thinking. And
it's my opinion that we are too late coming here, anyhow. The man who
most likely found the twenty thousand dollars is the one who cleared out
last night."

Still Billy Worth insisted on going upstairs to stand guard while the
search of the dark cellar went forward and the bluejay outside harshly
screamed its protests while the gaunt, bare top of the old dead pine
frowned ominously across the lake.

CHAPTER IV

A GUEST AT NELS ANDERSON'S

In vain did the youthful searchers examine every foot of the cellar's
earthen floor. The thought that there, if anywhere, the treasure might
be buried, impressed them strongly and right diligently did they apply
themselves to their task.

A few old boxes, a heavy pine table and a combination cupboard and ice
chest were substantially all the cellar contained. All these were explored
and the ground beneath them thoroughly inspected. "Nothing doing," was
the way Jones summed up the result, and if he meant by this that every
effort was fruitless, as would appear likely, he was quite correct.

All through the automobile shed and all about the club grounds the boys
carried their exploring and their minute inspection of whatever had the
appearance of being a likely hiding place for a suit-case containing
twenty thousand dollars of currency. Despite the temptation to experiment
with the engine that had been used for pumping, to try the tools of the
workbench, or to put afloat the fishing skiff they discovered, partly
covered with lumber at the far end of the shed, they molested nothing.
They only looked, but this they did thoroughly.

It was noon and Chip Slider, keeping camp alone, had become anxious and
worried for the safety of his new friends before the latter made their
appearance at the lean-to. He looked wistfully from one to another and
read in their faces the answer to the question in his mind.

All hands fell to with preparations for dinner. Chip had busied himself
with the gathering of an immense quantity of dry wood, but fresh water
must be brought from the well in the sandy beach, potatoes must be washed,
peeled and sliced for frying; bacon must be sliced; eggs and butter
brought from the "refrigerator," also,--something for everyone to do, in
short, under Chef Billy's competent direction.

Whether Murky, as well as the wearer of the golfing cap, that is, the
recent tenant of the clubhouse, had departed from the woods, was a
question all tried in