“Well, we’ve settled that part of it pretty cleverly, I guess,” Thad declared, as he smiled at Allan.
“It was one of the easiest jobs I ever tackled,” declared the other.
“Wonder which way they went when they left here?” Bumpus remarked.
“Now, just don’t bother your head about that, Bumpus,” said Step Hen. “You’re letting your envious mind think of that fat reward again; but you’d better forget it, Thad says.”
“Oh! if they were making toward the Canada border,” observed Allan, “why, of course they headed north after leaving here.”
“And so are we,” was all Bumpus allowed himself to say in reply; but the look he gave Step Hen was sufficient to announce that he did not mean to wholly relinquish all idea that somehow, some time, they might yet run across the fugitives, and be able to capture them handsomely.
The boys started back to the fire. Some of them were even settled down close to the cheerful blaze, warming themselves, and ready to talk some more about the strange thing that had happened. Bumpus was kicking his toe into the earth, as if some object had attracted his attention. All at once he swooped down, and then gave utterance to an excited ejaculation.
“Looky at what I got, fellers!” he exclaimed hurrying up to the fire.
“Money, real hard money!” cried Step Hen, enviously. “Where’d you dig that up, Bumpus? Say, p’raps there’s more like it buried there. Mebbe we’ll strike a gold mine, and go home millionaires, every one.”
For Bumpus was holding a bright new five dollar gold piece in his hand, at which they all stared with more or less delight.