"One of those rascals robbed our camp," Frank whispered to Nan. "I caught a glimpse of him that same day, hanging about in the woods——"
"Sh!" said Nan, finger to lips. "Look, they have disappeared!"
Running eagerly forward, the young people found that the hole through which the men had disappeared was the mouth of a cave. Jo's eyes were shining with a wild hope.
"We'll wait here till they come out again," she said to Fred.
"And then we'll nab 'em!" Fred finished with a nod. "Watch us!"
The two rascals reappeared so quickly that the boys were almost taken off their guard. Almost—but not quite.
As the men emerged from the cave, blinking in the strong light, the three boys fell upon them with all the vigor of youth and an earnest desire for revenge.
Andrew Simmer started to put up a fight, but when he saw Jo's angry face and blazing eyes, her little fists raised as though to add their weight to the battle, he crumpled and began to babble incoherently.
"I didn't do it—I didn't!" he said, fairly groveling at Jo's feet while Fred stood back and watched him with astonishment. "Tell your father I didn't do it! I It's all a mistake! Don't let them put me in prison! Don't!"
Frank Gibbs and Dodd Martyn had overpowered the tramp. Dodd was now sitting upon the latter's chest, regarding the scene with great interest.