"Knew him--o' course I knew him, lad! An' so you air his son, hey? Wall! wall! shake!" And Slim Jim, as he preferred to be called, thrust forth a hand that was as hard as a piece of horn. But he had a soft heart, and Dick soon learned that he was as much to be trusted as was Jack Wumble. "I'll do my best to set ye right, lad," said the old hunter, after he had listened to the details of Dick's story. "I think I know about the spot whar ye took the tumble." Before leaving the vicinity Slim Jim set to work and cut the pelt off the bear and hung it up. He also cut away some of the choicest of the meat. "It's a pity to leave any o' it behind," he observed. "Some poor folks a-starvin' to deth in the city, an' thar's a meal fer a hundred!" It was well along in the afternoon when they started, Dick riding behind the old hunter. He felt that he could tell Slim Jim about their mission, and he mentioned how the Baxters were watching them and trying to outwit them. "I remember thet Baxter, too," said the old hunter. "Wumble kin tell ye how we come nigh to makin' him do a dance on nuthin' onct. I'll take your part agin him every time, hear me!" And his openness showed that he meant what he said. CHAPTER XXVI THE BAXTERS TRY TO MAKE TERMS For the moment after Tom found himself in the presence of the Baxters he could not speak. Then he turned fiercely upon Bill Noxton. "You have fooled me!" he cried hotly. "That's right," laughed Noxton sarcastically. "And let me add, ye was fooled putty easy." "It's Tom Rover!" ejaculated Dan Baxter, as he leaped to his feet, followed by his parent. "Where did you find him, Noxton; over to that fire?" "Yes." "Were the others of the party with him?" put in Arnold Baxter quickly. "No, he was alone. He got lost from the rest last night, when they gave us the slip in the dark." "Then you have seen nothing of the others?" said Arnold Baxter, and it was plain to see that he was keenly disappointed. "No, but I reckon they can't be far off," replied Noxton. Seeing that Tom contemplated running away, he made the youth dismount. "Better make a prisoner of him," he suggested. "By all means!" cried Dan Baxter, and brought forth a stout lariat. With this Toni's hands were bound behind him, and his feet were also secured. "That's number one, Roebuck," laughed Arnold Baxter, turning to the man who had thus far remained silent. "Tom Rover?" asked the man laconically. "Yes." "A bright-looking chap." "Oh, he's bright enough," growled Baxter senior. "But it won't help him any," put in Dan, bound to say something. "Is he the oldest of the three?" "No, Dick is the oldest. Tom comes next." "Then it is Dick you ought to have collared," said Roebuck, turning to Noxton. "I collared the one I happened to see." "Well, Tom Rover, how do you like your situation?" asked Dan, with a sickly smile, as the men turned away to discuss the situation among themselves.