"That is the puzzle that we have got to solve," replied the colonel.
"For the present the only thing we can do is to go back to Creston
and see if we can't pick up some new clues."
The boys, with Colonel Snow, slowly made their way back to the
town, carrying with them the body of the cat, the skin of which
Rand proposed to have tanned for a trophy for the club room.
As they entered the town they were met by Officer Dugan, who put
his hand on Rand's shoulder.
"I have a warrant for your arrest," he said.
The party were amazed, and the colonel was the first to speak.
"For what?" he asked.
"For robbing Judge Taylor's office," replied the officer.
CHAPTER XVII
THE MESSAGE
For a moment or two Pepper hung at the extremity of the branch
to which he was clinging, when all at once there came an ominous
cracking and the end broke away, but fortunately it had swung so
low toward the ground that he dropped at the foot of the tree, not
much the worse for his experience.
It had ail happened so quickly that, before he had time to utter
a cry Pepper found himself lying on the ground flat on his back.
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