For a moment Uncle Barney was silent. He bit his lip and rubbed his chin
with the back of his hand.

"Well, I'll see about it," he said slowly. "I'll think it over."




CHAPTER XXVII

THE BLUE TIN BOX


When Jack Rover returned to the other cabin he was in a happy frame of
mind. He had talked to Barney Stevenson for over an hour, and the old
man had at last agreed to listen to what Ruth's father might have to say
to him. He had admitted that living on the island was rather a lonely
existence for him, especially as he was getting old.

"I do hope they patch up their differences," remarked Jack to his
cousins, after he had told them of the conversation held. "I know it
will take a great load off of Ruth's mind."

"Are you going to send the Stevensons a letter?" questioned Fred.

"I'm going to do better than that, Fred," was the reply. "I'll skate
down to Rockville the first thing in the morning and send Ruth and her
folks a telegram. There is nothing like striking while the iron is hot."

"Exactly so!" put in Andy. "It's just like catching a flea while he is
biting;" and at this sally there was a general laugh.

Jack was as good as his word, and slipped off early in the morning,
accompanied by Randy. It was a beautiful day, and the youths had little
difficulty in reaching the town. Here the oldest Rover boy spent quite
some time concocting the proper message, which he sent to the Stevenson
home address.

"I only hope somebody will be there to receive it," he said, after the
message had been paid for, and he had urged upon the operator to send it
without delay.

Several more days, including Sunday, passed rather quietly for the boys.
One afternoon there came another fall of snow, and they grew rather
fearful, thinking they might be snowed in. But the fall proved a light
one, and in the morning it was as clear as ever.

Jack had been rather disappointed at not getting the brook mink at which
he had shot, and now he asked the others if they would not go to the
locality where the mink had been seen.

"I'd like to bring one of them down," said the oldest Rover boy.

"Well, we might as well go after the mink as do anything," answered
Fred. He was growing just a bit tired of going after nothing but
rabbits and squirrels. For two days they had seen nothing else at which
to shoot. Even the wolves and wild turkeys kept well out of sight.

The boys found old Uncle Barney polishing his gun. He told them,
however, that he was not going out hunting, but was going into the woods
to inspect some of the trees with a view to cutting them down for
lumber.

"You won't have no easy time of it getting a mink," he said. "The only
way I ever got 'em was in a trap. Howsomever, go ahead and enjoy
yourselves. Hunting is a good deal like fishing--you can have lots of
fun even if you don't get anything," and he chuckled. Nevertheless, his
face looked as if he was somewhat worried.

"I'll wager he's thinking about Ruth's father and that meeting they may
have," said Randy, when the Rovers were alone and preparing to go out on
the hunt.

"Either that, Randy, or else he is brooding over the trouble Professor
Lemm and Mr. Brown are making for him."

"There's one thing I can't understand about this," put in Andy. "Why
should those men be so anxious to obtain possession of an island like
this? It isn't very large, and the lumber on it can't be worth a great
deal. I should think they could pick up a piece of real estate almost
anywhere that would be far more valuable than this."

"Now you're saying something that I've been thinking right along,"
answered Jack. "Even if they wanted this place for a summer resort, it
wouldn't bring any great sum of money."

"One thing is certain," said Fred; "they are very eager to get
possession."

"Yes. And another thing is certain, too," added Jack. "That is, Uncle
Barney isn't going to let them have it if he can possibly stop them."

The boys had had an early breakfast, and now they filled one of their
game bags with a well-cooked lunch, and also carried with them a thermos
bottle filled with hot chocolate.

"We don't want to run short on food," cautioned Andy. "Gee! what an
appetite this fresh air gives a fellow!"

"Right you are!" answered Fred. "I could eat five or six meals a day and
never mind it at all."

"I'm glad we have managed to bring down so many squirrels and rabbits,"
put in Randy. "If it wasn't for that, we might have run a little short
on eating. I'm a little bit tired of squirrel stew and rabbit potpie,
although they are a whole lot better than going hungry."

Barney Stevenson came out to see them off.

"Going down to that brook where you saw the mink?" he questioned,
referring to a tiny watercourse, now, of course, frozen up, located near
the southern end of the island.

"Yes. And maybe we'll get away down to the other cabin," answered Jack.
"We thought we'd like to take a look around there."

"And if we don't come back to-night, you'll know that we're staying at
that cabin," said Fred.

"Oh, we didn't calculate to stay out all night," put in Jack quickly.

"I know we didn't. But it's just possible it may get too late for us to
come back, and that cabin would be comfortable enough, especially if we
managed to drag in some pine boughs for beds."

"Well, don't shoot more than half a dozen minks--or half a dozen deer,
either!" shouted Uncle Barney after them; and then they started off and
were soon out of sight, skating along the eastern shore of Snowshoe
Island.

Left to himself, Uncle Barney began to pace the floor of his cabin
impatiently. Evidently the old lumberman was turning over something in
his mind--something which bothered him a great deal.

"Of course they are safe!" he murmured to himself. "It couldn't be
otherwise. The last time I looked, the tin box was just where I had
left it. I don't see why I should get so nervous over it."

Presently he drew out his pipe, filled it, and sat down in front of the
fire to smoke. As he did this, a slight noise outside the cabin
attracted his attention.

"I wonder what that was?" he asked himself, and, arising, looked out of
one of the cabin windows. Then he went to the door and gazed around. No
one was in sight, and he closed the door again.

