"That's right, Felix, you have," assented Sid, heartily.
Even Bristles found himself compelled to nod his head, as if ready to say the same thing if asked.
"All right then," Wagner went on, "I give you fellows my sacred word of honor that I never dreamed such a thing had been thought of or attempted, until Mr. Ketcham told me, a little while ago."
"But what are you doing away out here, Wagner?" asked Corney.
"Not taking a practice spin, because you haven't got on your running clothes," Semi-Colon declared, meaningly.
"Sure I haven't, because I promised my mother I'd only run this afternoon. She's afraid I'm going it too strong, and that I'll break down under the strain to-morrow. And besides, I'm in apple-pie shape for the race right now. As to my being here, why I went over early this morning to Tenafly with my father's lawyer, Mr. Goodenough, to attend to some business for my dad. Ask him if it isn't so?"
"Oh! was that it?" remarked Bristles; "why, didn't he go himself, Felix; tell us that?"
"We had to have the doctor over last night to see dad; he had another attack of lumbago, and can't move this morning. And, as this matter had to be looked into to-day, he asked me to go with his lawyer, and bring back the papers. I've got 'em right here."
Wagner flourished some legal-looking documents as he said this. They settled the matter, so far as Fred was concerned.
"Wagner, you'll have to excuse the way we jumped out on you," he said, smilingly. "You couldn't blame us. We've tracked that covered wagon right up here. We happen to know that it belonged to Farmer Toby; and a woman heard the struggle on the road when Colon was captured. And you see, some of the boys are dead sure our chum is being kept hidden in what they call the old haunted mill, right beyond us."