Fatty Nolan had to stop and take a breath after all this talk. He had a habit of running his words and sentences together in his conversation, but the boys understood. “The deer hasn’t been caught yet, as far as we know,” Teddy said. “We came to see if you know that man with the lasso.” “Never saw him before,” Fatty answered. “But let’s go look for him. Maybe he caught the deer last night.” “No, he didn’t,” said Joe. “If he had, Mrs. Traddle’s garden wouldn’t have been spoiled.” “Did the deer do that?” exclaimed Fatty. “Oh, gosh!” he said, when told this had happened. “Now we’ve got to get that deer. It might spoil dad’s garden. Come on--this way. I can take you right where I last saw that lasso man. Come on! Hurry!” Fatty Nolan, in spite of his unusual size, could walk almost as fast as he could talk. He kept ahead of Teddy and his chums as they made their way to the meadow where they had first seen the man with the lasso. Teddy, Dick and Joe hardly expected to see the strange man again but luck was with them. They had just reached the place where they had noticed him the day before when, suddenly, Fatty Nolan shouted: “There he is! There he is! The lasso man!” CHAPTER IX TEDDY IS LASSOED Hurrying at his usual fast pace, as if to keep up with his fast thoughts and talk, the fat lad ran after a man of whom Teddy and his chums had only obtained a glimpse. “Are you sure it was the same man, Fatty?” asked Joe. “Oh, sure. Didn’t you see he had a rope?” “Yes,” spoke Teddy, “but anybody could have a rope.” “Maybe he’s after a stray cow,” suggested Dick. “No, I’m sure he’s after the mysterious deer,” declared Fatty Nolan. “Nobody around here goes after cows with a rope. Cows are easy to drive. I drive ours. This is the lasso man. Come on, before he gets away. He’ll take us to the deer!” Teddy and his chums were not so sure of this. But they followed the stout lad, smiling at his rapid manner of speaking. On the whole, they rather liked him. The man with the lasso had appeared so suddenly, seemingly from no particular place, that the boys had scarcely a good chance to see him. They obtained one look and then the man hurried down into one of the many grassy hollows, that dotted the fields and meadows around there. The boys were not in Mason’s meadow now, but in one belonging to another of the many farmers who lived in and around Oakdale. Trotting after Fatty Nolan, who was still in the lead, Teddy and his chums finally caught up to him. “Do you know who this man is?” asked Teddy. “Sure,” the fat boy replied. “He’s the man with the lasso.” “But do you know his name?” Teddy wanted to know. Fatty Nolan shook his head and answered: “No. I never saw him before yesterday. But I never forget anybody I once see--even from the back. Besides, this must be the same man--he had the same rope--I wonder where he went--come on--let’s hurry!” “If we hurry any faster,” objected Joe, “we’re going to be all tired out before we get anywhere.”