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Rh Sammy sneaked along the fence until he got out of range of the men. Then he arose to his feet, and got out of sight in the direction of the village in a flash.

"What are those men doing now?" asked Frank, a moment later.

Bob craned his neck and bent his ear. He could hear only the vague murmur of voices. He could not make out any clear words. The last man to come on the scene kept the satchels, one in each hand. Finally the two men started off. They seemed to be wrangling about something.

"Frank," said Bob, "all we've got to do now is not to lose sight of those men."

"Till the marshal catches up with us," replied Frank.

"I'm going to get nearer to them."

"It's risky."

"Well, I want to find out all I can."

"What shall I do?"

"Follow very slowly. If they see me or anything happens we don't expect, don't you lose sight of them till the marshal comes."

"All right, Bob. Oh, I do hope they are the people you think they are, and that father is going to get back his property!"

Bob now began crawling flat on the ground across the open field. When he came to where the weeds or bushes were high he ran a bit, but kept stooping as low as he could all of the time.

In this way, Bob had gained quite a little on the men. Once they rested, near a little clump of shrubbery just beyond the schoolhouse. The man Bob believed to be the tramp went ahead, as if seeing if the road was clear. The other man sat down on one of the satchels, and the boy got quite near to him.