the voice of Gabe Werner quite
distinctly.

The fun-loving Rover did not reply to Werner. Instead he hurried on
faster than ever, coming so close presently that he was able to reach
the ex-lieutenant with his gun. He swung the weapon by the barrel, and
the stock caught Werner a severe blow on his right shoulder.

"Ouch!" yelled the big cadet, and his right arm dropped to his side
and the raincoat slipped to the ground.

"You're a fine rascal to steal my raincoat," remonstrated Randy,
raising his gun as if to give the ex-lieutenant another blow.

"Aw! can't you take a joke? You Rovers didn't think anything of
smashing my flashlight."

"You did that yourself, throwing it against your tent pole," answered
Randy.

"Huh! who told you that?"

"Never mind who told me--I know it's the truth. Now, after this, Gabe
Werner, you leave my things alone!"

"Bah! don't talk to me, Randy Rover. If it wasn't that you have nearly
broken my right shoulder, I'd give you the licking you deserve."

"And for two pins, Gabe Werner, I'd report you for being absent from
camp without leave," retorted Randy. "Now you get back to your tent
just as fast as you can."

"Rats! don't you talk to me," growled the ex-lieutenant. Nevertheless,
he turned and walked through the woods toward the encampment, and then
lost no time in hurrying to his tent.

Randy slipped on his raincoat, and then resumed his duty as a
sentinel. Back and forth he tramped, occasionally exchanging a word or
two with Codfish or with the guard at the other end of his post. Thus
two hours more dragged by. For half of that time it rained steadily,
and if his feet did not get wet, they at least got very damp. Then,
however, the shower passed on, and presently the morning stars shone
forth.

Randy was watching for the first streaks of the coming dawn and
congratulating himself that his lonely vigil would soon come to an
end, when an unusual sound broke upon his ears. From a distance came a
curious clank! clank! followed by another sound that seemed to be the
rattle of several chains.

"Hello! where does that come from?" he asked himself. "Somebody must
be getting to work pretty early in the morning."

The noises kept up for a minute or two, and then abruptly ceased. The
young cadet listened for quite a while, and then resumed his tramp.
But a little later the strange clanking and rattle of chains was
continued, and once more he halted, trying to locate the direction of