Part 32 (1/2)

”We'll soon have you in better quarters than this,” went on Bert He leaned out of theand shouted:

”Hey, Mort! 'I've got hiot the mysterious prisoner It's Mr

Stockton! Co some of the boys! Grab Muchmore, and hold him!”

The rascally nephew heard the words whichto break away fro hi the ladder

At Bert's words the enraged ed to wrench hiame was up But it may be added here that he was subsequently captured, and sent to prison for a long terhters, with Mort at their head to show the into the corridor was quickly broken open, in spite of the protests of Mrs Blarcum, who did not seem to understand that Muchain in possession A little later the old woman disappeared and all trace of her was lost

As for Mr Stockton, he soon was in his own apartns of his imprisonment Then he told his story, briefly, to Bert and his chums

Muchmore, it appeared, had always been a bad character, but he had told his uncle that he had reforive him a hoan to scheet possession of it, and also what other property Mr Stockton had To this end he secretly adreatly weakened hi himself, Muchmore had shut him up in an unused part of the house Froan his wild, ga some of his cronies into the mansion He co her Mr Stockton was crazy, and had to be kept a prisoner Much firemen were first at the house, was due to his fear lest they discover that Mr Stockton was a prisoner in his own an tohis uncle, by threats of violence, to sign such as were necessary for his purpose Mr Stockton tried several times to escape, but the rascally nephew and housekeeper were too et as far as the office where Mort Decker, under the direction of Muchrapher was out at the time, and the office was deserted, and, as he could not find a pen, the old man used the typewriter to prepare the mysterious note Herbert found He was disturbed before he could finish it, but he carried it aith him, and, at the first opportunity, threw it from the

But now he had no more to fear, thanks to the rescue by Herbert

”I can't thank you enough,” he said to the young chief ”But for you I ht still be a prisoner”

”You helped yourself as ood idea, to think of starting that fire”

”Yes, it was the only thing I could think of This place is so lonesoht have called to soh Often I had to stay in bed for days at a tis, and I had a pail of water ready to throw on it in case it got going too fiercely

Then Muchht ht send in an alarm, and that the fire department would come, for I heard from the old housekeeper that a coine corps”

”Yes, we think we have quite a fine department,” said Herbert proudly

”Well, you'll soon have a better one,” said Mr Stockton ”I want to show ular steaine for the town”

”But we'll need a water syste to sell a lot of property I have, and put a water syste We'll develop this village, until the old inhabitants, like myself, won't know the place And, e have the new depart it”

Mr Stockton was as good as his word It took soested, but finally a fine water systeine money could buy was presented to Lakeville, with the coed millionaire In this work he was aided by Mort Decker, whom Mr

Stockton appointed his secretary

It needed horses to draw the steamer, and of course required otten They still kept the cheines--and they were often called on to put out trifling blazes, and help at the larger ones

Mr Stockton did not forget what Bert had done for hiround and a barn, on one of the side streets of the town, and one day he surprised the young fire document