“I say, fair sir. Wilt take a poor wayfarer aboard? I fain must be on my way, and my coach seems to have passed me by.”
Jerry looked up. Down the dock was approaching a ragged figure; a man clothed in old garments that flapped about him. The mere remnant of a hat completed his attire.
“It’s the tramp!” Jerry exclaimed under his breath. “If he doesn’t turn up at the oddest times. I wonder what his secret is.”
“May I come aboard?” asked the ragged man.
“Don’t let him. Maybe he’s one of the thieves,” objected Andy in a low tone.
But Jerry had different ideas. He wanted, if possible, to learn more about the tramp. He felt that the man had a secret, and that it concerned the robbery, and some other queer happenings of late, Jerry was most certain.
“Wilt take an humble passenger?” the tramp asked again, seeing that Jerry seemed to hesitate.
“Why, yes, your Majesty, if you wilt be pleased to accept such mean transportation as your slave is able to offer you,” replied Jerry with a smile, determining to enter into the tramp’s humor.
Past Cresville they went, and by noon they had caught up to the Terror, for the chief had ordered her run slowly, as he wanted to see Jerry. The presence of the tramp excited no comment from Mr. Dalton. On the contrary Jerry was almost sure he saw some secret sign pass between the chief of police and the ragged man. This, more than ever, made him curious to get at the bottom of the strange fellow’s secret.