The Boy Scouts of the Geological Survey

y. "I'm sleepy," he mumbled. "Guess I'll turn in

iting. "You've been making a holy show of yourself for the last half ho

nd doing such a lot of manual labor,"

pen and blotted the letter with much deliberation. His pale face, from which the freckles had faded noticeably

expression on his face was one of such utter disbelie

a grin. "Haven't I been exercising? Haven't I? What have you got to say about it? Didn't

u didn't, old sc

and Art have done wonders all week, and I'll never be able to thank you enough for all the help you've given me. It's simply great to have such pals as you two! And mother'll b

m declared warmly. "Did he s

ill want you to stay and loaf for a while. I can show you where to get some dandy photos of nesting birds, and I know where a pair of red

he also looked forward eagerly to the reunion of the troop at camp, shook his head with regret at the thought of leaving the farm. Ralph had told him more about the d

when they had finished talking about animal p

inutes, just as soon a

long,

unted Arthur, as he di

d ni

oo long at

t. Good nig

pen once more. Propping his head with his other hand, and shading his eyes from the lamplight, he wrote on. In a few minutes the springs of Tom's

ggled to keep them open. He put his head down on the tab

been roused by the sound of a human voice. How long he had slept he could not tell. The lamp had gone out and th

tchen door?" was his first thought.

ans

anded, in a louder ton

o you

nly an impressive

id so, a burly form crashed against him in the darkness, knocking him down. Unhurt, though considerably startled, Ralph sprawled upon the carpet and stared quickly up

Come down he

ed a harsh voice. "

y, with a weak ankle, he did not care to run the risk of a nasty blow or a bad fall. He yelled

with a kick, and was in the act of crawling through and dropping to the ground outside, when Tom flung himself upon him and dragged him back into the room. Fear of cutting himself on the broke

's collar. Ralph, too, was pounded and battered and choked by a powerful hand at his throat. Suddenly there was an audible rip, something gave way in Tom's hands, and the man, hurling the two lads from

us!" ejaculated Tom, in disgust. "Where

his feet. "What on earth has Art been doing

downstairs after Tom, but--but I stumbled into the parlor, thinking the fight was in the

ust a minut

light, and applied it to the wick of the lamp. When the ro

ort with a gasp, and, going over to a wall cupboard, opened one of the drawers. "Gone!" he cried. "The mon

ed Arthur, after a bri

e plowing last fall, was too honest to--no, it couldn't be

ight hand was a fragment of a man's coat collar

he, with the air of