"Ain't no use to try to follow him," said Aaron Masterson. "The road branches off four times between here an' town an' there ain't no tellin' wot road he tuk. More'n likely he's travelin' as fast as all git-out, too."
"He certainly will do his level best to get away—after such experiences as he has had," answered Snap. "Perhaps he will never show himself in this locality again."
They remained out on the road, looking up and down, for five minutes, and then returned to the house.
"Did he steal anything?" asked Shep.
"By gum! I didn't think o' that!" gasped Aaron Masterson.
He took a thorough look around and then came in and gave a sigh of satisfaction.
"Nothin' missing, so far as I can see," he said. "Reckon he was too scart to pick up anything. The dog must have barked, but I didn't hear him."
"Neither did I," answered Snap. "It was so cold I rolled up as tight as I could, ears and all, in the blankets."
With the tramp gone, there seemed nothing to do but for Snap and Shep to return to the camp. Mrs. Masterson served them with a fine breakfast of sausage, and, wheatcakes with molasses, and the boys "filled up" as only growing boys can. Then the lady of the house gave them a mince pie and some crullers to take with them. Neither she nor her husband would take any pay for what they had done.
"It's too bad thet tramp got away," said Aaron Masterson. "But I did wot I thought best to hold him."