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"What do you know about blowing up a boathouse?" asked Carl. "I don't know much about doing the job. But I saw one blown up not long ago, and " "And what?" came eagerly from Ham and Carl. "And I know you two boys did the job," finished Kiddy Leech, significantly. For the next moment Ham Spink and Carl Dudder stared at the tramp in amazement not unmixed with terror.
Some other boys were coming up, and the snowballs began to fly more furiously than ever. Snap, Shep, Whopper and Giant were on one side, and a boy named Carl Dudder and five other town lads on the other side. In the midst of the rallies came a yell of alarm, followed by several loud cries of rage. "Hullo! look there!" exclaimed Whopper. "Old Felps has been knocked into the middle of next month.
It's too late to do anything more to-night." "Then you are going to take the boat and the canoe away?" asked Carl Dudder. "For the present, yes. Meet us at this place to-morrow morning at ten o'clock and we'll talk business to you." "All right -we'll do it," answered Ham, after whispering to his cronies. "But don't fail to come," he added.
I didn't have nuthin' to do, and I like the water." "Have you seen anybody around this building?" "Yes, two fellows were here, but they went away when they saw me." "Who were they?" asked the doctor's son. "One of 'em was Ham Spink, and the other was that chap who is always with him." "Carl Dudder?" "I guess that's his name -the chap who was going to give the fireworks celebration."
"It's him as is wantin' to kill old Mammy Shrader." "Why, what do you mean, sir?" demanded Mr. Dudder, in amazement. "Sure an' wasn't it Carl as knocked the old lady down to-day and laid her on a sick bed, wid a doctor, an' me wife to nurse her till she gits betther? Sure it's a bastly shame, so it is, an' Carl will go to the lock-up onless ye pay all the bills." "I do not understand you."
"Go and find out!" Carl Dudder had scarcely spoken when he found himself flat on his back, with Snap on top of him. In the meantime the other boys caught hold of Dick Bush. "We must get at the bottom of this," said Snap. "Something is wrong here, that is certain." "It wasn't my plan," whined Dick Bush, who seemed to be more cowardly than his companion. "I -I didn't do hardly anything."
"We are gentlemen's sons," added Ham, drawing himself up proudly. "Say, do gentlemen's sons blow up boathouses?" asked Kiddy Leech, in a low but distinct tone. At this question consternation seemed to seize both Ham Spink and Carl Dudder, and their faces grew pale as they stared at the tramp. "Wha what's that?" stammered Ham, faintly. "I asked you if gentlemen's sons blew up boathouses."
They turned, to find themselves confronted by Dick Bush, the dude, and another of the rival campers, named Carl Dudder. "What do you want?" asked Snap, shortly. "You've been over to our camp, haven't you?" blustered Dick Bush. "What makes you think that?" asked Whopper. "Because you turned everything upside down and ran off with some of our things." "We haven't been near your camp," put in Giant.
"You have done prime, boys, prime, an' I'm proud of ye!" A portion of the provisions was left at the camp and then Ham Spink and his crony crossed the lake, while Jed Sanborn remained with Snap and the others. "Had to buy a deer from ye, did they?" chuckled Jed Sanborn, when Spink and Dudder were out of hearing. "They won't never make no hunters, not if they try a hundred years.
"Here is one of 'em now," shouted Carl Dudder, as he caught Shep by the arm. The next moment he received a blow in the chest that sent him reeling backward. "Who is it?" asked several. "Shep Reed. Stop him -he is running away!" Carl was right, the doctor's son was doing his best to escape.
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