been follerin' us ever since we left the town," Tim said after a
moment's thought, "an' it stands us in hand to get outer this lively, or
the rest of his gang will be on us."

"Have we got to do more trampin' jest on account of a sneak like this?"
Gus asked fretfully.

"Do you want to stay an' run the chance of bein' carried back to
Blacktown?"

"Of course not; but travelin' all the time when we mighter got on the
cars in the first place is more'n I bargained for."

"If you'd had your way we'd been pulled in before this. Get the stuff in
shape, an' I reckon we'll fix things right now. Let him carry the load,
an' we'll take the tramp kinder easy."

Gus obeyed with a very ill grace, and while he was getting the cooking
utensils together Tim walked along the bank of the brook to where a flat
stone lay half submerged in the water.

Fred watched his every movement as he overturned this, and dug with a
pointed stick until a small, square package had been exposed to view.

There was no question in the prisoner's mind but that the wrappings of
cloth covered the money Sam was accused of stealing, and now the secret
had really been discovered, all else seemed trifling in comparison.

"I wonder how it happened that I didn't see that when they left the last
camp?" he thought, as Tim put the bundle carefully in the inside pocket
of his coat.

"So you've found out what you come for, eh?" the boy cried, angrily.
"Well, it won't do any good, for when we get through with sneaks they
can't do much harm. Pick up that load, an' if you don't walk lively I'll
find a way to make you."

"How can I pick up anything while my legs are tied?"

Tim unfastened the ropes from Fred's ankles; loosened one of his arms,
and threw the cooking utensils over his shoulder.

"Come on Gus," he said, impatiently. "We'll take turns carryin' the grub
'till we've given the slip to whoever may be follerin', and then he can
tote the whole load."

Fred was faint from lack of food; but he mentally braced himself to
perform the task, and Gus cried as he struck him a blow full in the
face:

"Step out now, an' when we make camp to-night you'll get a taste of how
we serve spies. It'll be a worse dose than the regulators ever gave you,
an' don't forget it."

"There's no time for foolishness," Tim said, impatiently. "His gang may
be close behind, an' we can't afford to pay him off yet a while."

With this sage remark he took up the provision bag, and le