Moving softly over the uneven ground, the trio crept close to the shack. Keeping close to the wall, they reached a broken pane of glass which served as the only window.
Jack pressed his face against it and nodded in satisfaction.
“He’s in there! Have a look!”
Jack moved back to allow Dan to take his place.
The boy peered into the dark interior of the shack. At first he caught only an impression of an empty room with an old box which served as a table.
Then gradually he made out a balsam-bough bed on the floor, covered with an army blanket. Sprawled on the bed, fully clothed was a man with a stubbly beard.
“It’s that same fellow who looked in the church window!” Dan murmured, startled to recognize him.
“Careful, Dan!” Mr. Hatfield warned, for in his excitement, the boy very nearly had spoken aloud. “Let me have a look.”
Dan moved aside so that both the Cub leader and Brad might peer at the stranger.
“It’s the same man all right,” Brad confirmed Dan’s identification. “He’s dead to the world!”