“Very.  We’ll either have to keep shady a while or play a trick on them to pass the diamonds I brought over from Holland.  As there are $250,000 worth of the gems, you can’t afford to have them seized for duty and run chances on going to prison for the job, papa.”

“That ees a fact.  It would ruin me.  I’ll have to think of some—­vat you call—­plan to beat ze Custom House.”

“I’ve got some bad news for you, too.”

“Vat ees zat?” asked La Croix, nervously.

“The Bradys are in Toronto looking for you.”

The smuggler started as if he were stung and turned deathly pale.

A look of blank dismay settled upon his sallow face, his dark eyes sparkled angrily and he exclaimed: 

“Parbleu! I thought zey was done for!”

“You told me how you had shipped them in a box.”

“Zen zey have escape, eh?”

“So it seems.  One of your men discovered them.  Before I came here, I met Old King Brady in the street and warned him of the danger of following you up.  He refused to quit.”

“Zat man ees a demon!  I weel keel heem yet!” raved La Croix.

“Look out he don’t kill you,” replied his daughter.

“What wiz him deed you do?”

“Left him in Toronto.”

“An’ he not know we ees here?”

“No.  I’m sure he don’t.”

“But eet puzzle me to know how he learn we ees in Canada.”

“He may have had some method of finding out those things.”

“I wondair how from ze box zey escape?”

“I’m sure I don’t know.”

“Where ees ze four men?”

“Gone down to the steamship dock for my trunk.”

“Zen zey come back here soon, eh?”

“Yes.  I presumed you wished to consult with them and therefore ordered them to report here to you.”

“So I do.  Ve must vatch for ze detectives ver’ sharp now.”

“Where is mother?”

“Een my room.”

“I’ll go in and see her.  I’m going to get rid of these uncomfortable widow’s weeds.  They were all very well as a disguise in which to travel in Europe and come back here, but I am heartily sick of wearing them.  They make me feel so old.”

“Suit yourself, my dear.”

The girl then left her room and as there was no more to hear, Harry resumed his ablutions and put on his false beard again.

He kept a strict watch upon the smuggler all that day and saw La Croix hold a meeting with his spies in his own room.

The boy failed to overhear what they had to say, but that did not worry him, as long as he had his quarry under observation.

On the following afternoon an old farmer with a homespun suit, an old felt hat, and gray whiskers, arrived at the hotel.

Harry was standing in the lobby when he came in and recognized him at once as Old King Brady, but made no sign.

The old detective recognized the boy at the same moment, and calling for a room, he seized his carpet bag and umbrella, and followed the bell-boy upstairs.