“There’s a lot up, or there soon will be if we don’t prevent it,” Bob declared in a low tone, and he told them what he had heard. “What do you know about that?” Jack sputtered as soon as he had finished. “It’s no more than you would expect, is it?” Bob asked. “Guess not, but it’s pretty dirty work at that.” “I should say so,” Rex broke in. “I didn’t suppose they did such things as that now-a-days.” “You don’t know Big Ben Donahue,” Bob told him. “Well, what about it? I suppose it’s up to us,” and Jack waited for Bob’s answer with an anxious mind. “I’ve been thinking about it while waiting for you and Rex to get here, and it seems to me that there’s but one thing to do. Of course we could get Jean and the rest of our men together and go down and try to stop them but you know that will mean a fight and I think it can be avoided.” “Fight’s our middle name,” Jack laughed. “But if you say no fight, why no fight has it.” “I never believe in fighting when there’s a better way out,” Bob declared. “Now here’s my plan. We’ll let them build up the pier and then all we have to do is to take that scow, after they have returned to the camp, and go out and tear it down. It ought not to be very hard work to do it and I believe we can do it from the boat without getting into the water at all. What do you think about it?” “I’ll say it’s a good idea,” Jack quickly agreed. “You certainly have the thinking apparatus of this firm working in good shape.” “S-hh,” Bob whispered as his ears caught the sound of steps. “Someone’s coming.” In another minute low voices were heard coming nearer and soon four men, talking in low tones, passed within six feet of them. The boys kept perfectly still until the men were out of hearing. “I guess those are the fellows who are to do the dirty work,” Jack whispered. “No doubt about it,” Bob agreed. “We’ll wait about an hour and by that time they ought to be at work. Then we’ll get some peaveys and follow them down. We can hide in the woods till they get through.” The weather had turned warm during the day and they were not uncomfortable as they waited. They could hear the laughter and songs of the men as they sat around a small fire which they had started a few yards from the door of the camp. But in the woods men go early to bed and as the fire died down, by twos and threes they sought their bunks and, by the time the hour had passed, all about the camp was silence. There was no moon and the night was very dark. “Got your flash with you?” Jack asked. “Yep, I just happened to have it in my pocket,” Bob replied. “That’s luck. Mine’s in the camp.” “Well, let’s get the peaveys and then we’ll be on our way,” and Bob led the way back to the shed. But securing the peaveys proved a more difficult task than they had anticipated. CHAPTER XII A TOUGH TASK As the boys emerged from the clump of pines Bob, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped.