utes' stop was
made, the two lads alighted to stretch their legs and take a look
around. They had been seated in the last car, and now they walked
forward along the broad platform.

Suddenly Randy caught his brother's arm. "Earl! Earl! look!" he
ejaculated, and pointed to a window of the smoking-car. "There are Tom
Roland and Jasper Guardley! What can they be doing on this train?"

Earl glanced to where Randy pointed and saw that his brother was right.
At the same instant Tom Roland saw them, and he drew back and motioned
for his companion to do the same. Earl noted the movement and stood
stock-still.

"Randy, I wonder--" he began, and stopped short.

"What, Earl? Isn't it queer they should be on this train from Boston?"

"Yes. Randy, do you think it is possible that Tom Roland would be so
dishonest as to--to--"

"To get that money, Earl?" broke in the younger boy. "He might be--and
yes, Mr. Stone's description of the two swindlers fits Roland and
Guardley exactly!"

CHAPTER V.

A NIGHT IN NEW YORK.

"The description certainly does fit these two men," said Earl, with some
hesitation. "And it is queer that Roland should be down here, when only
a few days ago he was in Basco. Guardley, I know, is not above
cheating--he's been up before Squire Dobson several times for it."

"Let us go and have a talk with them," said Randy, impulsively. "If they
stole that money, I want to know it."

"It's not our business to hunt those swindlers up," answered Earl,
hesitatingly; yet he followed Randy to the platform of the smoking-car,
and they were soon inside, and making their way to where Roland and
Guardley sat, pulling away at two black-looking cigars.

"How do you do, Earl?" said Tom Roland, familiarly, as soon as the boys
appeared. "It's queer we should be on the same train, isn't it?"

"It is queer," answered Earl, stiffly, taken aback by the greeting.
"Where are you bound?"

"Guardley and I are going to try our luck in the West. Say, I heard you
boys were bound for Alaska. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"It costs a heap to go there--didn't know you had so much money," put in
Guardley, with a smile that neither Earl nor Randy appreciated.

"And I didn't know you had any money for a Western trip," returned the
older brother, rather sharply.

"Oh, Tom here is seeing me through," answered Guardley; but both Randy
and Earl noted that he appeared somewhat confused for the moment.

"Guardley has done me several