pring quite by chance, and was he not still in doubt
as to the wisdom of buying Hillcrest?

It would seem, by his trying to get at the old doctor's papers, that Spink
wished to assure himself further before he went ahead with his scheme.

"We'll put a spoke in his wheel--that's sure," said Harris, as he bade
the two girls good-bye that Monday morning, while Lucas and the restive
ponies waited for him.

In two hours he was back at the farmhouse. The ponies stopped at the door
all of a lather, and both Harris and Lucas looked desperately excited.
Tom Castle, as well as the Bray girls, ran out to see what was the matter.

"He's off!" shouted Lucas Pritchett. "He's goin' to beat ye to it!"

"What _are_ you talking about, Lucas?" demanded 'Phemie.

"Where does your aunt live, Miss Lyddy?" asked the young chemist. "Not at
Easthampton?"

"No. At Hambleton. She is at home now----"

"And that Spink just bought a ticket for Hambleton, and has taken the
train for that particular burg," declared Harris, with emphasis. "If I'd
only been sure of your Aunt Jane's address I would have gone with him."

"Do you really think he's gone to try to buy the farm of her?" questioned
Lyddy.

"I most certainly do. He couldn't have made connections easily had he
started yesterday after you drove him away from Hillcrest. But he's after
the farm."

"And she'll sell it! she'll sell it!" wailed 'Phemie.

"Perhaps not," ventured Lyddy, but her lips were white.

"He can get an option. That's enough," urged Harris. "We've got to head
him off."

"How?" cried the older girl, clasping her hands.

"Jumping horse chestnuts!" ejaculated Tom Castle. "It's a cinch! It's
easy. You can beat that fellow to Hambleton by way of Adams----"

"But there's no other train that connects at the junction till afternoon,"
objected Lucas.

"Aw, poof!" exclaimed Tom. "Haven't we got the old buzz-wagon right here?
I'll run and see father. He'll let me take it. We'll go over the hill and
down to Adams, and take the east road to Hambleton. Why, say! that Spink
man won't beat us much."

"It's a great scheme, Tommy!" shouted Harris Colesworth "Go ahead. Tell
your father I can run the car, if you can't."

In twenty minutes the big car was rolled out of the barn, and Mr. Castle
came out to see the quartette off,--the two girls in the tonneau and
Harris and Tom Castle on the front seat.

"You see that he doesn't play hob with that machine, Mr. Colesworth,"
call