“Especially as we’re armed,” added Fred, who carried his pistol with him.
Throwing down the last of their torches, the six boys advanced with caution. They heard the horses beyond the rocks occasionally stamping a hoof and caught a faint murmur of voices. Then, led by Jack, they mounted the rocks noiselessly, presently gaining a point where they could look directly down upon Brassy Bangs and his companion.
“It’s all wrong, Bud Haddon, and you know it!” they heard Brassy declare. “And sooner or later the authorities will get after you for this.”
“See here, Lester Bangs, you don’t have to preach to me!” growled Bud Haddon. “You’re just as deep in some things as I am in others.”
“It isn’t true, and you know it!” whined Brassy. And now the lads who were listening could see that their fellow-cadet was very much upset. “I’m not guilty, and I never have been guilty of any wrongdoing!”
“You tell that to the police and see what they have to say about it,” sneered Haddon, “You know well enough that you set fire to John Calder’s barn and burnt up horses that was worth thousands of dollars.”
“And I always said it was some cowboys or tramps that did it!” stormed Brassy.
“Not much! You did it! I know it, and so do Jillson and Dusenbury! We’ve got the goods on you.”
“What were Jillson and Dusenbury and you doing around the place?” questioned Brassy suddenly.
“Never mind what we were doing around there. We know you set the barn on fire. Didn’t you have a quarrel with old Calder?”