“What happened?” he asked weakly, his eyes searching their faces.

“That’s what we’d like to know,” answered Bruce; “we heard a shot, and hurrying out here found you unconscious beside a dead man.”

“Dead?” Barney sat up dizzily.

“Sure is.  Did you shoot him?”

“Shoot—­I shoot—­” The boy tried to steady his whirling brain.  “No, I didn’t shoot him.”

Gradually the world ceased whirling about him and he was able to think clearly.  Then, together, they pieced out the story.  Barney told what had happened, and you may be very sure it was a sober pair that listened.

“Well, my boy,” said the Major solemnly, “we owe our lives to you; there’s no doubt about that.  As for him,” he added, pointing to the dead man, “he must have rolled upon the automatic when you made your last effort, and accidentally discharged it.  He has a bullet-hole in the back of his head where a pin-prick would have killed him.  A case of pure Providence, I’d call it.”

“Let’s get out of here,” said Barney, showing signs of weakness.  “I’ve had quite enough of it.”

With an arm on either of his comrades’ shoulders, he made his way back to the station, where a bowl of hot reindeer broth completely revived him.

“The next thing,” said Bruce, “is to hunt out that infernal contraption which threatens our lives.”

It was a delicate and dangerous undertaking, but little by little, they traced out the wires and disconnected them.  At last they found it in a small box which had been skillfully fitted into a beam.

“Innocent looking little thing,” said Bruce, holding it up for inspection.  “To-morrow I am going to take it out to the lake, hook it up with a couple of batteries and see if it’s got any kick.”

After a hearty meal, the three resumed their previous evening’s occupation, attempting to decipher the strangely coded message.

“Here’s a theory to try out,” said Bruce.  “A message is usually composed of nearly an equal number of words of one to three letters and of those having more than three.  These are likely to be used alternately.  If then, you find two or three words of four or more letters, it’s likely to be a name.  The man, whoever he is, has signed only a code name, but there may be more names in the body of the message.  Look it over.”

“Yes, here are two words together of five letters each,” exclaimed Barney.

“Think of names you know that are spelled with five letters,” said Bruce excitedly.

Instantly there came into Barney’s mind the name of his former pal.

“There’s Dave Tower,” he said.  “He’d sign it David, of course.”

“Just fits,” exclaimed Bruce, more excited than ever.  “And by all that’s Canadian, the first and last letters of the first name are the same, just as they are here.  I believe we’re on the right track.”

“But what would his pal have to do with it?” asked the astonished Major.