It was a threat the tramp knew would be carried out, and he made no further attempt to escape. The two lads took off his ragged coat, and made it fast about the fellow's arms, tying them behind him. Then, walking on either side, while Tom flashed the electric torch at intervals, they turned back toward the farmhouse, our hero limping along as best he could.

"h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo, there Appleby!" yelled Tom, when they came within hailing distance of the building. It was still raining hard. "h.e.l.lo there, show a light!"

There was a pause, and then a door opened, letting out a flood of illumination that cut the blackness like a knife. A voice demanded:

"What's th' matter? Who be ye, makin' a racket this time of night?

What right ye got on my land, anyhow?"

"That's all right, Mr. Appleby," put in Ray. "I guess you'll be glad to see us. We've got a man you've been looking for."

The tramp said nothing, but he did not make an effort to escape.

Probably he realized that it was too late, now. His young captors advanced with him into the lighted kitchen of the farmhouse.

"Jake Crouse!" exclaimed the farmer. "Good land, where'd ye git him, boys? An' Ray Blake! Wa'al I never! Where'd ye pick him up?"

"In your lane," answered Ray. "We thought you'd be glad to see him."

"Me glad to see him?" exclaimed the puzzled farmer. "What for?"

"Because," answered Tom slowly, "he is the man who poisoned your horses, Mr. Appleby, and, unless I'm much mistaken, he also set fire to your hay ricks. I've got the evidence for the first charge, and------"

"I've got the evidence for the other," interrupted Ray. "It's all up, Jake. You'd better confess right now and save yourself heavier punishment."

"Good land!" gasped the farmer. "Jake Crouse--the feller who used t'

work fer me--poisoned my horses--sot fire t' my hay? It don't seem possible!"

"I'd a done a heap more to you if I'd had the chance!" snarled the tramp. "You're the meanest man in seven counties, and you cheated me out of my money. I said I'd get even with you and I did."

"Then you admit you're Crouse?" asked Tom eagerly.

"Might as well, as long as you've got the goods on me. I'll take my medicine now, but I'll get back at you later, Jed Appleby!" and he shot a black look at the farmer.

"It will be some time before he can carry out that threat," said Tom easily. "Now, Mr. Appleby, I suppose you haven't a grudge against me any longer, as it's been proved that I had no hand in your troubles."

"No, of course not. I--I'm sorry I made a complaint against ye. But it did look mighty suspicious."

"Yes, it did," admitted Tom, "and I couldn't say anything, for certain reasons. But they no longer exist."

"I don't exactly understand it all," said the still-puzzled farmer, "but it's all right, an' I begs yer pardon, Tom Fairfield, an' here's my hand!" and he held out a big palm.

"That's all right," said Tom easily, as he shook hands. "I'll explain everything soon."

"And I'll do my share," added Ray. "I haven't acted just as I should in this matter. But I'm on a different road now."

"I hope so," put in Mrs. Appleby, who had been a silent spectator of the happenings. "I allers said you had a good streak in you somewhere, Ray Blake, and if you had a mother------"

"Please don't speak of her," the boy asked gently.

"Have you a telephone?" asked Tom, anxious to change the subject, for he saw that Ray was much affected. "If you have, we can 'phone for the authorities to call for our friend here," and he nodded at the tramp who, bound, sat in sullen silence.

"No, we don't have such luxuries," answered the farmer, "but I'll send one of my hired men into town. We can lock Jake up in the smoke house 'till the constable gets here."

This was done, Jake Crouse submitting sullenly. Then, when the hired man had driven off in the rain, the farmer and his wife insisted on providing dry garments for Ray and Tom, and in making them hot coffee.

In two hours the constable arrived, and only just in time, for the tramp had nearly forced open the smoke house door, and would soon have escaped. He was handcuffed, and driven to the town lockup.

"I'll appear agin' him to-morrow," said Mr. Appleby. "Now hadn't you boys better stay here all night? It's rainin' cats an' dogs."

"No, I must get back to the school," said Tom. "And I'd like Ray to come with me. I want him to help explain certain things to my chums.

They know I'm not an incendiary, or a horse poisoner, but some others don't believe that."

"We'll soon make 'em!" exclaimed Ray.

"I'm with you Tom. I can't make up all you suffered on my account, but I will do all I can."

"Wa'al, if ye will go back I s'pose I can't stop ye," said the farmer.

"I'll have Hank drive ye in, though."

Mr. Appleby's nature seemed to have undergone a sudden change. He was no longer mean and inhospitable. In a short time Tom and Ray were on their way in a covered carriage to Elmwood Hall.

CHAPTER XXV

EXPLANATIONS

"Look who's here!"

"Back again!"

"Tom Fairfield, what in the name of the seven sacred scribes has happened, anyhow?"

Thus Tom's chums--George, Jack, and Bert, greeted him about an hour later when he entered his room in the borrowed garments of the farmer.

Ray Blake followed him into the apartment, a trifle embarra.s.sed. The boys had managed, through the friendly offices of Demy Miller, the studious janitor, to enter the dormitory unseen by the proctor or any of his scouts.

"Yes, I'm here," said Tom with a smile, as he limped to an easy chair.

"Ray, have a seat. Boys, allow me to introduce my cousin, Ray Blake."

"Your--your cousin!" gasped Jack.

"Yes. He's the one who had my sweater," went on Tom.

"Your sweater?" gasped George.

"Yes--that rather brilliant one that connected me with the horse-poisoning case."

"But--but," stammered Bert. "Did he--your cousin--?"