“It’s too bad, too bad!” mourned Obed, following the others toward the open door.  “Such a splendid chance may not come again; and I’d like to know, I certainly would.”

When they entered the cabin, the first thing all of them did was to look eagerly to see if the man still lay there, Upon finding that he had not tried to escape during all the excitement, possibly being afraid he be fired on, they felt relieved.

“Anyhow, we’ve still got him safe and sound,” declared Steve, exultantly.

“And he may make up his mind to tell yet,” remarked Obed, picking up fresh hope, “when he finds that I mean all I said, and that he’s on the road to prison.”

The man glowered at them, though apparently he seemed fairly well pleased to find that they had not succeeded in capturing his ally.  Max awaited developments.  He was satisfied with the way things were going, and deep down in his heart believed the thrilling announcement he was storing up with which to startle his three chums would not now be long delayed.

“I s’pose we ought to go out again, and resume our watch,” suggested Steve, after a short time had elapsed.  “It’s too soon for a change; and after all that excitement none of us feel a bit sleepy.”

“As for me,” ventured Bandy-legs, “I’m that wide awake I feel as if I never could go to sleep again while we’re up here in the mountains, where such queer things keep on happening right along.”

“S-s-say, I’m s-s-sorry for Obed,” ventured Toby, who it seems had heard the lament of the woods boy, and could sympathize with him.  “He had h-h-hoped to g-g-get a pointer by g-g-grabbing that streak of g-g-greased lightning; but after all, the fellow was too much for the whole b-b-bunch of us.”

“But it’s made me feel pretty sure now,” said Obed brightening up perceptibly, “that I know who’s to blame for all this trouble.  I had a hint about it before, you remember I told you, boys; and while he kept his face hidden pretty much all the time he fought, I surely heard him say something that struck me as familiar.  He wasn’t a stranger, I’m certain of that.”

“Well,” said Max, quietly, “perhaps there may be a way to prove that.”

“Please tell me how, Max!” pleaded Obed, eagerly.

“The mysterious stranger managed to get away,” chuckled the other, “but he wasn’t so clever about taking all his wardrobe along with him, you remember.”

“Oh! his coat!” cried Obed, in thrilling accents.

“I hung on to that like a leech,” now laughed Max.  “Of course I should have been smart enough to keep my fingers on the man inside, but he had a slick way of just slipping out of the coat.  First thing I knew he was gone, leaving me holding the bag, as they say.  Want to take a look at that article, don’t you, Obed?  Sometimes men have a fashion of keeping letters and documents in their coat pockets; and between us I believe you’ll find something like that here.”