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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ranger Boys Outwit the Timber Thieves, by 
+Claude A. Labelle
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Ranger Boys Outwit the Timber Thieves
+
+Author: Claude A. Labelle
+
+Release Date: June 4, 2012 [EBook #39916]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RANGER BOYS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was
+produced from images made available by the HathiTrust
+Digital Library.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: The guard let them out, and warned them that any attempt
+at flight would be followed immediately by a shot.]
+
+
+
+
+THE RANGER BOYS OUTWIT THE TIMBER THIEVES
+
+By CLAUDE A. LABELLE
+
+Author of
+
+  “The Ranger Boys to the Rescue,”
+  “The Ranger Boys Find the Hermit,”
+  “The Ranger Boys and the Border Smugglers,”
+  “The Ranger Boys and Their Reward.”
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+Publishers New York
+
+
+
+
+THE RANGER BOYS SERIES
+
+A Series of Stories for Boys 12 to 16 Years of Age
+
+By CLAUDE A. LABELLE
+
+  The Ranger Boys to the Rescue
+  The Ranger Boys Find the Hermit
+  The Ranger Boys and the Border Smugglers
+  The Ranger Boys Outwit the Timber Thieves
+  The Ranger Boys and Their Reward
+
+Copyright, 1922
+
+By A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+Made in “U. S. A.”
+
+
+
+
+THE RANGER BOYS OUTWIT THE TIMBER THIEVES.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE START OF NEW ADVENTURES
+
+
+“Bangor, Bangor, all change for Portland, Boston and way stations,”
+shouted the trainman.
+
+“Here we are, boys,” shouted Garry Boone. “Wake up, Dick, let’s get our
+packs and rifles. We will be in the station in a few seconds now. My,
+but I’ll be glad to see Dad again. And he promises us some real action,
+too. I wonder what trouble he is in. You remember he hinted at something
+of the sort in the letter that he wrote us at Hobart.”
+
+“Well, we’ll know in a few minutes now, for your father will be waiting
+for us at the Bangor House. Don’t fret over what he wants, Garry, just
+be glad that we have a chance to get into action of some kind. These
+past few weeks have gotten me so that I am not happy if we don’t have a
+few scrapes to get in and out of,” remarked the second of the trio of
+boys.
+
+Dick Wallace, a plump, heavyset chap, yawned and rubbed the sleep from
+his eyes, and then got up and stretched his cramped limbs. He had been
+napping for more than an hour.
+
+At that moment the train drew into the station with a screeching of
+brakes, and the boys, having dug out their knapsacks and rifles from
+between the seats where they had stowed them, soon were off the train
+and walking briskly toward the Bangor House.
+
+“Why not take a car, there ought to be one along in a minute or two,”
+half grumbled Dick. It must be explained that Dick, because of his
+weight, took the easiest method of doing anything whenever possible.
+
+This does not mean that he ever shirked his duty, or that he was
+incapable of walking whenever he had to. As a matter of fact, he had
+made long hikes in the woods without ever batting an eyelash, but he
+believed in doing such things only when they were necessary.
+
+“Trust Dick to want a street car and something to eat the minute he gets
+to a city,” laughed Garry.
+
+“Yes, I bet he is starving right now,” jibed Phil Durant. “All he has
+had to eat since lunchtime is an apple, three bananas, and I don’t know
+how many bags of peanuts. If the train boy hadn’t made a sale all the
+afternoon except to Dick he would have made a day’s pay anyway.”
+
+“That reminds me that it is almost supper time now,” said Dick. He had
+heard his chums rag him so many times about his appetite, that their
+remarks rolled off him as does water off a duck’s back. “I move we
+postpone hearing what Dad Boone has to tell us until after we have
+eaten. Then he can tell us what he wants, and after that perhaps we can
+all go to a movie show.”
+
+There was no car in sight, so they continued their walk, and soon were
+at the doors of the Bangor House, a large, well-appointed hotel. The
+boys cut a strange figure as they walked through the lobby, for they
+were clad in broad brimmed Stetson army hats, khaki coats cut like
+hunters’ jackets, with big roomy pockets, and khaki trousers stuffed
+into the tops of shoepacks, which are nothing more than heavy moccasins
+with an extra leather sole.
+
+Each boy carried a knapsack on his back, and attached to this was a
+lariat. In addition, a stout forest hatchet was thrust through the belt
+that girdled them, and each boy carried a rifle.
+
+Many curious looks were cast in their direction as they walked to the
+desk where Garry asked if Mr. Boone was registered there.
+
+In a few moments the clerk had telephoned up to Garry’s father and
+immediately was told to send the boys up. Following in the wake of the
+bell boy they ascended to the room, where Mr. Boone was waiting.
+
+He greeted the boys heartily and commented on their healthy appearance,
+for the sun and open air had made them as tanned as any woodsman.
+
+Greetings over, Mr. Boone remarked:
+
+“Before I tell you boys why I have sent for you, I suggest that we get
+our dinner and then come back to the room.”
+
+“Welcome words!” uttered Dick enthusiastically.
+
+“I thought that would about hit the spot with you, Dick,” laughed Mr.
+Boone.
+
+“Yes,” said Garry, “he is starving to death; he hasn’t had anything to
+eat for nearly an hour and a half.”
+
+Leading the way, Mr. Boone headed the boys toward the dining room, while
+they unanimously ordered a fine steak, and soon were busily eating.
+
+As they eat, let us look them over and get acquainted with them. Those
+of our readers who have read the three volumes preceding this one, “The
+Ranger Boys to the Rescue,” “The Ranger Boys Find the Hermit,” and “The
+Ranger Boys and the Border Smugglers,” already know our heroes. Others
+must be introduced.
+
+The leader of the trio is Garfield Boone. He is generally known as
+Garry. The stout boy with the long distance appetite is Dick Wallace,
+close friend of Garry, and ward of Mr. Boone. The third is Phil Durant,
+a boy of French Canadian parentage. The three boys live in a small Maine
+town, only a few miles from Portland, the principal city of the Pine
+Tree State, as our northernmost commonwealth is known.
+
+They have just completed their junior year in high school, and it has
+been decided that Garry and Dick shall go to a military school the
+coming fall, while Phil will have to remain and finish at the high
+school.
+
+Hence they wanted to spend their last vacation together, and had picked
+on the idea of taking a camping trip to the woods. Mr. Boone, father of
+Garry, who owned extensive lumber tracts in the Maine woods and was
+connected with some of the big paper mills of the state, came to bat
+with an idea that pleased the boys immensely.
+
+It was to this effect. That instead of going on a mere camping trip
+which might prove to be tiresome before it was concluded, that the boys
+become attached to the Forest Ranger Service as an extraordinary Unit of
+this woodcraft outfit.
+
+Their duties would be the same as those of the older Rangers; that is,
+to guard the forests from the fire peril that constantly menaced the
+timber lands of the state. In this service there were two branches, the
+men who act as lookouts, having an unchanged station, and the patrol men
+who travel over a certain set course watching that fire does not start
+and keeping careless campers from starting fires in dangerous spots.
+
+In a few days the boys had outfitted themselves and were on their way to
+their first station on the Sourdehunq Mountain, a tract of timberland
+owned by Mr. Boone. They had no thought of any adventure other than that
+which might be caused by the discovery of a fire, but on their second
+night on the trail they find the guide they had hired, one Jean LeBlanc,
+a French Canadian halfbreed, trying to steal their supplies.
+
+They drive him away, and later find the halfbreed is inimical to them
+because of a fancied grievance he has against the elder Boone. They also
+make a staunch friend in the person of Nate Webster, an old Maine guide.
+Later Webster replaces the Deputy Ranger, Anderson by name, who has
+proved incompetent, and Anderson joins forces with LeBlanc and becomes
+an enemy of the Ranger Boys, and nearly succeeds in doing them great
+harm.
+
+Another friend is made in the person of an old hermit, who on several
+occasions warns the boys of impending peril by sending them cryptic
+notes.
+
+On one occasion Jean LeBlanc kidnaps the little daughter of a family by
+the name of Graham, who are camping in the woods. With the aid of a note
+from the hermit, the boys are able to rescue her and capture LeBlanc.
+The latter, however, escapes and makes much trouble for the boys,
+finally setting fire to the woods.
+
+He and Anderson escape by climbing a sheer cliff. Still later the boys
+are asked by the Customs Secret Service to get evidence of a gang of
+smugglers on the Canadian border. This they do and the gang is seized,
+all except LeBlanc who dodges back across the boundary and is hence safe
+from arrest since he is on Canadian territory and not amenable to the
+United States law.
+
+During a rainy season, they seek out the hermit and find him; that is,
+Dick finds him. One of their greatest adventures during the search for
+the gang of border smugglers is the finding, with the aid of an old map,
+of a tourmaline mine. The boys get a deed to the mineral rights of the
+land, and plan at a later date to mine the gems and make a handsome
+income for themselves.
+
+It must also be explained that there is a mystery connected with Dick.
+His father was a college professor of geology and botany, and a
+classmate of Mr. Boone. He had a fall from a horse that destroyed his
+memory, and before an operation could be performed, disappeared. Dick’s
+mother had died when he was a baby, and so being without parents or
+home, Mr. Boone had become his guardian, bringing him up with his own
+son, Garry.
+
+Now that we have a brief sketch of the boys and their previous
+activities, let us see what Mr. Boone’s need of them is.
+
+“Here is the whole story, boys,” said Mr. Boone as they finished their
+dinner and returned to his room. “As you know, I have extensive
+interests not only in the timberland but in the mills that manufacture
+paper. Recently I severed connections with several of the mills, and put
+all my eggs in one basket, so to speak, by investing my funds all in one
+mill. Of course it is impossible to do business on a big scale without
+making many business enemies, or at least determined rivals. I have a
+good many such, and I have been given to understand that several of them
+have pooled their resources and become connected with the mills from
+which I withdrew my money.
+
+“Of course I have not enough work in my one mill to take care of all the
+timber that I can cut, so I contract to supply other mills, necessarily
+becoming a rival of some of the other timber owners.
+
+“Then, too, I have recently decided to start an experiment in summer
+lumbering. You know, of course, that Maine’s lumber cutting season has
+always been in the winter because the logs could be cut and hauled over
+the snow to the rivers and then when the spring unleashed the ice-bound
+rivers, the logs could be driven down to the mills. However, I am
+figuring on getting out lumber for building during the summer and in the
+winter getting the logs for the pulp mills to grind ready for the making
+of paper. I have several important contracts with a time limit; that is,
+the necessary amount of lumber must be gotten out by a certain date else
+I forfeit my profit and large damages besides.
+
+“Lately I have seen from my reports that the lumber is not being gotten
+out on schedule time. Whenever I come and look it over, or send a
+representative, everything goes like clockwork, but the moment that I
+turn my back a saw breaks, making a week’s delay, or a tractor is
+broken, or something else happens. Unfortunately my financial affairs at
+the present time are in such shape that I must devote the greater part
+of my time to keeping the wheels going. This necessitates my being much
+of the time in Boston and New York, hence I cannot be at the cutting
+operations all the time.
+
+“I have changed managers, but still no good comes of it. Now I am
+confident that the morale of my camp is being undermined by some
+business rivals, and that there is underground work of some sort going
+on. Since your success in getting that gang of smugglers, the complete
+story of which I have already heard, I believe that you boys can find
+out what is going on at the camp to hinder my contracts.
+
+“I have thought that you boys might go to the vicinity of the cutting
+and sawmills and camp there. You would have the freedom of the camp, as
+I would write the manager who you were, and then you could use your eyes
+and ears and see what was what.
+
+“I should suggest that you display a great deal of ignorance about
+lumbering operations and sawmill work, so that your presence would not
+excite undue suspicion. Further than that I can give you no
+instructions, for if I knew what the matter was I would not have to call
+on you for assistance. I am simply relying on you to be able to do as
+good a job for me as you have done for the Ranger Service and the
+Customs Department. In other words, you will have to work out your own
+salvation, and I am sure that you can produce for me the results that I
+want.”
+
+Mr. Boone concluded his long explanation and then leaned back, letting
+the matter sink in. Then he asked, “Well, boys, what do you think of the
+proposition? Are you willing to undertake it? Not that there will be any
+danger attached, but do you feel yourselves confident of making a
+success of the venture?”
+
+The eyes of the three boys sparkled. They discounted Mr. Boone’s belief
+that there would be no danger attached, for they felt that the
+proposition offered a chance for much excitement, and this was what they
+wanted. Thrilling adventures were for them the spice of life after what
+they had experienced that summer. Garry answered for the others. “Will
+we do it? You bet we will, and we’ll succeed!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+TO THE RESCUE
+
+
+After the conclusion of their talk with Mr. Boone, the boys went out to
+take in a motion picture show, after finding there would be time to see
+the last performance.
+
+On the way to the theatre, they stopped for a moment to watch a street
+fakir selling knives under the flaring light of a gasoline torch.
+
+“Here you are, here’s a fine knife with your name and address inlaid in
+the handle!” he was shouting.
+
+“I think I’ll get one of those for myself,” said Dick to his chums.
+
+“What do you want of one, you have your good heavy scout knife, haven’t
+you?” queried Garry.
+
+“Oh, I just want it as a curiosity for use when we come out of the
+woods; we won’t want to carry a great knife like that in civilian
+clothes,” replied Dick.
+
+“We’ll miss the first of the show if you wait,” remarked Garry.
+
+“Let the youngster have his way, Garry,” interrupted Phil with a laugh.
+
+The street salesman made the name plate and quickly screwed the
+transparent handle back on the knife. Dick handed over the money and
+soon they were on the way to the movies.
+
+They received a fine surprise when they reached there, for the picture
+being shown was one in which they had taken small parts when they
+encountered a crew of motion picture actors while they were at their
+first station in the woods, and when they had some stirring adventures
+the time Jean LeBlanc set fire to the woods, the motion picture people
+had been rescued by the boys. The picture was a decidedly good one and
+they enjoyed it.
+
+The chums chattered during the play in a subdued tone, especially when
+there flashed on the screen the parts where they were playing roles. The
+water scene where Dick did some fine swimming was particularly good.
+
+After the picture was over, they edged out through the crowd and
+returned to the hotel and were about to go up to their rooms when Garry
+had an idea.
+
+“Say, boys, we are not going on such a secret affair now that we cannot
+have Sandy with us, so I am going to telegraph Nate and ask if he will
+bring us the dog tomorrow, or let us know by wire if he cannot.”
+
+Sandy was the big Airedale dog owned by Garry, a canine that possessed
+almost as much sense as some humans. When they had gone on their mission
+to the border to capture the smugglers, they had left the dog in Nate’s
+keeping, as they were afraid that the sight of the dog would bring to
+mind who they were to any of their enemies, and they had made several in
+the course of their sojourn in the Maine woods.
+
+To speak was to act with Garry, and he promptly made his way to the desk
+where the familiar blue lettered lamp was aglow.
+
+The work of writing the message was short and then they went to their
+rooms, first stopping in to say good night to Mr. Boone, and advising
+him to see the motion picture the next day so that he could see them in
+their small parts.
+
+This Mr. Boone promised to do, and soon all were sleeping the sound
+sleep of healthy boys with never a worry or care.
+
+Morning came, and with it the boys arose and hastened to the dining room
+to make the most of the brief opportunity that they would have for the
+excellent hotel fare. They spent a part of the forenoon in overhauling
+and looking over their radio-phone equipment to see that it was all in
+perfect condition, for they had a hunch that it would come in very
+useful when they arrived at the cutting tract. This was to be proven
+true at a later date.
+
+About ten o’clock they received a wire from Nate saying that he would
+arrive in Bangor about noon and would bring the Airedale with him. True
+to his promise in the telegram, the old guide appeared at the hotel
+shortly after the noon hour set in and with him was Sandy. The boys were
+seated in some of the arm chairs that dotted the lobby, and in less than
+a moment the dog had found his friends, and nearly knocked over half a
+dozen people in his haste and eagerness to reach the trio, for despite
+the fact that an Airedale is called a one man dog, he distributed his
+friendship equally among the three chums.
+
+The boys were fully as glad to see their four-footed friend as he was to
+welcome them, and they cuffed and patted him strenuously.
+
+“Wall, boys, there’s your pup, safe and sound as the day I took charge
+of him. And let me tell you, he is some dog. Saved me a considerable sum
+of money tother day, too,” announced Nate.
+
+“Tell us about it,” asked Garry, as the three crowded around the old
+“State of Mainer” and shook hands with him heartily.
+
+“There ain’t a whole lot to tell, ’cepting that a few days ago I sold a
+small tract of land that I had to a queer old codger who doesn’t believe
+in banks, and who paid me in bills. I believe in banks myself, but it
+was late when I made the deal so I had to stow the money away in the
+house. I locked it up as well as I could in a small desk in the sitting
+room, and went on to bed. ’Bout twelve o’clock I heard a tearing around
+downstairs and Sandy barking fit to raise the dead. I hopped downstairs
+as soon as I could reach for a rifle that stood in the corner of my
+bedroom, just in time to see Sandy going through an open window. I
+chased out after him, but someone was just driving away in an automobile
+as I got out of the window. Sandy ran the car down the road a piece, but
+came back beaten and tuckered out. He was fast, but not quite fast
+enough to catch the car, going at the rate it was. Well, I got back in
+through the window and looked around. The window had been forced open,
+and the burglar was just evidently about to force open the desk, for
+there were scratches about the lock and a heavy screwdriver was laying
+on the floor. I figure Sandy heard him from the kitchen, where he
+generally slept, and came in and drove him off just in time to save my
+money. So that’s all there is to that, but he is a mighty fine dog, and
+I hate to let go of him, even to his owner.”
+
+The boys patted Sandy again and again as they listened to Nate’s story.
+
+“Did you find any trace of the robber?” asked Garry.
+
+“Nary a sign except the footprints on the lawn under the window. I
+figure it must have been someone that knew I got paid for the land that
+evening, and that I kept a little valuable stuff in the desk, but there
+is no proof or nothing to work on to determine who it might be. I don’t
+care anyway, as long as the invader didn’t get my money,” replied Nate.
+
+The boys invited Nate to lunch with them, and this invitation he
+accepted, and calling Mr. Boone they went into the dining room. In a few
+moments they were joined by “Moose” Boone and the greeting between the
+two old friends was pleasant to see.
+
+During the luncheon hour they told Nate of the new work the boys were
+going on, and while he expressed himself as sorry that they were not
+immediately going back on the fire patrol, he agreed that they, if
+anyone, could solve the mystery of the stolen timber and mishaps at the
+logging camp.
+
+After luncheon the boys decided that since a day or two extra would not
+make any great difference in their plans, they would walk to the camp
+instead of riding in the hot stuffy train. They decided to start that
+afternoon, as soon as the sun began to lower, and make about ten miles
+of their fifty mile journey, sleeping out under the open as soon as it
+got too dark to walk any farther.
+
+Garry’s father agreed that they could take what little extra time was
+needed to walk, and so it was settled.
+
+The first business of the afternoon was to visit a large grocery store
+and purchase enough provisions to last them on the trip, for they would
+do their cooking over an open fire along the way.
+
+“We’ll just buy enough to carry us over for two days, for we ought to
+reach the logging camp by late afternoon of the day after tomorrow,”
+announced Garry, the chosen leader of the trio on all expeditions.
+
+“This suits me to a T,” remarked Dick. “Then we won’t have to carry so
+much extra stuff in our packs, and in this hot weather a few pounds
+saved is a boon.”
+
+“Trust Dick not to want to carry too heavy a pack,” laughed Phil.
+
+“That’s nothing to laugh about,” protested Dick hotly, “that’s just good
+common sense. It’s——”
+
+Then he perceived that his chums were ragging him a bit so he grinned
+and turning on his heel started for the door, followed by the two
+laughing boys.
+
+The buying of the groceries took but a short time, and soon the bags
+were packed and they were ready for their trip.
+
+Goodbyes were said to Nate and Mr. Boone, and the trio set out on their
+long hike.
+
+“Good luck, boys, and I sincerely hope that you find what you are
+looking for, because my affairs are in a ticklish position just at
+present and unless I find the cause of the disturbance and thefts at the
+camp, I will be in a very serious way,” said Mr. Boone as he shook hands
+with the three boys.
+
+“Guess they can settle the matter if anyone can,” remarked Nate as he
+bade the boys goodbye. “They have done some pretty fine work for boys
+lately and I look to see them get to the nigger in the wood-pile and
+roust him out pretty shortly. Then mebbe they can come back and take
+over the patrol for the rest of the summer.
+
+“We’re good for about eight miles tonight, fellows,” said Garry as they
+started, “for it will be at least three hours before it gets too dark to
+walk any farther,” said Garry.
+
+“Have you the route all set in your mind?” asked Phil.
+
+“Yes, I looked over a road map very carefully this morning, and the
+manager at the hotel garage gave me some other directions so that we
+cannot go very far wrong,” answered Garry.
+
+They passed well out of Bangor and were going along a country road, just
+as the sun was setting, when a chugging automobile was heard back of
+them. Soon a ramshackle old flivver drew up near them, driven by a young
+farmer lad.
+
+He sized up the boys, then stopped his machine and asked:
+
+“Going far?”
+
+“On to Colter,” answered Garry.
+
+“Gosh, that’s a pretty good spell to walk,” answered the farmer boy.
+“I’m going on about four miles more; would you like a lift for that
+distance?”
+
+“You bet we would,” broke in Dick.
+
+This brought a laugh from the others, and they accepted the lift, for it
+meant saving almost an hour on their way.
+
+They piled into the old flivver, and soon were rolling speedily along
+the road. Despite its aged and decrepit appearance the car made
+excellent time, and the boys commented on this.
+
+“Yep, she’s a pretty good old boat,” answered the boy. “I don’t have
+much time to tinker with the looks of the thing on the outside, but I
+manage to keep the engine in pretty good condition. You can’t keep a
+farm car looking up to time every minute. Well, I turn in here in a
+minute, so I guess this is as far as you can ride, unless another car
+comes along. Will you come in and have a bite to eat?”
+
+The chums thanked him cordially but refused his invitation, saying that
+they would cook their own meal an hour or so later.
+
+Garry looked up at the sun and then remarked to his chums:
+
+“It will be dark in two hours, and we can make just about six miles in
+that time without exerting ourselves too much. We haven’t done much of
+anything all day so if we want to let out a bit we can tack on an extra
+mile in that time and so save ourselves a bit of extra walking tomorrow.
+Let’s go.”
+
+Hitching up their packs, the trio of chums set off at a brisk pace. The
+setting of the sun made it much cooler and the walking was pleasant.
+They passed through a small village and were well on the outskirts where
+the houses were beginning to get scattered, and they were deciding how
+far to proceed before picking a spot to camp for the night when they
+heard a call for help and the sounds of a scuffle. In the gathering
+gloom they could not see where the trouble was, but hastening towards
+the spot from where the voices seemed to come, they approached a bend in
+the road, and turning, saw two men attacking a third.
+
+The attackers seemed to be rough specimens of humanity, while the third
+was a young man, fairly well dressed. This gave the affair the aspect of
+a robbery instead of a quarrel among a lot of ruffians, so calling his
+chums to hurry, Garry threw his rifle to his shoulder and shouted to the
+attacking party to throw up their hands.
+
+The surprised thugs took one look at the business-like rifle in Garry’s
+hands, and then deciding that they might perchance overpower him seemed
+to be on the verge of rushing toward him when Phil and Dick turned the
+bend in the road. Seeing that they were outnumbered, and with no thought
+of the fact that the boys might fire on them, they turned on their heels
+and ran. Garry was about to send a shot flying after them when the young
+man who had been the subject of the attack called to Garry to let them
+go.
+
+Just then he toppled over and fell at full length at Garry’s feet.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+A NEW ALLY
+
+
+Garry hastily unstrapped his canteen and unloosing the stopper, poured
+some of the water on the man’s face. At the same time, Dick, showing a
+surprising amount of speed for one so undeniably stout, sprang to help
+Garry and unloosed the man’s shirt collar.
+
+In a few moments the man had been revived, and when he had come to,
+Garry asked him if he had been shot or stabbed or wounded in any way.
+
+“No,” replied the man weakly. “One of those jacks hit me on the head
+with a club, and I guess I just got groggy. I wonder if you boys could
+help me home, I live a few hundred yards down the road.”
+
+“Indeed we will, you wait just a moment and we will improvise something
+to carry you on,” replied Phil.
+
+“No, you won’t have to do that, just give me an arm to lean on; that
+will do very nicely.”
+
+The boys did as he wished, and in a few minutes of easy walking they
+came to a neat little cottage, set back a few yards from the door with a
+number of flower beds scattered over the little lawn.
+
+“Oh Grace,” called the man, and soon a pretty young woman came to the
+door. When she saw her husband, for so he proved to be, leaning on the
+arm of Garry she flew down the path and asked anxiously what was the
+matter.
+
+“Nothing at all. Just wait till we get in the house and I will tell you
+all about it,” said the stranger. Then turning to the boys, he asked
+them to come in.
+
+Anxious to hear what the cause of attack was, and why the man had wanted
+the rascals to escape, the trio accepted his invitation, and soon were
+sitting in the attractive little living room of the cottage.
+
+“Now I suppose you boys who so kindly helped me out of a nasty hole
+would like to know what the whole business is about, wouldn’t you?”
+asked the owner of the cottage.
+
+“We are rather curious,” answered Garry speaking for the others.
+
+“My name is Howells, Arthur first name, generally called Art by my
+friends, and I am a timber scaler by occupation. I am scaling on the
+Boone cutting a few miles from here, and the chaps who attacked me were,
+until a few days ago, lumber jacks employed on the cutting. One morning
+I found them ‘spiking a tree,’ and forthwith sent a report to the office
+with a demand that they be fired. For that reason they met me tonight
+and attempted to get satisfaction by giving me a sound beating. Perhaps
+it would have been worse had you boys not come along so opportunely. I
+don’t think they would have murdered me, but could have easily put me
+out of commission so that I could not work, and that is one thing that I
+must do now of all times.”
+
+“But why did you want us to let them escape. I should think you would
+have wanted them put safely under lock and key for such an unwarranted
+attack,” demanded Garry.
+
+“Yes, Arthur,” chimed in his wife. “I would have had them arrested and
+given a good long sentence. They might have killed you or crippled you.”
+
+“There’s just one reason. One of them was Dave Pingree, son of old Daddy
+Pingree who lives in the village near here. You know the son is a
+worthless scoundrel, but old Daddy has had so much trouble that I didn’t
+want to bring any more on him by having his son arrested, bad as he is,
+and as richly as he deserves to be jailed. The other one was a stranger
+to these parts, half breed Canadian by the name of LeBlanc, who picked
+up Pingree somewhere in the woods, and who has been his constant
+companion for the past few weeks, at least since the cutting operations
+of the Boone tract were started,” concluded Howells.
+
+The three boys were so startled at the sound of the name LeBlanc that
+they jumped to their feet simultaneously and asked Howells to repeat the
+name.
+
+“LeBlanc is the name. But why does that surprise you so?” queried Mr.
+Howells in surprise.
+
+“What is his first name,” demanded Garry without answering the question.
+
+“On the payroll he is listed as Baptiste.”
+
+“We did not get a very good look at him in the dusk,” said Garry. “Would
+you mind describing him for us, please. This is a peculiar situation,
+and we will tell you about it after you have described the man,”
+answered Garry rather agitatedly.
+
+“Why he is a swarthy chap about twenty-seven or eight, just about the
+same age as Pingree. He has black hair and mustache, and a jagged scar
+on one side of his neck, probably a knife wound from some lumber camp
+fight,” answered Howells.
+
+Garry sank back with a sigh of relief.
+
+“At any rate he is not the man we think he is. The scar and the age
+settle that, although the rest of the description fits him well enough
+to make him a brother to Jean LeBlanc, the one man we do want to run
+across in this neck of the woods,” replied Garry.
+
+“Well, not that I want to raise any apprehension on your part, or tell
+you something that is displeasing to you, he is a brother of a man
+called Jean LeBlanc. I happen to know that this is so, for one night the
+lumberjacks were wrestling in front of the bunkhouse and boasting about
+their exploits, when this Baptiste came up and succeeded in throwing
+several of the men with a rather vicious hold. After he had thrown
+several of them he started boasting about his brother Jean, who had
+taught him the hold. I was standing at one side watching the wrestling,
+which is how I happened to overhear the matter. But why does the name of
+LeBlanc bother you so?” he asked in conclusion.
+
+“That’s a rather long story,” answered Garry “and perhaps I had better
+start by telling you our names. These are my chums, Phil Durant and Dick
+Wallace, while my name is Garfield Boone, generally called Garry for
+short.”
+
+“I don’t suppose you are any relation to the Mr. Boone who owns this
+tract where the summer logging is going on are you? Most people of that
+name in this state are somewhat related. In fact I am a second or third
+cousin of his myself,” said Howells with a smile.
+
+“Yes, I happen to be his son,” answered Garry.
+
+“Well, that is a coincidence. I suppose you are going on to take a look
+at the cutting aren’t you. This being your vacation time probably you
+are camping and travelling around a bit,” and Howells glanced at the
+knapsacks and rifles which the boys had stacked near the door in the
+hall and which could be plainly seen from the living room.
+
+Dick was about to say something when he caught a meaning glance from
+Garry, which was also seen by Phil, and which the boys interpreted as a
+desire on the part of Garry to do any necessary explaining that might
+have to be done.
+
+“Yes, we were in this vicinity and thought that we would like to see how
+the experiment in summer cutting was coming along,” he told Howells.
+
+“That’s fine, then I shall see you around there a good deal as I am
+scaling. Of course coming from a lumbering family, I don’t need to tell
+you that scaling means measuring the timber that is cut. I also do quite
+a bit of timber cruising, which, as you know, means travelling through
+the cutting, marking the trees that are fit to be cut. Your father is
+very particular about his lumbering, and he doesn’t do as many of the
+other timber owners do, sweep clean through a tract of land, and make it
+worthless as timber land for years to come. His having certain trees
+marked for cutting means that every year there will be a growth suitable
+to cut and market and thus he is assured of a steady income from his
+tracts.”
+
+“Perhaps if you are not too busy every day, you could show us something
+of the lumbering operations. Although as you say, I come from a ‘lumber
+family,’ I don’t know a great deal about timber cutting. About the only
+time I have ever been at the camps was at the spring drive, just to see
+the fight for the river, and neither of my chums know any more about it
+than I do. The first thing I would like to know is what did you mean by
+‘spiking a tree’?” asked Garry.
+
+“I don’t know that I can explain that to you without having you near a
+piece of big timber to demonstrate what I mean, but I will try and tell
+you as best I can. There is a certain way to cut a tree, or rather there
+is a certain place where one always starts to cut. This place is
+determined by the diameter of the tree. If the tree is two feet thick,
+the cutter measures up two feet from the ground to start his cut. Of
+course he does not measure it exactly, but long experience has taught
+him to estimate almost within an inch where to start. You know some
+trees are cut by axe; those are the smaller ones, but the bigger ones
+are sawed nearly all the way through, and then the axemen cut through
+just enough with their axes to cause the tree to break off and fall.
+‘Spiking a tree’ means to take an estimate where the sawyers will start,
+and then drive several spikes in, using a nail set to drive them into
+the tree out of sight. The hole left will close up very rapidly, or a
+little dirt and moss can be stuck in so cleverly as to defy detection.”
+
+“But what harm does that do? I suppose it might kill the tree, but what
+difference does that make, since it is going to be cut down directly?”
+quizzed Phil who was an interested listener.
+
+“It doesn’t harm an old tree, but this is what it does, or rather figure
+it out for yourselves. What happens when the saw strikes three or four
+heavy spikes, set in the tree just in the path of the blade?” asked
+Howells.
+
+The truth flashed over the three boys in an instant, and immediately
+they felt that they accomplished one purpose of their mission to the
+woods. They had discovered one of the reasons for the delay in the
+cutting. If several saws were to be spoiled that meant a delay in
+getting new ones.
+
+“Now here are two other things that a spike in a tree will do. If spikes
+are driven in young trees, several of them, that is trees that won’t be
+cut for a few years, it means that it will cause the core or heart of
+the tree to rot or break the grain. Then when the tree is finally cut, a
+part of the lower trunk, or best part of the tree for lumber purposes,
+shatters just like so much glass when it falls. That’s one thing a spike
+will do. Now here’s another thing. Suppose that the mischief maker does
+not drive his spikes in the tree where the cut will be made, but climbs
+up twenty or thirty feet or so, and drives a dozen or two in different
+parts of the trunk of the tree. The tree trunk is cut safely and then it
+is drawn to the sawmill where it is sawed into planks. What happens when
+one of the big, expensive circular saws rips through a dozen spikes?
