On the evening of the first day they were treated to a pleasant surprise. Sitting around the campfire, enjoying their evening meal, the party was suddenly made aware of the presence of a stranger. He had come up silently and unnoticed. Presently he stood before them, a trim, natty figure, the bright crimson of his police tunic contrasting sharply with the deep green around him. The policeman smiled at their quick start.
“I’m Constable Wyatt, of the Peace River Detachment,” he announced.
The boys sprang to their feet and hurried forward to greet the constable.
“I’m Dick Kent and this is Sandy MacClaren,” Dick explained to him. “We have been helping Corporal Rand, who has been working on the Dewberry case.”
The policeman smiled.
“Well, you’ve been more lucky or clever than I have. From all appearances, you’ve made a coup. I see you have Creel, the man they wired about.”
“I sent the telegram for Corporal Rand,” said Dick a trifle proudly.
“I almost had my hands on him on several different occasions. Perhaps I would have taken him eventually if you hadn’t. Who are these others?”
“Burnnel and Emery, two prospectors, and she,” Dick pointed, “is ‘Rat’ MacGregor’s wife. All of them are mixed up in the case, constable. We had reason to believe that Creel had Dewberry’s treasure. Creel claims that Burnnel and Emery took it away from him. Whether or not this is true, we have been unable to determine. We can’t find it.”
And in a few words Dick related their experience of the previous night.