All unconscious of the plot being hatched out against him, Robert walked on along the docks.

At one point he saw a large lake steamer at anchor, and thought to walk out to the craft to inspect her.

The way took him past a large quantity of merchandise piled high on the rear end of the dock.

He was just passing around the merchandise when he found himself suddenly seized from behind.

He tried to cry out, but before he could do so a dirty hand was clapped over his mouth.

He struggled to free himself, but soon found that two men were holding him. At last he managed to turn partly around and saw that the men were the two roughs who had wanted him to treat.

"Let me go!" he managed to say at last.

[Pg 262]

"Hold him, Mike," cried Pat, and slipped his hand into Robert's trousers' pocket.

Robert struggled, but before he could break away Pat had secured not only the baggage check, but also some loose change amounting to about a dollar.

"Now his udder pockets, Pat," panted Mike heavily. "Hurry up, I can't hold him much longer."

"You scoundrels!" exclaimed our hero, and breaking away at last, he dealt Mike a staggering blow in the chest.

But as the rough tumbled he caught the boy by the arm, and both fell, Robert on top.

"Help me, Pat!" roared Mike, seeing he was getting the worst of the encounter.

Pat started to jump in, but then thought better of it. As Robert leaped up with fire in his clear eyes, the man began to run.

"Stop, you thief!" yelled the boy, and made after him. Left to himself, Mike also got up and limped away, his nose bleeding, and suffering from a bruised rib, where Robert had stepped upon him.

"Dat boy is a reg'lar lion," he murmured. "We was fools ter tackle him."

Pat ran as he had never ran before, and coming[Pg 263] to an alleyway, darted to the lower end and hid behind some empty barrels.

Robert ran past and then Pat came out again.

"Only a dollar," he said to himself, as he sized up his dishonest haul. "Well, wid that five I'm ter git fer de check it will be six. Dat aint bad."

Pat was no particular friend to Mike, and speedily resolved to keep the haul for himself.

"I'll tell Mike I didn't git no check and dat dere was only twenty cents in de pocket," he reasoned. He was willing to allow Mike ten cents for his share in the work, and no more.

The roughs had agreed to meet Hammerditch on a certain corner, and to this spot Pat made his way with all possible speed.

"Come in out of sight!" said the rough, and motioned the way to a nearby saloon. He was afraid Mike would come up before the transfer of the check could be made.

They went inside and ordered some drinks, and then Pat turned the baggage check over to the Englishman, and received the five dollars reward.

"I'll bet yer goin' ter make a fortune out of dat check," observed Pat.

"Not at all," answered Hammerditch. "The[Pg 264] check is of little value really. But I was bound to have it."

Afraid that Robert would hurry to the railroad station as soon as the loss of the check was discovered, the Englishman did not remain in the drinking place long. At a hotel several squares away he met Le Fevre.

"You haf eem?" queried the French Canadian anxiously.

"I have, Jean. Come."

"Ve vill haf von drink first," was the reply, and they went to the barroom. Here they met several lumbermen they knew, and in consequence it was some time before they could get away from the hotel.

One of the lumbermen knew about the Amberton land claim, and thought that it would be a hard matter to dispossess the present incumbent.

"Ve vill do eet," grinned Le Fevre. "Ve hold ze vinning cards—not so, Hammerditch?"

"That is so," answered Hammerditch.

The lumbermen wante............