l licked, too?" inquired Danny Grin.

"Stop that talk!" ordered Tom gruffly. "We're not going to be
beaten. We'd hardly dare show our faces again in Gridley if Preston
High School took us into camp."

"Then how will the Preston fellows feel if we distance 'em?" Greg
inquired.

"Oh, it won't matter as much over at Preston," Tom replied coolly.
"Preston hasn't such a big reputation for winning athletic events
as Gridley has."

"The more I think of it," muttered Dave, "the more I marvel at
our cheek. We are barely more than freshmen. As yet we've entered
the sophomore class only by promotion. Yet we get away from home
and immediately start in to fight under the Gridley colors, just
as though we were real juniors or seniors! My, but I'll hate
myself if we get walloped Saturday afternoon!"

"We'd all dislike ourselves," smiled Dick Prescott calmly. "That
is why we haven't any thought of allowing ourselves to be beaten,
either by Preston or Trentville."

"I wonder if Trentville is as good as Preston?" asked Tom curiously.

"We can't tell until we see them work," suggested Greg.

"Who's going to eat, and when?" asked Dan. That started the crowd
to making preparations for the camp supper. It was prepared in
good time, and six healthy boys sat down to enjoy it. After that
came a period of blissful idleness. Then, more or less reluctantly,
the youngsters set about washing the dishes and setting the camp
straight in general.

"Better throw some wood on the fire; it's getting pretty dark,"
suggested Dick. "I'll get the lantern and light it."

Gr-r-r-r-r! came the voice of Towser, in the near distance.
It was followed by barks and yelps, all in the voice of Hazelton's
bull-dog.

"What trouble has the pup gotten into?" demanded Harry, throwing
an armful of wood on the campfire, then wheeling sharply.

Gr-r-r-r! Wow-wow! Woof! sounded closer at hand, accompanied
by considerable noise in the underbrush.

"That pup's in trouble," declared Tom sagely. "Come along, fellows!
Bring the lantern, Dick!"

Six boys, headed by Dick with the lantern, went to meet the bull-dog.
They came upon Towser, growling in a most excited manner, threshing
something about him in the bushes as he came toward them.

"Hold still, boy!" commanded Harry. "What is it, old chap?"

Then he came upon the dog. In the darkness it was not easy to
make out what ailed Towser. But Prescott came closer to the dog
with the lantern.