I'll be Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes
to delivering the goods. But all further talking had better be put off
until we find out whether we can go or not. So I move we adjourn, to
meet again an hour from now at Will's shack," remarked young Langdon,
always logical.

They had stopped to talk the matter over alongside one of the stores in
the town; and indeed Bluff was perched upon an empty box, that lay at the
foot of a small pyramid of similar cases, piled up until such time as
they could be sold or destroyed.

While the others were talking, Jerry had made a little discovery that
aroused both his curiosity and his temper: he had seen a touseled head,
surmounted by a cap he knew full well, push up a little above the rim of
the most elevated empty box, as if some concealed listener might be
endeavoring to hear better, and in his eagerness recklessly exposed
himself in this way.

Jerry was always prompt about doing things, nor did he, as a rule, stop
to figure what the immediate consequences might prove to be.

Indignation at the idea of their conference having been overheard
possessed his soul, and, seeing a splendid chance to bring the plans
of the listener to a sudden and disastrous end, he managed without
warning to give one of the boxes a flirt with his hand that moved it
out a foot or two.

As it happened to be the keystone of the arch, the consequence was the
entire pile came tumbling down, much after the fashion of a crumbling
church during an earthquake.

Bluff gave a wild shout, and sprang to a position of safety, to turn and
stare in astonishment at the remarkable result of the catastrophe.

From under the ruins a figure came crawling slowly, rubbing sundry places
about his legs and sides, where the sharp corners of the boxes had been
in cruel contact with his flesh.

"Why, it's Andy Lasher!" exclaimed Jerry, pretending to be wonderfully
surprised. "Where in the world did you come from--hiding in that drygoods
box, eh? Up to some of your old tricks, Andy, I guess. Going to carry off
the whole dry-goods emporium that time, perhaps?"

The boy managed to get upon his feet, though he continued to limp around
and rub his legs vigorously, as he whistled to keep from groaning.

Andy Lasher was known as the town bully, and many a time had he taken
delight in giving our four friends more or less trouble; Jerry and he had
always been at loggerheads, and could look back to half a dozen occasions
in the past w