RUDOLPH FINDS TONY.
Rudolph was very much elated at what he had heard. His object then was
already attained, and the boy was found.
"Well, good luck has come to me at last," he said to himself. "The
young scoundrel is found, and now I must consider how to get him into
my hands once more."
The Quaker, to designate him according to his present appearance, at
once made his way back to the hotel. He wanted to see Tony and verify
the information he had obtained from the boys, though he saw no reason
to doubt it.
"There can't be two Tony Ruggs in the world," he said to himself. "I am
sure this is the boy."
On reaching the hotel he sauntered out into the stable-yard in the rear
of the house. His eyes lighted with pleasure, for he at once caught
sight of Tony, standing beside James, the hostler.
"There comes old Broadbrim," said James in a low voice. "The barkeeper
told me he took two stiff horns of brandy. He's a queer sort of Quaker
in my opinion."
Tony gave a curious glance at the disguised tramp, but entertained no
suspicion of his not being what he represented. The white hair and
costume made it difficult to doubt.
"I never saw a Quaker before," he said.
"Didn't you?"
Meantime Rudolph came nearer. His disguise had been so successful that
he felt perfectly safe from discovery.
"Does thee keep many horses?" he asked.
"Yes, sir; we have twelve."
"That is a large number. Yea, verily, it is," said the tramp.
"Well, it is, but we need them all. There's a good deal of carting to
do for the hotel, besides Mr. Porter keeps a livery stable. Was you
ever this way before?" asked James, thinking he might as well ask a few
questions also.
"Nay, verily."
"Where might you be from?"
"From Philadelphia."
"I've heard there's a good many Quakers out that way."
"Yea, verily, my friend, thee is right."
"Are you going away to-morrow morning?"
"Nay, friend, I think I shall tarry a day or two. Is that lad thy son?"
"Tony, he asks if you are my son," said James, laughing. "No, his name
is Tony Rugg, while mine is James Woodley."
"Anthony, was thee born in this town?" asked the tramp, boldly defying
detection.
"No, sir," answered Tony. "I only came here a few weeks ago."
"Yea, verily," was the only comment Rudolph made.
"I'd like to choke the boy. I can hardly keep my hands off him," he
said to himself. "But I'd better be going. He is looking at me closely.
He might suspect something."
"Good-night," he said, and the two responded civilly to the salutation.
"Well, Tony, what do you think of Broadbrim?" asked James.
"I don't know, there's something in his voice that sounds familiar to
me."
"Perhaps you may have met him somewhere before," suggested the hostler.
"No, I am sure I have not. I never met any Quaker before."
"Well, there's strange likenesses sometimes. Did I ever tell you my
adventure out in Maine?"
"No, what was it?"
"I went down East to see a sister of mine that is married down near
Augusta. When, as I was goin' through Portland, a woman came up and
made a great ado about my deserting her. She took me for her husband,
and came near having me arrested for desertion. You see I and her
husband was as like as two peas, that's what some of her neighbors
said."
"How did you get off?"
"Luckily I had documents in my pocket showing who I was. Besides, my
brother-in-law happened to be in the city, and he identified me."
Rudolph sat in the public room of the hotel for a time, and then
he went up to his room, partly to be out of the way of possible
recognition, partly to think how he could manage to get Tony into
his clutches once more, without betraying himself, or exciting any
interference.
He had a back room, the window of which looked out upon the
stable-yard. He seated himself at this window, and in this position
could easily see and hear all that passed there.
Tony and the hostler were lounging about, the latter smoking a clay
pipe, their work being done for the day.
"Tony," said the hostler, "I almost forgot to tell you, you're to go to
Thornton to-morrow."
"What for?"
"There's a top-buggy Mr. Porter has sold to a man there. You're to take
it over, and lead the horse back."
"How far is it?"
"About five miles."
"All right. I'd just as leave go as stay here. Can I find the road
easily?"
"There's no trouble about that. It's straight all the way. Part of it
runs through the woods--about a mile, I should say."
"Did Mr. Porter say when he wanted me to start?"
"About nine o'clock; by that time you'll be through your chores."
"Well, I'm willing."
Rudolph heard this conversation with no little pleasure.
"It's the very chance I was waiting for," he said to himself. "I'll lie
in wait for him as he comes back. I can easily hide in the woods."