“Why, that’s just the amount stolen from us,” exclaimed Phil.
“So I remembered,” smiled Chester. “To make a long story short, I learned from the fellows that Petersen had been in Bradley when you outfitted and that one night later he announced he must go to Waterville to protect himself against some claim-jumpers.”
“So it was Petersen who posted that warning. I had fancied Simmons was mixed up in it,” commented Andy.
“We shall know more after Mr. Jackson has Petersen in jail; he has gone to arrest him now. We expect to recover the money of which you were robbed.”
When the excitement over this information had subsided, Andy said:
“While we are in the explanation business, I might as well say that I have discovered why that telegram was delayed. As I was over here when it was first sent over the wire, of course I could not receive it. The operators tried to raise me on the succeeding days, and not being able to, when it came Friday, they sent it to the agent at Hutchins, with instructions to telephone it to some one who would deliver it. Naturally he sent it to Peleg.”
“‘All’s well that ends well,’” laughed Mrs. Porter.
“And now it’s my turn. I don’t understand how a pile of sawdust could burn on a wet day,” said Margie.
“It’s like this,” began both Andy and Chester, almost in the same breath. Whereat the others laughed, and the agent nodded to the lookout to proceed.
“Water acts on sawdust much as it does on coal: instead of putting out the fire, it makes it hotter.”