"Sure thing," remarked Bandy-legs. "There ain't a time but what some of
Tad's crowd are snapping at each other to beat the band. Every little
while a fight is on the carpet. Takes Tad half the time keeping peace
in the family."

"Huh!" chuckled Steve. "I've seen him do it by knocking down both of the
scrappers, just as neat as you please. Ted likes that way of keeping the
peace. It gives him exercise, you see, and makes the fellow respect him
more 'n more."

The supper tins were washed, and for quite a long time the five boys sat
around the crackling fire, talking, writing in their note books, and
amusing themselves in many ways.

It was no longer dark.

A moon, slightly past the full, had crept above the horizon before they
finished supper; and while the trees prevented those in camp from getting
all the benefit of this fine sky lantern, for the most part the shadows
that lurked in the woods were banished.

Finally some of the boys began to show signs of sleepiness. Toby was
yawning about every minute, while Bandy-legs rubbed his eyes and stretched
himself, like a tired boy nearly always does.

"Guess it's about time we turned in, fellows," Max declared, himself
feeling the effect of getting up at three o'clock in the morning in order
to leave town before peep of dawn.

"That's what I say," agreed Bandy-legs. "I'm sore all over from poling that