camp wasn't our business. Now, boys," he continued,
"you've got money with you, and you've got clothes, and one on you's got
a watch; and you're goin' to give 'em to three honest hard-workin' men,
or else you're goin' to have your nice little throats cut."

"Here, boys, quick!" cried Tom, rushing into the tent, where he was
followed by the other boys before the tramps could stop them. "Here,
Harry," he continued, "take the boat-hook. There's a hatchet for you,
Jim, and a stick for Joe. Now we'll see if they can rob us!" So saying,
he stepped outside the tent with the gun in his hand, followed closely
by his little army.

The ruffians hesitated when they saw the cool way in which Tom
confronted them. So they proposed a compromise, as they called it. "Look
a here," said the one who had hitherto been the spokesman; "we ain't
unreasonable, and we'll compromise this yere business. You give us your
money and that chap's watch, and we'll let you alone. That's what I call
a very handsome offer."

"We won't give you a thing," replied Tom; "and I'll shoot the first one
of you that lays a hand on us."

The tramps consulted for a moment, and then the leader, with a frightful
oath, ordered Tom to drop that gun instantly.

Tom never said a word, but he cocked both barrels and waited, with his
eye fixed on the enemy.

Presently the tramps separated a little, the leader remaining where he
had been standing, and the others moving one to the right and the other
to the left of the boys. They evidently intended to rush on Tom from
three directions at once, and so confuse him, and prevent him from
shooting.

"I'll take the leader and the man on the right," whispered Tom to Harry.
"You lay for the other fellow with your boat-hook. I've given you fair
warning," he continued, addressing the ruffians "and I'll fire the
minute you try to attack us."

The boys were standing close together in front of the tent, Tom being a
little in advance of the others. Suddenly the leader of the tramps
called out, "Now, then!" and all three made a rush toward Tom. He fired
at the tramp in front of him, hitting him in the leg, and bringing him
to the ground; but before he could fire again, the other two were upon
him.

The boys gallantly stood by Tom. Harry attacked one of the tramps with
the boat-hook so fiercely that the fellow cried out that he was stabbed,
and ran away. Meanwhile Tom was struggling with the third tramp, who had
thrown him down, a