“I guess that demand for fifty thousand dollars scared the folks at home a whole lot,” was Fred’s comment. “It looks to me as if they imagined Davenport was watching us every minute, trying to figure out what he could do to injure us.”
“But we haven’t seen or heard of the man since the day we saw him—or Jack thought he did—in that roadster.”
“Just the same, he may be in this vicinity watching every move we make,” said Randy, and his face was serious.
The twins read the letter again, and then, to make sure that no one else might know of its contents, they burnt it up.
“No use of taking any chances,” said Andy grimly.
“To tell the truth, that letter got on my nerves,” confessed his twin. “Dad wouldn’t write so seriously unless there was something in the wind.”
“Perhaps Davenport—or some of those other rascals—has been threatening the folks at home again. Gosh! I wonder if they would dare threaten my mother or Aunt Dora or Aunt Nellie?”
“If Davenport or any of his pals did that he ought to be shot!” answered Jack. “I’m sorry now my dad didn’t have Davenport arrested the first time he showed up. Such fellows ought to be in prison. They ought never to be given their liberty.”
When the boys telephoned to Clearwater Hall they found that the girls had gone out for a walk with one of the teachers. They were to be back in less than an hour, however, so the lads concluded to walk over to the girls’ school and wait for them.