+It’s just goodbye to the saw and goodbye to a lot of money, and means a
+delay of several minutes until the saw can be replaced with another. And
+when you are cutting timber on a time contract with a penalty for every
+day’s delay overtime that you take, a half an hour or so lost through
+trouble with your sawmill means a big thing. Then there are two other
+dangers. One is that the saw will fly off and hurt the millmen when it
+hits the spikes, and the other is that it sometimes will cause serious
+defects in the entire machinery, so that instead of just a few minutes’
+delay to change saws, you waste a day or maybe two in repairing the
+machinery. So that’s that.” Howells concluded his long description of
+all the trouble one little handful of spikes could do, and then he
+looked rather searchingly at the boys. Finally he seemed to have decided
+in his own mind to say what he was thinking and he looked at Garry.
+
+“I wonder if your father has any idea that someone is trying to hurt his
+business? I don’t believe for an instant that those two scoundrels were
+driving those spikes just to make mischief. There is something deeper
+than that behind the whole business. There are scores of petty accidents
+occurring every week that all mean delay. Sometimes when the delays are
+totalled up they equal nearly half a day, and in one summer that means a
+long delay, a matter perhaps of two weeks. That two weeks is sufficient
+to spoil the contract and take all the profit away, but more than that,
+it means a loss of capital invested, for I happen to know that your
+father is cutting under a contract that provides a heavy penalty for
+failure to deliver goods as they are called for.”
+
+Garry debated with himself for a few moments, wondering whether or not
+to take Howells into his confidence and enlist his help. He realized
+that Howells, if he were honest as he seemed, would be an invaluable aid
+in discovering what the trouble at the camp was. His knowledge of
+timbering was extensive, Garry could see that with half an eye, and
+Garry understood that he and his chums could see lots of things
+happening right under their noses and never guess the malicious
+significance of the happenings.
+
+As he thought, Mrs. Howells settled the question for him. Reaching down
+to one of the shelves in the library table about which they were
+sitting, she produced an album.
+
+“We are just old fashioned enough to have a family album,” she laughed.
+“I thought perhaps you would like to see a picture taken of your father
+a great many years ago,” and turning to one of the pages she showed
+Garry a picture that he recognized immediately. It showed his father
+with a sweet faced woman. “That is your father and Mr. Howells’ mother.
+She was his favorite cousin and she died a long time ago. This has
+always been in Arthur’s possession.”
+
+Garry remembered having seen a counterpart of the picture at home a long
+time ago, and he decided that the timber sealer was not claiming any
+false relationship.
+
+“I wonder how it is that we have never seen you before,” he asked,
+turning to Howells.
+
+“Easy, we went west when I was a youngster, and it was only this spring
+that we came back to Maine. I did not say anything about my
+relationship, for I want to go on my own hook. I am a graduate of a
+forestry school, and I wanted to get actual experience in the woods,
+which was why I asked for and received the position of timber sealer. I
+like to stand in my own shoes, and so I said nothing about my
+relationship to the manager at the camp. Then, too, I need money, as I
+have a small interest in a little tract of young timber, and I am paying
+on it a little at a time. By the time it is completely paid for it will
+be ready to cut, and there will be a handsome profit on the investment,”
+he answered.
+
+For a boy of his age, Garry was a pretty shrewd judge of character, and
+he had been sizing up young Howells while he was talking. So he made up
+his mind to take him into his confidence in a limited way, and so
+remarked:
+
+“Yes, my father does know that there is something wrong at the camp, but
+he cannot put his finger on the spot where the trouble is. Every time he
+visits the camp things go along as smooth as clockwork, but it is
+impossible to put in all this time at this one thing when he has so many
+other irons in the fire. We thought that perhaps we could visit the camp
+for a while and find out what is wrong, and report to him so that he
+could remedy the trouble. But after hearing your story of the attempted
+spiking, I am beginning to think that the job is almost too much for us
+to handle. That would have been something I would never have dreamed of,
+and if the enemies in the camp, for enemies there must be, know a trick
+like that, they must have a bagfull of others of which we know nothing.
+So you see that in a way we are helpless, and I am going to ask that you
+aid us in this. I can promise for my father that in case your aid is
+instrumental in locating the trouble that it will not be forgotten. What
+do you say? Will you help us?”
+
+“Indeed I will,” and Howells thrust forward his hand. “You can count on
+me to the last ditch!”
+
+“Thanks,” said Garry as he took the proffered hand. “Now there is one
+thing to do, and that is to make sure that Baptiste LeBlanc is not in
+these parts any more, for wherever the name of LeBlanc gets hitched up
+with us there is trouble brewing!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+THE PERIL OF THE CIRCUS
+
+
+Mrs. Howells pressed the boys to remain for supper, saying they would
+find it much more pleasant to eat in the house than to cook by the
+roadside somewhere. It had got quite dark at this time, and so they
+decided to accept the invitation so cordially given.
+
+The fine meal was soon served, and as they ate, Garry told of some of
+their adventures with Jean LeBlanc, in order to explain why they were so
+startled when that name was first mentioned by Howells.
+
+Supper over they talked for some time and then Garry proposed to his
+chums that they get their packs and journey on for a bit till they could
+find a place to throw their blankets for the night.
+
+The Howells protested vigorously at this, but could offer them nothing
+as their cottage was not large enough to accommodate them.
+
+The boys laughed and said they were so used to sleeping in the open that
+it would never hurt them. “If you are bound to sleep outdoors you can
+use the back yard or you can spread your blankets on the living room
+floor,” said Howells. “One can take the couch there. You’ll have to toss
+for it, though.”
+
+After much pressure the boys decided to do this, and accordingly
+goodnights were said. It was a custom of the boys to draw lots to settle
+all arguments, so hustling into the kitchen Garry raided the broom of
+three straws of unequal length and then brought them back for his chums
+to draw.
+
+Dick was the lucky chap to get the couch. With a grin he spread his
+blankets and remarked to the others that he hoped the floor would not be
+too hard.
+
+“What’s the diff?” inquired Phil. “There isn’t much difference between
+the ground and a floor and we aren’t in the woods so we can’t cut
+branches to make one of nature’s mattresses with. Stop your chatter. I’m
+off to sleep,” and indeed he was in a few moments.
+
+To Garry however, sleep did not come so easily for he was thinking of
+the events of the evening, and wondering what he and his chums could do
+to checkmate the schemes of the unknown enemies that were causing all
+the trouble at the lumber camp. But Garry was a healthy growing boy, and
+not to be denied his sleep, so soon he consigned the cares of the day to
+oblivion and in a few moments was fast asleep.
+
+Howells was up before the boys, and started the coffee, and in a few
+moments his wife was downstairs and busying herself about the breakfast.
+They let the boys sleep until it was almost ready, then awoke them. The
+boys protested against all the trouble they were causing their hosts,
+but their protests were only half hearted for the smell of the boiling
+coffee and the frying bacon were so tempting that it would have taken a
+team of horses to drive them away without eating.
+
+Breakfast over, they took their leave, first inquiring about the way
+that lay ahead. They found that they would go nearly twenty-five miles
+before coming to another town, as the way ran through the last of the
+farming country before striking the edge of the big timber country.
+
+“The camp is ten miles or so beyond the village that you will come to,
+and it will take you at least a day to get to the village, so you will
+not reach the camp until nearly noon of tomorrow. There’s a good chance
+that you will get a lift, however, for there is a circus there today,
+and you should find a great many people on the road. Don’t be bashful
+about hailing them and asking for a lift. It is a customary thing to do
+in this part of the country. I will see you in a couple of days, as I
+will go back on duty at the camp then,” said Howells.
+
+“Just one thing if you don’t mind,” interposed Garry. “When you come to
+the camp, do not let on that you are already acquainted with us, because
+if we are to work together we can do a lot better if there is no inkling
+of our acquaintance.”
+
+“That’s a good idea, and that way it’ll be,” agreed Howells.
+
+“What say, let’s take this in a hurry and see how many miles we can
+cover this morning,” suggested Dick.
+
+The others stopped short in their tracks.
+
+“Listen, Phil, unstrap your canteen while I feel his pulse. There’s
+something the matter with Dick. He wants to hurry. If it was later in
+the day I would say that he had been a bit touched by the sun, but it is
+early and cool, and I think he is just sick,” said Garry solicitously.
+
+“Lazy Dick wants to hurry!” ejaculated Phil in amazement. “What’s the
+big idea?”
+
+Dick turned red and lunged at his chums. He was used to their ragging
+him on account of his willingness to take the easiest way of doing
+things. Of course they knew that he never shirked his duty when called
+upon, and they never questioned his bravery at any time, but he always
+got so fussed when they ragged him about his weight and his easy way of
+taking life, that they never let an opportunity pass to tease him about
+it. After a short scuffle, they stopped laughing and Garry said:
+
+“Seriously, Dick, why do you want to hurry? We are well up on our
+schedule and you don’t need to rush like mad.”
+
+“I just wanted to see what we could do if we had to,” said Dick; “and
+furthermore, I wanted to show you for once that I could walk as fast and
+as long as either of you chaps, that’s all. Let’s go.”
+
+Dick set off at a swinging pace, and kept it up. The boys fell in and
+kept pace with him, thinking that he would soon tire of it; but when
+they had covered three miles, and Dick had not abated a whit his speed,
+Garry and Phil saw that he was in earnest. Not to be outdone by him,
+they bent to their walking and made excellent time. They were passing a
+barn, when suddenly Garry stopped dead short, gave a shout and then fell
+to laughter with all his might. This time it was Dick’s turn to assume a
+sarcastic attitude, and make side remarks to Phil. Finally when Garry
+had controlled his laughter so that he could speak, he said to Phil:
+
+“What do you think of me for a regular little Sherlock Holmes? I’ve
+found out why Dick is trying to set a pedestrian record this morning.
+Just look at that barn!”
+
+Phil took one look at the glaring posters pasted on the wall, then gave
+a shout.
+
+“Aha, the boy wants to go to the circus!”
+
+“Marvelous,” grunted Dick. “Own up, wouldn’t you fellows like to see it
+yourself?”
+
+The boys teased him for a few minutes, then they perceived that there
+was method in Dick’s madness and they decided that it would be good fun
+to see the circus if they could get there on time.
+
+“Only reason I wanted you chaps to hurry a little was because I figured
+that if we covered a good number of miles we would get to a point where
+people would be on the way to the circus and we could get a lift and
+arrive in time to see the show this afternoon. Then we could get another
+start right after it let out, and so fix it as to arrive at the camp
+fairly early in the morning, covering our last ten miles while it was
+early and cool,” he explained.
+
+“That’s pretty good dope at that, Dick. Let’s go. We’ll see the circus
+and not waste any time doing it, either.” And Garry set the pace as he
+finished talking.
+
+They stopped at noon and prepared a hasty lunch by the side of the road,
+after Dick had stopped at a farm house and had his canteen filled with
+fresh milk.
+
+By this time scores of automobiles and teams were on the road, but
+practically every one of them was filled to overflowing with adults and
+children, all presumably bound for the circus. Finishing their meal,
+they rested fifteen minutes, then Garry, glancing at his watch,
+remarked: “We have still ten miles to go, and it is now half-past
+twelve. The circus probably begins at half-past two, so that unless we
+get a ride we won’t get there in time to see the show. We couldn’t cover
+the ten miles in two hours, especially after having come as far as we
+have this morning.”
+
+“I’m going to see that circus, though, even if we have to wait for the
+evening performance,” announced Dick. “What do you fellows think?”
+
+“I guess it would be all right,” answered Garry. “There is no life or
+death matter to make us arrive early in the morning at the camp, so we
+might as well take it easy for the rest of the way.” Luck was with them,
+however, for they had gone little more than a mile when they heard a car
+coming behind them. It proved to contain only a single occupant who, as
+he neared the boys, slowed down and asked if they did not want a ride.
+They were unanimous in their answer.
+
+“On the way to the circus?” asked the driver.
+
+“We’re going beyond that, but we thought that we would stop and see it
+if we reached there on time, otherwise we would have seen the evening
+performance.”
+
+“Lucky thing that I came along and happen to be going to that place
+myself then,” chuckled the driver, “for there isn’t going to be any
+evening show. You see I happen to be connected with the circus, and we
+have such a long jump for tomorrow’s show that we cannot give a
+performance here tonight.”
+
+“Good thing you came along then, for if we had walked all this distance
+for nothing, I would have given up in disgust,” remarked Dick.
+
+“How far have you come?” asked the circus man.
+
+“We left Hilton this morning,” answered Garry.
+
+The driver looked somewhat incredulous at this statement, then sizing up
+the appearance of the boys, who were wearing their customary khaki
+semi-uniform that they used as Rangers in the forest, decided that they
+were hiking for the summer and probably used to walking good distances
+in a short time.
+
+“What are you chaps doing, walking across the state or something?”
+
+Garry explained that they were forest rangers off duty temporarily and
+were bound for a lumber camp to pay it a visit.
+
+As they drove along they asked several questions about the circus and
+circus life, and considerably amused the man by referring to many things
+in a way that circus people did not. The circus man told them of the
+many strange phrases employed by circus people, and the boys learned
+much of the talk of the circus.
+
+They found, for instance, that circus people never speak of the tent. It
+is always called a top. There are the big top and the little tops. The
+only thing on the circus lot to be called a tent is the cook tent.
+
+Several of the names applied to the performers were amusing. A clown is
+always called a joy, and if he is a new man with the circus he is called
+a First of May, because it is on that date that many contracts are made
+in the circus. Acrobats are called kinkers, and the people who do work
+on the high trapeze are called casters, and their work is called a
+casting act.
+
+“Then there is the high diver, only we call it a tank diving act. You
+won’t see that this afternoon, for the diver fell a couple of days ago
+and broke his arm. Funny; he’s been diving forty feet into an eight foot
+tank for several years, and never got a scratch, and then he slips on a
+banana peeling and breaks his arm. It’s too bad, too, for the diving act
+always goes big in these small towns. I’d give twenty-five dollars for a
+diver this afternoon,” concluded the man.
+
+“Hand over the twenty-five,” said Dick suddenly.
+
+“What do you mean,” asked the circus man in surprise.
+
+“Just that you give me the twenty-five dollars and I’ll do your high
+dive for you this afternoon.”
+
+The circus man looked at the other two boys as if he doubted his ears,
+and Garry and Phil immediately assured them that Dick was a first class
+swimmer and diver.
+
+“Forty feet is not so much to Dick. He’s often done better than that in
+the river at home,” Garry told the circus man.
+
+“Yes, but you want to remember that this is an eight foot square tank,
+and only eight feet deep,” he told Dick.
+
+“That’s nothing, I’ll turn easily in eight feet. Have done it in a
+little less,” Dick assured him.
+
+“All right. I’ll take you to see the owner when we get there, and he and
+you can fix things up. He’ll be glad to pay you that amount for the
+work, for it’s a big attraction and we have advertised it a lot. That’s
+my business with the circus—to do the advertising.”
+
+In a little less than half an hour they had arrived at the circus lot,
+and true to his word, the advertising man carried Dick round to the
+ticket wagon and introduced him to the manager and owner.
+
+It took Dick but a short time to convince the owner that he could dive,
+particularly when he offered to give an exhibition for him before the
+show started. The only thing that the manager insisted on was that Dick
+sign a statement relieving the circus from any responsibility in case
+any accident occurred.
+
+Dick readily signed this, and then promising to be back in a short time
+to get some tights and get dressed, they wandered around the lot. They
+left their rifles and knapsacks in the ticket wagon, but Garry kept his
+lariat with him.
+
+“What’s the idea?” asked Phil.
+
+“There’s very little chance of anything happening, but I don’t want any
+of those riders to walk off with this lariat by mistake,” he replied.
+
+This decided the boys to keep theirs with them also, and accordingly
+they slung them over one shoulder. Several curious glances were cast at
+them as they wandered from show to show. The owner had given them passes
+to everything, and they didn’t waste any of them.
+
+Soon a bugle was heard blowing and in a moment they met the advertising
+man who informed them that called all the performers to be ready in a
+few moments. “Your act will be the fourth on the program, so you’d
+better go and get your togs on and be ready,” he told Dick.
+
+Garry and Phil elected to go to their seats and watch their chum do his
+act with the rest of the spectators.
+
+“I’ll come and hunt you up as soon as I do the dive and collect that
+twenty-five good old dollars. I can use it very nicely one of these
+days,” Dick said as he turned to follow the circus man to the dressing
+place.
+
+While the circus was a small one, it boasted of rather better things
+than the average road circus, and among other things was a fairly good
+menagerie. Garry and Phil looked at all the animals as they passed
+through to the “big top.”
+
+Two cages contained unusually fine specimens of lions, and near one was
+a caretaker, waiting for the lions to be taken into the big performing
+cage, after which he would clean the cage and have it ready on the
+shaggy maned animal’s return from the ring.
+
+“Wicked looking beast, isn’t he,” Garry remarked to the man who stood
+near the cage.
+
+“He is that, boss,” answered the man. “He’s a a new one, and we don’t
+know him very well. We had a nice old chap before him, too old and tired
+and toothless to do any harm, but this one is young and vicious. The
+trainer has a lot of trouble with him, too.”
+
+A sound of band music made the boys hurry to their seats, and soon the
+“Grand entry” was on.
+
+Several of the usual acts were put on, and then razorbacks, as the
+circus workers are called, pulled away some of the planking of the
+platform in the center of the arena, disclosing a tank filled with
+water.
+
+Soon the boys espied Dick advancing to the platform, his chubby body
+enclosed in a glaring red bathing suit. He mounted to the tank, and the
+chums could see him gazing about trying to locate them, but this he
+failed to do.
+
+The ringmaster made a short speech, telling a lot of stuff about Dick
+that made the chums grin.
+
+“Guess one has to be a blood relation of Ananias to be a ringmaster,”
+laughed Garry. “The only diving Dick has ever done before the crowned
+heads of Europe was before they were crowned.”
+
+After the laudatory speech, Dick climbed up the high ladder and stood
+perched on the little square platform at the top. As he had been told to
+do outside the big top, he dropped a handkerchief which slowly fluttered
+down to the ground below. This is an old trick of high divers and is
+done merely to accentuate the distance.
+
+Then the drummer started a long ruffle, and casting one downward look,
+Dick tipped off the platform. Both Phil and Garry were just a trifle
+nervous as he leaped, although they were well aware of his ability.
+
+But Dick hit the water as clean as a knife, and it was only a matter of
+seconds before he appeared on the surface of the water and climbed out
+dripping. A mighty round of applause was given not only for the fact
+that he had made a fine dive, but his youth made him popular with the
+audience.
+
+The acts went on, and in a little while Dick came wandering into the
+tent. The boys hailed him as he neared the place where they were
+sitting, and in a trice he had climbed up the rattling board seats to a
+place beside his chums.
+
+“Well, I got my twenty-five, and we’ll have a party with it some time.
+Also, I received an offer to stay with the circus, which, naturally, I
+turned down. So you see, Phil, you are not the only one to have jobs
+offered them.” He alluded to the time that a big league baseball scout
+had offered a contract to Phil after seeing him pitch one game at
+Commencement time at high school in his home town. The music stopped and
+the ringmaster made his customary speech about the next act, which was
+the lion taming act.
+
+The music had just started again, when there was a piercing shriek from
+a woman, and then some one screamed:
+
+“The lion is loose!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+EXTRA ENEMIES
+
+
+Hundreds of people joined in the shrieking, and a stampede from the
+seats started. Scores were trampled. The music had stopped for an
+instant until the leader, true to tradition, called the men to order,
+and the musicians swung into a stirring march. Circus hands, aided by
+the performers who were on the platforms and in the rings, ran to the
+sides of the tracks and endeavored to keep the people in their seats.
+
+The three chums were aghast for a minute, then Phil and Dick
+instinctively turned to Garry to see what he would do. Garry had taken
+one look and saw the beast at the far end of the tent, lashing his tail
+and surveying the crowd, as though making up its mind as to what course
+to pursue.
+
+The boys saw that Garry was hastily slipping his lasso from his
+shoulder, and in a moment they had understood what he was going to
+attempt, and followed suit.
+
+“Now fellows, let’s try it. We may save a lot of lives. I’ll try for his
+head, and you two try for a foot each. I think we can catch him all
+right. Let’s go!” and Garry led the way.
+
+Calling to everyone to sit still as they ran, and swinging their lariats
+over their heads, they struggled to the ground. Several people seeing
+them make their way there, thought that it was perhaps a part of the
+circus, and began to shout to each other that it was a feature of the
+program. The sight of the three boys making their way fearlessly toward
+the beast did more than anything else to quiet the people. Many sat back
+in their seats, although others were escaping under the canvas wall of
+the tent.
+
+It was to Phil, however, that the greatest honor was to come. As he ran,
+swinging one arm, his hand hit against a pocket in his coat, and he felt
+a hard lump within. In an instant he remembered that he bought pepper
+the day before to replenish the condiment can that he generally carried
+in his knapsack, but had not thought to take it out and transfer the
+contents from the package to the can. He reached into his pocket and
+brought out the can. Hastily opening the top, he kept on his way toward
+the lion, holding the package out in front of him. The chums approached
+within a few feet of the lion, who was showing signs of springing
+suddenly at them. The effect of the boys’ advance on him was to make him
+forget the crowds and center all his attention on those that were
+nearest him—the chums.
+
+The boys stopped short and were swinging their lariats, when suddenly
+Phil darted ahead almost up to the lion, and, with a well directed aim,
+emptied the contents of the pepper package straight on the eyes of the
+lion.
+
+The infuriated beast gave a roar of pain and sprang, then fell to earth
+and stuck a great paw into his eyes, as though to rub away the torturing
+stuff that was blinding him.
+
+Garry, quick-witted, divined what Phil had done, and at the same moment
+that the lion struck the ground, ran forward and threw the noose of the
+lariat over the animal’s head.
+
+The animal was nearly helpless, owing to its inability to see, and in
+another moment the boys had the rest of their lariats noosed about his
+feet.
+
+By this time the trainer and a number of the circus helpers had arrived
+on the scene, and, dashing in, they tied the lariats securely about the
+animal’s feet.
+
+The crowd seeing that the animal was securely fastened and helpless,
+first breathed a sigh of relief and then became suddenly quiet. Many
+still thought it was a part of the program, but a majority felt sure
+that it was a striking piece of bravery that they had just witnessed.
+
+Then cheer on cheer rolled through the tent, as the audience applauded
+the brave trio of chums. All the foregoing had taken much less time than
+the minutes necessary to describe it. In a moment the owner came puffing
+on the scene, and when he saw who had accomplished the capture, he was
+speechless for the moment.
+
+Then he said to the chums, as they stood watching the animal being
+loaded into its cage:
+
+“This is twice today that you boys have done me a good turn, but this
+second time far outmatches the first. Will you please come back to the
+ticket wagon with me.” Then to the menagerie head, who had joined them:
+“I’d like you to come, too, please, Jones.”
+
+The little group made its way to the ticket office, where the owner
+first asked for an account of how the beast had made its escape.
+
+“The only man who can tell you that is the roustabout who cleans the
+animal’s cage. He was gashed by the lion evidently as its escape was
+being made, and that and very likely a heart stroke killed him quickly.
+I think perhaps he thought it was near time for the transfer to the
+arena cage to be made and had unlocked the cage door, and the lion
+pushed its way out, sir,” said Jones.
+
+The manager was silent for a moment. Then he said:
+
+“No one can know how sorry I am that the man lost his life, but I am
+thankful that the lion did no other damage, either by starting a great
+panic or by attacking some one of the audience. As for you boys, I
+propose to make you a substantial reward.”
+
+“I assure you, sir,” began Garry, “we have no thought of any reward for
+doing what we did. It was luck on our part that enabled us to lasso him,
+and we get our satisfaction in knowing that we perhaps saved a great
+many lives.”
+
+“I hope you will accept something as a recompense for your services. Had
+the lion done great damage, I would have had to pay out many thousands
+of dollars,” insisted the owner.
+
+“Let us ask you one question first. Was the workman that was killed a
+family man?” asked Garry.
+
+“I can tell you that in a minute.” Turning to the ticket seller, he told
+him to look the man up. A record of all the workers with their home
+addresses was kept in a card index and in a moment the ticket seller had
+ascertained that the dead man had a wife living in a small town in New
+York State.
+
+“Of course we will take care of the widow, as we have every worker
+insured, and then the management always adds to the insurance,” said the
+head of the circus.
+
+“Then I wish that you would just take whatever you had thought of
+offering us in the way of a reward and add to the amount. I think my
+chums agree with me that this is the best thing that could be done. Is
+that right?” and Garry turned to his friends. Both Dick and Phil were
+emphatic in their agreement.
+
+“Well, if that is the way you boys feel about it, I will do so, but I
+will find some way to show you that I appreciate the great service that
+you have done me.”
+
+The owner asked them several other questions and took their names and
+addresses, and again he offered to take the boys along with them on the
+tour. Of course they refused, explaining that they were of the Ranger
+Service of the State and were only on detached duty at the time.
+
+They remained for supper at the cook tent, and watched the circus torn
+down and loaded in the teams preparatory to travelling to the next stop.
+
+After a hearty goodbye from the manager and owner they took their leave,
+and hiking beyond the town spread their blankets for the night.
+
+They woke with the rising of the sun, and building a fire soon had
+coffee, spider bread and bacon going, and made a hearty breakfast.
+
+“According to my reckoning we are about ten miles from the camp, and the
+woods will begin in about a mile or two, so we had better get going. It
+is now six o’clock and with three hours of easy hiking we will make our
+destination,” said Garry. “Now I think we ought to hold a council of war
+as to how we shall conduct ourselves when we get to the camp. I think it
+best that we just go to the manager and tell him we are going to camp
+there for awhile, either right at the lumber camp, or a short distance
+in the woods. Of course we shall give no inkling of the nature of our
+visit, not even to the manager, at least until we have sized him up. To
+my mind, everyone will be under suspicion until he has proven that the
+suspicion is unfounded. We can go all over the camp and keep our eyes
+open, getting all the information we can. When we ask questions we
+should ask them simply as though it were from idle curiosity. I figure
+that in a short time we ought to be able to tell who is acting
+suspiciously and then bend all our efforts to watch them and frustrate
+any mischief that they may be up to. We shall, of course, get a lot of
+help from Howells when he arrives, but even then I think we ought to do
+everything possible ourselves to find out what is the trouble at the
+camp.”
+
+They walked steadily but easily, and true to their reckoning arrived at
+the camp a little after nine o’clock. The boys looked about them
+curiously. There were only three buildings, built of logs. One, the
+smallest, was evidently the officers’ bunkhouse and offices; the other
+was apparently the cookhouse, for the boys could see a youth sitting on
+an upturned tub in front of the door peeling potatoes, and a thin wisp
+of smoke issued from the chimney. Since it was mid-summer and hot, there
+would be no need for a stove in any place but the kitchen. The third
+house was a long, low log affair, bigger by far than either of the
+others. This they decided was the bunk house, where the lumberjacks
+lived.
+
+They made their way to the office and inquired for the manager. On
+hearing the word “manager,” a thin, sharpfaced man approached them, and
+giving them a hasty glance, said in a sharp tone:
+
+“If you’re here to ask for permission to camp on this tract you’re out
+of luck. This is a lumber operation and not a free camp site for every
+fool from the city.”
+
+“Just a minute, please. Hadn’t you better find out our business before
+you make up your mind as to what you will or won’t do?” asked Garry, as
+an angry red flush overspread his face. Garry was an extremely civil
+boy, and expected others to be the same, and when he received
+uncourteous attention was apt to resent it deeply.
+
+“Well, what do you want?” asked the manager, still in an ungracious
+tone.
+
+“My name is Boone, and the owner of these cuttings happens to be my
+father. Didn’t you get a letter from him telling of our expected
+arrival?”
+
+A great change came over the manner of the manager. A smirking smile
+took the place of the frown and he advanced with outstretched hand.
+
+“I hope you will pardon me. I have been bothered to death for the past
+few days by summer campers asking to pitch tents and build cabins and
+what not on the cutting, and I thought from your appearance that you
+boys were more of the same tribe,” he said with an attempt to smooth out
+the awkward situation and make up by a show of cordiality the blunder he
+realized he had made.
+
+Privately, Garry thought him very ill-mannered and felt he should have
+made more inquiries before showing his temper. Still he said nothing and
+accepted the hand of the manager, who said his name was Barrows.
+
+Garry then introduced his chums and explained that they intended to stay
+awhile and camp somewhere in the vicinity and watch the lumbering as
+well as getting some fishing.
+
+“I understand that there are two lakes in the neighborhood,” remarked
+Garry, “and so we ought to get some good fishing.” At the mention of the
+word lakes, Barrows looked sharply at the boys, then said:
+
+“Oh, yes, you will get plenty of fishing, but you will find that the
+small lake to the west of here is better than the big one that lies to
+the north of us. The state stocked the little lake sometime ago by
+special request of your father, and I hear there are some very good bass
+and pickerel to be found there. The reports about the larger lake are
+not so encouraging. Also there are two or three small streams,—brooks
+perhaps it would be better to call them,—where you will find some
+excellent trout. Then at the small lake there is a good stretch of sandy
+beach where you can swim whenever you want to. Altogether you will find
+the small lake is the most likely place for a summer playground.”
+
+For a moment Garry wondered at the insistence of the manager in always
+bringing the “small” lake into the conversation, but dismissed the
+matter with the thought that the manager was simply trying to make
+amends for his ungraciousness of the previous moment by showing them
+where they could best enjoy themselves. Later he was to find that he was
+mistaken.
+
+The manager asked them what they intended to do for living quarters. “I
+am sorry that I can’t offer you quarters in the bunkhouse here, but they
+are just built to accommodate the officers of the camp; that is myself,
+the sealer, the timekeeper and the bookkeeper. Of course you would not
+want to live in the bunkhouse with the men, for they are a rough lot.
+All I can suggest is that we makeshift for you some way and I will send
+to town and dig up a tent for you.”
+
+“If you will just loan us an axe apiece, and tell us which spot we can
+cut a little timber from, we can throw ourselves up a cabin in a short
+time, so don’t bother about a tent. If necessary we can sleep in the
+open till we get our shack fixed up,” answered Garry.
+
+“Why, I can do better than that. I can let you have a couple or three
+men to help you and do the work if you can direct them as to the kind of
+cabin you want.”
+
+“I don’t want to take any of the men away from their work,” Garry told
+him, “but if we could have two or three for a few minutes to help us
+throw up the cabin after we cut the stuff it would help greatly.”
+
+“I will go and mark out some of the trees that you can cut. There is a
+small growth here that isn’t exceptionally good lumber, it's rather
+scrubby, but will do very well for a cabin. I’ll have to go myself, for
+I left the cruiser go a few days to do some business he had waiting him,
+and I have been scaling myself. In fact I do that often. Whenever he is
+cruising to mark trees for cutting I do the measuring and that saves a
+lot of time, also it saves the pay of an extra man. You ought to have a
+good bit done by noontime and then after dinner I will detail a couple
+of men to help you,” and the manager led the way to the cookhouse, where
+there were several extra axes.
+
+When they arrived at the cookhouse, they looked about with quite a bit
+of curiosity. Two great ranges stood at one end of the kitchen, and on
+one of the ranges were two enormous kettles. The boys could smell
+appetizing pea soup and judged that one of the kettles contained this.
+
+The cook was an enormous man with a pair of fierce black moustaches, and
+the one man on the whole range who was regarded as being just a little
+bit better than the boss or even the owner of the timber tract.
+Lumberjacks always took care never to pick a quarrel with him, and this
+went the same for the manager and the camp officers.
+
+This is the same in every logging camp, for a cook can pay up any
+grievances by cooking the food in an inferior fashion. Camp owners and
+managers always pay the greatest attention to the sort of man they pick
+for this position, for while in a lumber camp, there is never a widely
+varied menu, it must be well cooked and plentiful.
+
+Nothing will drive the men away from a camp quicker than poor cooking.
+
+The manager introduced the boys to the cook, who shook hands with them,
+offering a hairy hand which the chums privately thought resembled a ham.
