After supper Ralph went out with Van to inspect the new chicken coop he had just built. He was surprised and pleased at the patience, ingenuity and actual hard work displayed in the same, and Van seemed to show a deeper appreciation and understanding of Ralph's commendation than he had heretofore displayed.
Ralph viewed him thoughtfully. He again began considering a plan to take Van down the road some day on the chance of locating his former home.
At nine o'clock that evening, just as Ralph was locking up for the night, there came a tremendous thump at the front door.
Ralph went thither, to confront Big Denny, the yard watchman.
Denny was in a feverish state of excitement, was perspiring, prancing about with his cane, never still, and laboring under some severe mental agitation.
"Alone, Fairbanks?" he projected, in a startling, breathless kind of a way.
"They've all gone to bed but myself," answered Ralph.
"Can I come in?"
"Surely, and welcome."
Denny thumped into the little parlor. He mopped his brow prodigiously, loosened his collar, fidgeted and fumed, and after looking cautiously around put his finger mysteriously to his lips with the hoarsely-whispered injunction: