CHAPTER II THE DUGANS TO THE RESCUE It was a situation which no boy would care to confront, and as Joe and Harry looked from one brutal face to another, their hearts sank within them. They could see at a glance that the tramps were among the worst of their class and would hesitate at little or nothing to accomplish their ends. To one side of the barn, where the flooring had rotted away, a fire was burning, the smoke drifting forth through a broken-out window and the numerous holes in the roof. Beside the fire lay the remains of two chickens, which the tramps had probably stolen from some farmer’s hen-roost. Three soda water bottles were also on the floor, but there was no telling what they had contained, since all were empty. But as the breath of each tramp smelt strongly of liquor, it is safe to say that the bottles had contained—at least one of them—something stronger than a temperance drink. “See here, you haven’t any right to treat us in this fashion,” said Joe, as soon as he could recover from the attack which had been made upon him. “You ain’t got no right to call us thieves,” was the answer, and the speaker leered in a knowing manner at his fellows. “That’s it,” spoke up another of the tramps. “It’s a downright insult to honest men like us.” “Thet’s wot it is,” came from the third tramp. “Boys, yer ought to ’polergize.” “I want you to let us go,” went on Joe. “Right away,” put in Harry. “If you don’t——” “If we don’t,—what?” demanded the tramp who stood guard with the club. “It may be the worse for you, that’s all.” At this all three of the tramps set up a low laugh. Then the fellow at the doorway called one of the others to his side and whispered something in his ear. “Dat’s all right, Noxy; but I don’t care to go until I see wot we strike,” answered the man addressed. “Oh, you’ll get your fair share, Stump,” was the answer, but Stump refused to leave even when urged a second time. “Say, just you tell us wot time it is,” put in the other tramp, who went by the name of Muley. He had noticed that Joe carried a watch—a silver affair, given to him by his father on his last birthday. “It’s time you let us go,” answered Joe. He understood perfectly well what the fellow was after. He had scarcely spoken when Muley stepped forward and grabbed the watch chain. The watch came with it, and despite Joe’s clutch for his property it was quickly transferred to the tramp’s possession. “Give me that watch!” “They are nothing but robbers!” burst out Harry. “Joe, let us get out right away!” Unable to pass the tramp at the doorway, Harry made for one of the barn windows, and feeling it would be useless to argue just then about the timepiece, Joe followed his brother. “Hi, stop ’em!” roared Stump. “Don’t let ’em get away!” Instantly all three of the tramps went after the two lads. Muley was the quickest of the number and in a trice he had placed himself in front of the window.