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Page 22
"Now we've got hold of something!" exclaimed Will. "Were these three
boys together much after that?"
"No," was the reply. "The new boy thanked Jimmie and Dick for helping
him through his scrape, and that was about all. They might have
talked together for five minutes that night, but they were never seen
in each other's company again so far as I know."
"How long did this new boy stay here?" asked George.
"He quit the next day."
"He didn't go up in a pillar of fire, did he?" grinned Sandy.
"No, he walked up to the office and asked if he could get his pay for
the time he had worked. The boss told him he'd have to wait until
Saturday night, and he turned up his nose and walked out."
"And where did he go?" asked George.
"He said he was going down the river in a boat," answered the
caretaker. "He bought an old boat, stocked it with quite a supply of
provisions, and started on his way. The next day the boat was found
bottom side up on a bar, and the lad's hat lay on the bank not far
away."
"Do you think he was drowned?" asked Sandy.
"It would seem so."
"Drowned nothing!" exclaimed Tommy. "He sneaked those provisions
into the mine under cover of the darkness and the three little rascals
are feeding on them yet. You can see the end of that without a
telescope!"
"Now, smarty!" exclaimed George. "You've told us where the boys went,
and where the provisions landed, and all that, now tell us why these
kids hid themselves in the mine. And while you are about it, you may
as well tell why they gave the Wolf call and refused to reply."
"This story," replied Tommy with a grin, "is not a novelette, complete
in one number. It's a serial story, and will be continued in our next
issue. What did you say about the pumps stopping, Canfield?"
"They've stopped, all right!" the caretaker replied.
"Are you going to let the ginks flood the mine?" asked Sandy.
"While I was out a few moments ago," Canfield explained, "I notified
one of the clerks in the company's office to send up a gang of men to
repair the machinery. They ought to be here by this time."
"How long will it take to repair the pump?" asked Tommy.
"It may take an hour and it may take twenty-four.
"In the meantime," Tommy continued, "do you think you could send one
of the county officers out to round up this bum detective?"
"You mean that you want him watched?" asked Canfield.
"Sure!" answered Tommy. "He sawed the rungs in the shaft, didn't he?
He could get ten years for that!"
"All right," replied Canfield. "I'll send word out and have him
arrested if you are positive that he is the man that did the cutting."
"We are positive that he's the man," replied Will, "but it'll spoil
everything if you have him arrested. We want to give him a free hand
for a time, and see what he will do. He's a crook, and he's bound to
show it! And another thing," the boy went on, "we don't want anyone
to know that he is under suspicion. We just want him watched."
"You're handling the case," smiled Canfield, "and I'll take any steps
you advise. I can't tell you how sorry I am that I brought the
detective in here this morning!"
"Well," Will said, "we put up a bluff about getting out of town and
perhaps we can make that stick. We can take a train out and come back
in on a lonely freight, and get into the mine without his knowing
anything about it. The mine is the best place to work from, anyway!"
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