fterward, and
who did it. We don't want any work for detectives that Jack Danby is
the centre of."

"I understand," said Tom Binns. "Pete and I are just to keep our eyes
open, and if we think Jack is running into any danger, we're to let you
know, so that you can help to keep him out of it."

"I think there's more than one person would like to see Jack out of the
way," said Pete Stubbs, thoughtfully. "You know, he's told me
something lately about this queer business of his name. It looks
mighty funny to me. There are people, he says, who know who his father
and mother were, and who are mighty angry and sorry that he's left
Woodleigh and dropped out of their sight."

"Is that so, Pete?" asked Dick, surprised, since he had heard nothing
of all this.

"Yes, indeed! There was a man who has been up at Woodleigh, trying to
find out exactly where Jack had gone, and what he was doing. Jack
seemed to think that this man was satisfied to have him up at
Woodleigh, where people wouldn't see much of him and weren't likely to
be curious about who he was."

"And where anyone who wanted to could keep tabs on him pretty well, eh?
That's easier to do in a little country place like that, where everyone
knows the business of everyone else, than it would be in a big city
like this, isn't it?"

Dick was very thoughtful.

"I've heard funny stories about Jack Danby and his name," he went on.
"In fact, Jack's told me himself that Danby really isn't his name at
all, and that he has no idea of what his real name is. As he gets
older, naturally, it means a great deal to him that he isn't like all
the rest of us, and doesn't know all about himself. It doesn't make
any difference to his real friends, but it bothers him, naturally. I
think we'll have to see if we can't help him solve that mystery, don't
you?"

"I'd give anything if I could make Jack happy by telling him all about
himself!" cried little Tom Binns, full of love and loyalty for the
friend who had always done so much for him.

"Well, we'll see," said Dick. "Meantime, if Jack has the best name in
the world, it wouldn't do him much good if it had to be carved on a
tombstone before he's had a chance to use it at all, and if that fellow
that carried him off from our camp ever gets another chance at him,
that's what he'll be needing."

It wasn't like Dick Crawford to be alarmed by anything as a rule, and
the two Scouts were mightily impressed by his solemn tone and th