me of us, or how long we had
to travel about in these woods without food or clothing."

"The tramps must be optimists," laughed Prescott. "Probably they
had an abiding faith that all would turn out well with us, and
so proposed to help themselves to what they needed."

"I wonder whether they'll fool with our outfit again," pondered
Tom grimly, "if they come across it in our absence."

"I don't know," said Dick gravely. "As you've already reminded
me, I am no foreteller of the future."

CHAPTER VIII

WHEN THE PEDDLER WAS "FRISKED"

It was a hot and dusty road that lay before them when they again
took up their march that day.

Yet Dick Prescott insisted that, despite the late start, they
must count upon covering twenty miles for that second day.

At night they halted on the edge of woods so far from the nearest
farm house that Prescott did not consider it necessary to hunt
up the owner and ask permission.

"Now, we'll have to see if we can find water here," Dick proposed.
"Let's scatter, and the fellow who finds drinkable water must
let out a yell to inform the others."

"I'll save you some trouble," Reade offered. "You fellows needn't
hunt water at all. Give me the buckets and I'll go and get it."

"Have you been in this part of the country before?" asked Dick.

"No; and I don't need to have been here before in order to know
that this ground is full of water," replied Reade, who was full
of practical knowledge of that sort. "If I were a civil engineer,
out with a field party, I'd mark this section 'water' on the map.
Look at the ground here under the trees. It's as moist as can
be."

Tom departed, but barely two minutes had elapsed when he was back
with two pailfuls of water as clear as crystal.

"It's nearly as cold as ice water," Tom announced. "There's a
bully big spring just a few steps back in the woods."

"Then I'm going to use some of this to wash up," Darrin declared.
"I'll go with you on the next trip, Tom, and help carry the water."

"You'd better wait until we get the tent up before we wash," suggested
Prescott. "Then you'll need it more."

Quick work was made of the encamping. Dan and Greg, from the
wagon, passed down the tent itself, the floor boards and joists,
the cots and bedding and some of the food supplies.

Then all hands quickly put up the tent. Reade and Hazelton had
the flooring down in a jiffy. Dan and Greg put up the cots, while
Dick and Dave set up the