The Gun Club Boys of Lakeport

“I don’t know. What?” asked Joe.

“The skunk bear, on account of its peculiar colorings. Yes, after this, fight shy of wolverenes if you can help it.”

CHAPTER XXV

TEDDY EVENS THE SCORE

“You must have had a close call,” said Harry, when the others returned to the camp and told their story. “I am mighty glad that wolverene didn’t get a chance at me.”

“Sure an’ if I see wan of them bastes I’ll run for me life,” came from Teddy. “It’s worse nor a – a tiger they must be.”

“Worse than Injuns, Teddy,” said Link, dryly.

“Ah! Go run after your own shadow,” growled Teddy, in deep disgust. And then, as he turned away there was a merry twinkle in his eyes. “Sure an’ I’ll fix ’em to-night,” he murmured to himself.

Link and Harry had employed their spare time in making for themselves two pillows of pine needles. This was easy, for they had brought along some bags for nuts and had merely to fill these and then sew up the open ends.

Watching his chance, Teddy got hold of the two pillows and also the box containing pepper. Into each pillow he poured some pepper and also sprinkled the outside liberally.

It had been decided that an early start should be made the next morning in a search for the three tramps, and Joel Runnell advised that all hands turn in early.

“I’m willing,” said Fred, and was the first to lie down and go to sleep. Then the fire was fixed for the night and the others followed his example.

The silence in the shelter did not last long. Suddenly Link gave a terrific sneeze and Harry followed suit.

“Boys, get out of the draught or you’ll take cold,” came from Joel Runnell.

“I’m not in any – ker-chew! – draught,” answered Harry.

“I am – ker-chew – I think – ker-chew – ” spluttered Link, and ended with a series of sneezes that brought all in the shelter to a sitting position.

“Hullo, what’s the matter?” sang out Bart.

“I-ker-chew! I think I’ve got the – ker-chew!” spluttered Harry.

“I think so myself,” went on Bart. “Got ’em bad, too.”

“Ker-chew!” exploded Link. “Ker-chew! Oh, my! Ker-chew!”

“Well, I never,” came from Fred. “Is this a sneezing match?”

“I’ll bet on the feller that wins,” piped up Teddy. “Now then, both start together.”

“Ker-chew!” began Link.

“Ker-chew!” came from Harry, directly afterwards.

“Didn’t start together,” went on Teddy, calmly. “Try it over again and see – ”

“Ker-chew!” came from both.

“Teddy Dugan, did you – ker-chew!” began Harry.

“No, I didn’t ker-chew,” answered the Irish lad, with a wink at the others. “I don’t chew at all. My father won’t let me use tobacco, and so I – ”

“Ker-chew!” broke in both of the sufferers.

“This is certainly queer,” said Joel Runnell, seriously. “What set you to sneezing?”

“Perhaps they tickled their noses wid straws,” suggested the irrepressible Teddy.

“I – I – ker-chew! – think there is pepper on my – ker-chew! – pillow,” spluttered Link.

Harry caught up his pillow and smelt of it.

“Sure as you – ker-chew! ker-chew! – are born,” he cried. “Now, who did this?”

He and Link looked at first one and then another of the party. All but Teddy looked perplexed. The twinkle in the Irish lad’s eyes was brighter than ever.

“Teddy Dugan, you did – ker-chew – this?” stormed Link, and made a dive for him.

“It’s snazin’ Injuns ye are now,” returned Teddy.

“Oh, I’ll fix you for this!” roared Harry, and catching up his pillow he hurled it at the Irish boy’s head. Link did the same, and down went Teddy flat on his back.

“Oh, stop!” he yelled. “I – ker-chew! Oh! Oh!”

He threw one of the pillows at Link. It struck Joe instead, and Joe sent it at Fred. Then the stout lad hurled it into the crowd. But it sailed too high, struck the fire, and the pillow burst open.

“Hi! hi!” called out Joel Runnell. “Take that out of the fire!”

“Can’t – it’s bursted,” answered Joe. He bent forward over the blaze. “Oh, what a smell! Ker-chew!”

The pepper was now burning, and the smell speedily became so strong that everybody had to sneeze and rush for the doorway. Into the open tumbled the boys, one on top of the other.

“Watch out; the shelter may get on fire!” said Fred.

“Oh, don’t say that,” groaned Teddy, becoming frightened on the spot. “Sure an’ I didn’t mane to carry the joke so far.”

“Then you did do it after all?” murmured Fred. “Well, it was a good joke all right enough.”

From the doorway Joel Runnell watched the progress of the fire. The pine needles soon died out, and the camp-fire became as before. But it was some time before they could stand the smell of the burnt pepper. The unburnt pillow was thrown out into the snow.

“It was only to git square for the Indian trick,” said Teddy. “Won’t you call it off now?”

“Yes, Teddy,” said Harry, promptly, and shook hands, and then Link did the same.

All would have overslept on the following morning had not old Runnell called them up ere it was daylight. He had already started the breakfast, and soon some of the others were helping him.