e answered, "and missed it. The Indian smoke
signal brought the boys out and they fed me up."

Will now approached the spot where the two boys were talking and pointed
to Cameron and Fenton now sitting with their faces illuminated by the
blaze. They both scowled at the inspection.

"Which one of those men gave you the clout on the head?" Will asked.

"That fellow with the alfalfas," replied Bert.

"And he stole the code message you were carrying?"

"I don't know!" replied Bert. "I had it when he came into the cabin and
began talking with me and I haven't thought of it since. Was it stolen?"

"You bet it was!" replied Frank. "But we've been to Cordova and got a
duplicate of it!"

Cameron and Fenton scowled fiercely as they listened to the
conversation.

"Have you got the code message with you now?" asked Will.

"Sure I have!" answered Frank.

"Suppose you read it, then."

Frank took an envelope from his pocket, tore off one end, and brought
out an ordinary sheet of letter paper bearing the heading of the
wireless company. The boys gathered about him eagerly.

"It isn't very much!" Frank said with a laugh. "Say, you two fellows,"
he added, waving the paper in the direction of Cameron and Fenton,
"would, you like to hear this code despatch read?"

"You bet they would," cut in Sandy. "That's all they've been thinking
about for the last two days!"

"Well, it's short and sweet and very satisfying!" Frank laughed.

"Aw, read it!" demanded Tommy. "What's the use of making a monkey of
yourself? Let's see what it has to say for itself."

Frank bent a searchlight on the paper and read:

"Will Smith, in camp near Katalla, Alaska: The machine plans have been
traced to the cabin to which you were directed. Make close examination
there before looking elsewhere. Horton."

"What do you know about that, Cameron?" asked Will with a smile. "Are
the plans really hidden in our cabin?"

"Your cabin!" sneered Cameron.

"I guess the cabin belongs to us as much as it does to you!" Tommy cut
in. "Are the machine plans hidden there?"

"What do you want of the machine plans?" demanded Cameron.

"They don't belong to you!" roared Fenton.

"We have no claim upon them," replied Will. "In fact, we have no use for
them at all, except that we want to identify the mark of a human thumb
which soiled one of the papers."

"All lies!" shouted Cameron.

"I'm telling you the truth," declared Will.

"Then why didn't you come righ