And so the tramps ran across the fields towards the woods where they had built themselves another shack. And these woods were not far from those where Toto and the other beavers lived, near the dam.
Now the noise which had scared the tramps was made by a boy knocking at the side door of the house where Millie’s grandmother lived. This boy, whose name was Bobbie Thompson, had been sent by his mother to borrow a cup of sugar from Mrs. Norman. Bobbie’s mother lived almost half a mile from Millie’s grandmother, and as there were very few stores in that part of the country the neighbors used to borrow things from one another. So Bobbie’s mother had sent him to borrow some sugar.
Bobbie did not know that Millie and her grandmother had gone out, and he did not know that tramps were in the house, when he knocked at the side door. And it was his knocking that had scared the ragged men.
Out of the front door of the house they rushed, and, as they hurried away, Bobbie, who was a sturdy little chap, saw them go.
“Hello there! What’s this?” cried Bobbie, who was very much surprised. “What’s this?”
Then, as he saw what kind of men they were and that one of them had the box of jewelry under his arm, Bobbie understood.
“Tramps! Tramps!” cried Bobbie. “I wish I had my dog with me now! Those tramps have been robbing Mrs. Norman!”
Bobbie stood on the side steps a few seconds, watching the tramps run across the field. Then, being a brave boy, he decided to run after them. I don’t believe Bobbie really thought he could catch the tramps, nor that he hoped he could get the box of jewelry away from them if he did catch them. He just wanted to see where they went, so he could tell the police.
“Hi there! Come back with that box!” called Bobbie, and then he began to run. Off the steps he jumped, dropping the cup which he had come to get filled with sugar. He had forgotten all about that now.
After the tramps he ran, shouting and calling to them, and the queer part of it was that the tramps did not look back to see who was after them. They were too frightened, as they knew they had done wrong and could be arrested for it.