In the meantime Pepper, Andy, and Jack left the Hall by a roundabout way and hurried along the road leading to the Shepard farm. It was quite dark and rather cold, although there was but little wind.
“I see a carriage coming!” exclaimed Jack, presently. “Step back of the bushes and see who is driving it.”
The others complied, and soon the carriage came up. On the seat driving was Amos Shepard, and at his feet rested a big square basket.
“There he goes,” exclaimed Pepper, when the farmer had passed. “Let us follow him.”
It was an easy matter to follow the carriage, for the road was rocky and the farmer had to drive slowly. Coming to a turn, the man in the carriage dismounted and placed the big basket in a crotch of a tree. Then he went on his way to Cedarville.
“Quick—there is no time to lose!” exclaimed Pepper. “Dan Baxter may come for this basket at any minute.”
They soon had the basket out of the crotch of the tree and examined the contents. There were the stuffed turkey, nicely cooked, some fresh biscuit, two pies, some apples, a jug of cider, and some other things.
“We’ll appropriate a pie and some biscuits and apples, and likewise a bit of the turkey,” said Andy.
“Be careful,” warned Jack. “If you muss the turkey up Baxter will suspect something.”
“I’ll fix that easily enough,” came from the resourceful Pepper.