"He hasn't enjoyed much of that for some years. I remember his cabin at Campville. It wasn't fit for any one to live in." "I induced him to move into the house formerly occupied by Jim Morris." "Was he willing to move? Didn't he mind the expense?" "Mr. Nixon is not a mean man. He lived poorly because he had not energy enough to make other arrangements. He lets me spend whatever I like for him." "He is fortunate in having someone to look after him. When do you want to start?" "As soon as I have had some dinner. Is there a restaurant or hotel in the town?" "No, but I will take you round to my house. Mrs. Bean will be glad to give you a dinner." Half an hour later Gerald and his new friend set out for Campville. "If your friend of the morning stops you," said Louis Bean, "it will be at a point about four miles distant. When we approach the place I will get out and conceal myself, to give him a chance to show what he intends to do. I will see that he does no harm. We will have another joke at his expense!" This proposal suited Gerald, who had no objection to a second discomfiture of the ruffian from whom he had already had one narrow escape. At the point indicated by his companion, Louis Bean got out of the wagon and hid himself behind a clump of trees. "Perhaps he may have seen me," he said. "If so, we shall have no fun. We shall soon find out." "When matters are near the danger line," said Bean, "blow this whistle." Gerald drove on slowly, hoping that the ruffian would appear. He had a sense of humor which would be gratified by the opportunity to turn the tables on him. Saul Gridley's anger had not cooled in the three hours since he saw Gerald riding off, after serving him a trick which humiliated him the more because he felt that he had been worsted by a mere boy. He resolved to punish him for the trick, and felt sure that he would have a chance to do it. There was but one road by which Gerald could return from Fairfield—the same road by which he went. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXVII SAUL GRIDLEY'S UNPLEASANT SURPRISE ALL at once, five minutes after Bean had left the wagon, the tall form of Saul Gridley appeared in the center of the road. He smiled grimly. "So you have come back?" he said, as Gerald pulled up. "Yes," answered Gerald, calmly, though his heart beat rapidly with excitement. "That was a mean trick you played on me!" "What do you mean?" "You know well enough. You thought yourself very smart, when you rode off with the gold and left me a box of gravel stones!" "I didn't care to give you the gold. You asked me to give you the tin box, and I did so!" "Yes; but you knew what I wanted. Didn't it occur to you that I would stop you on your return from the bank?" "Well, you have done so! What do you propose to do?"