the　unconscious　lady　to　the　nearest　staircase　and　almost　fell　to　the　bottom。
  The　smoke　on　the　second　floor　was　so　thick　he　could　scarcely　see。
  But　he　kept　on　and　went　down　another　flight　and　reached　the　office。　He　could　hardly　breathe　and　the　tears　were　running　down　both　cheeks。
  〃Hullo　there；　boy！〃　came　the　call　of　a　fireman；　as　he　appeared　through　the　smoke。　〃Better　get　out　of　here！〃
  〃Help　me　with　this　lady；〃　answered　Joe。
  〃A　lady！　Oh；　all　right！〃　And　in　a　moment　more　the　fireman　had　Mrs。　Dalley　over　his　shoulder　and　was　carrying　her　out。　　Joe　came　close　behind。　　The　lady　was　taken　to　a　nearby　drug　store　where　she　speedily　revived。
  By　the　prompt　efforts　of　the　fire　department　only　a　small　portion　of　the　hotel　was　burnt。　But　the　whole　building　was　water…soaked；　and　all　of　the　boarders　had　to　move　out；　and　then　the　place　was　closed　up。
  〃Out　of　a　place　once　again；〃　thought　our　hero；　rather　dismally。　　〃What's　to　do　next？〃
  This　was　not　an　easy　question　to　answer。　　He　looked　around　for　another　opening　but；　finding　none；　resolved　to　pay　a　visit　to　Riverside。
  〃I　can　call　on　the　Gussings；　and　on　Ned；〃　he　thought。　　〃I　know　all　of　them　will　be　glad　to　see　me。　　And　maybe　Mr。　Mallison　will　be　wanting　to　make　some　arrangements　for　next　summer。　　I　suppose　he'll　run　the　boats　as　usual。〃
  〃Going　to　leave　Philadelphia；　eh？〃　said　Frank。　　〃Do　you　intend　to　come　back；　Joe？〃
  〃I　don't　know　yet；　Frank。〃
  〃Well；　I　wish　you　luck。〃
  〃I　wish　you　the　same。〃
  〃If　you　go　to　work　for　Mallison　this　summer；　maybe　you　can　get　me　a　job　too。〃
  〃I'll　remember　that；〃　answered　our　hero。
  His　preparations　were　soon　made；　and　then　he　boarded　a　train　for　Riverside。　　He　did　not　dream　of　the　surprises　in　store　for　him。
  CHAPTER　XXIV。
  THE　BLUE　BOX　AT　LAST。
  After　calling　on　the　Gussings　and　being　invited　to　remain　there　for　several　days；　Joe　took　himself　to　Ned　Talmadge's　residence。
  Ned　was　very　glad　to　see　him　and　had　to　give　all　the　particulars　of　another　trip　he　had　made　to　the　West。
  〃I　had　a　splendid　time；〃　said　Ned。　　〃I　wish　you　had　been　along。〃
  〃Then　you　like　the　West；　Ned？〃
  〃Indeed　I　do；better　than　the　East。〃
  〃Perhaps　I'll　go　West　some　day；〃　went　on　our　hero；　and　told　his　friend　of　what　Maurice　Vane　had　said。
  〃I　saw　some　mines　while　I　was　out　there；〃　continued　Ned。　　〃I　went　to　the　very　bottom　of　one　mine。　　I　can　tell　you　I　felt　a　bit　shivery；　being　so　far　underground。〃
  〃I　suppose　the　miners　get　used　to　it。〃
  〃It　would　be　a　joke　on　those　swindlers　if　that　mine　should　prove　of　value；〃　went　on　Ned；　after　a　pause。
  〃I　hope；　for　Mr。　Vane's　sake；　it　does　prove　valuable。〃
  〃Now　your　hotel　is　burnt　out；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃
  〃I　haven't　made　up　my　mind；　Ned。　　Perhaps　I'll　come　back　here；　to　work　for　Mr。　Mallison。〃
  〃Then　we'll　be　together　again　next　summer。　That　will　suit　me。〃
  The　boys　had　a　good　time　together　and　then　Joe　said　he　would　like　to　pay　a　visit　to　his　old　home　on　the　mountain　side。　　Ned　readily　consented　to　go　along。
  〃But　I　don't　imagine　you'll　find　much　of　the　old　cabin　left；〃　he　added。
