I
don't think I'm any more of a coward than the rest of the bunch. Here,
let me get a club, like the one Bristles Carpenter has."

"But hold on, Felix; perhaps you might not like to use it?" suggested
Fred.

"Think so?" cried the other; "then you've got another guess coming,
Fenton. Just why mightn't I want to get in a few whacks at the cowardly
curs that kidnapped Chris Colon?"

"Well, they might turn out to be some of your best chums," replied Fred.

"Wantin' to do you what they thought a good turn," added Corney.

"By cutting out the fellow you had to fear most of all, my cousin
Chris," Semi-Colon continued.

"Oh! that's the way the land lies, does it!" observed Wagner, grimly.
"You believe this job was the work of Mechanicsburg boys; do you? Well,
I think differently, that's all. But if it turned out to be my best chum
I'd just as lief thump him as not. I'd be ashamed to own a chum who
would be guilty of such a trick. I'd never look at a prize won under
such conditions, without turning red, and feeling foolish."

"But see here, how'd you get over to Tenafly, Wagner; and why didn't you
go back the same way?" demanded Bristles.

"We went over on the seven-ten train this morning. The agent will tell
you so, for he sold us tickets, and was chatting with both of us. Mr.
Goodenough met a friend over there who invited him to stay to dinner. So
I said, rather than wait until noon, I'd just pump it on foot for home.
I thought it might be a good way to tune up for the afternoon whirl,
without breaking my word to mother. That's all."

"And it's enough," said Fred. "Fall in, Wagner, and come along with us.
We might be glad to have another fellow along, if it happens that after
all tramps carried Colon off, as some people say."

"All right, fellows, I'm with you," remarked Felix. "And I declare, if
here isn't just the stick I'm looking for, sound enough to send in a
home run with. Must have been waiting for me."

With these words Wagner joined the little group that hurried along the
road. As they reached a certain place Sid, who was in the lead, suddenly
turned aside. It was what had once been a serviceable lane, but which
was now overgrown with weeds and underbrush.

"Wait a minute," Fred remarked, in a low voice.

They saw him looking closely at the ground, and almost immediately he
raised a smiling face toward the balance of the group.

"We made a center-shot when we guessed about this old mill, boys," he
obs