"Needn't be! What--what do you mean?" gasped Jack.

"Why I mean that those robbers have had their trouble for their pains!
Those letters were only a dummy set, sent through the mail to throw them
off the scent. They contained information of absolutely no value. I thought
there might be a hold-up, Jack, though I could not tell when it would
occur. So I had my friends send me back a dummy set of letters. It was
those useless documents which the hold-up men took. The real letters will
come through later. It's a joke on those outlaws all right," and again Mr.
Argent chuckled.




CHAPTER XII


A RIDE FOR LIFE

Jack Bailey did not know what to do or say. He just stood there in the
morning light, gazing at Mr. Argent, as though to make sure of the miner's
words. Finally he faltered:

"Do you really mean it?"

"Mean it? Of course I do!" was the answer. "It's a joke on those rascals.
They've had all their trouble for their pains. They've gone off with a set
of dummy letters, plans and other mining information that will take them
several weeks to digest. And they'll waste a lot of time trying to locate
the claim. Only they'll be from fifty to a hundred miles from it. Oh,