even with you,
because you forced him into the ditch this afternoon, upsetting his
wagon."

Old Growdy moved uneasily.

"I was real sorry to see William do that. If he'd only waited till I
lighted my pipe I 'spected to pull out a leetle more, so's to let him git
by; but he was that impatient he must push on," he said.

"Just as I thought. Well, Mr. Growdy, one of the rules of the scouts is
that a member must never return an evil deed by another of the same kind.
I proposed that we try to make you change your mind about detesting all
boys. So we came here, not to paint your pigs as some other fellows did,
I'm told; not to let your stock loose, or run off with your wagons; but
to clean up your dooryard, and give you the greatest surprise of your
life when you came out in the morning!"

"Sho! now. That takes the cake!"

"When one of my chums upset that bench by accident, and the pans fell
with a racket, of course it gave the whole thing away, and we started to
run; but unfortunately I happened to drop into your nice little trap, and
you found me upside down. That is all, Mr. Growdy. Do you want to whip me
now, or take me in to the lockup, which?"

Peleg Growdy found himself strangely thrilled as he looked into that
frank, smiling face of Paul Morrison.

For almost a full minute they stood thus.

Then Peleg spoke.

"Reckon as how them comrades o' yers must 'a' gut a long start by now,
Paul. S'pose ye see if ye kin ketch up with 'em, son."

That was all, but as Paul hurried off he was conscious of a strange
feeling deep down in his breast; and he felt sure that after all it had
paid. Peleg Growdy at least had met with the surprise of his life. After
this possibly his ideas of juvenile depravity might undergo a violent
change; for such positive natures as his usually swing from one extreme
to the other, just like the pendulum of a grandfather clock.

Paul did not catch up with his fleeing comrades, for they had secured
too good a start. When he reached the rendezvous, however, he found them
there, one and all, and wondering what could have happened to detain him.

Loud were the expressions of astonishment as he calmly announced that
having been caught in a trap, he had held a face to face talk with Peleg
Growdy himself; when he managed to relate the whole surprising adventure
the boys were stunned at the possible consequences of their little prank.

Those who had considered it only in the light of a joke began