that Baxter is proving to be! No wonder Dan was bad! It must
run in the blood."

The robbery kept the boys in Albany several days, and this being
so, it was decided to abandon the trip on the river to New York.

"I'll send the Spray down by somebody," said Dick, "and then we
can take a train from here direct to Oak Run," and so it was
arranged.

The trip to Oak Run proved to be uneventful. And at the railroad
station they were met by Jack Ness, the Rovers' hired man, who
had driven over with the carryall to take them home.

"Glad to see you all looking so well," grinned the hired man.
"Getting fat as butter, Master Tom."

"Thanks, Jack, I'm feeling fine. Any news?"

"No, sir, none exceptin' that your uncle has had a row with Joel
Fox, who has the farm next to ours."

"What was the row about?" questioned Dick.

"All about some fruit, sir. We had a tree hangin' over Fox's
fence -- finest pear tree on the place, that was. Fox strips the
tree at night, sir -- saw him with my own eyes."

"Oh, what cheek!" burst out Sam. "What did uncle do?"