that again, if you want to keep a whole hide."

"I guess Uncle Ike has a larger kick coming than you have!" Jimmie
remarked.

When the boys compared notes and thoughts concerning the child, the
old lady, and the blonde stranger, they could not agree at all. Some
of them insisted that the boy was Mike III., while the others
declared that he was the prince!"

"If he isn't the grandson," one asked, "why this American slang?"

"And if he is," questioned another, "why this talk about French and
other foreign languages? Mike III. wouldn't know a foreign tongue,
would he?"




CHAPTER XI

JACK'S ELEGANT CHICKEN PIE


The sun was high over the mountains when Ned awoke on the morning
following the adventure with the counterfeiters. Leaving Jimmie,
Frank, Teddy and Oliver in their bunks and Dode, the new acquisition
to the party, curled up in a nest of blankets, he issued forth from
the tent and looked about for Jack, who had been left on guard.