cared right now; and can you blame him."

"With all this crowd around," ventured Brad; "every fellow willing to
give him a punch to pay him up for what he tried to do to our
boat--well, I should guess not! Hurry along, Colon; that's the kind of
torch for you; just look at her blaze, will you?"

The long-legged boy came hurrying up, holding the burning stick in his
hand. And as he advanced closer to the spot where the suspected spy was
believed to be, the circle gradually narrowed, as the eager boys began
to push in.

"Wow! what do you think of that, now?" burst from Corney, as the light
gave a sudden flash, and plainly revealed the spot that had up to now
been in the shadows.

"It's an old red cow, and she's getting her dander up too, fellows,
because of all this noise, and the torch there! Look out if she charges
you; and run like everything! There she comes, fellows, like a tornado!
Run, boys! Scatter, to beat the band!"

It was Brad who gave this advice. He himself did not hesitate to take
it literally, for when the alarmed cow actually lowered her head,
whipped her tail around several times, and then made a lunge toward the
spot where Brad happened to be stationed, he whirled on his heels, and
fairly flew to place a tree between himself and the frightened animal.

Then there was a wild scene, every fellow being for himself. Colon
flung his blazing torch at the advancing beast, and with such good aim
that it actually came in contact with the cow's flank. Perhaps it
stung, or at any rate gave the beast a new spasm of fear, for there
immediately followed a fierce bellow, and the lunges grew more violent.

With flying tail and lowered horns the cow went charging past the
scattering boys. Luckily none of them was in her way, or they might
have been flung high in the air; since the most expert athlete among
them knew nothing about bull fighting.

"She's going to charge our tents!" shrieked Corney, who was part way up
a tree, so rapid had been his action after being warned by Brad of the
danger.

"Head her off, somebody!" whooped Colon, who, however, showed not the
least intention of doing anything in that line himself; for he had
found a convenient tree, that would afford plenty of shelter if
necessary, against the charge of half a dozen frightened cows.

If the animal headed directly toward the camp it was because she had
been so bewildered by the various shouts of the boys that she hardly
knew which way to t