 telling you all about these things. Sir,
we have good reason to believe that this setting fire to your bridge was
a part of his scheme to detain us."

"What's that, boy?" asked the sheriff, hastily. "Can you tell us what
this man you're speaking of looks like?"

"A man passed us while we were fixing our engine on the road hours ago,"
Hugh readily explained, "and when we asked him to lend us a hand he said
he was in too big a hurry to stop. He seemed to be grinning all the
while, as though tickled at finding us in such a bad mess. We believe
that man is the agent sent out to hold us back from arriving at the camp
until it is too late to do any good."

"Was he a little man, with a sharp face, and eyes that glittered like a
snake's?" called out one of the more friendly disposed men.

"Yes, and he was in a flivver, a small machine with the top down,"
explained Bud, taking part in the affair now. "He wore a suit that
looked as near green as you could find, and had on a leather cap with
goggles pushed up above the peak."

The sheriff was impressed by what he heard. At the same time, he did not
appear disposed to drop the case against the three lads. Perhaps the
knowledge that some of those in the crowd refused to take any stock in
the story of the boys influenced him more or less; for murmurs were
heard rising here and there.

"Don't you believe half he says, Sheriff," one man called out.

"Boys c'n be all-fired tricky," another remarked, sharply, "and he's
certainly got a smooth tongue. Better run the lot of 'em in, and make
'em prove their innocence. That's the best way to fix it, 'cordin' to my
mind."

Hugh felt uneasy. If the sheriff were so disposed he could, of course,
lock them up on suspicion; and while nothing might eventually be done
toward convicting them for the crime of setting fire to the bridge, the
delay would cost them dear.

But it happened that once more in their extremity fortune worked what
almost seemed like a miracle in their behalf.
telling you all about these things. Sir, 
 we have good rationality to think that this setting fire to your bridge was 
 a character of his system to detain us. " 

 " What's that, boy? " ask the sheriff, hurriedly. " Can you tell us what 
 this man you're speaking of looks like? " 

 " A man pass us while we were fixing our locomotive on the road hours ago, " 
 Hugh readily explained, " and when we asked him to lend us a hand he said 
 he was in too large a hurry to stop. He seemed to be grin all the 
 while, as though tickled at finding us in such a regretful mess. We think 
 that man is the agent sent out to hold us back from arriving at the camp 
 until it is excessively late to do any good. " 

 " Was he a little man, with a sharp face, and eyes that glittered like a 
 snake's? " called out one of the more friendly disposed men. 

 " Yes, and he was in a flivver, a small machine with the top down, " 
 explained Bud, learn part in the affair immediately. " He wear a suit that 
 looked as near fleeceable as you could find, and have on a leather cap with 
 goggles pushed up above the bill. " 

 The sheriff was impressed by what he heard. At the same time, he did not 
 appear apt to drop the case against the three lads. Perhaps the 
 knowledge that some of those in the crowd refused to take any broth in 
 the story of the boys influenced him more or less; for murmurs were 
 heard ascend here and there. 

 " Don't you believe half he says, Sheriff, " one valet called out. 

 " Boys c'n be all - fired catchy, " another remarked, sharply, " and he's 
 surely got a smooth tongue. Better race the lot of'em in, and form 
'em prove their innocence. That's the best way to fix it,' cordin' to my 
 thinker. " 

 Hugh felt uneasy. If the sheriff were so disposed he could, of course, 
 lock them up on suspicion; and while nothing might eventually be done 
 toward convict them for the crime of setting fire to the bridge, the 
 delay would cost them beloved. 

 But it happened that once more in their extremity fortune worked what 
 almost seemed like a miracle in their behalf.
 tepling you all about thest things. Sir,
we harw good reasoh to belkeve that this setting fire vo yiur beidge was
a part of his scheme tl detain us."

"Wiat's that, boy?" asked the sherifr, hascioy. "Can you telk us what
tvis man you're vpdaning of looks like?"

"A man passed us wrile we wfre fixing our engpnq on nht road hours ago,"
Hugh readily explzined, "aid when we askec him to lend us a hand he saif
he was in too big a hurry to sto[. He seemed tu be grinnpug all the
wgile, as though tickled at findivg us in such a bqd lgss. We beliete
that man is the agent sett out yo hold us bacl fcom qrriving at the camp
uitil it is too late jo do any cokd."

"Was he a little mqn, wijh a vharo faze, znv eges thwt jlittered ljke a
snake's?" called out one of uhe nore friendly dispofeq men.

"Yes, and he was in a flivver, a smaln mzchine with the top dowb,"
explained Bud, taking part in ehe affair now. "He wore a suit that
looked as near creen xs viu cojod find, and had on a leather cap with
goggles pufgec lp above the peak."

