“That’s what I say,” agreed Dick. “Let’s take it easy.” “You can go pretty fast for a fat boy,” complimented Joe as he ruffled his red hair. It was beginning to get damp and curly now, for Joe was perspiring. “Yes, I always was pretty fast,” admitted Fatty Nolan. “First I tried to get thin by running and hurrying. But it didn’t do any good. I kept on getting fatter. So I hurry anyhow.” “Well, there’s no special need for it,” decided Teddy. “We aren’t going any particular place. We just want to catch up to this man and find out if he is after the deer.” “He’s after something or he wouldn’t have that rope,” was Joe’s opinion. “And he hasn’t caught whatever he was after yesterday, or he wouldn’t be out with his lasso again today,” decided Dick. “I wonder who he is?” Teddy said. “I think maybe he works on one of the farms around here,” answered Fatty. “There are many hired men on the farms now. This is summer, and there’s lots of work for hired men. My father is going to get one. I help him but that isn’t enough, he says. What are you going to do?” he asked as Dick Kelly threw himself on the grass behind some bushes. “Take a little rest in this shade,” Dick answered. Dick, too, was stout; not as fat as the Nolan boy, but stouter than either Teddy or Joe. “I guess we can all take a rest,” agreed Teddy. “I wish I had a drink of water,” he went on as he wiped his sweaty forehead with his handkerchief. “There’s a spring not far from here,” said Fatty. “It’s over that way--near those trees. I sometimes let our cows stop there and get drinks.” “I wouldn’t want to drink from a spring if cows drank from it,” Teddy objected. “There are two springs,” said the fat boy. “The big one is where the cows drink. I wouldn’t want to drink there, either. But there’s a smaller spring, above the one where I let the cows drink. That small spring is nice and clean.” “We’ll go there after we rest,” decided Teddy. Joe was fumbling in his pocket and soon brought out a little paper bag. He opened it, held it out to Teddy and said: “Have some!” “What are they?” asked Teddy. “Gum drops. I bought them in Mrs. Traddle’s store while you and Dick were out looking at the deer’s hoof marks in the garden.” “Thanks!” murmured Teddy as he began chewing some of the gum drops. “They’ll make me more thirsty. Candy always does. But it won’t matter as long as we’re near a spring.” “Have some, Fatty!” Joe invited. “Well--er--yes--thanks--I will. Maybe I oughtn’t to eat any. Candy makes you fatter they say, but I guess a couple of gum drops won’t, will they?” “Try ’em and see!” suggested Joe. They finished the bag of gum drops, Fatty eating his share, and then Teddy, taking a string from his pocket, began passing it around the Nolan boy’s waist. “What are you trying to do, lasso me?” laughed the stout lad.