in.

His first suspicion fell upon his partner, but he also thought of the
two whom he had met in the forenoon in the wood. They had been
suspiciously near the spot, and might be implicated in the loss. It
didn't seem probable, but it was possible.

At this inauspicious moment Philip, yielding to a tickling in the throat
which he couldn't overcome, coughed. It was not a loud cough, but Temple
heard it.

He instantly started for the quarter from which the sound proceeded, and
in a few seconds discovered and dragged Philip by the collar from behind
the tree.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, sternly.

"Nothing," answered Philip, trembling.

"Ha! You are one of the boys that I caught prowling round here this
morning."

"I have as much right here as you," said Philip, plucking up a little
courage.

"Have you? We'll see about that," snarled Temple. "Where's the other
fellow?"

"He isn't here."

"Isn't here? I don't believe it. He's hiding somewhere near."

"Then you can find him," said Philip, sullenly.

"No matter! I've got you, you rascal!" And he shook Philip fiercely.
"What villainous work have you been up to?"

"I don't know what you mean," said Philip, his teeth chattering. "I am
the son of Colonel Ross, and he won't allow me to be treated this way."

"I'd treat him the same way if I caught him here," growled Temple, with
a lack of reverence for the colonel's exalted position, which struck
Philip with horror. "Now, tell me what you have done with the tin box,
you young scoundrel!"

"The tin box!" ejaculated Philip, in genuine amazement.

"Yes, the tin box. You know well enough what I mean."

"I don't know anything of any tin box; indeed, I don't."

"Do you mean to say you didn't dig it up from the place where we put
it?"

"No; indeed I didn't! I don't know anything about it. What was in it?"

Was this ignorance real or affected? Temple could not tell. What was
certain was that the box was gone, and this boy was hovering about the
spot. It would be folly to let him go.

"I don't believe you," he said, bluntly. "You must come with me."

And he began to drag Philip off in the direction of his hut.

"Oh, where are you taking me?" asked the frightened boy.

"You'll know soon enough. I'm going to keep you till the tin box is
restored to me."

Poor Philip! As he was jerked along by his collar, in the stern grasp of
the outlaw, he suffered a good deal more than Harry had in his recent
c