ething. Did you happen to get a good look at
the face of that man as he drove past?" asked the scout leader, gravely.

"Well, no, I didn't, to tell the truth. I happened to be doing something
just then, and when I looked up I only saw his back. But what of it?"
asked Jack, knowing that his comrade would not speak in this way without
a motive.

"I did, and it's been bothering me ever since," came the reply.

"How was that? Did you know him?" demanded Jack.

"I seemed to see something familiar about him, and yet I couldn't just
get hold of it. And Jack, just while we were talking it over, and I was
telling you about what Joe said to me in his confusion, it flashed over
me who he made me think of."

"Who was that?" demanded his chum.

"Joe!" answered Paul, quietly.

Of course Jack was stirred deeply when he heard that.

"Oh! I wonder what it can mean?" he exclaimed. "I've known Joe for more
than five years now, and so far I've never heard that he had a brother.
You know they came to Stanhope from down in Jersey somewhere. Do you
really think it might be so? This fellow, who was, as he believed at the
other side of the world, in China or the Philippines perhaps, may have
come home to rob his father!"

"Hold on," laughed Paul; "you're getting too far ahead, old hoss! Don't
jump at things that way. This man looked too old to be any brother of
Joe's. He might be an uncle, though. Uncles sometimes go bad, I guess,
and do things that make their relatives ashamed of them. Suppose we
leave it at that, and wait to see if we happen to learn anything more."

"But Joe knows," persisted Jack, doggedly.

"That's right," replied Paul, seriously; "but don't forget that it's his
secret, and as true scouts we've no business to go prying into his
affairs unless he asks our help. Forget it all for a while, and let's
talk about what we have laid out for to-morrow. I do hope Mr. Gordon
shows up. I wonder if he can read the Indian talk I left in each place
we stopped."

They were soon deep in the various interesting features of the programme
as mapped out for the next day. Having now settled into what they
expected would be the permanent camp of the tour, the boys were wild to
get down to business, and show their efficiency in the various lines
which they favored.

"Listen to 'em gabble like a pack of old women," laughed Jack, as the
friendly argument about the crackling fire grew more heated.

"Bob Tice is demanding why they di