“Now, Bob!” coaxingly.

“I won’t!” stubbornly. “You know I don’t like pills!”

“Bob, you’ll get us into trouble.”

“I don’t care. I’d rather get into trouble than have trouble get into me; and that’s what pills are—trouble.”

Just then came a loud rattling and crashing of the underbrush; and a large number of men and boys and dogs burst into the little open space and surrounded the two adventurers.

“Surrender!” cried the mayor.

“Get out!” roared the boy-giant in answer. And he set into kicking the too inquisitive dogs and cuffing the too venturesome men in a strenuous manner that made them fall back to a respectful distance—and in a great hurry.

“Untie the balloon!” Bob bawled to his companion. “And give me those gob-tabs!”

Fitz Mee did as directed.