, we feel well able to look after ourselves, but
that's no reason why we should openly invite Hank and his cronies to
come and bother us. Are you all agreed to that part of the scheme?"
In turn every scout present answered in the affirmative. Those who
could not possibly accompany the party took almost as much interest in
the affair as those intending to go; and there would be heart burnings
among the members of Stanhope Troop from now on.
"How about the grub question, Paul?" demanded Bobolink.
"Every fellow who is going will have to provide a certain amount of
food to be carried along with his blanket, gun, clothes bag, and
camera. All that can be arranged when we meet to-morrow afternoon. In
the meantime, I'm going to appoint Bobolink and Jack as a committee of
two to spend what money we can spare in purchasing certain groceries
such as coffee, sugar, hams, potatoes, and other things to be listed
later."
Bobolink grinned happily on hearing that.
"See how pleased it makes him," jeered Tom Betts. "When you put
Bobolink on the committee that looks after the grub, Paul, you hit him
close to where he lives. One thing sure, we'll have plenty to eat
along with us, for Bobolink never underrates the eating capacity of
himself or his chums."
"You can trust me for that," remarked the one referred to, "because I
was really hungry once in my life, and I've never gotten over the
terrible feeling. Yes, there is going to be a full dinner pail in
Camp Garrity, let me tell you!"
"Camp Garrity sounds good to me!" exclaimed Sandy Griggs.
"Let it go down in the annals of Stanhope Troop at that!" cried
another scout.
"We could hardly call it by any other name, after the owner has been
so good as to place it at our disposal," said Paul, himself well
pleased at the idea.
Bobolink was about to say something more when, without warning, there
came a sudden crash accompanied by the jingling of broken glass. One
of the windows fell in as though some hard object had struck it. The
startled scouts, looking up, saw the arm and face of a boy thrust part
way through the aperture, showing that he must have slipped and broken
the window while trying to spy upon the meeting.
CHAPTER VI
A GLOOMY PROSPECT FOR JUD
"It's Jud Mabley!" exclaimed one of the scouts, instantly recognizing
the face of the unlucky youth who had fallen part way through the
window.
Jud was a boy of bad habits. He had applied to the scouts for
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