But
I'll have to tell you about that in my next letter, if I come across any
paper, for this is all I've got.
Yours truly,
Morton. It came in due time, fortunately for Molly's welfare and Sara's
comfort, as the child was so consumed with curiosity over the adventure
that she gave her no rest from questions and conjectures. Here it is:--
DEAR SARA AND MOLLY,--I think I stopped because I was out of paper, and
so didn't tell you about the tramps. There were three of them, and I
never saw worse looking men.
I was sitting reading one of the books we brought, when I thought I
heard something, and looked around just in time to see them come towards
me out of the woods. I felt my heart leap right up, for I was all alone,
and they did look wicked. The foremost man had a big stick for a cane,
and both the others carried long switches they must have cut in the
woods. As I jumped to my feet the first fellow said to sit still, sonny,
he wasn't going to disturb anybody, and wanted to know where my pard
was.
I said, as careless as I could, that he was just down below, hoping
they'd think I meant down on the shore; but they didn't, for another
spoke up and said he was far enough away, "and don't stop to palaver, I
want some grub!" I'd kept backing towards the tent all the time we were
talking; and when he said that, I was right in the opening, and one look
inside showed me the gun almost where I could reach it, and I knew it
was loaded!
I felt a good deal bolder then, so I told them,--
"You'll have to wait till the professor comes back; these are his
things;" but the men only laughed in an awful fierce kind of way, and
said they "guessed they didn't care about waiting, sonny, they wasn't
making formal calls, and they hadn't brought their cards, but they'd
leave suthin' to remember 'em by just the same!"
The way they talked fairly froze me up, though 'twas a real hot day.
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