, which housed a
handcar and other tools of the section hands, had a glimpse of his
"fish," as he facetiously termed him, standing rather irresolutely on
the station platform.

"Now for the next move," murmured the colonel.

It was not long in being played.

The man went inside the station, but the detective did not come from
his post of observation. The depot was so small that any one leaving
it, even on the side away from the tracks, would be seen as soon as he
had passed beyond the shadows. But the man evidently had no intention
of going away. He came out again on the front platform, accompanied by
a boy--one, seemingly, who ran errands and delivered telegrams when any
came to disturb the peaceful solitude of Pompey.

"I must see that note!" murmured Colonel Ashley, as he saw one handed
to the boy. "If he goes in the direction I think he will, I'll get it
too! I think I know the lady to whom it is addressed."

The boy talked with the man a little, nodded his head as if
understanding, and then started off up the tracks, toward a path that
led across a field and toward a cluster of village houses.

"Just as I thought," the colonel whispered to himself.

Keeping the tool-house between himself and the man now nervously pacing
the platform, the colonel walked rapidly away from the station, in the
direction taken by the boy.

The boy's legs were short and vigorous, the colonel's long and no less
muscular, and, thanks to his devotion to Walton, which had taken him
tramping many miles over hilly trails, as well as across level meadows,
the old detective was soon able to overtake the lad, and at a point
impossible of observation from the station.

"I say!" called the colonel.

The boy stopped, and looked back questioningly.

"Did you tell him where the best fishing was?" asked the colonel.

"Fishing? Who?"

"The gentleman who gave you that note. Is it possible he didn't
mention fishing?"

"Naw! He didn't say nothin' about it. He just give me this letter,
and--"

"Very likely he forgot about the fishing part," and the detective
smiled grimly. "Let me see it just a moment."

Without hesitation the boy handed it over. Thought was hardly more
rapid than the colonel's perusal of the missive, and, as he gave it
back to the boy, he remarked:

"It's all right. I didn't make any mistake. Now hurry, and you
needn't come back to the station right away."

"But he told me to bring him an answer."

"O