had not yet appeared in the highly favored region around the
town of Scranton, in which place the boys in question lived, and
attended the famous high school where Dr. Carmack, also supervisor of
the entire county schools, held forth.

The five tired lads who formed this nutting party we have met before
in the pages of previous stories in this series; so that to those who
have been fortunate enough to possess such books they need no lengthy
introduction.

First, there was Hugh Morgan, looking as genial and determined as ever,
and just as frequently consulted by his comrades, because his opinion
always carried considerable weight. Then came his most intimate chum,
Thad Stevens, who had played the position of backstop so successfully
during the summer just passed, and helped to win the pennant for
Scranton against the other two high schools of the country, situated
in the towns of Allendale and Belleville.

Besides these two, there was included in the party a tall chap who
seemed to be acting as chauffeur, from which it might be judged that
he had supplied the means for taking this nutting trip far afield; his
name was Kenneth Kinkaid, but among his friends he answered to the
shorter appellation of "K.K." Then came a fourth boy of shorter
build, and more sturdy physique, Julius Hobson by name; and last,
but far from least, Horatio Juggins, a rather comical fellow who
often assumed a dramatic attitude, and quoted excerpts from some
school declamation, his favorite, of course, being "Horatio at the
Bridge."

It was "K.K." who got up the annual foraging expedition on this
particular year, and promised that they should go in style in the
antiquated seven-passenger car belonging to his father, who was a
commercial traveler, which car "K.K." often used, when he could raise
the cash to provide sufficient gasolene at twenty-five cents per
gallon. But on this momentous occasion each fellow had chipped in
his share pro rata; so that the generous provider of the big, open
car was not compelled to beg or borrow in order to properly equip
the expedition.

For ten days and more previously some of the boys had industriously
interviewed the farmers who stood in the market-place during the early
mornings, selling the products of their acres. Doubtless numerous
good mothers wondered what caused such an early exodus from warm beds
those days, since farmers had a habit of getting rid of their produce
at dawn, and driving off home