Fairview Boys and their Rivals/Chapter 12
CHAPTER XII
BOB BOUNCER'S CLEW
"Try to catch the robbers?" gasped Frank, in wonder.
"Yes," replied Bob, in a way that showed he was very much in earnest.
"Say, wouldn't it be grand if we could!" cried Sammy. "Why, there's a reward of two hundred dollars for that!"
"Yes, but we wouldn't take it from Mr. Haven," said Bob, quickly.
"That's so, I forgot," replied Sammy, readily.
"Have you found out something. Bob?" asked Frank, seriously.
"I think I have."
"What is it?" asked Sammy.
"I can't tell you all at once," replied Bob. "There's just this, though, fellows; I know that two tramps were in town yesterday."
"You do!" cried Sammy.
"Yes."
"And you think they are the robbers?"
"I'm pretty sure of it. Frank, do you remember my telling you about the two men hiding on the bluff the night of the bonfire?"
"Yes, Bob."
"And how they were talking about robbing somebody?"
"And you told your father, and he got the marshal to look for them?"
"That's it."
"But they got out of town."
"Yes. Well, those fellows were here again yesterday."
"You don't say so!" exclaimed Sammy.
"Yes, they were. I'm going to tell you something else."
"What's that?" asked Frank.
"You know, we thought you lost the key to your father's jewelry store in Silas Dolby's yard?"
"I know I did."
"Well, I've found out that one of the tramps knows Mr. Dolby. In fact, he was at his house right after you lost the key."
"Why, Bob," cried Sammy, "then old Dolby broke into the jewelry store?"
"Oh, dear, no, I can't know that," said Bob, quickly. "I don't say so, either."
"But"
"I'm just putting this and that together."
"I should think you were!" said Sammy.
"We know that Mr. Dolby has a bad name, and is tricky and all that, but he wouldn't rob a neighbor," went on Bob. "He knows one of the robbers, though. I happen to know he has had business with him. Mr. Dolby may not know that the tramp is a bad man, but somehow or other I can't get it out of my head that the key to the jewelry store Frank lost was the one that was used by the robbers."
"We know it was, Bob," spoke Frank. "There were only two keys, and my uncle had the other."
"How the robbers got hold of it, I don't know. I can think of a way, but it's only a guess."
"What is it, Bob?" asked Frank.
"Why, Mr. Dolby may have spoken of your losing it in his yard."
"That's so."
"And the robber hunted for it and found it."
"How are we going to find out?"
"Well," said Bob, "I thought we'd go down to Mr. Dolby's place, and hang around and watch it."
"Maybe the robbers are there now," cried Sammy, quickly.
"The marshal says he believes they are in hiding somewhere near Fairview," said Frank. "They had to have two big satchels to handle all the stuff they stole. Anybody seeing two men carrying big satchels would remember them. The marshal says he and his men have gone over every road in the county, and they haven't found a trace of the robbers."
"All right, we'll try too," spoke Bob, with a good deal of confidence.
"Say," observed Sammy, "hadn't we ought to have stars?"
"Why, what for?" asked Bob.
"To arrest the robbers."
Bob laughed outright.
"You great detective!" he railed. "Badges and clubs, and horse-pistols, too, I suppose?"
"Well, don't you expect to catch the robbers?"
"I hope to find out something about them to tell the marshal, yes," replied Bob. "Come on, fellows."
Bob led the way to the dismal abode where the old miser lived. He halted under a tree near the fence of the place.
"Now, then," he said to Frank and Sammy, "stay here till I skirmish around a bit."
"All right," replied his companions, in a breath.
Bob went slowly and cautiously all around the fenced-in lot. He made sure that the big vicious dog old Dolby owned was chained up and asleep. The house looked dark and 
They Saw the Miser Go Out to the Old, Rickety Barn
dreary, as usual, except in the living-room, where ine miser passed most of his time.
Bob vaulted the fence and got down on hands and knees. He crept across the garden without making any noise, and paused right under the window of the room where there was a light. He could hear some one moving about inside. Finally, Bob ventured to raise his head and peer past the ragged end of a curtain. For fully five minutes the boy watched the miser. Then he went back to his friends.
"Well?" asked Frank.
"Mr. Dolby is in the house," replied Bob, "but I didn't see any one else."
"Then the robbers aren't there," broke in Sammy.
"I don't know that."
"What are you going to do now?"
"Oh, keep on watching for a spell," replied Bob, "and thinking."
Bob wondered if he had better not go and tell the marshal all that he knew. The boy kept quiet until Sammy spoke in a quick whisper the words:
"Bob, old Dolby is coming outside!"
"That's so," added Frank.
"He's got a lantern," continued Sammy.
"Hush!" warned Bob. "Keep quiet and watch!"
They saw the miser go out to the old rickety barn at the rear of the lot. The dog growled, but quieted down at a snarl from his master. Bob ducked down as he ran along the fence and got behind the barn.
He could see, through broad cracks in the barn, its owner slowly climbing a cleat ladder at one corner, carrying the lantern with him. There was a shed near the barn. Its slanting roof came almost up to the loft of the barn.
Bob could see into this part of the building clearly through gaping breaks in the rotted boards. The miser had set down the lantern. There was no hay in the loft, except a little heap in one corner. Upon this was spread a blanket.
"Some one has been sleeping in the loft," Bob decided. "He's gone now, though."
Silas Dolby took up the blanket and folded it. Then he took some dishes, a cup, plate, knife and fork from an old chair. These he placed on top of the folded blanket. He held blanket, dishes and lantern on one arm. Then he came down the ladder. In a few minutes the miser went back into the house.
"Well, that's all plain," said Bob to himself. "Some one has been sleeping and hiding in the barn. Who could it be but that tramp? Then, if he robbed the jewelry store, where did he put the stuff he stole?"
Bob went back to Frank and Sammy. He had about made up his mind to go straight to Mr. Haven, and tell him all he had found out. It was Bob's idea that Frank's father and the marshal could scare the old miser into telling enough about the tramp to lead to his arrest.
"Why, hello, where are they?" exclaimed Bob, as he reached the tree where he had left Frank and Sammy.
They were nowhere to be seen. As Bob looked around, somewhat puzzled, a sound came from some near bushes.
"Hist!"
Bob strained his eyes and made out Frank near the bushes. He beckoned to Bob.
"What is it?" asked Bob. "What are you hiding for?"
"Some one crossed over from behind the barn."
"Who was it?"
"A stranger, so Sammy has cut through the brush lot here to keep him in sight."
"Which way?"
"Come on, I'll show you," said Frank.
Both boys stole silently across the lot. They ran upon Sammy near some trees.
"He's just turned into the road yonder," panted Sammy.
Bob hurried to the spot where Sammy pointed. He saw a man going down the highway whom he thought he had never seen before. He was certainly a stranger to Fairview. The man had a cane, and was bent over it as if he was old or sick.
"Where did he come from?" asked Bob.
"Beyond Dolby's barn," replied Frank.
"I didn't see him near it," said Bob, "but maybe he went out of a door on the far side of the barn."
"Is he the man you know about. Bob?" asked Sammy.
"He doesn't look like it," said Bob.
"I saw him pretty plain when I sneaked over here," spoke Sammy. "He looks like a tramp."
"Hello!" broke in Bob, "that's queer."
"What is queer?" asked Frank.
"Why, just as the man came near that first house," said Bob, "he stooped more and walked more lame. That looks as if the man was playing off."
"Yes, it's sort of suspicious," said Sammy.
"Say, fellows," added Bob, "we want to keep that man in sight. He may lead us to something worth finding out!"