The sun had no more than an hour’s time remaining before his day’s work in that particular section of the country had come to an end, when a brown moth fluttered down upon Seth’s nose, where he sat pluming his wings in such an energetic manner that the boy suddenly sneezed himself into wakefulness, while Snip leaped up with a chorus of shrill barks and yelps which nearly threw the curious birds into hysterics.
“It’s almost sunset, Snippey dear, an’ we’ve been idlin’ here when we ought’er been huntin’ for a house where we can stay till mornin’. It’s fine, I know,” he added, as he took the tiny dog in his arms; “but I don’t believe it would be very jolly to hang ’round in such a place all night. Besides, who knows but there are bears? We must be a terrible long way in the country, an’ if the farmers are as good as Pip Smith tells about, we can get a chance to sleep in a house.”
The fear that the officers might be close upon his heels had fled; it seemed as if many, many hours had passed since he took leave of Tim and Teddy, and it was possible the representatives of law would not pursue him so far into the country.
He had yet on hand a third of the stale cakes, and with these in his pocket as token that he would not go supperless to bed, and Snip on his arm, he resumed the flight once more.
After a brisk walk of half an hour, still on a course directly away from the river, as he believed, Seth began to look about him for a shelter during the night.
“We’ll stop at the first house that looks as if the folks who live in it might be willin’ to help two fellers like us along, an’ ask if we can stay all night,” he said to Snip, speaking in a more cheery tone than he had indulged in since the fear-inspiring advertisement had been brought to his attention.
He did not adhere strictly to this plan, however, for when he was come to a farmhouse which had seemed to give token of sheltering generous people, a big black dog ran out of the yard growling and snapping, much to Snippey’s alarm, and Seth hurried on at full speed.
“That wouldn’t be any place for you, young man,” he said, patting the dog’s head. “We’ll sleep out of doors rather than have you scared half to death!”
Ten minutes later he knocked at the door of a house, and, on making his request to a surly-looking man, was told that they “had no use for tramps.”
Seth did not stop to explain that he could not rightly be called a tramp; but ran onward as if fearful lest the farmer might pursue to punish him for daring to ask such a favor.