"Must have been the wind, or something like that," he murmured. "Or else
I'm getting more nervous than I ever was before. Now that I've got used
to those boys around, it seems dreadfully lonely when they are gone;"
and he heaved a deep sigh.

He remained in front of the fire for the best part of half an hour.
Then, as if struck by a sudden determination, he leaped up, knocked the
ashes from his pipe, and began to put on his snowshoes. He donned his
heavy coat and his cap, locked up his cabin, and strode off in the
direction of the heavy woods in the center of the island.

Although Barney Stevenson was not aware of it, the noise he had heard
while seated before the open fire had betokened something of
importance. Entirely unknown to the old lumberman or to the Rover boys,
Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell had arrived in the vicinity of the two
cabins on the northern point of the island. Both of the youths were
armed, but they approached the cabin occupied by the old lumberman with
the greatest of secrecy.

"It looks like another wild-goose chase to me," growled Slugger Brown,
when they were close to the place. "We've been here three times now, and
the old man hasn't done a thing out of the ordinary."

"Well, we're sure of one thing, anyway," Nappy replied. "He hasn't got
those deeds anywhere around that cabin--or at least no place where we
could locate them."

The bully and his crony had, from a distance, watched the departure of
the Rovers. As can be guessed from their conversation, they had visited
the island several times before, each time taking care that none of the
others should discover their presence. On their trips they had been
strongly tempted to "rough-house" the cabin occupied by Jack and his
cousins, but they had not dared to do this, fearing it might cause the
Rovers to go on guard.

"And anyhow, we're not here for that purpose now," Slugger Brown had
observed. "We want to get those land deeds for my dad and old Lemon."

The two youths had come close to the side of the cabin and peered in at
one of the windows, and it was this noise that had attracted Barney
Stevenson's attention. But they had managed to keep out of sight of the
old lumberman by flinging themselves down behind some bushes. They
watched the departure of Uncle Barney with interest, and at once
resolved to follow him.

"Of course we haven't any snowshoes; so maybe we won't get very far,"
said Slugger, "but we will do the best we can."

Unconscious that his movements were being so closely observed, Uncle
Barney plunged deep into the woods, taking a trail which was familiar to
him. In some spots the snow lay deep, but in the majority of places the
wind had swept the ground almost bare, so Slugger and Nappy had no great
difficulty in following in the old man's footsteps.

"He doesn't seem to be going out after any game," observed Nappy
presently. "I just saw a rabbit running ahead of him, and he never even
raised his gun."

"I think I know where he's going," answered Slugger. "We'll soon find
out if I'm right."

"You mean that cave your father once spoke about?"

"That's it, Nappy."

"What is there about that cave that makes it so important?" went on the
other curiously.

"Never mind that now--you'll know some day--when my father gets
possession of the island," answered Slugger rather importantly.

The best part of half a mile more was covered, and then Barney Stevenson
left the trail and plunged in among a wilderness of trees and rocks. He
had to take off his snowshoes, and he hung them up in a tree. Then he
went ahead once more, presently reaching the foot of a little cliff.
Here there was an opening six or seven feet in diameter, and he
disappeared into this.

"What do you know about that?" cried Nappy in a low voice. "Is that a
cave?"

"That's just what it is!" answered Slugger triumphantly. "I only hope
it's the cave my father wanted to locate."

"Why does he want to locate a cave on this island?" asked Nappy, more
curious than ever.

"You'll know some day, Nap. Now come on--let's try to find out what the
old man is going to do in that cave."

With caution, the bully and his crony made their way over the snow, and
then slipped inside the entrance to the cave. Ahead of them they saw
the flicker of a lantern which Uncle Barney had lit.

The cave was irregular in shape, running back a distance of a hundred
feet or more. As the old man advanced he held his gun ready for use,
thinking that possibly some wild animal had taken possession; but no
animal of any sort appeared.

Coming to the back end of the cave, the old man set down the lantern on
a rock. Then he got down on his knees and began to pull away at a large
flat stone, close by. He worked rather feverishly, as if growing more
nervous every instance.

"It must be here! They couldn't have gotten it away from me!" he
muttered to himself.

As he worked, Slugger and Nappy approached until they were within plain
sight of what he was doing. They did not make a sound, however, and
Uncle Barney never suspected their presence.

When the flat stone had been set aside, there was revealed a small
_cache_, lined with more stones. At the bottom of this _cache_ rested a
fair-sized tin box, dark blue in color, and secured with a padlock.

"Ha! I knew it was safe!" cried the old man in a relieved tone of voice.
"I knew they couldn't find it!"

"Say! what do you suppose----" began Nappy, when Slugger clapped a hand
over his mouth.

The low-spoken words echoed throughout the cavern, and, much startled,
Uncle Barney dropped the tin box and sprang to his feet. As he did this
Slugger Brown shoved his crony behind a projecting rock, and crouched
low himself.

"Who is there?" cried the old lumberman, and caught up his gun. "Who is
there, I say! Speak, or I'll fire!"

For reply, Slugger picked up a good-sized stone which was handy. Taking
hasty aim, he hurled it at the old man. It struck Uncle Barney in the
forehead, and slowly the old lumberman sank to the floor of the cave
unconscious.




CHAPTER XXVIII

UNCLE BARNEY'S SECRET


"Looks to me as if we were going to be stumped, Jack."

"I agree, Andy. It doesn't look as if there were any mink in this
neighborhood," answered the oldest Rover boy.

"Don't give up yet," pleaded Fred, who sat on a fallen tree, resting.

