rimly. "He has some other names, but
that will do for the present. You see it didn't do you any good to
have that film destroyed, Broom!"

"I didn't do that," cried Broom. "So help me, I didn't!"

"I never said you did, did I?" asked Haskin, with a smile that wasn't
pleasant to see. "Better wait until you're accused of a crime next
time before you're so ready to deny it. The cap seemed to fit you when
I threw it."

Broom, snarling, turned on Jack then.

"It's you, is it, you young whelp?" he gritted. "I might have guessed
it. It's a pity I didn't smash your brains out the other day when I
had you in my power. You're the one that's been in the way every time
we've turned a trick for the last two weeks. But we'll get you yet--be
sure of that!"

"Never mind him, Jack," said Pete. "He talks mighty big, but he can't
do anything to you. Every time they've tried it, they've got into
pretty serious trouble. I guess they'll learn to let you alone before
long. If they don't, they'll all be in jail anyhow, won't they,
Captain Haskin?"

"It looks that way, my boy," said the detective. "Take these fellows
off, men. Turn them over to the police at headquarters. Tell them
that Mr. Simms and the railroad will both make a complaint. The
federal marshal will be after them, too, for trying to transport
dynamite on a railroad car. That's a very serious offense nowadays,
under the Interstate Commerce Law."

CHAPTER XVI

OFF ON A LONG HIKE

Jack and Pete, with a week's vacation on their hands, were puzzled as
to what they should do. But Dick Crawford, anxious to get Jack away
from the city for a time, until things should blow over, suggested a
plan.

"I heard from Jim Burroughs the other day," he said. "You remember
Jim, the fellow that is engaged to Miss Benton, up at Eagle Lake?"

"Sure--she's Chris Benton's sister," said Pete Stubbs.

Dick smiled.

"You'll get over thinking about girls as some fellows' sisters when you
get a little older, Pete," he said. "Then you'll remember that the
fellows you know are girls' brothers. Anyhow, Jim says they're all up
in camp there again, and they were asking me if some of the Scouts
couldn't go up there to see them. Why don't you make a long hike and
go up there? You could tramp it in two days, easily enough, and the
weather's just right for a hike like that."

"Say, I think that would be fine!" cried Pete. "Let's do it, Jack,
shall we?"

"I'd like t