, "that this
gentleman is my lawyer. I wired him to come up here and see me, as I
wished to consult him about those papers which are so strangely missing.
You see, I have a pretty good idea who may have taken them, and their
loss complicates matters very much. So I was in need of advice. Besides,
I was in hopes Mr. Norris, who is a smart man in his class, might be
able to suggest some way in which I could recover the papers."

Paul was more than ever interested now in those missing documents. He
could not help wondering what their nature could be to give their late
owner so much distress of mind. And besides, he was puzzled to
understand just how Mr. Clausin hoped to ever set eyes on them again.
Would the thief open up communications with him, and demand a ransom for
their return?

These things kept cropping up in his mind long after he had said
good-night to the two gentlemen, and even separated from his chum. They
came back to him when he woke up in the middle of the night, and lay
there in his own snug little room at home, where he was surrounded by
shelves of books, trophies of contests on the athletic field, and such
other things as the heart of a healthy lad loves.

There was something very singular in the manner of Mr. Clausin when he
referred to the contents of the little tin box. Paul disliked very much
to give anything up; but it was only groping in the dark to try and
solve the puzzle without more of a clue than he possessed.

Besides, the regular scoutmaster being off on one of his periodical
business trips, much of the duty of preparing for the long trip into the
wilderness devolved on Paul.

School was just over for the Summer, and every member of the troop
seemed to be bubbling with enthusiasm in connection with the
contemplated outing. Nothing like it had ever been attempted before; and
scores of things must be looked after.

By the time the scouts got in camp they expected Mr. Gordon, the
scoutmaster, to join them, and take charge. But it would be upon Paul to
make all necessary preparations, secure the supplies, look after the
tents, packing of knapsacks, blankets, and such food as they would need.

No one could have been found better equipped for such a task. Paul loved
all outdoors, and for some years had spent every bit of time he could
during his vacations away from town. He was a good swimmer, knew all
about the best way to revive a person who had been in the water a
perilous length of tim