red.

"What makes you think that?" asked the farmer, looking keenly at the
boy.

"Well," Fred continued, "in the first place, little Billy will be so
tired out after his long tramp, he never could get any further. Then
Buck wants to hide for a while, and he'll make up his mind that if you
are gone away, you'll be back to-morrow morning. Why, he's that bold, he
might try to break in, if he thinks the house is empty."

"I tell you what we'd better do," said Hiram, who had evidently been
doing considerable deep thinking meanwhile.

"As what?" questioned his brother.

"Let the boys come on in when they get here; they won't find anybody
besides you and Sarah home," the returned wanderer declared, smiling
broadly.

"Where will you be, Uncle Hiram; asleep in the hay out in the barn?"
asked the girl.

"Me? Not much," returned the other. "Because I'm of a mind to go home
with Fred here, and have the whole thing over with this same night."

"Oh! I wish you would; but it's a pretty long walk for you, to
Riverport," declared the boy, with considerable enthusiasm.

"Oh! as to that, I reckon brother Arnold here knows of a farmer not a
great ways off, he could send a note to by you and me," Hiram went on to
say; "I've got plenty of hard cash in my jeans, and we'll hire the rig
to take us to Riverport. Perhaps we might let him think, you see, that
Fred got hurt running, and ought to be taken back home in a buggy. How
about it, Arnold?"

"A pretty good scheme, I must say," replied the other. "Did you have
enough supper, Hiram; and are you ready to take the bull by the horns
right now?"

"Strike while the iron is hot; that's always been my motto," replied the
returned miner, as he reached for his slouch hat; and took up the
overcoat he had worn, which had a high collar that could be used to
muffle his face if necessary.

"And as the night air is sharp and frosty, I'll lend Fred some clothes
to keep him warm," said the farmer.

In ten minutes all this was done, and Fred led the way along the road in
the direction he supposed Buck and his little brother would come. He was
listening all the while, even while conversing with Hiram in low tones.
Presently, when they had gone about half a mile, he heard the growling
voice of Buck Lemington not far away.

"Keep a-goin' Billy; we're not far away from there now; and I guess they
won't refuse to let us in, and give us some grub. Here, take hold of my
hand, and I'll help you alon