u rascal!" ej

ered the former teacher o

over. What are

on the Widow Stanhop

o astonished he kn

likely," sneered Tom. "You

stake, Rover. I-I am stop

ck dumb over the man's show of "ne

am stopp

nhope's permis

could I stop h

oing in the kit

, but I-er-wanted a glass of w

hope and Dora h

ey just

nds again?" asked Dic

rabtree

Stanhope is once m

ow what a rascal you

ing under a great delusion. I w

ick aghast at th

earned that somebody went to Africa under my name, just to t

ou can draw the lon

th. I can prove that f

cago and other por

est here, just stay wi

Dick, and leaped

he kind," cried Josiah Crabtree

are friends, it

well, and I will not have her distur

about tha

en a voice he knew well floated d

at you, Dick?" It was Dora speaki

. We have caught Josiah Cra

ttle scream. "What a vil

He turned to Crabtree. "I rec

the lighted candle full into the youth's face. Of course Dick had to fall back, not wish

to the floor. Over and over rolled the pair,

ight be killed, and presently Mrs. Stanhope joined in. But the cottage was situated

Tom's hold and made for the open window. But now

btree in the room, bu

r teacher fell back h

for the time being t

able to contin

r and ran out into the hall. Because of his former visits to the house he knew the grou

his arm. But Crabtree broke loose and p

e, Rover," hissed the

ill be sorry

Crabtree. And I call

t me!" cried the form

you try to take m

, you are

can prove my assertion b

t been nea

oint with you. Do yo

nder," replied Jos

nt shove backward, which made the elder Rover boy sit down in an easy chair rathe

d Dick, catch

is runn

the conservatory and finding it locked and the key gone, had smashe

arrying a lamp in her hand. The first person she met was Tom, wh

e you hurt?"

wered. "But Dick-D

tory. Crabtree just ju

had just begun to fill with flowers for the coming winte

of sight?

," replied his brother.

n't k

t to fol

are gone you had better lock up better tha

Dick," sh

nail, and taking it down they unlocked the door, and th

t her mother, who had come downstairs in a state of excitement bordering on hyst

e out a dim form in the distance,

d. "Come, Tom, we must

ut take care what you do. He may

I am not afraid of h

ith dete

f his long legs, and the two lads soon found tha

but to this command the former, teacher paid

lake," said Dick. "

, for just before the

ed off onto the road l

hadows of a patch of w

from Tom, as he sl

turn down t

ust have gone to

he road lay a tilled field, on the other were rocks and trees and bushes. They li

ed!" groaned

o give up the hunt alread

where d

went back to

d dare to do that. Besid

im go in the

ow. Perhaps he was go

Stanh

that alone, he would ha

n. They peered into the woods and behind som

day," remarked Tom soberly. "First it was Dan Baxt

ter who tried to wreck

ways did ha

e in Cedarville we ought to p

ily hold both on half a dozen