clined to resemble the new crescent
moon.

And there was Hen Condit turning his head around to stare at them, his
face as white as the chalk they were accustomed to use upon the
blackboard in school. His eyes were as round as circles, while upon
his strained countenance hope, fear, expectation, almost a dozen
emotions struggled for the mastery.

"Hello! Joe!" called out Elmer, without the slightest warning.

Up rose the head of the man who was busy cleaning the fish. When he
saw those seven khaki-clad figures standing there, with two shotguns
bearing directly on his person, he was to all appearances struck dumb
for the moment. His eyes stared and his mouth fell open. Fish and
knife dropped from his nerveless hands.

"Caught, by thunder! and by a bunch of boys at that!"

These words burst from his lips, after which he started to use some
pretty strong language until Elmer put his foot down sternly.

"Stop that kind of talk, Joe!" he ordered. "We've got you rounded up,
and there's no use kicking. If you make a move to run, or jump this
way, we'll fill you full of bird-shot, do you hear?"

"Both barrels in the bargain, Joseph, mind you!" added Lil Artha, still
burning with indignation as he recollected how they had seen the beast
cuff poor Hen; and perhaps deep down in his boyish heart actually
hoping the other might take a notion to try and get away, when they
would be justified in peppering him, after he had run possibly thirty
or forty yards.

"Oh! I guess the jig's all up with me, boys," said the man, with a
look of sheer disgust on his face. "I've had a little run for my
money, but the stone jug seems to be yawning for me. I was a fool to
bother with the kid, it seems; but when the scheme came to me at first
I thought it too fine to drop. Here's where I get paid for being a
silly gump. What do you want me to do, boys? I'll obey with as much
cheerful alacrity as I can, seeing that I'm starving to death just now."

"First of all," said Elmer, who had it all mapped out, "lie down on
your face and put both hands behind you. We're going to tie you up,
and wait for the Chief with his posse to come along. Do you get that,
Joe?"

"Sure I do, and since it's Hobson's choice with me here goes. I
suppose you fellows must be Boy Scouts. I once organized a troop of
the same, but never dreamed I'd be arrested by the khaki crowd. It's
all in a day's work, though."

He, accordingly, stretched himself fl