Not far had they gone, however, before Pud let out a whoop of glee.
“That’s Paul Martin; and he’s got Jerry and Watson with him!” he shouted. “Come on, we’ll have some fun with the forger’s son!”
The evident viciousness of the bully did not meet with the approval of some of the fellows, however, and they were not slow to let Snooks know it. But the thought that he had a lever with which to make his enemy unhappy made him impervious to any comments of his schoolmates.
Ere the boys had covered more than half the distance which separated them from the iceboat they saw that unless something were done instantly to delay the start, they would arrive too late, for Paul and his companions were stretching themselves along the runners, preparatory to getting under way.
“Hey there! Wait a minute!” yelled Elmer, putting his hands to his lips that he might make a funnel that would carry the sound farther.
Surprised at the hail, the three boys rolled from the iceboat, looking expectantly at the fellows hastening toward them.
“What’s wanted?” shouted Paul, as the others came within easy speaking distance.
“I just wanted to tell you that the fellow you’re chumming with and going to take on your boat is the son of a prison-bird!” exclaimed Elmer. “I thought you ought to know it.”
As he heard the brutal statement, Harry’s face grew deathly pale, and he clutched one of the guide ropes with his hand as though to keep himself from falling, while Paul and Jerry looked from his accuser to him, bewildered.
“Wha—what do you mean?” finally stammered Paul. “Who’s the son of a prison-bird?”