"Jest what I was agoin' tuh ask yuh tuh do, Elmer. And I guess now it wouldn't be a bad ijee fur the rest tuh kim along, too. If so be there's a kerflummix in the middle o' the night, they ought tuh know what she means."
Now, Elmer himself could not exactly find a definition for that word, but he had a faint idea Johnny meant a big noise or a row. At any rate he was glad of the chance to invite the other six scouts to accompany them.
Elmer lighted a lantern, and after the boys had gathered around he led them away from the big barn.
Presently, at some little distance, he came to a halt.
"This here's the tree the turks hes picked out tuh roost in. Some o' 'em likes tuh fly 'way up, but others prefers the bottom limbs. If a feller's keerful he kin climb up and wring the necks o' as many as he wants. Young turks they don't know nigh as much as old uns, yuh see. Now I'll show yuh how I sets my trap."
First of all they noticed that there was what appeared to be a drygoods box exactly under the tree.
"Seems to me you're making it mighty easy for the chicken thieves when they drop around, with that box right under the lower row of turkeys?" suggested Toby, upon discovering this fact.
Johnny Spreen gurgled over with laughter.
"Say, d'ye reckon so?" he exclaimed; "well, by hokey! now, that's part of the game, sure it be."
"Oh! then you really want them to climb up on that big box when trying to grab one of the young turkeys?" asked Lil Artha.