espied the fellow and had called to him, thinking it was
some boy from Crumville who had sneaked up to steal some of the orchard
fruit. He had been surprised when the fellow dashed away so quickly.

"Maybe he wasn't alone," suggested Roger. "Let us take a look around."

This was done, but nobody else seemed to be near. Much disturbed, the
three lads walked all over the place, and even down the back road in the
direction the intruder had fled.

"If it was Merwell he must have heard all that was said," remarked the
senator's son, gravely.

"If he did, it won't do him any good," answered Phil. "I don't think
he'll hunt for that mine."

"He may follow us and try to make trouble," returned Dave. "He is very
bitter--and so is Job Haskers. They'd put themselves out a whole lot to
give us a black eye, so to speak."

"Oh, I know that."

Much disturbed, the three youths returned to the house, where Roger put
his map and papers in a safe place in his trunk--the one he was to take
on the trip West. In the meantime Dave telephoned to the police, telling
them that Merwell had been seen in the vicinity of the Wadsworth
mansion. He was glad of the fact that Mrs. Wadsworth and the girls had
gone out to do some shopping, for he did not wish to alarm them further.

In the meantime, down the hot and dusty road in the rear of the orchard
ran the young fellow who had leaped the fence. It was indeed Link
Merwell, sour-faced, and with that same cunning look as of old in his
eyes.

He kept on for fully a quarter of a mile, then suddenly plunged into a
strip of woodland. There, beside a large stream of water, were the ruins
of an old stone house.

Link Merwell stopped running and after a stealthy look around, emitted a
clear, short whistle. This he repeated twice.

From behind the ruins of the stone house a man appeared, with a soft hat
drawn well down over his forehead. The man was Job Haskers.

"Back again, eh?" snapped the former teacher of Oak Hall. "Did you do
it?" he questioned, curiously.

"No, I didn't get the chance," answered Link Merwell. He sank on a log
and fanned himself with his hat.

"Humph! Better let it go then. If they see you, they'll be after you."

"They are after me, Haskers."

"They are! Then let us get out at once!" And the former teacher plainly
showed his nervousness.

"I'm willing," returned Link Merwell. "I've changed my mind about doing
something here," he went on. "We can do something somewhere