Page 50 - In A New World

CHAPTER IX.

A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE.

"You have not met Dick Fletcher?" said Ralph Granger in surprise.

"Yes, we only parted from him this morning."

"Did he rob you?"

"No, but he tried to."

Here Obed gave an account of Fletcher’s searching his pockets during the

night.

"He thought I was sound asleep," he continued, "and so I was, but it doesn’t

take much to wake me. When I gripped his throat, he concluded he’d
tackled the wrong man."

"Did you part company with him then?"

"No; he pretended he had been in search of matches, and I pretended to
believe it, but kept a good look-out. Last evening we stopped at the

Travellers’ Rest, and Harry, here, overheard him and the landlord out in the
woods concocting a scheme to rob us, so I just told the gentleman his room
was better than his company, and he cleared out."

"I am afraid he will turn up again," said Granger apprehensively.

"We’ll try to be ready for him," said Obed coolly, "but I don’t mean to
borrow any trouble."

By this time their new acquaintance had satisfied his hunger. He turned

gratefully to Obed Stackpole.