muttered excitedly.

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

For some moments Dick, 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 scrape with the law, can it?" queried
Dave Darrin, with almost unwonted caution.

"I don't see how it can," smiled Dick 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. Dick 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," Dick 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.

Dick, darting back, brought up the other fellows. All took a
gleeful look at the red Smattach as they passed, then hurried on.

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

Dick's first move was to take a rope from the cart. This, after
being passed through the rubber tires, was tied between two trees,
clothesline fashion.

"Now, let's rustle all the stuff off the cart," urged Dick. "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 Dick.

As the tent w