Part 32 (1/2)
The tramp looked into the face of Mr. Sanders a moment before he said, ”And you suspect, do you, that I took your car and left the horn here?”
”Do you know where our car is?” inquired Mr. Sanders abruptly. ”I told my son to give you ten dollars for returning the old car. Here is the money,” Mr. Sanders added, as he held forth a bill.
”Thank you, sir,” said the tramp, as he took the money and thrust it into his pocket. ”I told the boys that I could be persuaded to accept the reward; but about your other car, all I can say is that I don't know where it is now.”
”Do you know who took it?”
”I do not.”
”Do you know how the fire started in the old house last night?”
”No, sir. I don't.”
”But you had some flash-light powder and you set it off here. The house may have caught fire from it.”
”I don't think it could possibly have got on fire that way. You see we used that powder in pans and we set it off in two or three rooms at the same time, just as we used to answer one another's cries or groan together. The fire couldn't spread. The powder just flashed up and then the fire was all out in a minute. Besides, the old house was no good anyway. No one could live in it and my friends and I thought that if we slept there occasionally no one would be any the worse for it. Of course if there had been any objections made we should have been glad to pay attention to them.”
”I wish you would come back to the car with me, I want to speak to you alone.”
”All right, sir, just as you say,” responded the tramp, quickly advancing and accompanying Mr. Sanders as he led the way across the fields after he had bidden the boys remain where they then were.
CHAPTER XXVI-CONCLUSION
Mr. Sanders and the tramp remained in the car a long time. Indeed, as the minutes pa.s.sed the boys became somewhat impatient. Frequently they glanced toward the scene in the road in which Mr. Sanders and his strange companion were evidently holding a very interesting conversation.
When an hour had elapsed the desire of the boys to depart became more p.r.o.nounced. A few of the country people meanwhile had come to view the ruins of the famous old house, but they had little to say to the boys and after they had inspected the ruins the most of them slowly departed.
At last Fred said impatiently, ”Look yonder! Mr. Sanders is taking that man away in the car.”
”I wonder where he is going?” said George, as he glanced at the departing automobile.
”Probably taking him to the lock-up,” suggested Fred.
”If he's taking the man to the lock-up I know some more that he ought not to forget,” said George soberly.
”So do I,” spoke up Fred, ”and some of them aren't more than a thousand miles from here either.”
However, after the departure of Mr. Sanders in the car, the boys became more thoughtful. They had not received any word to remain where they were, but George decided that it would not be wise for them to depart until they had received some further instructions. Doubtless, he explained, his father would return for them in a little while.
Another hour had elapsed before Mr. Sanders came back. As soon as he was discovered approaching, all the Go Ahead boys ran quickly across the field and when they were informed, in response to their inquiries, that Mr. Sanders was ready to take them home they all quickly climbed into the automobile.
”What did you do with the tramp?” inquired George as soon as the car started.
”I took him to the railroad station.”
”Is he going to leave?”
”He says he is.”
”You seemed to have had a mighty interesting conversation. Did he tell you all the sad, sweet story of his life?”