They have hired Bill Harney fer a guide, and are goin' to strike out fer the Pond to-morrow." "Two men and a young fellow," mused Dick.

"I'd like to know who they are." "One o' the men looked like a preacher or schoolmaster.

He called the young feller Thacher, or something like that." "It wasn't Baxter ?" queried Dick, struck by a sudden idea.
"That's the name--now I remember." "And the man, did they call him Grinder--Jasper Grinder ?" went on Dick excitedly.
"If it wasn't Grinder, it was something like it.

The party came east from Ithaca." "It's Dan Baxter and Jasper Grinder sure!" burst out Dick.

"Well, this beats the nation." "Then you know the crowd ?" "I do--to my sorrow, Mr.Barrow.That Dan Baxter is the good-for-nothing young fellow I told you of this morning, and Jasper Grinder was a teacher at the Hall.