The boys found two socks, a collar and a necktie missing, and
a long search around failed to bring the articles to light. One
of the undershirts had been knotted up tightly, and Shep had to
"chaw on the beef," as boys call it, to get the knots untied.

"I'd like to know if it really was Ham and Carl," he growled. "If it
was I'll fix them for this new trick of theirs."

"How were they dressed?" asked Snap.

"Each wore a brown suit, kind of yellow brown," answered Whopper.
"I'd know 'em out of a million.

"We'll lay for them, Whopper."

Having donned their clothing, the four boys started back for town.
To get to the road they had to cross a wide pasture, and when
they were in the middle of this they saw a man approaching. The
man carried a heavy cane, which he shook at them.

"Hello, it's Mr. Spink!" cried Snap.

"Come to warn us away, I suppose," grumbled the doctor's son. "Shall
I tell him about what was done to our clothing?"

"No," answered Whopper. "We are not certain it was Ham and Carl."

Mr. Spink was a tall, overbearing man, who dressed almost as loudly
as did his son. He strode up to the four lads with a dark look
on his face, and this look grew even more resentful when he recognized