“You see, I knew that I’d need it,” he explained afterward.
Rob, arm in arm with Merritt, brought up the rear of the tumultuous riot of enthusiasts. Suddenly Rob’s eye caught sight of a figure in the uniform of the Hampton’s players sneaking up behind a corner of the grand-stand which it was evident the crowd must pass in their march of victory. It was Jared Applegate. With him was the same young man the boys had seen in the barn the week before, as well as two other youths of bad character in the village, Hodge Berry and Maxwell Ramsay.
“What mischief is Jared up to?” breathed Rob, clutching Merritt’s arm.
“I don’t know, but he looks as sneaky as a pole cat. Let’s watch him.”
The two scouts followed, at a slight distance, the group of which Jared was the center. They saw the boys that they were watching sneak in behind the grand-stand, while Jared stooped and picked up a heavy stone. As the crowd, with Tubby’s rubicund countenance shining above their heads, came swinging around the corner on their way off the ball field, Rob gave a sharp exclamation and sprang forward.
Like a flash he gripped Jared’s arm just as it was about to launch the stone at Tubby’s head.
“You—you rascal!” he managed to exclaim, forcing Jared’s arm down with a firm wrist hold.
The next instant Hodge Berry and Max Ramsay, both of whom had played in the Hampton team, sprang at Rob furiously.
“You’re going to get a licking you won’t forget in a hurry,” they cried.
The crowd had swung on, not noticing the dramatic scene that was occurring so close to them. Rob dropped Jared’s wrist and turned to face his opponents.