ve false names was, because my leave from
camp was already up and I didn't want anybody, my own folks especially, to
know that I had sidestepped home and mother to go off on a crazy fishing
trip. Get me? Jake went home and I haven't seen him since.

I hustled to Bridgeboro by train, sneaked over to Little Valley in a big
hurry to change my duds and-the house-boat was gone. The boy scouts had
carried away my uniform and Lieutenant Donnelle was a ragged outcast, a
couple of days overdue at camp.

How to get my uniform, that was the question. The boy scouts had done me a
bad turn. I traced the fugitive house-boat to St. George, Staten Island. I
lurked near shore till dark, and when a party of you kids came ashore and
one of you mentioned to another that a certain Roy had remained on board,
I said, "Here is my chance." I rowed over, made his acquaintance, took him
into my confidence, obtained his promise of silence, and changed my
clothes. I found him a bully little scout. The old rags which went by the
name of trousers I put into the locker, forgetting in my hurry, to take
the two hundred and seven dollars.

After fastening the locker I took some change out of my uniform to reward
our young friend, but he spurned my offer. I must have dropped the locker
key when I pulled the change out of my pocket. As you all know, little
Skinny found it and got himself suspected of hiding the money in the
locker. So much for that. I returned to camp and got slapped on the wrist
for being late.

But the letter which I had taken from that dead man I had with me, and
here it is now. When I visited Temple Camp upon the urgent plea of my old
pal Skeezeks, I claimed the two hundred and seven dollars, but it was not
mine.

_It wasn't the dead man's either._

Now listen to this water soaked letter, or as
much of it as I can make out:

--hundred dol--is a good deal of money.--
to--be careful.--such places--are likely
--get robbed.

thought you--glad--get the ring.--wear
--on second finger of left hand--war.--
these fifty years.--real cameo-heado--
Lincoln.--getting along--to--make two
ends meet--to each one who left our village
----------------------------

There is quite a lot more, but I can't make it out.

Well, kids, I've studied that letter like a spelling lesson and this is
what I make out of it. I can kind of see a picture of an old fellow that
fought in the Civil War. I don't kno