“We’ll have to wait, I reckon,” he said with a sigh, “an’ it’ll be jest our luck to find ’em gone when we get there.”
If “luck” had any part in this evening’s doings, then it certainly favored Master Foss; for in less than five minutes from the time Tom arrived, every member of the party returned to report his inability to find the boy who had attempted to destroy their pleasure.
Bill did not wait to give the new-comers any particulars regarding the information brought by Tom; but simply commanded them to “foller the best they knew how,” and set off at a rapid pace with Tom and Josiah by his side.
Upon reaching a point a short distance from where the evil-disposed crowd was supposed to be, the leader of the force halted, and thus mapped out the plan of battle:—
“We’ll sneak right up on ’em, so’s they won’t hear a thing, an’ then make a rush. I’d like to tie their hands, an’ leave ’em on the sidewalk till most mornin’. I reckon that would serve ’em out for stealin’ the grub. Now come on!”
The attack was successful so far as surprising the enemy was concerned, but the captures were not made as readily as Bill had fancied.
Sim and his friends, knowing full well the possibility of pursuit and an attempt at punishment, were prepared for just such an onslaught; and the result was that instantly Bill’s force appeared, each of the plunderers was ready to defend himself to the utmost.
As a matter of course, a pitched and exciting battle ensued.
Josiah, to whom no orders had been given, save in a general way when Master Foss instructed all the party on their duties, felt it incumbent upon himself to assist his friends, and the first blow had hardly been delivered when he was in the thickest of the fray, receiving more in the way of punishment than it was possible for him to return.
It appeared as if Sim and his friends had some especial cause for complaint against this boy from the country, and were doing their utmost to pummel him, while they paid but little attention to the others.