“Slipped and stuck my hand into a hen’s nest in the hay,” was the answer. “Broke about half a dozen eggs, I guess! Too bad! We might have taken ’em back to camp to fry for breakfast.” Hardly had Ned uttered the words than the boys were startled by hearing a voice they knew--the voice of Pug Kennedy. It said: “There they are now, Mister, stealing your eggs! I told you that’s what they were after--robbing hens’ nests. Better look out for your eggs!” “I will!” exclaimed the voice of the farmer, in answer to this accusation. “I wondered at their story of the crooked-nosed man! They just wanted to get into my barn! I’ll fix ’em!” CHAPTER XXIII THE MINSTREL SHOW Ned, Bob and Jerry, hearing this talk, wondered greatly. What could it mean? “Come down out of there!” cried Mr. Martin. “Come down out of my haymow, and tell me what you mean! What are you after, anyhow?” “We want to catch that crooked-nosed man,” answered Jerry. “We didn’t tell you before, but we think he is a thief.” “Well, I come pretty near _knowing_ you are!” was the grim retort. “Come down here!” There was no choice but to obey, and rather puzzled as to what it all meant, and why Pug Kennedy should come to make such an accusation, the three chums slid to the barn floor from the haymow. They might miss their chance of catching the crooked-nosed man, but it could not be helped. “There! What’d I tell you?” exclaimed Pug, pointing to Ned, as the chums faced the now angry farmer. “If those aren’t egg stains I’ll never eat another bit of chow!” Too late Ned realized what his accidental slipping into the hen’s nest meant. The evidence was damaging against him. The whites and yolks of the eggs dripped from his hands, and there were stains on his uniform. “Ha! Caught you, didn’t I?” exclaimed the farmer. “Now you’ll pay for this!” “We’re perfectly willing to pay for the damage we accidentally did to your eggs,” answered Ned. “I believe I broke half a dozen, possibly more. But it was while I was crawling around, trying to get the crooked-nosed man, who was escaping.” “It’s a good story, but it won’t wash,” laughed Pug Kennedy. “They were after your eggs, farmer, and that’s the truth.” “I believe you, and I’m much obliged to you for telling me. It isn’t the first time I’ve been robbed by soldiers out on a hike, and I said the next time it happened I’d complain. I’m going to. You’ll come with me before your officers, and see what happens.” “Oh, that’s all nonsense!” exclaimed Jerry. “We admit we broke some of your eggs by accident, and we’re willing to pay, and pay well for them. We didn’t intend to steal!” “I should say not!” chimed in Ned, wiping his hands off on some hay. “I don’t know what you might do,” was the answer. “I only know what I see--egg stains. You might have sneaked into the barn if I hadn’t seen you. And when I did notice you, you told me some story about a crooked-nosed man to make it sound natural.” “But there is a crooked-nosed man,” insisted Bob.