was snuffling at Rufe's hay-colored hair.

Rufe readjusted his head-gear, and ceasing his impolite researches
into the mule's age, came up to the other two boys. Tim had paused
by the shed, and leaning upon the rifle, began to talk.

"I war a-passin' by, an' I thought I'd drap in on ye."

"Hev you-uns hearn from Nate since he hev been gone away?" demanded
Birt anxiously.

"He hev come home," responded Tim.

"When did he git home?" Birt asked with increasing suspicion.

"Las' week," said Tim carelessly.

Another problem! Why had Nate not communicated with his partner
about their proposed work? It seemed a special avoidance.

"I onderstood ez how he aimed ter bide away longer," Birt remarked.

"He did count on stayin' longer," said Tim, "but he rid night an'
day ter git hyar sooner. It 'pears like ter me he war in sech a
hurry so ez ter start ME ter work, and nuthin' else in this worl'.
I owe Nate a debt, ye see, an' I hev ter work it out. I hev been so
onlucky ez I couldn't make out ter pay him nohow in the worl'. Ye
see, I traded with Nate fur a shoat, an' the spiteful beastis
sneaked out'n my pen, an' went rootin' round the aidge o' the
clearin', an' war toted off bodaciously by a bar ez war a-prowlin'