For the instant Horace Pence seemed to have no reply ready, although he was quite at ease. His friends were flustered and terrified.
"There! What did I tell you?" the Walcott Hall boys heard Ben Comas say.
"Nice mess you've got us into," whined Pudge.
"The game's up," said Kirby, rather stolidly.
Kingdon made a sign to his friends, and they gathered close about him in the stern of the catboat, which was drifting in nearer to the shore.
"Fellows, I'm about to play the trump," he said, his eyes laughing but his lips grave. "Are you with me?"
"What do you mean, Rex?" demanded Midkiff suspiciously.
But Phillips said promptly: "We're always with you, Blue-Eyes. Go to it."
"It's some foolishness," began Midkiff again. But Peewee whispered:
"Put on the muffler, Grouch, and let him have his way. King's always good fun, no matter what he does."