“But they ain’t been here long enough to do much runnin’ around,” Matt reminded him.
“They have been here three days, and that’s long enough for them to cover a good many miles in that fast-going skiff of theirs.”
“But we’ve been right there at the cove all the time, an’ they couldn’t have come snoopin’ around without us hearin’ them,” said Matt, who hardly knew whether he stood on his head or his feet. “What took ’em so far up the creek, an’ how did they know where the money was hid?”
“I don’t know any thing about that. I simply tell you that I saw those two valises in Joe Wayring’s camp-basket to-day, and that you will never handle a dollar of it.”
“Why, they’re wusser’n thieves theirselves. Do you reckon they took it to No-Man’s Pond with ’em?”
“They certainly did not leave it at the hotel,” replied Tom. “Perhaps they don’t mean to go to No-Man’s Pond at all. They may be striking for Irvington, for all I know, intending to claim the reward when they give up the money.”
“They shan’t never get there,” yelled Matt, who believed every word of this ridiculous story. “I wish we was on t’other side of the lake.”
“The only way you can get there is to go down to the outlet and ask some of your friends living there to set you across,” replied Tom; and as he spoke he stepped up to an evergreen, pressed the thick branches down with both hands, and took from its place of concealment a roll of blankets. From other trees he took more blankets, a lot of tin dishes, and provisions enough to last a small party of moderate eaters a week or more. Matt and his hungry family could, no doubt, have made way with them in a single day. They watched the boy’s movements with the keenest interest. They had ransacked every hole and corner of the grove before Tom came, overturning logs and throwing leaves aside, but their hour’s work had not been rewarded by so much as a can of beans. They were as surprised as children are the first time they see a magician take money out of a borrowed hat.
“That bangs me,” said Matt.
“I don’t suppose I should have found any of these things if you had thought to look up instead of down,” replied Tom.