+For all his fierce looks he proved to be a genial chap, and the three
+boys wondered whether he was one of the ring of trouble makers or not.
+They reserved any decision in their own minds to await future
+developments, but they had decided that everyone was under suspicion
+until he proved that he was clear of any blame in the mysterious
+occurrences that retarded progress at the lumber camp.
+
+In every camp there is a cookee, as the helper to the cook is
+universally called. His duty is to peel potatoes, wash dishes, wait on
+the table—rather set the tables than wait, for everything is piled on
+at the beginning of the meal, and the only helping that is done is when
+a dish has to be re-filled.
+
+The cookee was a surly looking chap of about twenty-one years of age. He
+was slight of build and had violent red hair. He just mumbled a word or
+two when he was introduced, and went on with his work, which was slicing
+bread for the dinner hour that was near at hand. Garry and his friends
+mentally put him down as one that might bear watching as soon as they
+had located themselves.
+
+While the manager was asking the cook about borrowing a couple of the
+axes that were stacked in the corner, a black-browed chap came to the
+door and asked for a pail of water to take out to where several of the
+men were trimming trees. The cookee brought the water and stepped
+outside with the man. Garry and Phil were talking with the manager and
+the cook, but Phil happened to be standing near the door.
+
+He heard the sound of talking in the French language and strained his
+ears to catch what was being said. Phil was not eavesdropping because of
+a natural desire to do so; it was merely that he was on the watch every
+moment for a possible clue that would lead them to the solution that
+they were in quest of,—the riddle of the mishaps at the lumber camp.
+
+What Phil heard was this:
+
+“Baptiste will be at the usual place at midnight tonight.”
+
+Phil determined then and there that he would be at the rendezvous,
+wherever it was, and hear what transpired. He could hardly wait to get
+the others with him so that he could impart to them the information that
+he had just overheard.
+
+He hoped that something else would be said, but at this moment the cook
+called for his helper, who came hustling back into the shanty, and went
+about preparing for the serving of the dinner.
+
+Phil went back to join his chums just in time to hear the manager say:
+
+“Unless you boys want the fun of throwing up a log house, I would
+suggest a much easier and quicker way. You can cut enough poles for the
+supports of the house, and then I’ll have some sawed boards brought to
+the spot. Also there is some tarred paper here that was brought here
+when the camp started just for such an emergency. That would mean that
+you could be all located before nightfall. As for heat, I have a Sibley
+stove, one of those small ones such as they use in army camps for tents,
+that will do very well. It isn’t likely that you will want it often, for
+we are in the hottest part of the summer, and only on a cold, wet night
+will you require heat. You won’t be here such a long time, I presume,
+and we are in for a spell of good weather according to the cook here,
+who is the camp weather prophet.”
+
+Garry thought for a moment, and wondered what made the manager presume
+they would be there only a short time. He was anxious to get going about
+the camp as soon as possible and see what there was to pick up in the
+way of information, so he decided that the board house would do as well
+as one built entirely of logs.
+
+“That is a fine suggestion and we will accept. Building a hut is nothing
+new to us, and we are anxious to begin fishing and wandering about, so
+if you will show us where we can cut enough good heavy saplings for
+supports, we will start right at it. We can have them cut and in place
+before dinner and then the men can bring us the boards after dinner and
+we will be all shipshape by nightfall,” said Garry.
+
+“I think that is the best thing to do,” the manager answered. “It is
+about an hour to dinner time, and you will have ample time to do all
+that can be done this forenoon.”
+
+So saying, Barrows led the way to a spot near the camp, where there was
+a clump of saplings that were not big enough to be used for sawed
+lumber.
+
+“You might as well pitch your shanty here as anywhere, and it will save
+you from dragging your saplings to any great distance. I’ll gash each of
+the saplings that you will need. You will only want ten as I figure it.”
+
+“No, we will want twelve so that we may have a window,” interposed
+Garry.
+
+“That’s a fact,” answered the manager, looking sharply at Garry. “I see
+that you know rather a bit about shanty building. Do you know much about
+logging operations? I suppose you do, however, since you are of a family
+that has always made logging a business.”
+
+Garry felt that the manager was asking this question for a purpose, but
+he promptly answered:
+
+“No, we know very little about logging, surprising as that may seem,
+since as you say it ought to run in the blood. About the only thing we
+understand about timbering operations is the log drive in the spring. We
+were up once to watch the fight for the river, and had a mighty exciting
+time, but the entire business is something new to all of us.”
+
+Garry finished speaking and then looked sharply but guardedly at
+Barrows. He thought he noticed a relieved expression on the face of the
+manager.
+
+The three boys set about felling the saplings, swinging their axes with
+a sure arm and hand. Barrows lingered to watch them at work, although
+Phil was on tenterhooks to have him get away in order that he might
+impart to his chums the information that he had gained from the sentence
+he had overheard at the cook shanty.
+
+The poles being cut, four of them were erected in an upright manner to
+form the main support of the house. At the tops of these, four more were
+placed horizontally to support the roof. Then in the center of the
+front, two were erected to form the sides of the door, while at a side
+two others, in vertical position, allowed the making of a window.
+
+Still the manager made no show of leaving until fortunately for Phil,
+who would have almost exploded had he been forced to keep silent any
+longer, he was called by the red headed cookee.
+
+“Now quick fellows, while I have a chance to tell you. I have found one
+of the traitors in the camp; it is the cookee. He is going to meet some
+one tonight to hatch something out, and you chaps have one guess as to
+who it is.”
+
+“Barrows?” hazarded Dick.
+
+“Wrong. Baptiste LeBlanc!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THE LUMBER CAMP
+
+
+“The LeBlancs again!” exploded Garry. “I thought that we had seen the
+last of that outfit. It seems that we are destined to run afoul of them.
+Fortunately this Baptiste does not know about us, unless he has run
+across his brother lately. That does not seem likely, for Jean is safely
+beyond the border still. There are few places where he is safe, for he
+is wanted in several different parts of the state. Still we must not
+take anything for granted. We probably were seen by Baptiste when we
+were instrumental in saving Howells from a bad beating or worse the
+other night.”
+
+“How are we going to find out where the rendezvous is tonight?” asked
+Dick.
+
+“It seems to me that the best thing to do is to keep watch of the red
+headed cookee; that is, you two chaps do that, while I will watch for
+the man that told him of the appointment. You boys haven’t seen him, so
+you cannot keep on his trail. You can take turns keeping in the vicinity
+of the cookee. If possible you might try and make acquaintance with him,
+although I doubt if you will go very far, since he seems to be a surly
+sort of a chap. Still, there’s no harm in trying. When it comes time for
+the meeting, I should say that it would be best only for me to follow
+them. I can understand what they are saying, and one of us could follow
+unobserved, where three would be spotted in a minute. You chaps can
+plead to being tired after your hike and the work of building the shack,
+and that will give us a chance to get to the new shanty early, and so be
+unobserved.”
+
+At that moment they heard the sound of a tin pan being vigorously beaten
+with a stick, and immediately Dick set up a shout:
+
+“There’s the dinner signal, or my ears and stomach fail me.”
+
+“For once I am ready to eat a good big meal. You are not the only one
+with an appetite today, Dick,” said Garry, and the three raced for the
+cookhouse.
+
+As they neared the cook tent, they saw the lumberjacks piling towards
+the place to eat. They were a sizable group of men, brawny of arm and
+large of frame.
+
+Most of them gave the boys a curious glance as they flocked into the
+shanty. The boys thought that they were to eat in the common dining
+room, but found that they were to eat in a separate room that had been
+partitioned off from the large room. Here ate the manager, the
+timekeeper and cashier, and when he was present, the timber scaler.
+
+The food that was served them was the same as that given the men.
+Barrows explained this by saying that it kept the men in a better humor
+if they knew that the bosses were getting the same fare as they.
+
+“Lumberjacks are just like so many children,” Barrows said. “They are
+always on the lookout for something to quarrel about, and are almost as
+temperamental as grand opera stars. Just now work is scarce, so they
+keep better behaved; but in the winter time, when all the camps are
+going full blast, you have to be careful and treat them properly, else
+they will simply depart for some city where there is a woods agency and
+be sent off to another camp. That is one of the evils of lumbering, the
+agencies. They often try to breed trouble in the camps so that the men
+will quit. Then they pack them off to another logging tract and collect
+a commission from the camp owner for furnishing him with men. If this
+was winter I would think that was what was the trouble here.”
+
+Garry looked up in surprise. He had no idea that Barrows would admit
+that everything was not as it should be at the camp.
+
+He knew that the eyes of the manager were on him, nevertheless he felt
+that an answer was expected of him, or rather a question.
+
+“Why, is there anything the trouble at this camp? From what I’ve seen I
+should say that everyone was working busily and everything was lovely.”
+
+At this the manager brightened up considerably. It seemed to be that
+this was the kind of a remark that he was looking for, and he made haste
+to answer:
+
+“Oh, there is nothing radically wrong here, I only meant that
+occasionally there seemed to be a sort of dissatisfied air on the part
+of the men, but it may only be worry on my part.”
+
+Garry was certain that the entire conversation was brought about in a
+manner to delve into the feelings of the boys, and see how they regarded
+everything. Garry did not believe that their mission was penetrated, but
+thought that the guilty conscience of the manager would make him see an
+enemy in every person he did not know.
+
+The dinner was plain but good. It consisted of pea soup, potatoes, some
+roasted beef, and coffee. The fare at a lumber camp is anything but
+varied. The aforementioned articles, roast pork, stew and beans, with
+either white bread baked at the camp, or great slabs of johnny cake with
+molasses in lieu of syrup was the general thing. Coffee was served at
+every meal.
+
+“For breakfast we have bacon and toast and coffee in our dining room,
+because the men have all eaten and started for work by the time we are
+ready for breakfast,” said Barrows. “Now we will go into the other room,
+and I will give you boys a general introduction to the men. That will
+save you any annoyance when you go about the camp.”
+
+He led the way into the larger room, and stepping on a bench announced:
+
+“Men, these three boys are going to camp here for awhile. This one,”
+pointing to Garry, “is the son of the owner. The other two are his
+friends. I wanted you to meet them so that you may do all you can to
+make their visit here a good one.”
+
+Garry thought to himself, “Yes, you are also showing us to those in your
+crew so they will watch their step while we are around.” A good many of
+the men just sized the boys up, a few hollered good-natured remarks at
+them, while several pressed forward and shook the hands of the boys,
+remarking they had worked many years for Mr. Boone and were glad to meet
+his son and his friends.
+
+The three chums took especial care to fix these men in their minds, for
+the same thought came to them all,—that if trouble arose, it was likely
+that these men would prove loyal friends in need. Barrows detailed some
+of the men to bring back the necessary lumber for the shanty, and then
+the men went back to their work for the afternoon.
+
+Soon they heard a chugging sound and presently a tractor hove into
+sight, dragging a broad-wheeled cart on which was the lumber. The
+manager came up, leading a couple of men with some heavy rolls of tarred
+paper, and all was ready to build the shanty.
+
+Sandy, the big Airedale, was gravely watching the boys when the men with
+the tar paper arrived, and one of them seeing the dog, remarked:
+
+“How would you chaps like to go coon hunting tonight, that is if your
+pup will trail a coon?”
+
+This was just what the boys did not want to do that night, so Garry
+hastily made the excuse that they were tired from their march and the
+work of throwing up the shanty, but said they would be glad to go the
+following night.
+
+This seemed all right to the men, who proceeded to make friends with
+Sandy, that is as much as that sedate dog would let them, for an
+Airedale makes few friends outside of his own family circle.
+
+The work of putting up the shanty was done in a short time since there
+were so many workers, and the addition of two bunks made it complete.
+
+Barrows volunteered the information that there was a spare table in the
+office, and a bench and a couple of chairs that could be taken from the
+dining room.
+
+“Then all we have to do is to cut some balsam boughs for our bunks and
+we will be as snug as bugs in a rug,” announced Phil.
+
+Phil and Dick were dispatched to get the boughs, while Garry talked of
+inconsequential matters with Barrows until their return.
+
+The rest of the afternoon was spent in wandering about the cutting. It
+was a revelation to the boys, the sight of the great timber falling in
+the exact direction that it was wanted. The boys noted that the cut was
+made just as Howells had told them, and they wondered whether or not any
+spikes would be encountered.
+
+The felling of a tree is an interesting process. The swing begins on the
+side where the cutters do not want the tree to fall. Then when the saw
+is better than two-thirds of the way through the trees, the swampers or
+axemen take their stand at either side of the tree, and make a cut a
+trifle under the line where the saw is coming through. This is done to
+cause the tree to fall on that side. The axemen work like clockwork,
+using a double bitted axe,—that is one that has two blades,—and make
+the chips positively fly, one drawing his axe away just in time to let
+the other man make a blow. Just as the moment comes for the tree to
+fall, the cry of “tim-ber-r-r-r” is raised by one of the axemen and this
+is the signal for all to be out of the way as the great tree falls with
+a crash that shakes the ground for many feet around.
+
+Following the falling of the timber, the trimmers begin their work.
+Starting at the base end of the tree, one on each side, they walk up the
+sides of the fallen monarch of the forest, and trim the branches off as
+far as they are able. Many of the branches on the under side of the tree
+are broken in the fall, others are only splintered and many of them are
+just bent. A dozen men then seize their peavy sticks, as they are called
+in Maine, or cant dogs in some other places where lumbering is done, and
+roll the tree over. A peavy stick is a heavy pole about six feet long,
+with a sharp iron point at the end. About a foot from this point is
+attached a loose curved iron arm very much like one side of an ice-man’s
+tongs. This swings back and forth from the handle. The men prod the iron
+point into the trunk of the tree, and then catch the swinging end of the
+hook into the trunk. This gives them almost a handle to the tree, and
+the long pole furnishes them the necessary leverage. At a word from the
+man on the end, all give a mighty heave, and the tree is rolled over,
+when the remaining branches are lopped off.
+
+The lumberjacks are experts in the use of the peavy stick, and it is a
+pretty sight to see them load a great trunk onto a flat car to be drawn
+away. The method is almost the same as that used in turning over a
+trunk,—only just half of the men fix their sticks. They give it half a
+turn and then hold it in position on the skids, while the other half get
+a grip and start turning. In this way, turn and turn about, they roll
+the log right up the skids and onto the car.
+
+In this instance the trunks were not hauled to the mill on a car; a
+chain was attached instead, and then one of the baby tractors was used
+to drag it over the ground to the mill. There were a half a dozen of
+these tractors at the camp. Three were constantly employed in dragging
+the cut timber to the mill, while the other three were used to draw the
+flat cars to the railroad tracks, a half a dozen miles from the camp.
+
+After watching the felling of several trees, the boys essayed trimming,
+and while they were by no means unskillful at it, caused many a laugh
+among the men because of the time they took. Whereas they often took two
+or three strokes to take off a branch, the skilled woodsmen with one
+swift, clean cut, lopped off a good thick branch.
+
+The boys took their chaffing good naturedly and thereby won a lot of
+regard from the jacks, many of whom were ready to sneer at “city chaps.”
+
+From the timbering they went to the sawmill. Here they found a busy whir
+of activity. Logs were rolled onto the carriage and sent down the plane,
+while the great circular saw bit its way through the length of the tree
+like a hot knife through a pat of butter.
+
+The carriage then runs back to where it started, while a mechanical
+device shoves the log sideways as many inches as is desired and the
+carriage starts on its journey again. This is done until the log has
+been “sliced into planks.” These are then piled on one side, waiting for
+the flat cars to be loaded and hauled away by the tractor.
+
+This operation that has been described entails more labor than the
+winter logging, for then the trees are simply cut and rolled to one side
+of the river. This continues throughout the winter until the cutting has
+been complete and then they wait for the ice to go out. As soon as the
+ice breaks up, the logs are tumbled into the river and floated down the
+stream. For days they float down the river to the mills below, which are
+always located on the river banks, and here they are ground up and made
+into pulp from which paper is later manufactured.
+
+The logs are distinguished one from another when they reach their
+journey’s end by branding, much as the horses that roam the feeding
+places in the West are known by their brand. Every lumberman has his
+mark, and a gash is made at one end of the log, and on this is made the
+mark.
+
+For example, Garry’s father had his mark AB, which stood for his
+initials. In this instance it was not necessary to brand the lumber, for
+it all came from the same cutting and was transported directly to the
+same destination.
+
+After supper that night, the men gathered outside their bunkhouses,
+playing cards or simply leaning back against the wall and smoking. One
+of the French Canadian lumberjacks produced a mouth organ, and another a
+battered guitar, and those who spoke the French joined in an old
+“chanson” or song.
+
+Soon one of the Americans, seizing on a lull in the conversation and
+singing, struck up an old-time lumberjack song, and in a moment the
+whole camp had joined in. The lumberjack songs are mostly about camp
+events, the fight for the river at the spring flood, some great battle
+that took place between two rival lumber camps, for your true lumberjack
+is as ready to fight as to eat.
+
+Where these songs come from, no one knows. They are as old as the
+lumbering industry in Maine, and generally are written with a chorus at
+the end. One man sings the verse and then the camp joins in the chorus
+in a thundering tone. There is generally more noise than melody, at
+least in the choruses, for a man that has a fair voice always sings the
+verse part. Some of these songs are of a seemingly endless duration, but
+the lumberjacks never tire of singing them.
+
+As the men sang the moon came up, and made a scene that was long to be
+remembered by the boys. In spite of their enjoying the evening, they
+kept a sharp eye on the movements of the red haired cookee, although he
+made no move to disappear. The boys figured that he probably would not
+until the camp was asleep. Soon the men began to yawn, and turn into the
+bunkhouse, while the boys bade goodnight to the manager and repaired to
+their own shack. They turned in, and as soon as all seemed quiet, Phil
+started out, and walking in the shadows, made for the spot he had picked
+that afternoon as being a safe place to watch the exit from the
+bunkhouse.
+
+Garry and Dick dropped off to sleep, and were only awakened some time
+later by hearing Phil climb into his bunk. In a moment they were wide
+awake.
+
+“What news,” whispered Garry.
+
+“Go on to sleep,” advised Phil in a disappointed tone. “The LeBlanc
+never showed up, and I’ve lost three hours’ sleep for nothing.
+Goodnight!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+A NOCTURNAL VISITOR
+
+
+It was in that dark hour that precedes the dawn, which for some reason
+or other is always the blackest of the night. The three boys were
+sleeping soundly. Suddenly Phil awoke and sniffed the air. For a moment
+or two he was dazed, then he gave a shout.
+
+His cry of alarm woke the others, and they were about to leap from their
+beds when Phil’s warning shout prevented them.
+
+“What’s the trouble, Phil?” asked Garry. “Are there snakes in the shack
+or are you just having a nightmare? Whew!” Garry had no need to ask any
+further questions.
+
+The nocturnal visitor was nothing more nor less than a polecat, that
+little animal of the woods about the size of a cat, but commonly called
+a skunk.
+
+Phil retained his presence of mind, and reached to the bottom of his
+bunk and hauled out one of his heavy shoepacks. With a well directed aim
+he heaved it at the unwelcome little intruder, which at that moment was
+near the door. The force of the blow carried the animal out into the
+night, and then the boys hopped out of their bunks and seized their
+clothes. Keeping a wary eye, they dashed through the door and out of the
+way. The animal by this time was scampering away.
+
+Going back to the shack was almost out of the question, for he had left
+his unmistakable scent behind him.
+
+“There goes my night’s sleep all shot to pieces,” exclaimed Phil in an
+aggravated tone. “First I go on a wild goose chase to hear a plot and
+hear nothing, then this comes up, and blooie, there is goodbye to rest.
+Bet you I take a nap this morning. Wonder if that smell will evaporate
+or will we have to build a new shack. Also there is going to be a door
+on the next one. I don’t want any more night visitors like that chap.”
+
+“Hush a minute,” whispered Garry. To the ears of the boys, trained by
+their work in the woods to catch the slightest sound, came the soft
+noise as of someone walking towards the bunkhouse. In a moment Garry was
+flat on the ground, wiggling along as does an Indian on the war path in
+a manner that the boys had often practiced when they were Scouts.
+
+He was back in about five minutes. The others were all curious to know
+what had made him act in such a mysterious manner.
+
+“Someone was prowling about, and just a moment ago went into the
+bunkhouse. I could hear him when he dropped his shoes as he got ready to
+crawl into the bunk. Here’s what I think. That wood pussy may have
+wandered into the shack all by his lonesome, but for my part I think it
+is the first event in a campaign to make things so unpleasant for us
+that we will cut short our visit and go away,” whispered Garry.
+
+“They couldn’t have picked on anything much better to make it
+unpleasant,” answered Dick. “What will we do now?”
+
+By this time the first faint streaks of dawn appeared, and in a little
+while the camp would be astir.
+
+“It is almost morning, and now that we are wide awake and up, we might
+as well stay so,” answered Garry. “First thing we do this morning is to
+get a few more boards and fashion a door for this shack. Also I saw some
+heavy screening yesterday,—you notice that all the windows are
+screened,—and we will tack a double thickness of that over the window.
+That will afford us some slight protection against the invasion of more
+friends such as the one that paid us an unwelcome call.”
+
+In a little while the camp was starting to come to life. First appeared
+the cookee who favored the boys with a knowing grin, then came the cook,
+who immediately started the work of getting breakfast. Finally,
+struggling into their clothes as they came yawning through the doors,
+appeared the lumberjacks.
+
+Garry cautioned his chums to say nothing for the moment about their
+experience of the night. They passed several moments in chatting with
+those of the lumberjacks with whom they thought they might make friends
+that would perhaps stand them in good stead later on. Garry was telling
+a funny story and at its conclusion the men burst into a roar of
+laughter.
+
+The red headed cookee happened to be passing just as the men began to
+laugh, and he looked sharply at the boys. While he was serving them
+breakfast in the smaller room,—they happened to be alone as Barrows had
+not yet arisen,—he remarked:
+
+“Understand you chaps didn’t sleep very well last night.”
+
+“No, we didn’t,” answered Garry, looking up quickly.
+
+“Well, better luck next time,” and still grinning the cookee shambled
+out of the room.
+
+“Well!” exploded Garry. “If that chap didn’t go and give himself clean
+away first shot out of the gun!”
+
+“Looks as though your hunch about its being a part of the campaign of
+ruthlessness was a fact,” said Dick with a laugh.
+
+“Only question in my mind,” said Phil, “is did he think of it himself as
+a sort of a practical joke, or was he put up to it by Barrows?”
+
+“Looks pretty certain to me that Barrows was the instigator of the
+matter,” answered Garry.
+
+When Barrows appeared, the boys explained the matter to him, and asked
+him for the necessary lumber with which to construct a door, also some
+screening for the window. Barrows told them they could go to the saw
+mill and select whatever they wanted in the way of boards.
+
+As they were getting the boards, an old grizzled lumberman chatted with
+them. He asked why they wanted a door in that kind of weather, and Garry
+told him the story.
+
+“They do leave a reg’lar trail behind them, don’t they?” laughed the old
+man. “I’ll tell you what you can do, though, and it will fix things up
+pretty well. I always keep some sulphur on hand when I’m in the woods.
+Occasionally you get a rash from the browntail moths in the woods, and
+the best thing for a cure is a poultice made with a little sulphur. When
+you put your door on, take a few extra boards and board up your window.
+Then take the sulphur that I give you and put it in a pan and set it on
+fire with a hot coal from the kitchen range. Then you hop out and let
+the shack get thoroughly filled with the fumes o’ the sulphur, and
+you’ll find after a couple or three hours that you’ll have your place
+fumigated as pretty as if you had ten boards of health do the job for
+you.”
+
+The boys thanked the old timer, and left with their lumber. A few
+minutes later he appeared on the scene with his sulphur, and the work of
+boarding the window and making a door being completed, they did as he
+had directed and went on a tour of the camp.
+
+As they were wandering about, with Sandy at their heels, they were again
+approached by the man who had wanted to go on a coon hunt. This time
+they accepted his invitation, and arranged to go that night.
+
+The day passed quickly, for there were many things about the camp to
+attract their attention, and they asked numerous questions of such of
+the lumberjacks as seemed inclined to spend a moment or two to answer
+them.
+
+As soon as it got dark, the coon hunter appeared and asked if they were
+ready to go. He was accompanied by one or two of his friends, and Garry
+noticed that one of them carried a burlap bag.
+
+The boys secured their rifles, and were about to join the party, when
+one of the men, noticing the guns, said:
+
+“You don’t need your rifles, although you can carry ’em if you want. We
+were aiming to catch the coon alive and see if we couldn’t tame him for
+a sort of pet around the camp. That’s what we brought the bag for.”
+
+“Good,” answered Garry. “We aren’t much on shooting animals just for the
+sake of shooting.”
+
+The trio of men led the way to where the man called Tom had said he had
+seen a raccoon a few days before. Sandy was eagerly sniffing at the
+ground, and soon he gave vent to a low growl.
+
+“By gosh, I believe he’s got the scent already,” chuckled one of the
+men. “It may be some other kind of an animal, but I doubt it. All I’ve
+seen around here is the raccoon, although there were a few rabbits at
+different times. Still the raccoon is the most likely to be out prowling
+at this time of night.”
+
+Soon Sandy was off, with his nose close to the ground. After a few
+moments he had left them entirely, and they followed only by means of
+his occasional barks. After almost half a mile of chasing, they heard a
+series of wild barks, and knew that Sandy had driven something to bay.
+
+In a few moments they had caught up to the dog, and there sure enough he
+had something treed and was venting his pleasure by loud and vociferous
+barks.
+
+They peered up into the tree and could see nothing. In the meantime one
+of the men had discovered a hole at the foot of the tree.
+
+“Now one of you fellows get some branches, dry ones of course, and we’ll
+soon have Mr. Coon all trapped as nice as you please.”
+
+One of the men, assisted by Dick, soon gathered an armful of dry sticks.
+Getting a boost from his friend, Tom soon shinnied up the tree, and
+stopped after he had gotten about fifteen feet up well into the
+branches, for it was a small tree.
+
+“Here’s the upper end of the hollow,” he called down. “Now you fellows
+start your fire at the hole down there, while I spread the bag over this
+hole.”
+
+The smudge was soon started, and fanning it with their coats, they drove
+the smoke into the hollow tree trunk. They were always careful not to
+let the flames of the fire get to the tree, or they might have started a
+forest fire that would have been disastrous. As a matter of fact,
+several bad forest fires have started from an unskillful attempt to
+smoke some animal out of a tree.
+
+Soon there was a shout from the man up the tree. “I’ve got him!”
+
+The smoke had proved too much for Brer Raccoon, and he had sought to
+escape by the hole at the top, only to walk into the bag. In a moment
+more Tom had descended the tree with a squirming, snarling animal safely
+tied up in the bag.
+
+On their return to the camp they were greeted by several of the jacks
+who had not yet gone to bed. The catch was exhibited, and one of the men
+produced an old dog collar from the bunkhouse. The collar was snapped on
+the coon’s neck, a stout rope was attached to the ring in the corner to
+be later tied securely to a nail at the corner of the bunkhouse.
+
+“There,” remarked Tom, surveying the result of the night’s catch. “If
+you fellows will lay off and not tease him, and shinny out a little food
+for him once in a while, he’ll get tame as a kitten, and they are a lot
+of fun when they get tame. Almost as good as a monkey.”
+
+“We’ll have to keep Sandy tied up for a while when he is not with us, or
+he’ll make short work of that coon,” remarked Garry.
+
+“Oh, I’ll have ’em as friendly as two brothers in a few days,” was Tom’s
+verdict.
+
+The boys later found that the man Tom had a reputation for being quite a
+hand with animals of every description, but future events will show why
+Sandy and the coon never got well acquainted. Things were on the verge
+of beginning to hum for all hands.
+
+When the boys woke in the morning, they made two startling discoveries.
+The first one was that repeated calls failed to bring Sandy to them, and
+the boys had never remembered the morning when Sandy went so far abroad
+that a few whistles did not bring him back on the run to join his
+companions.
+
+The second surprise was found when Garry noticed a familiar looking roll
+of birch bark at the entrance to the cabin, weighted down by a stone!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+WORD FROM THE HERMIT
+
+
+“Look here, you chaps,” called Garry, as he gazed at the little roll of
+bark, which he had not yet picked up. The boys crowded around and looked
+at him in amazement.
+
+“Without making any rash bets,” announced Garry, “I’ll wager my best
+rifle against a plugged nickel, that one of our friends has been in this
+vicinity within the past few hours. Cast your eyes on that roll of bark,
+and tell me if you dare that we won’t find a funny cryptic little
+message in it!”
+
+“The Hermit!” burst out Dick and Phil almost in one breath.
+
+“That’s my guess. Now we’ll see if we are right,” and Garry stooped and
+picked up the little roll from its resting place beneath the stone.
+“It’s the Hermit, and it’s just the kind of a note I expected to find.
+Listen to this. ‘Unseen watchers often give the best aid. When you need
+me most, I’ll be with you.’ And it’s signed with his old mark, the lone
+pine with the crossmarked boulder,” said Garry as he had finished
+reading.
+
+“Well, if that doesn’t beat anything I ever heard of,” said Dick. “How
+in the name of all that’s wonderful did he ever find us in this part of
+the country?”
+
+“I think I can answer that,” interrupted Phil. “He must have run across
+Nate Webster and asked about us. It is likely that Nate told him where
+we were going, and since he knew that we were good friends, might have
+given him an inkling of the business that we were here on. The thing
+that puzzles me is why he should not have waited and seen us, or even
+waked us up to say howdy.”
+
+“Well, you know what a queer old codger he was, and this latest stunt is
+typical of him. Much as I would like to see him, I confess I would have
+been a little bit disappointed if he had not done something out of the
+ordinary,” replied Garry.
+
+“Wonder where he went after he left the note?” queried Dick.
+
+“Oh, he’s probably somewhere out in the woods, you know life in the open
+woods is nothing to him, after all the years that he must have lived in
+them. The main question now, since we can do nothing about our friend
+the Hermit, as he will come in his own good time, is to see what has
+happened to Sandy. I cannot understand his going away. He may have
+chased up some animal, and if so he will be back. But it is unusual for
+him ever to stir away from where we are sleeping until he knows that we
+are up and about.”
+
+Throughout the morning they searched every nook and corner of the camp,
+going almost to the edge of the cutting operations, asking all the
+workers they met whether or not the dog had been seen. Their search was
+of no avail. The day dragged on, still no Sandy, and each passing hour
+made the chums more downcast.
+
+“I’m beginning to think that this is step number two to drive us out,”
+gritted Garry between his teeth. “I tell you this, boys, if it is so,
+and I’m inclined to believe it more and more, if any harm comes to Sandy
+through the machinations of this crew that are trying to ruin Dad’s
+business, there’s going to be one of the sweetest little wars started
+that Barrows and his whole crew ever even dreamed of.”
+
+“I’m with you, Garry. That dog was more than human, and the best friend
+that a bunch of chums like us could ever hope to have,” replied Dick as
+he patted his friend on the shoulder. Phil said nothing, but the others
+could see by the tightening of the corners of his mouth,—the danger
+signal when Phil was really aroused over anything,—that he was with
+them to the end.
+
+“There doesn’t seem to be anything that we can do. I’ve looked carefully
+over the ground for any signs of a struggle, but I can find nothing.
+There was some trickery of some kind to get Sandy away. It may have been
+done only to steal him and possibly sell him, but it may be that there
+was a foul purpose in getting the dog away from us. The time has come
+for real action. Let’s get going early in the morning and keep our eyes
+and ears sharply on the lookout. Phil, you watch the cookee closely and
+see if there are any more midnight appointments to be made. Dick, you
+look out for the sawmill, and see if there is any funny business being
+done with the saw. You know enough about machinery to be able to detect
+if it is working properly, and your common sense will tell you if there
+seems to be a slackening up of production. It stands to reason that the
+boss of the sawmill must be in on this scheme, for more delay can be
+caused here than anywhere else. It is unlikely that there are many men
+in on this plot. Too many would make it unsafe for the conspirators,
+they couldn’t all keep their mouths shut. I’ll keep an eye on Barrows
+and see what conferences he holds with the men. I hope that Howells gets
+back here soon, I feel that we need immediate advice from someone who is
+more experienced in the lumbering business than we are. Now let’s hop to
+it.”
