don’t let it touch you!” cried Carl. “Maype it vill bite you.” “Get aout!” retorted Sile. “There can’t be nothing in that pail big enough to hurt if it did bite.” “I varn you to avay keep.” “Then yeou’ve got to tell us what it is. If yeou don’t tell, I’ll open the thing anyhaow.” “Maype you vould not peliefe uf I should toldt you.” “Oh, go on. Course we will.” Eagerly the boys gathered near while Carl seemed hesitating, and all urged him to tell what the pail contained. After shaking his head again and again, he repeated: “Maype you vould not peliefe.” They assured him of their absolute faith in his veracity. “Tell us quick, or open she comes,” threatened Sile. “Vale, listen,” said the Dutch boy, with a sigh of resignation. “Didt you efer catch a young gougers?” “Cougars!” exclaimed Rodney, regarding Carl suspiciously. “Do you mean to say you have young cougars in that pail?” “Some young gougers hass me in dot pail,” solemnly asserted the fat boy. “It vas not easiness to catch does gougers.”