CHAPTER XXII
THE SPINK CROWD AGAIN
The prospect was not a pleasant one for the three boy hunters. It was not that they were afraid over the fact that they were lost in the woods on the mountain side. But they knew that Giant and Tommy would be greatly worried over their absence, and it was possible, yes, probable, that the two lads might have trouble with Ham Spink and his cronies.
"Ham will be as mad as a hornet if he had much trouble finding his boat," said Snap, in talking the situation over. "And the first thing he'll think of will be to get square."
"Well, if we can't get back we can't get back, and that is all there is to it," answered the doctor's son philosophically. "We've got to make the best of it."
"And then that lion——-" added Whopper. But to this the others merely shrugged their shoulders.
They found a spot that seemed as good as any, and collecting some dry sticks built a camp fire and made themselves a supper. They were footsore and weary and glad to rest. Inside of an hour after eating all of the lads fell asleep, and each slept soundly until morning.
Snap was the first to awaken, and, letting the others rest, he replenished the camp fire and got breakfast ready. There was a sameness about their food that was not very appetizing, but this could not be helped.
"When I get back I'm going to live a whole day on pancakes and beans and bacon," said Whopper. "No more rabbits for me, or partridge, either."
"That's the one drawback to camping out," returned the doctor's son.
"One does get awfully tired of eating game."
It was again a question of how to proceed, and once more they mounted a tree to take observations. They now saw two columns of smoke arising on the air, not a great distance off.
"Our camp fire and that of the Spink crowd!" exclaimed Snap. "I'll wager a button on it."
"I believe you are right," answered Shep. "We'll make for the nearest of 'em, anyway."
They set off at a brisk pace, taking as direct a route as the nature of the ground permitted. On the way they came to a large patch of huckleberry bushes and found the berries ripe and luscious.
"Let's pick some," said Whopper. "Then we can make huckleberry dumplings, or something like that."
"What about huckleberry pie?" suggested Snap.
"Great!"
They stopped long enough to pick several quarts of the berries, stowing the fruit away in one of the cleaned-out game bags. Then on they went as before.
Soon they broke through the woods into a clearing, and on the opposite side of this saw a camp, with several boys lolling around a camp fire. They were members of the Spink crowd and included Dick Bush and Carl Dudder.
"Say, where did you come from?" demanded Carl Dudder as he espied them and leaped to his feet.
"From the woods," answered Shep calmly.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing, Dudder, excepting to pass."
"Huh! You needn't look so innocent-like, Shep Reed! We know what you did to our boat," put in Dick Bush.
"What did we do to it?" asked Whopper.
"You know well enough. Think you're smart, don't you?" growled Carl.
"We know what you were going to do to our boat," put in Snap.
"What?"
"You heard what I said. We only got ahead of you, that's all."
"We'll fix you for it, don't you worry," said Carl with a cunning leer.
"Take care that you don't get into trouble," was Shep's answer.
Then he walked around the camp fire and his chums followed.
"Where are you going?" asked one of the other members of the Spink crowd.
"That is our business."
At this answer the other lads merely scowled. There was an awkward pause, and then Shep and his chums moved on and plunged into the woods beyond the camp fire.
"They are a real sociable bunch," was Whopper's sarcastic comment.
"How I would love to stay with them!"
"I'll wager they fight like cats and dogs," put in the doctor's son. "I don't believe they have one real pleasant day." And he was right; the Spink crowd were usually wrangling from morn to night and already one of the number had left and started for home in disgust.
The boy hunters had the best part of half a mile farther to go, but this they soon covered and then came to an opening that looked familiar to them. Close at hand was their own camp. As they approached they heard loud talking.
"You clear out, Ham Spink, and leave us alone," came in the voice of Giant. "We don't want you around here. And we don't want you, either, Ike Akley."
"We'll leave when we please," was the answer from Ham Spink.
"We aren't going to hurt you," said the boy named Ike Akley, another of the Spink contingent.
"We don't want you around."
"Got anything good to eat?" demanded Ham coolly.
"Not for you."
"We'll not go until you give us something good."
"That's the talk!" cried Akley.
Let's take a look around and see if we can find any cookies!" said Ham.
"You leave our things alone," said Giant firmly.
"Bah! You fellows didn't leave our boat alone, so why should we leave your things alone?" growled Ham.
"I won't have you looking through our things," cried Giant.
He stepped up in front of Ham, who was much taller and heavier. At the same time Tommy ran to a distance and picked up two good-sized stones.
"You touch him or the things and I'll throw these!" cried the boy from the circus. "And I'll set my dog on you, too!"
"You little rat, you!" roared Ham. "Don't you dare to interfere with me."
"I'll take care of the kid!" cried Ike Akley, and strode toward Tommy. But in a twinkling the boy from the circus had leaped into a tree and was safe among the branches. The stones he had put in his pockets, but now he brought them forth again.
"Just remember what I said!" he exclaimed. "I'm a good shot, too!"
"We'll get the best of 'em, and take what we please!" cried Ham
Spink.
"Will you?" called out Shep, advancing into the opening, with his gun in his hands. "I rather guess not."
Ham looked around, and so did Ike Akley. When both saw the doctor's son, Snap and Whopper, and all with their guns in their hands, they fell back and grew a trifle pale.
"Thought you were going to rob us, eh?" said Shep sternly.
"N—-no," stammered Ham. "We—-er—-we were only going to take a—-er—-cookie or two, if you had 'em."
"Well, you'll not take a thing, so clear out!"
"You—-you took our boat," said Ham.
"And you were going to take ours, only you didn't find it," said Snap with a grin.
"You hadn't any right to touch our boat."
"See here, Ham, don't talk like a child. After all you did to harm us in the past we've got a right to do almost anything to you, and you know it," said the doctor's son. "Now you clear out and leave us alone."
"You've been following us," put in Ike Akley.
"Not at all."
"Then why did you come away out here to camp?"
"Because we chose to come. Now, clear out—-and stay away!"
A wordy war lasting several minutes followed. It was plainly to be seen that the shifting of the boat had filled Ham Spink with rage, and he was unusually anxious to "square up" with the four boy hunters. But he could do nothing, and at last he and his crony withdrew.
"I am glad you arrived," said Giant. "If you hadn't I am afraid those fellows would have gotten the best of us."
"I would have shied rocks at them," said Tommy, who had come down from the tree. "They may be bigger than I am, but I guess I could outrun 'em," and at this remark the others had to smile.
"More than likely they'll come back some time," said Snap. "And they'll bring the others with them. We'll have to remain on guard. But, Tommy, I've got great news."
"What is that?"
"We've spotted a lion—-the one that got away from the circus."
"A lion!" ejaculated Giant.
"Yes; and we are hoping to trap the beast and get the reward offered for its return," said Whopper.