Page:Betty Gordon in the Land of Oil.djvu/206

196 Blosser feigned ignorance, but the attempt deceived no one.

"What boy?" he blustered. "You seem bent on stirring up trouble, Stranger."

"You know very well what boy," retorted Mr. Gordon evenly. "You'll stir up something more than mere trouble if he isn't brought here within a few minutes, or information given where we may find him. Where is Bob Henderson?"

"Here, sir!" a blithe voice announced, and the door leading into a communicating room was jerked open.

Bob, his clothing a bit the worse for wear, but apparently sound and whole, stood there, brandishing a stout club.

"Oh, Bob!" Betty's cry quite drowned the exclamation of the aunts, but Bob had no eye for any one but Blosser and Fluss, who were making a wild attempt to get past Mr. Gordon.

"Have they bought the farm?" demanded the boy excitedly. "Did they get my aunts to sign anything for them?"

"I'm your new landlord. Bob," announced Mr. Gordon, patting himself on the chest. "Don't think you can put me off when the rent comes due."

"So that's all right," said Bob, with manifest relief. "As for those two scamps, who nearly choked me, well, let me get at them once."

Whirling his club he charged upon the pair who