"It's barely noon yet," announced Andy, glancing at his watch. "We've
half a day before us."

The boys had spent the entire time since leaving their cabin in skating
along the shore of the island and making their way along the tiny,
frozen-up watercourse, where they had hoped to discover at least one
brook mink. But the only game to come into sight had been a squirrel,
and they had not shot at this, fearing to disturb the other game, were
it in that vicinity.

"Let's have lunch before we continue hunting," suggested Andy. "This is
as good a spot as any to rest in."

The others were willing, and, finding a little cleared space, they built
a tiny campfire and proceeded to make themselves at home. They passed a
full hour over the mid-day meal, for the constant skating and tramping
through the woods and climbing over the rocks was very tiring.

"It won't be long before our vacation will be at an end," observed Fred.
"Only a few days more, and we'll have to get into the grind again at
Colby Hall."

"Don't dare to mention lessons yet, Fred!" cried Andy. "Time enough for
that when the school bell rings."

"I was hoping Mr. Stevenson would get up here before we left," said
Jack. "I want to see how he and old Uncle Barney get along."

"Maybe he's staying away on purpose, so that he'll have a chance to see
the old man alone," suggested Randy.

The middle of the afternoon found the four young hunters near the end of
the frozen-up watercourse, at a point where it ran in summer over some
rough rocks into the lake below. Here the ground was very irregular, and
once Fred slipped into a hollow, giving his left ankle a bad twist.

"Ouch!" he cried, and made a wry face.

"Much hurt?" asked the others quickly.

"I--I don't think so," answered the youngest Rover slowly. He pulled
himself up and took a step or two. "I guess it is all right; but it was
a nasty tumble, just the same."

"We've got to be careful. It won't do for any of us to sprain an ankle
or break a leg," cautioned Jack.

They had gone only a short distance further when Randy suddenly put up
his hand.

"I saw something flit through the snow near yonder rocks," he whispered,
pointing.

"I see it!" ejaculated Jack, and with these words he took hasty aim, and
fired. Then his cousins saw another movement in the snow, between some
nearby rocks, and they, too, discharged their weapons.

There was a commotion both in the direction in which Jack had fired, and
also down between the nearer rocks, and, rushing up, the four young
hunters beheld two minks, whirling about in the snow, each badly
wounded.

"Mink, boys! Think of it!"

"Don't let them get away!"

These cries mingled with several more rapid reports, as one lad after
another fired a second charge. This time their aims were better, and in
a moment each of the minks lay stretched out on the rocks, dead.

"I think there was a third one," observed Randy, "but he must have got
away."

"Well, we've got two, anyway," answered Jack with some pride. "What
beautiful creatures they are!"

Each of the minks was over a foot in length, not counting the bushy
tail. They were of a soft brown shade, with a ridge of black on the back
and patches of white below. Each was quite plump, and gave forth a
peculiar strong odor.

The boys were greatly delighted, and viewed the game with much
satisfaction. They placed the minks over their shoulders, and then
continued the hunt, presently stirring up half a dozen rabbits.

"I guess we had better be starting for the cabin," announced Jack
presently.

"How about going to that other cabin at the south end of the island?"
queried Fred.

"Oh, let's give that up!" cried Randy. "I feel like getting back to
where we have all our things."

The others were inclined to do this, and, somewhat against his will,
Fred agreed to return to the north end of Snowshoe Island. Not without
some difficulty, they made their way back to the lake shore, and there
put on their skates once again and started.

The young hunters had expected to see Uncle Barney awaiting them on
their return, and they were a bit surprised when the old lumberman did
not show himself.

"He must be putting in a full day sizing up that lumber he spoke about,"
observed Jack, as he gazed at his watch. "It's nearly six o'clock."

"He can't see much in this darkness," observed Randy.

The boys entered their cabin, and after resting a bit proceeded to cook
supper. They expected every moment to hear a shout from Uncle Barney,
but none came, and at last they sat down to the meal alone.

"I don't like this much," was Jack's comment, when another hour had
passed, and the old lumberman had failed to show himself. "If he was
going to stay away like this he should have left some word."

"Let's take a look around his cabin," suggested Fred.

This was done, but it shed no light on the unusual occurrence. The boys
sat down and tried to amuse themselves as best they could, but, as
another hour went by, their anxiety increased.

"Something is wrong, I feel certain," announced Jack at last.

"Maybe while he was out in the woods he fell down over some rocks,"
suggested Andy.

"He's a pretty old man to be climbing around in dangerous places," added
his twin.

When the time came to go to bed, none of the boys felt like retiring. A
lantern was lit and hung up on a flagpole which stood between the two
cabins. This was a signal which had been agreed upon when the Rovers had
first come to Snowshoe Island.

"There! Now if he can see the light he'll be able to locate himself,"
said Fred.

The boys took a walk around by the boat landing, and also to the edge of
the woods back of the cabin, but all to no purpose. Then they finally
retired to their own shelter.

"We might as well go to bed," suggested Handy. "It won't do any good for
all of us to stay up. If you say so, we might take turns in staying on
guard, in case we should hear a call for help, or anything like that."

This was considered good advice, and each youth took two hours at
staying awake while the others slept; and thus the night passed.

With the first streak of daylight, the boys prepared a hasty breakfast,
and then went outside to view the situation. They soon found the tracks
of the old lumberman's snowshoes, leading into the woods, and presently
saw two other tracks close behind them.

"I'm no sleuth, but it looks to me as if Uncle Barney went into the
woods and two persons followed him!" exclaimed Jack.

