"I didn't know there were tramps in these woods," muttered the cattle owner.
"Tramp, thief, or whatever he is," exclaimed Dick Prescott, "that fellow must move on out of this part of the country. If he doesn't we'll catch him. After we get through with him, he'll be glad enough to move on."
"If he's able," added Dave Darrin significantly.
"Oh, what's the use of making a fuss, this time?" demanded Tom Reade good-humoredly. "For once we have so much meat that we could spare a hungry man two hundred pounds and not miss it."
"It's the principle of the thing," muttered Dick, who was studying the ground intently. "That big, hulking fellow doesn't care a rap whether we have plenty, or whether he takes all we have. We've got to suppress him. We must catch him, and put a stop to his thieving. See! Here's where he went off through the woods. Come on! We'll trail him!"
"And, if we find him?" asked Greg.
"We'll try to reason with the fellow," responded Prescott rather grimly.
Just as the boys started off on the trail that Prescott had discovered, other figures appeared on the scene.
"Now, may I ask what you girls are doing here?" asked Tom, his tone more agreeable than his words.
"We want to see the fun, whatever is going to happen," declared
Susie Sharp.