in't a single soul, except some of our crowd,
that know you've ever talked with us 'bout this."

Dan looked at his friend in mute astonishment. It seemed to him the
height of ingratitude that Joe Potter should thus threaten, when he had
made so many sacrifices to aid him in escaping from the officers of the
law.

More than all this was he hurt by the insinuation that his detective
ability was not of a high order, and in a very short time his
astonishment gave way to anger.

"You can put on as many airs as you want to, Joe Potter, an' we'll see
whether I'm a detective or not. I went 'round among the fellers
borrowin' money, didn't make any account of my own time, an' walked 'way
out here, jest to help you. Now I'm goin' to do as much the other way,
an' we'll see what'll happen between now an' to-morrow night! You'll be
in jail, that's where you'll be, an' Plums with you!"

"Here comes aunt Dorcas," Master Plummer whispered, hoarsely, and
instead of stalking away in a dignified fashion, as he had intended, the
amateur detective ran hurriedly around the corner of the barn to screen
himself from view of the little woman.

"We're in an awful mess now," Plums whispered to Joe. "It's a good deal
worse than it was before, 'cause Dan will do everything he's threatened,
an' we can count on seein' as many as a dozen perlicemen here before
to-morrer night."

Joe did not dare reply, for, by this time, aunt Dorcas was so near that
his words would have been overheard; but he appeared quite as disturbed
as did Master Plummer.

CHAPTER X.

THE JOURNEY.

Aunt Dorcas was so intent on the plans for the future which had just
been formed, that she failed to observe the constraint which had been
put upon the boys by her coming.

There was in the little woman's mind only speculations concerning the
proposed addition to her family, which she believed, owing to the fact
that Joe had not had an opportunity of making the proper explanation,
would be permanent, and in connection with this was the making of the
garden.

Therefore it was she set about directing the young workmen in her
customary manner, determined that no more time should be spent on the
task than was absolutely necessary.

Aunt Dorcas had brought with her a small basket containing many tiny
packages, each neatly tied and labelled, and she had her own opinion as
to where the different kinds of seeds should be sown.

"George, you make the hills for the potato