couldn't git through. He'd be just the one for it."

"What do we want with boys? How would we be squaring him?"

"He's the kind that wouldn't need much squaring. A little piece o' money
'd keep him quiet. He's jest run off f'm the reform school."

"You're dead sure about him?"

"I know how to make sure," said Mr. Jervice. "A reform school runaway is
just what we want."

In which conclusion Mr. Jervice showed that he was not as clever as
supposed.

CHAPTER XI

GLEN FOLLOWS A FALSE TRAIL

Morning mail was a great institution in camp. Two scouts, specially
detailed, brought it from the Buffalo Center post-office, in a U. S.
mail pouch. Mr. Newton opened and distributed it, and happy were the
fellows who received letters with which they could retreat to some
corner and feast themselves not only once, but sometimes twice and
thrice, while pleased smiles circled their countenances.

Because Glen expected none he was all the more surprised when a letter
was handed to him. It was a mysterious letter, indeed. The envelope was
mysterious, if a dirty and crumpled condition spelled mystery. The
writing and spelling were mysterious--most mysterious. Finally the
contents of the letter enjoined mystery.

"Say nuffin to noboddy burn this at once," it cautioned. "This is
important. Your forchoon is maid and you git part of a big tressure if
you do exackly as told. Don't say a word to noboddy but cum at ten
o'clock to the blazed oke wich is just south of your camp if you tell
anyboddy or bring anyboddy you wont get to no nuffin about it."

Glen's first impulse was to show the document to Jolly Bill. As Bill was
busy in conversation with Mr. Newton he had time to think it over. It
was something about the treasure, quite evidently. Very likely it was a
trick. Some one was trying to get a laugh on him. Very well. Glen was
not at all displeased. He would let them do their worst. It showed that
they had taken him in among them and were treating him exactly as one of
themselves. He was gratified. He would go along and see it through. If
they could make him bite, all right.

There was no difficulty in locating the blazed oak which stood close to
the camp. Glen had no watch, but he went early enough to be quite sure
of being there by ten o'clock. Then he waited and waited. He was about
to give it up as a hoax, when a man slipped quietly out of the woods and
advanced toward him. Glen fell into a position of defense as he saw