“The best part of the cow,” replied Mr. Ross.

“A big rib roast, served with cracked bones with the marrow cooked in them.  Come along, Bill.  We’ll bring back the roast and the marrow.”

Ross and his man moved briskly out of sight.  Only a few moments had passed when Mr. Ross’ voice was heard from the clearing: 

“Thieves!  The rib roast is gone—–­so is the marrow!”

Dick glanced swiftly at his chums.  The same idea was in the minds of all the members of Dick & Co.

“Our friend, the prowler, has been here,” muttered Prescott, rising hastily.  “This thing has got to be stopped.  Come along, fellows!  Friends, please excuse us for a few moments.”

At a dog trot Dick led the way to the clearing.  There stood Mr. Ross, looking the picture of indignation.

“I didn’t know there were tramps in these woods,” muttered the cattle owner.

“Tramp, thief, or whatever he is,” exclaimed Dick Prescott, “that fellow must move on out of this part of the country.  If he doesn’t we’ll catch him.  After we get through with him, he’ll be glad enough to move on.”

“If he’s able,” added Dave Darrin significantly.

“Oh, what’s the use of making a fuss, this time?” demanded Tom Reade good-humoredly.  “For once we have so much meat that we could spare a hungry man two hundred pounds and not miss it.”

“It’s the principle of the thing,” muttered Dick, who was studying the ground intently.  “That big, hulking fellow doesn’t care a rap whether we have plenty, or whether he takes all we have.  We’ve got to suppress him.  We must catch him, and put a stop to his thieving.  See!  Here’s where he went off through the woods.  Come on!  We’ll trail him!”

“And, if we find him?” asked Greg.

“We’ll try to reason with the fellow,” responded Prescott rather grimly.

Just as the boys started off on the trail that Prescott had discovered, other figures appeared on the scene.

“Now, may I ask what you girls are doing here?” asked Tom, his tone more agreeable than his words.

“We want to see the fun, whatever is going to happen,” declared Susie Sharp.

“Oh, there will be plenty of that, I promise you, if we can find the fellow,” asserted Darry bluntly.

“Come along, girls!” cried Belle Meade gleefully.

“But there may be something disagreeable happen, you know, girls,” Dick warned them.  “If we overtake this fellow there may be a fight.”

“If you could call it a fight, when six Gridley high school boys attack one man, then I shall have to change my mind about our high school boys,” hinted Laura Bentley teasingly.

It was plain enough that the girls were bent on following them, so no more objections were raised.

“We’ll travel so fast that the girls won’t be able to keep up,” whispered Tom Reade to Dick.  “We’ll lose ’em, and they’ll be glad to hike back to the table.”