"Now you've got somethin' to eat without our lyin' about it, so pitch in
before aunt Dorcas comes back."

Dan did not need a second invitation, and an expression of deepest
regret came over Plums's face, as he watched the cakes disappear with
amazing rapidity.

"I guess I can stand it, now, till night," the detective said, in a tone
of relief, as the meal was brought to a close, because all the food had
been eaten.

"Are you countin' on stayin' 'round here?" Joe asked.

"Of course I am. How else would you fellers get out of the scrape, if I
didn't?"

"Now, look here, Dan, there's no sense in anything like that. You ain't
doin' any good, sneakin' 'round this house, 'cause, if the cops should
come, how could you prevent their luggin' us off?"

"There's a good many ways that I might pull you through," Master Fernald
replied, with an air of mystery. "If you knew as much about this
business as I do, you'd be mighty glad to have me stay, 'specially when
it ain't costin' you a cent."

"But I don't like to think of your bein' hungry, when it won't do the
least little bit of good. Take my advice, an' go right back to the
city."

"If I should do that, it wouldn't be two hours before you'd be in jail."

"We sha'n't go there any sooner if you leave us, an' it ain't jest
square to aunt Dorcas."

"You can't give me points on detective business, Joe Potter, an' I've
told the fellers in town that I'll look out for you. That's what I'll
do, whether you like it or not," and, after assuring himself, by
stalking to and fro and gazing in every direction, that there were no
enemies in the immediate vicinity, the amateur detective disappeared
around the corner of the barn.

"It's too bad for Dan to act the way he's doin'," Joe said, with a
long-drawn sigh. "I'm 'fraid, if aunt Dorcas gets a sight of him, we'll
have to clear out."

"I don't s'pose it would do any good to ask her to let him bunk in with
us, would it?" Plums said, hesitatingly.

"It would need big nerve, an', even if she was willin', he'd scare the
hair off her head talkin' 'bout lawyers an' detectives hoverin' 'round."

Then Joe continued his interrupted work, and Plums assisted him by
looking on, until the task was completed after which it became necessary
to ask for further instructions.

Although aunt Dorcas could not perform the labour herself, she knew how
gardening should be done, and under her directions, given during such
moments as she could safe