The High School Boys' Fishing Trip Part 8

"Then this notice isn't really needed up here," replied d.i.c.k, carefully pulling the tacks, after which he folded the paper and tucked it in one of his pockets. "We're mightily obliged to you, sir."

"Oh, you're welcome," grinned the farmer, as he gathered up the reins over his horse. "I've got to be getting along. I'm late in Gridley now."

"If that man is too talkative in Gridley, folks will hear how we got sold," yawned Tom, gazing after the farm wagon. "Then---my!

Won't folks be laughing at us?"

"It's a mean trick," cried Dave indignantly. "I wish I had that Dodge fellow here, right now! I believe that I'm master of enough English to convey to him an idea of just what I think of him!"

"I wouldn't waste any of my carefully acquired English on him,"

growled Tom Reade.

"What would you do---skin your other knuckles?" inquired Danny Grin innocently.

"We're wasting too much time punis.h.i.+ng a fellow who isn't here,"

d.i.c.k broke in. "Let's get forward. After another mile Dalzell and I will take the cart and get it over some of the ground.

Now, forward, march!"

It was noticed that Dave Darrin walked with clenched-fists. Tom took long strides that carried him in advance of the others.

d.i.c.k Prescott was mostly silent, yet in his eyes there was a steady light, and a grim look about his mouth, that bespoke the possibility of some inconvenience to Bert Dodge and his friend, should that pair fall into the hands of d.i.c.k & Co. within the next hour.

At noon d.i.c.k & Co. halted. Under the shade of a group of trees, close to a roadside spring, they built two small fires. Over one they made coffee; over the other, they fried bacon and eggs.

This, with bread, const.i.tuted the meal. A brief rest, then on they went once more.

It was toward five o'clock when d.i.c.k and Tom, who knew the road from having tramped over it before, announced that they were less than half a mile from the point where they would turn in to go to the second lake.

At this time Greg and Dan were managing the push cart. Tom and d.i.c.k strode on ahead, watching for the first sign of the path that should lead down to their intended camp site.

Suddenly, however, Prescott seized Reade by the arm, halting him.

"What's the matter?" asked Tom.

"s.h.!.+---" d.i.c.k piloted his friend in behind a line of bushes, then went cautiously ahead.

"Look over there!" whispered d.i.c.k.

Tom Reade gave a start when he found himself gazing at a red runabout that stood just off the road and apparently deserted.

"Humph! That's a Smattach, too," declared Tom. "It must be the Dodge car. Bert and Bayliss must be somewhere about."

d.i.c.k stood surveying the car with speculative eyes.

"I know what you're thinking about," Tom whispered. "Wait; I'll go back and halt the fellows and bring Dave forward with me."

In a few moments this had been done. Darry gazed at the red Smattach with gleaming eyes.

"This is surely our chance!" he muttered. "Now, what can we do?"

All three were silent for a few moments. Then Tom Reade smote his thigh with one hand.

"I have it," he muttered excitedly.

"Then don't be stingy with your secret," urged Dave. "Out with at least a part of it."

For some moments d.i.c.k, Dave and Tom remained engaged in a rapid interchange of whispers, all the time glancing about them.

CHAPTER IV

STALLING THE RED "SMATTACH"

"That's the very thing!" muttered Tom Reade at last.

"It can't get us into any sc.r.a.pe with the law, can it?" queried Dave Darrin, with almost unwonted caution.

"I don't see how it can," smiled d.i.c.k Prescott. "I'm no lawyer, but I can't see how our trick, the way we intend to play it, can be called a breach of the law."

"Let's not lose any time with the game," urged Reade. "Let's get in and do it before Dodge and Bayliss come back. I wonder where they are, anyway?"

"I don't care where they are," said Dave, "as long as they keep away from here until we're through with what we intend to do."

From its place in the runabout car Tom drew forth a wheel-jack.

This he and Dave fitted under an axle, raising the wheel half aft inch off the ground. d.i.c.k rapidly remove the tire from that front wheel.

By the time he had finished Tom ran with the jack around to the other front wheel, removing the tire from it also.

As the red runabout carried no extra tires the little car was now hopelessly stalled until relief was brought to the scene.

"Now, I'll slip back and bring the fellows on," d.i.c.k whispered.

"Tom, you take Dave down to the camp site. I'll be right along with the other fellows."

Tom and Dave started along the forest path, each carrying a tire slung over one shoulder.

d.i.c.k, darting back, brought up the other fellows. All took a gleeful look at the red Smattach as they pa.s.sed, then hurried on.

Down to a level bit of ground at the lakeside d.i.c.k led the last of his friends. Tom and Dave were already there, the two pneumatic tires standing against the trunk o a tree.

d.i.c.k's first move was to take a rope from the cart. This, after being pa.s.sed through the rubber tires, was tied between two trees, clothesline fas.h.i.+on.

"Now, let's rustle all the stuff off the cart," urged d.i.c.k. "Be quick about it. We want the tent up in good shape before darkness falls."

It is not much of a trick to raise a tent twelve feet by twenty, when there are six pairs of hands to do it. The two centre poles were adjusted to the ridge-pole, and all three were pushed in under the canvas.

"Up with her," called d.i.c.k.

As the tent was raised, Tom and Greg were left holding the centre poles in place. With a sledge d.i.c.k drove a corner stake, and a guy-rope was made fast to it. One after another the remaining corner stakes were quickly driven and the ropes made fast. The tent would now stand by itself.