Frank Allen at Old Moose Lake;

“We want you to sign a confession, Jeek, that you engineered this theft of our goods, and that you are the one who employed these two tramps to capture us in that shack and hold us captive,” replied Frank Allen, speaking very slowly, very distinctly, and with much determination.

“I won’t do it!” growled Jeek sullenly.

“That’s all right with me,” replied Frank coolly. “You can do that or go to the pen, for we’ll surely send you there.”

Having said this, he gave instructions to his comrades to gather up all the goods which belonged to them, and also those things that the rascals had brought to the cabin.

In a few minutes more the other four boys came in with Snadder and Blinky.

“Fellows,” said Frank, “we’ll divide up this stuff so that four can carry all of it, and the other four will carry their guns to guard our prisoners. We’ll close up this place and take these fellows to our camp. From there we start to-morrow morning for Columbia.”

Jeek watched the preparations progress, the ugly, malevolent expression never leaving his face.

When all was ready Frank gave the order to proceed, the five prisoners were lined up ahead of them and told to take the lake trail toward the Parsons’ camp.

It was almost dusk, but Frank knew that the white of the snow would give them plenty of light to see the men in front of them as they trudged forward along the trail.

Just exactly thirty minutes brought them to their own camp where a fire was hastily started, the lamps hung back and lighted, the boys pulling out the pieces of venison they had carefully hidden, preparing for an evening meal.

“Sorry that we cannot let our prisoners have any of this,” Frank said to the five men. “But we have barely enough for ourselves. Besides, you took enough of our food to balance this.”

The five men had been tied at the feet after the arrival at the boys’ camp, and they were allowed to lie in whatever positions they could assume, while the eight boys went on merrily with their meal, cleaned away all the dishes, and sat about the roaring fire.

“This spoils our camp, fellows,” Lanky remarked as there came a lull in the conversation. “I wanted to try to get that big moose bull, but there isn’t a chance now. We’ve got to take these fellows to Columbia and we won’t feel like coming back.”

Paul said that he was satisfied because he had gotten a good picture of the giant bull moose making short shrift of another bull moose.

The other boys chimed in with varying expressions about their regrets at having to go back to town, more especially the four newcomers who had barely arrived on the scene.

In the meanwhile Frank calmly went to the wide oak table, and, taking a fountain pen from his kit, together with paper, sat working over some writing which seemed very important. The others paid no attention to him.

Finally, the conversation of the boys got on the nerves of Snadder, and he broke forth:

“Say, kid, I’ll give up. Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll sign any kind of paper you want me to sign, provided its the truth, if you’ll let me and Blinky go free!”

Frank turned to look at the man as he spoke, then bent over the table and continued his writing without remark. After a moment of quiet the conversation of the boys went on.

Fifteen minutes passed, then Frank slowly arose from the table, took a sheet of paper in his hands, and, walking over to where Snadder lay on the floor of the cabin, he calmly read what was on the sheet.

It was to the effect that Snadder and Blinky had come into the hills uninvited, had broken into the Parsons’ house and, being chased out, had entered another, after which they had made a contract with Jeek whereby they were to be paid money for the work they would do in robbing the Parsons’ camp and then holding the boys, provided the boys were caught, as captives until all their money could be taken from them.

“Is that the truth?” Frank asked Snadder when he had finished reading.

Snadder said that it was and that he was willing to sign the statement.

“I’ll add another sentence,” said Frank, “in which we agree to turn you loose and bring no action against you, provided you leave this country at once, provided you have nothing more to do with Jeek, and provided also that you herein state that Jeek has already paid you some money.”

Frank was guessing at this last statement, but it was a shrewd guess, and Snadder agreed to sign all of it.

Thereupon, the tramp was helped to the table, only his hands being released when he got there, while two of the boys stood ready to pounce upon him if he made a suspicious movement.

When Snadder had signed the document, Blinky was brought to the table where he, too, signed. Then both tramps were taken to the door and told they might start for Todds at once.

At the same time Frank handed to each of them a large piece of the venison and some crackers in order that they might get through without further hunger.

“It’s not a great walk, and you know the way. Start for Todds, and don’t stop. If we find you to-morrow morning, there’s going to be the jail for you at once without further delay.”

