“It was all a mistake. I thought I saw the horns of my missing deer and I let go with my lasso. Then I was ashamed of what I had done, the silly mistake I’d made, and I thought maybe you boys would blame me and make trouble. So I just got out of the way. I secured another lasso and I’ve been hunting this deer ever since.” “If he isn’t your deer, whose is he?” demanded Teddy in a puzzled voice. “He belongs in Oak Forest,” was the answer. “That’s where I’m going to take him now.” “Won’t he get away again?” asked Joe. “No,” the cowboy said. “He will be put in a big, new paddock in the state park. There’ll be a lot of other deer there. It will soon be open to the public. This is one of the valuable deer to be used in stocking the paddock. It was my fault he got away and I had to catch him or lose my job.” “How did it happen?” asked Teddy. “It was this way,” explained the cowboy, who said his name was Jed Blackton. “A lot of deer for the state forest were rounded up near the Western ranch where I work. I was hired to go with the big trucks used to bring the deer here. “Just outside Oakdale we stopped to water and feed the deer. This one got away. It was partly my fault for I had become fond of this critter and I was sort of petting him and not watching the gate on the truck. “So this deer slipped out and ran away. The boss of the outfit was angry at me and told me I’d have to find the deer and take him to the state park or I would be out of a job. So I’ve been hunting the deer ever since.” “Did you know we were here hunting him?” asked Dick. “I didn’t know a thing about you boys,” said the cowboy. “I just happened to run across your trail several times. Mostly I kept to my own trail, now and then getting a line on where the deer was. I heard last night he had been seen in this direction so I came over. Sure enough, here’s the deer. It’s just chance that brought us together,” he added, nodding at the boys. “Well,” remarked Teddy, “we’re glad you have your deer back again.” “Oh, it isn’t my deer. It belongs to the state park forest,” said the cowboy. “But I’m glad I won’t lose my job. Now I guess I’ll get along and deliver the deer.” “There isn’t any reward for the deer, is there?” asked Joe. “Not that I know of. But if you boys have had to spend any money in your trailing of the deer, I reckon I can pay you. I won’t be out of a job as I was afraid I would.” “Oh, we don’t want any pay,” said Teddy. “It was fun,” said Joe. “One of the best mysteries we ever solved,” added Dick. “Mystery?” spoke the cowboy wonderingly. “Yes. We called it the mystery deer,” said Teddy. “And it was, for a while. But it isn’t any more. Mrs. Traddle is going to be mad, though,” he added.