"The nearest house is Mike Heyland's, the hired man, and I'll go for him."
Filled with this thought, Fred moved softly around to the front, passed through the gate, entered the short lane, and began walking between the rows of trees in the direction of the highway.
An active boy of his age finds his most natural gait to be a trot, and Fred took up that pace.
"It's so dark here under these trees that if there's anything in the road I'll tumble over it, for I never miss——"
"Halloo there, you boy!"
As these startling words fell upon young Sheldon's ear, the figure of a man suddenly stepped out from the denser shadows and halted in front of the affrighted boy, who stopped short, wondering what it meant.
There was nothing in the voice and manner of the stranger, however, which gave confidence to Fred, who quickly rallied, and stepping closer, caught his hand with the confiding faith of childhood.
"O, I'm so glad to see you! I was afraid I'd have to run clear to Tottenville to find somebody."
"What's the matter, my little man?"
"Why, there's a robber in the house back there; he's stealing all the silver and money that belongs to the Misses Perkinpine, and they're sound asleep—just think of it—and he's got a lantern up there and is at work at the chest now, and said he would shoot me if I made any noise or tried to get away, but I catched hold of a limb and swung out the window, and here I am!" exclaimed Fred, stopping short and panting.