“I’ll write home and have my mother send up a big box of cake and candy and stuff, just for the Revengers!” said Dirk. “And when they let me use my canoe, we’ll all go out in it, and——”
“No!” objected Blum. “Don’t forget we mustn’t be seen together! When I want to get in touch with you, I’ll leave a note under your pillow. Now, we’ll have to separate pretty quick. I’ll get you when everybody is asleep tonight, and we’ll have our first meeting. You stay here a couple minutes after I leave, so nobody will guess what we’re up to. And right today, Iron Gauntlet, old revenger, we’ll start putting the Red Curse on that varlet Brick Ryan!”
Blum, master of the sinister Red Hand, tip-toed to the door.
“So long, Headless Green Dragon!” Dirk whispered after him.
That night Brick Ryan returned from Indian Council Ring to find the first of his troubles upon him. The campers had been summoned to their quarters after an evening spent about the four-square fire of friendship, and by the light of the tent lantern, the inhabitants of Tent One were undressing for the night. Brick Ryan slipped into his pajamas and turned down his blankets, ready to jump in. An angry cry escaped him.
“What’s the matter, Brick?” asked Lefty Reardon sleepily.
“Somebody’s hashed my bunk, that’s what!” the Irish boy exclaimed. “Look there, will you? The whole bed is stuck full of cockleburrs! I can’t sleep in it!”
“Gee, that’s too bad,” said his friend sympathetically. “Here, I’ll help you pull ’em out. Sax will be back in a few minutes—why don’t you tell him about it? What a dirty trick to play on a fellow!”
“If I knew who did it, I sure wouldn’t have to tell a leader about it!” said Brick through clenched teeth. He looked about in the dull light at the faces of his mates. All of them looked innocent; Dirk Van Horn looked suspiciously so, and there was a faint trace of a smile on his good-looking features. Could Van Horn have——? But the heartless trick must have been done during Council, and Dirk had been sitting in his place every moment of the time.
“Somebody must have it in for you, Brick,” commented Lefty as the two bent over the blankets and began pulling out the prickly burrs with which they were covered. “Gee, this is going to be a long, slow job. Who do you suppose hates you so much that he’d do a mean thing like this to you?”