"Did you come to tell us about your new shoes and new suit?" Rose asked.
"Oh, I have more news than that!" exclaimed Tad. "Do you want to know where to find those tramps?" he asked suddenly.
"Tramps? What do you know about the tramps?" asked Captain Ben. "Have they been over in Avalon, too, taking things?"
"No, I don't think so," answered Tad. "But we heard, over there, about a gang of tramps being chased off an island and down toward Oyster Cove. And just now, when I was getting off the trolley car down by the railroad station, I saw a lot of tramps hiding in the bushes."
"You did?" cried Daddy Bunker. "What were they doing there?"
"Just hiding," answered Tad. "I was near enough to hear what they were saying, and they spoke about a motor boat. That's what made me think maybe they were the same tramps you chased."
"I wouldn't be a bit surprised!" exclaimed Captain Ben. "This is great news, Tad. Come on!" he called to Daddy Bunker. "We'll get some policemen and round up these fellows. We'll capture them, and send them to jail. Then maybe I'll get back my rowboat they took, and if we find the motor boat we can give that back to whoever owns it."
"Maybe the tramps are hiding in the bushes to steal a train of cars," suggested Laddie.
"They couldn't carry off a train of cars, that's sure," said Captain Ben, with a laugh. "Probably they're hiding there so they can get aboard a freight train when one stops. I guess they want to get away from here, and they think a freight train will take them away so they won't be captured. But we'll get after them. Just where did you see the ragged men, Tad?"
The former runaway boy told, and Captain Ben called the police station on the telephone and asked that two or three policemen be sent to his bungalow. From there the capture party could start for the tramps' hiding place in the bushes by the railroad.