"Except that Appleby was ripping mad, and threatened to have the next school lad arrested whom he found on his property. We'll have to make a new course for cross-country runs after this I guess, for we used to run across his big meadow."
"Yes," assented Tom. "Well, I didn't think it would amount to anything. I'm much obliged, though."
"You wait!" insisted Jack. "This isn't the bottom of it yet, not by a long shot."
"What do you mean?" asked Tom curiously.
"I mean that Sam isn't such a loon as to get off the road on to
Appleby's land just by mistake, or because it was dark."
"You mean he went there purposely?"
"I sure do."
"What for?" and Tom gazed curiously at his chum.
"That's what I've got to find out. He had some object, and I shouldn't be surprised but what it was you, Tom."
"Me?"