Penrose. Instead of being grateful for the
information, and for the assistance the others had expected to render,
Mr. Budlong turned upon them all furiously:

"Get out of here you Peeping Toms and spying libertines! Haven't you any
shame about you?"

He raised the scissors so threateningly that as soon as they recovered
from their astonishment they retreated, but, at that, their haste was
not sufficient to appease an outraged husband. Mr. Budlong picked up a
pebble and threw it with such a sure aim that it bounced between Mr.
Stott's shoulder-blades.

When he had picked off the blood-suckers that were battening on Mrs.
Budlong, the two returned to camp and lost no time in serving notice on
Wallie that they were leaving by the first passing conveyance if they
had to buy it.

Whether or not Mr. Hicks had known of the leeches was a matter for much
discussion, and opinion was about equally divided as to his innocence.
He disclaimed all knowledge of them, however, and went about with the
air of one cruelly maligned.

His martyr-like pose was not convincing to Wallie, who could not rid
himself of the suspicion that the incident had been planned, though
Pinkey contended that he did not believe Hicks was "deep" enough to
think of anything like that.

"Anyhow, he's cost us three dudes," said Wallie, which remark was
sufficient to set Pinkey figuring with a stick.

"Three head of dudes at $5.00 a day for, say, eleven days is, say----"

"They're gone and that's all there is to it. The thing for us to do is
to see that no more leave," Wallie interrupted practically.

"I'm not worryin' about them," Pinkey replied, confidently, "if we can
jest hold that cook. We've got to humour him till we git through this
trip, then after he's paid off I aim to work him over and leave him for
somebody to drag out."

But as if to make amends for the loss he had caused his employers,
Hicks' manner grew increasingly saccharine and he redoubled his efforts
to provide entertainment for the guests. By the time they arrived at the
Canon Hotel Wallie was questioning his suspicions of Hicks and felt
inclined to believe that he had been hasty in his judgment.

He was undoubtedly an asset, for the entire party hung on his words and
relied upon him to see that they missed nothing of interest. Mr. Stott
was indebted to him for an experience which relegated the Florida
hoot-owl to the background, though the thrill of the adventure was so
interming