And as Teddy and his chums went out, they heard the store keeper telling her new customers something about the deer the Benson children had for a pet. “No use bothering to explain,” Teddy said. “It’s too hot to have to talk loud enough for Mrs. Traddle to hear.” Margie and Lucy had decided to go on a little picnic next day. Teddy asked Joe and Dick what they planned to do. “Why not have another try for that deer?” asked Teddy as his chums had no particular place to go. “Sure,” agreed Joe and Dick. “If we’re going to solve the mystery,” Teddy went on, “we might as well start. Come over to my house right after breakfast.” “We’ll do that,” Joe promised and Dick agreed, adding: “We can have a talk with Fatty Nolan and see if he found out anything about the man with the rope.” “That’s a good idea,” Teddy assented. The boys and girls soon separated to go to their several homes, all being in the vicinity of Teddy Benson’s house. After spending an hour or two that evening making some repairs to his toy plane, Teddy went to bed. He thought with pleasure of what might happen next day, when he and his chums would start on the trail of the mysterious deer. Once during the night Teddy was awakened by hearing a noise at the back door. He sat up in bed, thinking for a moment it might be the deer, coming to knock as, once, a mysterious pony rang the door bell. But then Teddy heard a clatter of milk bottles and knew what had caused the noise. Teddy was at breakfast next morning when he saw Mrs. Traddle coming around the side of the house. She saw Mr. Benson, who was cutting the grass before he went to the office. “Good morning, Mrs. Traddle!” greeted Teddy’s father. “What brings you out so early?” “It’s your children’s pet deer!” said Mrs. Traddle in a loud voice. “A pet deer!” exclaimed Mr. Benson. “My children have no pet deer. There must be some mistake.” “No. Excuse me, but there is no mistake,” said Mrs. Traddle. “They told me about their pet deer yesterday. Last night the deer got in my garden and ate it all up. I’ll have to be paid damages, Mr. Benson. You should see the ruin that deer made in my garden!” CHAPTER VIII THE LASSO MAN Teddy’s father was puzzled. He leaned on the handle of the lawn mower. He looked at Mrs. Traddle. Then he looked toward the house where Teddy and Lucy were at breakfast. “I am very sorry, Mrs. Traddle,” began Mr. Benson. But the old lady store keeper, who had, seemingly, been hearing quite well a moment before, suddenly became deaf. “I didn’t come to borrow anything,” she said rather crossly. “Not even your lawn mower.” “I didn’t say you had come to borrow anything,” went on Mr. Benson. “I said I was _sorry_ about your garden. I am sure it wasn’t any deer of Teddy’s that got into your garden.”