efore
morning. It never rains but it pours."

"Slap, slap, slap!" came the call from the darkness again.

Will gave a low whistle in recognition of the signal and stepped
forward. An answering whistle directed his steps, and presently he saw
the light of the fire shining on the pale face of the lad who had stolen
the badge of office from the detective.

"Why didn't you come on in?" asked Will.

"Why," was the reply, "I wasn't afraid of you boys, but I didn't know
who might be watching the camp. I've been loitering around here most of
the time since dark and just got the courage to call you out. Some one
chased me away once."

"Are you hungry?" asked Will. "If you are, now's the time to say so.
Last call for dinner in the dining car!"

"Yes, I'm hungry," was the reply, "but I haven't got time to wait for
supper. If you'll snatch a loaf of bread and can of something and come
along with me, you'll do the greatest favor one Boy Scout ever did for
another. You'll come, won't you?"

"Sure I will," was the reply, "and I'll bring something more than a loaf
of bread and a can of something," he went on.

"You can't carry much," replied Chester, "for we've got a rocky road to
climb, and we'll have to go fast, too!"

"You haven't told me what the trouble is, yet!"

"It's father!" the boy answered hesitatingly. "I suppose you know now
that I didn't tell you the truth when I was at your camp. I saw John
Johnson there after I stole that bum detective's badge and ran away, and
I suppose he told you all about me."

"Yes, he did," replied Will, rejoicing inwardly that the very thing they
had been wishing for had taken place.

All he had to do now was to win the confidence of the boy, find his way
to the father, and so clear up the mystery of the Fremont case.

"Yes," Will went on, "he told me all about you and all about your
father, and I've been wondering ever since how you, a Boy Scout, could
find the nerve to make up such a mess of lies as you told to me."

"I wanted to find out what you were here for, and who you were, and get
something to eat," replied the boy, "and so I told you the first thing
that came into my head. And now," he continued, "I'm going to tell you
something that I wish might be classed as a fairy tale later on."

"Go ahead," answered Will. "Two days ago I had no idea that I'd ever
become mixed up in the Fremont case, but I'll tell you right now that
I'm becoming interested in it."

"A few days a