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344 old lady was lucky they didn’t take more.”

“But doesn’t it seem funny,” asked Chub, “that they should know the place was empty?”

“Well, you left a note on the door, didn’t you? Maybe they prowled around, found that, didn’t see any lights, and concluded they’d take a chance. Probably they tried the windows and couldn’t open ’em without breaking the glass, and then went around back. Well, I’ll see what can be done. But I guess it’s a hopeless job. Like as not they’re ten miles or even twenty miles away by now. Maybe they caught a freight. But I’ll telegraph up and down the road. You leave it to me, sir. Tell Mrs. Peel I’ll let her know if anything comes up.”

He climbed into his buggy and was off again. They watched him go and then locked the store and went back to the boat. It was almost noon, and Dick and Roy had just returned after a fruitful journey to the neighboring farm.

“We got eggs and chickens and corn and beets and peas and a whole half-gallon of milk!” called Dick, jubilantly. “And some little round squashes that you fry in bread-crumbs.”