“Yes, and planted good and deep,” was the reply.
“Come on then,” and the two who had carried the bundles got into the wagon, the horse being whipped to a gallop at once.
“Well, that’s queer,” decided Dan, as he saw the wagon vanish amid the shadows. “They were planting stuff, but what sort of stuff would they plant at night, and where could they plant it in the woods? There’s something queer back of this. I wish I could find out what it was, but I can’t stop now, or I’ll not get back to the farm before sunrise.”
He looked to make sure none of the men remained behind, and then he rode up to where the wagon had halted. There were visible in the dust by the dim moonlight, the marks of many feet, and the bushes on one side of the road were trampled down, showing where the men had entered the woods.
A gleam of something shining in the dust attracted Dan’s attention. He got off the mare and picked it up.
“A silver spoon!” he exclaimed as he examined it. “Perhaps those fellows were silverware peddlers and were hiding their stock in trade until they could come for it. Well, it doesn’t concern me, and I guess I’d better be going. I’ll keep this spoon for a souvenir.”
He thrust it into his pocket, jumped on the back of Bess, and was off down the road. He kept a lookout for the wagon containing the men, but it seemed to have turned off down a side road.
Dan reached the farm just as it was getting dawn. He put the mare in her stall, after watering and feeding her, and then crawled up into the hay-mow, hoping to get a little sleep before it would be time to start on his day’s work.
He must have slept quite soundly, for the sun was shining into the barn when he was awakened by hearing Mr. Savage exclaim:
“Wa’al, I wonder what keeps that lazy boy?” Then the farmer caught sight of the mare in her stall. “Why, he’s back! I wonder where’s he hidin’? Loafin’ again, that’s what he is!”