"I went over to the flats this morning early," said Dick. "I tell you the nuts are prime for picking."
Jed and his crowd kept pretty well to themselves. As the crowd reached another cross-road they started down it.
"Hold on, there," shouted Dick.
"What for?" asked Jed.
"That's the wrong way."
"It's right enough for us," retorted Jed, smartly.
"This road is the shortest one to the flats."
Jed did not reply, but with his party swung off on the cross-road.
"They're up to something," said Frank.
"I wonder what it is?" asked Sammy.
"Something to spoil our fun, I'm sure," spoke Tom. "It's just like them."
"I think they're going to run for it when they get out of sight," said Dick. "They are aiming to make a cross cut and reach the flats first."
"Suppose they do?"
"Oh, they think they'll gather up all the nuts. Huh! there's a month's picking for ten schools."
