“Come, calling us bad names won’t do any good,” soothed Ralph.
“I’ll have you arrested! I’ll have the law on you! See if I don’t,” bawled the man, struggling to release himself from the encircling rope.
“I wouldn’t talk about law right now,” warned Ralph, in smooth, even tones. “The law might be interested to know something about this explosion to-night, you know.”
“Yah-h-h-h-h-h!” snarled the man. His anger and humiliation had rendered him incapable of any more articulate form of speech.
“Come on, boys, we’ll go up to the ruins,” said Ralph, while the man still struggled with his bonds. In the darkness he was having a hard time to untangle them.
“Don’t you dare go up near that hut,” he roared at the top of his voice.
“See here, my friend, you’ve said enough,” hailed back Ralph, as, together, the three chums set off for the glowing timbers that marked the smoldering remains of the hut.
“I’ll fix you,” roared the man, springing to his feet and rushing after the boys the instant he succeeded in getting loose.
“Don’t make any attempt to interfere with us,” warned Ralph, as the man rushed at them.
“Oh, I won’t, eh? Well, you’ll see. I’ll just——”