o some extent," answered Harry, "but not implicitly."

"I am going to have trouble with that boy," thought Fletcher. "Wait till
we get on the road." Aloud he said: "If you had mentioned the matter to
me I would have found someone to go with us. You had better tell this
Yankee that we haven't room for him, and I will do it now."

Fletcher's persistence only aroused vague suspicions in Harry's breast.
He felt glad that Stackpole was neither a friend nor likely to prove a
confederate of Dick Fletcher, and was resolved to hold on to him.

"I have invited him, and I won't take back the invitation," he said.

"How old are you?" asked Fletcher abruptly.

"Sixteen."

"I should think you were sixty by the tone you assume," said Fletcher
with a sneer.

"Do I understand, Mr. Fletcher," asked Harry steadily, "that you claim
to control our party?"

"Seeing that I am more than twice as old as you are, I am the natural
head of the expedition."

"I cannot admit any such claim. If you are not satisfied to be simply a
member of the party, like the rest of us, I shall not be offended if you
back out even now."

This, however, did not suit Fletcher, and with a forced laugh he
answered, "You are a strange boy, Vane. I suppose it's the way with your
countrymen. I don't want to back out, as you term it. I fancy we shall
get along together."

"I wish he had decided to leave us," said Harry when the two boys were
alone. "Somehow I distrust him."

"I don't like him myself," said Jack, "but I don't see what harm he can
do us."

"Nor I, but I feel safer with this Yankee addition to our party."

About ten o'clock the next morning the little party got off. It is
needless to say that Obed Stackpole contributed his full share of
expense, and more too, for he furnished the yoke of oxen that were to
draw the cart which conveyed their provisions and other outfit.

"I don't want to push in where I aint wanted," he said, "but I'm used to
oxen, and if you want me to, I'll drive these critters, and you three
can foller along as you please."

"That'll suit me," said Fletcher with unusual graciousness. "I've no
doubt you understand the business better than I do."

"I ought to understand it," said Stackpole. "I was raised on a farm in
New Hampshire, and used to drive oxen when I wasn't tall enough to see
over their backs. I never thought then that I'd be drivin' a team in
Australy."

"What led you to come out here, Mr. Stackpole?" asked H