“Don’t start anythin’ you can’t stop,” they heard the boy whisper.
“Want a midnight ramble among the snakes?” asked Ned, drawing on a pair of rubber boots which came up to his thighs.
“You bet I do,” was the reply.
“Then get up and dress, and put on your high boots, for there are crawling things in the jungle.”
Leaving the boys dressing, Ned hastened outside and listened. The man who had attempted the destruction of the cottage was still moving through the thicket. It seemed to Ned that an army could have made no more noise than he made. In a moment he was joined by Frank and Jimmie.
In as few words as possible Ned explained the situation to his amazed chums.
“What you goin’ to do?” Jimmie asked.
“I want to follow that fellow to his principal,” was the reply. “I want to know who set him at such cowardly work.”
“It won’t be difficult to follow him,” Frank said. “He makes a noise like a circus parade.”
“One of you must stay here and watch the cottage,” Ned said, then. “When the explosion does not come, he may circle back here to see what has happened. The other may go with me.”