n two buildings. They found a
side doorway of one structure wide open, and stepped into a lathed but
unplastered hallway. Andy bounded up on an unfinished front piazza and
stepped through an open casement into a lathed but unplastered parlor.

"Shall we follow?" asked Pepper of Jack.

"Might as well," returned the young major. "Andy may get into trouble
with Ritter, and if so we want to be on hand to help him."

Ritter and the man were talking in a low tone, so that what was said
could not be overheard. They had stepped into the house to get out of
the keen wind that had sprung up. Andy tiptoed his way across the
unfinished parlor and applied his eye to a crack where a lath was
missing. He watched until the man shoved back his soft hat and turned
his face around. Then he uttered a low cry.

"See anything, Andy?" whispered Pepper.

"That man--he's the same fellow--I feel sure of it!" gasped the
acrobatic youth.

"What are you talking about?"

"That man! Don't you remember how the horse ran away with me and I got
caught in the tree and was knocked unconscious? Don't you remember my
telling how I had seen a man ahead of me just before the accident? Well,
that is the man!"

"Are you sure?"

"I think so. Of course, I didn't get a very good look at him--I had my
hands full with the horse. But I think that is the man."

"Then maybe he robbed you, Andy!"

"Maybe he did."

"Don't say that unless you are sure of it," warned Jack. "It's a serious
accusation and may get you into trouble."

"Oh, I know enough to go slow," answered the acrobatic youth.

Ritter and the stranger had turned to the rear of the house and the
watchers saw something passed between them. Then, a minute later, Ritter
turned and hurried off by a back way, while the stranger turned to leave
by the way he had come.

Andy was undecided what to do, and while he still hesitated the man
came through to the front of the house.

"Hello!" he cried, as he caught sight of the three cadets. "What are you
doing here?"

"Perhaps we might ask the same question," returned Jack, as he saw that
Andy did not know what to say.

"Have you been following me?" demanded the man, suspiciously.

"Why should we follow you?" asked Pepper.

"No reason at all, so far as I know. I only asked the question," and now
the man tried to speak as carelessly as possible.

"I saw you come in here a few minutes ago and I followed, because I want
to speak to you," said Andy