"Just the way it looks to me, too," answered Fred.

"Let's go and follow up those footprints at once," suggested Andy.

The others were willing, and in a short space of time they were on their
snowshoes and making their way through the woods in the center of the
island.

"Hello! here's something!" cried Jack presently, and pointed to the old
lumberman's snowshoes, where they still rested among the branches of a
tree.

Then the boys saw where he had climbed between the rocks, and, taking
off their snowshoes, they followed the footprints.

"A cave!"

"What do you know about that!"

It did not take the lads long to reach the entrance of the cavern. Then
Jack, who had brought along one of the flashlights, turned it on and
entered, followed by his cousins.

"Hello, Uncle Barney!" he cried out at the top of his lungs. "Uncle
Barney! are you here?"

"Help! help!" came feebly from the inner end of the cave, and, guided by
the flashlight, the four Rovers ran in that direction. They found the
old man sitting on a rock with his head resting on his arm.

"Are you hurt? How did it happen?" questioned Jack quickly.

"They've robbed me!" moaned the old lumberman. "They came up behind me,
and somebody hit me in the head with a rock! Then they ran away with my
tin box!"

"Who was it? Are you badly hurt?" questioned Randy.

"I guess I'm not so awfully bad off, even though my head did bleed
some," answered Uncle Barney. "But the worst of it is, they got away
with my tin box--the one that's got the deeds to this island in it, and
all my other valuables, including my dead wife's jewelry and a thousand
dollars in gold."

By this time the boys were examining the old man's head. They saw where
the rock had struck him, making quite a cut, from which the blood had
flowed over one ear. It was much swollen, and over it Uncle Barney had
tied a bandanna handkerchief.

"I'll get some snow and wash it off with that!" cried Fred, and did so.
Then the wound was bound up once more, and Uncle Barney said he felt
better. He told his story in detail.

"What am I going to do?" he groaned. "Those rascals have got my treasure
box!"

"Who were they?" questioned Randy.

"I don't know exactly. I heard them talk, and faced them with my gun.
They were in the dark, so I couldn't distinguish them very good. Then
one of them threw a big rock, and that is all I can remember. As soon as
I became unconscious they must have grabbed the box and run away with
it."

"It must have been either Asa Lemm and Mr. Brown, or else Slugger and
Nappy," said Randy.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, now those deeds are gone--not to say
anything about my wife's jewelry and all that gold!" groaned the old
lumberman.

"Just you take it easy, Uncle Barney. You mustn't excite yourself now,"
said Jack kindly. "We'll do what we can toward getting the box back."

The boys had brought some food along, and they insisted upon it that the
old man eat and drink something. This seemed to strengthen Uncle Barney
greatly, and he arose to his feet.

"Now we'll get after those rascals," he said, with something of the
old-time fire in his eyes. "I'm not going to allow 'em to rob me in this
fashion!"

While the old lumberman had been eating, the Rover boys had glanced
around the cave curiously. It was a place partly natural and partly
artificial. On one side it looked as if a little mining had been done,
and Jack, who had studied geology, gazed at the surface of rocks and
dirt with much interest.

"Why, Uncle Barney, this looks to me as if it was zinc ore!" he cried
presently.

"Hush, hush, boy! I don't want anybody to know about that!" answered the
old man quickly.

"Then it is zinc ore, is it?" queried Randy, who had also been
inspecting a side of the cave.

"Yes, if you must know," was the surprising reply. "Right here, in the
middle of this island, is one of the most valuable zinc ore beds to be
found anywhere."




CHAPTER XXIX

THE DISCOVERY


"The trouble is, those rascals have a twenty-four hours' start of us,"
remarked Jack. "For all we know they may be miles away by this time."

"It's too bad Uncle Barney didn't take our advice and either have those
deeds recorded, or else place them in some bank vault," said Fred.

"The thing now is to see if we can trail those fellows, whoever they
were," put in Randy.

"That's the talk!" cried his twin. "No use of crying over spilt milk, as
the cat said when she tipped the pan over into the well," and at this
remark there was a faint smile.

The Rovers had drawn to one side to talk over the situation while Barney
Stevenson was preparing to accompany them from the cave. The old man was
both excited and worried. He cared little about the wound he had
received on the head. All he wanted to do was to get back his treasure
box, as he called it.

The little party soon reached the point where all had left their
snowshoes. They looked around with care, and presently made out a trail
leading toward the lake shore.

"If they went down to the lake, they most likely skated away," remarked
Fred.

It was an easy matter to follow the trail through the snow. It led up to
the vicinity of some rough rocks, and here turned southward.

"I guess they reasoned that they couldn't get over those rocks,"
remarked Uncle Barney. "Maybe they were afraid of a bad tumble. I wish
they had gone over them and broken their necks!" he added bitterly.

"If only they had dropped the treasure box in the snow!" murmured Fred.

"No such luck for us, Fred," responded Jack. "I'm afraid that box and
its precious contents are far away by this time."

They continued to follow the footprints, and at the end of a quarter of
an hour found themselves at something of a clearing between the trees.
Here those who had stolen the box had evidently stopped to rest, for it
could be seen where they had been seated on a fallen log, and where they
had placed the box.

"Look here!" cried Jack, who was inspecting the ground closely. "Just as
I thought--those fellows were Slugger and Nappy, I feel certain." He
pointed to several half-burnt matches, and also a number of cigarette
stubs.

