Then, addressing
Jed, he said: "Have you seen anything of the plan?"
Jed slowly shook his head. "I don't know's I know what you mean by
a plan," he explained. "I ain't been here very long. I just-- My
soul and body!"
He snatched the kettle from the fire, took off the cover, sniffed
anxiously, and then added, with a sigh of relief, "Whew! I declare
I thought I smelt it burnin'. Saved it just in time. Whew!"
The lieutenant looked at Jed and then at the workman. The latter
shook his head.
"Don't ask me, sir," he said. "That's the way he's been actin'
ever since I struck here. Either he's batty or else he's
pretendin' to be, one or the other. Look here, Rube!" he roared at
the top of his lungs, "can the cheap talk and answer the
lieutenant's questions or you'll get into trouble. D'ye hear?"
Jed looked up at him. "I'm pretty nigh sure I should hear if you
whispered a little louder," he said, gently.
The young officer drew himself up. "That's enough of this," he
ordered. "A plan has been lost here on this reservation, a
valuable plan, a drawing of--well, a drawing that has to do with
the laying out of this camp and which might be of value to the
enemy if he could get it. It was on my table in the office less
than an hour ago. Now it is missing. What we are asking you is
whether or not you have seen anything of it.
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