Old Growdy moved uneasily.

"I was real sorry to see William do that. If he'd only waited till I
lighted my pipe I 'spected to pull out a leetle more, so's to let him git
by; but he was that impatient he must push on," he said.

"Just as I thought. Well, Mr. Growdy, one of the rules of the scouts is
that a member must never return an evil deed by another of the same kind.
I proposed that we try to make you change your mind about detesting all
boys. So we came here, not to paint your pigs as some other fellows did,
I'm told; not to let your stock loose, or run off with your wagons; but
to clean up your dooryard, and give you the greatest surprise of your
life when you came out in the morning!"

"Sho! now. That takes the cake!"

"When one of my chums upset that bench by accident, and the pans fell
with a racket, of course it gave the whole thing away, and we started to
run; but unfortunately I happened to drop into your nice little trap, and
you found me upside down. That is all, Mr. Growdy. Do you want to whip me
now, or take me in to the lockup, which?"

Peleg Growdy found himself strangely thrilled as he looked into that
frank, smiling face of Paul Morrison.

For almost a full minute they stood thus.

Then Peleg spoke.

"Reckon as how them comrades o' yers must 'a' gut a long start by now,