After closing up the sale that night, the wagon was once more packed, so that they might be on the way at an early hour. The stock on hand was growing lighter, and they were glad to know that more goods would await them upon their arrival.
"We are doing famously," remarked Andy. "If we keep on we shall soon be rich."
"I want to pay back Miss Bartlett what she loaned me as soon as I can."
"I reckon she is in no hurry. You had better keep some cash on hand in case of an emergency."
The work of selling goods and packing the wagon had tired Matt considerably, but his mind was too much aroused to go to sleep at once, and so he started out for a short walk before retiring.
He knew very little of the roads around the village, but he was confident that he would not get lost, especially as it was a bright starlight night.
He passed the shop where the sales had been conducted, and then branched off on a road that, but a short distance away crossed a tiny brook.
At the brook he paused, and then, struck with a sudden fancy, he left the bridge to go down and bathe his hands and face in the cool, running water.
He had hardly leaped from the bridge to the rocks below when a sudden noise beside him caused him to start back. Almost at the same time a dark
