"Three of 'em—three husky tramps all in a bunch! Say, that's going some, now, fellows!" remarked Ty.
"Ain't gettin' cold feet, I hope, so soon?" scoffed Red.
"When I do, you'll never know it, 'cause why—you'll be about fifty miles away, scootin' for all you're worth toward home, sweet home," declared Ty, aggressively.
"Yes, you see!" remarked Phil Dale, wagging his head significantly.
"Now he's thinking of that popgun of his, Elmer, and thinks you'll be sorry because you emptied all the cartridges out," said Tom Cropsey.
"Oh! I'm not bothering my head a bit over that," declared the leader. "Fact is, I'd be afraid to have that gun around if it was loaded. We're not going to need such things to capture these fellows. Perhaps there may be plenty of other ways to scare them into giving up."
"But say, if it comes to a show-down, Elmer, you don't mind if I just point my cannon at 'em, do you, and threaten to blow the whole blooming lot into the next county if they don't up with their little hands?" Phil asked.
"Not a bit," replied the other. "Make as much use of an empty pistol as you want, but be sure the time is ripe. Only as a last resort pull it on the men. And now, draw in a little closer and we'll talk this thing over. Thirteen heads ought to be some better than one."
Every one had a chance to make suggestions. Elmer invited them to exchange views on the subject. He could pick up a clever idea once in a while by this means, for all boys do not think alike, and where he might overlook something, one of the others would be sure to strike it.
"First of all, remember that we are not up here to capture these tramps, though, of course, it may come to that before we're through with the thing. To get possession of little Ruth, that's our main idea," Elmer said more than once.