“Ah!” said the judge softly. “Then you knew this?”
“Of course I knew—wa'n't it my business to know? I reckon he was off skylarking, and when he'd seen the mess he'd made, the trifling fool took to the woods. Well, he catches it when I lay hands on him!”
“Do you know when and under what circumstances the team was stabled, Mr. Hicks?” inquired the judge.
“No, I don't, but I reckon it must have been along after dark,” said Hicks unwillingly. “I seen to the feeding just after sundown like I always do, then I went to supper,” Hicks vouchsafed to explain.
“And no one saw or heard the team drive in?”
“Not as I know of,” said Hicks.
“Mas'r Ca'ington's done gone off to get a pack of dawgs—he 'lows hit's might' important to find what's come of George,” said Steve.
Hicks started violently at this piece of news.
“I reckon he'll have to travel a right smart distance to find a pack of dogs,” he muttered. “I don't know of none this side of Colonel Bates' down below Girard.”
The judge was lost in thought. He permitted an interval of silence to elapse in which Hicks' glance slid round in a furtive circle.