+
+The two boys did as their leader had directed. Phil ambled off to the
+cookhouse with the intention of offering his services in peeling
+potatoes to the cookee in order that he might have an excuse for keeping
+near the fellow. Dick at once made for the sawmill.
+
+When he arrived there, the busy hum of activity seemed to be all about
+him. But as he watched he became conscious of the fact that there seemed
+to be several things that delayed the game. The man who drove one of the
+tractors seemed to be having continual trouble with the engine, and
+several minutes on each trip were consumed in needless repairs. Dick
+could see with half an eye that there was little the trouble with the
+engine except that which was created by the driver himself. The man kept
+up a continual stream of grumbling at the way the engine was acting,
+evidently to make the trouble appear to be real.
+
+Once Dick saw that there was a loose wire connection which the driver
+purposely overlooked, and after he had watched the man waste ten minutes
+in needless overhauling, he stepped up and offered his services.
+
+The man refused with a growl and an oath. Dick managed to restrain his
+temper, although he wanted to tell the man how evident his stalling
+around was.
+
+“Oh, all right, I don’t mean to interfere with your business, but your
+wire to your battery is unconnected,” and Dick turned on his heel.
+
+Seeing that Dick really knew what he was talking about, the driver
+attached the wire and in a moment or two was off for another load of
+logs.
+
+“If he wastes that much time every trip,” thought Dick to himself, “he
+might just as well try to bring in the logs on his back. In the course
+of a week that would mean almost a day’s production gone to waste, and I
+haven’t watched long enough to know how much time he takes on his trip.”
+
+Quite frequently the saw would be stopped for a moment while the boss
+sawyer oiled up different parts of the machinery. He did not seem to
+like Dick’s watching him, but he was evidently a little wiser than the
+driver, and attempted an explanation.
+
+“This is the last saw we have in the camp,” he told Dick. “The ones that
+we ordered haven’t shown up yet, and if anything goes wrong with this
+one, we are hurt and hurt bad.”
+
+Dick pretended a great deal of ignorance about the saw, but he could see
+that the sawyer regarded him with some suspicion.
+
+Dick kept in the sawmill, but stayed as much as possible in the
+background. After nearly an hour of watching, a great log was rolled
+onto the carriage, and glancing at his watch, the boss sawyer called an
+assistant and gave him charge of the saw. Then he hastened from the mill
+and started in the direction of the camp, evidently to hold a conference
+with Barrows. Dick was turning to saunter out when he heard a terrific
+tearing sound as of steel being ground between heavy rollers, then a cry
+of pain from the sawyer. Dick turned and rushed to the scene. The saw
+was still grinding into the obstruction that was causing the noise, and
+several pieces of flying steel were in the air. The sawyer had his hands
+clasped to his face, and the blood was streaming from between his
+fingers.
+
+Dick saw that there was no one with presence of mind enough to throw the
+lever that shut off the saw, and he ran and threw off the lever. Then he
+returned to the injured man. The flying teeth of the saw had cut his
+face in several places, but fortunately his eyes were uninjured. That he
+had escaped being blinded was almost a miracle.
+
+The thought that flashed through Dick’s mind that here was an instance
+of what Howells had told them, of the spiking a tree in the upper part
+where it would hit the saw. Dick asked the old man who had told them how
+to fumigate their shack the day before if he could roll back the saw
+without starting up the engine and causing more teeth to be broken and
+start flying about the place.
+
+In a few minutes the old timer had worked the saw back so that Dick
+could examine it. It required only a moment to see that the saw was
+irreparably ruined. Most of the teeth had been bent or broken off, and a
+further examination showed that several parts of the saw carriage and
+control had been broken or strained by the unwonted burden that had been
+put on them.
+
+At this moment the boss sawyer and Barrows, the manager, had come
+rushing up to the mill to inquire what was the trouble. Garry was with
+them, and Dick gave him a significant look, unobserved by the others.
+
+“What’s all the trouble?” inquired Barrows needlessly, for he could see
+with half an eye the damage that had been wrought.
+
+“Seems as if your saw was a total wreck,” answered Dick. “Must have
+struck a ton of metal in the heart of that tree to do all that damage.”
+
+“Nonsense,” cried Barrows. “Whoever heard of metal in a tree?”
+
+“Could it have been a defective saw?” inquired Garry soberly, for the
+purpose of hearing what reply Barrows would make.
+
+“Yes, that’s what it must have been, a defective saw,” repeated the
+manager, parrot fashion.
+
+“Defective saw me eye,” broke in the old helper. “That tree has been
+spiked and spiked good and plenty. That’s the second saw that went that
+way this summer. Tother time it nearly killed the sawyer when the belt
+flew off and almost got him tangled up in the machinery. There’s one
+sure way to find out what caused it, and that’s to roll her off the
+carriage and split off that place where the saw started to eat through.
+If there isn’t a spike there, you can have my month’s wages.”
+
+“You seem to know all about it, and perhaps we shall find out why you
+know so much about the matter,” and Barrows favored the old man with a
+look that boded no good to him.
+
+In the face of the old timer’s statement, and because Dick and Garry
+were looking at the manager as though they expected him to take speedy
+action, there was nothing for Barrows to do but follow the suggestion
+and order the log rolled off. This was done, and then several wedges
+were driven in, and using the backs of single bitted axes, the section
+of tree was soon split open. There plainly revealed to view were several
+bent, cut and twisted spikes!
+
+“That’s what broke your saw,” exclaimed the old man. “Shame, too, a nice
+saw like that ruined and the only one in the camp at that!”
+
+“That will do, Collins,” cut in Barrows sharply. “Your opinion wasn’t
+asked. Besides, I am still wondering how your knowledge of the spiking
+seemed to prove so accurate.”
+
+“I was raised in the woods, and I know all the little tricks. There’s
+dirty work afoot here somewhere,” returned old Collins staunchly.
+
+“Yes, I guess you do know all the tricks, but I know a good one, too;
+you go and get your pay from the timekeeper and start on your way,”
+ground out the manager.
+
+“Isn’t that just a trifle hasty, Mr. Barrows?” cut in Garry.
+
+“Listen, my boy. With all due respect to the son of my employer, I must
+say that I am manager of this camp, and what I say goes. You know I am
+protecting your father’s business, and there has been so much funny
+business going on lately that something must be done, and I am going to
+begin by cutting out all the suspicious characters. In my judgment
+Collins is such a character.”
+
+“Huh,” muttered Dick in an undertone. “A fine protector you are, and you
+know that Collins is innocent. He knows too much, that’s all.”
+
+Old Collins marched out of the mill section and started toward the
+office. A moment later Dick unobtrusively followed him. In a few seconds
+he had caught up with the man and said goodbye to him.
+
+“Goodbye, my lad, and let me give you a warning. Tell your pal that his
+father’s business is going to pot here. There’s something underfoot, I
+don’t know what it is or why, but it’s there. Too many accidents. You
+watch that Barrows and watch the timekeeper, and keep an eye on the two
+drivers with the moustaches. Throw in the cookee for good measure, and
+you’ll have a precious lot of rascals.”
+
+Dick tried to elicit further information, but found that the old fellow
+either did not know anything specific, or was crotchety and would not
+tell.
+
+There being nothing that could be done further, the manager and Dick
+returned to the office, while Garry went to the bunkhouse to see if he
+could render any aid to the man who had been cut by the flying particles
+of the saw.
+
+At the office they found waiting their acquaintance of the attempted
+holdup, Arthur Howells. He acted according to the agreement and waited
+till they had been introduced.
+
+“This is our scaler and cruiser,” announced Barrows.
+
+Upon the boys professing ignorance of what the duties of a scaler were,
+they received an invitation from Howells to come with him after dinner
+and watch the operations. Barrows heartily advised the boys to go with
+him and learn something of the way in which the trees were spotted and
+the lumber measured.
+
+The chums knew well that the invitation was solely for the purpose of
+getting them away from the camp so that they could confer on what was
+going on.
+
+After dinner they sought out Howells, and after he had armed himself
+with a scaling stick, marked off in measurements, which was used to
+measure the trees, they wandered into the woods.
+
+“Now, boys, what news?” he asked.
+
+In a few words they told him of the events that had transpired since
+their arrival.
+
+Howells was especially interested in the matter of the spiked tree, and
+was indignant at the fact that Collins had been discharged.
+
+“Why, the old man was as honest as the day is long. He used to know your
+father a good many years ago, Garry, and he would never do anything that
+would harm him or his business,” Howells said vehemently.
+
+“Next thing on the docket,” said Garry, “is to ask what news you have.”
+
+“I have something that will knock the feet almost out from under you. In
+addition to the trouble caused by the breakage and wasting, there is
+something even deeper yet. I always get the reports from the receiving
+stations of the amount of lumber that is sent out. I know after
+measuring, just how much has gone out. Today my reports show that all
+the timber that is cut here does not arrive at its destination.
+
+“What do you mean?” said Garry.
+
+“Just what I mean is this. Somewhere, somehow, your father’s lumber is
+being stolen en route to its destination!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+THE BOYS LOSE AN ALLY
+
+
+The words of Howells stunned the boys for a moment. Then Garry delivered
+himself of a few vehement words regarding the thieves.
+
+“We have been here only a couple of days or so, and yet we find that
+this logging camp is a hive of rascals and thieves. And still we have
+done nothing. We must get to work and nip this thing in the bud, else
+the whole summer’s work at the camp here will have gone for naught, to
+say nothing of the irreparable financial loss that will be caused to
+Dad, not only from the penalties for failure to live up to his
+contracts, but the money loss from the stolen timber will mount up well
+into the hundreds I am afraid. Now we must put a stop to this thing. I
+believe that I will go out tomorrow and go to town and ’phone Father
+that he had better make a cleanup here at the camp. Perhaps we don’t
+know just who the guilty parties are, but if we get rid of the whole
+shooting match we can stop it. How much timber would you estimate has
+been stolen?” he concluded, turning to Howells.
+
+“I can’t say as to that. This last report is the only one that I have
+received direct. Generally I have been given what was supposed to be a
+duplicate copy of the one sent to Barrows. This time I happened to get
+the mail myself at the postoffice. Generally one of Barrow’s men gets
+the mail, and it is distributed. This letter was addressed to me
+personally, and I have no doubt that the others were also, but were
+opened and doctored up to appear all right. That’s a prime bit of
+evidence if we can secure the proof. Tampering with Uncle Sam’s mail is
+a serious crime, and draws a long prison term. Now as for your going out
+of the woods tomorrow and ’phoning your father, Garry, I would advise
+against it. Nothing very serious can happen in the next few days. Little
+work can be done until a new saw comes, and there will be little
+shipping of timber except that which has been waiting to be transported.
+In the meantime, if, as your father is led to believe, this whole matter
+is a move on the part of the big interests to crush him in the lumber
+business, the firing of the present manager and crew will have little
+effect. Your dad evidently trusted Barrows, else he would not have sent
+him here. If he is guilty, you may be sure that the enemy, for such we
+must call them, made it mighty well worth his while to turn traitor.
+What is to prevent the next manager from being affected in the same way?
+And even if a trustworthy manager were secured, the big interests can
+always bribe enough of the laborers to do all the necessary damage that
+would be required to spoil the season. My advice is to lay low for a few
+days and get evidence that will get the ‘man higher up,’ the one who is
+the instigator of this whole thing. Once you can spike his guns, there
+will be no further danger of trouble here, and also it will enable your
+father to take court action that will restore him damages for the stolen
+timber, and will also give him a chance to sue those who have harmed him
+so that he can make the penalties that will be inflicted in case enough
+damage has already been done to make him forfeit his contracts. I should
+say now that he was a good three weeks behind his shipments, and that is
+a whole lot in one season. He has guaranteed to deliver a certain amount
+of timber at its destination by the last of September. It is the middle
+of August now, and he must make every minute count from now on to get
+out the required amount. Get the man responsible for this business and
+you will have accomplished what you have set out to. What do you think
+of my advice?”
+
+“Sounds logical, and I think we will follow it. In the meantime I have a
+hunch now in regard to that stolen timber. I think I can hitch up a few
+things Barrows has tried to dissuade us from doing, and a certain lake
+in this vicinity. That’s our next work. Now what do you propose to do,
+Mr. Howells?” asked Garry.
+
+“First thing I’m going to do is to go straight to Barrows and tell him
+about the deficiency shown by the records. That will do one of two
+things, I believe; either show him up for a crook, or else show that he
+is straight and start him investigating the thefts. If the latter
+happens, which I am frank to say I do not think will, then we have
+accomplished a great deal of good.”
+
+Howells, however, had barely finished speaking, when the red haired
+cookee appeared at the shack and told him that Barrows wanted to see him
+at the camp office immediately.
+
+Having delivered the message, the cookee sauntered off, and Howells
+looked at the boys with a puzzled stare.
+
+“Wonder what’s up now. Thought that we talked over everything there was
+a little while ago. Well, there’s no use in wondering. I’m off to see
+his Royal Highness and find out what he wants. I’ll see you after a
+little while.”
+
+Howells hustled off to the office and left the boys to talk things over
+among themselves.
+
+“What did you mean, Garry, when you said that you had a hunch about
+lakes and things?” inquired Phil.
+
+“Why, you remember how insistent Barrows has been that we make a sort of
+playground out of the little lake, setting forth its advantages about
+swimming, fishing and all that, and has done everything that he can do
+to discourage us from going near the big lake. I have let him believe
+that we took everything he said for granted, so I thought that tonight,
+if possible, we would make a trip to the big lake and see what’s what,”
+Garry answered.
+
+“I’m wondering if Barrows is clever enough to play the old trick used by
+conjurers and magicians?” mused Phil.
+
+“What do you mean, magician?” queried Garry with a puzzled look at his
+friend.
+
+“Why, you know a magician always directs the attention of his audience
+to the thing that he is generally going to do, figuring that the people
+will be on the watch for a trick, and will be so busy trying to find the
+hidden trick, that they look everywhere but where the magician tells ’em
+to, and in the meantime he has done his trick.”
+
+“I see,” exclaimed Garry. “You mean that Barrows may figure that we will
+guess he has been discouraging us about the big lake for the very
+purpose of making us go there rather than to the smaller body of water,
+where some sort of villainy may be going on.”
+
+“That’s it exactly,” returned Phil.
+
+“I think you have a good hunch there, Phil, although I rather think that
+Barrows is not clever enough to dope out that trick. Still, there can be
+no harm in watching both lakes. Suppose that we take a little trip today
+to the small one, and then tomorrow night we will hustle over to the big
+one after the camp has turned in for the night. Guess that will be our
+best plan. Now let’s wait for Barrows and Howells to finish their
+conversation, and we will trot over while I ask a few leading
+questions.”
+
+They waited a few minutes, talking over their probable course of action,
+and were about to set out for the office, when Howells appeared on the
+scene. Rage and disappointment were depicted in his face, and the boys
+were quick to take notice of this.
+
+“What’s the matter? You look as though you had bad news to bring us,”
+said Garry.
+
+“Well, it’s bad news for me, at any rate, and I think also for you. I
+believe I have proof enough that Barrows is a crook from the word go. I
+have been discharged from my job as cruiser and scaler and ordered to
+leave the place immediately.”
+
+“Why, I can hardly believe you, what’s it all about?” asked Phil.
+
+“Well, it’s a short story. I had hardly gotten inside the office, when
+Barrows told me I was through. Naturally all other thoughts left my
+head, that is about my errand, and I asked him why. He replied that when
+he hired me he thought he was getting an accurate scaler, and that the
+reports showed that the amount of timber I had reported was cut had not
+been delivered. Immediately I knew that he was on to the fact that I was
+aware of the shortage and was spiking my guns before I could do or say
+anything. Now I know that I have accurately measured all the timber that
+was cut in this tract. I was at school long enough to learn how to scale
+if I never learned anything else. Of course we had words, and I forgot
+myself and accused him of knowing that timber was disappearing, and he
+was covering up by throwing the blame on me. Of course there was nothing
+that I could do, so I told him a few wholesome truths and walked out of
+the office.”
+
+“Then that definitely settles Barrows’ status here,” said Garry. “He
+knows that timber is being stolen, and he wants to cover it up. I hope
+you did not connect us in any way with you while you were telling
+Barrows what you thought of him, did you Art?”
+
+“You bet I didn’t. I kept my head that much, at any rate.”
+
+“Well, we have lost a valuable ally since you must go away. I suppose,
+though, we could hire you as a guide and keep you here. Barrows could
+make no objection then,” said Garry.
+
+“No, that would be the worst thing that you could do. It would put
+Barrows on his guard, for he would immediately leap to the conclusion
+that I had told you everything. No, the wisest thing for me to do is to
+hop out and go back to town. Then in a few days I could get back here
+and see what I could dig up in the way of stolen timber. I think the
+most advisable thing to do would be to find out from some of the railway
+stations near here where timber is being shipped from, and in that way
+we could get a line on where it is going. Then you chaps on the inside
+can browse about a bit and find out how it is stolen. Between us we can
+secure evidence that will uncover the whole plot. I’m going out now,
+before they get onto the fact that we have had time to talk things over.
+In the meantime, take my advice, and keep your eyes open every minute.
+Eternal vigilance on your part is going to be the price of success. Not
+that I believe any harm will come to you. Barrows would not dare attempt
+that; but he could move so stealthily that you could not find out
+anything. Now I’ll say goodbye and trot along. Good luck to you, and I
+will contrive some way to get word to you of what is going on.”
+
+Howells shook hands with the boys, and then loped off to get his
+dunnage. The boys watched his departure sadly, for they had counted a
+great deal on the help that the young timberman could give them.
+
+“Well, fellows, that puts it directly up to us again. We will have to
+work on our own hook and get to the bottom of this. Now let’s have
+action. Tomorrow morning—it is too late now to do anything—we will
+take a little trip to the small lake, Kanamo Lake I think they call it;
+Dutton is the name of the big one, and start our search there. We will
+simply say that we are going off for some fishing and swimming. Now
+we’ll go to the office, and remember, not a word about knowing that
+Howells was discharged.” And concluding his talk, Garry led the way to
+the office.
+
+Barrows watched them narrowly as they came in, but said nothing.
+
+“Thought we’d get a little information about Kanamo Lake,” said Phil, as
+they seated themselves.
+
+“Yes,” chimed in Garry. “We are going off there early tomorrow and have
+a little fishing and perhaps a swim or two. We haven’t done anything
+since we got here but watch the timber cutting, and that isn’t a novelty
+any longer. What we especially want to find out is whether there is any
+canoe or boat on either of the lakes that we could use to get some
+really good fishing.”
+
+“There isn’t a boat or canoe of any sort on either Dutton or Kanamo,”
+answered the manager. “But you will find that will not interfere with
+your fishing. Part of the banks are well covered with reeds, and early
+in the morning and after the sun has gone down you can catch a fine mess
+of pickerel. Throughout the day the bass can be caught from the bank if
+you boys are any hand at making a good long cast. I suppose as soon as
+the timber cutting is done, the tourists will begin to swarm here for
+summer camping, and then there will be plenty of boats and few fish.
+That’s generally the way.” The manager talked heartily as though
+relieved that the conversation had taken the turn that it had, and
+perhaps because of the information that the boys were going to get away
+from the camp. It was likely that he had expected some questioning
+because of the discharge of the scaler. Evidently thinking over the
+matter, he decided something in his mind, and turning to Garry, remarked
+casually: “I had hoped that the arrival of the scaler would give me a
+little extra time so that I could do some fishing with you and act as
+guide around here, but I regret to say that I found him incompetent and
+was obliged to discharge him. He was careless about his measurements, or
+else did not know how to measure properly, and all our records are
+messed up so that it will take me several days to get them straightened
+out. Fortunately I know pretty well what’s been shipped and can check
+against the bills of lading. Well, there goes the cook’s supper call.”
+
+Following supper, the boys made excuses that they wanted to get their
+fishing tackle in order and retired early to their shack. They got to
+sleep early, as they expected a strenuous day on the morrow, and also
+hoped to be able to make a trip to Dutton Lake at night, hence wanted
+sleep.
+
+Just as they were undressing, Dick uttered an exclamation of disgust.
+
+“What’s the matter, Dick, lose a button?” inquired Phil.
+
+“No, confound it, lost that nice knife with my name on it that I bought
+in Bangor.”
+
+“That’s too bad, lost your nice toy. Well, you should worry, as you have
+your sensible scout knife that will cut even if it hasn’t a nice name on
+it,” laughed Phil.
+
+Early morning found them routed out with the dawn, and as they hurried
+for the cookhouse to get some supplies with which to cook a luncheon at
+the lake, they heard the cook and his helper talking about some marauder
+that had been captured the night before and was locked up in the
+storehouse.
+
+Neither seemed to know much about it, but the boys could see that the
+cookee was on tenterhooks, and several times tried to get out, only to
+be called by the cook and set to doing some necessary task toward the
+getting of breakfast. This uneasiness on the part of the cookee made the
+boys think that possibly Baptiste LeBlanc had been caught, and decided
+that when they had eaten they would have a look at the prisoner.
+
+Barrows appeared when they were half way through breakfast, and the
+chums at once began to question him regarding the capture of the unknown
+man and what he might have wanted there.
+
+“Perhaps he is the one who has been causing a lot of trouble around
+here,” said Barrows. “I haven’t seen him yet. Couple of the men found
+him snooping around the office last night, and after locking him up,
+woke me up and told me about him. After I eat I am going to question
+him, and if you want to get a little later start on your fishing trip,
+you can come and take a look at him.”
+
+This was exactly what the boys wanted, and they thanked Barrows for the
+invitation. They made a hurried meal, and then after Barrows had posted
+the notices for the section bosses for the day, they went to the
+storehouse, which was the most solid looking building in the camp, being
+built of great logs with a thick double hasp and padlocks on the door.
+Inside were kept the cooking supplies for the camp.
+
+The manager produced a key, and throwing open the door, called to the
+prisoner to come out.
+
+The three chums pressed forward eagerly to see if they were right in
+their guess that LeBlanc or his evil associate had been captured.
+
+What they did finally see nearly knocked them off their feet. There was
+a shuffling sound as of some one getting up, and then through the door
+into the sunlight, walked The Hermit!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+THE FIRST HIKE
+
+
+It was nearly a minute before the boys could find their tongues. The
+hermit stood there blinking in the sunlight, for it had been pitch black
+inside of the storehouse.
+
+Finally Garry shouted:
+
+“Hello, Hermit. Where did you come from?”
+
+Barrows stared at the boys in surprise.
+
+“Do you know this man?” he asked sharply.
+
+“Of course we do,” replied the boys, almost simultaneously. “It isn’t so
+long ago that he was of great aid to us in our work on the fire patrol,”
+added Garry. Immediately he could have kicked himself, for he had by
+this statement let Barrows know that the man might be of help to them
+again.
+
+“What are you trying to do around here?” snapped Barrows, turning to the
+hermit. “Trying to steal something, or set fire to the camp or something
+of that sort?”
+
+“That will be just about enough, Mr. Barrows,” interrupted Garry. “We
+happen to know this old man, and I’ll vouch for him personally. It is
+probable that he came here to visit us, and was wandering about when
+your men, naturally thinking him to be a marauder, seized him. You can
+take my word for it that he’s all right.”
+
+Barrows evidently resented the way in which Garry had spoken to him. “I
+think I am the best judge of what to do in this camp, young man. I am
+not satisfied with his presence here, and it is my intention to have him
+taken to town and lodged in jail there until I find out what’s at the
+bottom of the broken saws and such occurrences in the camp.”
+
+“Now just one moment, Barrows,” said Garry with a determined ring in his
+voice, and a snap in his eyes that boded little good for Barrows. “I am
+not one who will naturally trade on his being the son of the man who
+owns this camp, but I give you ample warning that if my word is doubted
+in this matter, and this old man, who is as harmless as a rabbit, is not
+freed immediately, I will go to town this morning and take steps that
+will cause your instant removal from this camp. I have never asked my
+father to back me in anything that I was not absolutely sure of, and you
+can rely on the fact that he will take my word in this case, knowing me
+as he does. Now Mr. Barrows, you may take your choice in this matter and
+decide quickly.”
+
+The manager hesitated a moment, evidently trying to decide just who had
+the upper hand in the situation. Seeing this, Garry turned to Phil and
+Dick, and said:
+
+“Boys, go pack up your dunnage and get ready to leave in fifteen
+minutes.”
+
+The two chums turned on their heels without a word, and were starting
+for the shack when Barrows, seeing that he was beaten, called:
+
+“Never mind, boys, the old man will go free this minute.”
+
+He said it with a bad grace, and the glances that he covertly cast at
+the boys showed that he was enraged at the turn affairs had taken. What
+made him still angrier was the fact that the cook and two or three men
+had gathered around and seen him come out second best in the battle of
+words.
+
+He determined to make the best of a bad situation.
+
+“I am afraid that I spoke a little too hastily in this thing,” he said,
+coming closer to Garry. “I want you to remember that I am always trying
+to protect your father’s interests here; that is what he pays me for,
+and I thought that there might be something peculiar in this chap’s
+showing up here in the dead of night.”
+
+Garry, having won his point, and for the sake of future peace and
+freedom from interference, resolved to mollify the manager.
+
+“That’s all right, Mr. Barrows. Only I want to tell you this,” and here
+Garry lowered his voice: “The old chap is mentally unbalanced, and it
+was largely for that reason that I did not want him to be annoyed. He
+lives near a tract of wild land where we patrolled early this summer,
+and was very decent to us, tanning skins of animals that we shot, and
+leaving us rabbits for eating. It is a pet trick of his to wander about
+at night, and appear very mysteriously, and as I propose to have him
+stay with us a few days, I wish you would pass the word that he is
+afflicted and caution the men not to tease or annoy him.”
+
+Barrows assented grudgingly and then marched off to the office.
+
+Left alone with the hermit, for the cook and the others had departed for
+their customary tasks, the boys eagerly asked the hermit what he meant
+by his note, and if he had anything to tell them.
+
+“I didn’t mean to get caught,” he said. “I know what you boys are here
+for. Nate told me a little and I can make two and two equal four. I was
+creeping through the woods last night to come and leave a letter for
+you, when I heard some men talking, and crept up to listen to them. They
+were just getting ready to leave and all I heard was a man saying that
+his brother would soon be there and that he would know how to deal with
+those spies. I couldn’t get a good look at the man, but he spoke with an
+accent, and was a heavy, strongly built man. That’s what I was going to
+write to you, for I believe you are the ones that the men in the secret
+meeting meant when they referred to spies.”
+
+The boys looked aghast at each other when they heard the concluding
+words of their friend the hermit. At once the same thought leaped into
+the minds of all three. Man with an accent, heavily built and strong
+appearing. Brother was coming to help him. All put together it meant
+only one thing, and that was voiced by Dick.
+
+“Jean LeBlanc!”
+
+The others echoed the name of their Nemesis after Dick.
+
+“What’s that, did you speak of LeBlanc?” inquired the hermit.
+
+“That’s just what we did,” replied Garry grimly. “That man you
+described, unless we are very badly mistaken, was Baptiste, a brother of
+Jean. And if Jean is on the way, we must guard ourselves every minute.
+And we must make every moment count, for once he gets here he will make
+strenuous efforts to get us in trouble, if not on his own hook, then in
+cahoots with Barrows. Now let’s break for the small lake. Suppose you
+stay with us a few days, Hermit, and help us in our work.”
+
+“No, that would not be good tactics,” was the reply of the hermit. “It
+would cause trouble to you boys with that man who wished me lodged in
+durance vile.”
+
+As was usual, the words of the hermit were anything but those that would
+be naturally used by a man that had lived the greater part of his life
+in the deep woods, far removed from all human beings. But the aged
+hermit was always surprising them, if not by his talk, by his unusual
+actions.
+
+Garry had often thought that the old man was wise in his conclusions, so
+he asked what could be suggested.
+
+“I would say that you should go to the manager and tell him that I had
+been offended by my reception and consequently had refused to stay and
+visit you, going off in a huff. Then that will give me a chance to
+return to the forest and watch for the coming of LeBlanc. I will
+guarantee that I will not be captured again. I was too sure of myself
+last night, since I did not know that the camp was full of night spies,
+who held rendezvous in the dark of the night. I will warn you in the
+usual way if LeBlanc approaches. In the meantime, my instinct tells me
+that the man with whom you quarreled, Garry, is not to be trusted. Watch
+him. Now I will go if you will give me some food to carry with me for
+breakfast. I am hungry.”
+
+“There’s one thing I wish you would do first, Hermit,” said Garry,
+calling him by the only name they knew, and which appeared to please
+rather than offend the old recluse, “and that is go to the nearest town
+and mail a letter for us. There is no one in the camp now that I would
+trust with a message, and none of us who could get away. I should have
+thought to do it yesterday when Howells left, but forgot it in the
+excitement of his being discharged.”
+
+Borrowing Dick’s ever ready notebook, Garry scribbled off a brief note
+to his father, advising him to check carefully the shipments of timber,
+and telling him in guarded words, that he had several clues that
+properly trailed down would soon lead to the unmasking of the traitors
+in the camp. He folded the note and gave the hermit money with which to
+buy a stamped envelope, and on another leaf of paper wrote the address
+to which the note should be sent.
+
+This the hermit promised to do at the earliest possible opportunity. He
+then proposed that they walk a few hundred yards out of the camp with
+him, so that they might select a spot where notes could be left without
+his having to penetrate the dangers of the camp at night.
+
+This the boys agreed to do, and after a brisk walk selected a tree with
+a hollow, half concealed in it, and established that as the
+“postoffice.” The hermit then took up his journey, while the boys
+returned to the office to tell the manager, as they had agreed to do,
+about the hermit’s leaving. When Barrows heard their story he seemed
+relieved and was apparently only too anxious to ingratiate himself with
+the boys again, for he realized that he had overstepped the mark a bit
+in his words with Garry a short time previous.
+
+“You should have brought the old chap back, and perhaps I could have
+persuaded him that it was all a mistake,” but the boys were quick to
+detect the false ring in his tone.
+
+“Now we are off to Kanamo Lake for our delayed fishing trip, and so that
+you may not get uneasy if we do not return by nightfall, let us tell you
+that we are used to making camp wherever we happen to be, and so will be
+all right. I only wish there was a canoe on the lake, and we would take
+a three or four-day hike, canoeing from spot to spot on the lake, and
+camping wherever we saw fit,” concluded Garry.
+
+“Sorry there isn’t. You might make a flatboat out of some lumber, but
+there is nothing with which to calk the seams, and the task of dragging
+the lumber to the water would be almost too much to bother with for the
+short time that you are going to stay here,” replied Barrows.
+
+As the boys set out on their seven-mile hike to the lake, they discussed
+the way in which Barrows was continually bringing into the conversation
+the suggestion that they were not going to stay very long.
+
+“I wonder if that is a warning unintentionally given, or is the wish
+just father to the thought?” asked Garry. “I don’t remember ever saying
+anything to Barrows about the length of time that we intended to spend
+here.”
+
+“Maybe it is just the wish coming to surface as you say. At any rate,
+let’s not worry about that for awhile. We will have bridges enough to
+cross when we come to them.”
+
+The chums pursued their way through the fragrant woods, spicy with the
+smell of pine and balsam. Occasionally they heard the whirr of wings as
+a covey of grouse or partridge, frightened at the sound of approaching
+footsteps, took wing and flew away from the cover where they had been
+hiding. The sound of the birds brought to the minds of the trio the sad
+thought of the missing Sandy, for he had the canine instinct of most
+dogs to flush a bird. He had so often hunted with the boys that they had
+taught him to retrieve a bird as does a regular pointer or hunting dog.
+
+“Tell you what we’ll do when we get back to the camp tonight,” announced
+Phil. “We’ll offer a reward for the finding of Sandy. I think myself
+that some of the lumberjacks, perhaps that chap that took us coon
+hunting, recognized the value of Sandy and stole him, determined to sell
+him and make a few dishonest dollars. Sandy is worth more to us than
+many people would want to pay for him, and I think if we offered a big
+enough reward we might get him back.”
+
+This was agreed on by the boys, and chatting merrily of many things,
+they trekked through the forest to the lake.
+
+They took turns setting the pace and so made brisk time, even Dick
+keeping up without grumbling, although there was no circus at the end of
+the trail to lure him on to greater speed. However, Dick smelled
+adventure in the air, and hence all his seemingly lazy ways dropped and
+he dug to the trail as if his life depended on it.
+
+Soon they reached the lake, which lay like a jewel in the midst of the
+forest. For the most part it was surrounded by trees, thick and green.
