u know."

"Wonder where we can go and talk things over," asked Dick. "I suppose we
could go and duck in the woods a ways and build a bit of a fire, for it
seems a bit chilly."

"There's one place we can go and never be bothered. That's down to the
station. It never opens till six o'clock. I inquired of the agent when
we arrived; didn't know but what the information might come in useful
some time. Besides, there's a bench in front where we can sit and gas
away without anyone hearing us. Then just before six we can hike to
Everett's house, so that he won't be raising a rescue party."

All this conversation took place as the boys were walking. In a short
time they had arrived at the station. The fitful gleam of an oil lamp on
a bracket over the bench was the only light, although in a short time,
now, the first light of early dawn would begin to break.

The weary boys threw themselves on the bench, while Garry proceeded to
give an account of his night's venture. The chums listened with
breathless interest as he told of the developments, and held their
breath as Garry told of the dangerous business of getting out of the
room with the man there on the bed.

"Gosh," said Dick, "I'd have given a good bit to be in on that. Strikes
me that you and Phil have had all the fun out of this proposition."

"Sure we've had some fun out of it, but it's only evening things up a
bit. Remember that it was you who had the honor of finding the hermit
that time we were in search of him, and Phil had to stay behind without
getting a chance, although he got into a pickle afterward," said Garry
consolingly.

"Guess we can't have everything in this world," answered Dick. "Next
thing to do now is to plan our new campaign. Of course we won't bother
with them tomorrow night, for that is small potatoes compared to the
jewel plot. Isn't that LeBlanc a cold blooded specimen of a human being?
He'd double cross his own father. I doubt if he would have the slightest
hesitation about putting the Russians out of the way if he couldn't
achieve his ends in any other way."

"Dare say you're right, Dick. At any rate, we must now put our heads
together and dope out just what to do in this smuggling case. What must
be done is to capture them just as they get over the border. Then the
gems will be found in their possession, and they will be caught dead to
rights. If they are allowed to reach Green's house, there are any number
of ways they can squirm out of