“I wish you would go over to the hotel and get our traps. I haven’t a cent with me. Luckily I left some money in the satchel. Settle with the landlord, and tell him we intend to stay here to-night. Mrs. Dalmer says she will accommodate us.”
“All right, Frank. But——” and Bob hesitated.
“But what?”
“It’s asking too much of you to keep me a whole day for nothing, and those fellows cleaned me out when they caught me at the hay-stack——”
“That’s all right. You are to stay with me until we reach Stampton, even if we don’t get there until six weeks, and I’m to settle the bills. Don’t say no, or I’ll get angry.”
“Thanks! I wouldn’t make you mad for the world,” and Bob made off without further words.
It did not take the youth long to reach the half-way house. He secured all of Frank’s effects as well as his own bundle, and remained for a while talking to Fitt about the robbers.
“It’s a pity they weren’t caught,” said the hotel-keeper. “I believe they are a regularly organized gang and nothing less.”
“Perhaps they are. You haven’t seen any trace of them around here, have you?”
“I had a sort of an idea I saw one of them sneaking around early this morning, but I guess I must have been mistaken,” answered the landlord.