"What's the meaning of this?" cried Tom, struggling to rise, as did
Sam.
"It means you are prisoners!" cried Tad Sobber, who had had small part in the operations, but who was ready to do all the "crowing" possible.
"Prisoners!" gasped Sam. "Where is Dick?" he added.
"Also a prisoner," said Tad, with a chuckle. "You thought you had fooled us nicely, but I guess we have turned the tables on you."
"I suspected you Rovers," said Sid Merrick.
"Really!" answered Tom, sarcastically. "You acted it!"
"See here, don't you get funny, young man. Please remember you are in our power."
"And we'll do some shooting, if we have to," added Tad, bombastically.
"Tad, I guess I can do the talking for this crowd," said his uncle.
"You were afraid of the ghosts, Tad," said Sam. "You must have run about a mile!" And the youngest Rover grinned in spite of the predicament he was in.