e prisoner."

"I don't blame them for doubting the honesty of the police!" declared
Tommy. "The detectives are certainly a bum lot!"

"This theory," continued Mr. Johnson, "insists that there was a second
person in the private office of the banker that hot July night. It is
claimed that this person went to the office to secure financial help
from the banker. It is said, too, that he possesses at this time
positive proof, in the form of written documents, showing that Fremont
committed suicide. The family believes this proof to be perfect."

"Then why don't they find this fellow and bring him forward?" asked
Will.

"That is just what they are trying to do," replied Johnson. "That is
just what you boys are expected to do!" he added with a smile. "You are
expected to bring this witness forward, and so establish the innocence
of the son. That's what you're here for."

"That's nice!" exclaimed Tommy. "That's an easy little undertaking for
four school boys! When other means fail, hire Boy Scouts!"

"That's right!" replied Johnson.

"And we won't see him if those two imitation detectives get to him
first!" the boy went on.

"And that's right too," Johnson answered. "For my part, I can't
understand how the Chicago police department got wise to the whereabouts
of Wagner at this time. When it was arranged to send you boys out here
in quest of him, it was understood that the police had no clue whatever
as to his whereabouts. In fact, we all believed that the officers had
abandoned the search for the escaped convict."

"Well, they're here all right!" Sandy cut in. "And look here," he went
on, "we've got something worse than imitation detectives in our midst!
We've got a couple of train robbers, and a band of cowboy vigilantes!"

"Exactly!" Johnson agreed. "And you've got something equally dangerous
for the purposes of our cause. You've got that fourteen-year-old Chester
Winslow, whose name isn't Winslow at all, but Chester Wagner, son of the
escaped convict!"

"Jerusalem!" exclaimed Tommy. "That boy didn't do a thing to Will, did
he?" he added with a roar of laughter. "He told him a story about coming
in on blind baggage, and sized up the camp, and stole the badge and the
weapons and money of the detective sent in here to capture his father.
Just think of the kid coming in here and stealing the detective's badge!
He'd have taken his necktie if he'd 'a' thought of it!"

"I thought you'd see something humorous in the oc