The man went out in the yard, lamp in hand. As he did this, the three students walked around to meet him.
"Hello, what do you want?" demanded John Lapham, halting and staring at his unexpected visitors. "Were you in my house?" he continued, suspiciously.
"No, sir, we just came up," answered Dave. "We want to buy those bats your son has for sale."
"Did you see anybody around here—I mean going out just now?"
"No."
"We saw a light, in the parlor and the sitting room," said Roger. "It went out just as we came up."
"Then my wife must be right. Somebody has been in the house. I must take a look around."
The two Lapham boys now came out, and the whole crowd looked around the farmhouse and the stable near by. Not a soul was in sight anywhere.
"Whoever he was, he has gotten away," said the farmer, soberly. "I hope he didn't steal anything."