“Gone out somewhere for some reason, and we’ll just wait here a while,” Frank gave his orders to the others.
At once, they took seats, with the exception of one, who was stationed at the window to watch for the coming of the campers. A full hour went by without any disturbance, without any sign. Then Buster called that the men were coming.
Walking straight toward the cabin, their arms filled with material of various kinds, the lads saw Jeek, Fallon and Carey.
“More of our stuff!” muttered Frank. “They’ve been down to our camp and ransacked it some more!”
In a few minutes the three crooks came trudging through the snow to the door of the camp, opened it, and strode in, throwing down their packages on the floor in a heap.
“Throw up your hands!” Frank gave the order of a sudden, stepping out from behind a chair.
Jeek whirled as if to make a rush at the young fellow, but three more heads came from behind various articles of furniture, each with a rifle or shot gun aimed at the three. And Jeek’s hands went into the air.
“Tie them up, Lanky,” Frank delivered the order, but Lanky needed no invitation. Two ropes that had been lying on the floor were brought into use, and the three men were very soon tied tightly.
“Now, Jeek,” said Frank, smiling in an engaging manner, “things have taken a little turn. We’ve got Snadder and Blinky, and now we’ve got you fellows. And we’ve caught you redhanded.”
Jeek, the burly, foaming with anger over this coup which had been put over on him, merely rolled back his ugly upper lip from the yellowed teeth and snarled at the boys.