pretty substantial reply to
almost any kind of a telegram?"

"But how did you get here?"

"On the morning express. It wasn't much of a job to persuade the
conductor to slow up about here when he knew what our business was."

"The morning express?" Jet repeated. "Why, it hasn't been more than
ten minutes since I fell asleep."

"You are not awake yet. It's twenty minutes past three," and the man
looked at his watch, as if to assure himself that he had made no
mistake. "Now, what is the matter, and where did you leave Harvey?"

Jet gazed around him in bewilderment at the thought that he had been
sleeping so long; but as the man asked these last questions it seemed
certain everything was all right, and he replied, without hesitation:

"I left Mr. Harvey wounded near a house about five miles from here."

Then he told the entire story, the men glancing triumphantly at each
other as he proceeded.

"Can you lead us to the place?" one of them asked, when he concluded.

"Of course, that's what I waited for."

"How many men has Harvey with him?"

"Didn't you know he brought two from Albany?"

"So he did; I remember now. And they are shut up in the house?"

"I suppose so."

"Then the sooner we leave the better, for it stands us in hand to
arrive about daybreak."

"Are you well armed?"

"Don't worry about us, my son. We know what we are about when we start
on a job like this."

"I only spoke because they have been shooting pretty lively."

"Things will be changed when we get there," was the reply in a
significant tone.

"If you are ready, we'll tramp along."

Jet leaped to his feet, feeling woefully stiff and sore; but the
thought that he was guiding those who would aid Harvey served to make
him forget, in a measure, his weariness.

He led the way down the track to that portion of the woods with which
he was familiar, and then struck across the country, walking so rapidly
that more than once his companions insisted on less speed.

"We must get there as soon as possible," he said, slackening his speed
unwillingly.

"A few minutes more or less can't make any difference, and we were
mighty nigh used up before we started. The next time Harvey undertakes
a job I hope he'll have sense enough to carry it through without
calling on all the men in the country."

Jet was about to make an angry protest against this criticism of his
friend, but he reflected that it would not be well to get into a
controve