At the preliminary hearing it was learned, through telegrams which Chief Berry sent out, coupled with the admissions of the men themselves, added to which were letters on their persons, that these men were professionals who looted the homes of wealthy people after careful, painstaking study of the locale, of the habits of the people, their friends, and their goings and comings.
It was shown that Fred Cunningham was a tool of one of them who had some things on the young man. It could not be learned exactly what that “something” was, though it was surmised that it was a boyish indiscretion which had been multiplied strongly by the man in order to force the boy to do his bidding.
The picnic turned out as Minnie Cuthbert had planned it should: a perfect repayment by Mrs. Parsons for all the insulting looks and remarks she had made about these boys. The picnic was an entire success.
But Mrs. Parsons was to do still more for Frank and his chums, and what that was will be related in the next volume, to be called, “Frank Allen at Old Moose Lake; or, The Trail in the Snow.” In that volume we shall learn the particulars of a stirring vacation in a winter camp and solve a very perplexing mystery.
THE END
The New Western Series
Exciting, Thrilling Stories of the Old West