these
knights of the highway.

"Why did you do---this?" Prescott sternly insisted.

"We---we didn't do it!" exclaimed the boss tramp fervently. "We
didn't even know that this old party was anywhere out in the storm.
We-----"

Moaning, Reuben Hinman stirred slightly then opened his eyes dreamily.

"Mr. Hinman, can you talk?" asked Dick gently.

"Ye-es," faintly admitted the peddler.

"Then how were you hurt, sir?" Dick pressed in the same gentle voice.

"I---I saw the light. Tried---to drive my horse---in. Wagon
turned over. Fell off---and hurt my head," replied the peddler,
whispering hoarsely.

"You're fully conscious, Mr. Hinman, and know just what you're
saying?" Dick pressed.

"Yes, Prescott. I know."

"Then no one else assaulted you to-night, sir."

"No---one."

"I feel like saying 'thank heaven' for that!" exclaimed Dick in
a quiet voice, as he straightened up, his eyes a trifle misty.
"I hate to think that the earth holds men vile enough to strike
down a weak old man like this!"

"And on such a night," added Tom Reade.

"Oh, we're pretty bad," said the boss tramp, huskily, "but we
didn't do anything like that."

"At first," Dick went on, "I thought you hoboes had done the deed.
That was why I asked my friend to let you come in. I wanted
to keep you here until we could find someone who would take care
of you."

"We didn't do it," replied the boss tramp, "and the old man says
we didn't."

"No; no man struck me---I fell," chimed in the peddler weakly.

"We'll help you take care of the old man," offered the boss tramp.

"If you mean what you say," Prescott proposed, "then take one
of these lanterns and go down by the road to see what you can
find out about Mr. Hinman's horse and wagon. Or did you see them
as you came up?"

"No, for we came through the woods," replied the boss tramp.
"I'll take the lantern. Come with me, Joe."

Out into the dark plunged the two tramps, to face the heavily
falling rain. For once, at any rate, they were doing something
useful.

At a signal from Dick, Greg put some water on the stove to heat.
Prescott found some clean cloth in their wardrobe box and bathed
the wound on Mr. Hinman's temple, then washed his entire face.
The wound proved to be broad, rather than deep, and was such
as might have been caused by falling on sharp pebbles. Then Dick
bound up the wound.

Next, Dick and Greg undressed Mr. Hinman and rubbed him down,
then rolled him in d