“Here, boys, quick!” cried Tom, rushing into the tent, where he was followed by the other boys before the tramps could stop them. “Here, Harry,” he continued, “take the boat-hook. There’s a hatchet for you, Jim, and a stick for Joe. Now we’ll see if they can rob us!” So saying, he stepped outside the tent with the gun in his hand, followed closely by his little army.
The ruffians hesitated when they saw the cool way in which Tom confronted them. So they proposed a compromise, as they called it. “Look a here,” said the one who had hitherto been the spokesman; “we ain’t unreasonable, and we’ll compromise this yere business. You give us your money and that chap’s watch, and we’ll let you alone. That’s what I call a very handsome offer.”
“We won’t give you a thing,” replied Tom; “and I’ll shoot the first one of you that lays a hand on us.”
The tramps consulted for a moment, and then the leader, with a frightful oath, ordered Tom to drop that gun instantly.
Tom never said a word, but he cocked both barrels and waited, with his eye fixed on the enemy.
Presently the tramps separated a little, the leader remaining where he had been standing, and the others moving one to the right and the other to the left of the boys. They evidently intended to rush on Tom from three directions at once, and so confuse him and prevent him from shooting.
“I’ll take the leader and the man on the right,” whispered Tom to Harry. “You lay for the other fellow with your boat-hook. I’ve given you fair warning,” he continued, addressing the ruffians, “and I’ll fire the minute you try to attack us.”
THE FIGHT WITH THE TRAMPS.
The boys were standing close together in front of the tent, Tom being a little in advance of the others. Suddenly the leader of the tramps called out, “Now then!” and all three made a rush toward Tom. He fired at the tramp in front of him, hitting him in the leg and bringing him to the ground; but before he could fire again, the other two were upon him.