Under ordinary circumstances there would not have been money enough in the farmhouse to be anxious about, but it so happened that Farmer Cole had sold a yoke of oxen, and the money received, a hundred dollars, was upstairs in a bureau drawer. The thought of this, though she didn't suppose the tramp to be aware of it, was enough to terrify Mrs. Cole, and she sank back in the chair in a panic. Of course the tramp inferred that there was a considerable sum in the house.
“Come, hurry up!” he said, roughly, “I can't wait here all day. Where do you keep the money?”
“It is my husband's,” said Mrs. Cole, terrified out of all prudence.
“All right! I'll pay it back to him. While you're about it, you may collect all the spoons, too. I'm going to open a boarding house,” he continued, with a chuckle, “and I shall need them.”
“Oh, heavens! What shall I do?” ejaculated the frightened woman.
CHAPTER X. AN EXCITING SCENE.
“You'd better go upstairs and get that money, or I will go up myself,” said the tramp, boldly.
“I will go,” said Mrs. Cole, terrified.
It was at this time that Tom Tripp, looking in at the window, got an idea of the situation, but he was unobserved. The river bank was near, and he ran down to it, hoping, but not expecting, to see some one who could interfere with the impudent robber. We have already seen that he was luckier than he anticipated.