see why I should mind helping him to that
extent. But I'd certainly like to know the answer!"

He waited some time longer before the Scout-Master and Dick Crawford
returned.

"Jim Burroughs isn't there," said Dick, with a puzzled expression on his
face. "His captain says that he and several of the men got leave before
dinner, because they wanted to see if they couldn't pick up some birds a
little way off, in a preserve that belongs to a man who is a friend of
Jim's. But we went over in that direction, and there wasn't any sign of
them."

"Well, it's no great matter, anyhow," said Durland, with a smile. "There
are enough of us left to attend to the matter. We'd better be getting
along, Jack. Where are Stubbs and Binns?"

"They got leave for a little while from Sergeant Hart, sir," said Jack.
"That seems mighty funny to me, because they knew about Broom, and that
I might want them along with me to-night."

"They've probably forgotten it, Jack," said Dick. "You've all had a
pretty full day and things slip the mind sometimes in such
circumstances. No use worrying about them. We'll go ahead, anyhow."

At the place where Broom had made his appointment a man was waiting for
them.

"Mr. Broom said this place was too public," the man whispered. "If
you'll come along with me, I'll show you where he is waiting for you
now."

"We'll come," said Durland. "But look here, my man, no tricks!"

He drew his hand from his holster, and showed the guide, a sullen,
scowling fellow, the big pistol that reposed there.

"If I see any sign of treachery, I'm going to use this and see who's to
blame afterward," Durland went on, grimly. "You'd better play level with
us, or you'll have a mighty good reason to regret it. That's a fair
warning, now. See that you profit by it. The next will be from my
pistol!"

"Aw, g'wan, what's eatin' youse?" asked the man. But, despite his
bluster, he was obviously frightened.

"I ain't here to hoit youse," he said, sullenly, after a minute's
silence. "Just youse come along wid me, and I'll take youse to Broom.
That's all the job I got, see?"

He led them some distance into the woods. Once or twice they thought
they heard sounds as if others were near them, but they made up their
minds that this idea was due to their imaginations. And finally, when
they were nearly two miles from the nearest troops, as far as they could
tell, their guide stopped in a little clearing in the woods.

"Wait here," he