swallow your loss, Fred," suggested
the banker. "I'm sorry that I had even an innocent part in this
trade."

"Trade?" screamed Fred, now losing all control of himself. "It
wasn't a trade at all! It's piracy! It's highway robbery! It
was a barefaced swindle, and this swindler"

Fred glared at the auctioneer.

"Go slowly, young man," advised the salesman of the afternoon.

"You're a swindler, and a mean one, taking downright advantage
of other folks," stormed young Ripley. "But you won't get away
with this swindle. My father is a lawyer---the best lawyer in
the place---and he'll give you good reason to shiver!"

"All right, young man. Send your father after me---if he'll take
the case. But I'm going down to see him, anyway, for I must give
him an accounting of the money taken in this afternoon. Come
along, Edson," to his clerk.

Very red in the face, Fred Ripley stood with his fists clenched,
trying to avoid the eyes of the many grinning men and boys gathered
around him.

Dick & Co. had gotten down from the truck. They did not join
in the fun-making at the enemy's expense, though naturally they
did not feel very sorry for young Ripley.

"Will you ride your pony home, sir?" asked the man who had done
the saddling.

"No," said Fred shortly. He felt tempted to tell the man to lead
the worthless animal away and shoot it. Then he changed his mind.

"Take this half dollar," he said, "and take the pony down and
leave it in our stable."

For another thought had just occurred to Fred Ripley. If he
kept a close mouth, and watched his chance, he hoped that he
might yet be able to make some sort of "trade" with the pony
as an asset.

CHAPTER III

BUYING FUEL FOR A BONFIRE?

"Well, what are we going to do with our magnificent war canoe?"
asked Greg Holmes dolefully. "Does the bonfire idea go?"

"It doesn't," Dick retorted. "Although we don't know anything
about such a job, and though it is supposed to need a sure enough
expert to do it, we're at least going to try the thing out and
see if we can't make this canoe float, and carry us safely, at
that!"

"We'd better decide how to get it away from here, anyway," proposed
Tom Reade. "We haven't any lease of this lot."

Over near the road a group of men and boys were laughing heartily.
It was at the lawyer's son that their mirth was directed. As
for Dick & Co., the Gridley crowd felt only sympathy. The proceedings
of the afternoon had bu