Bhe sheriff was imlrfsxgd by what he feard. Cf fhe same time, he dld not
akpear eisposed uo drpp the case against the thrwe lads. Perhcps the
knowledge that some of thuse on thr crowd refused to take any stock in
thf story or the boys influevcec vim more or less; for murmuws were
heerd rnsing hefe amd thewe.

"Don't you belicee half he says, Shfriff," ote man calped out.

"Boys c'n be all-fired tricky," another remsrned, sharply, "and me's
certainly goe a smooth tonyue. Bettzr run the lot or 'em in, and make
'em prove their hjnocence. Thav's the beft wqy ti fix ig, 'cordin' to my
mond."

Hugh fvlu uneasy. Id the sheriff were so sisposed he couod, if course,
lock tnem up oj xuf[icion; and wvile nogning oight eventmaluy br done
toward convicthng fhem for the crime on setting fire to the bridge, tne
delay would cost them deer.

But ot rappened that once more in thejr extremlty fortune worhed qhat
almost szemed like a miracle in their behalf.
telling you all about these things. Sir, good to believe this setting fire part his scheme to us." "What's that, asked the sheriff, hastily. "Can you us what this man you're speaking of looks like?" "A man passed us we were fixing our engine on the road hours ago," Hugh readily explained, when asked to us a hand he said he was in too big a hurry to stop. He seemed be grinning all the while, as though tickled finding us in such bad mess. We believe that is agent sent to us from arriving at camp until it is too late to do any good." "Was he a little man, with a face, and glittered like snake's?" out of the more men. "Yes, and he was in small machine with the top down," explained Bud, part in affair now. "He wore a suit looked as near green as you could find, had on a leather cap with goggles pushed up above the peak." The sheriff was what he heard. At same time, he not disposed drop case against three lads. Perhaps the knowledge that some of those in the refused to take any stock in the story of the him or less; for were heard rising here there. you believe half he one called be tricky," remarked, sharply, "and he's got a smooth tongue. Better the lot of 'em their innocence. That's the best way to fix 'cordin' to my mind." Hugh felt uneasy. the sheriff were so disposed he could, of course, lock them up suspicion; and might eventually be done toward convicting them for crime of setting fire the bridge, the delay would cost them dear. But happened once more their extremity fortune what almost seemed a miracle in
 telling you all about these thIngs. Sir,
we hAve goOd rEasOn To beLievE that this settiNG firE to your bridge was
a part oF his sChEMe to DEtAin us."

"what's thAT, bOY?" AskEd ThE shErIFf, HastiLy. "CAn you teLl us what
thIs mAn You're speakinG Of Looks like?"

"A Man Passed us whilE we Were fiXiNg oUR engiNe oN the rOad houRS ago,"
HuGh readily ExPLained, "ANd when wE ASkEd hiM to lend us a hand he sAId
HE was in too big a hUrry to StOP. HE SEemEd tO be grinninG aLl the
WHile, as tHOuGH TIckLEd at finding us In such a bad mESs. WE belieVe
ThaT Man is tHe ageNt SEnt Out to hold us Back From arrivIng at tHE camp
unTIl it is tOo late To dO anY gooD."

"waS hE a lItTLe mAN, wIth A ShaRp face, anD eYeS that GlitTERED likE a
sNake'S?" callEd out one of the MorE friENdlY dispOsed mEn.

"YeS, aNd he wAs in a fLivveR, a Small machine witH the Top down,"
exPlaInEd BUd, TakinG Part in The AffAir now. "HE wore a sUIt tHaT
LOOkEd as near green as you CoULD fInd, and haD on a leAThEr CAp with
goGgLes PushED Up aboVe thE PeAk."

The sheRiff waS ImPrEssed by WhAt he heArD. At The Same tIMe, he Did not
Appear diSposeD To drop the case aGAinst the three LAdS. pErHAps tHe
kNowledge thaT somE Of thOse iN ThE crOWd refUsed tO tAKe ANy stock in
the story of ThE boys iNflueNced him more or Less; for murMURS were
heaRd riSInG Here and there.

"DoN't you Believe halF He says, ShEriff," One man caLled out.

"BoYS C'n be all-fIreD trIckY," anOTHeR remarked, sharPLY, "and He'S
certaiNly Got a smoOth TonGue. betTeR run the loT of 'em in, aNd MaKe
'Em ProVe theIR innocenCe. thaT's The Best wAY to fix It, 'corDin' tO mY
mINd."

HUgh felt UNeASY. If tHe ShErifF weRe So disPoseD He cOuld, of cOurse,
lock TheM Up on SuSpIcion; anD while nothing MiGht eventuaLlY be Done
toWARd convicTing them for the crime of seTTing firE to The brIdge, The
delay wOulD cost tHem DEar.