+At the end of the trail was a slightly open spot, and a stretch of sandy
+beach that seemed to beckon the boys irresistibly.
+
+“Let’s take a short dip before we start exploring. I haven’t had a swim
+for days, and I think it would do us all a lot of good.” Garry had been
+sweeping the edges of the lake with his field glasses, which he had
+brought along, and could see nothing other than an unbroken expanse of
+forest. Far down at the end of the lake was a slight opening which Garry
+judged was the outlet of the lake, although since he had not consulted a
+map, he could not tell much about it as regarded its direction and size.
+
+The others were also of Garry’s opinion, and Phil then came to bat with
+another suggestion.
+
+“We must do a little fishing, also; for if we go back empty handed from
+a lake that is supposed to be filled with fish, we are apt to excite
+suspicion in the mind of Barrows, and set him asking us questions as to
+what we did while we were away. We don’t need to spend the whole day at
+it, just catch a decent mess and quit.”
+
+“Right you are, Phil,” answered Garry. “Now for a swim, and last man in
+is no good.”
+
+The boys ripped off their clothes, and so used were they to speedy
+disrobing, that all hit the water with almost the same splash.
+
+“See that spot up the bank about three hundred yards, where the ground
+begins to rise?” inquired Dick, as he splashed about in the water. “Bet
+you fellows anything I’ve got against anything you have that I can give
+you chaps ten yards’ start and then beat you there.”
+
+“Well, you sure thing artist, splash him good, Phil,” shouted Garry, for
+Dick was an expert swimmer, much better than either of the others,
+although they were not unskilled in the aquatic art.
+
+Dick was thoroughly splashed, and with two against one, was soon forced
+to holler quits.
+
+“Tell you what I’m going to do; I’m going to swim up to that place and
+back, anyway. You fellows can come or not, as you please,” and with a
+long, sweeping, underhand stroke, his head almost buried in the water,
+Dick sped away. The remaining two contented themselves with paddling
+about and noting the clearness of the water and the fine sandy bottom.
+They got a stone and amused themselves by throwing it some distance and
+then swimming under water after it and recovering it. They had been
+doing this for some moments, when suddenly Garry, thinking that Dick,
+with his speed, had been gone long enough to have done that distance
+twice over, began to worry a bit, and called Phil’s attention to the
+lapse of time. They decided to swim up there and seek their missing
+comrade, who, although they had perfect faith in his prowess as a
+swimmer, might easily have been overtaken with a cramp, and met with
+disaster.
+
+It was generally a rule that they keep an eye on each other in the
+water, and it was a strict regulation that a call for help be never made
+in jest.
+
+“Let’s go,” called Garry, and away they started. They had made less than
+fifty yards, when borne on the breeze came the sound of Dick’s voice.
+
+Garry stopped swimming for a moment, and began to tread water, while he
+looked toward the spot that had been Dick’s goal when he swam away. Dick
+could be seen standing on the bank beckoning wildly to them.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+A LUCKY FIND
+
+
+“Guess it’s nothing serious, Garry,” said Phil, who had followed Garry’s
+lead and stopped swimming long enough to see what the cause of the call
+was. “It looks as though he had made a discovery of some sort.”
+
+The chums put on an extra burst of speed, and soon had reached the spot
+where Dick was standing.
+
+“What’s all the commotion about?” inquired Garry half breathlessly, as
+they clambered up on to the bank. “We thought you were calling for
+help.”
+
+“I am truly sorry I frightened you, but I just found something that we
+may need before our stay at the camp is done,” and Dick led the way into
+the woods for a few feet. “I got out on the bank to rest a bit, and
+thought I saw signs of a camp having been here at one time or another,
+so I nosed around and tucked away in the brush I found this,” and
+displacing some of the debris that had fallen around the object, Dick
+disclosed a birch-bark canoe, made after Indian fashion.
+
+“I should say that was a find,” exclaimed Garry. “Now we can do all the
+exploring around here that we want to, and if we find nothing here we
+can portage the canoe across the woods to Dutton Lake and continue our
+investigation.”
+
+They were disappointed, however, for on dragging out the canoe, they
+found that a great hole had been torn in the bottom.
+
+“Now wouldn’t that jar you. I wish I had looked at it more carefully
+before I called to you,” said Dick in a disappointed tone.
+
+“Let your Uncle Dudley take a look,” ordered Garry. After a few moment’s
+investigation, he straightened up. “It can be repaired easily with what
+simple tools we have and a little help from old Mother Nature. Our only
+trouble will be a swim of about four miles. Two across to the point that
+I noted when I looked through my glasses, and two back to where we want
+to do our work, which had better be here.”
+
+“I think I begin to see faint glimmerings of what you intend to do,”
+said Phil, as he scanned the end of the lake that came within his
+vision. Phil had abnormally keen eyes, and could often see things that
+the other boys required a glass to discern.
+
+“Well, Sherlock, what do I intend to do?” asked Garry with a laugh.
+
+“It seems to me, if my eyes don’t fail me, that I can see a sort of a
+white clump of woods about two miles distant, at least the sunshine
+casts a brighter glare than it does on the green of the pines and
+spruces. Now to me that spells b-i-r-c-h. Am I right?”
+
+“Right again. That’s just what I have in mind. Let’s start. We ought to
+be able to have a fine canoe by noon if we don’t loiter.”
+
+They swam back to where they had left their clothes, and it was decided
+that Phil should stay behind to guard their clothes, packs and rifles.
+Garry got his hatchet and sheath off his belt, and tucked his knife
+safely into the sheath of the axe blade. Then by knotting two of the
+bandanna handkerchiefs that they customarily wore about their necks, he
+made a sort of a strap affair and tied the axe securely on his back
+between his shoulder blades. This left his arms perfectly free for
+swimming, and then he and Dick set out with easy strokes for their
+destination across the lake. They took plenty of time and occasionally
+rolled over to float on their backs so that they could rest. At last,
+after several resting spells, which were mainly for Garry’s benefit, as
+Dick could have done the whole distance without fatiguing himself in the
+slightest, they reached the clump of birches.
+
+Resting a few moments on the bank, they proceeded to strip a good
+section of bark from one of the birches. This was a simple matter, as
+all that was necessary to do was to cut a girdle around the tree a few
+inches from the bottom, and another about three feet above. Then a
+vertical cut was made between the two girdles, and after about twenty
+minutes of prying the bark from the trunk with the knife, the two taking
+turns at the task, they had the roll of bark neatly cut off.
+
+“Now if we could only find a swampy place around here where there would
+be some tamarack trees, we could get a couple of the crooked roots for
+which the tamarack is noted, and that would furnish us with a rib for
+the canoe. As it is, we will have to makeshift with that twisted birch
+branch that I see, which Nature seemed to have put there for our
+particular use today,” and Garry proceeded to get the branch as he
+spoke.
+
+“We can roll this up and tie it with a strip of handkerchief, and push
+it along with us on the return swim. Then it will be a small job to
+repair the canoe.”
+
+“What are you going to use to attach it to the bottom of the canoe where
+it is broken,” asked Dick.
+
+“I have something in my knapsack. For some reason or other, while in
+Bangor, I bought a ball of extra fine linen cord, and one day while we
+were in the woods at Sourdehunq I needed some shoemaker’s wax, and
+didn’t have it, so last time we were in town I bought a piece. I never
+expected to use it to repair a boat with, however, just bought the stuff
+in case an occasion arose where we might need it. Now it will come in
+handy,” and as he finished, Garry slipped back into the water. The
+return trip occupied somewhat longer, as the bark was a bit unwieldy as
+they pushed it ahead of them.
+
+When they returned to the spot where they had left Phil, the sun was
+almost in the center of the sky, denoting it was near noon. They found
+that Phil had improved the time while they were absent and had started a
+fire and caught several good bass.
+
+“Best fishing here I ever saw. I don’t believe a line has been thrown in
+this patch of water for years, the fish just jump at the bait,” shouted
+Phil with the true Isaac Walton enthusiasm.
+
+“I also got a couple of pickerel that were so foolish as to leap at my
+bait, and have enough for dinner and some to take back to the camp with
+us tonight.”
+
+All were so eager to get at the business of fixing the boat, that they
+hurried through lunch with extra speed. Then they sped through the woods
+to the spot where the old canoe had been found.
+
+As Garry prepared to repair the boat, he began to laugh at something
+that seemed to be amusing him greatly.
+
+“Let us in on the joke,” asked Phil. “You are grinning there to yourself
+like a Cheshire cat.”
+
+“I was just thinking that either Barrows is a fool or takes us for
+brainless idiots. The idea of telling us that there was nothing in the
+camp with which a boat could be calked, and there are only some hundreds
+of square miles in the state just full of the finest thing in the world.
+Nothing more than the pitch on the pine trees all around us.”
+
+“I noticed it this morning when the manager remarked about it, but
+thought it just as well to keep my knowledge to myself,” remarked Dick.
+
+“All right, then, you fellows set to work with your knives and dig a lot
+of those pitch lumps off the trees and then start a fire and melt it in
+your drinking cup. It will spoil the cup, but we can easily get another
+one,” directed Garry.
+
+The boys immediately set about doing his bidding, and as they worked,
+Garry got out his knapsack and proceeded to rummage through it for the
+linen cord and the shoemaker’s wax. Having found them, he set to work to
+wax the cord thoroughly, making it less likely to shrink. Next he
+examined the broken rib of the canoe, and determined how much of the
+birch branch he would need to repair it. He took his knife and shaved a
+long diagonal slant on the piece of rib in the canoe, then matched the
+slant on the piece of branch. Having fixed them so they would fit, he
+took a piece of fishing line and wound it carefully around the joint,
+starting several inches above where the two pieces joined, and
+continuing for several inches onto the firm wood beyond the spot where
+the repair was made. This is called “splicing.” Most boys have spliced a
+fishing pole or a broken bat in much the same way.
+
+The rib having been spliced, the next step was the patching of the hole.
+Garry got the birch bark, and laid it over the gaping rent in the bottom
+of the craft, and marked a line around so that it overlapped the hole by
+about four inches. The extra bark was then trimmed away, and he was
+ready to sew it on. He took the awl blade of his knife and punched a
+series of holes around, piercing both the patch and the bark of the
+canoe. Having done this, he called for the hot pitch and poured it on
+around the edge of the hole. Then he firmly laid the patch on, and as
+the pitch cooled it formed a sort of a natural mucilage. Garry had
+previously waxed one end of the cord so that it would be easy to stick
+it through the holes, and working swiftly he threaded the cord in. When
+the job was completed, he reversed his steps, so that the result was a
+firmly sewn patch.
+
+Nothing else remained to do but to daub hot pitch liberally over the
+seam on both sides, and calk the edges where the patch was attached to
+the craft.
+
+“There,” said Garry, as he stepped back and proudly surveyed his
+handiwork. “That’s a craft that will be as seaworthy, or rather as
+lakeworthy, if there is such a word, as one could want.”
+
+“Um, let me see,” mused Dick aloud, as he looked over the canoe.
+“There’s one other quite necessary thing to be done.”
+
+“Well, smarty, what is there to be done,” asked Garry a trifle hotly.
+
+“I was just wondering whether we would rig up a sail or have you a gas
+engine in your knapsack with which to make this gallant ship navigate?”
+asked Dick as he burst into laughter, in which he was joined, first by
+Phil, and a bit later by Garry, when he saw that the joke was on him.
+
+“Phil, you’re the handy man with the knife, what say to a couple of
+paddles?” asked Garry after the laughter had subsided.
+
+“Have ’em for you in an hour. That’s quick work, however, and I won’t
+promise you a very handsome product.”
+
+“We won’t bother about looks as long as they will propel the canoe
+through the water. That remark of Dick’s about the sail, although it was
+intended to be humorous, isn’t such a bad idea either, only there is no
+way that I can think of right now to make a sail. We’ll browse around
+the camp when we get back and see if we can dig up a bit of canvas and
+make one of those lateen sails, you know those triangular shaped affairs
+such as the boats in the Mediterranean use,” said Garry.
+
+While he was talking, Phil had already set to work to make a pair of
+paddles. “Now you chaps watch me, and after I have fixed one with the
+axe, or as much as one can do with an axe blade, I’ll get to work with
+the knife,” he said.
+
+Phil selected spruce about five inches in diameter and felled it to the
+ground.
+
+“I hate to spoil a perfectly good tree, but in this case certainly
+necessity knows no law.”
+
+He chopped off two sections a little over five feet in length, and then
+proceeded to hew one swiftly into a board. This took some little time,
+despite the fact that he worked at top speed every moment. His last work
+with the axe was to fashion very crudely the handle.
+
+“Now I am going to whittle just the top and a place where the hand will
+come in contact with the neck or shaft of the paddle. To try and smooth
+it up would take too long, and all that really needs to be smooth are
+the places where we will have to hold it. If it was left rough we would
+soon accumulate a crop of blisters. While I am whittling, you chaps can
+fashion that other section into form as I did.”
+
+After he had whittled enough, Phil sprang to his feet and said, “If I am
+not mistaken, I saw an old bottle near the remains of a campfire, and
+that will be just what I want.” He sped away to where he had seen the
+vestiges of some fisherman’s fire, and soon found what he required. He
+smashed this against a stone, and with the fragments scraped the spots
+he had whittled smooth and free from lumps.
+
+The second paddle was not long in the making, but the entire job had
+taken well over three hours. “We have about three hours before it is
+time to eat, and we might as well put our canoe to the test, and see if
+it works,” announced Dick.
+
+“Time to eat! Don’t you ever think of anything but eating?” demanded
+Garry.
+
+“Yes, sir; when I’m not thinking about time to eat, I’m thinking about
+what to eat,” responded Dick promptly.
+
+“Say, Phil, he’s hopeless. What say we make for that outlet at the far
+end of the lake. We might just as well do that as anything, since we
+have no real plan of action. Then tomorrow we can make a complete tour
+of the lake, and thus get a comprehensive idea of the whole body of
+water.”
+
+The canoe was launched, and the boys climbed in. Garry and Phil elected
+to paddle, leaving Dick to sit in the middle.
+
+“If that patch will hold Dick up, you can be sure it’s a good job,
+Garry,” laughed Phil, as they pushed off.
+
+“So that was why you chaps were so kind as to do all the paddling. I’m
+to be the happy little subject of the experiment. Well, if I get a
+ducking there is some consolation in the fact that you two will follow
+suit,” said Dick good naturedly.
+
+Garry had done a fine bit of work, however, and the craft proved to be
+all that they hoped it would. They made it dance through the water and
+were delighted to find that they could make much better speed than in
+the ordinary wooden canoe. The only thing necessary, however, was to
+keep perfectly quiet, as the balance of a bark craft is a much more
+precarious thing than that of a solid factory made canoe.
+
+It took them but a short time to reach the outlet, and they beached
+their boat and started on a tour down the stream, which was a shallow,
+weedy affair.
+
+Their early scout training, and their need of vigilance during their
+patrolling of the woods when on duty as fire rangers had made their
+powers of observation especially keen, and it was second nature almost
+for them to note signs of trail that would be unseen by one unversed in
+the lore of the woods and forests.
+
+They had walked about a quarter of a mile, when Phil’s exclamation made
+them pause.
+
+“There’s fresh trail there, or I’m no good at sign reading any more,”
+remarked Phil. The boys gazed at the ground and quickly saw that Phil
+was right.
+
+With no wasted words, they turned and followed the slightly outlined
+trail. It took only a few minutes for them to reach a crude log shack,
+one that had evidently been constructed early that summer, as the fresh
+cut logs showed.
+
+The door swung loose on crude rope hinges, and after debating a moment
+they decided to enter: They found practically nothing in the way of
+furniture. There were no bunks, but a pile of boughs had been thrown in
+each corner, and a rough table had been built in a corner of the hut. On
+this reposed several dirty tin dishes. The remains of the food were
+still fresh, showing that someone had eaten there within the past day or
+so.
+
+“That means that they are apt to be back at any time, and so we’d better
+light out. It may be some camper and it may be some enemy. I am inclined
+to think it the latter, for a camper would have taken some pains to make
+things just a little bit more comfortable,” said Garry. “I think,
+however, we will plan to keep watch of this place and see who happens to
+occupy it.”
+
+“Well, I can tell you right now that it is someone from the logging
+camp. One of those who are mixed up in the trouble there. Look under
+that table on the floor!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+DICK DISAPPEARS
+
+
+The others bent forward curiously and gazed at the floor. There, laying
+in a little mess of debris, as though it had slipped from the pocket of
+some one who had been sitting at the table, was the knife with Dick’s
+name on it, that he had bought of the sidewalk merchant in Bangor!
+
+“Isn’t that conclusive proof that it’s someone from the camp?” demanded
+Dick as he rescued the knife.
+
+“It surely is, and they are up to no good. Why should anyone from the
+cutting have a place over here? It’s a signal for us to get out and get
+out quick. There’s one good thing, though, we can set the hermit to
+watching over here and leave ourselves free to go about other business.
+We’ll pace out the distances and draw a rough map and leave it in the
+tree postoffice so that the old fellow can come over here and keep
+watch,” said Garry.
+
+Being careful to leave no traces of having been in the cabin, they
+hastened outside. They had hardly gone two feet, though, when Dick
+darted back. He rejoined his companions almost instantly, and answered
+their puzzled stare with this explanation:
+
+“I’ve just sacrificed my good knife. The thought came to me that one of
+them, the man who found it, might have remembered dropping it there, and
+would at once know that someone had been in the cabin if it was
+missing.”
+
+“Good headwork, Dick,” said Garry approvingly.
+
+They took it on the run back to where their canoe was beached, and soon
+were on their way back across the lake.
+
+“I wish that we had more time without fear of interruption,” said Garry,
+“for it is likely that the occupants of the cabin have a canoe hidden
+somewhere along the bank of the lake. Safest thing now, however, is to
+get back to the other side of the lake, where we have an excuse for
+being.”
+
+“I am afraid that there will be little use in watching that cabin,
+however, for it is quite probable that Barrows will warn those who are
+living there that we are swimming and fishing around the lake, and
+advise them to seek a new hiding place,” observed Phil.
+
+“That’s a fact,” answered Garry. “Still, there’s no harm in trying. It
+was only by extreme carefulness in watching for signs that we discovered
+that trail. It was probably the one that the men use to get water, and
+the cabin is well hidden. One would not stumble on it casually in a long
+time.”
+
+It was sundown by this time, and they held a council to decide whether
+they would camp there for the night or go back to the lumber camp. They
+were all anxious to visit the big lake, however, and so it was decided
+to return.
+
+“After the camp is quiet we can skip out and visit our other objective,”
+said Garry.
+
+Taking their fish out of the water, where they had been placed to keep
+fresh, they trekked towards home. It was about dark when they reached
+the camp, and about the first person they met was Barrows. He was all
+curiosity to know how they had spent the day, and they returned
+equivocal answers, being careful to make no mention of the canoe which
+they had carefully hidden before starting away from the lake.
+
+The manager admired the fish, and thanked the boys for offering them to
+provide breakfast on the coming day. Pleading their strenuous walk and
+day as an excuse, they retired early to the shack.
+
+Here a campaign was speedily decided on. Dick was to go back to the
+office and chat for a few moments, while the others slipped out of camp.
+This would make it appear that they were in the neighborhood, and after
+a reasonable time, Dick could return and retire for the night.
+
+Dick wandered back to the office to engage the manager in a talk about
+fishing and the possibility of a long hike to extend over a week or
+more, while Garry and Phil made for the lake.
+
+The tote road that had been made to transport the sawed lumber ran for a
+short distance along the lakeside. Here there was a slightly wider place
+made so that the tractors that met each other could pass with ease. The
+ground was here covered with broken branches and debris of all sorts,
+well tramped into the ground. Garry flashed his lamp about and searched
+for signs of any sort, but seemed to find none. Then he went to the lake
+edge and peered about.
+
+Some peculiar formation of rock made a sort of a ledge that stood about
+three feet above the water. This ledge interested Garry immensely, but
+he said nothing as he wanted more time to puzzle out the situation
+before coming to any definite conclusions. At the point where the tote
+road had been widened, there was a triple string of broad wheeled flat
+cars loaded with lumber.
+
+“Now I wonder why these cars were left here,” asked Phil.
+
+“That’s easy. The drivers knock off work at a regular hour, and when
+that time comes, if they have not gone very far on their trip, they
+simply come back to the camp and wait until morning. That is to prevent
+accidents which running in the dark might bring about,” said Garry.
+
+“Hush, what’s that?” asked Phil. Both boys listened intently. Far off
+across the lake they heard a faint chugging noise. Sometimes it seemed
+to cease altogether, then as the breeze stirred they could hear it,
+getting fainter and fainter.
+
+“Phil, I’ve discovered the secret of the stolen timber or I’m a
+Chinaman. That noise solves the whole proposition. That sound that we
+heard is the engine of a powerful motor boat. And Barrows insisted that
+there was no kind of water transportation on either lake. Now why should
+he lie about it unless he had some ulterior motive in covering up the
+presence of a boat? This is the answer or I’ll return from our mission
+and tell Dad I’m not bright enough to solve the mystery.”
+
+“What have you doped out,” asked Phil, as Garry paused for a moment.
+
+“Just this. I’ll bet you a dollar to a doughnut that the drivers that
+are in on this timber stealing business have it so arranged that there
+is always a load of cars waiting here overnight. That’s step number one.
+Now we have a rock formation here that makes a perfectly good wharf.
+Next you have noticed that all the chips and bits of broken branches
+strewn between the turnout here and that strip of rock. That’s just to
+hide the footprints that are made by the thieves. So far so good. How
+does this strike you? That motor boat that we heard is a big one, at
+least it had immense pulling strength. I know enough about engines to
+tell from the sound how good they are. That boat is probably used to
+draw a raft across the lake. Just after midnight, or some safe time
+during the dark hours, a raft can be backed against that natural wharf
+there, and in half an hour enough lumber can be carried from the flat
+cars to the raft to make it a profitable night’s work. Why, the whole
+thing is as plain as a pikestaff. Phil, we’ve got everything nearly dead
+to rights now!”
+
+“What’s the next step then, old timer? Shall we hike out and write, or
+wire your father to come on so we can show him what’s going on?”
+questioned Phil.
+
+“Not yet a bit, there’s still something else we must find out. Is this a
+part of the treachery to ruin Dad’s enterprise here, or is it a private
+bit of work on the part of Barrows?”
+
+“How’s this for a guess? The people that are behind Barrows, meaning
+those that have bribed him to play false to the trust your father put in
+him, may have outlined this whole scheme, and offered to give Barrows as
+his pay what he can make off the stolen timber. At the rate that it has
+been disappearing, one-fifth and one-quarter at a time, as the report
+that Howells received would show, and at the price which lumber is
+bringing today, that would be pretty good pay for one summer. Chances
+are that the interests that are opposing Mr. Boone are paying all the
+expenses. Their only idea is to put him out of business for breaking up
+their combination and going into business on his own hook. If that’s the
+kind of men they are, I don’t blame your father for getting out of the
+combination.”
+
+“I think you have the right idea, Phil. My, I wish we had our canoe over
+here. We could paddle across the lake and investigate the other side and
+see what is done with the timber once it is rafted over the water,” said
+Garry.
+
+“No use in wishing. Best thing we can do is hike for home and turn in.
+Then tomorrow we can make arrangements to go on, say a three day hike.
+We can portage the canoe across country, and hide out along the bank
+until nightfall. The moon is in its last quarter now, and by night after
+tomorrow it will be dark. We can paddle out well into the lake and wait
+for what transpires. When we hear the raft and motor boat coming we can
+paddle far enough to be unobserved and then follow it by sound. The boat
+will probably travel without lights for two reasons. First, it is safe
+enough as there is probably no other craft on the lake, and secondly,
+they will not want to attract any undue attention. Then we can note the
+spot where the raft docks, and in the morning can follow it to whatever
+rail spur the stuff is taken. With what help Howells may be able to give
+us on the outside, we ought to have the thing pretty well in hand. What
+do you think of my suggestion?” asked Phil almost breathlessly, as he
+concluded.
+
+“Phew, that’s the longest speech I ever heard you make, Phil, but you
+sure said something every minute. That’s what we’ll do. Now let’s get
+back.”
+
+The whole occurrence had taken less than an hour and a half, and when
+they reached the camp they noted that a light was still burning in the
+manager’s office. On arriving at their shack they were somewhat
+surprised to find that Dick was not there.
+
+“He’s doing a good job,” laughed Garry. “Either he is really interested
+in what Barrows has to say, or he is playing to give us time to do what
+we wanted to. Well, he can stay there all night if he wants to, I’m
+going to roll into my blanket and dream sweet dreams. Dick’s a night
+hawk anyway most of the time. Goodnight.” And Garry yawned and soon was
+fast asleep. Later development will show that it would have been wise on
+the part of the boys to look in on the manager at that time. Had they
+done so, their work would have been greatly simplified. However, they
+were not mind readers and so days of trouble were in store for them.
+
+Morning came, and when Garry, always the first one to awake, tumbled out
+of bed, he cast one look at Dick’s bunk, and then rushing over to the
+other side of the shack, vigorously shook Phil.
+
+“What’s the matter?” demanded Phil in a startled voice, sitting upright
+in his bunk. “Anything the trouble?”
+
+“That’s what I cannot tell you right this minute, Phil, but Dick hasn’t
+been here all night!”
+
+Phil leaped out of his bunk and looked at the spot where their companion
+usually slept. The blankets were still neatly in place, and it needed
+only a glance to see that no one had used it that night.
+
+The boys hurried into their clothes and rushed to the office building
+where Barrows and the camp officers slept. No one was stirring, and
+Garry was about to pound on the door when he saw the cookee coming from
+the cookhouse with a pail in each hand for the morning cooking water.
+
+Garry called to him and asked if he had seen Dick that morning.
+
+“Naw,” was the grouchy answer. “Why should I have seen him? I don’t know
+anything about him.”
+
+The sound of the voices awakened Barrows and he came and stuck his head
+out of the window.
+
+“What’s the matter?” he asked.
+
+“Why, Dick hasn’t been around all night, and we were looking for him.
+Have you seen him since last night?” asked Garry.
+
+“I haven’t seen him since the three of you went to your shack last
+night!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+THE CIPHER
+
+
+The boys were dumbfounded by Barrows’ answer.
+
+“What’s that you say?” demanded Garry.
+
+“I said I had not seen him since the three of you went to your shack
+last night to turn in. Isn’t that plain enough?” reiterated the manager.
+
+“Well, all we know is that just after we got to the shack, Dick left to
+come back here and have a chat with you and get some information about
+the country, as we had some little thought of taking a week’s hike up
+into the wild lands that lie to the northwest.”
+
+“If he started for this office he never got here, for I sat up late
+trying to straighten out the tangle that Howells left behind him. No one
+came near the office all that time. Perhaps your chum has gone off on
+some little private expedition.”
+
+Garry was quick to notice that there was a malicious ring in the
+manager’s voice. At once the uncomfortable feeling overcame him that
+their night’s work had been discovered. Garry was at a loss what course
+to pursue. He could make no accusation of any kind, for Dick might have
+stumbled on some clue that took him off on the trail.
+
+“Well, you can understand that we are a little bit worried over the
+matter, especially since this is strange country to Dick. He might have
+wandered into the woods and got lost.” Garry knew that this was next to
+impossible, but he could think of nothing better to say at the moment.
+
+“My advice is that you wait a bit, and you will probably find that he is
+all right. He’ll very likely show up in a little while. I wouldn’t
+worry,” said Barrows.
+
+There was nothing to do for the moment but take the manager’s advice,
+and the boys returned to the shack.
+
+“Phil, there’s bad business afoot here somewhere. At such a time as
+this, Dick would not have gone off to follow a clue without leaving us
+some sort of a note or even a sign. He could leave a half a dozen
+different signs that we all know to denote trouble. He hasn’t taken
+anything with him. His rifle is still there and so is his pack. If it
+were some mission of danger that he had gone on he would at least have
+taken his rifle. Now what shall we do?”
+
+“Let’s give him till noon in case it was such a hurried matter that he
+had not time to run back for his rifle. We might even wait until six
+o’clock. You know we have always made it a rule that we should never be
+gone more than twenty-four hours on a search without letting the others
+know in some way that we are safe. Sundown tonight would not be exactly
+twenty-four hours, but it would be near enough,” advised Phil. Garry
+agreed that this was sound advice and they went off to breakfast. They
+found Barrows was almost through.
+
+“Why don’t you fellows start out this morning and look for him? One of
+you could go in one direction and one in the other. If you know anything
+of the woods, you could soon find signs of him if he were wandering
+about,” suggested Barrows.
+
+Garry told him that they had decided to wait until nightfall before
+getting really worried. At this the manager allowed a satisfied gleam to
+show in his eyes. Both the boys were narrowly watching him, and noted
+this. After breakfast they came back to the shack, and once safe inside,
+Garry whispered to Phil:
+
+“Watch every move from now on. That business of Barrows telling us to go
+in different directions on such a wild goose chase was entirely too
+obvious. He wants us to get separated. Keep your rifle close by you
+every minute, and tonight we’ll establish a watch same as we have done
+in the woods when there was danger near. First thing this morning is to
+go to the spot where we agreed to leave notes for the hermit, and leave
+a letter telling him what has happened and asking him to take a look at
+the shack on the other side of Kanamo Lake.”
+
+Hastily writing the note, and watching that they were not followed they
+slipped out of the camp and ran to the appointed postoffice.
+
+Garry reached his hand in as a matter of course, and was surprised to
+find that there was a note in the natural receptacle.
+
+He brought it out, and with Phil leaning over his shoulder, read it. It
+contained a distinct shock for both. Here was what they read:
+
+“Attacked by men and letter to your father stolen. Hit on head and left
+lying in road. Use all caution. The Bear is in the woods.”
+
+The usual lone pine symbol was attached.
+
+“Well, we are discovered, Garry,” said Phil. “Barrows must have had the
+hermit followed and has read the letter. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised
+if he knew what we talked about last night. Question now is whether he
+was instrumental in bringing about Dick’s absence.”
+
+“I am afraid that we have sort of made a mess of things, Phil. We
+haven’t given Barrows enough credit, or else we have been too sure of
+ourselves. There is a good chance, however, and this note makes me think
+it highly likely that Jean LeBlanc may have captured Dick again. You
+know he seems determined to do him harm, even more so than us, for he
+and Dick have tangled up three or four times now, and each time Dick has
+managed to elude him and make more or less of a fool of him. This
+naturally would make an even more implacable enemy of the vengeful
+halfbreed. Let’s get back to camp and wait awhile. We will pry about the
+entire camp to see if there is any sign of Dick, and also we will be
+safer for the time being. Don’t think I am cowardly, only we want to
+take no chances if we are to help Dick and at the same time complete our
+mission here.”
+
+They returned to the camp, and as they walked, Garry tore the hermit’s
+note into tiny, indistinguishable fragments, throwing each tiny particle
+to the winds.
+
+The day dragged on, although they tried to make it pass quickly by
+searching through the camp. Night came at last, and they turned in.
+Before retiring they arranged for alternate watches, and also decided
+that on the morrow they would insist that a message be sent for Mr.
+Boone. The boys had almost decided that rather than allow Dick to fall
+into greater danger by protracting the time of a systematic search, they
+would tell what they had learned to Mr. Boone and let him force the
+issue of the stolen timber.
+
+It was nearly eleven o’clock and Phil, who was on watch, was about to
+wake Garry for his turn at sentry duty, when he heard a cautious
+fumbling at the door, and the sound of a low malediction when the
+intruder found that it was locked. There was silence for a moment, and
+then Phil heard the sound of someone breathing heavily at the window. He
+crept noiselessly to Garry’s bunk, and holding his hand over his chum’s
+mouth lest he make a sudden noise, shook him awake. Garry was aroused in
+an instant, and all sleep vanished. He knew from feeling Phil’s hands
+against his mouth that caution was needed.
+
+Having roused Garry, Phil crept back to the window just in time to hear
+a faint swish. Instantly he knew that the intruder was cutting the
+double thickness of heavy mosquito bar with a knife, and guided by the
+sound, clubbed his rifle and brought it down with full force. There was
+a howl of pain, and the sound of someone running away at top speed.
+
+“Must have clipped that chap either on the head or the hand,” whispered
+Phil. “Guess he won’t be here again tonight.”
