r 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, Mr. 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
everythi