“But you went all over the island with Billy afterward. You didn’t find any hiding place.”
“The sheriff says it’s there. He has reason to know, he states. There was some man—so he says—who broke with the outlaws and ‘turned State’s evidence,’ he calls it. Sheriff Kimball says he has been waiting for two months for this boy who can’t talk very well to come and see him. The man who confessed said he would send all the evidence by this dummy. And you know he was at Billy’s house and the boys never told the sheriff——”
“Why should they?” demanded Mildred, startled.
“Well, you know what the boys said about finding a slip of paper after the dummy went away, and what was written on the paper? It said: ‘Buried on the island. Dummy will show you the spot.’ Sheriff Kimball says that doubtless referred to the evidence Harry Biggin meant him to have.”
“That’s the name of the man who broke with the outlaws and is helping the officers get the crowd.”
“He’s an informer,” asserted Mildred, with scorn.
“But that doesn’t help the matter any. If Dan and Billy have foolishly got themselves mixed up in it——”
“Mixed up in _what_?” demanded Mildred, with some heat. To Mildred Kent’s mind it was impossible that Dan Speedwell could ever be in any real trouble—that is, trouble that came about through his not being “perfectly straight.” Billy, perhaps, might be foolish; but never Dan!
Just as she spoke there was a jingling of sleigh bells at the door of the Parker house. There had been little sleighing this winter, save on the river; but a couple of days before, a trifle of snow had fallen—enough to crust the Riverdale streets and the drives in and out of the town.
“Here’s Mr. Kimball now—I do believe!” cried Lettie, jumping up and running to a front window. “Yes! he said he was going up the river to the Biggin place, and he’d stop for father——”
“This Harry Biggin,” said Mildred, suddenly. “Is he one of those farmers on the other side of the river?”
“Yes. They own that big place near Meadville, only on the other bank.”
“And he says Dan and Billy are connected with robbers—or outlaws—or something——”
“I’m going to ask Mr. Kimball what he means, then,” said Mildred, firmly, and putting aside her work she arose and went quickly to the hall door.