going, when, just as I turned the corner, I bumped into a
man."

"Nothing suspicious or wonderful in that," commented Tom. "I've often
run into people."

"Wait," advised Ned. "To save myself from falling I grabbed the man's
arm. He did the same to me, and there we stood, for a moment, right
under a gas lamp. I looked down at his hands, and I saw that on the
little finger of the left one there was tattooed a blue ring, and--"

"Happy Harry--the tramp!" exclaimed Tom, now much excited. "That's
where he wears a tattooed ring!"

"That's what I thought you had told me," resumed Ned, "but I didn't pay
any attention to it at the time, as I had no idea that the men were out
of jail."

"Well, what else happened?" inquired Tom

"Not much more. I apologized to the man, and he to me, and we let go of
each other."

"Are you sure about the ring on his finger?"

"Positive. His hand was right in the light. But wait, that isn't all.
I hurried on, not thinking much about it, when, I saw another man step
out of the dark shadows of Peterby's grocery, just beyond the bank.
The man must have mistaken me for some one else, for he spoke to me."

"What did he say?"

"He asked me a question. It was: 'Is there any chance to-night?'"

"What did you tell him?"

"Well, I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say, and, before I
could get my wits together the man had seen his mistake and hurried on.
He joined the man I had collided with, and the two skipped off in the
darkness. But not before a third man had come across the street, from
in front of the bank, and hurried off with them."

"Well?" asked Tom, as his chum paused.

"I don't know what to think," resumed Ned. "These men were certainly
acting suspiciously, and, now that you tell me the Anson Morse gang is
not locked up--well, it makes me feel that these must be some of their
crowd."

"Of course they are!" declared Tom positively. "That blue ring proves
it!"

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," declared Ned. "The man certainly
had a blue ring tattooed on his finger--the same finger where you say
Happy Harry had his. But what would the men be doing in this
neighborhood? They certainly have had a lesson not to meddle with any
of your things."

"No, I don't believe they are after any of dad's inventions this time.
But I tell you what I do believe."

"What?"

"Those men are planning to rob the Shopton Bank, Ned! And I advise you
to notify the officers. That Morse