bow, putting it away in its niche.
But from the same place he produced a blue-barrelled rifle.

"I know you won't tell Blent, or any of them, how to reach me, Miss Ruth,"
he said, looking at her with a smile.

"I guess not!" exclaimed the girl.

"I am going to show you the way out--to the other end. I wish you were
wearing rubber boots like me."

"Why?"

"So you could wade in the stream when we come to it. That's how I threw
them off the track," explained Jerry, laughing. "Why, I know this old
island better than Uncle Pete himself knowed it."

"And yet you haven't found the box you say your uncle hid?" asked Ruth,
curiously.

"No. I never knowed anything about it until Blent came to drive us off and
swore that Uncle Pete had never had nothin' but 'squatter rights.' But I'm
not sure that I couldn't find that place where Uncle Pete hid his treasure
box--if I had time to hunt for it," added Jerry, gravely.

"That's what Mr. Blent is afraid of," declared Ruth, with conviction.
"That's why he is afraid of your being here on the island."

"You bet it is, Miss."

"And we boys and girls will do everything we can to help you, Jerry,"
Ruth assured him, warmly. "If you think you can find the place where your
uncle hid his papers----"

"But suppose I find them and the papers show that this Mr. Tingley hasn't
a clear title to the island?" demanded the backwoods boy, looking at the
girl of the Red Mill sharply.

"Why should _that_ make a difference?" asked Ruth, coolly.

"Well--you know how some of these rich folks be," returned the boy,
dropping his gaze. "When it comes to hittin' their pocketbooks----"

"That has nothing to do with it. Right is right."

"Uh-huh!" grunted Jerry. "But sometimes they don't want to lose money any
quicker than a poor man. If he's paid for the island----"

"I don't see how he can lose," declared Ruth, quickly. "If Blent has
claimed a title that cannot be proved, Blent will have to lose."

"I bet Mr. Tingley didn't buy without having the title searched," observed
Jerry. "Blent's covered his tracks. He'll declare he was within his
rights, probably having bought Uncle Pete's share of the island through
some dummy. You know, when deeds aren't recorded, it's mighty hard to
establish them as valid. I know. I axed our town clerk. And he is one man
that ain't under Blent's thumb."

"I don't believe Mr. Tingley is a man who would stand idle and see you
cheated even if he lost money through