To Steve, the idea of a miserable rascal sneaking up in the night to destroy all that poor hardworking Obed had built up after many moons, was simply terrible.  The more he considered it the greater became his secret anger; and of course this meant that his liking for the boy fur farmer grew in proportion.

During the afternoon, as the shadows began to lengthen perceptibly, Steve found occasion to broach the subject to his three chums.  Max had come out of the cabin; evidently he had tired of looking over the books, which might do very well to pass away a long evening, or a rainy day when time dragged, but could not chain him down long when the sun was shining, the breeze rustling through the many-colored leaves still on the trees, and with all Nature beckoning.

So Steve crooked his finger toward Bandy-legs and Toby, lounging near by; and being in a humor themselves for any sort of thing, the pair hastened to join him.  And Max, upon being pounced upon by the balance of the crowd, looked askance, knowing that something was in the wind.

“Strikes me, fellows,” commenced Steve, “that We ought to be figuring on what we expect to do tonight.”

“Huh! as for me,” quickly responded Bandy-legs, “I’m expecting to do my share about slingin’ together a dandy spread, with some of the fine grub we fetched along.  This mountain air is something terrible when it comes to toning up jaded appetites.  I feel as if I had a vacuum down about my middle all the time.  I’m beginning to be alarmed about my condition.  If it keeps on it’s going to mean bankruptcy for my folks, that’s all.”

“About me, now,” added Toby Jucklin, briskly, “I’m hoping to g-g-get a b-b-bully g-g-good sleep tonight; unless Max fixes it so we have to t-t-take t-t-turns standing sentry duty.”

Steve looked disgusted.

“Oh! rats!  I didn’t mean anything like that, and you both know it,” he told the two grinning chums.  “What I was referring to was on the point of duty.  We’ve agreed to stand back of our new friend, Obed, and see to it that he isn’t robbed of the proceeds of his industry by unscrupulous scoundrels; and we’ve got to make good!”

“Hear! hear!” ejaculated Toby, pretending to clap his hands in applause.

“Steve, you’re exhausting all the big words in the dictionary, with your high-flown language,” warned Bandy-legs in mock severity.  “But I get your meaning, all the same, and I also agree with your noble sentiments.  Sure we’re expecting to stand up for Obed and his pets; and we’re likewise intending to make it hot for any old terrapin who comes creeping around here with the idea of making way with the wearers of that expensive fur.  How about it, Max?”

“That’s a settled thing,” readily replied the one appealed to, and whose opinion, it was plain to be seen, would swing things one way or another, since the other fellows were in the habit of looking up to Max as their leader.  “We can fix it up in regular orthodox style, each fellow having two hours on duty, and the rest of the night for sleep.  Does that strike you as about right?”