the moonlight, with a diminutive drummer-boy, pounding for dear
life, not far in the rear.
In the meantime the two who were in Jimmie's thoughts were making their
way down the slope with such speed and caution as they were able to
manage.
It was very rough going in the darkness, and more than once Frank
received a bump which effectually banished all inclination to sleep.
At last he sat down on a ledge and called out to Nestor.
"Dig in! Walk your head off!"
Nestor halted and looked back.
"What's doing?" he asked.
"I'm flabbergasted," was the reply. "How do you think you're goin' to
get back up the hill?"
Nestor pointed to a point of flame a little lower down.
"It is only a short ways now," he said.
Frank grunted and arose to his feet.
"They ought to put in elevators," he grumbled.
The boys walked for perhaps half an hour longer and then drew up near
to the point of fire which Nestor had pointed out.
"Now what?" demanded Frank.
"I want to see who they are. I'm expecting friends here," was the
laughing reply. "Remain here while I investigate."
"If I stand up," grumbled Shaw, "I'll fall down; and if I sit down I'll
go to sleep. I never was so sleepy in all me blameless life. You
needn't hurry back."
Frank was as good as his word, although he had spoken in jest. No
sooner was his companion out of sight than he dropped to the ground,
and in spite of his efforts to keep his eyes open, was soon fast
asleep. When he awoke an hour later, Nestor was pulling at his arm.
"Don't pull it off," he said. "I may want to use it again. What's
doing below?"
"Were you ever in the Cameron building in New York?" Nestor asked,
irrelevantly.
"Did you wake me out of me sweet dreams to ask that?" grinned the boy.
"Why don't you go on and tell me what's coming off down there in that
camp?"
"I've got the New York end of the Cameron case on my mind to-night,"
was the reply. "Tell me what you know about the Cameron building and
the people who work there during the night--cleaning up, and that sort
of thing."
"I don't think I was ever in the building, and Fremont never talked
with me about the workers. You can ask Jimmie about that."
"Yes, Jimmie worked there. I've heard him talk about the night
watchman and predict his future home. The boy came running into my
room on the night of the tragedy and almost pulled me out of bed,
saying that a member of the Black Bear Patrol was in trouble."
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