"And you turned on Central Grammar boys to help a lot of High School fellows out?" asked d.i.c.k in fine scorn.
"Well, I was crazy to have a day or two out here in the woods, and you fellows didn"t ask me," protested Hen. "The other crowd did."
"Yes; because they wanted to use you for a tool against us. They wanted to make you their catspaw, Hen Dutcher. Oh, you must feel fine! And the other Central Grammar fellows back in Gridley will be so proud of you!"
"You don"t have to tell "em," urged Hen Dutcher pleadingly.
"No; we don"t have to," confirmed Tom Reade. "But we can. And most likely we will. We want to separate the wheat from the chaff at the old Central Gram."
"But, please don"t tell "em," whined Hen.
"We"ll see about that," said d.i.c.k Prescott. "We won"t make a solitary promise. It may depend on how you act, Hen. Now, is there anything more you ought to tell us about what Fred Ripley"s crowd intends to do?"
"No-o-o. I don"t believe so."
"Who"s with Fred Ripley?"
"Bert Dodge."
"Who else?"
Hen named five other young fellows, two of whom were rather worthless High School soph.o.m.ores.
"And their plan," added Hen, unburdening himself, "was to swoop down here this evening, lay the lines for a first cla.s.s ghost scare and then see you fellows start running and never stop till you reached Gridley.
They"ve brought some provisions along with them, and they were going to move in here and camp, and laugh, and have a great joke about how the Grammar School kids got cold feet, and----"
"Where are they now?" d.i.c.k queried.
"They were going to my Uncle Joel"s for a few hours, have supper there and then slip down here. But Uncle Joel"s place must be four miles from here, and even he didn"t know just where this camp was. So the fellows made me get the best idea I could from my uncle, and then sent me down here to find the place. They"ll be mad "cause I ain"t back."
"More likely they"ll come, without waiting for you, Hen," observed Dave Darrin grimly.
At this moment the latch-string moved; there was a click of wood against wood as the latch was raised.
"Fellows, it"s our ghost party!" whispered d.i.c.k, hoa.r.s.ely. "Stand close by me and sail in when I give the word. We"ll do our best to make it hot for the ghost!"
There were varying degrees of bravery shown in that instant. Not one of the Grammar School boys dreamed that they could best Fred Ripley"s crew in a rough-and-tumble, but d.i.c.k & Co. were all determined to be as "game" as possible.
It was different with Hen Dutcher. He turned pale and shook like a leaf.
CHAPTER IX
THE INTRUDER WHO TRIED TO BE "BOSS"
The heavy door was thrust open--and then the Grammar School boys had the surprise of their lives.
No swarm had invaded their camp. Instead a solitary man, clad in heavy overcoat, and with a cap pulled down over his ears, stamped into the cabin.
In his astonishment and dismay d.i.c.k Prescott could not repress the cry of:
"It"s Fits--Mr. Fits himself!"
"I see you hain"t forgot me!" snarled the fellow, as he slammed the door shut, dropped the bar in the place, and then stood with his back to that barrier.
"See here, you can"t stay here," declared d.i.c.k, his eyes flashing.
"Can"t, eh?" jeered the fellow. "And what"s going to stop me?"
"We are. You"ve no business here."
"And if I don"t see fit to go, my young bantam?"
"Then we"ll put you out. We"re smaller than you are, but there are seven of us--six, I mean," d.i.c.k corrected, after a glance at quaking Hen.
"You"ll find we can take care of you!"
"You kids, eh?" laughed Mr. Fits hoa.r.s.ely. "Why, if you boys started in to climb over me I"d pick you off and scrunch you, like so many ants.
Just try it and see!"
To make his bragging good, Mr. Fits crossed the cabin, helping himself to the chair by the table.
"I see you"ve got plenty of grub here," the big fellow went on. "I"ll bother you to make me some hot coffee and get me the best you have to eat. Step lively, too! Any younker that doesn"t move fast enough I"ll pick up and swat, and then I"ll throw him out in the snow to stay."
Saying which, with a savage snort, Mr. Fits rose and took off his overcoat, tossing it on to the next chair.
"What are you two whispering about?" demanded the rough intruder, eyeing Prescott and Darrin, who were now at the further end of the log cabin.
"Never you mind," Dave retorted tartly.
"Don"t give me any impudence, younker!" growled Fits.
"Then don"t talk to us," d.i.c.k advised.
"I can see that I"ve got to trim a couple of you," muttered the intruder sourly. "And then, too, I reckon my supper will be coming along faster."
"You"ll get no supper here," d.i.c.k warned him.
"I won"t, hey? Why not, I wonder?" leered the fellow.
"Because we have no poison to mix with the food," Dave retorted.
"I"ll have that grub, and some good coffee, set on mighty quick!"
growled the visitor. "If that doesn"t happen, then I"ll run you all out into the snow. You won"t last long out there, I warrant you! It"s a fearful night."
"Wait!" begged Hen Dutcher. "I"ll wait on you, sir."