Yes."

"Well, about a week ago I received a private letter from Mr. Jardell, of
the traction company, stating that there was something wrong with the
bonds. Some plates had been stolen and counterfeit bonds printed."

"Yes."

"I was asked to keep quiet about the matter, for if the facts became
generally known the public would become frightened and the bonds would
go down in the stock market. Mr. Jardell said he would meet me at
Carwell and have the printer look at my bonds and find out if they were
genuine or not."

"And what did you do then?" asked Dick, who began to smell a mouse, as
the saying goes.

"I sent Mr. Jardell word I would meet him at the Carwell hotel to-day.
We met, and he and his printer, a man named Grimes, said the bonds I
possessed were counterfeits."

"And then what?"

"Of course I was very much distressed," went on Randolph Rover, calmly.
"I did not know what to do. But Mr. Jardell was very nice about it. He
said he would take the bonds and get the company to issue good ones in
their place. He gave me a receipt for them, and I am to have the good
bonds next week."

"Why should he give you good bonds for bad ones?" said Tom, who, like
Dick, was almost certain something was wrong.

"I asked that question, too, Thomas, but he said the reputation of his
company was at stake. He did not want the public at large to know that
bogus bonds were on the market."

"Uncle Randolph, do you know this Mr. Jardell personally?" asked Dick.

"Why--er--not exactly. But his letters----"

"How did he look?"

As well as he was able Mr. Rover described the man and also his
companion. The boys exchanged glances.

"Merrick and Pike," muttered Tom.

"What is that you say, Thomas?"

"We think those men were swindlers," said Sam.

"Swindlers! Oh, my dear Samuel, impossible!" cried Randolph Rover
aghast. "Why, they were very nice gentlemen, very nice. They asked me
how my scientific farming was getting along, and both had read my
article in the _Review_ on the grafting of grape vines, and----"

"But we know these chaps," said Dick, "and they are called Merrick and
Pike."

"And they talked about getting the best of you," added Tom. "That is why
we followed you to Carwell. Where are the men now?"

"They have gone away. But----"

"Were they in a green runabout--an auto runabout?"

"They had a runabout, yes. I do not remember what color it was."

"The same fellows!" cried Dick. "Uncle Randolph, unless