The Tin Box, and What it Contained

"I fancy he doesn't think so," said Congreve, shrugging his shoulders.

"Of course he doesn't. He must have been fully scared, staying there allnight."

"He doesn't strike me as a boy who would easily be frightened,"

"At any rate, he must be hungry," said Philip, in a tone ofsatisfaction. "I guess he'll find it doesn't pay to insult me."

"Well, he's had enough of it; we'll go and release him."

"What for?"

"You don't want him to stay there all day, do you?" demanded Congreve.

"It wouldn't do him any harm," muttered Philip.

"What a mean fellow you are, Philip! You ought to be satisfied withkeeping him there all night."

"I wish you wouldn't call me names," said Philip, pettishly.

"Don't deserve them, then. Well, are you coming with me?'

"I don't know; it's a good ways," said Philip, hesitating.

"Just as you like. I am going. I told the boy I would, and I mean tokeep my promise."

And James Congreve stepped off the piazza and started.

"Oh, well, I'll go, too. I want to see how he looks," said Philip, andbegan to laugh.

"Take care how you laugh at him there, Phil, or he may pitch into you."

"You won't let him, will you, James?" said Philip, apprehensively.

"I thought you were a match for him," said Congreve, with an amusedsmile.

"So I am, but he might take me unawares. He'll be so mad, you know."

"I'll protect you," said Congreve. "Come along."

Both boys would have liked to learn whether Harry had been missed athome, and what was thought of his disappearance; but there seemed to beno one to ask, and, for obvious reasons, they did not care to show anycuriosity on the subject.

"I'd like to meet Mr. Wilkins," said Philip. "He boards there, you know, and he might say something about it."

"Mr. Wilkins is your uncle, isn't he?"

"He's a distant relation of ma's," said Philip, reluctantly. "We don'tknow much about him."

"I suppose he's poor?" suggested Congreve, drily.

"Oh, dear, yes! He was a farmer or something out in Illinois. He probablypays a dollar or two a week board at Gilberts'. They're dreadfully poor, you know. I shouldn't be surprised if all hands were in the poorhousebefore the year is out."

"Your uncle and all?"

"He isn't my uncle!" said Philip, snappishly.

"Relative, then. You wouldn't want a relative in the poorhouse?"

"Pa offered to pay his expenses back to Illinois, but the old fellow wasobstinate and wouldn't go. I expect he's hanging round here in hopes ofgetting something out of pa and ma; but it's no use, as he'll find outsooner or later."

"Strange he went to board with the Gilberts, isn't it?"

"Oh, it's a good enough place for a rusty old chap like him. He ain'tused to living in any style. Ma says he's half crazy."

By this time they had reached the borders of the wood, and soon theycame to the place where Harry had been left bound.

"Why, he isn't here!" exclaimed Philip, in surprise and disappointment.

"So it appears."

"How could he have got away?"

James Congreve, bending over, searched carefully, and at length got somelight on the subject.

"Somebody cut the cords," he said. "Look here – and here!" and he pointedout fragments of the strong cord with which the captive had been bound.

"That's so. Do you think he did it himself?" asked Philip, disappointed.

"No; he was too securely tied. I took care of that. Somebody came alongand released him."

"I hope he had to stay all night, at any rate," said Philip.

"That we cannot discover at present. One thing is certain – he's free."

"I'm sorry I came," muttered Philip. "I have had this long walk fornothing."

"You haven't had the satisfaction of releasing him, I suppose, youmean?"

"No, I don't. I wanted to see how he looked. It's too bad he got away."

"There's nothing for it but to go back," said Congreve. "You'd betterlook out for him. He may want to pay you off."

"He'd better not try it," said Philip, but he seemed uneasy at thethought.

On their way back they passed, unconsciously, near the place where thetin box was concealed.

Hovering near the spot was Ralph Temple, uneasy for the safety of theburied treasure.

He eyed the two young fellows with suspicion. They had no guns in theirhands, and he could not understand what object they had in coming tothis out-of-the-way place so early in the morning.