“Um-mm; unfolksy,� said Patsy. “There’s just Mr. Smith, and his nephew Albert that goes to our school. We’ve never got acquainted with Albert. He’s sort of stand-offish; not as if he wanted to be, but as if he were afraid.�
“Afraid of what?� asked Anne.
“Oh! I don’t know. Nothing. I reckon he’s just shy.�
“What sort of man is Mr. Smith?� inquired Anne.
“Ugly; and grins. He’s away from home most of the time. He’s a salesman or agent of some kind. Dick,� Patsy returned to a more interesting subject, “do please tell us what you are going to do.�
“We-ell,� Dick began as if he were about to yield reluctantly; then he interrupted himself eagerly: “Oh! look at that squirrel!�
Their eyes followed his pointing finger, and crying, “Easy marks!� he darted into a dense thicket of pines on the other side of the road. The girls followed quickly, but he made good use of his moment’s start and they caught only glimpses of him here and there behind the trees.
“Run, Anne!� Patsy called presently. “To the left. Here! Let’s head him off!�
They ran around a thick clump of pines to meet him—and he was not there. He did not seem to be anywhere. He had vanished as completely as if the earth had opened and swallowed him.
“We may as well give up,� Anne sighed at last.