EUREKA!
This was the wood where Bud Heyland and Cyrus Sutton held their stolen
interview the night before. The former was now in the immediate
neighborhood, so that Fred Sheldon had reason to think something would
be done in the same place before the close of day, or at most, before
the rising of to-morrow's sun.
No one could have been more familiar with this small stretch of forest
than was our young hero, who did not take a great while to reach a
point close to the other side.
He was near the road which wound its way through it, but was on the
watch to escape being seen by any one passing by.
Having reached this point, Fred stood several minutes, uncertain what
he ought to do. Evidently there was nothing to be gained by advancing
further, nor by turning back, so he waited.
"I wonder where Bud has gone. There is something in the wood which he
is interested in----"
The thought was not expressed when the rustling of leaves was heard,
and Fred knew some one was near him. Afraid of being discovered, he
shrank close to the trunk of a large tree, behind which he could hide
himself the moment it became necessary.
No doubt the person moving through the wood was using some care, but he
did not know how to prevent the rustling of the leaves, and it is not
likely he made much effort.
At any rate the advantage was on the side of Fred, who, a minute later,
caught sight of a slouchy sombrero and briarwood pipe moving along at
a height of five feet or so above the ground, while now and then the
motion of the huge boots was seen beneath.
"It's Bud, and he's looking for something," was the conclusion of Fred,
fairly trembling with excitement; "and it won't do for him to see me
watching him."
The trouble was that it was now broad daylight, and it is no easy
matter for one to shadow a person without being observed; but Fred had
the advantage of the shelter in the dense growth of shrubbery which
prevailed in most parts of the wood.
However, he was in mortal dread of discovery by Bud, for he believed
the ugly fellow would kill him should he find him watching his
movements.
It was this fear which caused the lad to wait a minute or two after Bud
Heyland had disappeared, and until the rustling of the leaves could no
longer be heard.
Then, with the utmost care, he began picking his way through the
undergrowth, stopping suddenly when he caught the sound again.
The wood was not extensive enough to permit a very extended hunt, and
when Fred paused a second time he was sure the end was at hand.
He was alarmed when he found, from the stillness, that Bud Heyland was
not moving. Fred waited quietly, and then began slowly rising until he
stood at his full height, and looked carefully around him.
Nothing could be seen of the bully, though the watcher was confident he
was not far off, and it would not do to venture any further just then.
"If it was only the night time," thought Fred, "I wouldn't be so
scared, for he might take me for a man; but it would never do for him
to find me here."
The sudden ceasing of the rustling, which had betrayed the passage of
Bud Heyland a few minutes previous could not be anything else but proof
that he was near by.
"Maybe he suspects something, and is waiting to find whether he is
seen by any one. Strange that in looking round he does not look up,"
whispered Fred to himself, recalling an anecdote which he had once
heard told in Sunday-school: "Bud looks everywhere but above, where
there is that Eye which never sleeps, watching his wrong-doing."
A boy has not the patience of a man accustomed to watching and waiting,
and when several minutes had passed without any new developments, Fred
began to get fidgety.
"He has gone on further, and I have lost him; he has done this to lead
me off, and I won't see anything more of him."
But the boy was in error, and very speedily saw a good deal more of Bud
Heyland than he wished.
The rustling of the leaves, such as is heard when one is kicking them
up as he walks along, aroused the watcher the next minute, and Fred
stealthily arose, and scanned his surroundings.
As he did so, he caught sight of Bud Heyland walking in such a
direction that he was certain to pass close to him. Luckily the bully
was looking another way at that moment, or he would have seen the
scared face as is presented itself to view.
As Fred dropped out of sight and hastily crept behind the large
tree-trunk he felt that he would willingly give the two hundred dollars
that he received in the way of a reward could he but be in any place
half a mile or more away.
It would never do to break into a run as he felt like doing, for then
he would be sure to be discovered and captured, while there was a
slight probability of not being seen if he should remain where he was.
Shortly after Fred caught sight of a pair of huge boots stalking
through the undergrowth, and he knew only too well what they contained.
He shrank into as close quarters as possible, and prayed that he might
not be noticed.
The prayer was granted, although it will always remain a mystery to
Fred Sheldon how it was Bud Heyland passed so very close to him and yet
never turned his eyes from staring straight ahead.
But Bud went on, vanished from sight, and in a few minutes the rattling
of the dry leaves ceased and all was quiet. The sound of wagon wheels,
as a vehicle moved over the road, was heard, and then all became still
again.
Not until sure the fellow was out of sight did Fred rise to his feet
and move away from his hiding place. Then, instead of following Bud, he
walked in the opposite direction.
"He has been out here to hunt for something and didn't find it."
Looking down to the ground the bright-eyed lad was able to see where
Bud had stirred the leaves, as he carelessly walked along, no doubt
oblivious of the fact that his own thoughtlessness might be used
against him.
"He's the only one who has been here lately, and I think I can track
him through the wood. If he had been as careful as I, he wouldn't have
left such tell-tale footprints."
The work of trailing Bud, as it may be called, was not such an easy
matter as Fred had supposed, for he soon found places where it was hard
to tell whether or not the leaves had been disturbed by the boots of a
person or the hoofs of some quadruped.
But Fred persevered, and at the end of half an hour, by attentively
studying the ground, he reached a point a little over two hundred yards
from where he himself had been hiding, and where he was certain Bud
Heyland had been.
"Here's where he stopped, and after a while turned about and went back
again," was the conclusion of Fred; "though I can't see what he did it
for."
It was no longer worth while to examine the ground, for there was
nothing to be learned there, and Fred began studying the appearance of
things above the earth.
There were a number of varieties of trees growing about him--oak,
maple, birch, chestnut and others, such as Fred had looked on many a
time before, and nothing struck him as particularly worthy of notice.
But, hold! only a short ways off was an oak, or rather the remains of
one, for it had evidently been struck by lightning and shattered. It
had never worn a comely appearance, for its trunk was covered with
black, scraggy excrescences, like the warts which sometimes disfigure
the human skin.
Furthermore, the lower portion of the trunk was hollow, the width of
the cavity being fully a foot at the base. The bolt from heaven had
scattered the splinters, limbs and fragments in all directions, and no
one could view this proof of the terrific power of that comparatively
unknown force in nature without a shudder.
Fred Sheldon stood looking around him until his eye rested on this
interesting sight, when he viewed it some minutes more, with open eyes
and mouth.
Then, with a strange feeling, he walked slowly toward the remains of
the trunk, and stepping upon one of the broken pieces, drew himself up
and peered down into the hollow, rotten cavity.
He had been standing in the sunshine but a short time before, and it
takes the pupil of the eye some time to become adapted to such a sudden
change.
At first all was blank darkness, but shortly Fred saw something
gleaming in the bottom of the opening. He thought it was that peculiar
fungus growth known as "fox-fire," but his vision rapidly grew more
distinct, and drawing himself further up, he reached down and touched
the curious objects with his hand.
Eureka!
There was all the silver plate which had been stolen from the old brick
mansion a few nights before. Not a piece was missing!
Fred Sheldon had discovered it at last, and as he dropped back again
on his feet, he threw his cap into the air and gave a shout, for just
about that time he felt he was the happiest youngster in the United
States of America!
[Illustration: On finding the stolen silver, Fred threw his cap in the
air and gave a shout.]