ly with Nate during the meal, and then bade him goodbye, as
his train went an hour earlier than theirs. Nothing remained for them to
do in Bangor except to buy the provisions that Garry had spoken of the
previous night. They found what they sought at a large grocery store
which, on account of the early hour, had barely opened its doors for
business.

"There," said Garry, "that completes our work in Bangor. We might as
well take a last look at the town, because it is probable that we won't
come back here for some time."

They proceeded to the station and found that their train was being made
up at that moment.

"I suggest that we take seats in the smoker," remarked Garry, "for
although none of us smoke, we might make some acquaintance there as we
did with Nate when we first went into the big woods."

This suggestion met with hearty approval from the boys, and being the
first on the train, they were able to pick a double seat, and found
plenty of room in which to stow away their knapsacks and rifles. The
train slowly filled up with a motley assemblage. There were several men
in the usual garb of the forests, as well as a number of farmers. Two or
three well dressed men looked as though they might be traveling
salesmen. Half a dozen card games were soon started, and the boys found
plenty to watch and thus occupy their time. Directly in back of Phil sat
two men clad in rough corduroys and high boots. Both of the men were
talking confidentially in the French language. Phil, as our readers
know, was as conversant with French as he was with English, and for a
time paid no attention to the remarks of the pair in back of him. Garry
and Dick, in the meantime, were chatting away like a couple of magpies.

Suddenly Phil pricked up his ears and after a moment signalled his two
chums to keep silent.

Garry immediately had a hunch that Phil was hearing something that might
prove to be of advantage to them later on, so in order that their
silence might not be noticed, fished out the pocket checkerboard, and
soon he and Dick were immersed in the intricacies of the game, leaving
Phil free to devote his entire attention to the conversation that was
taking place in back of him.

After nearly a half of an hour, Phil lifted his head, and catching the
eye of Garry, made it known to him that he wanted him to follow him out.
Getting up and stretching, Phil nonchalantly made his way into another
car, followed shortly by both Garry and Di