The two tramps had high regard for the quiet, stern voice of Frank Allen, higher regard for the firearms which all eight of the lads possessed, and no particular regard for Jeek. Besides, Snadder had whatever money Jeek had handed to him.

Back in the great living room the boys looked at the sheet which the two tramps had signed, Frank putting it away very carefully among his things in a small kit after all of them had looked at it.

They paid no attention to the three men who lay on the floor. All of this, however, was boring into the nervous system of Jeek with a vengeance. Even Frank did not know how definitely, how forcefully, his plan was working out.

“Say, young fellow,” finally Jeek said in a tone not at all resembling the gruff one he had been using, “I guess you’re a pretty square-shooting guy. You sure treated those two guys square.”

Frank turned from his seat before the fire to hear what Jeek might further have to say.

“I’ve been wrong about all this,” Jeek went on, humility in every tone as he spoke. “If you’ll let us go and won’t bother us I’ll sign that paper. What you got on it?”

“On what?” Frank asked the man.

“Oh, gee, I ain’t no fool. On that sheet you wrote for me to sign before you wrote the one for Snadder,” and there was a slight smile on his face as he spoke.

Frank carefully pulled the paper from his kit again, where he had put it with the second one, reading it carefully to Jeek.

Not quite the same as the one previously read, it said that Jeek agreed the boys had shot his dog under circumstances which were unavoidable and that the boys owed him nothing for the animal; that Jeek had stolen and had bribed Snadder and Blinky to steal the food and other goods from the Parsons’ house; that he and his two companions would leave this section of the country immediately and would not return during the present season under the penalty of this confession being used against them.

“You can use that against me all my life,” muttered Jeek when the reading was completed.

“Sure!” Frank agreed. “That’s just what I propose to do. I am going to give this to my father to keep, and if ever you cause any of us any trouble I am going to use it as a confession of having stolen goods from Mrs. Parsons.”

Jeek studied over the document for a while, the boys quietly waiting for him to reach a decision. It came at last.

“All right, I’ll sign. I guess these other fellows will, too. Do we get off right away?” he asked.

Frank agreed they could all leave at once, provided they started immediately for Todds and provided all three of them signed.

Not long afterward the three men were standing in the snow, without rifles or any other paraphernalia, all of which they were forced to leave at their own camp, while the boys waved a good-bye to them, wishing them well.

“We’ll bring your rifles in when we come, and I’ll send them to you at Bellport,” called Frank as they left.

The men paid no heed to the remark. Off through the trail they started, disappearing in a short while into the snow-backed scenery.

Eight husky young fellows of varying builds, but all athletic, all lovers of the out-of-doors, four of them just up to seek whatever adventure there might be, the other four being looked upon as practiced old woodsmen because they already had had several days at the camp, took seats around the roaring log fire, and the four newcomers listened intently to the tales which the others had to tell of their experiences.

The plans for the morrow had yet to be discussed—not a word had been said. The new boys wished to know what was to be the program, leaving it to the four old-timers, as they termed themselves, to say what adventures should be in store.

“I rather think we ought to organize a hunt for the big moose,” said Frank, when they turned to him for a suggestion.

“That’s the idea—and I’ll get another picture!” called out Paul. “I have one fine one and I want another. I’ll get it while you fellows do the shooting. That will be proof of the pudding!”

Once more the boys told the four newcomers about the battle they had witnessed, describing it minutely, inducing in the minds of the four recent arrivals a warm desire to see the animal.

The time for bed had approached, as told both by the weary yawns of the boys and also by the alarm clock. It was decided they should get out early in the morning, in order to get across the lake to see whether they could get a trace of the moose.

Already they had decided on saving some of the venison for their return to Columbia in order that they might have something to exhibit as evidence of their prowess in the woods.

No one was yet asleep, and the boys were calling from one to the other, while the wind howled outside as if a blizzard were upon them.

Suddenly there came loud rappings on the heavy front door!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Who is that?” cried Frank, jumping from his bunk and making for the front room.

“Quick! Quick! Open the door! It’s Snadder and Blinky! For heaven’s sake save us! Open the door quick!”

The boys were silent. They looked at each other askance. Was this some trick or not? Frank’s mind worked quickly, shrewdly, and he determined, from the sound of their voices that this was real, more real, perhaps, than the boys realized.

He strode to the door to throw it open.