"Taking no chances," answered Garry briefly, for he had a feeling that it was almost time to tear the mask away. "We had one visitor here tonight, and we didn't know what to expect."

Garry explained his statement about the visitor by briefly telling of the attempt that had been made to enter the cabin an hour previously.

Barrows pa.s.sed this off by offering the suggestion that some of the lumbermen were naturally ruffians, and might have wanted to commit burglary.

"What I woke you up for was to tell you that a man has come here with a note that he refuses to deliver to anyone but you boys. He's at my office now, and all he will say is that your friend d.i.c.k's safety depends on obeying what is in the note. Of course I could have summoned some of the men and had him overpowered, but thought you boys might like to handle the matter for yourselves."

The boys put on their shoes and coats, for they had gone to bed almost fully dressed, and prepared to follow Barrows.

"Careful now," whispered Garry, as he pa.s.sed Phil.

There seemed to be little need for caution, however, for they were unmolested on their way. At the office they found an unkempt dirty looking individual.

"Be these the boys," he asked of Barrows, pointing a dirty finger at Garry and Phil.

"Yes, these are the ones. Now state your business and do it quick,"

snapped Barrows.

"This letter tells the hull story," answered the man in a hoa.r.s.e voice, and he handed a crumpled piece of paper to Garry.

The leader of the Rangers took the note and read it in silence, then handed it over to Phil.

What they read was this:

"Have been captured by Jean LeBlanc. Have been forced to write this letter to you. LeBlanc wants a thousand dollars for my freedom. You are either to bring it with you, or make arrangements for its delivery at a spot known to the bearer of this letter. Warn you that any attempt to molest bearer will result in serious injury or worse to me. You know I would not ask this unless I were in grave peril.

Don't fail me. Follow bearer's directions.

"Being emergency will ask ransom emphatically.

"d.i.c.k Wallace."

"That's d.i.c.k's writing, sure enough. He must have been tortured into writing that letter, else he would never have done it," said Garry between his teeth. "Now Barrows, the time has come for a showdown. What do you know about this matter? Speak up, and speak up quick!"

"What should I know about it. I don't know what's in the letter about your friend," answered Barrows taken back by the tone of Garry's grim voice.

"How do you know it's about our friend?" demanded Garry quick as a flash.

"Why, the bearer here told me that it had to do with one of the three boys who were staying here," answered Barrows weakly.

"I think you're lying, Barrows, but I can't prove it. Here, read the letter."

He handed the crumpled note over to the manager, who took it and read it in silence. Then he burst into a protest.

"I never heard of this Jean LeBlanc. Why do you connect me with the matter? I never even heard the name LeBlanc."

"You had a Baptiste LeBlanc working for you until Howells insisted that he be discharged, didn't you?" continued Garry implacably.

"Why, there may have been a man of that name. I remember Howells insisting that a man be discharged, but I never pay much attention to the names of the lumberjacks, at least to their last names. I leave that to the timekeeper and the section bosses. You misunderstand me entirely.

I am ready to give you all my help. What do you propose to do?"

"First place I am going to start back with this man here and look into the matter. Of course we have no money to take with us, but I am going to be a.s.sured that d.i.c.k is safe. You will get the necessary ransom from the bank at town, and thirty-six hours from now you will start with it to some place where this man will appoint. We will be there at the time with d.i.c.k. In the meantime telegraph my father to get here with all speed. Now, Barrows, I'm putting this matter up to you. If you fail in any way it will be so much the worse for you. I'm trusting you only because I have to in an emergency. Don't fall down, or we'll make you the sorriest man you could ever dream of being. Phil, keep these men covered with your rifle until I go back and get our packs. Don't let them stir out of your sight or move a finger."

Garry concluded his words, and tearing a leaf from his notebook, wrote hastily for several moments, then left the cabin. Barrows made as though he would follow, but a menacing gesture from Phil made him keep his seat.

Once outside the cabin, Garry sped away into the woods like a deer. He was extremely cautious with every step, however, lest a snag or root trip him and disable him at this crucial moment. The note that he had written contained explicit directions to the hermit to get word to Mr.

Boone by telegraph, and then see if he could pick up their trail and follow them. He knew the old man was an expert at trailing, and Garry wrote that he would leave signs on the way from the hollow tree postoffice.

The return to the camp was somewhat slower, for he stopped occasionally to blaze an X in a tree, or dig a slight hole in the ground with his toe. He wished that he had time to make a more distinct trail, but there was the danger that a plain one might be noted by one of Barrows' aides, and obliterated. He was trusting that the hermit could find it, versed as he was in all the lore of the woods.

Back at the office with his knapsack and that of Phil, he asked what had transpired while he was gone. Phil told him that a meeting place had been agreed on.

"Now," said Garry sharply, "can you lead us where you came from in the dark?"

"Guess I can, came here in the dark," was the surly response of the guide.

"Then start travelling. Now, Barrows, first sign of any treachery from anyone in the camp will mean that first I'll shoot this guide and second anyone within range of my rifle. Now hike," this last remark being addressed to the man.

Out of the camp toward the northeast led the way, and as they walked Indian file, they took every step as though it were a path strewn with gla.s.s. Once outside the camp, having been bothered by no one, Garry called a halt.

Keeping a sharp eye on the guide, Garry whispered to Phil:

"Notice anything funny about that note of d.i.c.k's?"

"Not particularly, except that I took exceptional care to be sure that it was d.i.c.k's writing," answered Phil.

"Did you remember the last line?" he questioned further.

"I think I could repeat it over by heart."

"Then use your head and look for the very obvious code in the last six words," said Garry.

Phil repeated them aloud two or three times, then fell silent. Then he gave vent to a low exclamation.

"Why, it's as plain as the nose on your face. It's just the first initials and they spell Beware!"

"Exactly; that's step number one. Now the second thing is the note itself. It was written on brown paper. Safe thing to write such a letter on, anyone might have it in his possession. The queer part is that on the shelf high over Barrows' desk was a bundle of report blanks wrapped in the same identical kind of paper, only the wrapper was torn. I couldn't think of any way to clear the office, but I bet I could have matched this sc.r.a.p to the torn place in the report!"

"Then you think that d.i.c.k has been at the camp all the time?" queried Phil half incredulously.

"Don't think it, I'm sure of it."

"What are we to do, then?" asked Phil.

"I have that all doped out. We'll let this chap lead us a couple of miles or so further on and then overpower him and tie him up and leave him there while we double back and search the camp."

Garry gave the order to march again, and they started on their way. Had Garry been gifted with second sight, he would never have left the spot where they had held the conference, for they had gone only a short distance when the guide asked them to halt.

"What's it worth to you fellows if I tell you all about this business?

You ain't going to meet your friend where I'm taking you; it was just to get you away from the camp that I led you out here. But you can't make me tell anything, or LeBlanc would kill me. But I'll take a chance for money."