got a tumble."

Ruth showed the station master, whose name was Curtis, the bit of
handkerchief with the appeal for help traced upon it.

"That is blood," she said. "You see it's blood, don't you? Can't
somebody take Reno and hunt for him? He must be very badly hurt."

"Mason said he expected it was nothing but some fool joke of the boys.
But it doesn't look like a joke to me," Mr. Curtis said, gravely.
"Come, Parloe, you know that patch of woods well enough, over beyond
the swamp and Hiram Jennings' big field. Isn't there a steep and rocky
road down there, that shoots off the Osago Lake pike?"

"The Wilkins Corners road-- yep," said the old man, snappishly.

"Then, can't you take the dog and see if you can find young Tom?"

"Who's going to pay me for it?" snarled Jasper Parloe. "I ain't got no
love for them Camerons. This here Tom is as sassy a boy as there is in
this county."

"But he may be seriously hurt," said Ruth, looking angrily at Jasper
Parloe.

"'Tain't nothin' to me-- no more than your goin' out ter live with
Jabe Potter ain't nothin' to me," responded the old man, with an ugly
grin.

"You're a pretty fellow, you are, Jasper!" exclaimed Mr. Curtis, and