“Wish you could cut it to-night,” grumbled Andy.
“It will keep,” was the reply. “I’ll invite the crowd and open up the bundle to-morrow night, eight o’clock.”
“All right, we’ll be on hand,” said Pepper, and then he and Andy walked away. A little later the chums saw Ritter and his cronies slouch off much disappointed.
“We’ve got to wait for our fun,” growled Ritter.
“Maybe the hornets will be dead by that time,” said Paxton. “But I suppose we can’t help that. Ritter, how about your celebration?”
“That won’t be postponed,” chuckled the bully. “We’ll have a dandy time.”
Word was passed around and after the camp was quiet Ritter and his cronies stole away, taking with them several bundles done up in newspapers. They would have been astonished had they known what was in one of the bundles—one smuggled in by Pepper and Andy.
The crowd went into the woods, and there by the light of two lanterns Ritter brought out his cake, root beer, soda water, and other good things to eat and drink.
“Now help yourselves,” cried the bully, good naturedly.
Some cake was cut and passed around, and also the drinks.