The tramp called Jake looked up into the young auctioneer’s face at these words. Evidently he did not like the looks of the set lines about Matt’s mouth, for without delay he obeyed the order, and stepped back. Lie had hardly done so before Matt struck Billy a light blow, and off went the horse at quite a respectable gait, leaving the three would-be plunderers standing staring after the turn-out in wonder and disgust!
“Phew! but that was a narrow escape!” gasped Matt, to himself, as he caught up the lines and gave Billy another tap. “I suppose I ought to be thankful that I was not robbed of everything in my keeping. Those fellows looked wicked enough to do almost anything.”
After he had gone on some little distance he leaned out of the wagon to see if he was being pursued. But the tramps had deemed it unwise to follow him, and once more the young auctioneer had the road to himself.
It was not long before the houses of High Bridge appeared in sight. At the first place the young auctioneer asked for directions to the hotel, and here he had the wagon and horse safely stabled, and then went to the room which had been assigned to him to change every article of clothing he wore.
He had ordered a hot meal to be served, and when he came down he found the table spread for him.
“Got caught in the shower, eh?” questioned the hotel-keeper, as Matt sat down.
“Yes, indeed,” returned the boy, and he related the particulars of his adventures while eating, not forgetting to mention the three tramps.
“Those three rascals have been bothering folks around here for quite a bit,” remarked the hotel-keeper after he had finished. “The constable is after ’em now, but I don’t think he’ll catch ’em, for they slide around from place to place. You can bet on it that they are miles away from that shanty by this time.”
“Well, I trust that I never fall in with them again,” returned Matt with a slight shudder.