By this time it was plain to all the boys that they understood one another perfectly. The truth of the matter was, that Joe Wayring and some of his particular friends had won too many honors, and made themselves altogether too popular in the community. These boys were angry about it, because they wanted to be first in every thing themselves. Tom Bigden and his cousins had fully intended to take Mount Airy by storm, and to establish themselves at once as leaders among their new acquaintances; and their failure to accomplish their object bewildered as well as enraged them. If they had known how to go about it, they would have disgraced Joe Wayring before he saw the sun rise again. So would George Prime. Of course they did not say it in so many words, but that was what each boy told himself.
Before Tom and his cousins left the store they entered into an alliance with Prime, both offensive and defensive, and talked over various plans for annoying the boys who had unwittingly incurred their displeasure. If they could not injure Joe and his friends in any other way, they could put them to some trouble and expense, and this they resolved to do the very first good chance they got. They did not decide upon any particular course of action, but Prime said that if Tom and his cousins would come to the store the next day, he would introduce them to a lot of good fellows who did not like Joe and his “clique” any too well, and who would be glad to be revenged upon them for some real or imaginary grievance.
“I see very clearly that there is a good deal of feeling against Wayring and his followers, and if we handle it rightly we can make it work to our advantage,” remarked Tom, as he and his cousins walked slowly homeward. “It is a wonder to me that something hasn’t been done to him before this time. What they lack is a leader—some one to propose a plan and go ahead with it.”
“Well, they have found him at last—three of him,” said Loren. “I always was opposed to living in a little country town, because you invariably find fellows there who think they know more than any body else—”
“And plenty of others who are willing to uphold them in that belief,” chimed in Ralph. “I say, don’t let’s have any thing to do with the Toxophilites. Let’s get up a club of our own and manage it as we see proper.”
“I am in favor of that,” replied Tom. “We’ll have no fines and drills, for one thing, and neither will we admit any girls who stick up their noses at a good cigar. But there is one thing we must not forget to do when we meet those fellows at the store to-morrow. If we decide upon any thing, we must be careful how we carry it out. If we are foolish enough to let Joe and the rest know that we are down on them, and that we intend to do them all the injury we can, they will make things very unpleasant for us. We don’t want them to serve us as they have served Prime, and read us entirely out of their good books—”
“And that is just what they will do if they see us in Prime’s company,” interrupted Loren. “Sheldon said so.”
“There is no need that they should ever see us in his company,” replied Tom. “Our best plan would be to hold all our meetings in secret—”
“And keep our organization, if we have any, a secret,” chimed in Ralph.
“That’s the idea,” said Tom. “Then we can do as much damage as we please in the way of setting boats adrift, and so on, and Joe and his followers will be at loss to know where the annoyance comes from. We mustn’t forget to speak to the fellows about that to-morrow.”