道尔将他跟踪哈克斯的发现告诉了约翰，他们决定一同去小木屋看看这个受伤的神秘男子。道尔认出这个人是维格船长的儿子乔。乔讲述了自己受伤的经过，约翰坚决要做他的监护人，并让道尔安排他转住到旅馆。
Cautiously the Major approached the cabin，which seemed to have been built as a place for the berry pickers to assemble and pack their fruit.It was constructed of rough boards and had a little window in the side nearest the dwelling house and a door on the opposite side.
Creeping near to the window the Major obtained a clear view of the interior.Upon a dilapidated wicker settee，which had one end proppeda with a box，partially reclined the form of a man whose right arm was in splintsb and supported by a sling，while his head was covered with plasters and bandages.The man's back was toward the window，but from his slender form and its graceful poise the Major imagined him young.
Old Nora held the left hand of this mysterious person in a warm clasp，bending now and then to press a kiss upon it，while Hucks busied himself opening the parcel he had brought and arranging various articles of food on a rickety stand at the head of the couch.The old man's smile was more benevolentc and cheery than ever，and his actions denoted that strange，suppressed eagerness the Major had marked when he had taken the money.
The three spoke little，and in tones so low that the spyoutside the window failed to catch them.Soon the injured man began to eat，feeding himself laboriously with his left hand.But his hunger was quickly satisfied，and then he layback wearily upon his pillows，while Nora tenderly spread a coverlet over him.
After this the old couple did not linger long.Hucks poured some water from a jug into a tumbler，glanced around the little room to see that everything was in order，and then—after he and Nora had both kissed the bandaged forehead—blew out the candle and retired.
The Major crouched low in the berry bushes until the couple had passed by；then he rose and thoughtfully followed after them.
Whatever Patsy's father might have thought of the Wegg farm mystery before，this adventure convinced him that the girls were not altogether foolish in imagining a romance connected with the place.And，notwithstanding Patsy's loyal defense of Old Hucks，he was evidently tangled upa in the affair to a large extent，and could explain if he chose much that was now puzzling the girl detectives.
After careful thought the Major decided to con？de in Uncle John，at this juncture，rather than in the nieces；since the latest developments were more ？tted for a man's interference.
By good fortune the girls had an engagement the next day，and set out together in the surrey to visit Ethel Thompson and lunch with her in the rose bower，which was the pride of the little school teacher's garden.As soon as they were gone the Major hunted up Uncle John and said：
"Come with me，sir."
"I won't，"was the brisk reply；"I'm going fishing，and whoever wishes my society must come with me.""You'll not catch anything ？shing，but you're very liableto catch something if you follow my lead，"said the Major，meaningly.
"What's up，Gregory？"
"I'm not sure what it is，John."And then he carefully explained his discovery that an injured man was occupying the cabin in the berry patch，and seemed to be the object of the Hucks'tender care.
"It's the secrecy of the thing that astoundsa me most，sir，"he added."If all was open and above board，I'd think little enough of it."Uncle John's kindly interest was at once aroused，andhe proposed that they go directly to the cabin and interview the man in hiding.Hucks being at the time busy in the barn，the two men sauntered into the berry patch without being observed，and then walked briskly along the winding paths until they sighted the building.
Pausing at the window，they saw the man still recliningupon his cot，and holding in his left hand a book—one of Patsy's，the Major observed—which he was quietly engaged in reading.Then they moved around to the door，which Uncle John pushed open.
Without hesitation，the two men entered and stood gazing down upon the strange occupant of the place.
"Good morning，"said Mr.Merrick，while the Majornodded a greeting.
The man half arose，moving stif？y.
"Pardon me，sirs，"he said，rather startled at the interruption；"I regret that I am physically unable to receive you with more courtesy."The Major gazed into the partially bandaged face with a glimmer of awakening recognition.
"H—m！Ha！If I'm not mistaken，"said he，"it's JosephWegg.""Oh，is it？"asked Uncle John，looking upon the young man curiously."What's happened to you，Joseph？""Just an automobile accident，sir.The steering gear broke，and we went over an embankment.""I see.""Are you Mr.Merrick，sir.""Yes.""I owe you an apology for intruding upon your premises in this way，and beg you to forgive the seeming impertinencea.But I've been rather unlucky of late，sir，and without this refuge I don't know what would have become of me.I will explain，if you will permit me."Uncle John nodded.
