It was the note from J. Jervice. Mr. Newton read it in silence.
"I don't know who could have written such a note," he remarked, handing it to Jolly Bill.
Then Matt Burton found his voice.
"I was in the neighborhood where the note was dropped this morning and I saw Mason in company with the very disreputable peddler fellow who came here Sunday. They seemed very intimate and were going off together."
"What do you mean by going off together?"
"I mean they were just walking along through the woods like they'd always known each other and were planning something. The thought came to me that they might be accomplices and the peddler had sent the boy into our camp just to work something up."
"He sure did it," volunteered Chick-chick.
"Something up and something down," suggested an irresponsible listener.
"That's enough, boys." Mr. Newton brought them sharply to order. "Burton has no right to such a guess nor you to such remarks. They don't make for harmony. They aren't helpful. You may all go now, except the patrol leaders and assistants and the signal corps."
When the little group had collected Mr. Newton continued his remarks.