SIX BIG SNOWBALLS
It did not take the four Rovers and their chums long to reach that part
of the slope pointed out by Andy. As he had said, this was much higher
than the spot where they had stood before and the slope was much
steeper, leading directly down to where Werner, Glutts, and Codfish were
now busy over their campfire preparing the midday meal.
The bully and his cronies were good feeders, and had brought a
considerable quantity of food for their lunch. Some of this was now
spread out on a napkin resting on the snow, and the rest of it was being
warmed over the campfire.
"It's the chance of our lives," said Randy softly. "Come on, fellows,
let's make the biggest snowballs we can."
All of the others were willing, and soon they had rolled six snowballs,
each of which was two feet or more in diameter.
Of course, our friends were well out of sight of those in the hollow,
and as they spoke in low tones their enemies had no suspicion of what
was coming.
"Now then, place all the snowballs in a line on the very edge of the
slope," said Jack. "And, Gif, you give the word when we are to push them
down."
Soon the six massive snowballs were lined up side by side. Those behind
them looked below to make sure that none of the trio was close to the
fire, because they did not wish anybody to be burnt.
"Now then," whispered Gif suddenly, when he saw the three lads sit down
with the cooked stuff between them. "All ready? Go!"
Everybody gave a shove, and over the edge of the slope went the six
snowballs, slowly at first, but gradually gathering both size and speed.
Through the snow they rolled and over the bare rocks until almost to the
foot of the slope.
"Hi! what's this coming?" roared Glutts, happening to glance around as a
strange noise reached his ears.
"It's a snowslide!" screamed Werner.
"Oh, oh! let me get out of the way!" shrieked Codfish.
All three attempted to spring to their feet, Glutts knocking over a pot
of hot coffee as he did so. But the movement came too late, for the next
instant the six snowballs bowled over the three boys, hurling them in
all directions. One ball rolled through the lunch, carrying most of this
along, imbedded in the snow. Another snowball went directly through the
campfire, smashing that flat and leaving the embers hissing and
blackened.
"Don't let them see you," called Jack, as the twins were about to dash
down the slope. "Get back there out of sight."
"Oh, they'll know we did it, all right enough," answered Spouter. "Come
on down and have it out with them."
This was what the majority desired, and before Glutts and the others
could recover from their astonishment and dismay Gif and his crowd were
down the slope.
"Huh! so you were the fellows to roll those snowballs down on us,"
growled Bill Glutts, as he rubbed his leg where some of the hot coffee
had been spilled upon it.
"That's a fine way to treat a fellow," said Werner, digging some snow
from his ear.
"And you spoiled all the lunch!" wailed Codfish, looking around for his
cap, which had been knocked off. "Oh dear! I wish I hadn't come to this
out-of-the-way place!"
"Shut up your whining!" roared Werner. "You make me sick!"
"I don't care. I told you yesterday I wanted to go home," answered
Codfish complainingly. "I hate it up here!"
"Well, go home then!" snapped Werner. "Go home this minute if you want
to. I'm sick of having you around."
"You'd do much better, Codfish, if you wouldn't train with fellows like
Werner and Glutts," remarked Jack.
"If I leave them will you fellows show me the way back to Timminsport?"
questioned the sneak of Colby Hall pleadingly. It was plainly to be seen
that he had had no easy time of it since he had come up into the woods.
"That depends," said Gif, and caught the youth by the wrist. "Tell me,
Codfish, were you at our Lodge the other day--the day the whole place
was rough-housed?"
"No, I wasn't, Gif. Really and truly I wasn't!" cried the sneak, in
alarm.
"Were Werner and Glutts alone?"
"Yes, yes! I had nothing to do with it!"
"See here, Codfish, you keep your mouth shut!" roared Glutts, and he
moved forward as if to strike the small youth who cowered before him.
"You keep your distance, Glutts," admonished Jack. "If Codfish is tired
of staying with you fellows, he's going to leave, and you're not to say
anything about it."
"What right had you fellows to smash those snowballs down on us?"
questioned Werner, with an angry look in his eyes.
"What right had you fellows to come and upset Cedar Lodge, destroying
some of our stores, and walking off with some of the others?" questioned
Jack sternly.
