In a twinkling the prisoners were tied with ropes to several trees. Then Jack led the way back to the ice house. Here Pepper went to the front, while the major resumed his uniform.
“Say, you fellows!” cried Pepper, as soon as he was sure of the party approaching. “Don’t be all day! Hurry up!”
“It’s too warm to hurry!” called back Roy Bock. “Do you think I want to get all heated up?” He was faultlessly dressed in his best, and so were his cronies, for nearly all of the Pornell students were rich and spent a good deal upon their attire.
They walked into the ice house just as Ritter and the others had done. It was Dale who called them to the rear, and then the others came up behind with another set of long bags and ropes.
“Let up!” roared Roy Bock, and began to fight with such vigor that he almost broke away. But Jack held fast and both went down into the wet sawdust, much to Bock’s disgust.
“Confound it, you’ve ruined my best suit!” he cried, “I’ll fix you for this, see if I don’t!”
“When you get the chance,” answered Jack in a disguised voice. “Glad you answered my letter,” he added.
“So this is what you were up to, eh?” stormed the Pornell bully, after further resistance was useless. With the bag over him he could, of course, see nothing. “What are you going to do with us?”
“Nothing, only keep you here while we enjoy that lawn party,” answered Pepper, in a disguised voice.
“It’s a plot against us!” groaned Grimes. “I told you to be cautious about coming here.”