m then nodded to Dick to come forward and presented him to the treasurer.

"An army officer?" asked Mr. Prenter eagerly. "Then I'm doubly glad to
meet you, Mr. Prescott. You've seen the breakwater work? As an army
officer and an engineer what do you think of it?"

"It's great!" said Dick, though he added laughingly: "Reade and Hazelton
are such dear old friends of mine that any testimony in their favor is
likely to be charged to friendship."

"I'll believe what an army officer says, even in praise of his best
friends," smiled Mr. Prenter.

Foreman Johnson, who had been over in town, now came along. He halted
some distance away, beckoning to Reade.

"Mr. Reade," murmured the foreman, in an undertone, "over in Blixton I
just heard some news that I thought would interest you. Evarts is out on
bail."

"He furnished a five thousand surety?" queried Tom.

"Yes, sir, and who do you suppose went on his bond?"

"I can't imagine who the idiot is."

"The man who signed Evarts's bond," continued Foreman Johnson solemnly,
"was Mr. Bascomb, president of this company!"

"Whew!" muttered Tom aghast. "And that's all I've got to say on this
subject."

"I thought you'd like to know the news," remarked Johnson, "and so I came
to tell you."

"Please accept my thanks," Tom answered. Then, as the foreman passed
along, Reade went back to his friends.

"You seem staggered about something," remarked Mr. Prenter, eyeing him
keenly.

"Possibly I am," admitted Tom. "Evarts is out on bail."

"Now, what fool or rogue could have signed that fellow's bail bond?"
demanded Mr. Prenter in exasperation.

"Careful, sir!" warned Tom smilingly. "I've just been informed that the
bail bond was signed by Mr. Bascomb, president of the Melliston Company."

"Well, of all the crazy notions!" gasped Mr. Prenter. "But there! I won't
say more. Bascomb is a queer fellow in some things, but he's a good fellow
in lots of things, and a square, honest man in all things. If he signed
Evarts's bond, there was a reason, and not a dishonest one."

"But Evarts won't behave," predicted Harry dismally. "After all our
trouble we shall still have to remain on guard night and day."

"It'll be an airship next," laughed Dick Prescott.

"Unless Sambo Ebony comes forward once more, and finds out how to lay wires
by a new submarine route," retorted Tom Reade.

All the present company felt unaccountably gloomy just at this moment.
There could be no g