"There's an ax," nodded Cortland, glancing around him. "Corporal, just try the ax on the chest—carefully."
With a few blows Cotter had the chest open. Captain Cortland knelt by the wooden chest to inspect.
"This is clothing on top," he announced. "But—ah, what does this look like?"
In the middle of the chest's contents he had come upon carefully wrapped packages of jewelry, watches and the like.
"We won't go any further just now," declared the captain. "But we'll take back this chest with us."
On the return to Fort Clowdry the prisoners, though captured on the military reservation, were turned over to the civil officers. Even Tip Branders and the wounded chief of the band were taken to Clowdry for care by the town authorities.
The chest was found to have contained all the stolen jewelry. The money that had been taken on the same raids, however, was not found. Plainly the thieves had used the money for the needs of the moment.
Hal and Noll, on their return, reported promptly to the commander of the guard, for they still belonged to the guard detail.
"Queer, ain't it?" asked Private Bill Hooper that morning in Hupner's squad room as the men were washing up before morning mess call.
"What is?" demanded Private Hyman.