old peddler seized the wallet that
was handed down to him. He shook like a leaf as Tom held the
lantern for him to count the money. Now that the strain was over,
Mr. Hinman's legs became suddenly too weak to support him. He
sank to the ground, Tom squatting close so that the lantern's
rays would fall where they would be most useful. Thus the old
peddler counted his money with trembling fingers.

"Where did you find the wallet?" young Prescott asked Darrin.

"Up against the side of the wagon, under a partly tilted, upsidedown
feed-pail," Dave answered. "I can understand why Mr. Hinman didn't
find it. He was too much upset---too nervous, and it certainly
didn't look like a likely place."

"It must have fallen out of his pocket as he slept," Prescott
guessed correctly. "Did you find any papers down there on the
floor of the wagon?"

"Yes; some sort of paper stuff," nodded Dave. "I took it for
rubbish."

"The money is all here!" cried the old peddler, in a frenzy of
joy. "Oh, how can I thank you young men? You don't know what
your blessed help means for me!"

"Was it all the money you had?" Dick asked feelingly.

"Yes; all except for few loose dollars that I have in a little
sack in my trousers pocket," replied Mr. Hinman.

"Then it was all you had in the world, outside of your peddling
stock and your horse and cart?" Prescott continued.

"All except a little house and barn that I own, and the small
piece of ground they stand on," said the peddler. "If I had not
found my money I would have been obliged to mortgage my little
home to a bank---and then I am afraid I could not have repaid
the bank, and my home would be taken from me."

"But you would have found the money in the wagon some day soon,"
suggested Dick.

"Perhaps," replied the peddler. "Who knows? Perhaps someone
else would have rummaged the wagon and found it before I did.
Oh! It might have been taken a little while ago, even when I
was toiling down the road, or talking with you boys at your camp!"
he added, with a sudden wave of fright over the thought.

"One thing is certain, anyhow, Mr. Hinman," Dick concluded. "Someone
may have overheard you talking with us about this money. You
will hardly be safe here. I urge you to come to our camp, and
there spend the night with boys who know how to take care of
themselves, and who can look after you at need. You will not be
attacked in our camp."

Reuben Hinman eagerly agreeing, Dave ha