with the lantern was Mose
Hocker.

The recognition was mutual.

"You here!" cried Hocker in a pained voice. "I didn't expect this. Is it
possible that you lads came down to my cabin and stole the gun and the
boat? I wouldn't have believed it of you without the evidence of my own
eyes."

"And this here's the same feller I had locked up in the smoke house,"
exclaimed one of Bug's captors. "I'll bet he don't steal any more
chickens for a while."

Ned stood pale and agitated before his accuser--quite at a loss for
words to explain.

"I'm sorry for you," resumed Hocker, "but I must do my duty an' hand
you over to constable Jeffries. Where are the rest of your party?"

The words came with a rush now as Ned eagerly denied his guilt and
explained away the incriminating circumstances.

Then, while the others clustered about him, he commenced the story at
the beginning, and went through with it thread by thread.

His excitement caused him to speak a little inarticulately; and he
missed a few details, but by adroit cross questioning his hearers
obtained a clear understanding of the whole situation--starting with the
rescue of Bug's brother and ending with the events that had recently
transpired at the mill.

Ned was so anxious to procure Bug's release that he quite forgot his
suspicions of a few moments before--namely, that Bug was equally guilty
with Moxley of the theft of the boat and the gun.

"Won't you let him go?" he pleaded. "It's all a mistake. He had nothing
to do with stealing those things from the farmer. He was doing all he
could to help us."

But Hocker had formed his own opinion after hearing Ned's story, and so
had constable Jeffries and Mr. Zinn, the farmer.

"I'm mighty glad to know you lads ain't guilty," said Hocker, "and I ax
your pardon for my wrong suspicion. As for this fellow, I ain't so sure
about him. I don't doubt that he's really been trying to get you chaps
out of a scrape though, and I promise you he'll get full credit for it.
Meanwhile we'd better make sure of him--just as a matter of form, you
know."

He nodded to Jeffries and the latter slipped a pair of bracelets on
Bug's wrists.

Ned was surprised and indignant. He saw no reason for such a step.

"Don't be worried, lad," remarked Hocker soothingly. "He may be turned
loose later on. You see I can't afford to let the guilty parties escape
after the hard chase they've given me. Why, Jeffries and I have been
scourin' all along t