e caught
sight of three boys of about their own age who were passing by, and who in
passing cast looks of dislike on the little group on the sands. "There's a
sweet bunch--I don't think."

The others followed the direction of Joe's glance and had no trouble in
agreeing with him.

"That Buck Looker is sure bad medicine," remarked Bob. "And Lutz and
Mooney who hang out with him are just about as bad. They're all tarred
with the same brush."

"They're a blot on the landscape--or perhaps I should say seascape," put
in Herb.

"Where every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile,"

chanted Joe. "Do you notice how everybody steers clear of them? Outside of
each other, not one of them has a friend in the whole colony."

"It's a wonder we haven't had a run in with them before this," ruminated
Herb.

"I guess Buck doesn't want any of our game," Joe rejoined. "He's already
had one licking from Bob, and it was only the butting in of Mr. Preston
that saved him from getting another one from me. But I have a hunch that
he'll get it yet. My knuckles are itching, and that's a bad sign--for
Buck."

"You'll get the chance all right," predicted Herb. "Ten to one they're
framing up some low-down game to play on us whenever they find an opening.
Maybe they'll try to put our radio set out of commission, just as they
stole Jimmy's set and tried to wreck Bob's aerial."

"They're welcome to try," said Bob carelessly. "Though they ought to be
cured of that idea when they remember how they flivvered the other times.
But talking of radio reminds me that we ought to get busy with that
lightning arrester we were talking about."

"What has lightning done that it ought to be arrested?" joked Herb.

For answer, Bob scooped up a handful of sand and threw it at the scoffer.
Herb ducked adroitly and the sand passed over his head and fell full on
Jimmy's mouth, which at the moment happened to be open.

There was a terrific coughing and sputtering, as Jimmy came up to a
sitting posture with a quickness that was quite foreign to his nature.

"Who--who the mischief did that?" he demanded, as soon as he could speak,
glaring indignantly from one to the other of his comrades, who at first
had been alarmed for fear he would choke but now were convulsed with
laughter.

"I did," confessed Bob, as he tried to restrain his untimely mirth. "But I
didn't mean to, old scout. Herb here had just gotten off one of h