I'll promise not to be jealous." "Hang that Dutcher hound, anyway!" growled Tom Reade angrily.

"I can't get over his mean, dirty work." "The best way is not to mention the fellow," Dick answered coldly.

"He's not worth it." "Oh, he isn't, eh ?" muttered a boy who had just stolen softly to the outside of the shack door and now stood there listening.

That eavesdropper was Hen Dutcher, who had slipped out of the cabin to see how life fared with the boys whom he didn't like.
Then Hen, still eavesdropping, listened to enough more to make sure that Dick & Co.

were all of them free of their bonds, and that these enterprising Grammar School boys were actually discussing plans to rout the enemy from the log cabin.
"Oh, I'll have to hustle back and tell this to Ripley's crew," chuckled Hen gleefully.