“Yes, I suppose so,” said Percival carelessly, thinking of other things at the moment, and not paying much attention.

The boys walked on without paying much attention to where they were going, young Smith being greatly pleased at being with the older boys, but at length Jack stopped, looked around him, and said with the least bit of alarm in his tone: 

“H’m!  I believe we are where Billy was treed by the calf the other day or pretty near it, at any rate.  We thought there might be people in the neighborhood, but we did not see them.”

“I suppose it might be as well to go back,” said Percival.  “It would not be pleasant to run across a lot of half-civilized natives to say nothing of smugglers.”

“No, it would not,” and at that instant there was a rustling in the bushes not far away, and two men stepped out, the singular appearance of one of them causing Jack to turn suddenly pale.

This man was of good height and build and evidently quite strong, and was, besides, a person of superior intellect if not of the best tendencies, as his face indicated, but what attracted most attention was the fact that while his mustache was snowy white his hair and eyebrows were quite dark, this making him noticeable in a moment.

“You here, George——­”

“Rollins,” said the other, evidently thinking that Jack was about to pronounce another name, which was the fact.  “Yes, I am here.  It is safer than back in New York state or any of the states, in fact.  May I ask what you are doing in this part of the world!  I am as much surprised to see you here as you are to see me,” and the man made a sudden quick signal with his left hand.

Jack heard a rustle behind him, and turned quickly, but not soon enough to escape the quick rush of three big, strong, bearded men who sprang upon him and his companions and held them fast.

“What does this mean, George—­Rollins?” asked Jack, hesitating at pronouncing the name, “Who are these men!”

“Friends of mine,” laughed the man with the white mustache.  “Business partners I might say.”

“The majority of your business partners get in jail or are shot by the police, Mr. Rollins,” said Jack.  “Are these the same sort?  What business are you in now?” and then a look of intelligence shot across the boy’s face, as he remembered that Rollins was the name of the smuggler he had but recently heard mentioned.

The other saw this look, and said with an evil glance: 

“I think you have heard the name before.  What are you doing here?  You are in the government service, you and your boy friends?  What is this uniform you wear?”

“That of the students of the Hilltop Academy.  You knew that I was one of them, for on the occasion of our last meeting——­”

“I say, Jack,” said Percival suddenly, “this is the man who was concerned in the robbery of the Riverton Bank, your——­” and the boy suddenly paused, a deep flush on his face.