“Here—–­quick!” yelled Reade, as the boss tramp gave a sudden heave.

But like a flash the hobo sprang up and darted off through the darkness.  Tom, Dave and Dan started in swift pursuit, but the tramp soon doubled on his pursuers in the darkness and got away.

“Let him go,” counseled Dick.  “We’ve enough else to occupy our attention.”

So Greg ran out to pass the word to the pursuers to discontinue the chase.  Tom, when he returned, was very angry.

“You’d no business to leave the fellow like that, Darry,” he growled, “and I was a big fool not to be better on my guard.  That fellow will make trouble for us yet—–­see if he doesn’t.”

“There was no use in chasing him any further, if he eluded you in the darkness,” Dick remarked.  “Dave, you get up on the wagon beside Mr. Hinman.  I’ll drive his horse.”

Only as far as the road did Tom Reade, Dan and Greg accompany them, going ahead with the lantern to show the way.

“Now, you know the plan, Tom,” Dick called quietly.  “Fenton—–­at noon to-morrow.”

“Good luck to you two!” called Reade.  “And keep your eyes open for trouble.”

“It will be someone else’s trouble, if we meet any,” laughed Darrin gayly.

“I wonder how it was that Tom and the other fellows didn’t run into one of the scouts that the tramps had out,” said Dick, after they had driven a short distance.

“Tom told me that they did catch a glimpse of a scout prowling by the road side, so they went around him,” Darrin replied.  “They slipped past the fellow without his seeing them.”

As Dick held the reins he also eyed the dark road closely as they went along.  He was not blind to the fact that the tramps might reassemble and rush the wagon, for these vagabonds would want both the peddler’s money and what they would consider suitable revenge on the high school boys, for their part in the night’s doings.

However, the village of Dunfield was reached without further adventure.  Dave woke up the head of a family living in one of the cottages, and from him learned where to find the local physician.  Then Dick drove to the medical man’s house.

Dr. Haynes came downstairs at the first ring of the door bell, helping the boys to bring the still unconscious peddler inside.

There, under a strong light, with the peddler stretched on an operating table, the physician looked Reuben Hinman over.

“I can’t find evidence of any bones being broken,” said the physician.  “It’s my opinion that shock and exhaustion have done their work.  Reuben is a very hard-working old man.”

“Then you know him?” Dick asked.

“Everyone in this part of the country knows Reuben,” replied the doctor.  “He’s one of our characters.”

“He must have a hard life of it, and make rather a poor living,” Prescott suggested.

“I guess he would make a good enough living, if-----” began the
physician, then checked himself.

“Are you going to bring the man to consciousness, doctor?” asked Dave.