tor's, and get back home as
fast as I can," he said to himself.

And five minutes after the excitement began he was once more on his way to
Dr. Foley's residence.

When he reached the physician's place it was several minutes before he
could arouse the doctor and make him understand what was wanted. Then it
took ten minutes more for the doctor to fix up a plaster and some medicine.

Ralph had lost so much time that, although he wished to learn more of the
robbery, he decided to go home by a short cut across the fields instead of
by the village streets.

He set out on a run through the darkness. He knew the path well, and did
not mind the rough places which had to be crossed or the spots where the
bushes grew thickly.

When he reached the little woods just in front of the house he fancied he
heard a footstep near at hand. He stopped short, wondering what it could
be.

"There can't be any animals about," he thought. "Perhaps it's Luke
Jackson's dog--he comes about here occasionally."

He heard the steps again, coming from toward the cottage. Then, before he
could locate them closely, they ceased altogether.

"Tige! Tige!" he called, for that was the name of the dog to which he had
referred.

No answer came back, nor did any dog put in an appearance. Ralph waited a
few seconds longer, and then made straight for the house.

He found his mother sitting in the kitchen, nursing her pain as best she
could.

"You have been quite long, Ralph," she said. "Or else it is my pain makes
the time seem longer."

"I lost a little time at the post office, mother."

"At the post office! Why, what were you doing there at this time of night?"

"The safe has been blown open and robbed. It happened just as I came
along."

"You don't say! Did you learn the particulars?"

"I did not wait for that. There was a crowd gathering, and everybody was as
excited as could be. But I think I saw the robbers."

"You did?"

"I saw two men and a boy running, and each had a satchel."

"That was certainly suspicious," returned Mrs. Nelson. She was in too much
pain to say more just then, and set about making use of the things Ralph
had brought from the doctor's. Fortunately, these did her much good, and
inside of half an hour she was considerably better.

"I thought I heard you coming a quarter of an hour before you did,"
remarked Mrs. Nelson, presently. "I certainly heard somebody walking in the
dooryard."

Ralph was interested at onc