knowledge of the boat, but upon a threat to take him 

 to Leesburg and put him in the lock-up he weakened 

 and tearfully admitted that his companion had removed 

 the bucket of bait from the boat and had hidden it in 

 the bushes on the shore near the landing, intending 

 to call for it later. Further cross examination failed 

 to weaken John's former statement, so the matter 

 was considered explained ; and upon request that John 

 go with the Doctor to where the bucket was hidden, 

 the two set out for the river with a lantern to light 

 their path, it being now after dark. Upon arriving 

 at the River bank John pointed out the place where 

 the bucket was hidden, but upon search no bucket was 

 found, and the two returned to the farm house with 

 negative results. John was again taken in hand by 

 the lawyer and further questioned, and he was taken 

 to the barn yard and told to get in a buggy already 

 there with the horse hitched, as he must go to Lees- 

 burg and be jailed. Here in the stillness of the night 

 and away from all others, John began to weep and 

 finally confessed that his companion in the boat had 

 taken up the bucket of bait and hauled it far out into 

 the stream, and then pushed the boat adrift and made 

 for parts unknown. This was the most likely tale and 

 was accepted as a fact and John was threatened with 

 all sorts of dire things and sent to bed. The next 

 day the Doctor had to depend on the generosity of 

 his other friends for bait and all hope of recovery of 

 boat and bait was given up. However, the farmer not 

 wishing to lose his boat started out the following 

 morning for a search of the river, and when near 

 Seneca he was told by a boatman that an empty boat 

 with oars had been seen floating down stream, but 

 had not been caught by the boatman because the latter 



