and we
must make sure that we don't run into that pair of ex-soreheads."

The "sorehead" reference, as readers of our "_High School Boys
Series_" will recall, had to do with Dodge and Bayliss, ere they
had been chased out of Gridley High School. These boys had belonged
to the notorious "sorehead faction" in the high school football
squad.

Going in different directions, Dick, Dave and Harry were able
to make all their needed purchases in a short time. Right after
that, they got out of the village, and back upon the rough trail
for camp without having met their enemies.

It was nearly seven o'clock when the three travelers, all but
fagged out, pushed their cart in sight of camp and gave a hail
that brought the other chums running to meet them.

First of all, word was passed as to the successful outcome of
the fish-selling expedition.

"I thought you fellows would bring us some fresh meat," Tom cried,
when Dave unloaded the cart. "Fresh vegetables, too? Wow! Won't
we live? I told the fellows not to try to get supper until you
got back, as you'd be sure to bring something that would make
us sorry we had eaten. We've the fires all ready."

"And now, listen!" commanded Dick Prescott, after the first preparations
had been made for supper.

Thereupon the young leader of Dick & Co. repeated the plot they
had heard Dodge and Bayliss unfold that noon.

"Hang those two heathens!" sputtered Tom Reade indignantly.

"Oh, I'm glad they're coming," laughed Dick. "All I hope is that
nothing will happen to keep them from coming to-night."

Then Dick outlined his plan. Tom Read, after listening for a
few moments, lay on the ground, rolling over and over in his glee.

"Wow! But won't that be great?" demanded Greg, laughing until
the tears ran from his eyes.

"Say, we mustn't talk any more now. We must eat supper, and then
get ready if we're to play the reception committee successfully
tonight."

At a very early hour, considering the lateness of the evening
meal, Reade, with his knack in woodwork, and with no other tool
than his jackknife, had fashioned the stocks for two "rifles."
These Hazelton carefully treated with mud from the lake so as
to give them a dark color.

"If the guns are seen by the light of the campfire, the stocks
and barrels ought to be of different colors," Dick explained.

Dave was now fashioning two straight sticks into semblance of
rifle barrels. These were lightly treated with mud an