carelessly picked up a small bottle that stood upon the table
before Slippery, the yegg's face turned pale, and then he explained to
the boy who too commenced to shudder the longer he listened, that the
harmless looking liquid in the bottle was fearfully dangerous
nitro-glycerine.

The following afternoon Boston Frank made a second visit and then he and
Slippery, each carrying a heavy satchel filled with the tools Slippery
had so carefully looked after, followed by Joe, around whose left leg
they had bandaged, despite his most vehement protests, the small bottle
containing the deadly explosive, left the flat. They took a street car
to the railroad station, where Boston Frank purchased tickets to Dixon,
one of the prettiest and most hustling cities in western Illinois. Soon
they were rolling out of the railroad yards and across the fertile
plains and arrived at their destination late in the night.

They left the train from the rear platform of the last Pullman, and
climbed to the ground from the opposite side of the station platform,
and after they had hurriedly walked about a mile in the darkness, Boston
Frank stopped at a barn, and while Slippery and Joe walked ahead, he
noiselessly opened the barn door and after hitching the owner's fastest
horse to his best buggy he leisurely overtook the others and made them
climb in, after they had placed the heavy satchels in the buggy's body,
and then he carefully drove the horse on into the night.

During their conversation, which Joe overheard, Boston Frank mentioned
to Slippery that the "P.-O." had been reported to be a regular mint, and
he repeatedly assured him that no one was sleeping in the "P.-O." as he
had tried several nights in succession to purchase tobacco at the
"P.-O.", but his knocks were not answered.

At a cross-roads country store they stopped and here Joe understood what
Boston Frank had meant with "P.-O.", as it bore a large sign that had
the words "Post Office" painted upon it.

While Boston Frank hitched the horse and buggy to a nearby tree,
Slippery carried the heavy satchels containing the tools to the rear of
the store, while he ordered Joe to carefully unwrap the nitro-glycerine
bottle from his leg, which the boy gladly did to be rid of the dangerous
explosive, and then handed it to Slippery.

Joe, who had not yet the least inkling what sort of mysterious night
work was contemplated by his older companions, suddenly came to the
realization of his