“What’s that?” he cried, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
Before him he saw a curious figure jumping up and down. It gave forth a curious glow of light.
“You can’t fool me!” he cried, and leaped from his cot,—to pitch headlong over an empty barrel.
“What’s up?” came from Reff Ritter, and he too got up and bumped into a bag of flour hanging on a level with his head. Down came the bag, and the flour flew in all directions, nearly smothering Mumps, who was still sleeping.
“What’s this?” spluttered the bully’s toady. “Who threw flour over me!”
He too arose, and fell into a lot of loose tinware, creating a great racket. Then came a crash of another sort.
“Look out, the tent is coming down!” called out Ritter, and tried to get out. But he too fell over the empty barrel, and the next moment down came the tent, burying all three of the boys and making more noise than ever.
“Run!” called out Pepper, who had arranged the affair, and he and his chums ran and were soon out of sight.
The noise awoke Captain Putnam and George Strong, who were sleeping in a tent close by. Both ran out, and a lantern was lit.
“What’s the trouble here?” demanded the captain.