ng the broad valley beyond, it seemed an ideal
spot for making a camp.

They were not long in deciding on where they would stay, and two of
the fellows, Alec and Monkey Stallings, were dispatched back to carry
their personal belongings to the new site. Alec was anxious to get
to work developing some of the rolls of films he had taken, in the
expectation of making good any failures.

By ten o'clock everything had been gathered in the new camp, which was
situated not much more than a quarter of a mile away from the deserted
mansion. The boys believed they could already call their mission a
success; and after Alec had been heard from in connection with his
photographic work, this would be set down as a certainty.

"Listen!" called out Monkey Stallings about this time, for he happened
to have remarkable hearing. "Seemed to me that was some one talking
over yonder."

"Mebbe the tramps have come back after all," exclaimed Billy looking
startled. "You know they always say a bad penny is sure to turn up
again."

"Better look for some good handy clubs, I say," observed Alec, pouncing
on just such a stout stick as he had in his mind's eye when speaking.

"Whoever it is coming," remarked Hugh, uneasily, "we'll soon know the
worst, for I can see them through the bushes there. They know we're
here in the bargain, because they're making straight for this place."

The scout master had hardly finished saying this when two men dressed
in gray uniforms and carrying guns suddenly stepped out of the bushes,
one calling aloud:

"Hold up your hands there, every one of you, and don't try to run, or
it will be the worse for you. We've tracked you up here, and you're
under arrest. Steady now!"

CHAPTER VI

GUESTS AT THE CAMP FIRE

"Do what he says, fellows!" urged Hugh, sensibly, at the same time
elevating both hands above his head, in which ludicrous feat he was
speedily imitated by his four chums.

The two armed men continued to advance cautiously toward the scouts.
At the same time it could be seen that they appeared more or less
surprised on account of discovering that it was a parcel of fairly
well grown boys whom they were making prisoners.

"Is this a joke?" asked Alec Sands, with a tinge of a sneer in his
voice. "If so I want to say it's in pretty bad taste, don't you know."

"You'll find it a serious kind of a joke, young fellow," snarled one
of the two men in uniform, who seemed to be huffed over some