[Illustration:  Hunting for Birds’ Nests.]

After searching for several minutes, Oscar found a small nest, within his reach, but it was empty.  He turned to inform the other boys of his success, but they were nowhere to be seen.  He walked along by the fence, but could see nothing of them.  He was afraid to call to them, lest the owner of the garden might hear, and take the alarm.  He listened, but could not hear them.  He walked along still further, and kept his eyes wide open, but they were not to be seen.  He concluded they were playing a trick upon him, and had hid themselves.  If that was the game he thought, he would not worry himself about it.  He accordingly turned about, and was going to sit down and wait for them to make their appearance, when he happened to espy them in a distant field, running at the top of their speed, with a man in full chase after them.  It was soon evident that the boys were gaining on their pursuer; but they were approaching a brook, over which there was no bridge, and the man probably supposed that would bring them to a stand.  It did not, however, for they ran right through the shallow water, without stopping to think about it.  The man did not think it prudent to follow their example, and he accordingly gave up the chase, and went back with dry feet.

After Edward and Alfred had got rid of their pursuer, they began to look around for Oscar.  The latter, putting his fingers into his mouth, gave a loud and shrill whistle, which they immediately recognized, and answered in a similar way.  Oscar started towards them, and taking a wide sweep through the fields, they all came out together upon the highway.  They did not think it safe to remain long in the neighborhood, and so they hurried on towards Boston.  It appeared, from Edward’s story, that he and Alfred knocked a few hard peaches from a tree, while in the garden, but they proved unfit to eat.  They also found some ripe currants, and were leisurely helping themselves, when they heard somebody ask them what they were about.  They turned, and saw a man approaching; whereupon, without stopping to answer his question, they leaped over the fence, and took to their heels, the man following closely upon them.  The conclusion of the race Oscar had witnessed.

As they were walking home, and talking about various matters, Edward suddenly gave the conversation a new turn, by inquiring: 

“Boys, do you want to go into a grand speculation with me?”

“Yes, what is it?” was the response of both the others.

“We should make something handsome out of it, but we should have to run some risk,” continued Edward.  “I’ve got the scheme all laid out, so that I know just how to go to work.  But it’s no use talking about it.  I don’t believe either of you have got pluck enough to go into it.”

“I ’ve got pluck—­the real, genuine article; try me, and see if I have n’t,” said Alfred.