CHAPTER XXII
THE MISSING PAPER
"Impossible!" cried Mr. Thornton, as he reached the group of lads standing near the wounded man. "How could he be here when you said he was hurt in the railroad accident and was in the hospital? It can't be, boys."
"And yet there he is," said Billy, passing his hand over his forehead as if to ascertain whether or not he was awake. "I leave it to Frank and Andy."
"It surely is he," asserted the elder Racer lad. "But when we saw him last he had shaved off his black beard."
"And it's had time to grow in the meanwhile," said Andy.
"Yes," went on Billy, "and I suppose he's had time to recover from his injuries and leave the hospital, though it did not seem possible."
"Well, whether it's he or not, and, even though he tried to rob you, Billy, I guess it's up to us to look after him, now that he's hurt," said Mr. Thornton. "Lucky we've got some place to carry him to, for the storm didn't do much damage after all. Take him into the house, boys, and we'll see what ails him, and send for a doctor."
The man was unconscious, and it was easy to guess what had happened to him. Near him, lying on the ground, was a billet of wood, evidently part of the roof of the shed that had blown off. This had struck the man on the head, making a long gash, though Billy, looking at it as well as he could, gave it as his opinion that it was only a scalp wound.
As the three boys carried the limp form into the house, whither Mrs. Thornton had preceded them, they could not help being more and more sure in their minds that the man was Shackmiller. Every feature was there, but the beard was as fully grown as if it had never been shaved off. The clothing too, was such as the man had worn when hurt in the train wreck.