g some time today or tonight, and
it always lies there on that Jeffreys Siding, until they've passed out
thousands of dollars to the men who call Bloomsbury their headquarters.
Do you see now what it must mean, Andy?"

Andy gasped, and then exclaimed.

"Once more you've gone and seen through the riddle that knocked me
silly, Frank. That's just what it must mean--the pay-car would offer fat
pickings, all in cash; and they've held up their flight to Canada just
to try and gobble it. Oh! what a slick game, with Todd giving false
information, and perhaps just leading the police further and further
away from Bloomsbury tonight, so as to leave the pay-car next to
unprotected. Yes, and doesn't he go on like this, 'he says keep low, and
trust to him'? That must mean Todd, don't you think?"

"I read it that way," replied his cousin tersely, as he rubbed his chin
in a reflective fashion; for they were now grappling with a dangerous
problem, and Frank was only too well aware of the fact that a slip might
upset all calculations, as well as possibly endanger their lives; since
they were dealing with reckless men, and no boyish rivals like Percy
Carberry and Sandy Hollingshead.

"Do you think this was meant for the other one of the bank thieves?"
Andy went on to ask.

"It could hardly have been for any one else, Andy. There must have been
more to the letter, but the rest dried before he blotted it."

"And that fellow is in hiding somewhere, perhaps watching the biplane,
and ready to fight before letting it be retaken, because they depend on
it for their get-away to the great lakes and Canada;" Andy further
observed.

"Yes, just as you say," the other remarked.

"And now since we've learned this much, Frank, what are we going to do
about it--try and find where the stolen biplane is, and do something so
as to make it no good for their purpose; or just slip away, go round a
little like we were just out for a spin, and getting back to Bloomsbury,
put them wise?"

"Neither, just yet anyhow," the older Bird boy remarked. "Not the first,
because it would be taking big chances, if, as we believe, one of the
robbers is concealed near where the stolen biplane may happen to be
lying, partly hidden with dead leaves, so it couldn't be noticed from
above; and he would be apt to do something we'd find unpleasant. And as
for going back and telling, we'll have to be mighty careful there."

"And why, Frank?"

"Well, to begin with, even t