“At first they demanded that I get them some dinner. I said I had very little in the house. Then one of them said he’d take some oysters on toast and some baked liver. I thought he was fooling, and that the two of ’em might be some of my friends who had come to our house thinking they could scare me while my folks were away. Then they went inside and began to rummage around and I told them to quit—that a joke was a joke, but they were carrying it too far. Then they took a vest from my father’s trunk and I got scared and pulled one of ’em back. Then both of ’em knocked me down and one pulled out a big butcher knife. Then I got scared and ran outside. I saw you coming on your wheels and I yelled like an Indian. I am very thankful you came to help me,” concluded the crippled youth.
After that he told them his name was Nat Chetwood and that his father owned a vineyard and a small shop where baskets were made. He said his parent had gone to Ithaca on business and that his mother was off to pay a relative a visit.
“Did they steal anything of value?” questioned the young major.
“That I can’t say,” answered Nat Chetwood. “You see, I don’t know exactly what my father had in his trunk. All they took out of the house was a small looking-glass, an empty inkwell, and a big, tin wash-basin. But they threw the wash-basin away when you came. I know they took one of my father’s vests, for the big man of the two stuffed it under his coat. While they were at the trunk one of ’em asked me to whistle Yankee Doodle and said he’d take me to the circus next week. Oh, they were certainly crazy,—and dangerous.”
“I am sorry we didn’t catch them,” said Andy. “We’ll have to report this, and without delay,” and he looked at Jack, suggestively.
“That’s right,” returned the young major. “And maybe we’ll come back soon.”
“I wish I had somebody to stay with me until my folks get back,” said the cripple, wistfully. “I hate to stay alone, for fear those fellows will come back.”
“Can’t you get some neighbor?” asked Andy.
“We haven’t any very-near neighbors. But maybe I can get Jake Dengert. He works for my father,” added Nat Chetwood.
It was not long after this that Andy and Jack left the cottage. They mounted their wheels and rode slowly in the direction of Putnam Hall. They had covered only a short distance when they heard a well-known whistle behind them and looking back beheld Pepper.