vous until we reach
Mr. Farnum's house and hand him the money. Hold up a minute, Jack,
while we're near houses."

"What's the game?" inquired Benson, as his chum leaped down into the
road and began to rummage about.

"These may be of some use to us in the buggy; just possibly," replied
Hal, returning with a half dozen stones, the size of hens' eggs, which
he placed on the seat between them. "It's the only form of arms we
have, Jack," he whispered, "and we're carrying a heap more money than
we could make good in a long time."

"We've got only a few miles to go," laughed Jack, easily. "Besides
who'd ever think of holding up boys? And no one but Mr. Forrester knows
that we have the cash."

In the first five miles that they drove from Waverly Center the boys
passed only two other horse-drawn vehicles and one automobile. Then,
suddenly, the keen ears of both boys heard a sound as of some human being
wailing in acute distress.

A moment later they came in sight of the cause of the sounds. A hatless,
dirty, illy-dressed youngster of perhaps ten years stood by the roadside,
howling and digging his soiled fists into his eyes as he blubbered. At
sight of the horse and buggy this small sample of human misery looked up
to call, appealingly:

"Hey! Oh, mister!"

"Well," demanded Jack, reining in the horse, "what's the matter?"

"Oh, mister, mister! It's me mother!"

"What's the matter with her? Where is she?"

"She's in there," pointing under the trees just off the road. "We
was walkin' along, an' one o' them otterbubbles must ha' hit her.
She give a yell, then crawled inter them bushes. She hain't said
nuthin' lately--an' oh! I'm dreadful scared!"

"Poor little chap!" muttered Jack, handing the reins to his friend.
"I'll go in and see what's wrong."

But Hal also jumped out, hastily hitching the horse. Then they followed
their youthful guide in under the trees, to a clump of bushes. There in
the dark Jack and Hal saw a huddled mass of something lying on the
ground. Benson was the first to bend over, but Hal, also peering
intently, was close at his side.

"Why, this isn't anything human," called Jack. "It's just a--"

Thump! A jarring blow fell upon him from behind, knocking the boy
nearly unconscious. Hal, struck at the same moment, felt his head reel,
and then did lose consciousness for a few moments.

"Ha, ha! Ho! ho!" roared the elfin youngster, his tears suddenly giving
place to laughter