+
+“Looks as though the war was on. You roll in and I’ll watch for a couple
+of hours now. Good thing we used our old trick of sentry work, or we
+might be in a bad position right now,” answered Garry.
+
+For another hour nothing happened. Then there was a pounding at the door
+and Barrows’ voice was heard calling the names of Garry and Phil.
+Suspecting a trick, both boys reached for their rifles, and after
+lighting a candle, Garry covered the door with his rifle while Phil
+opened it.
+
+Barrows stepped in and seemed to be taken back by the sight of the rifle
+leveled at his head.
+
+“Why the military greeting?” he asked with an attempt at good humor.
+
+“Taking no chances,” answered Garry briefly, for he had a feeling that
+it was almost time to tear the mask away. “We had one visitor here
+tonight, and we didn’t know what to expect.”
+
+Garry explained his statement about the visitor by briefly telling of
+the attempt that had been made to enter the cabin an hour previously.
+Barrows passed this off by offering the suggestion that some of the
+lumbermen were naturally ruffians, and might have wanted to commit
+burglary.
+
+“What I woke you up for was to tell you that a man has come here with a
+note that he refuses to deliver to anyone but you boys. He’s at my
+office now, and all he will say is that your friend Dick’s safety
+depends on obeying what is in the note. Of course I could have summoned
+some of the men and had him overpowered, but thought you boys might like
+to handle the matter for yourselves.”
+
+The boys put on their shoes and coats, for they had gone to bed almost
+fully dressed, and prepared to follow Barrows.
+
+“Careful now,” whispered Garry, as he passed Phil.
+
+There seemed to be little need for caution, however, for they were
+unmolested on their way. At the office they found an unkempt dirty
+looking individual.
+
+“Be these the boys,” he asked of Barrows, pointing a dirty finger at
+Garry and Phil.
+
+“Yes, these are the ones. Now state your business and do it quick,”
+snapped Barrows.
+
+“This letter tells the hull story,” answered the man in a hoarse voice,
+and he handed a crumpled piece of paper to Garry.
+
+The leader of the Rangers took the note and read it in silence, then
+handed it over to Phil.
+
+What they read was this:
+
+  “Have been captured by Jean LeBlanc. Have been forced to write this
+  letter to you. LeBlanc wants a thousand dollars for my freedom. You
+  are either to bring it with you, or make arrangements for its
+  delivery at a spot known to the bearer of this letter. Warn you that
+  any attempt to molest bearer will result in serious injury or worse
+  to me. You know I would not ask this unless I were in grave peril.
+  Don’t fail me. Follow bearer’s directions.
+
+  “Being emergency will ask ransom emphatically.
+
+                                                       “Dick Wallace.”
+
+“That’s Dick’s writing, sure enough. He must have been tortured into
+writing that letter, else he would never have done it,” said Garry
+between his teeth. “Now Barrows, the time has come for a showdown. What
+do you know about this matter? Speak up, and speak up quick!”
+
+“What should I know about it. I don’t know what’s in the letter about
+your friend,” answered Barrows taken back by the tone of Garry’s grim
+voice.
+
+“How do you know it’s about our friend?” demanded Garry quick as a
+flash.
+
+“Why, the bearer here told me that it had to do with one of the three
+boys who were staying here,” answered Barrows weakly.
+
+“I think you’re lying, Barrows, but I can’t prove it. Here, read the
+letter.”
+
+He handed the crumpled note over to the manager, who took it and read it
+in silence. Then he burst into a protest.
+
+“I never heard of this Jean LeBlanc. Why do you connect me with the
+matter? I never even heard the name LeBlanc.”
+
+“You had a Baptiste LeBlanc working for you until Howells insisted that
+he be discharged, didn’t you?” continued Garry implacably.
+
+“Why, there may have been a man of that name. I remember Howells
+insisting that a man be discharged, but I never pay much attention to
+the names of the lumberjacks, at least to their last names. I leave that
+to the timekeeper and the section bosses. You misunderstand me entirely.
+I am ready to give you all my help. What do you propose to do?”
+
+“First place I am going to start back with this man here and look into
+the matter. Of course we have no money to take with us, but I am going
+to be assured that Dick is safe. You will get the necessary ransom from
+the bank at town, and thirty-six hours from now you will start with it
+to some place where this man will appoint. We will be there at the time
+with Dick. In the meantime telegraph my father to get here with all
+speed. Now, Barrows, I’m putting this matter up to you. If you fail in
+any way it will be so much the worse for you. I’m trusting you only
+because I have to in an emergency. Don’t fall down, or we’ll make you
+the sorriest man you could ever dream of being. Phil, keep these men
+covered with your rifle until I go back and get our packs. Don’t let
+them stir out of your sight or move a finger.”
+
+Garry concluded his words, and tearing a leaf from his notebook, wrote
+hastily for several moments, then left the cabin. Barrows made as though
+he would follow, but a menacing gesture from Phil made him keep his
+seat.
+
+Once outside the cabin, Garry sped away into the woods like a deer. He
+was extremely cautious with every step, however, lest a snag or root
+trip him and disable him at this crucial moment. The note that he had
+written contained explicit directions to the hermit to get word to Mr.
+Boone by telegraph, and then see if he could pick up their trail and
+follow them. He knew the old man was an expert at trailing, and Garry
+wrote that he would leave signs on the way from the hollow tree
+postoffice.
+
+The return to the camp was somewhat slower, for he stopped occasionally
+to blaze an X in a tree, or dig a slight hole in the ground with his
+toe. He wished that he had time to make a more distinct trail, but there
+was the danger that a plain one might be noted by one of Barrows’ aides,
+and obliterated. He was trusting that the hermit could find it, versed
+as he was in all the lore of the woods.
+
+Back at the office with his knapsack and that of Phil, he asked what had
+transpired while he was gone. Phil told him that a meeting place had
+been agreed on.
+
+“Now,” said Garry sharply, “can you lead us where you came from in the
+dark?”
+
+“Guess I can, came here in the dark,” was the surly response of the
+guide.
+
+“Then start travelling. Now, Barrows, first sign of any treachery from
+anyone in the camp will mean that first I’ll shoot this guide and second
+anyone within range of my rifle. Now hike,” this last remark being
+addressed to the man.
+
+Out of the camp toward the northeast led the way, and as they walked
+Indian file, they took every step as though it were a path strewn with
+glass. Once outside the camp, having been bothered by no one, Garry
+called a halt.
+
+Keeping a sharp eye on the guide, Garry whispered to Phil:
+
+“Notice anything funny about that note of Dick’s?”
+
+“Not particularly, except that I took exceptional care to be sure that
+it was Dick’s writing,” answered Phil.
+
+“Did you remember the last line?” he questioned further.
+
+“I think I could repeat it over by heart.”
+
+“Then use your head and look for the very obvious code in the last six
+words,” said Garry.
+
+Phil repeated them aloud two or three times, then fell silent. Then he
+gave vent to a low exclamation.
+
+“Why, it’s as plain as the nose on your face. It’s just the first
+initials and they spell Beware!”
+
+“Exactly; that’s step number one. Now the second thing is the note
+itself. It was written on brown paper. Safe thing to write such a letter
+on, anyone might have it in his possession. The queer part is that on
+the shelf high over Barrows’ desk was a bundle of report blanks wrapped
+in the same identical kind of paper, only the wrapper was torn. I
+couldn’t think of any way to clear the office, but I bet I could have
+matched this scrap to the torn place in the report!”
+
+“Then you think that Dick has been at the camp all the time?” queried
+Phil half incredulously.
+
+“Don’t think it, I’m sure of it.”
+
+“What are we to do, then?” asked Phil.
+
+“I have that all doped out. We’ll let this chap lead us a couple of
+miles or so further on and then overpower him and tie him up and leave
+him there while we double back and search the camp.”
+
+Garry gave the order to march again, and they started on their way. Had
+Garry been gifted with second sight, he would never have left the spot
+where they had held the conference, for they had gone only a short
+distance when the guide asked them to halt.
+
+“What’s it worth to you fellows if I tell you all about this business?
+You ain’t going to meet your friend where I’m taking you; it was just to
+get you away from the camp that I led you out here. But you can’t make
+me tell anything, or LeBlanc would kill me. But I’ll take a chance for
+money.”
+
+This sudden development puzzled Garry. He did not know exactly what to
+make of it, so he decided to temporize for a few minutes, and gain time
+to think.
+
+“Where is LeBlanc now?” he asked.
+
+“Right there at the camp was where I last saw him.”
+
+The answer was such a surprise that Garry’s guard was lowered for a
+moment, then there was a scurry and rush of feet, and a half a dozen
+forms leaped out from behind the trees near them, and before either boy
+could make a move with his rifle, they were in the hands of the enemy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+DICK’S MISFORTUNE
+
+
+Now what of Dick all this time? Let us go back to the night when Garry
+and Phil had started for the Dutton Lake to see what could be found out
+about the stolen timber.
+
+Barrows, of course, had not told the truth when he said that he had not
+seen Dick after they had gone to their shack.
+
+He had come into the office as had been agreed upon, and engaged Barrows
+in conversation about fishing. Barrows had chatted cordially for a brief
+while, and then excused himself for a moment to give orders to one of
+the section bosses whom he heard outside.
+
+Dick heard him give the order to work on the coming day, delivered in a
+loud tone of voice, and almost instantly after the close of the
+conversation he came into the office again.
+
+The conversation was picked up where they had left off, and they chatted
+like old friends for nearly a half an hour.
+
+Finally, Dick heard the cookie calling for Barrows to come out a moment,
+and Barrows obeyed the summons. Knowing that the cookie was suspected of
+being in league with the traitors in the camp, Dick walked softly to the
+door and tried to hear what was being said, but as they were several
+feet from the entrance to the office, and speaking in the most cautious
+whispers, he could distinguish nothing that was being said. Suddenly the
+cookie darted away, and Barrows re-entered the cabin and stood leaning
+against the door.
+
+“Speaking about fish,” he remarked, looking malevolently at Dick, “they
+are foolish things since they always take bait. Now did you three boys
+take me for a fool entirely, and did you think that I would take any
+bait that was offered me? I know every move you made since you have been
+here, including your letter to Boone. Why, you poor, useless boy, I am
+playing for too big stakes here to let a pack of mere children balk me.
+Your work was clever if it had been against an ignorant man, but you’re
+done now.”
+
+Dick’s heart sank. He knew that a cog had slipped somewhere. They had
+been too sure of themselves. Barrows kept on talking in the same strain
+until Dick began to realize that he was merely talking against time. He
+rose to his feet and prepared to make a dash for the door, but
+realization came too late, for the door was thrown open and in stepped
+the arch enemy of the boys, Jean LeBlanc.
+
+“So, mon ami, we meet again. This is a mos’ pleasant meeting, but you
+are not to escape so easily this time.”
+
+There was hatred in the halfbreed’s voice and in his eyes. Dick shivered
+inwardly, although he let no sign of fear be shown in his face or
+actions.
+
+“All the better to have you here this time, LeBlanc, you just walk into
+our hands; and this time you will see the inside of a jail for sure,”
+said Dick boldly.
+
+LeBlanc’s face darkened with rage. He made as though to reach for the
+knife that hung in his belt, but Barrows stopped him.
+
+“That will do, LeBlanc, I’ll handle this matter in my own way. Remember
+you’re working for me, and you do as I say or get out, and I’ll find
+another man for the job.”
+
+Dick was astonished at the way LeBlanc subsided. Evidently Barrows was a
+much braver man than they had given him credit for being; at any rate,
+he seemed to be the absolute master of the halfbreed.
+
+“Yes, ma frien’, you are the boss, but perhaps another time, when I am
+not working for you, I will take care of this one. Now what we do with
+him.”
+
+“We will put him in the cellar under the storehouse for the present,
+then when we have captured his friends, we will have them taken to
+Misery Camp.”
+
+“Taking the others will be an easy matter, will it not? We shall just
+surround them like that and take them,” and he snapped his fingers with
+a derisive gesture.
+
+“That’s just what we won’t do. Why do you suppose I am going to the
+trouble of all this secrecy for? If it had been merely a matter of
+capturing them, it would have been done long ago. But they have been on
+their guard most of the time, and this camp is full of lumberjacks that
+worked for old man Boone. If they got wise to anything, they would have
+me strung up to a tree in no time, and one of the worst riots in the
+history of the lumber business would have been pulled off in this camp.
+No, sir, I am saving my skin.”
+
+“Why not get rid of those who would help them?” inquired Jean.
+
+“I am, just as fast as I can. Everything was all right till these boys
+showed up to play amateur detective. Now we must make a grand cleanup
+and work fast. Things are getting too hot.”
+
+“I, Jean LeBlanc, am giving you warning. The bes’ thing to do is to slip
+a knife in a place where it would do the most good. Every time they have
+cross my path, they have won, and Jean LeBlanc is not one who is easily
+beaten in anything.”
+
+“Bah, you make me tired, LeBlanc. They may have had a little luck and a
+lot of help, or else you didn’t know how to do your work. I’m here to
+tell you that Gene Barrows will not be fooled.”
+
+Dick had been sitting silently all this time, drinking in the
+conversation of the two men. They seemed not to be noticing him, and in
+a desperate attempt to make his escape, he darted for the door and
+succeeded in getting outside. But his triumph was short lived, for he
+had no more than attained the outside air, when he was seized by an iron
+grip by two men, and hauled ignominiously back into the office. He saw
+at once that his captors were LeBlanc’s brother, Baptiste, and the
+unknown chap who had been implicated with Baptiste in the attack on
+Howells.
+
+Dick reddened with rage at the laughter of his enemies, and vowed to
+himself that somehow, somewhere, he would pay them for their taunts.
+
+“Come, we are wasting time; the others may be back from their little
+spying expedition at any moment. Grab him, you two,” directed Barrows.
+Baptiste and the unknown, whose name Dick later learned was Fearon,
+seized him in no gentle grasp. One of them clasped a hard, dirty hand
+over his mouth to prevent any outcry, and they walked him across the
+camp to the storehouse.
+
+Barrows produced the key and threw open the door. Once inside, the door
+was carefully closed, and Barrows produced a candle which he lighted.
+Dick was searched and his knife and matches were taken away.
+
+Two heavy molasses barrels were rolled away, disclosing a trap in the
+floor. This was raised and a rude ladder was seen to lead below. Dick
+was mercilessly bundled down the hole, little care being taken as to
+whether or not he broke his neck as he slipped down the damp ladder.
+
+Then he heard the clatter of the trap door as it fell, and he was left
+alone in the dark.
+
+Once before Dick had been in a tight hole, and the lack of knife and
+matches had almost been his undoing. Thereafter he had guarded against
+this happening again. To this end he had contrived a secret pocket in
+the lapel of his coat, where a knife always reposed. Also inside of the
+sweatband of his hat were several matches rolled tightly in waterproof
+silk.
+
+He got out the matches, and lighting one, looked about him. He surveyed
+the room with a quick glance, for the matches were too precious to use
+too many of them. His quick survey showed that the underground room was
+bare of any furnishing; there was not even a blanket to sleep on. He
+lighted a second match and inspected the floor, discovering that both
+floor and walls were constructed of hand-hewed logs, and knew that it
+would take a week to dig through them with nothing but a pocket knife
+with which to work.
+
+The underground room was damp and musty, and Dick shivered.
+
+He wondered how long it would be before they took him out, and he began
+to do calisthenics vigorously to restore some warmth to his already
+chilled body.
+
+For a time he thought of crawling up the ladder and trying out his knife
+on the trap door, but he had noted that it was of triple thickness of
+inch boards and would probably blunt and dull his knife without making
+any great impression.
+
+There was one hope that someone might come into the storehouse above and
+he could rap on the door and let them know he was a prisoner there.
+
+After some moments of reflection, he decided that this would also be
+unavailing, for the cook must also be one of the traitors. It was not
+possible that he would be unaware of the secret room, and was in all
+probability a member of the gang.
+
+Dick was a healthy boy, and soon his eyes grew drowsy with sleep. He
+laid himself down on the hard floor, and as soon as his bones got
+accustomed to the floor, dropped off to sleep, sensibly refusing to
+worry and letting the morrow bring what it would.
+
+His last thought as he fell asleep was the hope that his companions
+would not fall into a trap as he had, although he half expected that he
+would be awakened any moment by the sound of the trap door opening, and
+the entry of his chums as prisoners.
+
+But when he awoke in the morning, he found that he was still alone. He
+unscrewed the cover of his watch face, and felt the hands, finding that
+it was nearly eight o’clock. So far no one had come, and he wondered if
+he was to be given anything to eat. Two weary hours dragged on, and then
+the trap was opened, and a pack of food lowered to him, together with a
+pail of coffee. He looked up and saw the cook and cookee peering down at
+him. Evidently they were going to take no chances of a surprise on his
+part, hence their coming in pairs.
+
+Dick called to them to ask when he was to be taken out, but they had
+evidently been instructed to hold no words with him, for they quickly
+lowered the trap and the barrels were again rolled into place. Dick’s
+last sight as the trap closed was the leering face of the cookee. He
+managed to eat his food in the dark, and resolved to ask for a blanket
+when next they came to bring him food.
+
+The day dragged as though on leaden feet, but no one appeared again.
+Dick thought that dinner would be brought to him, but none came, and he
+figured that perhaps there were too many watchers who would be
+inquisitive if they saw cooked food being carried to the storehouse.
+Perhaps Garry and Phil were on the watch. This gave Dick a thrill, for
+if his thoughts were true it meant that they had not been trapped in any
+way.
+
+Frequently he unscrewed the face of his watch and felt the hands to note
+the time. He resolved that his first step when he got back to
+civilization would be to buy a watch that had a radium dial so he could
+tell time in the dark.
+
+Dick had no idea but that he would get out, for he was one whose courage
+did not fail. Then, too, he trusted in the cleverness of his companions
+to get him out of the scrape.
+
+He was squatting on the floor Hindu fashion, about eleven o’clock,
+thinking that he would soon lie down and try to get some sleep, when the
+trap was opened, and Barrows’ voice bade him come up the ladder.
+
+He obeyed only too gladly, for the darkness and the chill of the cellar
+were beginning to get his nerve. In the storehouse he found that Barrows
+was accompanied by the LeBlanc brothers. This made any chance of a rough
+and tumble fight with the manager and possible dash for freedom out of
+the question.
+
+“Now there will be no fooling on your part, but you will sit down at
+this case here and write a note to your friends telling them that you
+have been captured by LeBlanc and are being held for ransom. That will
+please them, eh, Jean?”
+
+LeBlanc gave a wolfish grin. “At least it make them hurry to rescue
+their friend. They do not like me, those boys, any more than I like
+them.”
+
+“Suppose I refuse to write that note, what then?” demanded Dick.
+
+“Why, I think we will let LeBlanc handle that end of it,” said Barrows.
+
+Jean LeBlanc’s face wore a diabolic smile as he took from his mouth the
+big-bowled pipe that he was smoking.
+
+“Once I saw an Indian torture a man to get from him a secret,” he said.
+“It was oh, so easy. All that he did was to thrust the man’s fingers,
+one by one, into the pipe bowl, and after the fifth finger, the man gave
+in.”
+
+Dick shuddered in spite of himself. He had heard of this Indian method
+of torture, and knew that LeBlanc was not only capable of doing it, but
+would take a fiendish pleasure in the operation.
+
+“Then if that fails, which I doubt, I give you warning that your chums
+will be seized on some pretext and sent out seemingly to jail with
+LeBlanc as their guard, and once away from the camp, will be given to
+him to do as he pleases,” said Barrows. “Now do you think you will write
+that letter?”
+
+Dick had resolved on submitting to the torture before writing the
+letter, but this last threat made him change his mind. He could afford
+to take no chances with the safety, and perhaps the lives, of his chums,
+by refusing to write. In the meantime his mind was busy trying to
+conjure up some way of warning them that it was a trap.
+
+He took the scrap of paper that was offered to him, and began to write.
+As the letter drew near its close, he hastily constructed the cryptogram
+which our readers are already aware of.
+
+Barrows took the note and read it carefully, turning it over to see that
+there was not other writing on the back, and scanning it for some sign
+of warning. Dick was afraid that he would decipher the simple code, but
+was relieved when Barrows crumpled the note to give it the appearance of
+having been carried some few hours, and then put it in his pocket.
+
+He was ordered back into the cellar, and there was nothing to do but
+obey. The trap was closed and he heard the rolling of barrels, then all
+was still.
+
+Dick wondered what plot was in the wind, but was unable to puzzle it
+out. He finally decided that it was only another private scheme of
+Barrows to get money, and a thousand dollars would be a pretty good
+haul.
+
+He gave up trying to solve the riddle, and lying on the floor stared
+into the darkness.
+
+There was one chance in a thousand that one of them might come alone in
+the morning to bring him food, and he resolved to climb up the ladder
+the moment he heard footsteps above him, and with his pocket knife try
+to fight his way to freedom.
+
+With this comforting thought, he dropped off to sleep.
+
+Following the writing of the note, Barrows slipped back to his office
+and told LeBlanc to make one attempt to seize the boys, then if that
+failed, they would use their ruse to attract them from the camp.
+
+How this attempt succeeded has already been told, and all LeBlanc got
+for his pains was a smash on the hand where Phil’s clubbed rifle had hit
+him.
+
+He hastened back cursing, and told Barrows of the failure, and after
+being upbraided was told to go to the rendezvous where the capture of
+the boys was to be made.
+
+Barrows then went to the cookhouse, where the unkempt individual that
+was to act as bearer was waiting, and gave him his final instructions.
+
+“Now,” said the vindictive manager, “we shall see who wins, a pack of
+mere children, or Gene Barrows!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+MISERY CAMP
+
+
+Now let us return to Garry and Phil, whom we left struggling in the
+hands of their captors. Only one voice did they recognize in the orders
+that were given, but this was enough to let them know that they were in
+the worst kind of trouble. It was the voice of LeBlanc.
+
+“Phil, that’s LeBlanc’s voice or I’m crazy,” ejaculated Garry.
+
+“Absolutement, ma frien’s. It is LeBlanc. Once again I have you, and I
+think this time you do not go until we have settled several old scores
+that I have mark up against you.”
+
+As he spoke, several men took hold of the boys even more roughly, and in
+a few moments their hands had been bound tightly behind their backs.
+
+LeBlanc gave the order to march, and the strange procession wended its
+way through the woods. It was almost pitch dark, but they seemed to be
+following a well defined trail, and the leader was sure of every step.
+An unknown man grasped the arm of each boy and guided them so that they
+would not bump into a tree, and at the same time prevented a chance of
+escape.
+
+The boys took things philosophically, for there was nothing that could
+be done with so many odds against them, and the darkness would have
+hindered any chance of flight. They knew that they could not take more
+than a dozen steps without smashing into the trees, and would soon be
+captured. They resolved, the same train of thought running through the
+minds of both of the captives, to wait for daylight before sizing
+matters up.
+
+LeBlanc kept hurrying the men along, and they covered nearly a half a
+dozen miles before a halt was called. Now the first flush of day was
+appearing in the sky, and soon there would be light enough for them to
+see in what manner of hands they had fallen.
+
+When dawn finally broke, both boys looked in amazement at the strange
+figures that the light of day revealed.
+
+LeBlanc, of course, they recognized at once, and they had half expected
+to see his brother. But all the others,—there were half a dozen not
+counting the halfbreed,—were total strangers. The men were for the most
+part large and swarthy, unkempt of hair and ragged as to clothes. Their
+garments were torn and dirty, and here and there was a raggedly sewn
+patch where the clothes threatened to give way entirely.
+
+They were taciturn men, and said little or nothing to each other, and
+when they did, it was in a low tone. They paid absolutely no attention
+to any order of LeBlanc, always turning to one of their number for
+confirmation.
+
+This man, evidently the leader, was a perfect giant of a man. He stood,
+so the boys judged, at least six feet four inches, and was
+correspondingly large of frame.
+
+His face, what could be seen of it, for he wore a black, flowing,
+tangled beard, was tanned by the sun, as one who lived entirely in the
+open. His followers evidently respected, or at least feared him, for
+whenever he gave an order, they sprang to do his bidding.
+
+Garry and Phil wondered who they were and what their business
+was,—whether they were hunters or what.
+
+A fire was built and a meagre breakfast made. Phil and Garry were glad
+of the food, for they were both hungry and tired. The eating done,
+evident preparations were made to continue the march. Both boys were
+cruelly tired. They had passed a strenuous day and night, and now they
+wanted to sleep. But this was evidently not to be.
+
+They were slightly surprised also when they learned from the
+conversation that LeBlanc was not to continue to the destination of the
+others.
+
+“Now, King, you will take these boys to Misery Camp, and keep them until
+you hear from those who have given you instructions. They will let you
+know what to do, and you will be ver’ careful not to let them make the
+conge, to get away, for then you will have me, Jean LeBlanc, to deal
+with.”
+
+“I’ll keep my bargain, fer the fact that I give my word, an’ a King
+allers keeps his word; but never think that I fear ye, Frenchman, fer I
+fear no man livin’!”
+
+LeBlanc kept silence, and took his way back to the camp, while the weary
+march forward was resumed. Short rests were given at long intervals and
+the boys were thankful for the scant few minutes that were allowed.
+
+The men walked with the long swinging lope of the true woodsman, and
+often the boys thought they would drop by the side of the road from
+weariness.
+
+At noon a halt was called, and one of the men disappeared, to return
+after several minutes with a half dozen grouse. The boys then knew
+immediately that these men were outlaws of some sort, who paid no
+attention to the law, for the close season was on all grouse and
+pheasant.
+
+A fire was built and one of the men skinned the birds preparatory to
+roasting them over the coals. Coffee was made and they were about to
+drink it black, when Garry bethought himself of the sugar and condensed
+milk in his knapsack. Thinking that a few favors on his part would
+perhaps return to them later on, he offered it to the men. The boy’s
+hands were untied, and he rummaged through his pack until he found the
+articles.
+
+The men took them without a word and used them. They divided the food
+fairly with all present.
+
+Garry tried to engage the men in conversation, but all attempts failed.
+The rest and the dinner occupied about an hour and then the march began
+again.
+
+“See here,” said Garry to the man addressed as King. “When are you going
+to give us a decent rest? We’re played out.”
+
+“Well, you can be played out ef you want; you’ve got eight miles ahead
+of you yet till we get to Misery Camp,” answered King.
+
+“What is Misery Camp, and who are you fellows anyway?” again asked
+Garry.
+
+“Misery Camp is where we live, and we fellows be squatters. Now shut up
+and walk,” and King relapsed into silence.
+
+Light instantly broke over the boys. They had often heard of the
+squatters scattered over the woods of Maine, queer nomadic people, who
+gleaned a precarious and lean living from the woods. Game and fish laws
+meant nothing to them. Birds of all sorts were shot, and woe be unto the
+deer that ran across the path of the squatter. Some little cultivation
+was carried on, in the way of corn and potatoes.
+
+Wearily they trudged on. The last mile was almost agony to Phil and
+Garry, but they clenched their teeth and carried on, determined if
+possible to show no sign of weakening in front of these strange
+creatures of the woods.
+
+At last Misery Camp was sighted. It was a patch of land that had been
+cleared away, evidently the logs that were cut being used to make the
+habitations of the squatters. A score of ragged children and some
+slatternly women came out to meet them, looking curiously at the boys.
+They were thrust into one of the cabins, and a guard established at the
+door.
+
+The weary boys dropped on the rude pallets and fell asleep almost
+instantly. So tired were they that it was the following morning before
+they awoke. They stretched their arms and legs, and then tried to open
+the door. The guard let them out, and warned them that any attempt at
+flight would be followed immediately by a shot.
+
+“An’ I ain’t missed a squirrel in five year,” boasted their guard, who
+was a boy of about their own age.
+
+Privately the boys resolved to make an escape as soon as possible, but
+not while the rifle of the guard was trained on them, for they doubted
+neither his ability to shoot as well as he said he could, nor the fact
+that he would not hesitate to do as he threatened.
+
+They looked over the clearing with some curiosity. It fitted its name
+well, for misery seemed to be on every side. King, who appeared to be
+that in fact as well as in name, called the boys to his own shack for
+breakfast. Here they found that the squatter leader had opened their
+knapsacks, and the contents were strewn over a rude table.
+
+Both boys jumped to see if their wireless ’phone had been broken by the
+curious squatter, but were relieved to find that it had not been
+touched.
+
+“What’s that there contrivance?” asked King, pointing to the
+radio-phone.
+
+“That’s a wireless telephone,” answered Garry. As he answered he had a
+vision of a way out of their difficulty, but subsequent conversation
+soon proved that they would not be able to put the plan into execution.
+
+“I seen a telephone onct,” said the squatter, “but it had wires. You
+don’t mean that that thing will talk without a wire, do you?”
+
+“Yes it does. Would you like to have us set it up, and talk through it,
+and have a message come through the air?” asked Garry, eagerly awaiting
+the answer, for he thought that if he could get the wireless up he could
+signal some way for help.
+
+“No, I don’t. I don’t believe that ye can talk through the air without a
+wire, but ye might be able to an’ I ain’t agoin’ to take no chances.”
+
+The squatter did not seem interested in the contents of the knapsack
+except for the little medicine case that Garry always carried. The boy
+noted, too, that all the foodstuff was gone.
+
+“What be these things, medicine?” asked King.
+
+“Yes,” answered Garry briefly.
+
+“Got anything that’s good for chills and fever?” demanded the man.
+
+“Not that I know of; most of that stuff is for use in an accident. You
+see it’s mostly antiseptic and bandage and stuff,” answered Garry.
+
+King picked up a bottle that was marked poison and had the familiar
+skull and crossbones in red ink.
+
+“What’s this stuff with the red printin’?” he questioned.
+
+“That’s iodine; can’t you read?” Phil broke into the conversation.
+
+“No, can’t read, never went to school. What’s it for?”
+
+“Why, it’s to put on bad cuts so that you won’t get blood poisoning, and
+it’s good if you strain your wrist or finger or something like that.”
+answered Garry.
+
+“Wall, you don’t say so. Wonder if ’twould do this finger o’ mine any
+good? I hurt it the other day when I slipped near the brook where I was
+getting water. It’s my trigger finger too, and that’s a bad one to have
+hurt.”
+
+Garry assured him that there was nothing better than the iodine and
+offered to paint it for him.
+
+The squatter evidently decided that it could do no harm, and so Garry
+inspected the swollen finger and liberally painted it.
+
+“That will help take the swelling out, and it will be all right in a
+couple of days,” said Garry, as he put the cork back in the bottle and
+laid it on the table.
+
+Then he noticed that a ragged youngster about three years old had been
+watching the process with wide open eyes. Inquiry developed that it was
+the squatter’s child, and it was evident that the youngster was the one
+thing that the squatter king was really fond of. He told Garry and Phil
+that the mother had died a year before, when they had been driven off a
+timber tract by the lumbermen. Here the squatter launched into a tirade
+against the lumber owners.
+
+The squatter idea is a peculiar one. They claim that the woods were made
+for man to take as he found them and could not understand the right of
+anyone to drive them out; yet they are responsible for great damage to
+the woods. As, for instance, at this place, a couple of acres of fine
+timber had been ruthlessly cut to make cabins for the nesters or
+squatters, and to provide a place for the scanty crop of potatoes and
+corn. Then too, many of the great forest fires are started by the
+squatters. There is one case on record in Maine where the squatters set
+fire to a whole mountain side, because they said that the blueberries
+would grow better on the burned-over ground.
+
+Also the depredations against deer are numerous. Many a fine moose or
+stag has been brought down to provide food for the nomads.
+
+The talk went back to the medicine again, and the squatter asked what
+the skull meant on the bottle.
+
+“That’s put on to warn you that it’s poison,” Garry informed him.
+
+The work of painting his finger seemed to mollify the old man somewhat,
+and he drew a little out of his shell, and Garry, seeing the
+opportunity, asked him why they had been brought there.
+
+The squatter then told them that LeBlanc had appeared on the scene a day
+or two before and told them that unless they agreed to keep some boys
+who would be brought there prisoners, they would be driven from the
+clearing by the lumberjacks. The squatters knew what this meant, since
+they had planted their corn for the summer, and moving meant that the
+lumberjacks would burn down the cabins and start them away. They knew
+from experience that it was useless to fight, for the enemy, so they
+considered the lumberjacks, would outnumber them ten to one.
+
+Garry saw through the whole scheme and guessed that Barrows had known of
+their presence at the clearing and had kept them in mind for some time
+when he might require them to help in some of his schemes.
