“I didn’t” replied Silas, “but then I’m a turrible heavy sleeper. I guess th’ doctor didn’t nuther, fer he didn’t say nothin’ about it.”
“Were any suspicious characters seen around?” asked Dan, as he suddenly thought of something.
“Not as I know of. But I’ve got to git along an’ tell th’ constables. Th’ doctor told me t’ hurry He tried t’ git ’em on th’ telephone, but I guess there ain’t nobody up at th’ town hall yit, fer they didn’t answer.”
“What all did ye say was stole?” asked Mrs. Savage, for she had missed part of the recital.
“I’ll stop and tell ye on my way back,” called Silas, as he urged the horse to a gallop.
“Wa’al, of all things!” remarked Mr. Savage, as the hired man rode away. “Fust thing we know we’ll all be murdered in our beds.”
“Oh, dear! Don’t talk that way, Peter,” begged his wife, who was very nervous. “What’s that package?”
“Oh, that’s th’ medicine Lucy wouldn’t take,” and Mr. Savage, who had momentarily forgotten all about the pain-killer, told Mrs. Savage of Dan’s trip. The two were so indignant over the outcome, partly blaming the boy for taking the wrong road, and partly blaming Mr. Savage’s sister, that they took little notice of Dan, who hurried into the house and got his breakfast, rather a slim one, which was being kept warm on the stove.
Then, wishing to be alone, to get a chance to think, Dan took his hoe and went to a distant cornfield to work.
“I wonder if those queer men I saw, who were hiding something in the woods, weren’t the ones who robbed Dr. Maxwell’s house?” thought Dan. “They certainly acted very suspiciously. I believe they were. I wonder what I had better do?”