ster promised to send
word just as soon as he had interviewed Mr. Brett, or his secretary.

"If, for any reason, we should decide to go direct from here to
Pioneer Camp, and should not go up around Silver Lake and thence
to Ralph's farm, to call for you, Tom," he added, "I will send
Joe to the farm, and he will guide you to camp through the backwoods
north of Pioneer Lake. That will be an interesting experience
for you, and Joe is good company. Take good care of yourself, my
boy, until we all meet again at camp."

"Certainly. Good-bye, all!" Tom sprang into the buggy and gathered
up the reins. "Good-bye!" he called out again as Keno turned and
trotted up the road at a brisk rate.

They watched him until horse and buggy were silhouetted against the
sky on the brow of the hill; and, when he vanished down the further
side in a hollow, they separated into little groups and went their
ways in search of amusement.

Tom made the long drive homeward without further adventures. It was
after sundown when he arrived at the farm and found Ralph, who was
really an excellent cook, preparing supper. Broiled chicken, sweet
potatoes, asparagus and radishes grown under glass, custard
pudding---it was a feast for these healthy, famished youths, and
they did ample justice to it; so ample, in fact, that each had
to let out his belt one notch! And what a good talk they had over
the events of the day! Tom was as interested in hearing all about
what Ralph had done and seen as Ralph was in Tom's more varied account.

The fact that Bill Terrill was the thief did not greatly surprise
Ralph. However, he feared that very little, if any, of his money
would be recovered, when he learned that Bill and his cronies had
been drinking together. In this, we may add, Ralph was happily
disappointed, for a few days later he received from Constable
Thompson a crumpled ten-dollar bill,---the remains of the stolen
hoard!

The news that Scout Master Denmead would personally take up the
matter of the survey was a great satisfaction to Ralph. It was
more than that, it was a source of the most rosy-hued hopes and
dreams in which he had indulged himself for many a long day.
Almost the last thing Tom said to him before dropping off to sleep
was:

"The Chief'll persuade 'em to do it, I know he will. He can do
anything. He's great!"

And that night Ralph dreamed that his farm, all of it which was not
bought by the railroad, was converted into a