"We're not doin' any harm here. We're just three poor chaps that's out of work and we're on our way to Bayport to look for a job," whined one of the others. "You wouldn't set the police on us, would you?"
"It's none of our business who you are or what you're doing," Frank assured them. "We won't mention seeing you."
"All right, then." His captor released his grip on Frank's shoulder. "Beat it away from here and don't bother us again."
The two boys lost no time in making their way out of that vicinity. The three tramps stood watching until they disappeared beyond the trees at the bend in the trail, then went back to their fire.
Some distance away, Frank and Chet came upon the other boys, who had halted and were devising ways and means of rescue.
"Golly!" said Joe, "we thought you were in for it. We were just going to toss up and see who would go back to find out what had happened to you."
"Why couldn't you both come back?" Chet asked.
"We thought if one of us went back he might be caught too, and that would still leave somebody to go for help."
"Good idea. They were only tramps. Gave us a bit of a scare," said Chet airily. He had