"I guess you're right," returned Randy. "I'm quite sure Asa Lemm doesn't
smoke cigarettes, and when he was on the island Mr. Brown was smoking a
black-looking cigar."

"Well, if those boys stole the box, they will most likely turn it over
to the professor and Brown," said Uncle Barney. "Oh, if only I could get
my hands on them!" and his eyes flashed.

The trail now led through a patch of woods and went into something of a
semicircle. Then there was a little loop, which caused the boys some
perplexity, but did not bother the old lumberman.

"They lost their way--that's all," explained Uncle Barney. "But, after
moving around in a loop, they headed in this direction," and he pointed
with his hand. "Come on! Maybe they got hopelessly lost further on and
are still in the woods. I hope so."

The trail led deeper and deeper into the woods and wound in and out
among a number of rocks. It was plainly evident that Slugger and Nappy
had lost their way, and had made a number of false turns.

"Here is where they rested again," announced Jack presently, and showed
where some rocks had been swept clear of the snow.

"Yes, and they stopped long enough to have something to eat," added
Randy. "Here are a crust of bread and some cake crumbs."

The trail continued to wind in and out among the woods, and the Rovers
and the old lumberman followed it for fully an hour longer. Then they
came out on the eastern shore of the island.

"I guess this is the end of it," announced Uncle Barney dismally. "They
probably skated away from this point."

"No, they didn't!" cried Jack, who was making an examination of the
footprints. "They went down the lake shore."

"I'll tell you what I think!" said Randy. "They most likely wanted to
get to Rockville, and they were afraid that if they attempted to cross
to the other side of the island they would become lost again. So instead
of going across, they went down to the lower end."

"Here come two men!" cried Randy suddenly. He had been peering out on
the surface of the lake.

"Maybe they are Professor Lemm and Mr. Brown," suggested Andy.

The men were at a great distance, but skating rapidly toward the island.
As they came closer, Jack saw that they were strangers, and he waved his
cap and shouted at them.

"They may have seen Slugger and Nappy, or else they may have some news
for us," he said.

As the two strangers came closer, Uncle Barney looked at them curiously.
Then he drew himself up and his face stiffened.

"Don't you know those two men?" he questioned rather sharply, turning to
the boys.

"No," answered Jack, and the others shook their heads.

"The man ahead is Fred Stevenson, and the other is Mr. Powell."

"Oh, is that so!" exclaimed Jack; and then without further ado he ran
out on the ice to meet the newcomers.

"So this is Jack Rover, eh?" said Mr. Stevenson, shaking hands warmly.
"I'm glad to know you; and I must thank you for sending me that
telegram."

"I sincerely hope you can patch up your differences with old Uncle
Barney," answered Jack quietly. "He's in a peck of trouble just now."

"Why, what has happened?" questioned Ruth's father. "But excuse me," he
added. "This is my friend, Mr. Powell."

By this time the other Rovers had come forward, and all told the two men
of what had taken place. In the meantime, Uncle Barney remained behind
on the lake shore, resting on his gun and eyeing the visitors
speculatively.

"I wish you would all do me a favor," said Mr. Stevenson, in a low tone
of voice, so that the old lumberman might not hear. "I wish you would
give me a chance to speak to Uncle Barney alone."

"Certainly we'll give you that chance, Mr. Stevenson," answered Jack
readily. "We are after the two rascals who stole that treasure box. Tell
Uncle Barney that we are going to continue the hunt while you are doing
your talking. Maybe Mr. Powell would like to go with us."

"Certainly. I don't want to interfere with this affair between these
other men," was the quick reply.

Leaving Ruth's father to talk matters over with the old lumberman, the
Rover boys and Mr. Powell began the journey down the side of Snowshoe
Island. As they proceeded, the boys told the man many of the particulars
of how Professor Lemm and Mr. Brown, accompanied by Slugger and Nappy,
had come to the island to take possession, and then how the old
lumberman had been attacked in the cave and how the precious blue tin
box had been stolen.

"That's certainly carrying matters with a high hand," was Mr. Powell's
comment. "I sincerely trust the old man gets the box back. If he
doesn't, it may cause him a great deal of trouble, especially if those
deeds have not been recorded since the old courthouse burnt down. I
remember well that that fire caused a great deal of trouble among
property owners in this county."

He told the boys that he and his wife and daughter May had been visiting
the Stevensons at the time the Rovers' telegram arrived. He had left his
wife and daughter to continue the visit, and had accompanied Mr.
Stevenson on the trip just for the sake of a little outing.

"This quarrel between old Uncle Barney, as he is called, and the
Stevensons is all nonsense," he declared flatly. "It could have been
cleared up years ago if the old man would only have listened to reason.
But he was much upset by his financial losses, and more upset when his
wife died, and he wouldn't listen to a word. Now that he is willing to
talk I am sure they can patch it up."

About a mile was covered, and then the Rovers and Mr. Powell found where
Slugger and Nappy had gone ashore again at a point where the island was
quite low.

"I'll wager they thought they could cross here with ease, and thus save
themselves the trouble of going around the south point," said Jack, and
in this surmise he was correct.

Once again the trail led into the woods, and now it was fairly straight
up to a point where the ground became rougher. Here they found the snow
scattered around some rocks, and rightly guessed that one of the youths
had had a tumble.

"And I guess the tumble must have hurt some," announced Randy. "Look at
those footprints further on, will you? One of the fellows did a lot of
limping."

"Maybe he twisted his ankle, or something like that!" cried Andy.