+
+The squatter king took his rifle and offered to show the boys where
+their planting was done, and more for the sake of getting a little
+exercise than for any especial desire to see the corn patch, they
+agreed.
+
+The other squatters eyed them as they passed in company with old King,
+but said nothing. Some of the youngsters started to follow, but a mere
+threatening look was enough to set them scurrying away.
+
+“You seem to be the boss around here,” remarked Garry.
+
+“Yes, I’m a King by name, and I aim to be king of these people so long
+as I breathe,” answered the man gravely; and Garry, looking at his
+immense frame and stern eye, thought he had a good chance of continuing
+in his royal capacity.
+
+They were looking at the corn patch with only a pretended interest, when
+they heard a scream from King’s cabin.
+
+“That’s my baby,” said King in a frightened tone. “Something’s hurt
+her!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+GARRY SAVES A LIFE
+
+
+They rushed back to the cabin and a sight met their eyes that stunned
+them all.
+
+The youngster with childish curiosity, had climbed up on the table and
+captured the bottle of iodine. It was immediately evident that the child
+had drunk some of the poison, for its lips were stained. There was no
+telling how much the child had drunk, for the bottle had fallen to the
+floor, spilling some of the liquid over the floor.
+
+The old man seized his child in his arms, and tears began to roll down
+his cheeks.
+
+“Oh, she’s going to die, she’s going to die,” he moaned.
+
+Garry’s brain spun with thought.
+
+“Quick,” he shouted to the old man. “There’s one thing that will save
+her. What did you do with that foodstuff you took out of the pack
+there?”
+
+The sharpness of his tone startled the old man into activity. The words
+of Garry that there was one way to save her galvanized him into action.
+
+“It’s up there on the shelf back of you. Can ye save my baby? Hurry!
+Save her an’ there’s nothin’ on this earth I won’t do for ye!”
+
+Garry had fortunately remembered that he had in his knapsack a package
+of cornstarch that they had brought to make thickening for gravy in case
+they did any cooking. Garry, and for that matter both of his chums, were
+pastmasters in the art of first aid to the injured. They knew that the
+antidote for iodine was cornstarch.
+
+Rushing to the shelf, Garry snatched the package and tore open the top.
+His eyes fell on a can of mustard and he seized that.
+
+On the ground outside the door Garry had noted a campfire with an old
+tin pail swung across it on a branch held up by forked sticks. Working
+with the speed of an express train, he dashed through the door and
+grabbed the pail of hot water.
+
+Back in the cabin, he took a tin cup from the table, and hastily melting
+some of the mustard, made an emetic. This he gently forced the
+frightened child to swallow. Soon the emetic had the desired effect, and
+by this time Garry had moistened the cornstarch to the consistency of
+cream.
+
+While the frightened squatter looked on helplessly, Garry fed the
+cornstarch to the baby, who seemed instinctively to trust the boy, and
+made little fuss over taking the pasty drink.
+
+Throughout the morning Garry, with almost the skill of a trained nurse,
+watched the child’s breathing and kept count of her pulse. As nothing
+developed to show that the child was in any danger, Garry privately
+formed the opinion that the iodine had not gotten much further than the
+inside of her mouth, and that the burn of the poison had prevented her
+from drinking any great quantity of it. Then, too, the stain on the
+floor, where the liquid had sunk into the rough boards, was large enough
+to denote that most of the contents of the small bottle were on the
+floor and had not been swallowed by the child.
+
+As the youngster brightened up, the relief of the father was almost
+pitiful to see. He grasped the hand of Garry and in broken, halting
+words thanked him for saving the life of the baby. At the door was a
+throng of curious squatters, and when they saw that the King baby was
+going to live, gradually broke away and returned to their duties. All
+this time Phil had stood by ready to lend a hand, in case Garry needed
+assistance.
+
+“Boys,” said the old man, “I’ve never broken my word before, but this is
+one time that I’m going to. It will mean that we’ll be driven off here,
+but that can’t be helped. You can go away whenever you want to. My
+promise to that Frenchman ain’t nothin’ to me since you’ve saved my
+baby.”
+
+This was what Garry had hoped would happen. He did not want to trade the
+baby’s safety for freedom, but there was still Dick to consider. He
+might be and probably was in grave danger at that moment, and it
+behooved the boys to return as speedily as possible to the lumber camp
+to set in motion the machinery to effect Dick’s release, for they had
+decided that Dick was probably a prisoner at the camp. Of course they
+did not know of the hidden room under the storehouse, where, at that
+moment, their friend was still languishing.
+
+“I’ll make you a promise now,” said Garry. “It happens that my father
+owns this tract of land, and I’ll give you my word that you will not be
+forced to move from here for the rest of the summer. Of course the
+logging will soon extend in this direction and you will be forced off,
+but until that happens you can stay here unmolested. Now we’re going
+back to start a young war at the camp, and release a chum of ours who is
+held prisoner there.”
+
+“You better stay here for awhile, for part of the word of the Frenchman
+was that another boy would be brought here to be kept. Now if you boys
+stay here and pretend to be prisoners when LeBlanc comes with your
+friend, you can wait till he goes and then all be freed together. In
+case there’s any trouble comes, I guess my men and I can take care of
+it.”
+
+“That’s fine,” said Garry. “I don’t think there’s anything better that
+can be done. When did you expect LeBlanc to come with the other boy?”
+
+“The Frenchman was aiming to get back here by tomorrow night,” replied
+King. “He’d have to start in the night time, which will probably be
+tonight, and get here some time tomorrow afternoon.”
+
+“How will LeBlanc be able to find his way in the dark?” asked Garry.
+
+“I left one of my men behind to meet him and guide him,” answered the
+old man. Then a thought struck him, and he asked:
+
+“What are you all such powerful enemies for?”
+
+Garry then told him some of the adventures that they had encountered,
+and the part that the halfbreed had played in them. When he came to the
+tale of how LeBlanc had kidnapped little Patty Graham, the old man’s
+eyes flashed fire.
+
+“He’s a treacherous weazel, that halfbreed. I don’t mind some of the
+other things he did, but any man that will steal a person’s baby ought
+to be cut into pieces. I’ll tell you that. When he comes here with your
+friend, we’ll just tie him up and keep him here and you can do what you
+want to with him.”
+
+This seemed like a stroke of real luck for the boys. It would mean
+LeBlanc would be safely held until time for them to have him taken to
+prison to pay the much deserved penalty for his crimes, and at the same
+time would rid them of a dangerous enemy, as well as lessening by one
+the allies of the rascally Barrows.
+
+The rest of the day passed quickly, and they told the squatter king many
+of the things of the outside world. He had heard little or nothing of
+the great cities, and had never seen a moving picture nor ridden in a
+railroad train. But he knew the woods as few men do, except perhaps the
+Hermit, although there was no comparison between this giant of the
+woods, who could neither read nor write, and the old recluse, who was
+eternally surprising the boys with a quotation from some poet, or a
+snatch of Latin.
+
+“Now, Phil,” said Garry, when they were left alone for awhile by the
+squatter, “let’s plan a war campaign. As soon as Dick gets here, we will
+let him have a good rest, and then hike for the camp. We’ll make it to
+get to the small lake without anyone seeing us, and there we’ll get the
+canoe and portage it through the woods to the other lake. There we can
+hide out and get the dope on the timber thieves. Once we have done that,
+we have only to draw in the strings, and we’ll have the whole job done.”
+
+Phil assented to this as the wisest course to follow, and night coming
+on, they turned in. The squatter had insisted on giving up his own cabin
+to them, which although poor and bare, was the best one on the clearing.
+
+They whiled away the next day waiting the arrival of Dick, and hoping
+that no change would be made in the plans of Barrows to prevent Dick’s
+being sent to Misery Camp.
+
+It was late afternoon when a man whom the squatter king had sent into
+the woods to act as lookout came running back.
+
+“He’s got a young fellow with him,” he told the squatter leader.
+
+“Is it the Frenchman?” demanded the old man.
+
+“Yes, it’s a Frenchman, but,” and here the boys met with a
+disappointment. “It’s not the one that came the other time, but a fellow
+that looks like him.”
+
+“Tough luck; that’s Baptiste, not Jean. Look King, I’ve changed my mind
+about having him captured. Let him go back and let the camp think that
+we are held prisoners safely here. That will allow us to work with
+greater freedom. Now we’ll duck under cover and you meet the halfbreed
+and bring Dick here.”
+
+“Just as you say,” said the old man. “All you have to do around here
+from now on is to say the word, and everyone in Misery will do just as
+you order. I will, and I’ll see to it that the others toe the line.”
+
+“Funny he don’t come,” muttered Garry.
+
+“Oh, he won’t be here for a time yet,” said the chap who had brought the
+warning. “I was in a tree top, and could see way down to a clearing, and
+saw them there taking a rest. Ain’t nobody on the clearin’ here that can
+run as fast as I can, and I came quicker than ever to tell you about
+it.”
+
+“Had we better let Baptiste see us so that he will know we are still
+here, Garry?” asked Phil.
+
+“That’s a good suggestion. Suppose you station a guard with a rifle
+outside the door, King, and let Baptiste have a peek at us when he gets
+here,” directed Garry turning to the squatter.
+
+“That’s what I’ll do. Here you, Job,” turning to the youth who had
+brought news of the coming of Baptiste and Dick. “You take your stand
+outside there like as if you were guardin’t the door. Now I’ll get out
+o’ here and meet them.”
+
+The squatter king hastened out, while Job stood before the shack door
+with his rifle clutched in his hands. Garry and Phil, with some
+excitement, waited the coming of Dick.
+
+In a few moments they heard someone approaching, and King threw open the
+door. “Here’s your friend,” he whispered, and thrust someone in.
+Bewilderment spread over the faces of the boys.
+
+It was not Dick who entered the cabin, but Art Howells!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+A GOOD DEED REWARDED
+
+
+The dumbfounded boys could only stare at Howells.
+
+“Where did you come from and where is Dick?” cried Garry, when he had
+recovered his voice sufficiently to speak.
+
+“If you will untie my hands first, I will feel better and be able to
+think. My wrists are all raw from trying to work the ropes off, but the
+man that tied me up knew his business too well,” said Howells.
+
+Since the boys’ belongings had been restored them by King, they had
+their knives, and it was a small matter to cut the bonds.
+
+“Now what do you mean by Dick being with me?” asked Howells.
+
+“Why, Dick has been a prisoner at the camp, and we were given to
+understand that he was to be brought here to join us. We were prisoners
+here ourselves; fell into a foolish trap because we were too sure of
+ourselves. Fortunately, because of a good turn that we were able to do,
+we have been set free by the squatter chief,” answered Garry.
+
+“What do you mean free, with an armed guard outside the door?” demanded
+Art. “I should say you were pretty closely kept in confinement.”
+
+“That is only a ruse so the suspicion of whoever brought any prisoner
+here would not be raised. As soon as he goes we will be free to do what
+we please. Now how did you come to be captured?” went on Garry.
+
+“Oh, I made a fool blunder too. I wanted to see you chaps to tell you
+that a lot of lumber was being shipped from a place called Harrison.
+It’s about five miles away from Dutton Lake, so that seems to show that
+the lake figures in the stealing of the timber. I crawled into camp one
+night and went to your shack, and walked in expecting to find you
+sleeping there. Instead I ran right into the arms of a couple of huskies
+who had me overpowered before I knew what was going on. I found out in a
+few minutes that the pair were LeBlanc and that precious scoundrel that
+tried to do me up that night you chaps appeared so providentially on the
+scene.”
+
+“Did Barrows say anything about what had been going on in the camp, or
+drop any word that would give us a hint as to his plans?” put in Phil.
+
+“No, he was very closemouthed. There was a swarthy chap with him, who
+from your description I take to be Jean LeBlanc. All that was said was
+that I should be taken to a place called Misery Camp. From the looks of
+this place I judge that is where I am now. What have you run into, a
+squatter camp?”
+
+“Yes, you’ve hit the nail on the head.”
+
+Garry was about to speak further, when the door opened and the squatter
+chief came in.
+
+“That fellow is gone, and you kin come out any time you want,” was the
+welcome news that he brought. The three followed him into the sunlight
+and then decided that a start should be made for the lumber camp at
+once.
+
+“That is, unless you are too tired to start now, Art,” said Garry.
+
+“Oh, I’m feeling fit as a fiddle. I don’t know that I’d care to walk all
+the way back, but we can save time by going part of the way,” remarked
+Art cheerfully.
+
+The packs were brought out and soon all was ready for the return trip.
+They were surprised at the appearance of King with his rifle, and feared
+for a moment that he had thought better of allowing them to go and was
+going to make them prisoners again.
+
+“Just decided that I’ll go with you fellows. If there’s goin’t to be
+fightin’, and I think there is, I want to be in it. Besides, you won’t
+be safe wanderin’ around through strange country alone. I’ll see that
+you get where you want to go in safety, and mebbe you’ll find that a
+little bit of extra help won’t come in amiss? Do you want me to come?”
+concluded King.
+
+The light of battle was in the old man’s eyes, and Garry at once decided
+that he might prove a valuable ally in case trouble arose and welcomed
+him to come with them.
+
+“We’ll take a little different way back, so we won’t be liable to run
+into any of that gang from the camp. We’ll go until you fellows get
+tired, then eat, and you can roll in while I watch for you.”
+
+This was what they wanted to do, and so they agreed to follow his advice
+entirely on the return trip.
+
+“What about some of the men coming to your place to see if we are all
+right, or if they bring Dick with them, what then?” questioned Garry.
+
+“In case any o’ them come here from now on, they’ll get a treat they
+won’t like. I told my men to seize anyone who came, and if the fat boy
+comes, he is to be guided to a place where me and my men know, and then
+he can join us,” answered King.
+
+The squatter seemed to have covered everything necessary, and off
+started the quartet. King led them on a roundabout trail, and they
+walked until darkness fell, when Howells declared that he would like to
+rest.
+
+For fear of possible detection by some prowler from the camp, no fire
+was built, and a cold bite was eaten. King refused to let any of the
+others do any work, and himself gathered enough boughs for them all to
+sleep on. Garry insisted that when King had watched for a while, he
+waken either himself or Phil, and they could provide a relief for a
+while. King protested that he was able to watch the entire night, but
+Garry reminded him that on the coming day there might be strenuous work,
+and he would not want to be handicapped by fatigue. This finally made
+the old man agree to waken Garry at midnight and let him stand a watch.
+
+True to his word, King shook Garry about midnight.
+
+“Don’t believe there’s any real need o’ watchin’, everything been quiet
+so far; but there’s nothin’ like bein’ on the safe side.”
+
+Garry looked to see that his rifle was loaded and ready, then took a
+seat under a tree where he could be comfortable and yet hear anything.
+King laid down on the ground, scorning the boughs, and was fast asleep
+in a moment.
+
+After about two hours Garry began to feel drowsy, and rather than run
+the risk of dropping off to sleep, he woke Phil, who had had a good
+sleep and was able to stand sentry for the rest of the night.
+
+After they had eaten in the morning, the old man asked what the next
+step was.
+
+Garry had been thinking it over as they ate, and so he asked King if he
+knew the region around Kanamo Lake. King answered that he knew every
+inch of the territory in that part of the state, and so it was decided
+that he lead them by a roundabout route to the lake shore. Here they
+could hide out in a safe place, and after dark could portage the canoe
+across the timberland to Dutton Lake. Garry was determined to try and
+catch the thieves at work that night. Then plans could be made for a
+raid on the camp and the rescue of Dick could be effected.
+
+It was almost nightfall when they reached the lake shore, and they
+thought best to turn in for a while before making for the spot where
+they had concealed the canoe.
+
+                  *       *       *       *       *
+
+To return now to Dick, who had been left all this time in the cellar.
+Food was brought to him on occasion, but always by two or three in
+company, and he had no opportunity of trying to fight his way from the
+cellar. Once when the cook and cookee came, he attempted to bribe them
+to let him escape, but they turned a deaf ear to his words.
+
+Back at the office, Barrows was having a council with his henchmen.
+These consisted of the two LeBlancs, the cookee and the boss sawyer.
+
+“Things are beginning to get too brisk here, so we’ll make a good
+cleanup and light out,” said Barrows. “I didn’t expect when we started
+this thing that there would be all the trouble that has since come upon
+us. We’ve all done enough now to land us in prison, what with this
+kidnapping and everything. Catching Howells around here was what has
+made me suspicious. There’s no telling what he has done on the outside.
+He may have written to Boone and told him what was going on, and that
+would sure spill the beans, for Boone would probably order me off the
+place and give me my walking papers. Then we would be all done. What I
+propose is this: We have already cut a good bit of timber and that has
+been sawed, thanks to the saw I had hidden in the storehouse. We would
+have wasted time, as usual, waiting for another, but this suits my ends
+better. All this timber has been left on the tote road, and tonight
+we’ll make a number of trips and clean it up. Tomorrow night we’ll make
+a grand cleanup and then fire the sawmill and wreck the machinery and
+light out. By the time they have things ready to fix up, Boone will be
+too late to keep his contracts and my work will have been done,” Barrows
+concluded as he rubbed his hands in evil satisfaction over his
+treachery.
+
+“And the boys?” inquired Jean LeBlanc softly.
+
+“I know what’s on your mind, LeBlanc. Ugh, I’d hate to have you for an
+enemy. I suppose you want to stick a knife in them and put them out of
+the way.”
+
+“That would be safest. They know too much,” answered the halfbreed.
+
+“Well, I have a better plan than that. You remember we wrote a letter to
+decoy them away and mentioned a ransom. What’s to prevent us from really
+getting one from old man Boone? We could stick him up for a big sum, and
+that would be clear profit aside from what the Carson people are paying
+us. King will keep them till we arrange things and then we could free
+them. After that, LeBlanc, you can do what you like; it will be out of
+my hands then. Now we’ll start for the lake. Will the boat be there at
+the usual time?” and he turned to the boss sawyer.
+
+“Usual time,” laconically answered the man.
+
+The door was thrown open, and a man walked into the room.
+
+“So it’s the Carson people that are back of you this time, eh, Barrows?
+Guess I got here just in time!”
+
+The men gasped in amazement, for there stood “Moose” Boone.
+
+In the face of this crisis, the only one to keep his head was LeBlanc.
+
+“Seize him,” he whispered sibilantly to his brother, in French.
+
+Before Mr. Boone could make a move, he was grabbed by the powerful
+brothers. One of them clasped a hand over his mouth, and without a word,
+as though they had practiced for this very moment, Jean snatched a
+soiled bandanna from his pocket, and in another minute Mr. Boone was
+effectually gagged.
+
+Barrows also had sprung into action. Rummaging around under the pine
+table that served as a desk, he brought forth a length of rope, and soon
+Boone was tightly bound.
+
+“Carry him over to the storehouse. Don’t put him in the cellar. This
+makes things better. We can keep him prisoner for several days and clean
+up. Lively now,” ordered Barrows.
+
+“Moose” Boone was carried to the storehouse and unceremoniously dumped.
+He lay on the floor thinking how foolish he had been to come alone to a
+camp where he knew there was treachery afoot, but now it was too late to
+cry over spilled milk. He wondered where the boys were, since he had
+seen no sign of them about the camp.
+
+His reason for coming was the note that Garry had sent him, and which
+the hermit had succeeded in having posted.
+
+He twisted around several times in an effort to relieve the pain in his
+arms and feet from lying tied on the hard floor.
+
+Nearly two hours passed, and then the door was softly unlocked and
+opened. In stepped the cook. Mr. Boone wondered what was to happen now,
+and he received the surprise of his life when the cook fished out his
+knife and proceeded to cut the bonds that bound him.
+
+“Have you come to the conclusion that this was a fool thing to do? I am
+thankful, of course, and will see that you are let go when the rest of
+this gang is rounded up,” said Boone.
+
+The cook did not speak until he had cut the bonds.
+
+“First, Mr. Boone, I’ll tell you something and then I’ll show you
+someone. I don’t suppose you will remember a cold spring day nearly
+twenty-five years ago on the Umculcos, when you risked your own life to
+save a lumberjack that was trying to ride a log and fell into the river
+with the logs crushing down about him?”
+
+Boone’s mind travelled swiftly back to the day, although he had not
+given it a thought for years.
+
+“Yes, I remember pulling a man out, and then falling sick from the cold,
+and when I got well the man I had pulled out was gone,” he answered.
+
+“Well, I was the man you pulled out. I left the camp because I was only
+a fool young fellow and they made so much fun of me for falling in that
+I picked up and got out. I never knew you were the man until I saw you
+tonight and hitched your name up with the man who saved me. Now I’ll
+show you something like I promised.”
+
+He rolled the barrels away and raised the trap. “Come up,” he called
+into the darkness.
+
+Dick awoke from a troubled sleep and painfully crawled up the ladder. It
+took a few moments for his eyes to get accustomed to the light, and then
+he looked as though he saw a ghost.
+
+“Uncle,” he almost shouted, for so it was that he always addressed Mr.
+Boone.
+
+They clasped hands with a hearty good will and were about to exchange
+notes when the door was thrown open and Barrows and the two LeBlancs
+entered.
+
+Each held a revolver with a steady hand.
+
+“So, cook, you’ve turned traitor, have you? Well, it just makes another
+prisoner. Now Boone, it’s no use trying to do anything. Most of the men
+in the camp are in my pay, and just to be sure that we clean up tonight
+and tomorrow night as we had planned, we have seized all the men we are
+not sure of and have them herded in the bunkhouse and under heavy guard.
+This time we’ll succeed!”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE CAPTURE
+
+
+We left Garry, Phil and Howells with the squatter king on the lake shore
+waiting for darkness. When it fell, they retrieved the canoe from its
+hiding place and started across the timberland to Dutton Lake. The trip
+occupied nearly three hours, although they made excellent speed.
+
+The faint light of the stars pierced the blackness of the forest, so
+they did not have to stumble along, although the greatest of caution was
+exercised every moment.
+
+They reached the lake without encountering a person, and then launched
+the canoe. They did not dare trust the weight of the four to the frail
+craft, and so it was planned that King and Phil should remain behind,
+while Art and Garry paddled out into the lake. They did not have to wait
+a great while until the chugging of the powerful engine in the motor
+boat was heard.
+
+Paddling with the noiseless stroke of the Indians, they followed after a
+reasonable time had elapsed. They had taken only a few strokes when Art
+whispered:
+
+“Here, we’re going at this thing wrong. When that raft is loaded and
+starts back across the water, it will make too much speed for us to
+follow. Suppose we start now for the other side of the lake. Then we can
+lie off shore and wait for its arrival and see who meets the raft to
+unload it. That will complete your evidence, and we’ll duck out for the
+camp and somehow get hold of Dick. What say?”
+
+Without a word, Garry, who was paddling stern, gave his paddle a twist
+and the canoe turned in its course. They reached the other side and then
+lay off shore as agreed, giving the paddles an occasional twist to keep
+the canoe from drifting, for a gentle breeze was stirring the lake.
+
+After a long wait they heard the approach of the motor boat, which, as
+was customary, was running without lights. Far down the shore they saw a
+light appear as though some one were flashing a lamp. It was probably to
+guide the boat to its destination in the darkness. When the boat reached
+its objective point, they paddled noiselessly to within a few feet of
+it, and beached the canoe. Walking with the stealth of Indians, they
+came close to where the boat was being unloaded.
+
+“By jove, I know that voice,” whispered Garry, as he heard a man ask:
+
+“So this is how the trick is done? Pretty clever, I call it. Steal the
+timber and then raft it across to where you have your trucks waiting and
+hustle it to the railroad spur. Mighty good work on the part of Barrows.
+
+“That’s Carson himself; used to be associated with Father,” whispered
+Garry. He and Howells were hiding back of a tree, well away from danger
+of being seen. At that moment Carson struck a match to light his pipe.
+
+“Get a good look at him, we will want to identify him in court if
+necessary,” said Garry. Howells nudged him to make him understand that
+he had done so.
+
+“Now wait here,” whispered Garry. Howells watched in amazement as Garry
+crept to the water’s edge and noiselessly waded in. He made no sound as
+he swam. When he came back, dripping wet, Howells wanted to ask a score
+of questions, but forebore for fear of being heard.
+
+He was about to come closer and whisper, when a form crept up to them
+and a low voice said:
+
+“So we meet again.”
+
+It was Baptiste LeBlanc. The Frenchman then lifted his voice and called
+for the others. But he did not get very far. Howells struck with all his
+strength and his hard knuckles took the halfbreed on the point of the
+jaw. LeBlanc dropped like a stone.
+
+“Come, Garry, this way quick,” called Art. There was no need of
+whispering now, for the men who had been unloading had heard the alarm
+and there was the sound of rushing feet.
+
+“Into the canoe, Art. They can’t follow us,” said Garry.
+
+Howells had intended a dash into the woods, where there was less
+likelihood of being caught, but he obeyed Garry, knowing that he had
+some plan in view. They pushed the canoe into the water, springing into
+it as they did. It was lucky that Howells was an experienced canoeist,
+else the frail boat would have been overturned. As it was, they got a
+good start, and in a moment were bending to their paddles with all their
+might and strength.
+
+“What’s to stop them following us in the motor boat? We should have
+taken to the woods,” remonstrated Art.
+
+“Faster, I’ll tell you later,” answered Garry breathlessly. At that
+minute they heard loud imprecations from the shore.
+
+By this time they were well away from shore and out of danger of a
+possible shot.
+
+Garry began to laugh.
+
+“No wonder they are shouting and cursing there. I swam to the boat that
+time I left you and cut the wires on the engine; and to be sure, I took
+out the spark plugs, and have them in my pocket. It will be some time
+before they get that boat into condition to chase us!”
+
+“Good boy,” said Art admiringly.
+
+The return across the lake was without eventful occurrence, however, for
+with them was the hermit.
+
+Garry greeted him warmly. “What news?” he asked.
+
+“I fear I am the bearer of bad news,” said the hermit.
+
+“Your father has come to the camp and been caught, so I judge from what
+I heard said by two men a while ago as I lay close to the road that
+leads here. Also many of the lumberjacks are kept captive in one of the
+shacks, and a heavy guard has been set over them. I think we had better
+go for help; we can’t battle them alone, our numbers are too few.”
+
+Garry was for going at once to the rescue of his father, but the others
+restrained him.
+
+“We can’t do anything there, and we can be of great help on the outside.
+There is a sheriff in town, and we can get word to him, and have him
+round up a posse sufficiently large to capture the whole outfit,”
+advised Art.
+
+Reluctantly Garry agreed that this was the wisest thing to do.
+
+“King, guide us around so that we can avoid the camp, but get to the
+road that leads to town. We’ll get a posse and give them a battle,”
+directed Garry.
+
+Without a word, King led the way, and the others followed.
+
+                  *       *       *       *       *
+
+In the meantime, Mr. Boone and Dick had been led from the storehouse and
+taken to the bunkhouse, where the rest of the prisoners were.
+
+There were shouts of welcome when some of the old woodsmen saw Mr.
+Boone. Although he was the owner of the timber tract, and their
+employer, they hailed him as “Moose” and shook his hand energetically.
+
+“By gosh. I’m ashamed to look you in the face, Moose,” cried one of the
+lumberjacks. “To think we let a bunch like that crowd outside there put
+it over on us; men that have fought with rifle and peavy stick when some
+crowd tried to steal the river from us. Gosh, if we had a few axes and
+peavy sticks now we could get out there and make that bunch look sick,
+but all have rifles and revolvers. Barrows must’ve had a regular armory
+with him.”
+
+They were still talking and trying without success to puzzle a way out
+of their predicament, when Dick gave a shout of joy.
+
+“There’s my knapsack. That lets me see light right now!”
+
+The men looked at him in astonishment. How a mere knapsack could help
+them was not to be understood.
+
+“That was chucked in here by one of the men yesterday, before we were
+captured. He saw it in the shack, and remembering it belonged to one of
+you, took it for safe keeping. It was Tom there, who brought it.”
+
+Tom was the man who had taken them on the coon hunt, and one they had
+been suspicious of, but here he was with the loyal men.
+
+Dick hurriedly opened the knapsack. Yes, there it was, safe and sound,
+the wireless outfit!
+
+“Now one of you fellows get up there and dig a hole in the roof; it only
+need be a small one, that I can slide this aerial up through. It ought
+not to take more than an hour.”
+
+“We haven’t any knife,” said one of the men. “They took away all our
+knives and matches from us.”
+
+Dick secured his knife from its secret pocket in the lapel, and handed
+it to one of the men.
+
+“One of you set to work, and the others keep talking so that the guards
+outside will not become suspicious and look in here.”
+
+“Are you going to try something with the radio-phone,” asked Mr. Boone,
+who was the only one who grasped what Dick’s intentions were.
+
+“Yes; it’s our only chance. I happened to notice that there were two
+aerials over houses in the last town we passed through before coming to
+the camp, and I saw some radio apparatus in a store window, so evidently
+some one there has an outfit. Fortunately I have the receiving apparatus
+here as well as a sender, and we can find out if my message is received
+by anyone.”
+
+As he talked, he adjusted the apparatus, ready to send his plea for help
+through space and hope that someone would be listening in.
+
+“Hurry!” he called to the man who was boring through the board roof with
+the knife. “It’s almost time for the usual radio broadcasting stations
+to stop sending, and I want to get someone while they are still
+listening in, just as the broadcasting station closes.”
+
+“There, guess that’s all right, unless you want it a little bigger,”
+said the man who had been working.
+
+Dick looked up at the hole and saw that it would do all right.
+
+Most of the men were frankly incredulous. The thought of talking through
+a ’phone that had no wires was a riddle to them, as few or none of them
+knew anything about radio.
+
+One of them suggested that instead of wasting time with such a “fool
+contrivance,” they try to tear away the boards from the roof and take a
+chance on overpowering the guards. This was discouraged by the others
+who, though they were by no means cowardly, knew it would be foolhardy
+to face guns with only their bare hands.
+
+“Let’s give the boy a chance with his infernal machine first,” advised a
+grizzled old lumberjack. “Then if it don’t work, we can try something
+else.”
+
+Dick adjusted the aerial, and then tuning up, got ready to talk into the
+transmitter.
+
+“Some of you men keep talking over there by the door, and the rest of
+you get near the windows and block anyone from seeing in. Don’t talk too
+loud, just enough to cover my voice.”
+
+For nearly ten minutes Dick repeated over and over again:
+
+“S. O. S. Send a sheriff with large posse to Boone’s camp. Owner and
+some of men held prisoners. Answer if you get message.”
+
+Then there was a crackling sound in the receivers that were clasped to
+his head, and with a thrill he knew that someone was trying to get him.
+
+He adjusted the tuning apparatus with trembling fingers. The voice still
+sputtered and crackled. Finally he got the right wave length, and heard
+a welcome voice.
+
+“Hello, are you sending help call?”
+
+“Yes,” almost shouted Dick. “Who are you?”
+
+“Brown talking. My father is sheriff. Are you in earnest?”
+
+“Yes, surely. Hurry posse on way. You’ll need thirty or forty men. We
+are held prisoners in bunkhouse here. Captors are all armed. Be careful.
+This is last call; act quick, as I’m going to pack up radio for fear I
+will be discovered and apparatus broken. Goodnight.”
+
+“Going for Dad now, goodnight,” came the voice. There was a sputter,
+then silence.
+
+Dick turned to the men, his face gleaming with pleasure.
+
+“There will be a posse on the way in a short time. The radio worked,” he
+announced.
+
+The little group of men burst into a cheer and were silenced only by the
+threat of the guards outside to come in and make them stop.
+
+Feeling that they had done all that could be done, they prepared to turn
+in and wait the coming of the morn with its posse headed by Sheriff
+Brown.
+
+The men rolled in, but Dick was too excited to sleep, and he told Mr.
+Boone, in a low tone, of all that had transpired since they had reached
+the camp. Of course he was unable to tell of the way in which the timber
+was stolen, as he had not seen his chums when they returned from their
+expedition that night he was captured.
+
+Mr. Boone was silent for some few minutes after Dick had concluded his
+talk. He was worried about Garry and Phil, and Dick, noting his silence,
+asked him what the trouble was.
+
+When he found the reason for Mr. Boone’s worry, he endeavored to cheer
+him up.
+
+“The chances are that they have not fallen into the hands of anyone at
+the camp here, else they would have been brought here with us. I am
+certain that they have discovered some clue and are following it up.
