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288 Mumpers, or whatever his name is, or know the reason why. If he finds the things, I'm to give him two hundred dollars in cash; if he don't, I pay his travelling expenses and no more. I wouldn't make such a bargain, but I know all you boys want the things back and I can't do the running after the thief. It's a waste of money, but it can't be helped. I want to show you and Ben and Larry that your uncle means well in spite of what you think of him.

"Newell says for me to tell you he will send you a bundle of newspapers. He says he knows how lonely life on board of a man-of-war gets sometimes. I hope you don t get hurt, if you get into a fight down in Cuba. Keep out of the sun, and write when you can, care of Newell's newsstand—for I stop there every day, after the detective's report. The detective hopes to get the things back before this week is out.


 * "Your loving uncle,



The letter was a mere scrawl, horribly misspelled, and it took Walter fully quarter of an hour to decipher it. "Well, Uncle Job is