"Why, yes, Tyrus, I had that on my mind," laughed the jovial scout master. "And we'll try and find room in the boat for a nice ham, some bacon, and a few more things that boys like. I guess I'm a good provider, taken on the whole. You see, we didn't count on feeding Abe Morris and his family, or these two gentlemen here, besides the frolicsome monkey that has taken a fancy for our eatables. If I happen to run across Colonel Hitchens I shall let him know we've got an eye out for his runaway pet."
The two men were allowed to eat breakfast, one at a time, and Mr. Garrabrant and Ginger stood over them while the operation of feeding was in progress. Much as both of the desperadoes might have liked to attempt flight, they lacked the nerve to start trouble when those two stalwart men were within reach. And so, although they scowled and muttered, they made no resistance when they were tied up again.
Mr. Garrabrant had found quite a nice little assortment of deadly weapons upon the pair, which he had confiscated. These he meant to take along with him, not feeling safe in leaving such things in camp, where several of the boys were quite unaccustomed to handling firearms, and some accident might ensue, for which he would be responsible.
Although no one suspected it until they heard the click of his shutter, Mark had managed to snap off the entire outfit as they stood there, assisting Mr. Garrabrant load his prisoners into the boat.
And it might be taken for granted that the official photographer of the camp had seized upon an opportunity when the two prisoners' faces were in full view, so that no one could afterwards reasonably doubt their claim to having captured the desperate men so long wanted by the Rockaway authorities.
Of course the camp was left in full charge of the assistant scout master, Elmer Chenowith, with a parting injunction from Mr. Garrabrant that the boys were to render his representative just as much respect as though it were himself.
There could be no doubt about that being done, since Elmer was a universal favorite among his fellows, and had hardly an enemy in all Hickory Ridge.
"I reckon, suh, we can manage to get along all right while you are away," Chatz Maxfield had called out reassuringly, after the boat had left the landing, with Ginger working industriously at the oars, the two prisoners huddled amidships, and the scout master seated astern, where he could keep his eye pretty much all the time on the slippery customers.
"If I wasn't positive about that, Charles, I'd never be leaving you," was what Mr. Garrabrant replied, as he waved his hand to them.
Presently the fast-moving boat swept around a bend, and was lost to view. Several of the boys sighed a little, and looked a bit downcast. Despite their assumption of freedom from homesickness they could not help feeling that their leader would perhaps be in "dear old Hickory Ridge" that afternoon, and might even pass by their beloved homes, which it seemed they had not seen for an age.