f men came from the bar-room of the hotel and moved
in various directions. With one of these was the youth for whom Dick was
looking.

Dan Baxter and his companion moved in the direction of the lake shore,
and Dick lost no time in following the pair.

The man with Baxter was a stranger to Dick, but he showed by his manner
that he was a rough individual, and when he talked he did a great deal
of swearing, which, however, will not appear in his conversation in
these pages.

Having reached the road running along the lake front, Baxter and his
companion, whose name was Lemuel Husty, passed northward past a
straggling row of cottages and then on the road leading to the village
of Neckport.

"I wish I had time--I'd follow them," said Dick to himself, and turned
back, much disappointed over the fact that he had not had a chance to
speak to Dan Baxter.

As Dick turned in the direction of the doctor's office once more he was
hailed by a lad of the village, named Harry Sharp.

"Hullo, Dick Rover!"

"How are you Harry? How do you like the snow?"

"All right enough, only it will spoil some of the skating."

"So I've been thinking," answered Dick, as the two came closer.

"Say, Dick, who do you suppose I met a while ago," went on Harry Sharp.

"I don't know--Dan Baxter?"

"That's the chap. How did you guess it?"

"I saw him myself."

"I thought he didn't dare to show himself?"

"Well, he ought to be arrested, Harry. But perhaps having his father in
prison, and losing most of his money, is punishment enough for him."

"I met him in the post office. He was posting several letters."

"Did you see the handwriting on the letters?"

"No. As soon as he saw me he slid out of sight."

"I guess he doesn't fancy being recognized. By the way, have you seen
Captain Putnam?"

"Saw him about an hour ago. I think he was going to the Hall."

"Good enough! I was waiting for him to get back."

A few words more followed, and the two boys separated, and Dick hurried
to the doctor's office. Dr. Fremley was ready to leave, and soon the
pair were on the way to the Stanhope cottage.

Not wishing to give the Hall a bad name Dick deemed it advisable to say
nothing about the fact that Sam had been locked in an ice-cold room
without his overcoat or hat, and merely stated that his brother had
exposed himself.

"He has a very heavy cold," said the doctor, after an examination. "If
let run, it would have become serious, beyond a doub