Free The Wailing Siren Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon Page B

wolf?” he asked in disbelief. “If he picks up our scent, he’ll come right into this camp. What say, fellows? Let’s get out of here!”
    Frank and Joe were fairly sure that even if Saber had picked up their trail, he would get no farther than the place they had put the canoe into the water.
    â€œBut to make sure he doesn’t bother us again, we’ll have to catch the critter,” Joe said determinedly. “With a stockade. We’ll build one after chow. How about it, Tony? Do we have trout tonight?”
    â€œSix nice fat rainbows,” Tony told him. “Biff and I caught’em.”
    â€œWith my worms,” Chet added.
    The boys laughed and joked through the meaL When it was over, Frank said:
    â€œNow to work on the stockade. We’ll need saplings—plenty of ’em.”
    A number of small trees grew along the stream and the boys made short work of felling them. Soon a pile of saplings, stripped of their branches, lay on the spot which the Hardys had selected for the trap.
    While the others were digging a small trench, Joe and Frank went into the woods for vines with which to tie the saplings together. It did not take the boys long to erect a crude stockade. Frank arranged a small opening on one side with a gate which would drop in place once an animal had entered the trap.
    â€œNow all we need is bait,” Joe said.
    â€œI’ve some meat that we won’t need,” Tony said. “We can use that.” He produced a sizable chunk left over from the piece which the boys had taken along for stew.
    â€œThat’s perfect,” Frank said.
    He fastened the meat to a long string, which, when pulled, would cause the gate to fall shut. They tried it several times to be sure the trap would work.
    â€œSaber ought to tackle this meat before he does us,” Joe said. “I hope this trap’s strong enough to hold him. I don’t want to be his dessert.”
    The site of the trap was some distance from the camp, but the boys could see it from where they sat around the fire exchanging observations on the day’s events. When darkness began to fall, Joe got up and stretched sleepily.
    â€œI’m going to tumble in, fellows,” he said. “I’ll take a morning watch.”
    â€œMe, too.” Biff yawned.
    As Joe rose from the ground, he cried hoarsely, “Fellows, the stockade!”
    All heads swung to the direction of the trap where two glowing eyes moved slowly toward the gateway.

CHAPTER XIII
    Another Theft
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    THE boys heard the stockade gate drop. This was followed by a howling so wild and terrifying that the forest itself seemed to shudder.
    Biff and Tony started running toward the stockade.
    â€œEasy,” Frank warned. “Let the beast tire himself out before we take a look.”
    Excitedly the boys stood by while the trapped animal thrashed about. It jumped at the walls of the stockade, making the saplings quiver under each assault. Finally the wolf’s rage subsided into snarling submission.
    â€œAll right, now,” Frank said. “Well see what we caught.”
    Beaming their flashlights ahead of them, the boys warily approached the stockade. When they reached the side of it, Joe dropped down on hands and knees.
    â€œStand on my back,” he said to Frank, “and take a gander over the top.”
    Carefully Frank trained his flashlight and peered down from the top of the sapling wall. A large wolf, a heavy collar around its neck, crouched in one corner of the stockade. Its tongue hung out and foam flecked the cruel mouth.
    â€œSaber!” Frank said. “Just as we thought.”
    The boys took turns looking down at the trembling animal.
    â€œTh-that’s the thing which chased you and Joe?” Chet said to Frank. “Boy, am I glad I stayed in camp!”
    â€œWhat are we going to do with it?” Biff asked.
    He received no immediate answer because Frank and