“If you do, I'll lay you out!” exclaimed the pursuer, who had been too much occupied to notice the formidable size of the young man in the wagon.
Hiram Nutt smiled—a smile of conscious strength.
“Jump in the wagon, boy!” he said. “I'll take care of you.”
Walter obeyed directions, and the tramp tried to follow him.
But in an instant Hiram had risen to his full height and, leaping to the ground, hurried to the rear of the vehicle and caught hold of the tramp. The latter tried to resist, but he was like a child in the grasp of a man. He looked up in amazement, for he was proud of his strength.
“What museum did you escape from, you—monster?” he panted.
Hiram laughed.
“Never mind,” he said. “It's well I'm here. Now, boy, who is this man?”
“I found him in that house, ready to strike down the lady who lives there because she would not give him what money she had.”
Hiram Nutt's brows contracted.