s of wondering exclamations.

The last paragraph caught Bob's eye and he read it aloud:

"As for Bob Layton and those other chumps, all we've got to do is to
stand pat. No one saw us put the stones in the snowballs, and if we just
deny it, they can't pin anything on us. They'll have to pay for the
window, and that'll even up things for what they did to us at Mountain
Pass.

"Yours,

"Buck."

Bob was utterly dumbfounded. Then he glanced at the heading of the
letter and let out a whoop.

"Oh, this is too rich!" he cried, almost choking with laughter. "This
letter is directed to Carl Lutz. You know he went home two or three days
ago. Buck has written two letters, one to Lutz and the other to
me--probably a roast--and he's put them in the wrong envelopes. Oh, how
he's given himself away!"

Bob's comrades were fairly convulsed, and Jimmy grew so purple in the
face that they had to slap him vigorously on the back. They had scarcely
got him into a calmer frame, before he threatened to go off again, for
he saw Buck Looker strolling along the road.

"Probably's come along to see how you were bearing up under the roast,"
chuckled Joe.

Bob ran over toward Buck, followed by his comrades. Buck looked alarmed
and put himself in a posture of defense.

"Oh, we're not going to hurt you," said Bob. "I only wanted to tell you
that I got your letter."

"I hope it blistered your hide," growled Buck.

"It made me nearly laugh myself to death," replied Bob. "But let me
advise you, Buck, to make sure the next time that you get the right
letter in the right envelope."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Buck, in apprehension.

"Only that I got the letter you meant for Carl Lutz," replied Bob.
"Maybe you've forgotten what you said, so I'll read the last paragraph,"
and, dwelling on every word, he read it over deliberately.

Before he had quite finished, Buck made a desperate grab at the letter,
but Bob was too quick for him.

"No, you don't!" he exclaimed, as he folded it and put it carefully into
his pocket. "That letter's going to cost you about two hundred dollars,
for that's what it will cost to pony up for the broken window. We've got
you dead to rights, and you'd better pay up and pay up quick. So long,
Buck. And do be more careful next time to get the right letter in the
right envelope."

Wi