"We might as well do that as anything," assented Fred, and quickly climbing the bank once more, they started across the field which intervened between them and the woods. As nearly as possible they were following the path taken by the others some time before. They had not gone far, however, before John suddenly stopped and picked up an envelope which he saw lying on the ground. "Of all things in the world!" he exclaimed. "What do you think of this?" Handing the envelope to Fred he called his attention to the name typewritten on the outside: "Mr. Button." "That's for you, Fred," laughed John. "If it is," said Fred, "then somebody had the pleasure of reading my letter before I did." "The envelope has been opened," suggested John; "suppose you read the letter. It may be for you. Very likely some of the people here heard you were coming and they are getting ready to welcome us. This is the royal proclamation for you. That man told us we're on an island and if we are I guess Robinson Crusoe didn't have very much on us." Fred meanwhile was reading the letter and it was manifest from his expression that he was startled or puzzled by what he read. At last he handed the letter to John, simply saying, "Our patriotic and mysterious friend has made another mistake. This letter is not for me but for Mr. Ferdinand Button." "What do you suppose it is doing here?" "I don't know," replied Fred, "unless the man dropped it." "But he's not Mr. Ferdinand Button," protested John. "No more he isn't," acknowledged Fred, "but that isn't the only strange thing about it. Read the letter, John, anyway." Thus bidden, John read the following letter,-- Dear Sir: I enclose you an envelope with my address. Send my your answer as soon as you possible this afternoon. I will get it in Macinac tonight or tomorrow morning and will immediately come to see you. To deliver you this gang which rob United States of thousands of dollars each year. I only want two things. 1st. My ticket to Montreal and back. 2nd. My passage to Europe by way of the Azores Isles. I do not want money. You will pay me _when the gang is in your hands_. You will get it this afternoonday. Do not fail to send me your answer quick. If you do so I will have the gang in your lands in 2 weeks. They are 2 men and 1 woman and they smuggle by ways you are not at all suspicious. Truly yours, "Mr. Button certainly has a good many friends and they are trying to keep him well informed. What do you make of this anyway, Fred?" "I don't make much of anything," said Fred thoughtfully. "What's the use of going any farther? Let's go back and take our skiff and see if we can't get somewhere. The lake is smooth this morning and we may be able to get back as far as Drummond or Cockburn Island."