The Ranger Boys Outwit the Timber Thieves

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  CHAPTER XIX

  CONCLUSION

  So the quest of the boys to discover the Timber Thieves was ended. Mr.Boone hailed Garry's suggestion with delight, and Howells, who protestedthat he had done nothing to deserve the big promotion, was installed ascamp manager, with the faithful lumberjacks as a nucleus, to get thecamp going full blast again.

  "And you can depend, Moose Boone, on our doing everything we can to makeup for what has happened before," one of the old timers shouted.

  Only one remained to be rewarded for his help. That was King, thesquatter. Mr. Boone immediately agreed when Garry told him of thepromise that had been made, and offered to send some food and clothes toMisery Camp.

  A suggestion by Dick proved good. He asked why the Misery Camp men couldnot be hired to take some of the places left vacant by the men who hadturned traitor. This was put to King and he thought it over a minute.

  Then he said:

  "Squatters hain't lazy; it's just that every man's hand is turnedagainst 'em because they haven't got homes and land o' their own; butyou people seem different. I'll have all the men here in a couple o'days, ready to go to work and earn a livin'."

  It took some time for all to tell their stories. Since Garry and Philhad worked separately from Dick, they had to tell him all that befellthem since the evening they had left to go and visit the scene of thetimber stealing; and Dick was made to tell how he had become a captive.

  In the telling of their stories to each other, the whole story wasunfolded to Mr. Boone, and at the end of the stories he againcongratulated them on the successful way in which they had carried outhis mission.

  "Now I suppose it's back to the patrol on Sourdehunq," said Garry. "Wehave forgotten for some time that we are Rangers, and we still have amonth or so to work for the protection of the forests. It will seem kindof quiet there after all this excitement, for I don't believe that muchcan happen there now."

  But further adventures were in store for the boys--how they were givenanother mission to accomplish; the great good fortune that came to Phil;the explanation of the mystery that surrounded the hermit, and the finalreward for their summer's work. All will be told in the next and lastbook of the Ranger Boys series, entitled, "The Ranger Boys and TheirReward."

  THE END