There was a light in the room he judged was the kitchen, and he believed the two men were there, drying their clothes. He climbed over the picket fence, and when he stood in the road the problem of where it led to struck him with some force. He would have to follow the road in one direction or the other, and he had no idea at all where he would fetch up at. The night was dark and the strangeness and uncertainty of his situation made him feel all at sea. He started down the road at random, hoping he would meet with a house where, if the inmates were up, he could get information that would enable him to reach Carlin. He saw the lighted windows of a house up the road and decided to go there and make his inquiries. As he approached the gate he saw three men standing there talking. Two of them seemed to be rural policemen. They looked at him as he came up.
"Is this the road that runs into the Carlin road?" he asked the party generally.
"Yes," replied the well-dressed third person, who was evidently connected with the house.
"Would you favor me with the time?"
"It is about ten o'clock."
"Thank you, sir; now maybe you'll tell me whether this house was robbed this evening just before the thunderstorm?"
The three looked at Dick with some surprise and curiosity.
"Yes, it was," replied the gentleman. "How did you learn about it?"
"From the two thieves themselves."
His reply created something of a sensation.