car purred forward.

Without exception the boys agreed with him that the talk of forest
fires was like the denial of all knowledge of the clubhouse being
occupied--simple deception, and nothing else. Clinching the soundness
of this reasoning also, was the certain fact that the recent clubhouse
tenant was now Anderson's guest.

"Grandall! He saw Murky or Murky saw him! He must have guessed that Murky
has found out how he had been given the double cross, and was after him
in dead earnest. Result: Grandall, in cahoots with Anderson for some bad
business or other, packs his little satchel and goes to the Swede's to
stay."

So did Dave MacLester reason the whole matter out. Chip Slider nodded his
endorsement of these conclusions.

"They've got that stolen money, so they have!" he said. "We could have
them arrested," he added, only the word he used was "pinched."

"And we will! _Mark that!_" said Phil Way.

Yet it often does happen that young gentlemen, and older ones, too, make
assertions which, in the end, lead not where it was thought they would do
at all.

CHAPTER V

"WHO SAID I WAS AFRAID?"

For Billy's information the developments of the afternoon were told
and retold when all were again together in the camp. There was much
discussion, too, concerning the advisability of causing the arrest of
the man in the golfing cap and, possibly, Nels Anderson as well.

Meantime Billy had announced supper. It was a most tempting little meal
with warm soda biscuits and honey as the chief items. The former Chef
Worth had prepared during the afternoon and the latter he had caused to
be brought from Fraley's in anticipation of his having the biscuits ready.

No doubt it was at the comfortable old farm home of Tyler Gleason that the
four chums had developed a marked fondness for the delicacies mentioned,
as readers of "The Auto Boys" will remember; but be that as it may, they
enjoyed the change from the usual camp fare hugely.

As has been stated, there was no little discussion as to whether the
Staretta officers should be asked to arrest and hold the stranger at
Nels Anderson's until he could be positively identified as Grandall, the
dishonest Longknives' treasurer. Phil Way declared firmly that this must
be done.

"Personally, I don't see any sense in mixing up in an affair that doesn't
really matter much to us!" exclaimed MacLester. He had been quiet for
a long time. When he did speak it was with hard emphasis