've found Trouble, anyhow.
That's the big thing. I don't know how this man got him or what he
intended to do with him. But I'm going to tell the police. I guess he'd
better have a doctor, too," he added. "He's cut his head in his fall.
Ted, you and Tom go to the next house," he went on. "There's a telephone
there. Tell Mr. Hick to call up the police, let them know we have found
the missing boy and have them send out a doctor. It's a long walk to Mr.
Hick's place, but I guess you won't be afraid. Then come back here. I
don't want to leave this man alone, as I'd have to do if we all went
away in the auto."

"We'll go to the telephone," said Tom and Ted, and Harry went with them.

As soon as the boys started tramping through the gathering dusk to Mr.
Hick's house, Janet quieted Trouble and got Skyrocket to stop barking.
This last was hard because the dog was so overjoyed at being with his
friends again. There was a broken rope around his neck, showing that he
had been kept tied up since he had been taken away. But he seemed to
have been well treated and fed.

"Can Trouble tell us what happened and how this man got him?" asked
Uncle Toby of Janet, who was holding her little brother. The "tramp," as
he was called, still lay where he had fallen in a faint.

Janet understood Trouble's baby talk better than any one else, and she
soon had his story out of him. He had wandered out of the store, it
seemed, and on the sidewalk in front had been spoken to by the man who
had brought him to the lonely cabin. The tramp and Trouble rode out to
the cabin in a farmer's sled, so the little boy said.

"I can understand how that might happen," said Uncle Toby. "Some farmer
would be glad to give the man and Trouble a ride out into the country.
And it might have been some farmer from a distance, who didn't know that
no one lived here. Such a farmer wouldn't be surprised at Trouble and
the man getting out here at the lonely cabin. Well, things are coming
out all right, and maybe this tramp didn't intend to do anything mean.
We'll have to wait until he gets better so he can tell us what
happened."

The stranger was still lying very quiet on the floor of the lonely
cabin. It was a long time before the three boys came back, but soon
after them the constable and the doctor arrived. The doctor said the man
was not badly hurt, but should have good care. And as it was thought he
might have tried to kidnap Trouble he was put under arrest.

Of c