The Mystery at Camp Lenape

was

, where his brother had been a moment since. He could not have descended into the lodge unobserved in the short time Jake had spent in his dark box. W

He was to get the long ladder, climb silently to the roof of the lodge porch, and then cautiously crawl through the open window in the far gable of the building--That was it! The window! Why hadn't he thought of that before

ooking for something?" It was Sherlock J

t have crawled out the window again, and

iness-like air. "He must have climbed down the ladder. Come on." The two boys ran around

he detective. Jake glanced wildly at the surrounding trees a

houted desper

scene of action. "No, sir, not a thing-- Wait, though! What's this?" He caught the

few paces down the hill was a similar can, and ano

you know where

e wrestling in the darkness with a deadly foe, or lying s

ed. "We've got to

t a blare of music from the Lenape band. Pale s

" asked She

sight of his antagonist the night of the raid on Tent Fifteen. Then, the man had headed for the lake, a

er

oke through the campus and into the stretch of woods beyond. It seemed to Jake, as he raced th

" panted Sherlock, holding his side. "Stop a

nd I'll come back for you. I tell you, I've got to find him!" Before the other could pro

head of the lake. Water shone glassily through the trees at his right hand. A huddled for

er

e?" came his b

he matter? Are

im. "I heard voices up the hill, and t

-he got a stitch in his side. B

t's all. To-night it seems to be my turn to chase around in the

you're safe," answered Jake wi

you got into the box, and I saw him sneaking down from the kitchen. He must have been prowling around again, l

went af

l. He might have got clean away by that time. Besides, we didn't want to miss the reward, did we?"

ure he wa

er, and dropped his stuff and ran. I followed him down about to here, and then I slipped

omes Dopey Sherlock. Don't say a wo

t last found his breath, an

you?" he asked. "What w

ld boy," said Jerry easily. "An

you drop some cans o

ad of moping around by yourself, you'd know all about these things. Now, which would you r

he was no match for the two Utway twins; and here in the darkness, far fro

more than four days now, and it was thought by some that he might have gotten clear away and escaped unseen to a far city where he could go undetected for some time. However, it was best not to relax the precautions they had made; and therefore the plans for tent hikes that night would have

he had decided to allow these hikes to take place after all. He silenced the cheering with a lifted hand, and added that n

the site of their evening meal. Jerry Utway shouted down the others at Dr. Cannon's table, and final

Avery, who had decided to take Tent Ten no farther away tha

the kitchen. Jake and Jerry Utway, burdened with pans full of beans, raw potatoes, bread, salt, butter, and other provisions, headed for th

ats as the boys stowed away the provisions. "But I guess we'll be all right. Everybody got his ponc

cid water in the direction of their chosen camping-ground. Thus calmly and unsuspectingly, Jake and Jerr