lifted Phil's hat, causing him to chase it along the side of a
string of freight cars. He stooped to recover it, looking under the
freight car, as he did so. What he saw on the other side sent him back
to his chums hotfoot.

"Say, fellows, don't think I'm just 'seeing things,' but those three
tramps are sitting down there by the tracks eating!"

CHAPTER VII.

THE TRAIL BEGINS.

"Make a break for the train, boys," ordered Garry hastily. "We don't
care to have them get a glimpse of us. I'll wager that they are making
for the Canadian border, since as we know they have jumped their bail
and are probably making for the national boundary line. Bringing them
back will be a more difficult task than it would should they stay in the
State of Maine."

"All I hope," remarked Phil, "is that they don't linger on the way, but
keep right on going. The chances are that our search for the smuggling
band will provide us with a new crop of people who are not especially
friendly toward us, and old enemies will not be welcomed at the new
headquarters."

The boys hunted up the conductor, and provided themselves with berths
for the long night ride. They turned in early, for the adventures of the
previous night had robbed them of some of their wonted sleep. Morning
found them making their way through vast tracts of forest lands. The
train made its usual stop at an eating place and the passengers
disembarked for their morning meal. The boys hurried through the
breakfast, in order that they might avail themselves of the remaining
few minutes to make a hasty search of the train and vicinity of the
depot to see whether or not the tramps were anywhere in the
neighborhood.

The search proved unavailing, and they returned to their place in the
smoking car, as the sleeper had been taken off at that station. The
remainder of the ride for that day passed uneventfully. About the only
topic of conversation was where they should make their headquarters when
they arrived in their new location. They discussed the feasability of
hiring lodgings in the town of Hobart, and after a short discussion
discarded this plan, since it would not be in keeping with their
characters as campers.

"My idea," explained Garry, "is to branch out from Hobart some little
distance in the woods, and there for a time being, build a double
lean-to. The weather gives promise of being fair for some time to come,
and if we find that circumstances warrant our staying