Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/97

Rh him, and the boys did not get back to Crumville until about eleven o'clock at night.

"Guess they thought we weren't coming at all," said Dave, when he found no sleigh awaiting him. "Well, we can walk."

"Of course we can walk," answered the senator's son. "I'll be glad to stretch my legs after such a long ride."

"Let us take a short cut," went on Dave, as they left the depot. "I know a path that leads almost directly to our place."

"All right, if the snow isn't too deep, Dave."

"It can't be deep on the path, for many of the men who work at the Wadsworth jewelry place use it. It runs right past the Wadsworth works."

"Go ahead then."

They took to the path, which led past the freight depot and then along a high board fence. They turned a corner of the fence, and crossed a vacant lot, and then came up to one corner of the jewelry works, at a point where the new addition was located.

"Now, here we are at the works," said Dave. "It's not very much further to the house."

"Pretty quiet around here, this time of night," remarked Roger, as he paused to catch his breath, for they had been walking fast. "There doesn't seem to be a soul in sight."

"There is usually a watchman around, old