ice to-day, are you?" demanded the fat boy sternly. The
prisoner made no reply, but he gazed up at his tormentor so savagely
that Stacy instinctively took a step backward.

"He is the man, but we landed him," answered Rector proudly.

"Is there any objection to my giving the ruffian a good hard kick for
luck?" asked Stacy.

"There certainly is objection to your doing anything of the sort,"
returned Tad sharply. "We have not come to the point where we treat
our prisoners of war the way the Germans do theirs. You let the man
alone or I'll have something to say to you."

"Stacy!" rebuked Professor Zepplin sternly.

"Yes, sir?"

"You will keep away from the prisoner. Tad, I want to hear all about
this."

"There is not much to tell, except that we got him, though he nearly
got us. He caught Ned napping. I should have fallen just the same
had I been in Ned's place, for this fellow is a bad man. Ned has told
you what happened to him, else I shouldn't have said anything about
that part of the affair. While Ned was trying to find where the shot
came from that caught Stacy last, this fellow spotted and captured him.
I was hunting for the source of the shot at the same time, but went
astray. I was finally attracted by the smell of smoke. I arrived on
the scene about the time that fellow was getting ready to take Ned's
life. At least, that was the way it seemed to me."

"Yes, he was," interjected Rector.

"You were an easy mark!" jeered Stacy.

"At least I didn't stop two bullets," answered Ned witheringly.

"The fellow caught Ned looking at me and knowing instantly that
something was wrong he whirled and shot at me. He missed, then I
shied a stone into his solar plexus," said Tad.

"That sounds like astronomy," ventured Stacy.

"You're wrong; it's geography," chuckled Rector. "I'll finish the
story. The ruffian fired twice more after the first two shots at Tad;
then he went down as the stone landed on him. By the time he had got
up, Tad was on the job and punched him in the jaw."

"Boys, boys!" rebuked Professor Zepplin. "One would think this was a
prize fight you were describing."

"It's the truth," protested Ned.

"Of course it is," laughed Tad.

"That may be. But be good enough to moderate your language. You can
describe the scene without using questionable language."

"Yes, it's disgraceful," added Stacy, whereat Ned gave the fat boy
another withering look.

"As I was about to say," co