"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 can be there ahead of time, and have all the lines laid." "Somehow," sounded Dave Darrin's voice, "I have a hunch, fellows, that we're going to have the finest time we ever had in our lives." "We would have," sighed Tom Reade, "if it weren't for that push cart." "At four o'clock this afternoon, then, and be prompt," called Dick, preparing to leave the others. "Wait a moment," urged Dave. "What's the matter?" inquired Dick, halting. "Tom's just on the point of telling us what really happened to him last night," smiled Darry. "Humph!" grunted Reade, walking briskly away. "I can tell what's going to happen to 'em all on some other nights," whispered Bert Dodge in his friend's ear. "To get square with those muckers, who drove us out of Gridley High School and out of town is my only excuse for living at present," sniffed Bayliss. CHAPTER III DICK & CO. DRIVEN UP A TREE "Dick!" "Yes?" replied Prescott, turning and looking back at Tom, whose turn it now was to furnish motive power to the loaded cart. "How far did you say it was from Gridley to the second lake?" asked Reade. "Sixteen miles." "I've pushed the cart more than that far already," grunted Tom. "I'm willing to wager that the lake is more than a hundred and twenty miles from Gridley." "Suppose it is," scoffed Dave, falling back beside the cart "Tom, just think of the fine training your back muscles are getting out of this work!" "I'll tell you all about that, Darry," grumbled Reade, "when you've had your turn for ten minutes. How much longer does my turn run, Dick?" "Five minutes," replied Prescott, after glancing at his watch. "Are you going to be able to hold out that long?" "Yes; if I live that long," sighed Tom. Dick and Hazelton had each taken their fifteen minute turns at pushing the cart. The boys had already put some distance between themselves and Gridley. Dick & Co. were tramping down a well-shaded road bounded by prosperous-looking farms. Two miles further on the boys would branch off through a long stretch of woods where the road was rougher. Here two youngsters would be needed for the work, one pushing, while the other hauled on a rope made fast to the front of the cart. Five of the boys were well laden with miscellaneous packages of food. Tom, on account of pushing the cart, had been permitted to place his load on the already well-packed cart. "Time's up," called Dick. "Dave to the bat." Smiling, Darry packed his own parcels in the cart. "Whew! But it's good to get away from that thing," grunted Reade, mopping his forehead, as he stalked on ahead.