of your crowd,
and I guess he came over to ask. What business had you tying him up like
a convict, tell me that?"

Frank put this to him sternly. At the same time he beckoned to Jerry to
make a start out of the cabin, which the other easily understood, and set
about obeying.

"Why, the silly fool was for trying to lick the whole lot of us; said as
how he knew somebody from here had swiped his old gun, and that unless we
handed it over he'd show us. Say, we couldn't stand for that, so we just
sailed in and made him a prisoner. We didn't hurt him much, no more than
he did us. Suppose the lot of you clear out now, and let us alone,"
growled Andy, growing bolder.

"Which we will be only too glad to do. We only wanted to get Bluff back."

There was a sudden brilliant flash, and a shout of alarm from the boys
about the front of the charcoal burners' cabin.

"Got it all right, and I bet it's a dandy!" exclaimed Will.

He had set down Jerry's double-barreled shotgun when he saw what he
considered a good chance to get a picture of the group, and touched off
the little cartridge that allowed him to snatch a flashlight picture.

Two or three of Andy's fellows threw themselves flat on the ground, under
the impression that some one had fired at them; still more of them were
trying to hide behind each other in alarm.

"Hey, take that feller away, won't you? He's sure enough to scare anybody
out of a year's growth," shouted Andy, waving his arms excitedly.

But he knew better than to try and rush forward while Frank stood guard.
There seemed to be an air of determination about that individual that
Andy did not fancy.

By this time Jerry and Bluff had joined their chums.

The latter did not seem any the worse for his long confinement; indeed,
he was grinning as though the scare of his enemies over that flashlight
had amused him.

"We're only too willing to go. I told you before that we didn't mean to
have any trouble with you, if we could help it; but if you start the ball
rolling look out."

"Yes," said Will, on the heels of what Frank had said, "it's a case of
millions for defense, not one cent for tribute."

"Good night, fellows, and thank you for the grub you gave me?" laughed
Bluff, as he waved his hand mockingly toward the group.

Jerry had recovered his gun, and, in a bunch, the four chums walked away.
The others followed them menacingly for a short distance, but every time
one of the two armed lads turned ther