"You ain't no sort of an idea as to what's the matter with her, have you?" he asked. "No, I haven't," said Mandy, "and if I had I don't imagine I would tell you. Now you better run right home, little boy, for I have to go upstairs and do the chamber work." She whisked out of the room, and Hiram, helping himself to a couple of apples, left the house and walked slowly along the road towards Eastborough Centre. Suddenly he espied a man coming up the road and soon saw it was Quincy Adams Sawyer. "Just the feller I wanted to see," soliliquized Hiram. As Quincy reached him he said, "Mr. Sawyer, I want to speak to you a minute or two. Come into Pettengill's barn, there's nobody to hum but Mandy and she's upstairs makin' the beds." They entered the barn and sat down on a couple of half barrels that served for stools. "Mr. Sawyer, you've treated me fust rate since you've been here and I want to do you a good turn and put you on your guard." Quincy laughed. Hiram continued, "Well, maybe you won't laugh if Bob Wood tackles you. I won't tell you how I found it out for I'm no eavesdropper, but keep your eye on Bob Wood and look out he don't play no mean tricks on you." Quincy remarked, "I suppose Mr. Strout is at the bottom of this and he has hired this Bob Wood to do what he can't do himself." "I guess you have got it about right, Mr. Sawyer," said Hiram. "Can you fight?" he asked of Quincy. "I am a good shot with a rifle," Quincy replied. "I can hit the ace of hearts at one hundred feet with a pistol." "I don't mean that," said Hiram. "Can you fight with yer fists?" "I don't know much about it," said Quincy with a queer smile. "Then I am afraid you will find Bob Wood a pretty tough customer. He can lick any two fellers in town. Why, he polished off Cobb's twins one day in less than five minutes, both of 'em." "Where does this Bob Wood spend most of his time?" asked Quincy. "He loafs around Hill's grocery. When he ain't wokin' at his trade," said Hiram, "he does odd jobs for the Putnams in summer and cuts some wood for them in winter. You know Lindy Putnam, the gal you sang with at the concert?" "Come along," said Quincy, "I feel pretty good this morning, we'll walk down to Hill's and see if that Mr. Wood has anything to say to me." "Don't you think the best plan, Mr. Sawyer, would be to keep out of his way?" queried Hiram. "Well, I can't tell that," said Quincy, "until I get better acquainted with him. After that he may think he'd better keep out of my way." "Why, he's twice as big as you," cried Hiram, with a look of astonishment on his face. "Come along, Hiram," said Quincy. "By the way, I haven't seen Miss Putnam since the concert. I think I will have to call on her." Hiram laughed until his face was as red as a beet. "By gum, that's good," he said, as he struck both legs with his hands. "What's good?" asked Quincy. "Calling on Miss Putnam?" "Yes," said Hiram. "Wouldn't she be s'prised?"