Small, unconnected thoughts kept buzzing through his brain. He walked around the fire, then seated himself near it, his knees drawn up, his chin resting on his hands. His dream came back to him, and he recalled that he had awakened with his own name ringing in his ears. “Sure sounded as though some one was calling me,” he muttered, kicking a piece of wood further in to the heart of the flames. “Wonder what time it is? Must be after midnight. Snakes, there’s not a star out!” He raised his head and stared vacantly up into the blackness. For a long moment he stayed in this position, then closed his eyes. He came to himself with a start. “Well!” and he grinned. “Almost went to sleep sitting up. Guess I’ll seek my downy bed once more.” He arose, and stretched. He stood there, his arms outstretched, staring at a dark form looming up on the opposite side of the fire--a strange, staggering form. Teddy’s right hand leaped down to his belt and closed over the butt of his gun. But he did not draw, for at that moment the form of a man pitched headlong at his feet and lay still! CHAPTER XXIII Boss and Bandit Teddy, hand resting on the gun, eyes wide, stared at the prostrate intruder. Something about the man seemed familiar. As he lay there, his arms thrown wide, head turned to one side, he appeared to have been dropped from a great height and pressed into the earth from the force of descent. The fingers weakly opened and closed, but aside from that the figure was motionless, silent. Teddy dropped on one knee, and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder. A shudder ran through the body. “Here!” Teddy said sharply. “What’s the matter? Can you speak?” “Tired,” the man mumbled. “Hungry. Let me be.” Roy, who was lying near by, awoke and sat up, blinking. When he saw his brother bending over the man he thought at first that Teddy was trying to rouse one of the sleepers. “Shake him, Teddy,” he advised in a drowsy voice. “What’s the matter--did he steal your blanket?” “Roy, come here,” Teddy said quickly. “I think this is some one you know.” “Some one I--” Then the meaning of Teddy’s sentence penetrated his brother’s half-awakened mind, and he struggled to his feet. By this time the others were stirring, asking questions in sleepy tones and rolling about to see the cause of the disturbance. Roy hastened to his brother’s side. Together, the two boys turned the man over, so that he faced the fire. As the glare of the newly fed flames glinted in his face, he made a feeble gesture of protest and covered his eyes with his hand. Then letting the arm drop like a dead thing, he sighed painfully. Teddy, seeing the face, started back. “The Pup!” he exclaimed, and turned at a touch on his shoulder. His father was peering down at their visitor. “It’s Marino, all right,” Mr. Manley agreed grimly, staring at the dust-streaked face. “Is he hurt? What’s the matter?” Teddy shook the man gently. “Are you hurt, Joe?” the boy asked loudly. “Can’t you talk?”