Wolverton's face darkened.
"No," he answered. "I did think, I confess, that he might have run away with Bob, but I don't think so now."
"If he did, I know nothing of it."
This was true. For obvious reasons, Bob had not taken his mother into his confidence on this subject.
"The boy has shown base ingratitude to me," continued Wolverton, bitterly. "I cared for him and kept him from starving, and how has he rewarded me?"
"If his home was so agreeable as you represent, it is certainly surprising that he should have left you. Good-morning, Mr. Wolverton."
"What did she mean?" Wolverton asked himself. "Some of her sarcasm, I suppose. When she becomes Mrs. Wolverton, I will get even with her."
As nothing had been said of Sam in the letter of his confidential agent, Wolverton no longer suspected that he had gone down the river with Bob Burton. On the whole, as he had Sam's property in his possession, he did not care whether the boy ever returned, except that he would have liked to give him a good flogging.