“Mount the horse,” said Wallace, “and we will go and see.”
Phonny mounted his horse as expeditiously as possible, and he and Wallace rode off through the woods in the direction of the voices. They followed a path which led down a sort of glen, and after riding a short distance they saw the boys before them, standing in a little open space among the trees. The boys had stopped to see who was coming.
There were three boys, one large and two small. The large boy had the trap under his arm.
“Halloa!” said Phonny, calling out aloud to the boys, “stop carrying off that trap.”
The boys did not answer.
“I have bought that squirrel,” said Phonny, “you must give him to me.”
“No,” said the great boy; “it belongs to Espy, and I am going to keep it for him.”
“Hush,” said Wallace, in a low tone to Phonny; “I will speak to him.”
Then calling out aloud again, he said, “We have just been down to Espy’s and have bought the squirrel, and have now come to take him home.”