CHAPTER XI
THE RUNAWAY MOWING MACHINE
"Look!" gasped Ruth.
"It was that man--hiding in the barn! Who can he be?" asked Alice,
pausing a moment.
"Don't stop! Come on!" commanded Ruth, in fear.
"But we ought to see who it is," insisted the younger girl. "Or at
least watch where he goes. Sandy ought to know."
"Well, we'll go tell him; but don't stand and watch that man. He
might do you some harm."
"How could he--away off there; and he's running away, besides," spoke
Alice. "I think I would know him again. I had one glimpse of his
face, as he turned. It was a mean, cruel-looking face, too."
"It wasn't one of those men who tried to get Russ's patent; was it?"
asked Ruth.
"No, neither one of them was lame. And they are both locked up, I
think. This is some other man. There, he's gone--at least I can't
see him any more."
Either a depression in the field over which he was running, or some
hollow between hummocks, now hid the man from view. Then, too, night
was falling, and the shadows were dusky.
"We had better go and give the alarm," said Ruth, pulling gently on
her sister's arm, to urge her forward. Together they hastened to the
house, where, pantingly, they told what they had seen and heard.
"Some tramp, likely," said Sandy, as catching up a club he ran toward
the barn.
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