"About four miles out," said the former speaker. "When you begin to get up in the hills, you run into Wilkinson's land. It comes down to the pike. Then there's a small road leading in to the right. That's the road to the house. But you don't need to go out there to find out more about it. Stevens has a store across the street there. You can see him now if you want."
"How does it sound to you?" Vincent asked Duncan.
"All right," answered his companion.
* * *
They found Josh Stevens in his store. He was anxious to rent the house. Once started, he began a long description of it. With the aid of a few questions, Harry Vincent gained an excellent fund of information. It was a good house, better than the two old cabins owned by Seth Wilkinson. They were nothing more than shacks. They could be seen by walking through the woods below the Stevens house. Neither of the cabins was occupied; Wilkinson was away, and had neglected them. Josh Stevens invited the two visitors to make the comparison for themselves.
The outcome of the discussion was the payment of sixteen dollars — a month's rent in advance — by Harry.
The mountain bus was at the station when the young men came out of Josh Stevens's store. Harry went over and talked with the driver.
"Where do you stop along the Mountain Pike?" he inquired. "We're going to stay up that direction. We may have to use the bus occasionally."
"I stop anywhere a passenger wants to get off. You can't ask much better service than that."
"When is the last bus?"