Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/192

 keep out of sight, for of course I don't want to know any thing about it."

"I don't care fur them new-fangled poles what's got a silver windlass onto the ends of 'em, an' I wouldn't tech it if I didn't think I could sell it to somebody; but I'll go fur the grub, I tell you."

So saying Matt Coyle went through with some contortions with the left side of his face which were, no doubt, intended for a friendly farewell wink, and stole off toward the beach; while Tom turned and walked away in the opposite direction. When he thought he had put a safe distance between himself and the pond, he sat down to await developments. Nor was he obliged to wait long. A rifle cracked away off to the left of his place of concealment, then a shot gun roared, and presently voices came to him from the depths of the forest. Joe and his companions had given up the chase, and were now on their way back to the pond, shooting squirrels as they came. Tom knew when they passed by within less than a hundred yards of him, and he knew, too, that they were surprised because they did not meet him in the