Page:Fairview Boys and their Rivals.djvu/106

102 "That's so."

"And the robber hunted for it and found it."

"How are we going to find out?"

"Well," said Bob, "I thought we'd go down to Mr. Dolby's place, and hang around and watch it."

"Maybe the robbers are there now," cried Sammy, quickly.

"The marshal says he believes they are in hiding somewhere near Fairview," said Frank. "They had to have two big satchels to handle all the stuff they stole. Anybody seeing two men carrying big satchels would remember them. The marshal says he and his men have gone over every road in the county, and they haven't found a trace of the robbers."

"All right, we'll try too," spoke Bob, with a good deal of confidence.

"Say," observed Sammy, "hadn't we ought to have stars?"

"Why, what for?" asked Bob.

"To arrest the robbers."

Bob laughed outright.

"You great detective!" he railed. "Badges and clubs, and horse-pistols, too, I suppose?"

"Well, don't you expect to catch the robbers?"

"I hope to find out something about them to tell the marshal, yes," replied Bob. "Come on, fellows."

Bob led the way to the dismal abode where the old miser lived. He halted under a tree near the fence of the place.

"Now, then," he said to Frank and Sammy, "stay here till I skirmish around a bit."

"All right," replied his companions, in a breath.

Bob went slowly and cautiously all around the fenced-in lot. He made sure that the big vicious dog old Dolby owned was chained up and asleep. The house looked dark and