Having taken what they wanted, the boys proceeded to “season” what remained with the pepper and with some lard and vinegar Andy had procured on the sly from the academy kitchen. They had brought some napkins with them, and in these placed what they had appropriated. Then Pepper calmly proceeded to break down one of the tree limbs.
“What are you doing that for?” asked Jack.
“I’ll show you,” said Pepper, calmly, and under the broken-down limb he placed the basket, resting on its side. “How is that?”
“First-rate!” laughed Jack.
“Looks exactly as if the basket had been on the limb and it had broken and spilt the stuff,” said Andy.
“Now we’ll get out of sight and watch,” went on the Imp.
They ran out of sight and waited. Not five minutes later Dan Baxter, Coulter, and Ritter hove into sight.
“Here is the spot, fellows,” they heard the bully of the Hall exclaim. “Anybody around?”
“I don’t see anybody,” answered Ritter.
“Where’s the basket?” asked Coulter, gazing up into the tree.