"I'll catch them yet, see if I don't," said the hired man.

"Perhaps a fox is doing it," suggested Sam. "If so, we ought to go on
a fox hunt. That would suit me first rate."

"No fox in this," answered Jack Ness. "I see the footprints of two
men,--tramps, I reckon. If I catch sight of 'em I'll fill 'em full
of shot and then have 'em locked up."




CHAPTER III

FUN ON THE FARM


Two days passed and the boys felt once more at home on the farm. The
strain of the recent examinations and the closing exercises at school
had gone and as Sam declared, "they were once more themselves," and
ready for anything that might turn up.

In those two days came another telegram from Mr. Rover, sent from
Philadelphia, in which he stated that he had caught his man, but had
lost him again. He added that he would be home probably on the
following Sunday. This message came in on Monday, so the boys knew
they would have to wait nearly a week before seeing their parent.

"I am just dying to know what it is all about," said Tom, and the
others said practically the same.