“No, no. We must go cautiously,” objected Constable Wolff, his detective abilities asserting themselves. “If we go to th’ front of th’ house, he may see us, an’ get out th’ back way. First we’ll go t’ th’ back, an’ I’ll post you there as a guard. Then Fred, Silas an’ me, we’ll go in an’ get him.”
“Suit yourselves,” answered the hired man, who was a good friend of Dan’s. “He’ll not be afraid to answer your questions, and he’ll not try to run away.”
Now my readers can understand how it was that the four men happened to be under the tree just as Dan was coming down. The two officers and Silas had been led there by the hired man, who offered to point out the window of Dan’s room.
“You stay here, keep guard, an’ we’ll go around front,” directed Constable Wolff.
At that instant Dan started to descend to the ground. He made quite a commotion among the leaves, and the men, hearing it, looked up. Constable Walker caught sight of the boy.
“Dan Hardy, we want you!” called Mr. Wolff sternly. “Don’t try to hide away from us. We see you!”
“I’m not hiding,” replied Dan.
“Then what are you doing up that tree?”
“I’m coming down from my room,” for Dan did not want to explain all of his reasons for his actions.
“That’s a queer answer,” commented the constable. “Where ye goin’?”