answer a few questions. The boys told him about looking for a strange
man, describing him as best they could, though they did not tell why
they wanted to find him.

"Wa'al, now, I shouldn't be surprised but what I know the very fellow
you want," said the trapper. "I met him a couple of days back, an' I
think he's still hanging around. Fust I thought he was after some of my
traps, but when I found he wa'ant, I didn't pay no more attention to
him. He looked jest like you say."

"Where was he?" asked Jack eagerly.

"Walkin' along the creek, sort of absent-minded like."

"You don't know where he lives, or whether he is staying in this
vicinity, do you?" inquired Mark.

"Ya'as, I think I do," replied the trapper.

"Where?" cried Jack eagerly.

"Wa'al, you know the old Preakness homestead, down by the bend of the
creek, about four mile below here?"

"Sure we know it," answered Mark. "We used to go in swimming not far
from there."

"Wa'al, the old house has been deserted now for quite a spell," went on
the trapper, "and there ain't nobody lived in it but tramps. But the
other night, when I was comin' past, with a lot of rats I'd jest taken