"It's too bad he didn't hurt himself so severely that he couldn't go any
further," grumbled Fred.

"It won't be long now before we come out near that cabin where we stayed
during that awful snowstorm," said Jack.

It was now well along in the middle of the afternoon, and the Rovers
rightly concluded that this point had not been reached by Slugger and
Nappy until late the day before.

"If one of them was hurt, they wouldn't want to skate away over to
Rockville in the dark," said Randy. "Maybe they stayed on this island
all night."

"There is that old cabin!" exclaimed Fred, as they reached a cleared
space and could see some distance ahead.

The little cabin was thickly surrounded by snow, and looked very much
as it had when they had left it. But to their surprise, not to say
delight, they saw a thin wreath of smoke curling up out of the chimney.

"Somebody is there as sure as fate!" exclaimed Jack.

"Come on, let's see who it is!" burst out Randy.

All hurried forward, making no noise in the snow, and soon reached the
side of the cabin. Then Jack, who was in advance, peered in through a
corner of the broken-out window, pulling aside the nailed-up blanket for
that purpose.

The sight which met his gaze filled him with surprise and satisfaction.
On a rude couch at one side of the single room of which the structure
boasted, rested Slugger Brown, his ankle tied up in a rude bandage. In
front of the fire sat Nappy Martell with the old lumberman's treasure
box on his lap. Nappy had a knife in one hand, and, with the file blade,
was trying to file apart the padlock to the box.




CHAPTER XXX

SETTLING ACCOUNTS--CONCLUSION


"How are you making out?" those outside the cabin heard Slugger Brown
ask.

"It's slow work with such a small file," grumbled Nappy Martell. "If I
had a big file I could get the padlock off in no time."

"What's the matter with smashing it off with a rock?" growled the bully.
He arose to his feet and hobbled to where his crony sat. "Give it to
me--I'll soon have it off!"

"Come on," whispered Jack to his cousins and Mr. Powell. "They are in
there and trying to open the treasure box!"

It took the party but a few seconds to reach the door of the cabin. Jack
pushed upon it, to find the barrier locked in some manner from the
inside.

"Hello! who's there?" shouted Slugger.

"Maybe it's your father and Professor Lemm come back," added Nappy.

The bully came to the door and threw it open. When he found himself
confronted by the Rovers and a strange man, he fell back in
consternation.

"You!" he gasped. "How--er--did you get here?"

"You let us alone!" cried Nappy, in alarm; and, leaping to his feet, he
tried to hide the precious box behind him.

"So we've got you, have we?" exclaimed Jack. "Nappy, you hand over that
box."

"I--I don't know what you mean," stammered the lad addressed.

"See here! you haven't any right to come in here in this fashion,"
blustered Slugger, recovering somewhat from his surprise.

"Haven't we though!" broke out Randy.

"We've caught you, and we intend to make you suffer for what you've
done," said Andy.

As lame as he was, Slugger attempted to edge his way toward the door,
thinking he might get a chance to run away. But Jack caught him by the
arm and sent him flying backward into a corner of the cabin.

"You'll stay right where you are, Slugger Brown!" declared the oldest
Rover boy. "Don't you dare to run away!"

By this time Randy and Fred had approached Nappy, and suddenly the
youngest Rover darted behind the youth and snatched the blue tin box
from his grasp.

"Hi! you give me that box!" stormed Nappy. "You've no right to take it
from me!" and then he, too, tried to run from the cabin. He got as far
as the doorway when Andy put out his foot and sent him headlong into the
snow outside. Then Andy quickly sat down on him, and, rushing up, Randy
did the same.

"Don--don't smash me!" spluttered Nappy, whose face was partly in the
snow.

"We're not going to let you get away," came firmly from Andy.

"Let's tie his hands behind him and make him a prisoner," suggested his
twin, and this the two boys proceeded to do, using some skate straps for
that purpose.

In the meanwhile, Slugger attempted to draw a pistol, but was promptly
hurled back by Jack and Fred. Then Mr. Powell disarmed the youth, and
he, too, was made a prisoner.

"You'll catch it for treating us this way!" growled Slugger, when he
realized that he could do no more. "Just wait until my father hears of
this!"

"And just you wait, Slugger, until Mr. Stevenson gets here," retorted
Jack, and this answer made the bully turn pale.

Now that the two rascals had been captured, the Rover boys felt very
much elated, the more so since they had recovered Uncle Barney's
treasure box without the contents having been disturbed.

"Won't he be glad!" murmured Fred, as he looked the box over.

"Let's go out and see if we can't signal to him in some way," returned
Randy.

He went outside and three shots were fired in rapid succession, a signal
which had been agreed upon when the boys had first gone out hunting.
After the signal had been given, Mr. Powell said he would go out and
watch for the coming of the Stevensons. While he was doing this, the
Rovers talked matters over with Slugger and Nappy.

"You're a fine pair to act in this fashion," said Jack sternly. "Don't
you know you might have killed Barney Stevenson?"

"Oh, we didn't hurt him much," grumbled Slugger.

"And it was stealing to run off with this box!" said Randy.

"No, it wasn't! That box has got deeds in it that ought to go to my
father!"

"I don't believe it, Slugger. Those deeds belong to Barney Stevenson."

A minute or two later all those in the cabin heard Mr. Powell give a
shout.

"A couple of men are coming!" he cried.

"It's my dad and Professor Lemm!" broke out Slugger. "Now you fellows
will catch it!"

"Be on your guard, everybody!" sang out Jack to his cousins, and each of
them caught up his gun and waited.

