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"But who is it?" she asked, as the stranger, swinging his lantern, marched straight up to Mr. Hucks's door. "Good Lord, it's the man himself Glasson! And he's come for his orphans." "He shan't have 'em, then," said Mrs. Mortimer. "A many-sided man." Let Mr. Christopher Hucks introduce himself in his own customary way, that is, by presenting his card of business: Mr.
"Of course not," agreed Beth. "Old Hucks is a curious character. I realized that when I had known him five minutes." "But he's poor," urged Patsy, in defense of the old man. "He hasn't a penny in the world, and McNutt told me if we turned Thomas and Nora away they'd have to go to the poorhouse." "That is no argument at all," said Louise, calmly.
"Have you known Hucks and his wife long?" asked Uncle John. "Since I can remember, sir. They came here many years ago, with Captain Wegg." "And has Thomas always smiled?" Louise inquired. "Always," was the laughing reply. "It's an odd expression isn't it? to dwell forever on a man's face. But Tom is never angry, or hurt or excited by anything, so there is no reason he should not smile.
"From our present knowledge the murder lies between the unknown avenger and Hucks, with the possibility that McNutt is implicated. This avenger may be the stranger who posed as a physician and said Captain Wegg died of heart disease, in order to prevent the simple people from suspecting a murder. His fishing was all a blind. Perhaps McNutt was his accomplice.
"Where are you taking her?" "Her? The boat? Oh, back to Hucks's Christopher Hucks, Anchor Wharf, Canal End Basin. 'Anchor, you'll observe, supposed emblem of Hope." He laughed bitterly. "Yes, yes," she nodded. "And quick quick as ever you can! Here, let me help " She caught at one of the two crowbars that served for mooring-posts and tugged at it, using all her strength.
"At first it was just to amuse ourselves that we became amateur detectives, but the developments are so startling and serious that we now consider it our duty to uncover the whole dreadful crime, in the interests of justice." "Just so," he said, nodding. "But I'm sure Old Hucks is innocent!" declared Patsy, emphatically.
"If they don't, they're heretics an' sinners, an' there's no good in 'em whatever." Then the little school-teacher bade good-bye to Hucks and his wife, told them to keep brave hearts, and rode her pony cross-lots to Thompson's Crossing. "Well," said Uncle John, looking out of the car window, "we're nearly there."
Never in his memory had his dress been so immaculate. The queer old fellow seemed to appreciate this as he raised his smiling face from the stooped shoulders and poised it on one side like a sparrow. "Welcome home, sir," he said to Uncle John. "I'm Hucks, sir; Thomas Hucks," and without more words he proceeded to remove the satchels from the wagon. "Ah, yes," returned Mr.
All three girls being present, Beth tendered Old Hucks two dollars, saying it was intended as a slight mark of her appreciation of his attention. Thomas demurred at first, but on being urged took the money with the same eager gesture he had before displayed. Louise followed with a donation of a like sum, and Patsy gave the old man still another two dollar bill.
Hucks admitted a little nervousness before looping the loop; but, as he remarked: "Once I started to go round my nervousness vanished, and then I knew I was coming out on top. It is all a question of keeping control of your nerves, and Pegoud deserved all the credit, for he was the first to risk his life in flying head downwards." Mr.
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