us of
having robbed him of that mine out West."

"Was he alone?" asked Randolph Rover.

"I saw no one else."

"We ought to follow him up," declared Tom, now that he realized his
father was not so badly hurt as at first feared.

"That's the talk!" ejaculated Dick. "Wait till I get my pistol."

"Boys, do keep out of harm," pleaded Mrs. Rover. "Remember that this
Arnold Baxter is a desperate criminal."

"We are not afraid of him," answered Tom.

"We'll show him that he can't
come here and attack father," added Sam.

Leaving their father in the care of their Aunt Martha, the three Rover
boys armed themselves and sallied forth, accompanied by their uncle and
Alexander Pop, the latter carrying a horse-pistol of the old-fashioned
variety.

"Dat dar Baxter am a rascal of de fust water," was Aleck's comment. "He
deserbes to be shot full ob holes, an' I am de boy to do dat same, if
only I gets de chance."

Jack Ness was closely questioned, and he described the spot where he
had last seen the unwelcome midnight visitor.

"He had a bag of something over his shoulder," he declared.

"Most likely the stuff taken from the house," declared Dick.

The party crossed the garden patch and then took to the path which ran
down toward the river.

Here all was intensely dark, although it had stopped raining, and the
wind was trying its best to scatter the heavy clouds that obscured the
stars.

"Not a thing to see," observed Randolph Rover. "We may as well go
back."

"Let us scatter and make a search," came from Dick, and his idea was
carried out. But though they tramped the locality for a good half hour
the pursuit of Arnold Baxter proved useless.

"He is probably making good use of his time," was Tom's comment. "He
knew we would be after him hot-footed, just as soon as we heard of his
being here."

"I'm going to drive over to the railroad station," said Dick. "He may
hang around and get aboard of the first morning train."

"Take me along with you," said Sam, and Dick agreed. They got Aleck to
drive them and took the fastest team the stable afforded.

But at the depot all was dark and deserted, and if Arnold Baxter was
anywhere near he took good care not to show himself, nor was anything
seen of him in Oak Run later on.

"He has left the neighborhood by some other way," said Randolph Rover,
and his surmise was correct.

When the boys reached home again they found their parent sitting up in
an easy-chair, with his