Down Twenty-fourth Street, hurrying with all their might, came three boys whom, even had they not worn their Scout uniforms, we should have had no difficulty in recognizing as Rob, Merritt and Tubby. All were laden down with packages,--things bought at the last moment. The main part of their equipment was already on board. As we know, their numerous camping expeditions had provided for them so amply in that way that it had hardly been necessary to buy anything in that line. Tents, cooking outfits, and so on, they had long possessed.

But on board the ship, in the stateroom they were all three to share, reposed their proudest possessions: three blue-steel automatic revolvers with their cartridge belts, etc., and three brand new automatic rifles of heavy caliber. The latter had been the gift of Mr. Mainwaring, while the revolvers the boys had bought themselves on his recommendation. It was quite likely, it appeared, that they would explore some of the upper reaches of the Chagres River, a region infested by big snakes, jaguars and alligators, and weapons were more or less of a necessity.

Good-byes had been said early that morning when an admiring, if slightly envious, cohort of Scouts, with the village band at their heads, had escorted them to the train for New York. It had been a period of glorious excitement up to that time, but when the moment came to say the last good-byes and they had waved and given the Scout cry for the last time, the three lads felt strangely sober. This supernatural depression of spirits had endured till they reached New York, where their last shopping excursion for some time diverted their thoughts and drove away the blues.

So that it was a laughing, merrily chatting trio that came at a brisk walk down Twenty-fourth Street on its way to meet Mr. Mainwaring and Fred at the steamer. All felt that their departure for the tropics meant a new epoch in their lives. As for their friends at home, the Hampton local paper had devoted a column to the lads' departure, calling them "Hampton's Boy Scout Pioneers."

How much they wished that they could have brought all the Eagles with them to share their antic.i.p.ated experiences! But that was manifestly impossible, and so, as the next best thing, Tubby carried a camera and an ample supply of films with which to make all the pictures he could to be shown to admiring audiences on their return.

The water front opposite the sailing place of the West India and South American ships is a busy spot. Life boils over thereabouts and the boys felt quite bewildered as they faced the broad street packed with rumbling wagons and swearing drivers and stevedores that lay between them and the dock bearing in big white letters the magic words: Panama Steamship Company.

They were just about to cross the street when their attention was suddenly distracted by the sound of some sort of scuffle or argument going on near at hand. Facing about they were not long in discovering what the trouble was. Drawn up against the curb was a small peddler's hand-cart, covered with rosy apples piled high in tempting fashion.

Behind it stood a kindly-looking old woman who just at that moment appeared to be very much fl.u.s.tered and excited. The cause was soon apparent.

Above the quavering voice of the old woman came a loud, bl.u.s.tering one that the boys were swift to recognize.

"Max Ramsay! What in the world is he doing here?"

"And Hodge Berry is with him and two other boys that look like city fellows," struck in Merritt. "What are they up to?"

"It's plain enough that they are plaguing that poor old woman," exclaimed Rob, "and it wouldn't surprise me if they had come down here to see us off on the steamer and try to make trouble of some kind. I heard they were staying with Ramsay's cousins in the city till the school was rebuilt."

"Well, it's a shame, anyhow," cried Merritt indignantly.

He had just seen what the Hampton worthies and their friends were up to.

They had amused themselves by plaguing the old woman till she was half beside herself, and then, while she was berating one of them, the others would steal some apples.

"Why, it's downright thievery," cried Rob.

"That's just what it is. Just what I'd expect from such cads," cried Merritt, fully as angry.

"They look like good apples, too," commented Tubby, regarding the fruit with the eye of an expert in such matters.

"Well, if you aren't the limit," exclaimed Merritt, giving him a disgusted look.

"Haven't I got a right to give my opinion?" asked the fat Scout demurely.

"Well, of all the mean skunks," cried Rob indignantly, with a darkening brow. "See, the poor old woman is lame. She's got a crutch there. She can't get after them and that's why they are so bold."

"Come on, and stop it," exclaimed Merritt impulsively, "I can't stand for anything like that."

"Better get a policeman," suggested Tubby prudently.

"I don't see one in sight," rejoined Rob; "I guess it's up to us to stop it."

"Here's where I get even for that tumble I took, Scout rules or no Scout rules," muttered Tubby to himself as the three lads advanced.

Max Ramsay was contentedly munching a big red apple as they approached.

He was too much, engrossed with laughing at the anger of the old woman and the mean pranks of his friends to notice the trio of determined looking lads nearing him. He had already swooped down on the stand and was now trying to divert the old woman's attention from the raids of his companions.

"Drop that apple, Max Ramsay!"

That was the first warning that Max had that the three Scouts from Hampton were on the scene. He and his companions had, as Rob guessed, come down to the steamer to make trouble for the boys if they could. But on the way they had stopped to divert themselves at the old apple woman's expense.

Max turned a trifle pale for an instant, but then he bethought himself of his companions and grew defiant again.

"As if I'd drop it for you," he said sneeringly.

Rob's arm flashed out and seized Max's wrist. The next instant the apple was flying across the street.

"Ouch!" grunted Max, "what are you trying to do? Break my arm? Hey, fellows!"

His companions, their attention thus drawn, rallied to Max's support. But Rob, crimson with just anger, never noticed them. Nothing made the young Scout leader more angry than cruelty or injustice to children, the old and feeble, or dumb animals. His eyes fairly blazed now as he faced Max, who looked mean and cringing beside him.

"Now get out of this, you coward," he exclaimed, grabbing Max's shoulder and giving that worthy a good shove. "Be off and take your friends with you. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, treating a poor old woman this way."

"Let's give 'em a good punching," muttered Tubby belligerently.

"That's what I say," chimed in Merritt; but Rob held back his two fire-eating chums.

"Oh, we're not scared of the whole bunch of you namby-pamby sissies,"

cried Hodge Berry, a hulking lad who, however, took good care to keep out of reach of Rob's fists. He had once witnessed what they could do and had no desire for a personal experience. Now Max's two city cousins chimed in.

"Why don't you give those toy soldiers a good hiding?" said one.

"Yes; those Boy Scouts are too dern busy," put in the other, a pale-faced, pimply lad of about seventeen.

But despite these brave remarks, neither of them made any effort to back up Max or Hodge Berry.

"All right for you. We'll fix you some time," snarled Max.

"Why not do it now?" inquired Tubby. "You're four to three, that's good odds."

"Oh, we could lick you if we wanted to. We'll do it, too, when you get back from Panama, if you ever do. I hope the 'gators eat you."

"Thank you," said Rob, laughing in spite of himself; "and as for fighting you fellows, why I don't much believe in it, but if you don't make yourselves scarce, I'll give you rowdies a lesson you won't forget."

"Yah-h-h-h-h!" was all that the apple raiders could think of to say, but they faded away from the scene in as dignified a manner as they could muster.

The three Scouts then bought some apples from the old woman, who poured out her thanks so profusely that a small crowd began to gather about her and listen.

"Come on, fellows," said Rob, "let's get out of this."

They hurried away, followed by the old woman's "Wurra wurras," and "G.o.d bless yez fer foine byes now, even if ye do wear haythenish clothes."

When they were out of earshot, Rob turned his attention to his badge, which he was wearing upside down. Like many other Scouts, he didn't turn it the right way up till he had lived up to the Scout rules of doing a daily kind deed. He now turned his badge the right way and so did his chums, who had adopted this rule also.

"I'd have felt better if I could have got a good crack at those chaps, though," said Tubby between bites at his apple.

Suddenly a steamer's whistle boomed out above the dock-side uproar.