“Of course not. We must get rid of them immediately; for if they remain with us they will want to accompany us to Coulte’s, and that is something we can’t allow. We’ll raise a quarrel with them. We’ll ask them what they meant by praising Walter and his crowd a little while ago, and as they are very independent and spunky, they will be sure to give us some impudence. When they do that, we’ll tell them that we have seen quite enough of them, and that they can just pack up their traps and go home.”
“It’s almost too bad to go back on them in that way,” said Seth. “They’ve stuck to us like bricks.”
“And if you send them off it will break up our society and boat-club,” said Will.
“No matter for that. The society and boat-club must not stand in the way of this plan. I am going to carry it out if I lose every friend I’ve got by it. You can stick to me or not, just as you please.”
As Bayard said this he arose to his feet, indicating a desire to bring the interview to a close, and Chase and Wilson retreated backward until they were out of sight of the conspirators, and then took to their heels. They made the best of their way to the place where they had left their horses, and when Bayard and his cousins came in sight they were sitting on the bank of the bayou, looking steadily into the water. Something in their faces must have aroused Bayard’s suspicions, for he glanced from one to the other and demanded:
“What’s the matter with you fellows?”
“Nothing,” replied Chase, sullenly.
“I know better,” cried Bayard.
“So do I!” exclaimed Seth. “Something’s the matter with you, or you would not have stood up for Walter and his crowd as you did a while ago. We think hard of you for that, and want to know what you meant by it. It would serve you just right if we should put you where we’re going to put——”