"If it's Buck Looker and his crowd that's responsible for this, we'll have your set back or know the reason why," said Bob, throwing down his tools. "Let's go around and get the others, and we'll have a council of war."
A peculiar whistle outside their friends' houses brought them out at once, and when they were all together Jimmy told them about his misfortune. They were as indignant as Bob, and had little doubt that Buck Looker was the author of the outrage.
"It's dollars to doughnuts that gang's got it," said Bob. "Now, when a thing needs to be done, it's usually best to do it right away. We've got to get Jimmy's set back, and I've got an idea where we can find it."
"Where?" they all asked in chorus.
"Well, you know that crowd often hang out in that shack back of Terry Mooney's house—the place that his father built to keep an automobile in, and then could never get enough money to buy the automobile. They spend a lot of their time there. And if they've taken Jimmy's outfit, that's the place they'd naturally keep it. They wouldn't want to take it into any of their homes, because then their folks wound likely find out about it and make them give it up."
"Gee, I believe you're right!" exclaimed Joe. "Let's go there right away and accuse them of it."
"Better yet, let's go there and take it away from them," proposed Bob, with a grim set to his mouth. "Are you with me?"
For answer they all started off in the direction of Terry Mooney's house, and as they went, Bob outlined a plan of attack.
"We'll scout around first, and see if they're in the place," he said. "If they are, we may be able to get a look inside and see if there is any sign of Jimmy's outfit. If they've got it, we can decide the best way to take it away from them after we get there."