“Ham Spink and Carl Dudder just went in to mail some letters,” said Giant.

“What of that?”

“Whopper went in after them.  Whopper and I are now sure it was Ham and Carl who tried to steal our clothing the day we went swimming.”

“How do you know that?” asked the doctor’s son.

“By the way they are dressed.  They have the same yellow-brown suits on they wore that day.”

Giant had scarcely spoken when Whopper came out.  His face showed that he was angry.

“I told you they did it,” he said to Giant.  Then, seeing the others, he explained: 

“I accused them of it and they admitted taking the clothes—–­ they said it was nothing but a little joke and they laughed at me.  Then when I said they could pay for the missing things they told me to clear out or they’d have me locked up for trespassing on Mr. Spink’s land!”

“That’s like Ham,” answered Snap.

“I wish we could pay them off good,” went on Whopper.

Just then Ham Spink and Carl Dudder came out of the post-office.  Snap and the others were standing behind some boxes of goods and the dude and his chum did not at once see them.

“We’ll have a celebration with those fireworks when they come,” Ham was saying.  “We’ll show Fairview a great sight.”

“That’s right,” returned Carl Dudder.  “We’ll put them in my father’s barn until we want to use them.”

Then both boys caught sight of Snap and the others and broke off their talk.  They, wanted to brush past without speaking, but Snap and Shep blocked the way.

“We want to talk to you,” said Snap.

“We have nothing to say,” cried Ham, haughtily.  “Get out of my way!” And he tried to brush past again.

“Ham Spink, I want to say just one thing,” answered Snap.  “I think you are as mean as you ever were, and I, for one, am going to pay you back for what you did the day we went swimming.”

“Oh, give us a rest” muttered the dudish youth, and went on, and Carl Dudder followed, sticking his tongue in his cheek as he passed.

“Say, shall we pitch into them?” whispered Whopper.  “We can knock them into the middle of next month!”

“No—–­wait—–­I’ve just thought of something,” interposed Snap.  “Let them go and come with me.”

He led the way to a safe distance and then turned to Whopper.

“Did you hear them speak of some fireworks?”

“Sure.”

“Did they say anything about the fireworks in the post office?

“Why, yes.   But what has that got to do with------”

“What did they say, Whopper?”

“Why, it seems Ham and Carl and some other fellows—–­the same crowd that has been against us for so long—–­have chipped in and ordered some fireworks from the city.  They are going to set the fireworks off in front of the Dudder house on Fourth of July night.  The Spink family and some others are to be there.  Ham and Carl are boasting what a fine celebration it is to be.”