'Look!' exclaimed Harry. 'See? In the window!'
They turned toward the cabin window, but saw nothing.
'It's gone,' asserted Harry. 'It's the man that was in the road. He's there in the house. He half killed me.
I'm going to get him.'
'Wait a minute.' The man on the porch was speaking. 'I guess I've made a mistake with you fellows. I've got the wild man here, boys. He isn't a wild man, though. He's just eccentric. Did he give you trouble?'
'Blamed right he did,' ejaculated the farmer. 'He jumped out of the bushes and landed on me in the road.
These gentlemen came along in their car just in time to save me.'
'That makes it different.' The man on the porch laid the shotgun aside. 'Let me explain matters. This man I have here is half-witted. He's strong, but he's mild ordinarily. I've got charge of him. I know how to handle him, and he's just like a child ordinarily. I brought him here because we figured that if he was kept off by himself for a while, he would improve.
'I am very sorry for what has happened,' the man went on smoothly. 'I really mean that. I can promise you that it will not happen again. I was ignorant of what actually occurred. This is a valuable lesson for me.'
Bruce Duncan's mind was working rapidly. The man's story was a good one and plausible. It was evident that his ape-faced charge had escaped by accident. There were even more reasons than the one he had explained that would make him desirous of keeping the brute under cover.
For Duncan knew that the ape-man had been used for a criminal purpose on at least one occasion. He and Vincent had found the clue they sought - the fact that linked the present with that first event of a month ago.
The man on the porch could not have recognized Duncan. For it was the ape-man who had entered his room, and Bruce doubted that the creature had sufficient intelligence to tell his master who Bruce Duncan was.
Bruce glanced at Harry. He realized that his friend had not yet caught the significance of their discovery.
The best plan was to leave and go back toward the town. On the way he could tell everything to Vincent.
They were nearing the evidence they sought. But who was the man on the porch? Was he merely a person of minor importance who kept the apelike creature under control? Or was he the one behind the sequence of crime?
It was this perplexity that caused Bruce Duncan to remain staring at the fellow after his two companions had turned toward the path. The stranger had bidden them a cordial farewell, thanking them for informing him of the attack made by his ward.
The man was laughing in a friendly manner as he waved good-by. As Harry and the farmer turned away, his lips closed together.
Upon his face appeared a strange, peculiar smile.
On one side his lips seemed to curl upward, on the other they turned downward. It gave his mouth a distorted expression - one that the viewer would not soon forget.
Bruce Duncan turned and hurried after his companions. He could scarcely restrain his exultation.
For the smile had betrayed the identity of the man who lived in the cabin. There was only one way to describe that smile. The mouth that had formed it had twisted lips.
CHAPTER XXI. PLANS ARE ARRANGED
WHEN Vincent, Duncan and the farmer had reached the road, Harry turned the car back toward the Mountain Pike. They rode along the dirt road, taking the farmer with them. He said good-by at the pike, and the two young men were alone as Harry swung the coupe onto the highway that led back to Culbertville.
It was then that Bruce Duncan made his startling revelations to his astonished companion.
'The ape-man!' exclaimed Harry when he had heard the story. 'The same beast that entered your room!
And the fellow on the porch was Chefano! Bruce, we've found what we wanted.'
'Right, Harry. But what shall we do next?'
Harry considered.
'It won't do to go back there right away,' he said. 'I think our best plan is to head for the town. When we're there I think we can make plans.'
'Are you going to report to New York?'
'Not until to-night. That will be soon enough. We may discover more in the meantime.'
'Still, we ought to be on the ground. Our plan now is to watch Chefano. We must do it carefully.'
'No question about that, Bruce. The ape-faced wild man is dangerous. It's not wise to take chances.'
'That's not the most important reason. We must not let Chefano suspect that we are present. If he has any idea that we are interested in his plans, he will probably make changes.'
'You are right, Bruce. The best thing we can do to start is to make inquiries in the village. We will find out how the land lies.'
'Be careful. Chefano may have some one working with him, on the lookout for strangers.'
'I don't think so, Bruce. But you leave it to me. I have a plan already forming. Let me do the questioning; you agree with anything I say. I won't excite the least suspicion.'
They were approaching the town. When they arrived near the station, Vincent parked the car. With Duncan following, he strolled up to a group of idlers.
'Howdy,' said one of the men.
'Good morning,' replied Harry. 'Nice country around here.'
'Plenty say that.'
'How's the fishing?'
'Good - if you know the right places.'
The other men in the group laughed good-naturedly.
'My friend and I are looking for a place to spend a few weeks. Thought maybe we could rent a little shack in the woods. Do you know of any up along the Mountain Pike?'
'There's quite a few up that way,' replied one of the other idlers. 'All depends upon how far away from town you want to be.'
'Seth Wilkinson has a couple of old cabins in the woods,' remarked another man. 'They're pretty old ones, I reckon. Wouldn't be much good in wet weather.'
'Try old Josh Stevens,' suggested the first man. 'He's got a regular house - small but good - about a half mile off the pike. There ain't been any one living there for a long time.'
'Where does his place lie?' questioned Harry. 'Is it very far from town?'
'About four miles out,' said the former speaker. 'When you begin to get up in the hills, you run into Wilkinson's land. It comes down to the pike. Then there's a small road leading in to the right. That's the road to the house. But you don't need to go out there to find out more about it. Stevens has a store across the street there. You can see him now if you want.'
'How does it sound to you?' Vincent asked Duncan.
'All right,' answered his companion.
THEY found Josh Stevens in his store. He was anxious to rent the house. Once started, he began a long description of it. With the aid of a few questions, Harry Vincent gained an excellent fund of information. It was a good house, better than the two old cabins owned by Seth Wilkinson. They were nothing more than shacks. They could be seen by walking through the woods below the Stevens house. Neither of the cabins was occupied; Wilkinson was away, and had neglected them. Josh Stevens invited the two visitors to make the comparison for themselves.
The outcome of the discussion was the payment of sixteen dollars - a month's rent in advance - by Harry.
The mountain bus was at the station when the young men came out of Josh Stevens's store. Harry went over and talked with the driver.
