him. Koku an' me was a-sittin' in my shack, sort of talkin'
togedder, when we hears a racket neah de chicken house. I'se
mighty partial t' de chickens, an' I didn't want nobody t' 'sturb
'em. Koku was jes' de same, an' when we hears dat noise, up we
jumps, an' gits t' chasm.' He runned dis way, an' us was arter
him, but land lub yo', ole Eradicate ain't so spry as he uster be
an' Koku an' de chicken thief got ahead ob me. Leastwise he ain't
no chicken thief yit, 'case as how he didn't git in de coop, but
he meant t' be one, jes' de same."

"Are you sure he was after the chickens?" asked Tom, with quick
suspicion in his mind, for, several times of late, unscrupulous
persons had tried to enter his shop, to get knowledge of his
valuable inventions before they were patented.

"Course he were arter de chickens," replied Eradicate. "But he
didn't git none."

"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom, breaking into a run. "I want to
catch whoever this was. Did you see him, Rad?"

"Only jes' had a glimpse ob his back."

"Well, you go back to the house and tell father and Mr. Period
about it. Ned and I will go on with Koku. I hope to get the
fellow."

"Why, Tom?" asked his chum.

"Because I think he was after bigger game than chickens. My