, yet he doesn't say whether it was buried in this corner
or that, or out near the wood shed or what."

"We'll have to dig it all up," laughingly declared Frank.

"I can fix that," boasted Harry. "I know exactly the spot where we
should turn the first shovelful of earth."

CHAPTER XXI

A FRIEND AND AN ENEMY

"Yes, you know all about this business," scorned Arnold. "I'll wager you
were there when the stuff was buried."

"No I wasn't there, but I know where to dig just the same. I can tell
you within two feet of where the chest was planted."

"Harry," Jack said soberly, "this is getting to be almost too serious a
matter to joke about. If you have any information that would be of help
to us, let's have it, but don't joke us."

"I'm not joking," bridled Harry. "I've got some information that I
believe to be pretty near the exact thing we're looking for. I got it
from a man who wouldn't have parted with it for his right hand if he'd
known about it, so I think it is all right."

"Where did you get it and what does it look like?"

"I got it in the cabin in the woods that was burned down. When Lopez
left us that time to go for Wyckoff in order to have his captives
appraised and disposed of, I remembered that I had seen him just before
supper step over to a chest in the corner of the room. He unlocked the
chest, took an envelope from his pocket, put it in the chest and dropped
the lid. It was a spring lock for he didn't lock it again, but tried it
to see if it was fast."

"So, of course, you picked the lock and stole his time card."

"Wait, Tom," cautioned Jack. "Let Harry finish his story."

"So, of course," went on Harry, "when we were getting loose I forgot all
about the paper until the place was afire. Arnold went out of the cabin
and I was at his heels, but remembered the envelope. I wanted that badly
just then, so I snatched up a great piece of firewood and with a few
blows shattered the top of the chest. It had a tray that was nearly
empty except for the thing I sought. There it lay, ready for me to take.
So, of course, I took it. I stuffed it inside my jacket while we climbed
out and then in the darkness I put it into an inside pocket where it has
been ever since. Lopez forgot to search us very diligently or he would
surely have discovered it."

"What does it look like and do you think it has any information we could
use?" inquired Jack, intensely interested.

"I don't know what the thing in