it."

"You keep makin' insinuations an' I know fellow'll raise red welts on
you so you won't feel anything for month," threatened Chick-chick. "I
felt those welts. Saw 'em too. Plain as the ridges on a non-skid tire.
Anybody's thinks Brick had 'em made for fun can get all that kind o' fun
he wants."

"What's the trouble, scouts?"

It was Mr. Newton, his attention drawn by the angry tones.

"Explainin' 'bout Brick's body marks," said Chick-chick.

"I think you've talked long enough." Mr. Newton easily guessed the
quarrel. "Go along with Corliss and Glen and work your tongue on your
supper. You other fellows see they get filled up."

Glen had rushed to Will Spencer at his first free moment, but the supper
table gave him his first real chance for conversation with him. Will had
his billy cart pushed up where he could clap Glen on the shoulder and
tell him again how glad he was to see him safe and sound.

"Nice, comfortable day you've given your Uncle Bill," he said in
cheerful accusation.

"Did you worry about me?" asked Glen.

"Not so much about you," explained Jolly Bill. "But I had a terrible
time making my mind easy about that poor peddler and worrying about what
would happen to him when you found he'd run off with you."

"I didn't believe there was anything J. Jervice could do to me, but I
found people worse than him. I believe he's one of a robber gang--"

"I don't understand these references to robbers," interrupted Mr.
Newton. "Perhaps you'd better make it clear to us."

So for the benefit of the two men, Glen went over the whole story,
telling them all about his capture, his suspicions of the gang, the
chart he had seen, and the way they had treated him when he refused to
acquiesce in their plans.

"That sounds very grave," said Mr. Newton, busy already penciling a
note. "I'll get you to take this letter to town, Henry, just as soon as
you have finished your supper."

"You think they intended to rob the bank to-night?" asked Spencer.

"That was their original plan, I am sure; but I don't know--"

He was interrupted by a very earnest and eager delegation of scouts,
with big Tom Scoresby at its head. Tom saluted and asked permission to
address a request to the scoutmaster.

"We want to go out and capture these bank robbers before they get far
away," he explained. "According to what Chick-chick says, the peddler's
car is within three miles of here. Our plan is to go after it and use it
to catch t