"I don't carry three hundred dollars in my clothes. I can give you fifty in cash though," went on the real estate agent, as he saw the old man's face fall. "And if you wish, I'll get one of the lumber bosses up here to vouch for the check." "Humph! I suppose thet will have to do then. But--er--one thing more, Mr. Hopton----" "What is that?" Josiah Graham leaned forward anxiously. "Don't you let the boy know about this right away. You give me a chanct to tell him myself." "Just as you wish. You're his guardian, and I'll not interfere with you. Get the papers and I'll give you the check and the cash right now." And the real estate agent drew a pocketbook and a checkbook from his inside coat. Andy had listened to the conversation with bated breath. So far as worldly experience went he was but a boy, yet he realized that, in some way, this Mr. A. Q. Hopton was trying to swindle him out of his inheritance, and that his Uncle Si was willing to aid the schemer just for the sake of getting possession of the three hundred dollars. As his uncle arose to enter the room in which his nephew slept, the boy slipped into the cabin. Like a flash he darted to his bedroom, jumped inside, and shut and bolted the door after him. "Hi there! What's this?" cried the real estate dealer, in astonishment. "It's--it's the boy, my nevvy!" gasped Josiah Graham. "He come in through the back door! He must have been a-listenin' to our talk." "Is that so? That's too bad." The real estate agent was dazed by the sudden turn of affairs. "He had a gun with him." "Yes, he took it with him when he went for work." Josiah Graham walked over to the door and tried it. "Andy, open that door." "I will not," was the answer. "Was you a-listenin' to our talk?" "I was." "Humph! Nice thing fer a boy to do!" "I guess I had a right to listen," was the cool answer. As he spoke, Andy was examining the box in which he had stored the papers. He found things much disarranged, showing that his uncle had gone through the contents during his absence. But the papers were there, and the sight of them caused him to breathe a sigh of relief. "They sha'n't have these papers, no matter what happens," he said to himself, and stuffed the documents into an inside pocket. "Open thet door!" commanded Josiah Graham, and his voice now sounded harsh and threatening. "I guess you had better teach that boy manners," was Mr. A. Q. Hopton's comment. "I'll teach him sumthin'!" answered the old man. "Open thet door, I say, an' come out here." "You want to get those papers," said Andy. He was wondering what to do next. "Well, ain't I your guardeen, an' ain't I got a right to 'em?" "The papers are mine, and I'm not going to give them up," answered Andy, doggedly. "I don't like that Mr. Hopton, and he's not going to get the papers. I'm going to turn them over to a lawyer." At these words the real estate man was much disturbed.