“There’s another thing,” said Thad, “that I think has had some influence on these boys, or given them the idea of holding us up.”
He pointed to a fence across from the inn-yard. It had some gaudy bills pasted on it, which apparently none of the others had noticed before, though taught to use their eyes as scouts on every occasion.
“Why, those look mighty familiar!” said Bumpus.
“What’s this?” cried Giraffe. “A regular American Wild West show over here in Belgium, raking in the coin this last summer? Thad, if that gave an exhibition here, or anywhere close by, I can understand what you mean. The kids must have been practicing throwing the rope, and holding up stages ever since. Yes, by George! that’s where they get this idea from, as sure as anything.”
“After all, the world is getting smaller all the time,” remarked Allan, “when you can find such pictures as those thousands of miles away from home. Before long it may be all Japan, China and India will be looking at our cowboys perform, and the Indians hold up stage coaches.”
“Oh! they do that already,” Thad told him; “for the moving pictures are being shown all around the world. But I’ve got an idea. Wait here for me, fellows.”
With that the scout leader hurried away, leaving the trio to talk matters over, and trying to guess what he had in view. A short time later Thad reappeared, with a little package in his hand.
“I just happened to notice some whips for sale at a store in the place,” he explained, “and I’ve bought several. If we’re forced to we’ll use them on those boys the best we know how. The old man told me they were the bad lot of the village, so you see they do have them even over in Belgium.”
“How that takes me back to dear old Cranford,” sighed Bumpus, “where we used to have all manner of times with Brose Griffin and his cronies, Eli Bangs and Walt Hopkins. So they have a rowdy element here too, do they? Thad, I hope you didn’t forget me when laying in that stock of cowhides?”
“Three covered the entire stock they had,” the other told him; “and so Giraffe will have to depend on that club of his; only I hope he uses it carefully. It’s big and heavy enough to floor anybody.”