In a few moments this had been done. Darry gazed at the red Smattach with gleaming eyes. "This is surely our chance!" he muttered. "Now, what can we do?" All three were silent for a few moments. Then Tom Reade smote his thigh with one hand. "I have it," he muttered excitedly. "Then don't be stingy with your secret," urged Dave. "Out with at least a part of it." For some moments Dick, Dave and Tom remained engaged in a rapid interchange of whispers, all the time glancing about them. CHAPTER IV STALLING THE RED "SMATTACH" "That's the very thing!" muttered Tom Reade at last. "It can't get us into any scrape with the law, can it?" queried Dave Darrin, with almost unwonted caution. "I don't see how it can," smiled Dick Prescott. "I'm no lawyer, but I can't see how our trick, the way we intend to play it, can be called a breach of the law." "Let's not lose any time with the game," urged Reade. "Let's get in and do it before Dodge and Bayliss come back. I wonder where they are, anyway?" "I don't care where they are," said Dave, "as long as they keep away from here until we're through with what we intend to do." From its place in the runabout car Tom drew forth a wheel-jack. This he and Dave fitted under an axle, raising the wheel half aft inch off the ground. Dick rapidly remove the tire from that front wheel. By the time he had finished Tom ran with the jack around to the other front wheel, removing the tire from it also. As the red runabout carried no extra tires the little car was now hopelessly stalled until relief was brought to the scene. "Now, I'll slip back and bring the fellows on," Dick whispered. "Tom, you take Dave down to the camp site. I'll be right along with the other fellows." Tom and Dave started along the forest path, each carrying a tire slung over one shoulder. Dick, darting back, brought up the other fellows. All took a gleeful look at the red Smattach as they passed, then hurried on. Down to a level bit of ground at the lakeside Dick led the last of his friends. Tom and Dave were already there, the two pneumatic tires standing against the trunk o a tree. Dick's first move was to take a rope from the cart. This, after being passed through the rubber tires, was tied between two trees, clothesline fashion. "Now, let's rustle all the stuff off the cart," urged Dick. "Be quick about it. We want the tent up in good shape before darkness falls." It is not much of a trick to raise a tent twelve feet by twenty, when there are six pairs of hands to do it. The two centre poles were adjusted to the ridge-pole, and all three were pushed in under the canvas. "Up with her," called Dick. As the tent was raised, Tom and Greg were left holding the centre poles in place. With a sledge Dick drove a corner stake, and a guy-rope was made fast to it. One after another the remaining corner stakes were quickly driven and the ropes made fast. The tent would now stand by itself.