"

But the pause had accomplished the very thing for which Dick had
waited.

"Throw another stone," repeated the tramp, "and you'll get-----"

"Oh, tell it to the Senate!" broke in Tom Reade, climbing into
the wagon and seizing the speaker. Dave, who had crept up with
him, had gripped the other tramp by the collar.

Both tramps were thrown from the seat. Ere they could recover
from their astonishment, Reade and Darrin had leaped down upon
their tormentors.

"In with them!" ordered Dick.

Two splashes, occurring almost in the same second, testified to
the tackling skill that Reade and Darrin had acquired on the gridiron.

Dick and his friends stood by to rescue the tramps, in case either
of them could not swim.

Both could, however, and struck out for the shore, abusing the
boys roundly as they swam.

Dave had seized the horse's bridle, and was now turning the animal
about. Tom walked on the other side of the wagon.

"Look out, Greg!" called Dick suddenly, as the tramps, gaining
the opposite shore, made a sudden rush at Holmes, who stood alone.

"I can take care of myself!" chuckled Greg gleefully, as dodging
backward, he poised his right hand to throw a stone. "Look out,
friends, unless you want to get hurt!"

Both tramps halted in a good deal of uncertainty. They wanted
to thrash this high school boy, but they didn't like the risk
of having their heads hurt by flying stones.

Two splashes on the other side of the river heralded the fact
that Dan and Harry had started to Greg's aid. The instant they
saw this, both men turned away from Greg, making a dash for the
highway.

Laughing, young Holmes followed them up with all the missiles
he had left. Not one dropped further than three feet from the
flying heels of the fugitives, yet not one struck either of the
tramps or was meant to do so.

"Come across, you three fellows," laughed young Prescott, when
the enemy had vanished in flight. You've all earned your breakfast
now, and you shall have it."

"As for me," spoke Tom from the wagon, as he drove into the forest
path, "I'm strong for putting on my clothes before I sit down
to dally with food."

Reade did not wait until he had driven the wagon where he and
his friends could dress away from the view of people on the road.

"The cast-iron cheek of those scoundrels!" vented Dave Darrin
indignantly.

"I rather think we are their debtors," smiled Dick quietly, as
he drew his shirt over his hea