Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-15

iaic very well, considering.
The three guests of the CLUB" were left
pretty much to themselves, the only one of
Their entertainers who paid any attention to
them being Ricketts,. He, however, spent the
most I1 OF his time wandering aimlessy about
the clearing surrounding the shanty, smoking
a corncob pipe
Gamble and Dieby played cards, utilizing
an upturned soaD-box for table. Upon the
given up, and all four of Ricketts, henchmen
assisted in preparing supper. Digby built the
fire, Gamble brought water from spring
somewhere in the vicinity; and the Detwilers
did the cooking Ricketts, smoked his pipe,
gave an order now and then, and superintend-
| ed affairs generally.
| .Mctherson viewed all this with consider
able amusement and some reflection. 1t
was PLAIN that Ricketts, had his followers pref
ty well in hand. and that they were accus-
toned to obeying his orders
,r, What do you suppose these fellows are?'
| Ihad asked of his companions as they sat in
group near the door and watched the cooks
at work by the light of single lamp that
! sufficed to- light the room "Their story
about being sportsmen is all bosh. This is
not the season for hunting; and. besides, I
haven't seen gun or q yard of fishing tackle
since I've been here"
| Lofty acknowledged that there was some
thing queer" about their hosts.
Il don't see that we need to bother our
heads ABOUT eS that, though" he affirmed, care
lessly: We'll be out Of this in few days,
and it doesn't make any difference to us
what Ricketts, and his friends may be-"
| You seem to have it, settled in your own
mind what is to become of us" said Even.
II confess that shant know which way to
turn when l leave this place If l had mo-
ney enough to pay travelling expenses, the
question wouldn't bother me long; but, if l
send to my father for remittance: while l
am Saq;.y anywhere near the academy. he'll write
ney; and then Salisbury will have detail
after me with hot feet"
I'VE are al in the same boat" was Lofty's
and, if % you fall s0' n With Pi It. you as wont eSls
have to apply to your father for two or three
months yet. As soon as we can slip away
after supper, stroll down the creek a little
the air, and IN explain what 1 mean
They supped that night on fried bacon,
fried potatoes, bread and butter and coffee.
It was good enough for camp fare, and they
did not complain.
One attention was shown them in prepa-
ration of the meal, which they could not but
appreciate.
Rickets ordered separate table prepared
use of a board which Gamble found outside
the shanty, cleaned, and laid on two upturned
boxes. 1t thus formed table similar in con-
strIction to that in use by the followers of
The. table which the coterie had found in
the shanty in taking possession, had been
cut up for irewood. all but the last board.
Gamble Gamble and Digby, who oficiated as the
the party, having been too lazy to seek in
the, forest for fuel, while anthing indspen-
table In the way of furniture remained at
hand.
After supper the boys arose, and one after
another strolled out of the shanty. Ricketts,
| and Gamble sat by the door smoking, and to
the former Lofty vouchsafed the remark that
1T was fine night. and that he guessed he'd
| take walk before turning in
/ hlcketts only response was commonplace
observation on the weather. The minute the
three boys had left the room, however, he
seemed to experience a sudden infusion of
Interest In their movements.
| II believe those fellows have got some
thing on their minds, Gamble" he said. 'T
| notlced them passing remarks among them
selves two or three times. and they shut up
Ike traps when l approached them"
our business, you knowT
They have their thoughts, no doubt. You
said, when you urged me to take that first
one In here. that he had his own safety to
look out for and wouldn't endang.r ours.
Ihat, OF course, may be true of all of them.
same"
| He knocked the ashes out of his pine and
then peered out of the doorway He could
sec, the figures of the three fugtives. who
had joined company the minute they were
OUTSIDE the shanty, as they moved through
the bloom, going down the creek.
| 1t was by this time as dark outside the
shanty as starlit summer night ever be-
comes. Ricketts, set out to follow the three
boys, in the full confidence of this fact and
IN fashion that showed he was not unac-
customed to the doubtful business of an
eavesdropper.
He crossed the, clearing and gained the
deeper gloom of the woods. Then he made
a, cautious detour till he reached the creek.