e
Sterling House. He says Buck's the boy who did it, all right."

"How does he know?" all of the others asked with interest.

"Saw Buck pick up a stone and pack the snow hard around it," said Jimmy
importantly. "He saw it himself, so we've got one witness for our side,
all right."

"That's good," said Bob, adding, with a glint in his eye: "Say, wouldn't
I like to get my hands on Buck, just for about five minutes!"

"Well, you won't have a chance," said Jimmy, enjoying being the bearer
of so much news. "Buck's gone with his father to a lumber camp up in
Braxton woods."

"How do you know all this?" inquired Herb curiously. "You seem to be
chock full of information to-day."

"Oh, a little bird told me," said Jimmy, looking mysterious. However, as
Herb made a threatening motion toward him, he hurried to explain. "I met
Terry Mooney," he said. "I told him I knew all about who put the stone
in the snowball and I told him that our crowd was going to make his look
like two cents. He laughed and said swell chance we'd have. Said Buck
had gone to the lumber camp with his father and that he and Carl Lutz
were going to join him in a day or two. Just like Buck to run away when
he knows there's a good licking coming to him!" added Jimmy, with a
sneer.

"Oh, well, what do we care?" said Joe. "At least we sha'n't have those
fellows around spoiling all the fun."

"I'm glad you found out about the snowball just the same," said Bob
thoughtfully. "Every little bit helps when we have to fight against that
crooked gang of Buck's."

"Here's hoping," said Herb fervently, "that they stay away all the rest
of the spring."

By this time the lads had reached Bob's house. It was Saturday
afternoon, and as the boys crowded noisily into the hall Bob noticed
that his father was in the library and that he seemed to have company.

He was starting upstairs with the other lads when his father came out of
the library and called to him.

"Come on in for a few minutes, boys," he said. "I have a friend here who
is a man after your own hearts," and his eyes twinkled. "He's interested
in radio."

The boys needed no second invitation, for they never missed an
opportunity of meeting any one who could tell them something about the
wonders of radio.

Mr. Layton's guest was lounging in one of the great chairs in the
library, and from the moment the boys laid eyes on him they knew they
were going to hear something of more than usual interest.

Th