So saying, George, in a few words, told of his accidental meeting with Wallace, Benson and Forbes at the rock beside the spring, and repeated the conversation he had overheard.
While he was speaking, he kept a close watch of his guests’ faces, and he would have been blind, indeed, if he had not been able to see that they knew more about the robbers than they cared to tell.
When he had finished his story, he leaned back against the cabin and waited for one of them to say something; but Bob kept his eyes fastened on the ground, while Dick Langdon stood with his back toward the bench, and appeared to be deeply interested in watching the motions of a fish-hawk that was slowly winging its way across the lake.
Beyond a doubt, these three boys were the possessors of a secret that was destined, at no distant day, to make a commotion in the village.
“Put your story and mine together, and what do you make of them?” continued George, who was anxious that his companions should express an opinion, in order that he might know how nearly it agreed with his own.
“I make just this of them,” answered Bob. “Mr. Stebbins believes that Dick and I tried to rob him last night, and he told us more than once that he didn’t intend to let the matter drop. That means that he is going to have us arrested. If he does that, it may be necessary for Dick and me, in order to protect ourselves, to make three fellows, who shall be nameless, show where they passed the hours between sunset yesterday and sunrise this morning. If he lets us alone—”
“Don’t build any hopes on that,” interrupted George; “for if you do you are bound to be disappointed. He is one of the most vindictive old misers that ever lived.”
“Well, as to that,” said Bob, slowly, “I don’t call a man vindictive because he asks the help of the law when he has been wronged.”
“Neither do I; but he might have listened to your explanation.”
“Well, fellows, what did we come out here for?” said Dick. “It is a most unfortunate piece of business altogether, and I wish to goodness that we were well out of it; but seeing that we are not, and that we can’t settle it among ourselves, I say let’s drop it and go fishing.”