Rover and when he saw how close to the water's
edge Sam was standing, a sudden thought came into his mind. As silently
as a wild beast stealing on its prey, he crept up to Sam.

"There! how do like that, Sam Rover!" he cried, triumphantly, and gave
the youngest Rover a shove which sent him over the bank and into the
rocky stream below.

Sam gave out one yell and then, with a loud splash, sank beneath the
surface.

Lew Flapp gazed for a second in the direction, wondering when Sam would
reappear. But then a new fear took possession of him and off he ran,
this time harder than ever.

His course was along the river bank for a distance of a hundred yards,
and then he came out on a road leading to a small place called
Hacknack.

"To Hacknack!" he muttered, after reading a signboard. "That's the
place I'm looking for. One mile, eh? Well, I had better lose no time in
getting there."

The bully was a fair walker and now fear lent speed to his limbs, and
in less than fifteen minutes he reached the hamlet named. He gazed
around and presently located a small cottage standing near the edge of
a sandpit.

"That must be the cottage," he told himself, and walking to it he
rapped on the door four times in succession and then four times again.

There was a stir within and then an old woman, bent with age and with a
wicked look in her sharp, yellowish eyes, came to answer his summons.

"Is this Mother Matterson's place?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm Mother Matterson," squeaked the old woman. "Who are you and
what do you want?"

"My name is Lew Flapp. I'm looking for a fellow called Si Silvers," he
added, for that was the name Dan Baxter had assumed for the time being.

"It's all right, old woman; tell him to come in," said a voice from
inside the cottage, and Lew Flapp entered the house. Immediately the
old woman closed the door after him and barred it.

CHAPTER XII

FLAPP AND BAXTER PLOT MISCHIEF

The cottage which Mother Matterson occupied was a much dilapidated one
of a story and a half, containing three rooms and a loft. Some of the
windows were broken out and the chimney was sadly in need of repair.

Many were the rumors afloat concerning this old woman. Some said she
was little short of being a witch, while others had it that she was in
league with tramps who had stolen things for miles around. But so far,
if guilty, she had escaped the penalty of the law.

"So you've come at last," went on the person in the co