halt him with a dose of buckshot," put in Sam.

After that there was a pause, the boys not knowing exactly how to
proceed. Tom pressed on the door, but it refused to give way.

"I tell you I want you to leave!" cried the old man, after some more
whispering in the cabin. "If you don't go away I'll get my gun."

"There are four of us and all armed," answered Dick. "So you had better
not do any shooting. But you have got to open that door. We will do you
no harm."

"What do you want in here?"

"We want to see who is in there with you?" answered Tom, boldly.

"Don't you know that I am alone?"

"You are not alone," said Sam.

"Well, I know best," was the hesitating answer. "If I was sure you
wouldn't hurt me I'd let you in."

"We will not harm you in the least," answered Dick.

There was a moving around in the cabin and what seemed to be the
dropping of a door. Then old Derringham came forward again.

"You are sure you won't rob me if I open the door?" he asked.

"We mean you no harm--if you will do what is right," said Tom.

Then the door was thrown open and the Rover boys and Jack Ness were
confronted by a man at least seventy years of age. He had snow-white
hair and a snowy beard that reached to his waist.

The boys and the hired man went hastily into the cabin and looked
around. Nobody but Derringham was in sight. Dick looked at the floor
under the table and saw something which looked like a trap door.

"He must have gone into the cellar," said he to the others, and made a
movement forward.

"Stop, do not touch that table!" cried the old man, in alarm.

"Mr. Derringham, listen to me," said the eldest Rover boy firmly. "We
are after a criminal--a man who for years robbed the railroad company of
valuable freight. We know he is somewhere around your place. If you
shield this criminal, or aid him in getting away, you will be guilty of
a crime."

At this strong assertion the old man began to tremble, and he looked
from one to another of those before him in alarm.

"I--I Bill Dangler said it was not true--that it was a plot against
him," he murmured.

"It is true, and there is no plot against him, excepting to make him pay
the penalty of his crimes," put in Tom. "If you have hidden him you had
better give him up."

"I know you," said old Derringham, turning to Jack Ness. "You used to
pay me good prices for what you bought of me. Can I trust you?" he went
on, pleadingly.

"Certainly you can, and you