H THE CHIEF

Frank breathed a little faster than ordinary but there was little else
to indicate that he had heard startling news.

"And now, Frank, don't forget that you promised to take me in on this,"
the head of the local force went on, persuasively. "You remember that
we stood by you at that other time, and rounded Jules up in great
shape. Seems like we might have to do it again, sort of history
repeating itself. How did you know about it?"

"I didn't, sir, and that's the queer part it," replied the boy.

"Then you suspected something of the sort--did you run across Jules on
the road; or has he been trying to steal your aeroplane again?"
continued Chief Waller.

"Neither one nor the other, sir. But some unknown person fired a rifle
at our biplane today, when we were passing over those woods near the
old shack. The bullet came within a few feet of us, as I can show you,
for it passed through both planes. That looks as if the scamp meant to
do us real harm. And it set me to thinking and guessing, with the
result that I made up my mind to come to you, and find out if Jules was
still safe behind the bars."

"Well, this is something I'll have to look into," bustled the stout
Chief, as he pushed back his chair. "Up in the Powell woods, you said;
that makes it look as if it must be him; because he hid there before,
you know."

"If it had happened anywhere else, I guess I'd never have thought about
Jules, sir," Frank candidly admitted. "But you see, we were just
talking about our other adventure when the shot came; and somehow, it
was natural to connect the two. But it seems foolish for him to come
back to the old place again."

"When you know slick rascals as well as I do, Frank, you'll understand
that they often do just what everybody never dreams they'd be silly
enough to try. That's the tricky part of the game, you see.
Ordinarily that woods is the last place we'd think of looking for
Jules. It ought to have an evil name for him, and make him shun it.
You see, that's the way we'd just naturally dope it out."

"I see now, sir. And then again, all of the plunder taken from
Leffingwell's establishment was never recovered, I heard. Perhaps
Jules has got a plant somewhere up in those woods, and came back to get
the stuff?" Frank suggested.

"A bright thought for you, my boy!" cried the Chief. "Of course that
sort of thing would strike me the first thing; but for you too speak of
it proves that you