o recover the
confidential reports that had been stolen from the chairman of the
Waterways Commission."

"Trying to unload the envelope on you, eh?"

"Yes. He asked me to post it for him--addressed it himself to his
address in Toronto."

"What did you do?"

"Posted it, of course--in a hollow stump over there near the tank with
a slab of fungus on top for a lid!"

Ben Wade laughed aloud.

"Know what's in the thing?" he demanded abruptly.

"These stolen Government documents?"

"Fifty thousand dollars, you mean!"

"The son-of-a-gun!" muttered Kendrick, looking startled.

"But he doesn't happen to know that the bills are bogus--stage money,
sandwiched between a couple of genuine bills of small denomination,"
chuckled Wade. He stopped short and stood in front of Kendrick with
one hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Phil," he said seriously,
"you've stumbled in on a little game that is being played out with
stacked cards. We'll talk about it after breakfast. We'll be running
up as far as Indian Creek to use the Y in the old ballast pit. You're
coming along. We can stop at Rutland's caboose long enough for you to
pick up your nightie and your safety razor."

"I don't think I understand, Mr. Wade," said Phil, puzzled.

"Not supposed to," retorted Wade. "Fact is, you're fired! You can't
work for Rutland another minute----"

"Why, what----?"

"Because you're hired! I've got to have a secretary, haven't I?
There's interesting work ahead, boy, and I need you. Don't ask
questions. Breakfast first. I can't talk without a cigar and I never
smoke before breakfast."

"Shall I run over to the stump and get the envelope?" asked Kendrick
when he had recovered from his first surprise.

"Not by a jugful! Podmore thinks you're playing his game, doesn't he?
Always draw to the aces, Phil. Leave the envelope where it is. Hello,
Thorlakson. Hello, boys. Good work last night. I want to thank you
all. Mr. Kendrick here has just been telling me how well you did your
duty. He wants you to have that fifty dollar reward--all of it."

As he spoke he took from his pocket a roll of greenbacks and peeled off
five ten-dollar bills which he handed to the foreman with a twinkle of
the eye. It was what they had been waiting for with a vast interest.
And while Svenson, the big Swede, and the two Norwegians snatched off
their caps and grinned, Thorlakson endeavored to convey their entire
satisfaction.

"Yaow, Meest