A few minutes later, Professor Lemm and Mr. Brown appeared in front of
the cabin. Their arms were full of camp supplies. Evidently, this place
had been a rendezvous for the entire Brown party for several days. It
was from here that Slugger and Nappy had gone up to the other end of the
island to spy upon Uncle Barney.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Mr. Brown, when he found himself
confronted by the Rovers.

"It means that we have made your son and Nappy Martell prisoners,"
explained Jack calmly.

"Prisoners!"

"Yes. And I think more than likely we'll have to hand them over to the
authorities."

"I don't understand this at all," put in Asa Lemm, and his voice
trembled a little.

Mr. Powell had now come up, and the Rovers told him who the men were. He
at once took charge of matters.

"This is a serious business, Mr. Brown," he said sternly. "Your son and
this other young man attacked old Barney Stevenson in a most outrageous
manner and robbed him of a box of valuables. What Mr. Stevenson will do
in the matter I don't know. I expect him here very shortly."

At once there was a wordy quarrel, Mr. Brown showing his temper in
anything but a dignified manner. He wanted his son and Nappy released,
and threatened all sorts of things, but all to no purpose. Mr. Powell
was obdurate, and the Rovers kept themselves in readiness to use their
firearms should the occasion require. Asa Lemm had little to say.

The discussion was growing exceedingly warm when there came another
interruption, and Uncle Barney, followed by Frederic Stevenson, burst
into the cabin. The old lumberman gazed at the assembled crowd, and then
at the Rovers.

"My box? Did you find my box?" he questioned quickly.

"Yes, Uncle Barney, we've got the box safe and sound," answered Jack,
and handed it over.

"Did those young rascals have it?" and Uncle Barney pointed to Slugger
and Nappy.

"Yes. And that fellow was trying to file away the padlock when we got
here."

"You whelps, you!" cried the old lumberman, his eyes blazing. And as he
strode toward Slugger and Nappy they shrank back as far as the corner of
the cabin permitted.

"Don't you hit me--don't you dare!" howled the bully.

"I--I didn't mean anything by it!" whined Nappy. He was now thoroughly
cowed.

Another war of words followed, and the discussion grew even hotter than
before. Again Mr. Brown threatened all sorts of things, but Uncle Barney
simply laughed at him. Then Frederic Stevenson took a hand.

"Uncle Barney," he said, catching the old man by the shoulder, "you let
me manage this for you, will you?"

"All right, Fred. You do as you please--only they can't have Snowshoe
Island," was the old man's answer. Evidently the long standing
differences between the pair had been patched up at last.

"What I've got to say, I can say in very few words," came from Ruth's
father, as he confronted Mr. Brown and Professor Lemm. "You have tried
to carry matters here with a high hand, and the result has been that you
have laid yourselves liable to a suit at law, while those two young
rascals are liable to go to prison."

"Oh, Dad! don't let them have us arrested!" pleaded Slugger.

"I don't want to bother with the law--I want to be left alone," said
Uncle Barney in a low voice.

"This island belongs to my relative here--Mr. Barnard Stevenson,"
proceeded Ruth's father. "He has a free and clear title to it, as I well
know. I understand something of your underhanded work, Brown. And I
understand, too, how you and Professor Lemm found out that this island
contained some very valuable zinc ore beds. But your scheme to gain
possession of this place has fallen through."

"Don't be so sure of that!" snarled Slugger's father.

"I am sure of it. Unless you leave my relative here alone, you are going
to get yourself into pretty hot water. And not only that--if you bother
him again, I'll see to it that your son and that other young man are
sent to prison for what they have done."

"Say! will you let us go if my dad gives up his claim to the island?"
broke in Slugger eagerly.

"If your father and Professor Lemm will promise never to bother Barnard
Stevenson in the future, I think he'll be willing to let this case
against you drop."

"All right then. Dad, let's do that. We don't want the old island,
anyhow!"

"You can't do anything without those deeds," added Nappy.

"Shut up! You boys make me sick!" grunted Mr. Brown.

"But Martell is right--we can't do anything without the deeds,"
whispered Professor Lemm. He was growing more fearful every moment over
the outcome of what had taken place.

More words followed, but in the end Mr. Brown and Professor Lemm
promised to let their so-called claim on Snowshoe Island drop. Then
Slugger and Nappy were released, and all were told to take their
departure as soon as possible.

"You think you're smart, don't you?" grumbled Slugger to Jack, when he
was ready to go. "You just wait, Jack Rover! I'm not going to forget you
and your cousins in a hurry!"

"And I won't forget you, either!" added Nappy Martell.

What these two unworthies did in the future to worry the Rovers will be
told in another volume, to be entitled, "The Rover Boys Under Canvas;
Or, The Mystery of the Wrecked Submarine." In that volume we shall meet
many of our old friends again, and learn the particulars of some
out-of-the-ordinary happenings.

"Well, I'm mighty glad they're gone," said Fred, after the visitors had
disappeared in the distance.

"Glad doesn't express it!" added Andy. "I could fairly dance a jig for
joy!"

"And to think we saved the treasure box!" broke in Jack.

"That's the best of all," came from Randy.

Old Uncle Barney was exceedingly happy, not only to have the box
restored to him, but also because the trouble between himself and his
relatives had been completely cleared away.

"I guess I was something of an old fool to quarrel with Fred and his
family," he remarked to Jack later on, when talking the matter over. "It
shows that a man should not be too hasty and headstrong. If I had only
listened in the first place, all this would never have happened."

