a million-dollar undertaking like this is to be constantly imperiled,
just because of a senseless moral crusade that you two young men are trying
to put through in the camp," declared Mr. Bascomb moodily.

Tom covertly signaled his chum to pay no heed to this remark.

Within a quarter of an hour Treasurer Prenter returned in a stage drawn by
two sorry looking horses.

"This will carry us up to the house, if the affair doesn't break down,"
Mr. Prenter called cheerily. "Come along, folks."

Soon afterwards the four were back on the porch. Nicolas came gliding out
to see what he could do for their comfort.

"Just circulate around and make sure that no one gets close enough to hear
what we're talking about," Mr. Prenter directed. He had already ordered
the driver of the stage to withdraw a few rods and await orders.

"Now, then, Hazelton," continued the treasurer, "we're anxious to hear more
of your strange story."

"I've told you all there is to it," protested Harry.

"Surely, there must be some more to it."

"There isn't."

"Then, for the tale of an engineer who was all but murdered, and a case
enveloped in mystery from end to end," cried Mr. Prenter, "we have a most
singular scarcity of details."

"There are only two more details needed, as it appears to me," Tom remarked
quietly.

"Good! And what are they?" demanded the treasurer, wheeling around to look
keenly at the young chief engineer.

"The two details we now need," Reade continued, "are, first, who was the
negro? Second, who was behind the negro in this rascally work?"

"Only two points to be solved," suggested the treasurer mockingly, "but
pretty big points. Of course, the first point is---"

"To find that negro, and get him jailed," Tom declared incisively.

"Good enough!" nodded Mr. Prenter. "The detectives will find the negro."

"Will they?" Tom asked. "Then that will be something new, indeed. I've
seen detectives employed a good deal, Mr. Prenter, and generally all they
catch are severe colds and items to stick in on the expense account."

"Oh, there are some real detectives in this country," contended Mr.
Prenter. "We'll engage some of them, too."

"The expense of hiring detectives will be very large," murmured Mr.
Bascomb uneasily.

"Yes, it will," agreed the treasurer with a laugh. "But never mind. It's
always my task to find funds for the company, you know."

"Harry," Tom broke in, "just what did that negro look like?"