“Let me get away!” screamed Gus Coulter. “I’ll be stung to death!” “Let me up!” shrieked Paxton. “I’m stung in the eye!” “It’s your hornets’ nest!” growled Coulter, and getting up he went after the crowd, who were scattering in all directions. It was certainly the liveliest time imaginable and Pepper and his chums roared heartily as they saw the others doing their best to fight off the little pests. Fortunately the Ritter crowd did not come near them, so they were not bothered at all by the hornets. Ritter ran for the lake shore, and the whole crowd traveled nearly a quarter of a mile before they dared to halt, so thoroughly were they alarmed. “Well, that’s a case of the stinger getting stung!” was Andy’s comment, after the excitement was over. “I’ll wager the Ritter crowd won’t go back to finish that feast,” came from Dale, with a grin. “Too bad! So much good cake and stuff gone to waste!” said Stuffer, with a sigh. “Go on back after it, Stuffer,” said the young major. “I reckon they will let you have the whole of it.” “Not on your life!” cried the lad who loved to eat. “Think I want an introduction to those hornets? Besides, the stuff is all doctored anyway.” As soon as the fun was over, Jack and Pepper and the others hurried back to camp and retired for the night. They did not, however, go to sleep but kept their ears open for the return of Ritter and his cronies. The bully’s crowd came in about an hour later. To keep the stings from hurting they had covered the spots with soft mud and so everyone was a sight to behold. All grumbled a good deal under their breath. “They’ll be more hateful than ever now,” was Andy’s comment. “Better watch ’em.” “I intend to,” answered Pepper. On the following morning when Ritter and his cronies appeared at roll call everybody else had to smile. The bully had a big swelling on his nose and another on his chin. Coulter had a puffed-out cheek and Paxton had one eye closed. As they lined up for inspection The Imp could hardly keep from roaring outright. “Ritter, what is the matter with you?” asked George Strong, as he caught sight of the bully’s face. “Some friends and I found a hornets’ nest in the woods and the hornets got after us,” was the answer. “Is that so!” cried the teacher. “I am very sorry to hear it. Who else was stung?” The bully gave the names. “We have some salve you can put on the hurts,” continued the teacher sympathetically. “I will get it for you.” “Oh, we put salve on last night,” said Ritter. “But maybe some more will help,” he added quickly, for the stings were still painful. Jack and the others had expected an open row with the bully and his cohorts, but it did not come. As a matter of fact the crowd that had been stung were so ashamed of their appearance that they did all they could to keep out of sight. When it was off-time they got two boats and rowed down the lake, to a refreshment resort at which they stopped whenever they got the chance.