  There　was　still　a　little　ice　in　the　lake；　but　they　rowed　to　the　spot　without　great　difficulty　and　made　their　way　to　the　tumble…down　cabin。
  It　was　not　an　inviting　sight　and　it　made　Joe　feel　sober　to　view　the　locality　。
  〃Joe；　you　never　heard　anything　of　that　blue　box；　did　you？〃　asked　Ned；　after　several　minutes　of　silence。
  〃No。〃
  〃It　ought　to　be　somewhere　in　this　vicinity。〃
  〃It's　gone；　and　that　is　all　there　is　to　it；〃　said　our　hero；　and　gave　a　long　sigh。
  The　boys　tramped　around　the　vicinity　for　a　good　half　hour；　and　then　sat　down　on　a　hollow　log　to　eat　a　lunch　they　had　brought　along。
  〃Let　us　build　a　fire　beside　the　old　log；〃　said　Ned。　　〃It　will　help　to　keep　us　warm。〃
  Joe　was　willing　and　the　two　boys　soon　had　some　leaves　and　twigs　gathered；　and　placed　some　good…sized　branches　on　top　to　make　the　blaze　last。　　Then　they　began　to　eat　and　to　warm　themselves　at　the　same　time。
  〃This　log　would　make　a　good　hiding…place　for　some　wild　animal；〃　remarked　Ned。　　〃Can　anything　be　inside？〃
  〃It's　not　likely；　Ned。　　The　smoke　would　drive　out　any　living　creature。〃
  〃I'm　going　to　get　a　stick　and　poke　into　the　log。〃
  Both　boys　procured　sticks　and　began　to　poke　at　the　log。　　Presently　they　felt　something　move　and　a　half…dazed　snake　came　into　view。
  〃There's　your　animal；　Ned！〃　exclaimed　Joe。
  〃Oh；　a　snake！　Keep　him　away！〃　roared　Ned；　badly　frightened。
  〃He　can't　hurt　youhe　is　too　stiff　from　the　cold；〃　answered　our　hero；　and　quickly　dispatched　the　snake　with　a　stone。
  〃Do　you　suppose　there　are　any　more　in　the　tree？〃　asked　the　rich　boy；　still　keeping　at　a　distance。
  〃More　than　likely。　　I'll　poke　around　with　my　stick　and　see。〃
  〃Be　careful！〃
  〃I　am　not　afraid。〃
  Joe's　stick　had　something　of　a　crotch　on　the　end　of　it　and　with　this　he　began　to　rake　among　the　dead　leaves　that　had　blown　into　the　hollow　log。　　He　brought　out　a　great　quantity　but　no　more　snakes　showed　themselves。
  〃I　reckon　he　was　the　only　one　after　all；　Ned。〃
  〃The　log　is　burning！〃　said　Ned；　an　instant　later。　　〃See；　the　smoke　is　coming　out　of　the　hollow。〃
  〃My　stick　is　caught；〃　said　Joe；　pulling　hard　on　something。　　〃I　guesswell；　I　declare！〃
  He　gave　a　jerk；　and　from　the　hollow　came　a　square　object；　covered　with　smoking　dirt　and　leaves。
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃Unless　I　am　mistaken；　it　is　a　tin　box。〃
  〃Oh；　Joe；　the　blue　box？〃
  Joe　did　not　answer　for　he　was　brushing　the　smoking　leaves　and　dirt　from　the　object。　　As　he　cleaned　it　off　he　caught　sight　of　some　blue　paint。　　On　one　end　the　box　was　badly　charred　from　the　fire。
  〃It's　the　blue　box；　sure　enough；〃　said　Joe。
  〃And　we　came　close　to　burning　it　up！〃　groaned　Ned。　　〃Oh；　Joe；　I　am　so　sorry！〃
  〃It's　not　your　fault；　Ned；　I　was　as　much　to　blame　as　anybody。　　But　who　would　look　for　the　box　out　here？〃
  〃Perhaps　some　wild　animal　carried　it　off。〃
  〃That　may　be。〃
  Joe　had　the　box　cleaned　off　by　this　time。　It　was　still　hot　at　one　end　and　smoking。　　He　tried　to　pull　it　open；　but　found　it　locked。
  〃The　contents　will　burn　up　before　I　can　open　it！〃　cried　Joe。
