he happen to get hold of them?"

"I don't know the particulars. Mr. Mason was an old friend of the
family, and I presume he thought he could leave them in no better
hands."

"And where are they now?"

"In his private safe."

"Humph!"

The conversation recorded above took place one evening on a Pennsylvania
Railroad ferry-boat while the craft was making the trip from Jersey City
to New York.

It was carried on between two men, both well dressed. He, called Allen,
was a tall, sharp-nosed individual, probably fifty years of age. The
other was a short, heavy-set fellow, wearing a black mustache, and
having a peculiar scowl on his face.

They sat in the forward part of the gentlemen's cabin, which was but
partly filled with passengers. Two seats on one side of them were
vacant. On the other side sat a shabbily-dressed boy of sixteen, his
hands clasped on his lap and his eyes closed.

"The safe is often left open during the day," resumed Allen, after a
brief pause, during which Hardwick had offered his companion a cigar and
lit one himself.

"That won't do," replied Hardwick, shortly.

"Why not?"

"Because it won't."

"But we can make it appear----"

"Hush!" The heavy-set man, who sat next to the vacant seats, nudged his
companion in the side. "That boy may hear you," he continued, in a
whisper.

The man addressed glanced sharply at the youth.

"No, he won't," he returned.

"Why not?"

"He's fast asleep."

"Don't be too sure." The heavy-set man arose. "Let us go out on the
forward deck, and talk it over."

"It's too cold, and, besides, it's beginning to--"

"Wrap yourself up in that overcoat of yours, and you will be all right.
We don't want to run any chances, Allen."

"Some one may hear us out there just as well as in here," growled the
elderly man.

Nevertheless, he pulled up his coat collar and followed his companion
through the heavy swinging doors.

As the two walked outside, the eyes of the boy opened, and he glanced
sharply after the pair.

"That was a queer conversation they held," he muttered to himself. "I am
half of the opinion that they are up to no good. If I were a policeman I
believe I would follow them and find out who they are."

Hal Carson hesitated for a moment, and then arose and walked to the
doors.

Stepping outside, he saw the two men, standing in the gangway for
horses, in deep conversation.

"They are hatching out some scheme," thought Hal, as he watched the
p