“’Course you will,” said the farmer with a chuckle. “Go to town, likely, and swear out a warrant for me, eh? How’d you know I was alone here? How’d you know my wife was away?” “We don’t know anything about your wife!” “Some one told you, eh?” “I tell you we never heard of you before--” “And don’t want to again,” murmured Chub. “But you didn’t know about Carlo, did ye? I bought Carlo after you was here last month. He’s a good dog and--” “After we were here last month?” repeated Chub. “Great Scott, we’ve never seen your old farm before in our lives. We got here an hour ago in our boat--” “Travel in your private yacht, do ye? Left it down at the gate, I suppose?” The farmer chuckled enjoyably. “She’s tied up in the cove about a half mile below here,” said Chub, angrily. “If you don’t believe it, you can come along and see her for yourself.” “Dare say, dare say. What you got in your pockets?” “Nothing that belongs to you!” “I haven’t seen anything worth stealing,” added Roy wrathfully. “You haven’t, eh?” snarled the man. “Took it all last time, eh? Looking for more silverware, I guess. Wan’t satisfied with what you had. Should have been, eh? Made a mistake, didn’t ye? Made a mistake coming back to the same place, eh? Thought Jim Ewing was fool enough to be caught twice at the same game, eh? Huh!” he paused and looked at them triumphantly. “More fools you, then. And you look sharp enough, too. Wouldn’t have thought you’d have been such fools.” “Oh, what’s the matter with you,” growled Chub, exasperatedly. “Well, you march along up-stairs now, and you’ll see. Go along, and don’t make any trouble or--” he patted the shot-gun--“this thing might go off. That’d be a clear case of justifiable homicide, eh?” “If you’ll just put that down a minute,” said Chub, yearningly, “I’ll--I’ll--” “No, you don’t; I’m a peaceable citizen, I am. Don’t say it wouldn’t be some satisfaction to wallop you, but I’ll leave it to the law. Go on up, now.” “Look here,” said Roy, choking his anger, “what do you intend to do with us?” “Want to know, do you? You walk up-stairs, or--” he brought the ancient shot-gun to the position of “charge.” Chub and Roy cast anxious glances at each other. Then, with a shrug, Chub turned, crossed the room, and mounted the staircase, followed by Roy and Mr. Ewing. “Turn to the left at the top,” called the latter. “You’ll be real comfortable while I’m gone, and you won’t find anything to tempt you to steal. That’s it. Sit down, boys, and make yourselves to home. I won’t be gone more’n an hour if I can help it. Don’t be lonesome.” He closed the door and turned the key in the lock, and they heard him go off down-stairs chuckling. “I’d like to--to--!” But words failed him, and Roy dropped on the old-fashioned bed and stared savagely about the little room.