The High School Boys Fishing Trip | Page 8

to travel light."
"As we don't take a horse along," suggested Tom, "then I take it that we
are not going to carry any planking for a tent floor."
"We can't very well do that," Dick answered him. "Fellows, the real
thing for us to do, on this trip, is to learn how to move fast and light.
We must learn how to do without many things and yet have just as
good a time."
"I think that's good sense," murmured Dave. "At the same time, I'll
admit, at first blush, that I don't care particularly for the motion of the
push cart. That means a lot of extra work for us, if we change camping
sites often."
"Then let's put it to a vote whether to hire a horse and wagon, and give
up the idea of an August trip," proposed Dick.
"No need whatever of taking any vote," broke in Tom. "All of us want

that August trip, too, and we know that we haven't purses as big as a
bank's vault."
And that opinion prevailed, without dissent.
"Greg's house ought to be the best place to keep the push cart over
night," Dick continued. "I'll have the cart there at four this afternoon.
Suppose you fellows meet us there, with your bedding and clothing for
the trip?"
This also was agreed upon.
While the boys stood there chatting not one of them suspected how
eagerly they were being watched by two pairs of eyes.
On the same side of the street, only a door below them, was an
unrented cottage. One of the windows of this cottage, upstairs, was
open, though closed blinds concealed the fact. Between these blinds
peered two young men.
That cottage was the property of Mr. Dodge, vice-president of one of
Gridley's banks.
Readers of "_The High School Left End_" have good reason to
remember the banker's son, Bert Dodge. He and his friend, Bayliss,
also the scion of a wealthy family, had been members of the notorious
"sorehead" group in the last year's football squad at Gridley High
School.
As our readers well remember, Dodge and Bayliss had carried their
opposition to Dick & Co. to such dishonorable extent that they had
been given the "silence" by the boys and girls attending the Gridley
High School.
Dodge and Bayliss had thereupon left home to attend a private school,
and they had gone away from Gridley with bitter hatred of Dick & Co.
rankling in their hearts.

Just at this present moment Dodge and Bayliss were back in the home
town. Deeply and properly humiliated by the contempt with which they
were regarded in Gridley, these two "soreheads" had concealed from all
but members of their families the fact that they were in town.
Bert had secured from his father the keys of the cottage. Two cots had
been placed in a front room. Late the night before Dodge had brought
food supplies to the cottage. Here the two youngsters were to remain
secretly for a few days until Bayliss received from his family, then
abroad, the money needed for his summer outing. What the elder
Dodge did not know or even suspect, was that his son and Bayliss had
returned with some half-formed plans of paying back old scores against
Dick & Co.
"I knew this cottage was the place for us," Bert whispered. "As I told
you, Bayliss, this corner is a favorite meeting place for Prescott and his
fellow muckers."
"From what I hear, they're going to leave town for a few weeks,"
replied Bayliss.
"Yes; going out into the wilds on some sort of fishing jaunt."
"I wish we knew their plans better than we do," murmured Bayliss.
"Don't believe they know 'em themselves any too well," sneered Bert
Dodge. "However, we don't need to know where they're going. We can
follow 'em, can't we?"
"Yes; and get jolly well thumped for our pains, maybe," retorted
Bayliss dryly.
"Well, if you're afraid, we'll let 'em depart in peace," mocked Bert.
"Who's afraid?" demanded Bayliss irritably.
"I hope you're not," retorted Bert Dodge.
"If you're not afraid---if you're as thoroughly game as I am---then we'll

have some satisfaction out of those fellows."
"Lead me to it!" ordered Bayliss hotly.
"I will, to-morrow morning," promised Bert Dodge. "If you stick to me,
we'll make those muckers sorry they ever knew us!"
"We must be under way by nine o'clock," the listeners heard Dick say.
"We go west, over Main Street. We must start promptly, for we have
sixteen miles to go to our first camp at the second lake in the Cheney
Forest."
"Do you hear that?" whispered Bert. "The idiots have given us their full
route! We can leave at four in the morning, and won't have to follow
'em at all. We