"I must say, I don't understand this," came from Snap. "But I have got an idea."
"What is it, Snap?"
"Of course I may be all wrong, but I'll give it to you for what it is worth. Do you remember what my father said about those papers?"
"That they related to a certain patch of timber land?" said Giant.
"Yes; and that the Felps people wanted to get hold of the patch. Well, this Lusher Barrock may be hanging around here trying to sell the papers."
"To sell them?" said Shep, looking puzzled.
"Exactly. They are of no use to him, but they might be of use to Andrew Felps and his lumber company."
"You mean that by getting the papers Felps might keep your folks from cutting down the lumber on that tract?"
"Yes, and more. Felps may have some way of getting hold of the land himself, if these papers are destroyed. I don't know the whole truth of the case, but I know my father wanted the papers and he didn't want Andrew Felps to learn that they were missing."
"Snap, I think you have struck the truth," ejaculated Shep. "I don't know of anything else that would bring this Barrock—-if that's his name—-to this locality. He must be watching his chance to meet Andrew Felps."