showing so much antipathy to any
approach that they were let alone.

But just before the foot of the lake, nearly six miles distant, was
reached, Frank Mansley made an interesting discovery. The most
ill-favored of the trio was an acquaintance of Ike Hardman. No one else
noticed the significant fact, and it was partly through accident that
the truth came to the lad.

The two men acted as if strangers, not exchanging a word on the
passage, and seemingly feeling no interest in each other. All of
Frank's friends were near the bow of the boat, looking to where they
were soon to touch shore. Two of the strangers were standing just back
of and near them, while Hardman was in the middle of the boat,
apparently watching the old Indian as he plied his paddle with untiring
vigor.

The third stranger was at the stern, seated on the gunwale, smoking a
clay pipe and seemingly taking no note of anything about him. When Ike
Hardman sauntered among the piles of luggage to the rear, Frank was
impelled by an impulse for which he could not account to watch him. He
had no well-defined suspicion, and least of all did he suspect what
proved to be the truth.

Hardman halted a few paces from the man sitting on the edge of the
boat, and, so far as appearances went, did not pay any attention to
him. A quick, furtive glance to the front put the lad on his guard, and
he, too, turned his face toward land, but his position was such that he
could look sideways at the two, while not seeming to do so.

Suddenly Hardman, with his back partly toward the youth, made a sign
with his hands, the meaning of which Frank could not catch, because the
signal was not fully seen, but the fellow sitting down nodded his head,
and taking his pipe from between his lips, said something in so guarded
a voice that only the ears for which the words were intended could
understand them.

This brief interchange ought to have been enough, but Hardman did not
appear to think so. He stepped somewhat closer, and he, too, spoke,
still gesticulating with one of his hands. The man addressed was
impatient. He nodded again in a jerky fashion, and made answer with
less caution, as a consequence of which the eavesdropper caught the
words, "Yes, yes, to-night; I understand."

[Illustration: SUDDENLY HARDMAN MADE A SIGN.]

Hardman was satisfied, and came back to the front of the boat, which
was now approaching the shore. His friend smoked a few minutes until
the scow bumped ag