The Carlisle independent., 1918-04-11
"No breakfastr" he questioned.
Copyright, Frank A. Munsey Co.)

Nope, nary breakfast.
 He sighed "There's a cigar in my He started to tell me which pocket when he reeollected my propensity for confscating his property.
 Its all right" l assured him. I'm not smoking at present"
 Tn my left hand upper vest pocket" | he finished I found a fiat leather case in the pocket he had indicated. I opened the case, and handful of crumpled tObac- co fell out.
 I'm afraid I sat on it" I said apolo- getically.
 He turned his face to the wall with ont word. left him alone with the dust of his last cigar. When 1 had gone a short distance | heard him sneeze When I was satisfied that I had done l the best l could to rearrange my dis ordered clothes and linen I rejoined the disconsolate group at the site of the | one time house. There were only four of them-Captain Perkins, Jim, Vida and Kent, Lucille had not returned. Where's Lucile?" Vida inquired. "Tootles got away" I explained, "and she chased her"
 But Tootles is here" Vida indi- cated the dog playing around the shed. "She came back quite awhile ago with | this in her mouth"
 Vida help up the torn and dirty rem nants of what had been Luciles kimono.
 That's Lucile's kimonol" I cried. An idea struck me. What was she wearing under that?"
 ''I helped her put on my costume" Vida vouchsafed, the one that was drying in the shed. It fits her beauti- fully"
 Then I presume that you will find Lucille over there behind that clump of bushes" I hazarded in a loud tone.
 There was sound of branches breaking and leaves rustling as if some one were beating a hasty re- treat.
 "Oh, seew Light dawned on Vida. "Just let her alone. She'll get used 
 kind of funny at first. Now about that breakfast"
 Yes Bopp chimed in, produce that feast you were speaking of. With the dog in sight we'll take a chance on anything you've prepared"
 Sail ho!" cried Jim.
 Where be she?" demanded his su- perior.
 Coming around the point" Jim re- piled.
 Sure enough, a fat little tugboat was nosing her way comfortably through the waves into the cove. Its the rev. enue tugr' exclaimed Captain Perkins, whose knowledge of lake craft was naturally superior to that of the rest of us.
 "A revenue tug?" Bopp repeated. What is she doing hereP
 Let's go and find out"
 The tug came in as far as she dared, and then an officer came ashore in dinghy.
 Pardon me, ladies and gentlemen" he began suavely, taking no notice of our disheyeled appearance, II am the re 5enue officer in charge of this dis trict"
 A cry from the tug startled us.
 What's that" we exclaimed.
 The yell was repeated, this time with a smothered finish.
 Its just a couple of prisoners we captured this morning." explained the officer.
 eve are very glad to see you and your boat" Bopp stated, doing the honors. We have had a terrible fire here, and if you will set us safely ashore at Fair View we shall be for ever in your debt
 I'm sorry" he replied, ''but I cannot carry your party as passengers. Be ing on government service, my duties are very e1acting However, I shall be glad to notify the first vessel meet and request them to call for you"
 But, man." Bopp exclaimed, i've have been without anything to eat for three days! Surely you can't refuse to take us to some place where food may be had"
 You forget that I have provided food" interposed.
 "Pm trying to forget it." Bopp re piled, with ungracious impatience. T want regular food"
 '"The lake is calming down." the off, cer pointed out, land you can surely get aid soon. AS 1t happens, we are hot on the trail of a gang of snug glers, and if we delay now the chief operator may escape us. He is posing as telephone repair man employed by the local company in Fair View, but merely uses that position to cloak his criminal operations. He was sent to Greens island before the storm and has not reported back to the office, so we presume that he is here now"
 By common impulse we looked for Kent. He was not among us Appar- ently he had waited to hear no more a flor Coptoip Darl-ipC had identified