nse, and
that job was done.

Then filling an old pipe, he stretched out near the fire, and began to
ply the boys with questions,--where they had come from, why they came so
far from home to go camping, and countless other shrewd interrogations.
For some reason he seemed to think it peculiar that they had come so far
when there were plenty of forests nearer home where they could have
established a camp.

Garry took it on himself to answer most of these questions, and in turn
asked many of the old man.

Finally Garry looked straight at the old fellow, and asked quietly:

"Ever hear of any smuggling going on in these parts?"

"That's a funny question for a young fellow like you to be asking. You
fellows haven't come up here to join some smugglers' band, that is,
supposing there were any up here? Sure you boys haven't been reading
woolly tales of smugglers on the border, or something, have ye?" he
asked suspiciously.

Garry and the others laughed at the implication. Garry, although not so
old in years, had several times proved himself to be a shrewd judge of
character, and he had already made up his mind that the old gum hunter
was a staunch and sturdy and patriotic citizen of the State. However, he
decided to let a little time elapse before further questioning of the
woodsman, or imparting any confidences to him.

"Where did your guide go after he fixed you up here?" asked the gum
hunter, after a short silence.

"We didn't have any guide," answered Dick.

"You fellows mean to tell me that you picked this site and pitched camp
yourselves?" demanded Dudley.

"Just exactly that," responded Garry.

"Well, it's mighty good job. Who taught you to make a double lean-to in
that fashion?"

"Why, we've made rather a study of woodcraft, and this is not our first
experience in the woods," answered Garry. Then thinking of a way in
which he could let the old timer know that they were not merely
adventurous, inquisitive boys, he decided to reveal to George Washington
Dudley the fact that they were members of the Forest Ranger Service,
but to keep a secret the fact that they were also on Customs duty.

On hearing this, the old man looked at them with considerably different
aspect.

Garry explained to him, as it had been decided at Augusta to give them a
good excuse for being in the woods, that they were covering that part of
the country with a view to establishing a 'phone service for the Ranger
System, that section bei