“Set it again, and let me try the trick, please, Obed,” pleaded Steve, who seemed to be particularly charmed with the arrangement.

“I will if yuh help me git the barrel back up the hill again,” replied the other.  “Workin’ all by myself I’ve had tuh take the rocks out each time before I could push the old thing back again tuh the top, ’cause she’s some heavy, believe me.”

Steve, yes, and both Bandy-legs and Toby also, hastened to comply with this reasonable request; and between them all the heavy barrel was slowly pushed up again until the stake held it poised there on the top of the sharp declivity.

Max stood and watched operations, not that he was unwilling to lend a hand also if necessary; but just then he wanted to observe Obed, and draw certain conclusions in which he, Max, seemed to take considerable interest.

Then Steve was given the wooden “dummy” which had worked so like a charm, and instructed how to manage it, so that it would take the place of a man’s lower extremities.  Steve did so well that he, too, by a little jerk displaced the delicately arranged “trigger” as Obed called the stake, and caused the barrel to pitch furiously down the steep slope.

Steve had not been quite quick enough to snatch his hands away, after working the trick.  The consequence was that when the billet of wood was plucked from his grasp with such swiftness, and drawn instantly aloft, Steve staggered, and might have fallen only that Obed clutched hold of him.

“Wow! did you see that?” gasped Steve, staring upwards at the dangling “dummy” as though he could easily imagine it a kicking, squirming human figure.  “And say, it worked as fine as silk, didn’t it?  Obed, you’ve done yourself proud with this little game.  If that thief ever gets a foot in your slip-noose his goose will be cooked, that’s as plain as dirt.”

He actually seemed to be very proud of the fact that he had acted as master of ceremonies, and set the trap off so successfully.  Nothing would do but that Bandy-legs and Toby Jucklin in addition should be given the same distinction; so twice more was the barrel rolled up the slope, and on both occasions it worked to a charm.

“It seems to be next door to perfect, for a fact,” asserted Max, upon being appealed to for his opinion; but he did not seem to “hanker” after trying it out on his own account.

Finally the weighted barrel was again pushed up to its appointed position and held there with the stake.  When the proper time came, it would be easy for the inventor to arrange the slip-noose, and set the trap.

“What, is there anything more to be shown?” asked Steve, when Obed asked them to follow him a little further.

A few minutes later and they were gravely examining an odd arrangement which consisted for the most part of a very heavy log.  Steve looked it over critically, and then ventured to give his opinion: