The two scouts continued to pace their beat industriously. Billy had managed to overcome that dreadful feeling of drowsiness, for a time at least. Of course it was bound to come back again later on with increased energy; but the growing possibility of something stirring happening was keeping him on edge now.
Perhaps ten minutes later, or it may have been no more than eight, around the corner came a flying figure that quickly resolved itself into a boy wearing the well-known khaki suit of a scout.
It was no other than Arthur Cameron, whose beat adjoined that of Hugh and Billy and with whom they had exchanged passwords many times since going on duty.
Arthur was plainly wild with fresh excitement, and Billy’s heart began to beat fast with anticipations of coming news.
“What ails you, Arthur?” demanded the assistant scout master, as the other came close up, panting for breath.
“They’re there, and doing it for keeps!” gasped Arthur.
“Where do you mean, and what are they doing?” asked Hugh quickly; while doubtless Billy was saying to himself something like, “Oh, joy! joy! now we’ll get it!”
“Over in the mayor’s front yard, playing hob with everything!” Arthur burst out.
CHAPTER VIII.
MOCKING THE MAYOR.
This thrilling news awakened Hugh to the fact that after all the bold Corbley crowd meant to defy the mayor. They had “taken the bull by the horns,” and to make the lesson all the more impressive, had selected the front yard of His Honor as the scene of their vandalism.