far north. There he had bought five thousand acres of valuable land.
Some schemers had stolen the papers connected with it and were making
for the place, to take possession first, as that would give them a
sort of title.

Tevis was too sick to make the journey himself, and got Smith to go
with some of his own companions. John's father took a man named Clark
and one called Roberts with him. Mr. Roberts, or Robert Ranger, which
was his real name, was Jack's father. Because of some strange
circumstances he had not seen his son in many years.

Roberts, for so he was known many years, Clark, and Smith succeeded
in claiming the land for Tevis. He gave them each ten thousand
dollars for their work and had three rings made as mementoes. They
were like the one stolen from the jewelry store.

In addition Tevis said that at any time the men or their relatives
needed his help they could have it.

Clark, later, was killed, John Smith's father retired on his little
fortune and Jack's father got into trouble. It seemed that the land
schemers offered him a large sum to help them contest Tevis's title.
He refused, but learned that, if they could get him into court, they
could throw the timber claim into litigation, and force Tevis to pay
a large sum to compromise. Rather than do this Roberts told Smith he
would become a wanderer over the earth.

Mr. Ranger sent his money to his sisters, Jack's aunts, for the use
of his son, and then disappeared. He knew that if he could evade
legal service for eleven years he would be free, and that was why he