you three have proven yourselves to be unusually alert
and reliable, also being boys, you may not be regarded as dangerous by
the woods people in that section.

"You had better go back to Bangor and have a conference with this man
Webster, and get what supplies you need, then strike off across the
state till you come to the border town of Hobart. That, I have reason to
believe, is the base of operations of the smugglers.

"That I think is all. Before you go out, you will each be given a little
gold customs badge. Secrete this somewhere on your persons and never
show it except as an absolute last resort. Also, you will be given one
or two signals by means of which you may find out whether anyone is in
the service or not. Now good luck go with you."

The Chief shook hands with the three, and they filed into the outer
office where an assistant gave them their badges and some simple
signals.

"If you should meet a man who gave his collar a tug at the throat as
though it were too tight, you would think nothing of it, but if he gave
it two little tugs, and then waited while you could count five and gave
it three more little tugs, you would be told he was a customs man. Your
reply would be two tugs, and in order to check up, he would give two
more in answer. That is for meeting in a room, on a train, or in the
street. If you should happen to be in a restaurant, the signal would be
two taps of a cup on a saucer followed by three, or if it is a mug, the
same number of taps against the table. Your answering signal would be
the same. Don't ever do this just because you are inquisitive about a
person. Have some sure grounds for believing that the man you are
signalling is part of the service. Now goodbye and good fortune."

The boys left the capitol and made their way down the long hill to the
main business part of the town.

As they struck onto the main business street, Garry noticed the familiar
blue bell sign of the telephone company.

"Say, boys, I have an idea. Let's stop in here and put in long distance
calls and say hello to our folks. How does the idea strike you?" said
Garry, almost in one breath.

"Ripping," shouted Phil, while Dick didn't wait to make any remark, but
dived in through the door, and in a trice was putting in his call. Phil
followed suit, while Garry waited, as he would talk when Dick had
finished.

This pleasant duty done, they went to a restaurant for dinner. Here they
attracted no little atte