all, to be driven by Horsehair. Mr. Dale was to go along, and so
were Phil, Dave, Ben, Buster, and Doctor Clay.

The carryall was brought around to the side entrance of the school,
and Wilbur Poole was told that he was about to take a ride through the
country. He walked through the hallway willingly enough, but suddenly,
on turning a corner, set up a shout.

"You! you! I have found you at last!" he cried, rushing forward. "You
are the one who exposed me! Base soldier that you are! You have ruined
the whole army!" And in a sudden fit of passion he ran up to Job
Haskers and caught him by the throat.

"Le--let g-g-go!" gasped the teacher, and tried to shake the man off.
Then the others ran up, and Wilbur Poole was dragged back and
handcuffed.

"Do you know that man?" asked Dave, struck by a sudden idea.

"Yes! yes!" groaned the wild man. "He exposed me! The army is lost!"

"How did he expose you?"

"He saw me do it."

"Do what?"

"Blow up the fort-hotel. Oh, what a base villain he was to look on!"
groaned the wild man, and suddenly commenced to weep.

"What is--the--er--man talking about?" stammered Job Haskers, and all
saw him turn pale.

"He says you saw him blow up Sparr's place," said Dave, pointedly.

"It is false, absurd!" said the teacher. "I--er--I never saw the
rascal before."

"He isn't a rascal, Mr. Haskers. He is simply out of his mind,"
remonstrated Mr. Dale. "He is not accountable for his actions."

"Well, he ought not to say such things," returned the dictatorial
teacher.

"You saw me--you know you did!" cried Wilbur Poole. "You spoiled
everything! I might have blown up many forts if it hadn't been for
you!" And he shook his head dolefully.

"Take him away," said the teacher, and turned his back on the wild
man.

"Dave, I think the wild man speaks the truth!" whispered Phil to our
hero.

"Possibly, Phil. I think the matter will bear investigation."

"And if old Haskers saw the thing done, why didn't he tell about it.
Do you think that letter--"

"It struck me that such might be the truth, Phil. But don't say
anything until you are sure."

"He was down on us--ever since we mentioned that affair with the Widow
Breen," went on the shipowner's son.

"I'd like to see that letter Jason Sparr got--saying we were guilty,"
returned our hero. "Maybe Doctor Clay can get hold of it."

All the way to Oakdale the boys spoke of the case in whispers. Phil
was quite sure Job Haskers had seen W