hing worth stealing, he can hardly know what the feeling
is. So it must have been sheer instinct that caused Jo to thus stand on
guard, ready apparently to fight, in order to protect his property,
however recently it may have come into his possession.

No wonder that he felt this sudden alarm, to have the door of his home
rudely thrown open, and a horde of fellows fairly tumbling over each
other, in their eagerness to enter.

Then, the look of alarm seemed to pass away from the face of the young
fellow; as though he had recognized his employer. Paul wondered whether
this was real or cleverly assumed. He saw Jo actually smile, and
advancing a step, half hold out his hand toward Mr. Rollins.

But the farmer was looking very stern just then. He either did not see
the extended hand, or else meant to ignore it purposely, for he
certainly made no move toward taking it.

"I've got back, Mr. Rollins," Jo said, his voice rather shaky, either
from excitement, or some other reason; and he stared hard at Paul and
the other khaki-garbed scouts, as though puzzled to account for their
being there.

"So I see," replied the farmer, grimly.

"I hope you didn't hev too much trouble with the stock, Mr. Rollins," Jo
went on to say, in a half hesitating sort of way.

"Well, if I did, they are all safe and sound; perhaps you'd like to know
that now," the farmer went on to remark, a little bitterly.

Jo looked at him queerly.

"He either doesn't understand what that means, or else is trying to seem
ignorant," was what Paul thought, seeing this expression of wonderment.

"I'm glad to hear that, sure I am, Mr. Rollins," the other remarked,
slowly, "an' seein' as how you're dropped in on us unexpected like,
p'raps I ought to tell you what I meant to say in the mornin.'"

"What's that?" demanded Mr. Rollins, unconsciously edging a little
closer to the table where that tempting display of greenbacks could be
seen; just as though he began to fear that it might suddenly take wings
and fly away before he could put in a claim for his property.

"I've come in for a little windfall, sir," began Jo, proudly it
appeared.

"Looks like you had," grumbled the farmer, as he flashed his eyes again
toward the display so near at hand.

"And if so be you're of the same mind about that Thatcher farm, p'raps
we might come to terms about the same, sir. I guess you'd just as lief
sell it to _me_ as anybody else, wouldn't you, Mr. Rollins?"

"You seem