er
awkward, way his appreciation of the offer his new friends made to
help him. And Phil Way, answering for all the boys, said there was no
obligation at all and no thanks necessary,--that nothing had been done,
as yet, at least.

"Anyhow, it seems to me," said Paul, after a long silence, "It seems to
me as if we were all going to have our hands full. There will be Murky and
Grandall and Nels Anderson digging into this mystery just as hard as we
can, and maybe harder. And they are all bad ones, all of 'em, unless maybe
Anderson might not be so really bad excepting for being hooked up with a
bad outfit, and all that."

No comment being made by the others with regard to these remarks, Jones
went on to say that if there was any advantage to be had by having right
and justice on their side, fortune ought to favor Slider and his friends
in the search to be carried forward. He reasoned it all out, too, to his
own satisfaction, that in the end justice must prevail in all things or
the whole world would ultimately go to smash. "And that's a fact, now,
ain't it?" he asked.

There came no answer.

"Well, is it, or don't it, wasn't it!" inquired Paul, rather facetiously.

Still no answer. Jones raised himself up on his elbow. He listened. It
was perfectly evident from the heavy breathing all about him that every
one of the other lads was sound asleep and had been for some time.

"Why! The bing-dinged mummies!" he exclaimed, "and me talking till I'm
all but tongue-tied--and to no one!" he added indignantly.

Having heard how Slider slept in the open woods with not even a cover
over him more than leaves, the Auto Boys would have been ashamed now to
feel afraid in their snug shack, no matter what strange noises might come
from the lake's dark shore lines. And though the sounds of various wild
creatures coming to bathe or drink did reach the lads, as occasionally
one or more of them awakened during the night, no heed was given the
disturbers. It was enough to know that the exceeding drouth brought
animals from long distances to the water's edge and that they were much
more intent on drinking than having trouble with anyone or even among
themselves.

Not because it was Sunday morning but due quite entirely to their having
retired so late, the Auto Boys slept longer than was their custom. Poor
Chip Slider awakened with the first peep of daylight, really tremendously
surprised to find himself in such comfortable quarters. With a