"Where are you going?" asked one of the other members of the Spink crowd.
"That is our business."
At this answer the other lads merely scowled. There was an awkward pause, and then Shep and his chums moved on and plunged into the woods beyond the camp fire.
"They are a real sociable bunch," was Whopper's sarcastic comment.
"How I would love to stay with them!"
"I'll wager they fight like cats and dogs," put in the doctor's son. "I don't believe they have one real pleasant day." And he was right; the Spink crowd were usually wrangling from morn to night and already one of the number had left and started for home in disgust.
The boy hunters had the best part of half a mile farther to go, but this they soon covered and then came to an opening that looked familiar to them. Close at hand was their own camp. As they approached they heard loud talking.
"You clear out, Ham Spink, and leave us alone," came in the voice of Giant. "We don't want you around here. And we don't want you, either, Ike Akley."
"We'll leave when we please," was the answer from Ham Spink.
"We aren't going to hurt you," said the boy named Ike Akley, another of the Spink contingent.
"We don't want you around."