“That will do!” growled a hoarse voice, and there was a grating step on the sand. “Bunker is here. He don’t run away from kids like you.” The man approached, carrying a heavy club in his hand. He looked ugly enough at that moment, and it was plain he was not in a pleasant mood. “Look out for him, Frank!” whispered Hodge. “He is up to something.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XX HELD AT BAY. Bunker halted and glared at the boys. His clothes were dripping wet, and his long hair clung about his neck. At that moment he was an ugly looking individual. “You youngsters have had lots of sport this morning, haven’t you!” he snarled. “Well, you shall pay for it, and pay dearly, too!” “You or your friend here started the ball rolling,” said Frank, quietly. “You filled the side of our canoe with shot, and wounded Mr. Hodge in the wrist. It was fortunate for us that you did not do greater damage. And it is fortunate for you that, after what you did do, you have got off so easily.” Hodge was not saying a word, but he was watching the man closely. The look on Bart’s face told that he thoroughly despised Bunker. “Oh, you crow pretty loud for kids!” grated the fellow. “What you need is to have some of the conceit taken out of you. Welch says you have had your name in print so often and been talked about so much that you’ve got the swelled head. You think yourself the smartest chap alive.” “No matter what I think, that is no excuse for your criminal carelessness in shooting toward us.” “It wasn’t carelessness, Merry!” exclaimed Bart, unable to keep still longer. “It was criminal design!” “If one of us shot toward you, it was an accident,” growled the man. “But now you have an account to settle with us.” “Well, what is it?” asked Frank, quietly. “You upset us.” “That’s not true.” “And you caused us to lose our guns.” “You denied that you had any guns in the boat.” “That makes no difference. Now, I want you to pay for those guns.” “Oh, you do?” “You bet I do!” “Well, that is nerve!” laughed Merry, his eyes flashing. “After you overturned your own boat in the attempt to break my head, you expect us to pay for the guns you lost.” “You are responsible, and you’ll have to pay.” “There is another opinion about that. You and Mr. Welch are responsible for everything that has occurred between us. Had not Welch tried to break my head with an oar, you would not have capsized and lost your guns. That being the case, you cannot expect us to pay for them.” To the man, Frank seemed very mild and quiet, and this encouraged Bunker, who fancied it would not be difficult to scare him. “We do expect you to pay for them!” shouted the man, fiercely; “and you will, too!” “No, we will not.”