"
It will thus be seen that the peddler, who was hidden from the
fisherman's shanty by a line of bushes, had mistaken the fleeing man for
his patient.
The man in the boat made no response to the call of Shanks, and soon was
lost to view behind an abrupt bend.
"Well, that beats me," muttered the one-eyed man, as he gazed over the
water at the point where the canoe and its occupant had just disappeared.
Then, as he turned to ascend the bank, he noticed that Tige held
something in his teeth--a heavy black beard!
Seizing it, the peddler examined it closely, then exclaimed:
"A disguise! Well, I'm puzzled now more than ever. I thought August
Bordine a much abused man, and now it turns out that he's a villain after
all, and able to pull the wool even over _my_ eyes."
Slowly Hiram Shanks ascended the bank. His dog uttered a joyful bark, and
dashed through the bushes toward the little shanty.
"Here you, Tige," called the peddler.
"Bow-wow-wow!" was the answer from the faithful dog.
Hiram Shanks moved through the bushes, and then uttered a surprised
exclamation.
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