"I'm glad you're friends once more," said Jack.

"I owe you boys a great deal for this, just as I owe you a great deal
for saving the treasure box and saving my life in the woods that time,"
answered the old lumberman with feeling.

The next day was spent by Uncle Barney and Mr. Stevenson in going over
the matter of the deeds. Ruth's father insisted upon it that they be
duly recorded and then placed away in a bank vault. It may be added
here that later on this was done, and, later still, the zinc ore beds on
the island were opened up and found to be fully as valuable as
anticipated. Old Uncle Barney became quite a rich man, and took up his
home with the other Stevensons.

While the Stevensons were consulting about the deeds, the Rover boys
went out on another hunt, this time accompanied by Mr. Powell, who was
quite a sportsman. They had considerable luck, bringing in over a dozen
rabbits, four squirrels and several partridges.

"And now we've got to get ready to go home," said Jack, a day or two
later.

"Yes. And get ready for the grind at Colby Hall," added Fred.

"But we've had some dandy times on this island!" declared Andy.

"Couldn't have been better!" came in a chorus.

And here we will say good-bye to the Rover boys.

THE END




THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON

Uniform Style of Binding. Individual Colored Wrappers. Every Volume
Complete in Itself.

Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is a
bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the most
interesting kind of reading.

  TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE
  TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
  TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE
  TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER
  TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
  TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH
  TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS
  TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK




THE DON STURDY SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON

Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations by

WALTER S. ROGERS

Every Volume Complete in Itself

In company with his uncles, one a mighty hunter and the other a noted
scientist, Don Sturdy travels far and wide, gaining much useful
knowledge and meeting many thrilling adventures.

  DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY;
  Or, Autoing in the Land of the Caravans.

An engrossing tale of the Sahara Desert, of encounters with wild animals
and crafty Arabs.

  DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS;
  Or, Lost in the Jungles of the Amazon.

Don's uncle, the hunter, took an order for some of the biggest snakes to
be found in South America--to be delivered alive! The filling of that
order brought keen excitement to the boy.

  DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD;
  Or, The Old Egyptian's Great Secret.

A fascinating tale of exploration and adventure in the Valley of Kings
in Egypt. Once the whole party became lost in the maze of cavelike tombs
far underground.

  DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE;
  Or, Cast Away in the Land of Ice.

Don and his uncles joined an expedition bound by air across the north
pole. A great polar blizzard nearly wrecks the airship.

  DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES;
  Or, The Trail of the Ten Thousand Smokes.

An absorbing tale of adventures among the volcanoes of Alaska in a
territory but recently explored. A story that will make Don dearer to
his readers than ever.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK




THE RADIO BOYS SERIES

(Trademark Registered)

By ALLEN CHAPMAN

Author of the "Railroad Series," Etc.

Individual Colored Wrappers. Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in
Itself.

A new series for boys giving full details of radio work, both in sending
and receiving--telling how small and large amateur sets can be made and
operated, and how some boys got a lot of fun and adventure out of what
they did. Each volume from first to last is so thoroughly fascinating,
so strictly up-to-date and accurate, we feel sure all lads will peruse
them with great delight.

Each volume has a Foreword by Jack Binns, the well-known radio expert.

  THE RADIO BOYS' FIRST WIRELESS;
  Or, Winning the Ferberton Prize.

  THE RADIO BOYS AT OCEAN POINT;
  Or, The Message That Saved the Ship.

  THE RADIO BOYS AT THE SENDING STATION;
  Or, Making Good in the Wireless Room.

  THE RADIO BOYS AT MOUNTAIN PASS;
  Or, The Midnight Call for Assistance.

  THE RADIO BOYS TRAILING A VOICE;
  Or, Solving a Wireless Mystery.

  THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FOREST RANGERS;
  Or, The Great Fire on Spruce Mountain.

  THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE ICEBERG PATROL;
  Or, Making Safe the Ocean Lanes.

  RADIO BOYS WITH THE FLOOD FIGHTERS;
  Or, Saving the City in the Valley.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK




THE RAILROAD SERIES

By ALLEN CHAPMAN

Author of the "Radio Boys," Etc.

Uniform Style of Binding. Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

In this line of books there is revealed the whole workings of a great
American railroad system. There are adventures in abundance--railroad
wrecks, dashes through forest fires, the pursuit of a "wildcat"
locomotive, the disappearance of a pay car with a large sum of money on
board--but there is much more than this--the intense rivalry among
railroads and railroad men, the working out of running schedules, the
getting through "on time" in spite of all obstacles, and the
manipulation of railroad securities by evil men who wish to rule or
ruin.

  RALPH OF THE ROUND HOUSE;
  Or, Bound to Become a Railroad Man.

  RALPH IN THE SWITCH TOWER;
  Or, Clearing the Track.

  RALPH ON THE ENGINE;
  Or, The Young Fireman of the Limited Mail.

  RALPH ON THE OVERLAND EXPRESS;
  Or, The Trials and Triumphs of a Young Engineer.

  RALPH, THE TRAIN DISPATCHER;
  Or, The Mystery of the Pay Car.

  RALPH ON THE ARMY TRAIN;
  Or, The Young Railroader's Most Daring Exploit.

  RALPH ON THE MIDNIGHT FLYER;
  Or, The Wreck at Shadow Valley.

  RALPH AND THE MISSING MAIL POUCH;
  Or, The Stolen Government Bonds.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK