udden interest.

"I say: Aren't you Mr. Lester Lawrence?" repeated Phil.

"Who said I was Lester Lawrence?" demanded the man, suspiciously.

"If you are, I must talk to you. I am Phil Lawrence, your nephew."

"Phil Lawrence!" the boys outside heard the man mutter to himself. "Phil
Lawrence? Oh, it can't be!" Then he raised his voice: "You are trying to
play some trick on me," he shouted.

"It isn't any trick," put in Dave. "This young man here is Philip
Lawrence, and he is looking for his uncle, Lester Lawrence. He has good
news for him."

"Good news? I can't believe it! It is some trick. I want you all to go
away."

"Uncle Lester, it isn't any trick. I am Phil, your nephew. I want to
talk to you. I've got the best kind of news for you; something that
you'll be glad to hear. Won't you please open the door and let me talk
to you?"

"It's a trick, I know it's a trick," came from the man, in almost a
whine. Nevertheless, he advanced toward the door, and with trembling
hands threw off the bolt that had been shot into place. Then, with great
caution, he opened the door several inches and peered out.

"Who says he is Philip Lawrence?" he questioned, sharply.

"I am, Uncle Lester," announced the shipowner's son. "Don't you remember
me? You used to think the world and all of me some years ago, when you
lived across the street from us."

The man opened the door a little wider, and gazed sharply into Phil's
face. Then his manner seemed to change, and, allowing the door to swing
wide open, he tottered back and sank down on a bench.

"It's Phil--little Phil, sure enough," he murmured. "How in the world
did you come to follow me to this faraway place?"

"I didn't follow you, Uncle Lester," returned the youth. "I and my
friends were looking for a wild man who is roaming around in this
vicinity, scaring people, and we reached this place by accident. We saw
you coming to the cabin with a bucket of water, and I easily recognized
you at once."

"I thought I was safe here--safe from the whole world," muttered Lester
Lawrence. "But you said you had good news for me," he added quickly.
"What is it?"

"It's the best kind of news, Uncle Lester. Don't you know that shortly
after you disappeared the bank authorities and the police found the
guilty parties?"

"They did?" And now the man's face showed his amazement.

"Why, sure they did! And then, of course, they knew that you were
innocent."

"Oh, Phil! can this be true?"