“No,” said Mr. Schofield, quickly. “Did you?”
“Yes,” replied Jack, quietly; “it was Dan Nolan.”
“Dan Nolan!” repeated the train-master, incredulously. “Are you sure?”
“Allan here knowed him, too,” said Jack. “It’s what I’ve been thinkin’ all along, that Nolan was at th’ bottom of all this mischief. He’s got t’ be a kind o’ king o’ th’ tramps, I guess.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” agreed Mr. Schofield. “I’ll put our detectives on his trail. Maybe they can run him down, if he hasn’t been scared away by his narrow escape to-night.”
“He’ll shift his headquarters,” said Jack, “but I don’t believe he’ll be scared away—not till he gits what he’s after, anyway.”
“And what is that?” questioned the train-master.
“He’s after Allan there,” said Jack, in a lower tone. “An’ he’ll git him yet, I’m afraid.”
“Well, we’ll make it hot for him around here,” said Mr. Schofield, and went forward to impart this information to the detectives.
All of the men were completely tired out by the long night tramp, as well as chagrined over their ill success, but Allan was up again as usual next morning and started off upon his tramp along the track.