Left Tackle Thayer

ch, entering door and window, showed with startling detail the bare walls of their refuge. E

y?" whispe

hat the dick

t know.

Their minds didn't work very quickly yet, and it was fully a minut

was still cloudy. But the sound of the running motor reached them distinctly, and, after a minute of strained peering into the darkness, they made out a

pered Amy, "it's that

whoever it is, h

tion as might be from a pocket electric lamp, and a voice broke the stillness. Clint

at the boys could not hear what was said. Neither could they determine what the other sound was that reached them. It seemed almost as though the men were scuffing about the ground, and the absurd notion that they had lost something and were seeking it occurred to both. But to look for anything in the dark when there was a light at hand was too silly, and that e

the light swept past them, moved to the right, fell on a line of bushes and trees, turned back a little and bored a long hole in the darkness at the bottom of which stretched a roadway. And then, with a final sputter of racing eng

dickens?" he de

"And I don't much care. What gets

ng sort of sneaky about them, though, wasn't there?

tfully. "But I felt the way you did about them, I guess. I sort of felt that it would

d see if we can find a

suppose we can even find

nd Amy even got down on hands and knees and felt over the ground. But nothing of moment rewarded their s

clear through. Now we know where the road is, Clint,

ose fellows were up to, though. M

y killed a cat, and although I don't feel exactly kittenish,

he couldn't even discern the outline of it. "A fellow's

t," said Amy. "Anyway, let's get going.

he end they decided that the town lay to their left, although, as Clint p

ask of Fortune is a bed and a breakfast; and I could do without the bed, I guess. Somewhere in

her shiveringly. "I dare say we're head

pirits were rapidly returning. "Cour

t called attention to the fact that he could see the road. Amy replied that he couldn't, but in a moment decided that he could. To the left of them there was a perceptible greying of the sky. After that morning came fast. In a few minutes they could make out dimly the forms of trees beside the way, then more distant objects became visible and, as by a miracle, the sleep

uised Amy. "How I pity him! Can't you see him shaking his fist

onded Clint. "If I had one it would take mo

ere to the stable and hitting the hay for a couple of

morning," answered Clint. And, to lend weight to his

n't want any coffee, anyway.

e gibbet, where a second road turned to the left. "Wharton, 2 M

our easily," said Amy. "Gee, I ca

them from the top of the wall and then, with long leaps, raced ahead to stop and eye them inquiringly, finally disappearing with a last squeal of alarm. A second sign-post renewed their courage. Wharton, it declared, was but a mile distant. But that was a long, long last mile! They were no longer sleepy, but their legs were very tired and t

ought that perhaps there would be no eating-place open assailed them and drew a groan of dismay from Amy. "Still," he declared, "if

pproaching travellers. Before they reached him, however, his curiosity either gave out or was sated, for, with a final tap of the broom against the doorway, he disappeared. "Suppose," exclaimed Amy, "he change

case, and these, excepting an appropriate number of chairs, comprised the furnishings; unless the various signs along each wall could be included. These announcements were printed in blue on grey card-board, and the boys, sinking into chairs at the nearest table, rea

as more delightful than anything they had ever inhaled and it was extremely good to stretch tired legs and ease aching muscles, and for seve

ing to have?" as

tter and seventy-five cups of co

nd a lot more coffee than tha

d window beside it showed only a dim vista of hanging pots and saucepans. Amy rapped a knife against the edge of a glass and the noise at the rear ceased abruptly, the

come in. Don't usually get customers till m

g pretty quick?" asked Cli

ut the fire's coming up fast and it w

surely vanished again. A clock above the counter an

im to bring us some

replied. "I wonder when we get a train for Brimfie

tell us. We'll ask hi

hat," said Amy, settling back luxuriously and patting his waistcoat, "is my corned beef hash. I sort of wish I'd

aste good," agree

by ones and twos quite fast. The boys gathered that the newcomers were men employed at the ra

we can get a train for

one at seven-twelve and

welve," said Amy, glancing at the cl

rimfield, though. Say, Pete, does th

at another table. "E

a third. "It runs accommod

greed the othe

ere sizzling hot and looked delicious, and the coffee commanded instant attention. A plate piled with thick slices of bread and two small pats of very yellow butter c

I suppose I must have eaten awfully fast,

he crullers?

combined odours of a dozen breakfasts, now that they had completed their own repasts, failed to delight them. But they stayed on, hating the thought of the walk to the station, quite satisfied to remain there without moving in the warmth and cheerful bustle. If they could have laid their heads against the wall and gone to sleep they'd have asked nothing more.

se as usually accompanies such an operation and plumped his big body into it with a heartiness which almost

ike! How'

u old rascal! Where are you? Fry me a coupl

The newcomer opened a morning paper with a loud rustling, beating the sheets into p