It was not long before Oscar discovered that Edward was a very bad boy.  His conversation was low and profane, and he seemed to take special delight in relating sundry “scrapes,” in which he himself figured in a character that was something worse than mischievous, and bordered on the criminal.  He “talked large,” too, amazingly large; and Oscar and Alfred were at length forced to the reluctant conclusion that he was an unmitigated liar.  But these were small faults, in their view.  They considered Ned a capital fellow, and a right down good companion, in spite of these little drawbacks, and they sought his company as much as ever.

Ned spent a good deal of his time around the several railroad depots.  He seemed to have quite a mania for such places.  Oscar and Alfred often accompanied him to these favorite old haunts of theirs.  One morning, as the three were loitering around a depot, having nothing in particular to amuse themselves with, an excursion on foot into a neighboring town was proposed, and all readily agreed to the suggestion.  They immediately set out, accompanied by Oscar’s dog, Tiger.  They walked along the railroad track, and crossed the river by the railroad bridge, thus saving their tolls, besides many extra steps.  They passed several small sign-boards, on which was painted the warning, “No Person allowed to cross this Bridge;” but this did not check their progress, and as no one interfered with them, they were soon safely over the river.  They still followed the track for some distance, until they had reached the open country, and then they turned off into the green fields.

There were many fine orchards and gardens on every side, but ripe fruits and berries were very scarce.  Strawberries and cherries had pretty much disappeared, and it was not yet time for plums, peaches, and early apples and pears.  Ned appeared to regret this very much.

“Just see there!” he exclaimed, as they approached a large garden, remote from any house, whose trees were loaded with green fruit.  “What fine picking we should have, if it were only a few weeks later!  I mean to come out here again next month, you see if I don’t.  We must mark this place; let me see; there’s an old rough board fence—­I shall remember that, I guess.  Didn’t you ever rob an orchard, Alf?  I’ve robbed more than you could shake a stick at.  I ’m a first-rate hand at it, I can tell you—­never got caught in my life; but I’ve come pretty near it, though, a good many times.  Hold on—­I ’m going to get over the fence, and see what they ’ve got.  Those plums over there look as if they were pretty near ripe.  Come, Alf and Oscar, won’t you get over?”

“You two may,” said Oscar, “but I ’ll stay here with Tiger.  He might bark if we all got over, where he could n’t see us.”

Edward and Alfred were soon upon the other side of the fence.  While they were exploring the garden, Oscar’s attention was attracted to a dense thicket, from which two or three birds suddenly flew on his approach.  He thought there might be a nest there, and concluded to see if he could find it.  Carefully brushing aside the leaves and twigs, he began to hunt for the suspected nest, while Tiger stood looking on.  Absorbed in this occupation, he lost sight of his comrades.