kettles, and had
left three of these down near the boat, filled with the fruit. Each
walked to the shore with a kettle full of berries in his hand.

"Well, I never!" cried Jack, in dismay.

"Bob Bangs again!" murmured Randy. "Oh, don't I just wish I had him
here. I'd pummel him good!"

There was good cause for our hero's anger. On the rocks lay the
overturned berry kettles, the berries scattered in all directions and
many of them crushed under foot.

"And look at the boat!" gasped Jack, turning to inspect the craft.

The rowboat was partly filled with water and on the seats and in the
bottom a quantity of mud had been thrown. The oars were sticking in a
mud bank close by.

"Does she leak?" asked our hero, with concern.

"I'll have to find out."

It was soon discovered that the craft was intact, and then they set to
work to clean up the muss. This was no easy job, and the boys perspired
freely, for the day was a warm one. Then Randy looked over the
scattered berries.

"About one-third of them are fit to take along," he said. "The others
are crushed and dirty."

"I'll tell you what I am going to do," said Jack, stoutly. "I am going
to make Bob Bangs pay for dirtying my boat, and he can pay for the lost
berries, too."

"But how can we prove he is guilty?"

"We'll make him own up to it. Nobody else would play such a mean
trick."

The two boys were in no happy frame of mind as they rowed back to
Riverport. They suspected that Bob Bangs would keep out of their sight,
but just as they were landing they caught sight of him peering at them
from behind a dock building.

"There he is!" cried Jack. "After him, Randy!"

"Right you are!" answered our hero, and ran after Bob Bangs with might
and main. Randy was a good sprinter and although the rich youth tried
to get away he was soon brought to a halt.

"Let go of me!" he roared, as Randy caught him by the collar.

"Not just yet, Bob Bangs!" returned Randy. "A fine trick you played this
afternoon."

"I didn't play any trick!"

"Yes, you did."

"I didn't! Let me go!" And now Bob Bangs did his best to get away. He
saw that Randy and Jack were thoroughly angry and was afraid he was in
for a drubbing--or worse. He gave a jerk and then started to run. Randy
put out his foot and the big youth went sprawling full length, his face
violently striking the ground.

CHAPTER V

THE RESULT OF A QUARREL

If any boy was ever humiliated it was Bob Bangs. His f