"Well, young man, I guess you have hit the truth," were Maurice Vane's
first words.

"About those other fellows?" asked our hero, quickly.

"That's it."

"Did they swindle you?"

"They did."

"By selling you some worthless mining stocks?"

"Yes. If you will, I'd like you to tell me all you can about those two
men."

"I will," answered Joe, and told of the strange meeting at the old lodge
and of what had followed. Maurice Vane drew a long breath and shook his
head sadly.

"I was certainly a green one, to be taken in so slyly," said he.

"How did they happen to hear of you?" questioned Joe, curiously.

"I answered an advertisement in the daily paper," said Maurice Vane.
"Then this man, Caven, or whatever his right name may be, came to me and
said he had a certain plan for making a good deal of money. All I had to
do was to invest a certain amount and inside of a few days I could clear
fifteen or twenty thousand dollars."