Hunter, piqued even in the pres-
.nce of girls into givmg back tit for tat.
"But you're carrying too many eggs in
one basket, let me tell you, and you're
ikely enough to take a leap in the dark
an' smash 'em all."

"Ha! Am I now," snarled the other,
resenting the implication that his brick-red
head was a brash basket into which
to pack all his chances of safety, such as
were not anchored to the poor stay of a
few fickle matches.

"Am I now-ow?" he chortled, very
red in the face--and tongue-tied--as
he shadowed the picnic party through
the cave.

At his wits' end for a verbal retort, he
presently proceeded, after the manner of
his kind, to throw a stone in his own
garden.

' See here! you kids, if you'll let me@
stand on your shoulders, you two, I'll@
give those Tin Scouts an eye-opener,"
he said, retaliating after a manner to hurt
[[139]]

p138 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p139w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p140

v?