Bob Younger's Fate — page 195: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

186 BOB YOUNGER’S FATE. half an hour they waited in hiding, until, chafing at the delay, Belton determined to make a circuit of the clearing. When he returned his face was pregnant with. tidings. | 3 “We need have no fear of the outlaws, for they have gone. I ran across their trail on the opposite side, and as there were eight horses, we would natu- rally conclude that eight men rode them. The only — thing that remains for us to determine is the ques- tion of Miss Ferry’s presence in this neighborhood. I am of the opinion that she is concealed about the building before us.’’ ‘“‘Let us investigate at once,’’ said Theo, impa- tiently. “That is my idea. You and Bill may go to the back of the clearing and approach in that direction, while I shall walk up boldly to the front, and ask for something to eat. If the owner or occupant shows fight we must manage to overpower him without doing any injury. Ah, there he is now,’’ as he observed a man come out of the house and sit down on a log close to the door. | : Theo and Bill now departed on their mission, while Belton waited for a few minutes before taking’ the step which was to determine a very importaiit matter. He then walked out leisurely from the cover of tie trees and approached the house, whistling a jolly air. The presumable tenant looked up from his occu- pation of whittling a stick, only to begin again in a fresh spot after satisfying his curiosity, which did not certainly seem to be very highly developed. ‘“Good-morning, stranger,’’ said Belton, carelessly ‘*Mornin’.”’ | . . “How are you fixed for provisions to-day ?”’ ‘‘Purty well I guess.’ “Tm hungry.’ “Glad to hear it, fur I kin fill ye if ye’ve got the stuff to fork over.’’ “That’s all right, my friend, I don’t take any GEomicbooks (e(@ }