"It must have been Baxter who tried to wreck the stage. He and old Crabtree always did hang together." "If they are stopping anywhere in Cedarville we ought to put the police on their track." "I'll do that sure. We can easily hold both on half a dozen charges--if we can catch them." CHAPTER VI AN INTERESTING LETTER But to catch Josiah Crabtree was not easy. The former teacher of Putnam Hall was thoroughly alarmed, and once having taken to the woods, he plunged in deeper and deeper, until to find him would have been almost an impossibility. Indeed, he completely lost himself, and when the boys had left the vicinity he found himself unable to locate the road again, and so had to remain in the cold and damp woods all night, much to his discomfort. He could not keep warm, and sat chattering on a rock until daylight. Finding it of no use to continue the search, Dick and Tom retraced their steps to the Stanhope homestead. They found Dora on guard, with every window and door either locked or nailed up. The girl had persuaded her feeble mother to lie down again, but Mrs. Stanhope was still too excited to rest comfortably. "Did you catch him?" Dora asked anxiously, after she had admitted them. "No, he got away in the darkness," answered Dick. "It is too bad. What do you suppose he was up to?" "That is what we would like to find out, Dora. Certainly he was up to no good." "Perhaps he wished to rob us." "He must know that you do not keep much money in the house." "Day before yesterday mother had me draw four hundred dollars out of the bank, to pay for the new barn we have had built. The carpenter, however, went to Ithaca on business, so as yet we have not been able to pay him the money." "It was a mistake to keep so much cash in the house. You should have paid by check--it's the same thing," put in Tom. "I know it, but Mr. Gradley is peculiar. He once had some trouble over a check, and he stipulated that he should be paid in cash." "Do you suppose Josiah Crabtree saw you draw the money from the bank?" remarked Dick thoughtfully. "I don't know what to think." "He would be just rascal enough to try to get it, if he knew of it. I guess we had better remain here until morning, and after that you had better have a man around the house." "Yes, mother says she will hire a man. But men are difficult to get--that is, one who is reliable. We had to discharge Borgy on account of drunkenness." "Perhaps father will let Alexander Pop come up here for a while," cried Dick, struck with the idea. "I don't believe he needs the man at home, and Aleck is thoroughly reliable, even if he is colored." "Yes, I know Pop well. I would like to have him first-rate. But it is asking a good deal at your hands, Dick." "As if I wouldn't do a good deal more than that, Dora," he cried quickly, and caught her hand. "I know you would--you have already. You are the best friend I have, Dick--you and your brothers."