Jed tried to fight off his captors, but the crowd found it easy to bind him and his companion.
"Lead them over into the timber," said Dave.
This was done. In its loneliest part they halted. Jed was tied with his back to a tree.
"Now you'll have lots of time to think," said Dave.
"Yes, about pumpkins!"
"And tomatoes!"
"Ha! ha!"
They left Jed to his fate, kicking and scolding. The other prisoner they took along with them. A little on their way, they heard Jed whistling and yelling.
"Some of his friends will come and let him loose," said Dave.
"What are we going to do with the other fellow?" asked Bob.
"Oh, we'll give him a walk."
"Say, I'm due home," said the captive.
"Not quite yet," replied Dave. "You've got a long tramp before you, sonny."
"I only rolled one pumpkin."
"That's as bad as twenty-six."
"And it smashed before it hit any one."
"Never mind. We've got to make an example."
"Jed'll make you smart for it."
"Oh, Jed is smarting himself about this time," chuckled Sammy.
"March!" ordered the leader. They made their prisoner dearly earn his liberty. He had to escort the whole crowd home. As they dropped out one by one, the unhappy captive had to keep right on with the others. Some of the boys took the longest way home they could think of, purposely.