"We didn't walk off with anything," answered Werner quickly. "What we
did we had a right to do--to pay you back for what you did to our stores
in the sleigh."
"We didn't take any of your things," put in Fred quickly; "and a whole
lot of our stuff is missing."
"We didn't take a thing away--not a thing," put in Glutts, and he smiled
grimly to himself as he spoke.
"I know what they did!" cried Codfish quickly. "If you'll take me along
with you, and see that I get to Timminsport safely, I'll tell you where
your things are."
"You say a word, Codfish, and I'll lambaste the life out of you!" yelled
Werner.
"You won't touch Codfish!" broke in Jack sturdily. "And if he wants to
go with us, he'll go."
"I want to go!" wailed the sneak. "I don't want to stay with them
another minute. But how am I to get my things that are up at their
shack?" he questioned helplessly.
"Well go up there with you," answered Gif.
A war of words followed, and then in uncontrolled rage Werner and Glutts
attacked Jack and Gif. Half a dozen blows were exchanged, and then
Glutts attempted to run away while Werner attempted to use the butt of
his gun as a club. Andy tripped Glutts up, and Spouter caught Werner
from behind, and as a consequence of the general mix-up the two bullies
received a well-deserved drubbing. Then their weapons were discharged
and their ammunition was taken away from them, and they were told to
march back to Tony Duval's shacks.
Here, as they expected, our friends had another set-to with the
French-Canadian. Tony Duval wanted to take sides with Werner and Glutts,
but the others would not listen.
"This young man is going with us, and he is going to take his things
with him," announced Gif, pointing to Codfish. "If you make any trouble
for us, Duval, I'll at once notify my father and my uncle, and likewise
the authorities at Portview. Your reputation around here is already none
of the best, and I'll see to it that you are treated as you deserve."
"Bah! what do I care for you or your father or your uncle?" cried Tony
Duval, in a rage. "This is my property. You will leave it at once."
"We'll leave when this young man has his things, and not before,"
answered Jack, and now he, too, fingered his gun in a suggestive manner.
Tony Duval realized that he was outnumbered and that the boys from Cedar
Lodge meant business. He grumbled a good deal and talked in a whisper
with Werner and Glutts. In the meanwhile, Codfish hurriedly gathered
together his few belongings, and presently announced that he was ready
to leave.
"Now, one thing more," said Gif, turning to the two bullies. "Don't you
dare to show your faces anywhere near Cedar Lodge again. If you come on
our property, you come at your own peril."
"Oh, you don't know how to take a joke," grumbled Glutts.
"We'll do as we please," added Werner, but it was plainly to be seen
that he was much disturbed.
The boys were about ready to leave the shack when they heard the sound
of sleigh bells, and soon a two-seated sleigh came into sight drawn by a
pair of powerful horses. The turnout drove directly to the front of the
shack occupied by Tony Duval.
"Hello! there are those men again," cried Gif.
All looked and saw that he referred to the Germans they had met on the
road when looking for Cedar Lodge. The newcomers paid no attention to
them, but leaped out of the sleigh and entered the Duval shack.
"I must go," said Tony Duval abruptly. "And I want you to go, too, and
never come back here again," he added, and then hurried away.
"Who are those men?" questioned Jack, turning to Werner and Glutts.
"That's none of your business," answered Werner sourly. "You clear out
of here and never come back."
There seemed nothing to do but to leave the premises, yet the Rovers and
their chums were curious to know who the Germans were and what their
errand to Tony Duval's shack could be. Yet they had no excuse for
lingering longer, so presently they took their departure, Werner and
Glutts looking sourly after them as they walked away.
"Do you know, I'd give a good deal to know more about those Germans,"
remarked Jack, as they trudged along. "I wonder what they want here?
They can't be hunters, because they haven't any hunting outfits."
"They certainly couldn't be up here for business," returned Spouter,
"because there is no business to speak of in this vicinity. Why, there
isn't even a farm or a farmer around here, and the nearest logging camp
is miles away, so they told me at Henryville."
"I'll tell you what we might do," said Gif. "We might pass into the
woods and then turn around and come back again up behind Tony Duval's
shack. We can watch and see what the Germans do, and maybe we'll hear
what they and Duval have to say."
"That's an idea!" cried Jack. "I don't know but what we had better act
on it."