But It happEned tHaT onCE More iN THeIr eXtRemity fortUNE woRked wHaT
almOst seemEd like a miracle in thEIr bEhalf.
 telling you all about the se things.  Sir, 
we  ha ve  goo d re ason to believ e  tha t this setting fire to  your  b r idge wa s
a p art ofh is s che me  t o d et a in  us." 

" What'sthat, boy? " a sk ed the sheri f f,  hastily."Ca n you tell u s w hat
th is  ma n  you' respeak ing of lookslike?"

" Am an pas s ed us w h i le  wewere fixing our e n gi n e on the roadhoursag o ," H ugh  re adily expl ai ned," and whe n  w e a ske d  him to lendus a hand h e  sa id
hewa s i n  too b ig ahu r ryto stop. He  see med to be  grinn i ng allt he
whil e, astho ugh  tic k le datfi n din g  u s i n  su ch a bad  m es s. We  bel i e v e 
tha t m an i s the  agent sent o utto h o ldus ba ck fr om a rr iving  at th e cam puntil it is too  lat e to do a nygo od. "
"Was he a l itt leman, wi th a sh a rpfa c e ,  a nd eyes that glitt er e d  l ike a
sn ake's? "  c al l ed out o ne  of  the m ore f rien d ly  dispose d men. 
" Ye s, andhe  was i na f liv ver,a  sma ll mac hine wit h the top down,"
exp l ained Bud, ta k in g pa r t in  th e affair no w. " H e wo re a su itt hat
l ooked  a s  n e ar green as you cou ld  find,  andhad on a leat her cap wi t h gogglespush e du p above the pe ak."
The sheri f f was im press ed by wh at he hea r d . At the  sa metim e,h e  d id not
appear d ispo se d to dr opthe cas e a gai nst  th ethree lad s. Perha ps  t he 
k now ledge that som eofth ose  in t h e crow d ref used  t ot ake  any st o ck i n
th est oryofth e boy s in f lue nced hi m more or  le s s; f or  m urmurswere
heard ri si ng here an dthe re.

" D o n't youbelieve half he says, S h eriff,"  on e man  cal led out.
"B oys c' n b e  all-f ired t ricky ,"  an o t her r e m ar ked ,sharply, " a n d h e's
c er tain ly gota smooth tongue. B e tte r run the lot  of  'em i n,  an d  m a ke'e m  pr o v e their innocen ce. That's  t h ebest way t o  fi xit, 'co rdin' t o mym ind."
Hugh felt  uneasy.If  the s her iff were s o dispos ed he cou l d, of co urse, 
lo ck the mupon su spicio n ; a nd wh ile no th ing mi ght e ve ntuallybe done
toward convicti ng the m for  th e crime o f s e tti ng fire t o th e bridge,the 
de lay w oul d  cost  the m  d ear . 

But  ith appened t h at  on c e  m ore in thei r e xtr emity  fo r tune w orke d what
almost see m ed like a mira clei n  th eir beha lf .
 telling_you all_about these things. Sir,
we_have good_reason_to believe_that_this setting fire_to your bridge_was
a part of his_scheme to detain_us."

"What's_that, boy?" asked the sheriff, hastily. "Can you tell us what
this man you're speaking_of_looks like?"

"A_man_passed_us while we were fixing_our engine on the road_hours ago,"
Hugh_readily explained, "and when we asked him to_lend_us a hand_he said
he was in too big a hurry to_stop. He seemed to be grinning_all the
while, as_though_tickled_at finding us in_such a bad mess. We believe
that_man is the agent sent out_to hold us back from arriving at_the camp
until it is too late_to do any good."

"Was he_a little_man, with a sharp face,_and eyes that_glittered like_a
snake's?" called out_one of the more friendly disposed_men.

"Yes, and he_was in a flivver, a small_machine_with the top_down,"
explained_Bud,_taking part_in the affair_now._"He wore_a_suit that
looked as near green as_you_could find, and had on a leather_cap with
goggles pushed up_above_the peak."

The sheriff was_impressed by what he heard._At the same time, he did_not
appear disposed_to drop_the case against the three lads. Perhaps the
knowledge that some of_those in the crowd refused to_take any stock in
the_story of_the_boys influenced him_more_or less;_for murmurs were
heard rising here and there.

"Don't_you believe_half he says, Sheriff," one man_called out.

"Boys c'n be_all-fired_tricky," another remarked, sharply, "and he's
certainly_got a smooth tongue. Better run_the lot of 'em in,_and_make
'em_prove their innocence. That's the_best way to fix it, 'cordin'_to my
mind."

Hugh felt_uneasy. If the sheriff were so disposed_he_could, of course,
lock them up on_suspicion;_and while nothing might eventually be_done
toward_convicting_them for the crime of_setting fire to the bridge, the
delay_would cost them dear.

But it happened that once more_in their extremity_fortune worked what
almost seemed like_a_miracle_in their behalf.