ed around. His gaze did not rest immediately on his chums, but
was given entirely to little Joe, which fact amazed the others still
more.

"It's the greatest thing ever, fellows! It makes me so happy I hardly
know whether I'm dreaming or not! And the best of it is, the whole
business is about our little campmate here, Joe Abercrombie!" was what he
said, seizing the lad's hand warmly.

CHAPTER XXV

THE SECRET OF THE SEALED PACKET--CONCLUSION

"About me!" exclaimed Joe, looking amazed.

"Talk to me about surprises!" ejaculated Jerry. "Frank does love to knock
us all silly!"

"How could your father know about Joe, here?" demanded skeptical Lawyer
Bluff.

"Joe, what was your father's name?" asked Frank, eagerness in his bright
eyes.

"Joseph Sprague Abercrombie," came the immediate response.

"Hurrah! That settles it!" shouted Frank, throwing his hat into the air.
His chums could not ever remember having seen him one-half so excited
before.

"Take pity on us!" cried Will, catching the other by the sleeve.

"Yes, hurry up and tell, or I'll burst!" ejaculated Bluff.

Jerry shook Frank, in his earnestness, saying:

"It isn't fair, and you know it! We're chums, and we deserve to be taken
into your confidence."

"Right you are; and now sit down and listen to me. I'm not going to read
this letter out, but you can look it over later, as you please. My father
says he was just about to come down to Cedar Keys himself, or send a
trusted clerk, for the business is very important, you see."

"And that was why he smiled when you told him where we meant to bring
up?"

"Yes, Bluff, that was the reason. Now you know he is a banker and a
capitalist. In times gone by he used to be in Wall Street, so he had
connection with many men who were investors. One friend of his, named
Joseph Sprague Abercrombie, who was an engineer, entrusted some money to
him to invest in certain stocks. By an unfortunate turn of the market
those stocks became seemingly valueless. They have lain in his safe for
ten years."

"Say! it's growing exciting! I can see what's coming!" cried Bluff.

"Meanwhile, my father had lost all track of his once boyhood friend Joe.
Then, by a strange freak of fate, the corporation that had issued those
stocks suddenly became alive. Everything they owned began to prosper.
Their mines turned out rich investments, their timber lands found a
big market. The apparently worthless stock, taken from the safe and