“There is one honest man in this wilderness,” said Mrs. Willet, “but it seems as if every one else was against us. I suppose we must hope for the best.” “To be sure, mother,” replied Rob, who always addressed her thus, “and with the clearing away of the rain we will hope for better fare. Come, boys, help me get some wood so we can have a fire.” The other boys lending their assistance, while Rob’s mother and the girls cleaned up the interior of the camps, a fire was soon blazing merrily in each of the rude dwellings, giving a surprising cheerfulness to the scene. Preparations for supper were begun at once, and altogether the newcomers were as comfortable and hopeful as could be expected. The rain was still falling steadily, though not as rapidly as at first, while it was growing dark. Without stopping to eat supper with the others, Rob left the camp to see if he could learn anything of the two men at the old house, promising not to be gone long. Upon coming out into the road within sight of the place no sign of life was apparent, until he came near enough to see the horses still standing where their owners had left them. Rob smiled as he thought of the officers waiting within for the appearance of himself and companions, while he stationed himself so he could watch for them to appear, if they were in the house, as he believed. Fifteen minutes wore tediously away, and it was becoming too dark to distinguish an object very far off, when he saw two men leave the old red house. He had no doubt these were Stanyan and Hardy, a fact which was made conclusive when he overheard the latter say: “By Jove, Stanyan! I wouldn’t stay there any longer for all the hoodlums of New York.” “So the old red house is haunted after all,” said the companion of the ’squire, and even in the darkness Rob could understand that the two men were greatly excited, if not frightened, over something they had seen or heard. “Them sounds--sort of murder cries--sent the cold chills up my back,” acknowledged Hardy. “Come, Stanyan, it can’t be the deacon has taken his tribe up this way, and we might as well go home. What an awful dark night it is getting to be.” “It was a mistake we hadn’t come the other way.” “Oh, well, it can’t make any difference in the end. Wherever they have gone for the night, we can fix ’em to-morrow, eh? I’ll give you a cool fifty dollars to help me outwit the rascally deacon, Stanyan!” “That’s easy enough done, ’squire. Whoa, Tom! what in the world are you snorting for, just as if you had seen a ghost out here in the dark?” “Perhaps he was asleep and you scart him by coming up so sudden,” said his companion. “I believe I heard some one move in the bushes!” CHAPTER XI. THE NEWCOMERS. Rob, who was crouching in the bushes close by, dared not breathe lest he should be discovered by the sheriff, who came within easy reach of him. But the sheriff’s search was short, and made in such a blundering manner that he failed to discover our hero.