Something came flying out of the door of the shack, and landing in a heap rolled over and over, clawing at every object within reach.

Then it sat up and looked around in a frightened way.

"Why, it's Ben Cooper!" said Will, partly relieved.

"And he's met up with Jerry!" added Frank, grimly, as he watched eagerly to see what else took place in the little opening where the camp had been pitched.

The boys were all on their feet. They seemed to be staring at their half-dazed comrade as though hardly able to grasp the real meaning of the conditions.

Then Andy gave a shout.

"Hey, you fellers, look at that door go shut! The prisoner must have got loose! How about it, Ben Cooper? What happened to you?"

"They's another feller in there 'sides the prisoner. He knocked me clean silly, and threw me out o' the door," whined the other, rubbing his head dismally.

"Who was it--any of that crowd from over by the hemlocks?" demanded Andy, much excited, and apparently ready to tear up things generally.

"I reckon 'twar that Jerry Wallington--wait till I gets him some day, that's all."

"Hey, fellers, d'ye hear that? Another of that lot bagged in the cabin.

Come on, an' we'll do him up!" yelled the brawny leader, rushing forward.

When he reached the door, he tried in vain to break it open. It seemed to be braced in such a manner that he could make no impression on the planks.

"Bring me the ax, somebody!" he howled, after beating his fists vainly against the panel.

One of his followers made haste to obey. When Andy was aroused in this way the bravest of them did not dare brook his anger.

He immediately swung the implement about his head.

Crash! went the ax into the door, which began to split under the vigorous a.s.sault, as though unable to stand long before such tactics.

"He'll do it--he's going to break his way in; and I've got Jerry's gun!

Oh! dear what shall we do?" exclaimed Will.

"Stop that chopping, you!" shouted Frank, running forward with raised gun.

CHAPTER X

UNCLE TOBY FLIES HIGH

"Here, don't shoot!" shouted Andy, dodging behind one of his companions.

"We surrender!" cried another, throwing up his hands.

Frank and Will looked very threatening as they advanced. Both of them had their guns leveled, and besides, the latter was enc.u.mbered with his camera, so that he presented the appearance of being fairly loaded down with war material.

"Hey, Jerry, open up!" called Frank.

The door of the shack immediately began to move, and presently it was shoved aside, with the ax still sticking in its planking, just as Andy had left it.

"Talk about your rescue parties, say, don't this take the cake?"

exclaimed a familiar voice, and Jerry's head was thrust out of the opening.

"Is Bluff there?" demanded Frank.

"Sure," came in the voice of their missing chum.

A second head had by this time shown up.

"Hey, you, Franky boy, what d'ye mean bombarding our camp in this way?

What have we done to your crowd, I'd like to know, to be treated like dogs? First there was that Bluff Masters a-walkin' in here an' accusing us of stealing his blamed old gun, when the only one we've got is a musket Pet owns. Now you come tearing up things."

Andy was evidently getting indignant; but all the same he kept on the watch, and whenever he thought he saw one of those weapons pointing in his direction he slipped quietly behind one of the others.

"That's all right. Bluff has lost his gun; somebody took it from our camp last night just after a shower of rocks came in on us and we rushed out to find the fellow who sent them. He thought it was one of your crowd, and I guess he came over to ask. What business had you tying him up like a convict, tell me that?"

Frank put this to him sternly. At the same time he beckoned to Jerry to make a start out of the cabin, which the other easily understood, and set about obeying.

"Why, the silly fool was for trying to lick the whole lot of us; said as how he knew somebody from here had swiped his old gun, and that unless we handed it over he'd show us. Say, we couldn't stand for that, so we just sailed in and made him a prisoner. We didn't hurt him much, no more than he did us. Suppose the lot of you clear out now, and let us alone,"

growled Andy, growing bolder.

"Which we will be only too glad to do. We only wanted to get Bluff back."

There was a sudden brilliant flash, and a shout of alarm from the boys about the front of the charcoal burners' cabin.

"Got it all right, and I bet it's a dandy!" exclaimed Will.

He had set down Jerry's double-barreled shotgun when he saw what he considered a good chance to get a picture of the group, and touched off the little cartridge that allowed him to s.n.a.t.c.h a flashlight picture.

Two or three of Andy's fellows threw themselves flat on the ground, under the impression that some one had fired at them; still more of them were trying to hide behind each other in alarm.

"Hey, take that feller away, won't you? He's sure enough to scare anybody out of a year's growth," shouted Andy, waving his arms excitedly.

But he knew better than to try and rush forward while Frank stood guard.

There seemed to be an air of determination about that individual that Andy did not fancy.

By this time Jerry and Bluff had joined their chums.

The latter did not seem any the worse for his long confinement; indeed, he was grinning as though the scare of his enemies over that flashlight had amused him.

"We're only too willing to go. I told you before that we didn't mean to have any trouble with you, if we could help it; but if you start the ball rolling look out."

"Yes," said Will, on the heels of what Frank had said, "it's a case of millions for defense, not one cent for tribute."