“Our stuff is all in the wagon,” announced Dale. “We were going to drive off with it, but we saw Ritter and Coulter looking this way and we didn’t want to be discovered.”
“Wait—they are going to retire,” said Pepper. “I think in a few minutes every fellow in this camp will be asleep, and then——” He did not finish but his eyes began to twinkle.
“Hurrah!” cried Dale. “I know what you mean! Tit for tat, eh?”
“And why not, Dale? Let me tell you fellows something.” And then The Imp repeated the conversation that had just been overheard.
“Is that true?” demanded Dale.
“It is—word for word. Jack wanted to pound Ritter then and there, but I made him hold back, for we want to prove this matter to Captain Putnam.”
“If that’s the sort he is, he and his cronies deserve to be cleaned out,” said another cadet.
“And we’ll clean them out,” answered Jack. “We’ll leave them the tents and their clothing and that’s all.”
The boys had not long to wait for Ritter and Coulter to retire. Then, when they felt certain that all of the enemy were asleep, they stole into the camp and picked up the cooking utensils and provisions lying around and loaded them on the wagon. Then the horse was untied and the journey back along the wood road was begun.
“We can change our own camp this afternoon,” said the young major. “And we can fix it so they won’t have an easy time to find us.”