“This is how it was,” explained Will. “I saw my uncle as soon as he began opening the big doors the second time. Before I knew what I was doing I had run toward him, and when I was near enough I called his name, and told him who I was. He recognized me at once, and——”
“Yes, and I saw that he was about to keel over,” interrupted Mr. Swaim. “I caught him in my arms, carried him inside the shed, and I had my hands full all night with him. I had given orders to my men never to enter that shed except on certain occasions. They did not disobey my instructions to tell me you boys were still here, and, of course, Will could tell me nothing until this morning. Then he insisted that we come out and find you. I called in Stephen——”
“Is that the red-haired man?” asked Jack.
“He is. I called him in, and he explained about you being in this cabin. And now here we are—Will and I, and I can’t thank you enough, Jack Ranger, for what you did for him. He has told me a little about it, and how kind you were to him in school. I shall have a score to settle with that rascally guardian of his. I never suspected Gabel could be so mean. But his charge of my nephew is ended. I will make other provisions for Will. Are you boys all right now? Did you have some breakfast?”
“Oh, yes,” replied Jack. “If we had known that Will’s uncle was in charge of this camp, we wouldn’t have——”
“Now don’t make any apologies,” interrupted Mr. Swaim. “It’s all right. I want you to make yourselves right to home here. My regulations were only intended for men who might try to spy on my work. For I am perfecting a means——”
“Fellows, you’ll never guess what the mystery is,” burst out Will. “Excuse me, Uncle Andy,” he went on, “but let me tell them. You see we’ve puzzled over it so long, and none of us could guess. Jack, Nat, Sam, Bony—what do you think it is that my uncle has in the big shed—the thing that flew over our camp and scared Long Gun so? See if you can guess.”
“A great bird—like the roc of the Arabian Nights,” said Nat.
“No.”