"In a hollow log!" added Vi.
Mr. Bunker and Captain Ben, looking up and seeing the missing boy, hurried to the children.
"So you thought you'd rather travel on by yourself, did you?" asked Daddy Bunker.
"Yes, sir. I was in a hurry," was the answer. "I went up to the room where I was to sleep, but I got to thinking I could travel all night, on account of having so many good things to eat. So I sneaked out when nobody was looking, and I walked along. I got a ride part of the way on a milk wagon, and walked the rest. It was almost daylight when I got here, and I saw this hollow log, so I crawled in and went to sleep."
Daddy Bunker walked closer to the tramp boy, for that is what he really seemed now.
"Tad," said the children's father kindly, "I am going to ask you a question, but I don't want you to feel bad about it. This morning, when we awoke and found you gone, there was also something else missing from Mr. Brown's house. It was his wife's box of jewelry. Now, Tad——"
"I didn't take it! I didn't take a thing!" cried Tad earnestly. "I just went away by myself because I was in a hurry to get to Avalon, and I was afraid maybe your auto would break down. I didn't take Mrs. Brown's jewelry! I never even saw it! I've been a bad boy in some ways," he went on, "but the only thing I took was some apples, and you saw me have them. And I wouldn't have taken them only I was so terribly hungry! I never stole any jewelry—honest I didn't!"
He looked at Mr. Bunker with clear, bright eyes, and tears began to come into them.
"Tad, I believe you," said Mr. Bunker.
"So do I!" exclaimed Captain Ben. "I presume it was those tramps, or one of them, who reached in the window and took the jewelry box. I'm glad it was not you, Tad. And, now that we have found you and the auto is all right again, don't you want to ride with us the rest of the way?"