“We’ll march the lot o’ ’em over to Bagsville, and have Squire Riggins sit on the case,” said the leader. “We’ll teach ’em how to come up here an’ steal our lawful property!”
“Will rob an honest farmer’s hen-roost, will yeou?” See page [174].
CHAPTER XXV.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
The boys listened in silence to what the farmers had to say. They realized at once the natural mistake the men were making. The chickens the owners of the camp had cooked had been stolen, and these four tillers of the soil supposed the members of the Zero Club guilty of the crime which had been committed.
Jack was the first to speak, and a faint smile showed itself around the corners of his mouth as he lowered his shotgun and began to explain the case.
“You are making a great mistake,” he said. “We know nothing of your chickens. We do not belong at this camp.”
“Tell thet to yeour grandmother!” retorted the foremost farmer. “I know better.”
“My friend speaks the truth,” put in Harry. “Our camp is away off on the shore of Rock Island Lake.”
“None o’ yeour darn yarns now!” growled another of the farmers. “If I an’t mistaken, yeou be the very feller I seed around the barn tudder evenin’!”