"If there was no body found," thought Ruth, all the time she was
eating the supper that Mary brought her, "how do they know Fred
Hatfield is really dead? And if he _is_ dead, who is the boy who
is traveling about the country using Fred Hatfield's name and
carrying Mr. Hatfield's old wallet? I guess Fred has run away,
instead of being killed, and is staying away because he hates his
brother 'Lias, and wishes him to get into trouble about the shooting.
If that's so, isn't he just the meanest boy that ever was?"

Long Jerry Todd came in with a huge armful of wood for the fire, and
Ruth determined to pump him about the accident. The tall man knew all
about it, and was willing enough to talk.

He sat down beside the fire and answered Ruth's questions most
cheerfully.

"Ya-as, I knowed old man Hatfield," he said. "He's been dead goin'
on ten year. That Fred wasn't good to his mother. His half-brothers--
children of Old Man Hatfield's fust wife--is nicer to their marm than
Fred was. Oh, ya-as! he was shot by 'Lias, all right. I dunno as
'Lias meant to do it. Hope not. But they found Fred's body in the
river t'other day, and so they arrested 'Lias."

But Long Jerry hadn't seen any sign of the boy that had been with
Ruth and the hermit when they arrived at Snow Camp. Ruth did not like
to discuss the mystery with him any more; for it _was_ a mystery
now, that was sure. Fred Hatfield's body had been found in the river,
yet a boy was traveling about the country bearing Fred Hatfield's name.