“You’ll have supper first,” said his mother. “It is all ready, and you must be tired.”
Rob could not deny this, though he said nothing about his aches and pains as he seated himself upon a rock to eat his plain supper of salt pork and brown bread from a piece of hemlock bark that he had picked up for a plate. Everything was in keeping with his forlorn condition, and to add to its dreary aspect his mother said:
“I don’t know what we shall do to-morrow, Rob, as there is not enough for all of us to live upon until the next day.”
“I shall——”
“Here comes some gemmens in a wagon!” cried Tony, running into the place at that moment.
Rob looked out to see a horse and wagon, the latter containing three men, drawn up in front of their home. That they boded him evil he was aware from the fact that one of the trio was ’Squire Hardy.
“So this is where you have landed?” said the latter.
Rob made no reply, while he saw the other men get out of the wagon and begin to drive up a stake in front of the coal camp, dealing lusty blows with an ax as the piece of wood sank deep into the earth. When this had become firmly set, they produced a sheet of paper which Rob could see was covered with writing, and tacked it upon a strip of board, that was in turn nailed to the upright.
“What does this mean?” demanded Rob.
“Read for yourself, you New York vagrant,” cried ’Squire Hardy, “and see if you dare to defy the law any longer.”