"It's a whopper, all right—quick—them fellers is a-gittin' close't."
Putting their shoulders to the mass, they shoved it over to the brink of the hill.
Their presence had now been discovered, for Bowser, not understanding the necessity for silence, uttered a long, doleful bark.
"Get it headed straight, Tim," exclaimed Musgrove, breathing hard. "Jest a leetle this way. Aim fur them twigs in front, an' it'll land all right."
"Them fellers can't stop us now," said Sladder, with a grin of delight. "Everything ready, eh?—one—two—three!"
From the point where the two stood, there was a smooth, steep declivity, then a nearly level stretch leading to the cabin.
Chuckling loudly, the two boys gave the enormous ball a mighty shove.
"Mind your eye when Swiper an' Jobson come out. Won't they be wild? Oh, my, it's a-tearin' along, eh? Somethin' goin' ter bust, sure."
Eagerly they kept their eyes on the ball, which gathered speed every instant and was headed directly for the cabin.
With an irresistible rush it reached the bottom of the hill, dashed across the intervening stretch like a flash and brought up with a frightful bang against the side of the cabin. An ominous crashing of timbers followed, and gleams of light were seen issuing from the spot where it had struck. Then silence reigned.