rdo it though.
You'll want a real good lawyer. I'll find out about that. And the
money--how'll we fix it?"

George thought for a moment.

"Fix it with Jack," said he at length. "He'll stay put. Tell him not to
tell his own father. He won't. He's reliable."

"Sure?"

"Well, I'm risking my neck on it."

"I'll simply tell him the name of the lawyer," decided Bob, "and get him
actual cash."

"I'll pay that back--the other I can't," said Pollock with sudden
feeling. "Here, have a cup of coffee."

Bob swallowed the hot coffee gratefully. Without speaking further,
Pollock arose and led the way. When finally they had reached the open
forest above the camp, the mountaineer squeezed Bob's fingers hard.

"Good-bye," said the younger man in a guarded voice. "I won't see you
again. Remember, even at best it's a long wait in jail. Think it over
before you decide!"

"I'm in jail here," replied Pollock.

Bob walked thoughtfully to camp. He found a fire burning and Elliott
afoot.

"Thank God, you're here!" cried that young man; "I was getting scared
for you. What's up?"

"You are and I am," replied Bob. "Couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk.
Think that bogy-man of yours had got me?"

"I surely began to."

"Nothing doing. I guess I can snooze a little now."

"I can't," complained Elliott. "You've got me good and waked up,
confound you!"

Bob kicked off his boots, and without further disrobing rolled himself
into his gray blanket. As he was dropping asleep two phrases flashed
across his brain. They were: "compounding a felony," and "accessory
after the fact."

"Don't feel much like a criminal either," murmured Bob to himself; and
after a moment: "Poor devil!"

XII

Two days later, from the advantage of the rock designated by California
John, Elliott reported the agreed signal for their recall. Accordingly,
they packed together their belongings and returned to headquarters.

"We're getting short-handed, and several things have come up," said
Thorne. "I have work for both of you."

Having dispatched Elliott, Thorne turned to Bob.

"Orde," said he, "I'm going to try you out on a very delicate matter. At
the north end lives an old fellow named Samuels. He and his family are
living on a place inside the National forests. He took it up years ago,
mainly for the timber, but he's one of these hard-headed old coons
that's 'agin the Government,' on general principles. He never proved up,
and when his attentio