“No. I didn’t move or make a sound. I was still and quiet. I could see the deer as plain as anything. But I thought you fellows would never--” “Hark!” suddenly interrupted Teddy. They stopped and listened. Ahead of them they could hear the clatter and cracking of the branches of trees and bushes. “That’s the deer!” cried Joe. “He’s just ahead of us!” “We’ll get him now!” exclaimed Teddy. “Hurry!” advised Dick. In the excitement of the chase, neither of the boys gave thought to how they might capture the mystery deer even if they got within sight. They had nothing with which to make the animal fast. They broke into a run. It wasn’t quite so dark now. A half moon was beginning to lift in the dark sky and it gave a little light. The noise of the boys increased. Plainly some animal was making its way through the little patch of woods ahead of them. Then, suddenly, Teddy who was now in the lead, came to such an abrupt stop that Joe bumped into him. “What’s the matter?” Joe demanded. “Wrong number!” cried Teddy, starting to retreat. “Wrong number?” questioned his two chums. “Yes. Can’t you smell it?” A dank, strong and most oppressive odor was wafted to the three boys. “Skunk!” they cried together. “Skunk!” And Teddy added: “Come on! Beat it before we get any closer! We might have bumped right into him if we’d kept on!” It was all too evident they were in the neighborhood of a skunk. And they well knew the consequences of coming to close quarters with one of these animals. Harmless if left alone, a skunk can loose a barrage of what is practically a poison gas--not deadly but terribly offensive. “So that was your deer--just a skunk, Joe!” taunted Teddy as the three boys started back to their homes. “I tell you I saw the deer as plain as anything!” Joe declared. “I know a deer when I see one, even in the dark.” “And I know a skunk when I smell one--even in the dark!” laughed Teddy. “But maybe you were right, Joe. Probably you saw the deer but he got away. Maybe the deer scared the skunk or maybe he even might have stepped too close. Anyhow the skunk is on the trail ahead and that means we lay off.” “I guess you’re right,” Joe said. “But we had a swell chance!” “I don’t want to take any chances with a skunk,” Teddy said. CHAPTER XIX NIGHT CAMP Disappointed at the result of the chase, but thankful they had not come in any closer contact with the skunk, the boys returned to their homes. Teddy tried to climb up the rope to get back into his room, but he made so much noise his father came out to see what was going on. “I thought you were in bed,” remarked Mr. Benson. “Oh, I was out With Joe and Dick after that deer.” “Did you get him?” “No, he got away.” “Hum,” remarked Mr. Benson. “Seems to me you boys are going to a lot of trouble about a deer.” “We don’t like to be stumped,” Teddy said. “Hum. Well, I can understand that. But you’d better come in the front door instead of trying to climb that rope, Teddy.”