Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-01-19
November
Joe
The Detective of the
Woods
By MSkETH PRICHARD
Copyright. 1913.
By Hesketh Prichafd
By MSkE1H PRICHARD
Copyright. 1918,
By Hesketh Pichard
CHAPTER ".
Tho Guilty Man.

pT1seQ. he SdlQ uOtuluS lOI q
full minute, then he looked up
sharply.
"How many bottles of whisky had
your" said he.
"Nary one" answered Thompson.
There isn't one nearer than Laval.
lOtte, as you we'll know. We wasn't
drunk. we was drugged. We must "a
been, though how it was done beats
me, for we had nothing but bread and
bacon and tea, and I made the tea my.
self"
where's the kettleT
1--WE left that and the frying pan
back at the hut, for we're going to
hunt the country for the thief. You'll
come along, NOv?"
ION my own condition, or I'll have
nothing to do with It."
whats it?'
"That nary a man Of you goes back
to Tideson's bridge hut till give you
leave"
"But we want to catch the robber."
"very well. Go and try II you think
you can do IT.
An outburst of argument arose, but
soon one and another began to say:
"We'll leave 1t to you, Nov" Mind
you fetch my $3.50 back for me, Nov"
Leave Nov alone" "Go on, Nov"
November laughed. II suppose you
all slept with your money on you"
1t appeared they all had. and Lars
and Chris, who possessed pocketbooks,
and found them flung. empty, In q cor
ner Of the hut
"Well, Mr.. Quaritch and NEIL be
getting along, boys. I'll let you know
IL I've any luck" Then suddenly No.
vember turned to the big spokesman
and said. "By the way, Thompson, did
you fill that kettle at the brook before
you found you'd lost your cash?"
mo: run right back"
THAT'S lucky" said November, and
we walked away in roar Of shouted
questions to the canoe placed at our
disposal by Close. By water we could
run down to Tideson's bridge In an
hour or two.
do you think this Is the work Of
the same man that held up Dan Mi.
chaelsY'
Guess 80. Can't be sure. The
grounds Hne and soft. and we ought to
get the answer to good many Ques-
tons down there"
Thanks to the canoe and short cut
known to November. we arrived at our
destination In admirable time.
First Of all. skirting the path. We
went to the hut where the six had
slept A few articles dropped from the
hastily made packs lay about. the fry
ing pan beside the stove and the kettle
on its side by the door. November
moved round examining everything in
his deft. light way. Lastly. he picked
up the kettle and peered inside.
"What's in it?" said l.
Nothing" returned November.
"Well. Thompson told you he hadn't
filed it." reminded him.
He gave me a queer little smile.
"Just So" said he and strolled for 6fty
yards or so up the tote road.
"I've been along looking at the foot.
marks of them six mossbacks." he vol.
unteered. "Now we'll look around
here"
The inspection of the tracks was nat
urally a somewhat lengthy business.
November had studied the trail OF the
six men to some purpose. for. though
he hardly paused as he ranged the trod-
den ground. so swift were his eyes that
he named each of the men to me as
he pointed to their several tracks. AS
we approached the bank he indicated
a distinct set Of footsteps. which we
followed to the hut and back again to
the water.
"He's the chap that did It." said No
vember. That's pretty plain"
"He Is a heavier man than am. ano
he walks rather on his heels"
November nodded, and began to fol.
low the trail, which went down Into
the stream. He stood at the waters
edge examining some stones which
had been recently displaced. then wad'
ed down into 1t.
"Where was his boatT I asked.
But November had by now reached
a large fiat stone some feet out IN the
water, and this he was looking round
and over with great care. Then be
beckoned to me. The stone was
large, fat one. as I have said. and he
showed me some scratches upon Its
farther surface. The scratches were
deep and irregular. ! stared at them
but to me they conveyed nothing.
They don't look like the mark OF q
boat" / ventured.
"They aren't. But that chap made
them all right" he said
"But how or whyT
November laughed. n won't answer
that yet, but I'll tell you this. the
robbery was done between 2 and .
o'clock last night"
"What makes you say thatr
November pointed to a grove OF birch
on the nearer bank.
"Those trees" he answered; then,
on seeing nv look Of bewilderment be
added, land he wasn't 0O pouno
man an heavier than you, but little
thin chap, and he hadn't a boat"
'Then how did he get away-bJ
wadingf'
Maybe he waded."
"If he did he must have LETT tht
stream somewhere" I exclaimed.
"Sure."
.Then you'll be able to nnd hi
tracks where he landed"
mo need to-"
"Whyr'
because I'm sure Of my man."
els It the same who held up Dar
MichaelsY'
"Yes."
With that I had to be satisfied II
was late at night when we approached
Camp @ We jumped ashore and wen1
silently straight to the oface. whert
the manager lived. A crowd stoot
round, and two men were holding th'
door: one was the burly Thompson.
| "Hs,lo! You needn't bother 10 moro