Part 17 (1/2)

But Teddy did not speak all that was in his mind. If a professor was one who found out things, then the small boy decided he would be one long enough to find out about the tramps, and perhaps find the cave where they lived, and then he could tell Jan.

When Trouble had been put into dry clothes and sent to sleep by his mother's singing, ”Ding-dong bell, p.u.s.s.y's in the well,” Jan and Ted sat by themselves, talking over what had happened that day. Ted was making a small boat to sail on the lake, and Jan was mending her doll's dress, where a p.r.i.c.kly briar bush had torn a little hole in it.

Early the next morning Ted slipped away from his place at the breakfast table, and motioned to Jan to join him behind the sleeping tent. Ted held his finger over his lips to show his sister that he wanted her to keep very quiet.

”What's the matter?” she whispered, when they were safe by themselves.

”Did you see the tramp-man?”

”No, but I'm going to find him!”

”You are?” cried Janet, and her eyes opened wide with wonder and surprise.

”Don't tell anybody,” went on Ted. ”We don't want Trouble to follow us.

Come on off this way,” and he pointed to a path that led through the bushes back of the tent.

Trouble was busy just then, playing in the sand on the sh.o.r.e of Clover Lake, while Mrs. Martin and Nora were clearing away the breakfast things. Grandpa Martin was raking up around the tents, so no one saw the Curlytops slip away.

”Which way are you going?” asked Jan of her brother.

”Over to the spring.”

”What for? To get more water? Where's your pail?”

”I don't have to get water yet,” answered Ted. ”I'm going to the spring to look to see if I can tell which way that tramp went. Don't you know how Indians do--look at the leaves and gra.s.s in the woods, and they can tell by the marks which way anybody went? Mother read us a story once like that.”

”I don't like Indians,” remarked Jan somewhat shortly, half turning back.

”Oh, there's no Indians!” exclaimed Ted impatiently. ”I was only sayin'

what they did. Come on!”

So Jan followed her brother, though she was a little bit afraid.

However, she saw nothing to frighten her, and it was nice in the woods.

The wind was blowing through the trees, the birds were singing and it was cool and pleasant. The Curlytops soon came to the spring where Trouble had fallen in.

”Now we must look all around,” declared Teddy.

”What for?” his sister demanded again.

”To tell which way the tramp-man went. Then we can find his cave.”

”Maybe he lives in a wagon or a tent.”

”Then we'll find them. Come on, help look!”

”I don't know how,” confessed Janet.