"Are they?" Prescott inquired, in a tone of the mildest curiosity. "You know they are!" "Then, if the tires are your property, just help yourself!" Dick coolly answered. "If they are your tires, I will even offer to forego making any storage charges for the time they have been. hanging there." "Hang you!" choked Bert Then he turned to the man with them, demanding: "Don't you see a pretty clear case of grand larceny here?" "I can't sa-ay that I do---yet," drawled the stranger. "You'll never see a clearer case!" quivered young Dodge. To this the stranger did not reply. He had been looking over this sextette of high school boys, and if one might judge from his face, the man seemed to be rather favorably impressed by Dick & Co. "If these are your tires," Dick went on smoothly, "would you mind removing them from our camp?" "I won't," Bert answered hotly. "You fellows, who stole the tires, will take them back to the car from which you stole them, and there you will put the tires on again." "You've missed some part of the idea in your haste," declared young Prescott. "What do you mean?" gasped Dodge. "I mean simply that we'll have nothing whatever to do with taking back the tires, or putting them on your wheels." "Then I'll see what I can do to punish you all!" flared Bert hotly. "You're none of you any better than a lot of low-lived thieves!" The situation was growing too warm for Dave Darrin, though Dick was still smiling. Darry jumped to his feet, advancing upon Bert Dodge, who retreated a couple of steps. "Dodge," Dave began, "you want to put a halter on your tongue. You can't come here to this camp and call too many names. You don't amount to much, of course, and nothing that you know how to say should be treated very seriously. It would be hard for a rascal like yourself to be really insulting to anyone possessed of the average degree of honor. But we came up here for pleasure and rest. Both your face and your voice---not particularly your words---are disturbing. If those are your tires, kindly take them and get out of camp!" "You fellows will carry the tires back to the road, and you'll put them on the wheels," retorted Dodge hoarsely. "As Dick has already told you, we'll do nothing of the sort," Dave flashed back at him. "All we want, Dodge, is for you to get out of this camp. Incidentally, if you want the tires, we shall offer no objections to your taking them with you." "What have you to say to that?" demanded Bert hotly, turning to the man with the stubby red mustache. "It seems to me like good judgment," replied the stranger. "You say that?" screamed Bert, going into a blind passion. "Is that what we brought you here for?"