g on.

"Well, of all the impudence!" choked Harry, balancing a stone
nicely in his right hand.

First of all the visitor had rounded up all the firewood into
one heap. Now, to this combustible material the fellow was bringing
a side of bacon and a small bag of flour. These he dropped on
the firewood, then went back for more of the camp's food supply.

"Just wait," scowled Hazelton. "Oh, my fine fellow, I'll make
your hands too hot for holding other people's property!"

Over the brush arched a stone. Hazelton had been a pitcher in
his high school days, and no mistake. The descending stone fell
smack across the back of the fellow's right hand.

"That's right! Howl!" cried Harry, exultantly. "Now, for a surprise."

The second stone flew with better speed, carrying away the fellow's
hat without hitting his head.

"Hey, you, stop that!" roared the fellow.

From behind the bushes all was quiet. The camp prowler stood
up straight, staring to see whence the next stone would come.
After nearly two minutes he bent to pick up the case of biscuit
that he had dropped.

Smack! Even as his nearer hand touched the box a sharp stone
struck the back of that hand, cutting a gash and causing the blood
to spurt.

"I'll have your scalp for that!" howled the enraged man. Making
a pretty good guess at the direction from which the stone had
come, the fellow started toward the brush on a run.

"Here's where you get all of yours!" chuckled Harry Hazelton.
Still crouching he let three stones fly one after the other.
The first struck the prowler in the mouth, the second on the
end of the nose and the third over the pit of his stomach.

"You two-legged Gatling gun!" howled the fellow, shaking with
rage and pain. He halted, shaking his fist in the direction from
which the stones had come.

Another lot of stones flew toward him. The prowler waited no
longer, but turned, making for Gage's camp as fast as he could go.

"That ought to hold those rascals for a little while," speculated
Harry. "But, of course, there'll be a come-back. What'll they
do to me now, I wonder?"

By way of precaution Hazelton cautiously shifted to another hiding
place. Within fifteen minutes he saw the same prowler stealing
back into camp. When the fellow was near enough, Harry let fly
a stone that dropped near the rascal's toes.

"Hey, you stop that, or I'll make you wish you had!" roared the
fellow, shaking his fist.

Harry's answer was t