During this brief conversation Rob knew that the ’squire was watching them with baleful eyes, and when he started homeward, leaving the crowd still standing about the body of the dead tiger, he knew the other was glad of his riddance. He heard Dr. Menter say: “Give that boy a chance and he will make a smart man.” ’Squire Hardy lost no time in replying. “All rogues and cutthroats possess such smartness. I am surprised, doctor----” The rest was lost by Rob, nor did he hear the next remark of the physician, as he hastened on his way toward Break o’ Day. He had got about halfway home, when he was surprised by a shuffling sound in the bushes by the roadside. His mind still alive to tiger fights, his first thought was naturally of such animals, and he looked about for some means of self-defense. CHAPTER XVII. A FRIENDLY CALL. At his second glance Rob caught sight of a boyish figure skulking in the growth, and recognizing a familiar form, he called out: “Hello, is that you, Chick?” “Shades of Cherry Corner!” replied the well-known voice of that boy. “It’s Little Hickory, Ruddy!” The next moment the twain bounded head first out into the road, Chick falling headlong in the middle of the highway. “Where in the world have you come from?” asked Rob. “They told me you had been taken to the county farm.” “Jes’ shows how the lunkheads were mistook. It’ll take a smarter gump ’n that countryman to get us there, eh, Ruddy?” “Then they did try to take you there?” “Ye jess lay your bottom rock on that, old Hick. But me and Ruddy ain’t in fer no county farm--not yet!” On being questioned more closely, the two confessed that they had been started for the county farm, but that before reaching the place they had jumped from the wagon and managed to escape their guard. “Golly gee!” exclaimed Ruddy, laughing till it seemed as if he would never stop, “we purtended to be awful green, and we got the old duffer to tell erbout everything we see. This tickled him to think he knowed so much more’n we did, and, by hookey! he’d stop to s’plain so much that we got tired. Then, when he come to magnify the beauty of some birds so black and homely as to make yer laugh, we skid out! Shouldn’t be s’prised if the old feller is there now a-chinning on ’em.” While Little Hickory realized that this turn in affairs might prove to their advantage in the end, he was secretly glad that his companions had escaped, and the journey to Break o’ Day was continued with a lighter heart than he had known since coming into this region. Somehow he felt that his adventure with the tiger was likely to redound to his good. It must be understood that it was already dark, and by the time the coal camps were reached it was well into the evening. They found their coming anxiously awaited by their friends, and their stories found eager and pleased listeners. “What a hero you are getting to be, Rob,” said Joe, proudly. “I guess they’ll think you are somebody soon.”