  He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　and　in　desperation　began　to　pry　at　the　box　with　his　stick　and　his　jackknife。　　Then　the　box　broke　open；　scattering　some　half…burnt　papers　in　all　directions。
  The　boys　picked　the　papers　up　and　also　a　small　bag　of　buckskin。　　When　Joe　opened　the　bag　he　found　it　contained　exactly　a　hundred　dollars　in　gold。
  〃That's　a　nice　find；〃　said　Ned。　　〃Anyway；　you　are　a　hundred　dollars　richer　than　you　were。〃
  Joe　began　to　peruse　the　half…burnt　documents　but　could　make　little　or　nothing　out　of　them。　　He　saw　his　own　name　and　also　that　of　a　certain　William　A。　Bodley；　and　an　estate　in　Iowa　was　mentioned。
  〃What　do　you　find；　Joe？〃
  〃I　can't　tell　you；　Ned。　　The　papers　are　too　badly　burnt。〃
  〃Let　me　look　at　them。〃
  Our　hero　was　willing；　and　the　two　boys　spent　an　hour　in　trying　to　decipher　the　documents。
  〃It　is　certainly　a　puzzle；〃　said　the　rich　boy。　〃Why　not　let　my　father　look　over　them？〃
  Joe　was　willing；　and　after　wrapping　up　the　documents　with　care；　and　pocketing　the　hundred　dollars　in　gold；　Joe　led　the　way　back　to　the　boat。　　The　wreck　of　the　blue　box　was　left　behind；　for　it　was　rusty　and　worthless。
  That　evening　Mr。　Talmadge；　Ned　and　Joe　spent　two　hours　in　going　over　the　documents　and　trying　to　supply　the　parts　which　had　been　rotted　or　burnt　away。　　They　were　only　successful　in　part。
  〃I　do　not　wish　to　say　much　about　this；　Joe；〃　said　Ned's　father。　　〃But　it　would　seem　from　these　papers　that　you　are　the　son　of　one　William　A。　Bodley；　who　at　one　time　owned　a　farm　in　Iowa；　in　the　township　of　Millville。　　Did　you　ever　hear　Hiram　Bodley　speak　of　this？〃
  〃Never。〃
  〃We　might　write　to　the　authorities　at　Millville　and　see　what　they　have　to　say。〃
  〃I　wish　you'd　do　it。　　They　may　pay　more　attention　to　you　than　to　a　boy。〃
  〃I'll　write　at　once。〃
  〃Father；　hadn't　Joe　better　stay　here　until　we　get　a　reply？〃　put　in　Ned。
  〃He　may　do　so　and　welcome；〃　answered　Mr。　Talmadge。
  The　letter　was　dispatched　the　next　day　and　our　hero　waited　anxiously　for　the　reply。　　It　came　five　days　later　and　was　as　follows：
  〃Your　letter　of　inquiry　received。　　There　was　a　William　A。　Bodley　in　this　township　twelve　years　ago。　　He　sold　his　farm　to　a　man　named　Augustus　Greggs　and　then　disappeared。　　Before　he　sold　out　he　lost　his　wife　and　several　children　by　sickness。　　Nobody　here　seems　to　know　what　became　of　him。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Joseph　Korn。〃
  〃That　is　short　and　to　the　point；〃　said　Mr。　Talmadge；　〃but　it　is　not　satisfying。　　It　does　not　state　if　this　William　A。　Bodley　had　any　relatives　so　far　as　known。〃
  〃I　guess　the　authorities　did　not　want　to　bother　about　the　matter；〃　said　Joe。
  〃Why　don't　you　visit　Millville；　Joe？〃　questioned　Ned。
  〃I　was　thinking　I　could　do　that。　　It　wouldn't　cost　a　fortune；　and　I've　got　that　hundred　dollars　in　gold　to　fall　back　on；　besides　my　regular　savings。〃
  〃You　might　learn　something　to　your　advantage；〃　came　from　Mr。　Talmadge。　　〃I　think　it　would　be　money　well　spent。〃
  〃Father；　can't　I　go　with　Joe？〃　asked　Ned。
  〃No；　Ned；　you　must　attend　to　your　school　duties。〃
  〃Then；　Joe；　you　must　send　me　full　particulars　by　mail；〃　said　the　rich　boy。
  〃Of　course　I'll　do