mp lighted than they sprang forward toward the
heaving heap of blankets and folded tents, where the alarmed intruder
was trying to emerge from the avalanche he had brought down upon
himself.

Some of the good brethren of the congregation might have felt inclined
to hold up their hands in dismay could they have looked in there just at
that moment, and seen all the weird goings-on that were taking place.
Still, an investigation would have proven that the scouts were not
responsible for the scrimmage; since they had a perfect right to protect
their possessions against attack.

No sooner had Scissors managed to emerge from the great heap of camp
things than he was set upon by a couple of energetic scouts. He dodged
most of the blows, aimed with such good will, though a few landed, and
forced groans from the unhappy recipient.

To tell the truth, the expression of terror was so strong on the face of
the caged Tiger that neither of his assailants could get much force in
their strokes, so full of laughter had they become.

Paul himself walked over to unlock the door, wishing to end the
ridiculous and unequal performance as soon as possible. And in so doing
he happened to leave that single lighted lamp unguarded for just a
minute.

It proved doubly unfortunate, though no one could have possibly foreseen
the catastrophe which came upon them so suddenly.

Scissors, in trying to avoid further punishment, had taken to running
back and forth. He ducked whenever he believed one of those threatening
clubs was about to descend upon his head, whirling to the right, and
then to the left, almost wild at the prospect of being at the mercy of
such seemingly savage enemies.

He was too excited to understand that if he had only thrown up his
hands, and called out that he surrendered not another blow would have
fallen. Nor could he guess that the ferocious aspect of these
assailants was but a mask assumed to hide the huge grins that struggled
for mastery on their faces.

In making a last desperate plunge to escape William the fugitive
happened to collide with a pair of oars that stood up against the wall
in what was believed to be a secure place.

One thing followed another, just as a line of bricks standing on end
will bow to the fall of the leading one. Scissors struck the oars and
they in turn crashed against that single lighted lamp, knocking it from
its cup!

"Oh!" exclaimed William, pausing in sudden horror, as he saw the la