of the building about which Tom Was so careful.

"You have to be up to see anything," mused Ned. "It's up a
tree for me! Well, here goes!"

As Ned started to work his way up among the thick, green
branches, he became aware, suddenly and somewhat to his
surprise, that he was not the only person who knew about the
observation spot. For Ned saw, a yard above his head, as he
started to climb, two feet, encased in well-made boots,
standing on a limb near the trunk of the tree.

"Oh, ho!" mused Ned. "Some one here before me! Where there
are feet there must be legs, and where there are legs, most
likely a body. And it isn't Harry, either! The feet are too
big for that. I wonder--"

But Ned's musings were suddenly cut short, for the person
up the tree ahead of him moved quickly and stepped on Ned's
fingers, with no light tread.

"Ouch!" exclaimed the young bank clerk involuntarily, and,
letting go his hold of the limb, he dropped to the ground,
while there came a startled exclamation from the screen of
pine branches above him.




Chapter VIII