"I saw no one else."
"We ought to follow him up," declared Tom, now that he realized his father was not so badly hurt as at first feared.
"That's the talk!" ejaculated Dick. "Wait till I get my pistol."
"Boys, do keep out of harm," pleaded Mrs. Rover. "Remember that this Arnold Baxter is a desperate criminal."
"We are not afraid of him," answered Tom.
"We'll show him that he can't come here and attack father," added Sam.
Leaving their father in the care of their Aunt Martha, the three Rover boys armed themselves and sallied forth, accompanied by their uncle and Alexander Pop, the latter carrying a horse-pistol of the old-fashioned variety.
"Dat dar Baxter am a rascal of de fust water," was Aleck's comment. "He descrbes to be shot full ob holes, an' I am de boy to do dat same, if only I gets de chance."
Jack Ness was closely questioned, and he described the spot where he had last seen the unwelcome midnight visitor.
"He had a bag of something over his shoulder," he declared.
"Most likely the stuff taken from the house," declared Dick.