+Very likely they are searching for me, as they of course do not know I
+am here.”
+
+Being ignorant of all that had transpired, Dick did not know how near at
+that moment his chums were.
+
+As they talked, they were being guided towards the road by King. It was
+necessary to make a wide detour in order to avoid running into a stray
+member of the camp traitors’ party.
+
+Garry was well satisfied with part of the night’s work. In the first
+place, he had proof that Carson, his father’s business enemy, was at the
+bottom of the whole mess, and in the second place, he felt that he had
+so effectively disabled the motor launch that no more timber would be
+stolen that night. By the next day, he expected to have the whole gang
+rounded up.
+
+They finally reached the road, and were half way to the town, when they
+heard the sound of what they thought was a large auto truck coming
+towards them.
+
+When they drew near the truck, they saw a dozen rifles leveled at them,
+and a stern voice told them to halt. They feared for a moment that they
+had walked into a new trap.
+
+One of the men leaped from the truck and asked them who they were and
+what their business was.
+
+“My name is Boone,” answered Garry, acting as the spokesman for his
+little party. “I am on my way to try and locate the sheriff of the
+county, as my father and friends are held prisoner at the Boone lumber
+cutting camp.”
+
+“Well, I’m the sheriff, and I’m on my way there now. We’ll look you over
+in a moment and see if you’re all right.”
+
+The words of the sheriff surprised Garry.
+
+“How did you know that you were wanted at the camp?”
+
+“My boy picked a message out of the air with his radio, and that’s how
+we found out,” answered the sheriff.
+
+Garry gave a shout of joy. “Good for Dick, he managed somehow to get a
+chance to use his wireless.”
+
+“Now,” said the sheriff, “lower the muzzles of those rifles and come
+forward slowly. My men have you covered and you have no chance for any
+monkey business.”
+
+Knowing that they could soon convince the sheriff of their statements,
+they did as they were bade. When they came into the light cast by the
+headlights of the truck, the sheriff at once recognized Art Howells.
+
+“Hello, Art, guess that is all I want to know. These fellows all right?
+I know you well enough to take your word for it.”
+
+“They are absolutely O.K., Sheriff,” answered Art. “We were on our way
+to summon you when you met us.”
+
+Howells’ words satisfied the sheriff, and they proceeded to get
+acquainted all around. Garry asked if that was the pretext of the posse,
+for he counted only fifteen men, and was relieved when he was told that
+another truck with the same number of men was following them, but had
+been obliged to stop for a short time on account of engine trouble.
+
+As they spoke they heard the rumble of an engine and a short time later
+the second truck hove into view.
+
+“It lacks about an hour and a half of daylight, so I think we ought to
+be getting on. If possible we can surprise them in the dark, that would
+win half the battle for us. Not that I expect there will be much of a
+fight, when they see that the law is after them,” said the sheriff.
+
+“I don’t think I would trust the authority of the law half as much as
+our rifles,” said Garry. “Those men are desperate, some of them, and if
+they see prison staring them in the face, they will fight all the
+harder, figuring that they might as well be taken for sheep as for
+lambs,” said Garry. “Besides, they have two bad men with them, meaning
+the two halfbreeds, Jean and Baptiste LeBlanc. Jean is already wanted
+for a half a dozen serious crimes, including kidnapping and setting fire
+to forests; also he is an escaped jail bird. With that kind, it means
+fight to the end before being taken.”
+
+“Come to think of it, I’ve seen a notice in my office offering a reward
+for his capture. I’d like to get that chap, and I could use the reward,”
+said the sheriff.
+
+They had ridden as they talked, and soon were on the outskirts of the
+camp.
+
+But something had gone wrong. A volley of shots whistled at them from
+cover, and they were forced to beat a short retreat instead of springing
+a surprise on their quarry as they had intended to do.
+
+“Now, that’s funny; how did they get on to that?” muttered the sheriff.
+
+It later developed that Barrows had posted sentinels in the woods along
+the road, and as soon as their approach was noted, they had, by a
+pre-arranged signal, passed the word of the coming to the posse.
+
+This word having been received at the camp, hasty preparations had been
+made to receive them. The prisoners, about twenty in all, had been
+marched at the points of guns to the storehouse, and there were forced
+to enter the storehouse. There was hardly room enough for them, and
+little air, but they were crowded in like so many sardines in a can,
+while the enemy fortified themselves in the log bunkhouse.
+
+The opening volley of shots had come from the sentinels who had closed
+in and fired as they ran for shelter to the bunkhouse.
+
+“Well, we’re stumped for a minute now,” said the sheriff. “They could
+hold us off for a long time in that bunkhouse. It is built of solid
+logs, and bullets, unless they were aimed at the windows, would have no
+effect on that wood. We’ve got to think up some way of rushing ’em or
+smoking ’em out. Anyone got a plan in mind?”
+
+“Yes, sir, I think I have,” spoke up Phil. “As soon as it gets just a
+little bit lighter we can rush one of the trucks back through the woods
+to the sawmill, and there we can sheath the truck with some of that
+timber. A very thick bulwark can be made, and that will halt the
+bullets. Half of the men can stay near the bunkhouse drawing fire with
+their rifles while the truck is being fixed.”
+
+“But what good is that going to do us?” broke in the sheriff.
+
+“Just let me finish. I know that there are three or four sticks of
+dynamite at the sawmill, that were part of the lot bought to blast away
+the stumps where the mill and camp shacks were built. With what wire I
+have in my pack, and some of the batteries from my wireless, I can rig
+up a small mine at the side of the log hut, where there is no window.
+The shield on the truck would be to allow us to get there in safety.”
+
+“But wouldn’t that be an awful thing to do, Phil?” asked Garry. “We
+couldn’t blow those men up without warning.”
+
+“No, that isn’t my idea. I would have one of the party carry a flag of
+truce into the camp and explain to the men what had been done, and give
+them two minutes to surrender. If they did not, then go ahead and blow
+her up. Few would be hurt, and those only slightly. The blast would make
+a breach in the wall through which we could wage a more even battle, if
+it comes to an actual fight. But I think the fear of the dynamite would
+be enough to do the trick. Besides, we could promise that the
+lumberjacks would be allowed to go in peace; only the principals would
+be held. If those jacks were the kind that would play traitor to the
+camp they were working for, they would double cross Barrows to save
+their own skins.”
+
+“By gosh, boy, I believe you have struck the very idea. At any rate,
+it’s worth a trial. I’ll go with you in the truck with some of the men,
+and leave the deputy here with the others.”
+
+The plan was put into execution, and the truck made a dash over the
+uneven ground past the bunkhouse. A volley of shots greeted them as they
+tore past, and two of the men uttered exclamations of pain. Fortunately
+they had only the merest flesh wounds, which Phil bound for them with a
+small first aid bandage that he had in his pocket.
+
+The barrier was built in record time at the sawmill, and Phil rescued
+the dynamite from its hiding place. He had feared for a moment that it
+might have been removed, but evidently in the haste of fortifying
+themselves in the bunkhouse, no one of the enemy had thought of it.
+
+The return to the bunkhouse then started. When within a striking
+distance of it, the truck was turned around and, throwing his clutch
+into reverse, the driver skillfully backed it towards the log house.
+
+Several shots were fired, then there was a silence. Evidently those
+inside the building were at loss to understand what this peculiar form
+of attack meant.
+
+Phil knew that his job would be a perilous one, but he knew his duty was
+to do what he had planned. The barrier was raised up and he slipped to
+the ground. He felt a measure of safety in the thought that the enemy
+could see what was going on, and would be unlikely to send spies out,
+since the men of the posse in the other truck could pick them off if
+they came out.
+
+Phil raided his radio set for the necessary wire, and fixed the dynamite
+against the log house. There was only one detonator left, and Phil was
+not sure it was a good one, but he felt so certain that there would be
+no need of setting it off that he did not particularly care.
+
+His plan was for the man who bore the flag of truce to promise safe
+conduct for one man to go and look at the arrangement and then go back
+and tell the others that it was so. The inspector would be under cover
+of the rifles of the posse all the time, so would have no chance of
+wrecking the dynamite mine.
+
+When it was finally in place, he gave the order for the truck to back
+away slowly, paying out the wire that was to be used to set off the
+detonator from the battery at the other end if the need really arose.
+
+Garry then volunteered to act as the truce bearer, but here King stepped
+in.
+
+“I’ve been athinkin’ that you shouldn’t go. Suppose they once got you in
+the shack; they could send a man out and tell us that they would harm
+you if you didn’t give orders to git out o’ the way. They know that your
+pa would rather lose the whole camp than have you harmed. Now with me it
+would be different; they’d know that I didn’t count for much with you
+folks, I’d be like one o’ the sheriff’s men only, and could bargain
+better. Better let me go, only promise if anythin’ happens to me you’ll
+take care of my baby.”
+
+The crude logic of the old timer appealed to them all except Garry, who
+felt that he should take the danger, since Phil had done his share in
+braving bullets to fix the charge.
+
+However, the sheriff decided the matter, and since he was the real head
+of the posse and the law representative of the county, his decision
+went.
+
+One of the men produced a white handkerchief and tied it to a stick.
+Then holding the flag of truce aloft, King, the squatter, headed for the
+log house. The posse held their breaths for a moment, thinking that
+those in the shack would fear a trick and shoot him; but he advanced in
+safety and they saw the door of the shack open long enough to admit him.
+
+When King arrived at the shack, he was met by Barrows, who demanded to
+know what message was sent. In a few words King told them, then he added
+some words of his own. These were directed to the lumberjacks. King spun
+a yarn out of whole cloth and told the jacks, who by this time were
+almost ready to desert the ship, that another posse was on the way.
+
+Barrows was for disregarding the message as a trick, but King clinched
+the argument by offering immunity to all the lumberjacks except the
+bosses and camp officers. They demanded that one of their number go and
+see if the dynamite was really there.
+
+Barrows and his lieutenants were not strong enough to cope with the
+lumberjacks, and it was finally agreed that one lumberjack and the red
+headed cookee go and inspect the blasting apparatus. Each faction—for
+there were two now in the log house—insisted on having a representative
+sent, for neither was willing to trust the word of the other. King
+agreed to remain behind as a hostage for the safety of the messengers.
+
+The two set out on their quest, and in a few minutes were back, post
+haste.
+
+“It’s there, boss; enough to blow us all into the next world,” gasped
+the cookee, who was now frightened half to death.
+
+His words being corroborated, the lumberjacks insisted on an immediate
+surrender. Barrows saw that the jig was up, and he ordered an
+evacuation. Jean LeBlanc’s face was livid, and he spat out a torrent of
+abuse at Barrows. But for all his braggadocio, Barrows was a coward
+under the skin, and he saw there was nothing to be gained by a fight
+except a longer prison term. Even now he was figuring on bargaining with
+Mr. Boone for his freedom, by giving away the interests who had hired
+him to do their dirty work.
+
+Once outside the door, they found the guns of the men in the trucks
+trained on them, and they were marching quietly to be disarmed and
+probably bound, when suddenly, with a loud scream of defiance, Jean
+LeBlanc turned and bounded away with the speed of a stricken deer. A
+dozen shots flew after him, and one must have struck him, for they heard
+him give a screech of pain, then he reached the sanctuary of the woods,
+and dodging for safety from tree to tree dashed for the lake. Three of
+the men took after him, but he had taken them by such great surprise
+when he fled, that he got a flying start.
+
+LeBlanc reached the lake and dived in. He had seen at the same moment as
+the men who were following, the one chance to save his hide. The motor
+boat had been repaired, and in it were three or four of the men
+concerned in the timber thefts. Among them was Jean’s brother Baptiste.
+
+Swimming under water, the halfbreed made for the craft. The men in the
+launch opened fire on the pursuers. A rope was thrown to Jean by his
+brother, which he grasped, and then without taking the time to haul him
+aboard, the boat put about and made for the other side of the lake.
+
+Shot after shot was exchanged, but LeBlanc, as well as those in the
+motor boat, seemed to bear charmed lives.
+
+Once again, Jean LeBlanc had foiled justice and made his escape.
+
+The chagrined pursuers returned to the late scene of hostilities, and
+found that order had been restored. The lumberjacks who had been
+promised immunity had been disarmed and herded together, waiting the
+word to leave the camp.
+
+The ringleaders had been tied up to prevent any more escapes, and Mr.
+Boone and Dick, together with the other prisoners, had been removed from
+the stifling air of the storehouse.
+
+Warm was the greeting between father and son and between the chums who
+were together once again, unharmed and happy. After the greetings were
+over, the traitorous lumberjacks were ordered to get their packs and
+leave within fifteen minutes under the guidance of the posse, while the
+prisoners were put on the trucks to be taken to the county jail.
+
+“So ends the battle of Boone’s camp, and all the excitement. My boys, I
+can’t tell you how proud I am of you; but had I known the perils that
+were in store for you, I would never have started you on this mission.
+But you have covered yourselves with glory, and I’m proud of you. Now I
+must get a manager that will serve my interests, get this camp going and
+do what I can to try and retrieve what I have lost through the rascally
+Barrows. I am afraid that I am financially hurt unless we can bring
+Carson to book and make him stand this loss.”
+
+“With our evidence I think you can,” said Garry. “And now what would you
+give for a real manager that would serve you and no one else?”
+
+“I don’t know, but I would give almost anything in reason for such a
+man.”
+
+“Then,” said Garry, “there’s your man,” and he pointed to Art Howells.
+
+Garry’s father heartily agreed.
+
+“Now,” said Mr. Boone, “I’d like to get a look at this hermit of yours.”
+
+The boys looked around for the old man, but, mysterious as ever, he had
+disappeared!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+CONCLUSION
+
+
+So the quest of the boys to discover the Timber Thieves was ended. Mr.
+Boone hailed Garry’s suggestion with delight, and Howells, who protested
+that he had done nothing to deserve the big promotion, was installed as
+camp manager, with the faithful lumberjacks as a nucleus, to get the
+camp going full blast again.
+
+“And you can depend, Moose Boone, on our doing everything we can to make
+up for what has happened before,” one of the old timers shouted.
+
+Only one remained to be rewarded for his help. That was King, the
+squatter. Mr. Boone immediately agreed when Garry told him of the
+promise that had been made, and offered to send some food and clothes to
+Misery Camp.
+
+A suggestion by Dick proved good. He asked why the Misery Camp men could
+not be hired to take some of the places left vacant by the men who had
+turned traitor. This was put to King and he thought it over a minute.
+
+Then he said:
+
+“Squatters hain’t lazy; it’s just that every man’s hand is turned
+against ’em because they haven’t got homes and land o’ their own; but
+you people seem different. I’ll have all the men here in a couple o’
+days, ready to go to work and earn a livin’.”
+
+It took some time for all to tell their stories. Since Garry and Phil
+had worked separately from Dick, they had to tell him all that befell
+them since the evening they had left to go and visit the scene of the
+timber stealing; and Dick was made to tell how he had become a captive.
+
+In the telling of their stories to each other, the whole story was
+unfolded to Mr. Boone, and at the end of the stories he again
+congratulated them on the successful way in which they had carried out
+his mission.
+
+“Now I suppose it’s back to the patrol on Sourdehunq,” said Garry. “We
+have forgotten for some time that we are Rangers, and we still have a
+month or so to work for the protection of the forests. It will seem kind
+of quiet there after all this excitement, for I don’t believe that much
+can happen there now.”
+
+But further adventures were in store for the boys—how they were given
+another mission to accomplish; the great good fortune that came to Phil;
+the explanation of the mystery that surrounded the hermit, and the final
+reward for their summer’s work. All will be told in the next and last
+book of the Ranger Boys series, entitled, “The Ranger Boys and Their
+Reward.”
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+The Ranger Boys Series
+
+BY CLAUDE H. LA BELLE
+
+A new series of copyright titles telling of the adventures of three boys
+with the Forest Rangers in the state of Maine.
+
+Handsome Cloth Binding. PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH.
+
+  THE RANGER BOYS TO THE RESCUE
+  THE RANGER BOYS FIND THE HERMIT
+  THE RANGER BOYS AND THE BORDER SMUGGLERS
+  THE RANGER BOYS OUTWIT THE TIMBER THIEVES
+  THE RANGER BOYS AND THEIR REWARD
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 East 23rd Street, New York
+
+
+
+
+The Radio Boys Series
+
+BY GERALD BRECKENRIDGE
+
+A new series of copyright titles for boys of all ages.
+
+Cloth Bound, with Attractive Cover Designs PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+  THE RADIO BOYS ON THE MEXICAN BORDER
+  THE RADIO BOYS ON SECRET SERVICE DUTY
+  THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE REVENUE GUARDS
+  THE RADIO BOYS' SEARCH FOR THE INCA'S TREASURE
+  THE RADIO BOYS RESCUE THE LOST ALASKA EXPEDITION
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+The Boy Troopers Series
+
+BY CLAIR W. HAYES
+
+Author of the Famous "Boy Allies" Series.
+
+The adventures of two boys with the Pennsylvania State Police.
+
+All Copyrighted Titles.
+
+Cloth Bound, with Attractive Cover Designs.
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH.
+
+  THE BOY TROOPERS ON THE TRAIL
+  THE BOY TROOPERS IN THE NORTHWEST
+  THE BOY TROOPERS ON STRIKE DUTY
+  THE BOY TROOPERS AMONG THE WILD MOUNTAINEERS
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY 114-120 East 23rd Street, New York
+
+
+
+
+The Golden Boys Series
+
+By L. P. WYMAN, Ph.D. Dean of Pennsylvania Military College.
+
+A new series of instructive copyright stories for boys of High School
+Age.
+
+Handsome Cloth Binding. PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH.
+
+  THE GOLDEN BOYS AND THEIR NEW ELECTRIC CELL
+  THE GOLDEN BOYS AT THE FORTRESS
+  THE GOLDEN BOYS IN THE MAINE WOODS
+  THE GOLDEN BOYS WITH THE LUMBER JACKS
+  THE GOLDEN BOYS ON THE RIVER DRIVE
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 East 23rd Street, New York
+
+
+
+
+The Boy Scouts Series
+
+BY HERBERT CARTER
+
+For Boys 12 to 16 Years
+
+All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+New Stories of Camp Life
+
+  THE BOY SCOUTS' FIRST CAMPFIRE;
+    or, Scouting With The Silver Fox Patrol.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE;
+    or, Marooned Among the Moonshiners.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL;
+    or, Scouting through the Big Game Country.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS;
+    or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER;
+    or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES;
+    or, The Secret of the Hidden Silver Mine.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS ON STURGEON ISLAND;
+    or, Marooned Among the Game-Fish Poachers.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS DOWN IN DIXIE;
+    or, The Strange Secret of Alligator Swamp.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA;
+    A story of Burgoyne's Defeat in 1777.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS ALONG THE SUSQUEHANNA;
+    or, The Silver Fox Patrol Caught in a Flood.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS ON WAR TRAILS IN BELGIUM;
+    or, Caught Between Hostile Armies.
+  THE BOY SCOUTS AFOOT IN FRANCE;
+    or, With The Red Cross Corps at the Marne.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+Our Young Aeroplane Scout Series
+
+(Registered in the United States Patent Office)
+
+BY HORACE PORTER
+
+For Boys 12 to 16 Years.
+
+All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+A Series of Remarkable Stories of the Adventures of Two Boy Flyers in
+The European War Zone.
+
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM;
+    or, Saving The Fortunes of the Trouvilles.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN GERMANY.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN RUSSIA;
+    or, Lost on the Frozen Steppes.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN TURKEY;
+    or, Bringing the Light to Yusef.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN ENGLAND;
+    or, Twin Stars In the London Sky Patrol.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN ITALY;
+    or, Flying with the War Eagles of the Alps.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS AT VERDUN;
+    or, Driving Armored Meteors Over Flaming Battle Fronts.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN THE BALKANS;
+    or, Wearing the Red Badge of Courage Among Warring Legions.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN THE WAR ZONE;
+    or, Serving Uncle Sam In the Great Cause of the Allies.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS FIGHTING TO THE FINISH;
+    or Striking Hard Over the Sea for the Stars and Stripes.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS AT THE MARNE;
+    or, Hurrying the Huns from Allied Battle Planes.
+  OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN AT THE VICTORY;
+    or, Speedy High Flyers Smashing the Hindenburg Line.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+The Jack Lorimer Series
+
+BY WINN STANDISH
+
+For Boys 12 to 16 Years.
+
+All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+CAPTAIN JACK LORIMER; or, The Young Athlete of Millvale High.
+
+  Jack Lorimer is a fine example of the all-around American high-school
+  boys. His fondness for clean, honest sport of all kinds will strike a
+  chord of sympathy among athletic youths.
+
+JACK LORIMER'S CHAMPIONS; or, Sports on Land and Lake.
+
+  There is a lively story woven in with the athletic achievements, which
+  are all right, since the book has been O.K'd. by Chadwick, the Nestor
+  of American Sporting Journalism.
+
+JACK LORIMER'S HOLIDAYS; or, Millvale High in Camp.
+
+  It would be well not to put this book into a boy's hands until the
+  chores are finished, otherwise they might be neglected.
+
+JACK LORIMER'S SUBSTITUTE; or, The Acting Captain of the Team.
+
+  On the sporting side, this book takes up football, wrestling, and
+  tobogganing. There is a good deal of fun in this book and plenty of
+  action.
+
+JACK LORIMER, FRESHMAN; or, From Millvale High to Exmouth.
+
+  Jack and some friends he makes crowd innumerable happenings into an
+  exciting freshman year at one of the leading Eastern colleges. The
+  book is typical of the American college boy's life, and there is a
+  lively story, interwoven with feats on the gridiron, hockey,
+  basketball and other clean honest sports for which Jack Lorimer
+  stands.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+The Boy Allies
+
+(Registered in the United States Patent Office)
+
+With the Navy
+
+BY ENSIGN ROBERT L. DRAKE
+
+For Boys 12 to 16 Years.
+
+All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+Frank Chadwick and Jack Templeton, young American lads, meet each other
+in an unusual way soon after the declaration of war. Circumstances place
+them on board the British cruiser, "The Sylph," and from there on, they
+share adventures with the sailors of the Allies. Ensign Robert L. Drake,
+the author, is an experienced naval officer, and he describes admirably
+the many exciting adventures of the two boys.
+
+  THE BOY ALLIES ON THE NORTH SEA PATROL;
+    or, Striking the First Blow at the German Fleet.
+  THE BOY ALLIES UNDER TWO FLAGS;
+    or, Sweeping the Enemy from the Sea.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON;
+    or, The Naval Raiders of the Great War.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE TERROR OF THE SEA;
+    or, The Last Shot of Submarine D-16.
+  THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE SEA;
+    or, The Vanishing Submarine.
+  THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALTIC;
+    or, Through Fields of Ice to Aid the Czar.
+  THE BOY ALLIES AT JUTLAND;
+    or, The Greatest Naval Battle of History.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH UNCLE SAM'S CRUISERS;
+    or, Convoying the American Army Across the Atlantic.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE SUBMARINE D-32;
+    or, The Fall of the Russian Empire.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE VICTORIOUS FLEETS;
+    or, The Fall of the German Navy.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+The Boy Allies
+
+(Registered in the United States Patent Office)
+
+With the Army
+
+BY CLAIR W. HAYES
+
+For Boys 12 to 16 Years.
+
+All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+In this series we follow the fortunes of two American lads unable to
+leave Europe after war is declared. They meet the soldiers of the
+Allies, and decide to cast their lot with them. Their experiences and
+escapes are many, and furnish plenty of good, healthy action that every
+boy loves.
+
+  THE BOY ALLIES AT LIEGE;
+    or, Through Lines of Steel.
+  THE BOY ALLIES ON THE FIRING LINE;
+    or, Twelve Days Battle Along the Marne.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE COSSACKS;
+    or, A Wild Dash Over the Carpathians.
+  THE BOY ALLIES IN THE TRENCHES;
+    or, Midst Shot and Shell Along the Alsne.
+  THE BOY ALLIES IN GREAT PERIL;
+    or, With the Italian Army In the Alps.
+  THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALKAN CAMPAIGN;
+    or, The Struggle to Save a Nation.
+  THE BOY ALLIES ON THE SOMME;
+    or, Courage and Bravery Rewarded.
+  THE BOY ALLIES AT VERDUN;
+    or, Saving France from the Enemy.
+  THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES;
+    or, Leading the American Troops to the Firing Line.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH HAIG IN FLANDERS;
+    or, The Fighting Canadians of Vimy Ridge.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH PERSHING IN FRANCE;
+    or, Over the Top at Chateau Thierry.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE GREAT ADVANCE;
+    or, Driving the Enemy Through France and Belgium.
+  THE BOY ALLIES WITH MARSHAL FOCH;
+    or, The Closing Days of the Great World War.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+The Navy Boys Series
+
+A series of excellent stories of adventure on sea and land, selected
+from the works of popular writers; each volume designed for boys'
+reading.
+
+Handsome Cloth Bindings
+
+  THE NAVY BOYS IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY.
+    A story of the burning of the British schooner Gaspee in 1772.
+    By William P. Chipman.
+  THE NAVY BOYS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND.
+    A story of the Whale Boat Navy of 1776.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS AT THE SIEGE OF HAVANA.
+    Being the experience of three boys serving under Israel Putnam
+    in 1772.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS WITH GRANT AT VICKSBURG.
+    A boy's story of the siege of Vicksburg.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE WITH PAUL JONES.
+    A boy's story of a cruise with the Great Commodore in 1776.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS ON LAKE ONTARIO.
+    The story of two boys and their adventures in the War of 1812.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE ON THE PICKERING.
+    A boy's story of privateering in 1780.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS IN NEW YORK BAY.
+    A story of three boys who took command of the schooner "The Laughing
+    Mary," the first vessel of the American Navy.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE NAVY BOYS IN THE TRACK OF THE ENEMY.
+    The story of a remarkable cruise with the Sloop of War "Providence"
+    and the Frigate "Alfred."
+    By William P. Chipman.
+  THE NAVY BOYS' DARING CAPTURE.
+    The story of how the navy boys helped to capture the British Cutter
+    "Margaretta," in 1775.
+    By William P. Chipman.
+  THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE TO THE BAHAMAS.
+    The adventures of two Yankee Middies with the first cruise of an
+    American Squadron in 1775.
+    By William P. Chipman.
+  THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE WITH COLUMBUS.
+    The adventures of two boys who sailed with the great Admiral in the
+    discovery of America.
+    By Frederick A. Ober.
+
+
+
+
+The Boy Spies Series
+
+These stories are based on important historical events, scenes wherein
+boys are prominent characters being selected. They are the romance of
+history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the home
+life, and accurate in every particular.
+
+Handsome Cloth Bindings
+
+  THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
+    A story of the part they took in its defence.
+    By William P. Chipman.
+  THE BOY SPIES AT THE DEFENCE OF FORT HENRY.
+    A boy's story of Wheeling Creek in 1777.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.
+    A story of two boys at the siege of Boston.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES AT THE SIEGE OF DETROIT.
+    A story of two Ohio boys in the War of 1812.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES WITH LAFAYETTE.
+    The story of how two boys joined the Continental Army.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES ON CHESAPEAKE BAY.
+    The story of two young spies under Commodore Barney.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES WITH THE REGULATORS.
+    The story of how the boys assisted the Carolina Patriots
+    to drive the British from that State.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES WITH THE SWAMP FOX.
+    The story of General Marion and his young spies.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES AT YORKTOWN.
+    The story of how the spies helped General Lafayette
+    in the Siege of Yorktown.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES OF PHILADELPHIA.
+    The story of how the young spies helped the Continental
+    Army at Valley Forge.
+    By James Otis.
+  THE BOY SPIES OF FORT GRISWOLD.
+    The story of the part they took in its brave defence.
+    By William P. Chipman.
+  THE BOY SPIES OF OLD NEW YORK.
+    The story of how the young spies prevented the capture of
+    General Washington.
+    By James Otis.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street, New York
+
+
+
+
+The Girl Chum's Series
+
+ALL AMERICAN AUTHORS.
+
+ALL COPYRIGHT STORIES.
+
+A carefully selected series of books for girls, written by popular
+authors. These are charming stories for young girls, well told and full
+of interest. Their simplicity, tenderness, healthy, interesting motives,
+vigorous action, and character painting will please all girl readers.
+
+HANDSOME CLOTH BINDING.
+
+  BENHURST CLUB, THE. By Howe Benning.
+  BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. By Linnie S. Harris.
+  BILLOW PRAIRIE. A Story of Life in the Great West. By Joy Allison.
+  DUXBERRY DOINGS. A New England Story. By Caroline B. Le Row.
+  FUSSBUDGET'S FOLKS. A Story For Young Girls. By Anna F. Burnham.
+  HAPPY DISCIPLINE, A. By Elizabeth Cummings.
+  JOLLY TEN, THE; and Their Year of Stories. By Agnes Carr Sage.
+  KATIE ROBERTSON. A Girl's Story of Factory Life. By M. E. Winslow.
+  LONELY HILL. A Story For Girls. By M. L. Thornton-Wilder.
+  MAJORIBANKS. A Girl's Story. By Elvirton Wright.
+  MISS CHARITY'S HOUSE. By Howe Benning.
+  MISS ELLIOT'S GIRLS. A Story For Young Girls. By Mary Spring Corning.
+  MISS MALCOLM'S TEN. A Story For Girls. By Margaret E. Winslow.
+  ONE GIRL'S WAY OUT. By Howe Benning.
+  PEN'S VENTURE. By Elvirton Wright.
+  RUTH PRENTICE. A Story For Girls. By Marion Thorne.
+  THREE YEARS AT GLENWOOD. A Story of School Life. By M. E. Winslow.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street, New York
+
+
+
+
+The Girl Comrade's Series
+
+ALL AMERICAN AUTHORS.
+
+ALL COPYRIGHT STORIES.
+
+A carefully selected series of books for girls, written by popular
+authors. These are charming stories for young girls, well told and full
+of interest. Their simplicity, tenderness, healthy, interesting motives
+vigorous action, and character painting will please all girl readers.
+
+HANDSOME CLOTH BINDING.
+
+  A BACHELOR MAID AND HER BROTHER By I. R. Thurston.
+  ALL ABOARD. A Story For Girls. By Fanny E. Newberry.
+  ALMOST A GENIUS. A Story For Girls. By Adelaide L. Rouse.
+  ANNICE WYNKOOP, Artist. Story of a Country Girl. By Adelaide L. Rouse.
+  BUBBLES. A Girl's Story. By Fannie B. Newberry.
+  COMRADES. By Fannie E. Newberry.
+  DEANE GIRLS, THE. A Home Story. By Adelaide L. Rouse.
+  HELEN BEATON. COLLEGE WOMAN. By Adelaide L. Rouse.
+  JOYCE'S INVESTMENTS. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry.
+  MELLICENT RAYMOND. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry.
+  MISS ASHTON'S NEW PUPIL. A School Girl's Story. By Mrs. S. S. Robbins.
+  NOT FOR PROFIT. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry.
+  ODD ONE, THE. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry.
+  SARA, A PRINCESS. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry.
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street. New York
+
+
+
+
+Marjorie Dean High School Series
+
+BY PAULINE LESTER
+
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean College Series
+
+These are clean, wholesome stories that will be of great interest to all
+girls of high school age.
+
+All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH
+
+  MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN
+  MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE
+  MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR
+  MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+Marjorie Dean College Series
+
+BY PAULINE LESTER.
+
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School Series.
+
+Those who have read the Marjorie Dean High School Series will be eager
+to read this new series, as Marjorie Dean continues to be the heroine in
+these stories.
+
+All Clothbound. Copyright Titles.
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH.
+
+  MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE FRESHMAN
+  MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+  MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE JUNIOR
+  MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SENIOR
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+Publishers.
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+114-120 East 23rd Street, New York
+
+
+
+
+The Girl Scouts Series
+
+BY EDITH LAVELL
+
+A new copyright series of Girl Scouts stories by an author of wide
+experience in Scouts' craft, as Director of Girl Scouts of Philadelphia.
+
+Clothbound, with Attractive Color Designs.
+
+PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH.
+
+  THE GIRL SCOUTS AT MISS ALLEN'S SCHOOL
+  THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP
+  THE GIRL SCOUTS' GOOD TURN
+  THE GIRL SCOUTS' CANOE TRIP
+  THE GIRL SCOUTS' RIVALS
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
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