rget it."

Tod spoke in a frank and manly way, and his good-natured face ought to
have evoked a pleasant response. And it did from most of the men, but
the fierce black-eyed one, who seemed to be the leader, was possessed of
a sense of greed, and his one idea regarding the "stuck-up summer
people" was to extract money from them whenever possible.

"A dollar," he said, with an unpleasant sneer; "not enough, young sir!
Show us ten dollars, and we'll try to forget the insult you offered us."

"I didn't offer you an insult, and I haven't ten dollars with me, and I
wouldn't pay it to you if I had!"

Tod was angry now, and his eyes blazed at the rude injustice of the
demand.

But the fierce-browed man was not abashed. "You gimme ten dollars or
I'll make trouble for you! If you haven't got it, you can get it. Gimme
your word of honour--you look like a gentleman--to bring me that ten,
and I'll promise to make no trouble."

Tod hesitated. Had he been alone, he would have refused them at once,
but he felt that he had the responsibility of Dotty's welfare, and he
paused to reflect. The men were very rude and uncontrolled, and Tod
didn't know what further menace they might offer.

As he hesitated, the big man spoke more threateningly. "Be quick, young
man; give us your word, or we'll put you under lock and key for awhile
to think it over."

This speech was accompanied by growls of assent from other members of
the group, and one or two stepped forward as if to carry out the
suggestion.

CHAPTER XIX

SPENDING THE PRIZE MONEY

"Hoo--hoo!" called a gay voice, and Tod and Dotty turned to see Dolly
Fayre flying toward them. She was alone and out of breath from running,
but laughing gaily as she joined them.

"I ran away from Tad," she cried. "He went to get some candy, and just
for fun, I scooted off. And somebody had said you came this way, Dot, so
I followed just for fun. Why, what's the matter?"

Dolly looked in amazement at the group of angry men and at the
half-frightened, half-indignant faces of Dotty and Tod.

"Matter enough," Tod said; "you keep out of it, Dolly. In fact, you
girls go back to the hotel and leave me to fix things up with these
men." Then he suddenly remembered his desire for an amicable settlement,
and he said pleasantly, "I guess we can come to terms after the ladies
have gone."

"I guess we can't!" said the black-browed man, in a surly tone. "You go
back to the hotel, young man, and g