CHAPTER V.
TOM INTERVIEWS THE SQUATTER.
I DON'T believe I care to be one of them now," repeated Prime, who, being a pretty good judge of character, knew that he ran no risk in speaking freely in the presence of the three boys before him. "I wish I could see their old organization knocked higher than the moon; or else I wish that a few more new fellows of the right sort would come in, so that we could have a club of our own."
"I was about to suggest that very thing," said Tom. "It can't be possible that Wayring and his cronies have got every boy in town under their thumbs."
"Not by a long shot!" exclaimed Prime. "There are ten or a dozen besides myself who do not bow to them."
"And my cousins and I add three to the number," replied Tom. "That's enough for a
