," said Chick.

"As a matter of fact, the country all around this region is wild and
unsettled. It is much too rough to settle, and there are woods and
forests everywhere. Just beyond these woods, to the northward, the
forest is almost unbroken for several miles, save that there is a narrow
clearing to separate this particular bit of woods from those beyond it."

"Well?" asked Chick, who was paying close attention.

"To the south of the tracks it is almost the same, save that the
country is flat and low. As a matter of fact, the railroad passes across
the spur which lies between the rough country to the north and the flat,
swampy country to the south.

"I have not been able to gain any very exact information about those
swamps, but from the best opinions I can get, I should assume that it is
a sort of another Dismal Swamp down there. Men and cattle, horses and
sheep have been known to wander in there, and never return. Presumably
they were lost in the swamps or----"

"Or else eaten up by the yeggmen," suggested Patsy.

"Precisely. But it is a wild country. Now"--he rested one finger upon
the map--"right here at the point where my finger rests, two weeks from
to-morrow, at or near the hour of darkness, I will meet each of you. You
will find me just north of the track; or, if any of you get there before
I do, you will wait there for me, and for the others. Whoever arrives
first must build a fire. We part to-night, here, now. You must each
leave the house separately, and become lost to the world--you must each
become a hobo in the meantime, in your own particular way. Fix
yourselves up as you please, and go where you please--only go
separately. And keep your appointment for two weeks from to-morrow.
That's all."

CHAPTER II.

THE YEGGMEN'S CAMP FIRE.

Each of the detective's three assistants understood thoroughly that Nick
Carter's reason for directing them to do as he did was that they might
each have learned the parts they had to play thoroughly by the time the
actual work of it should begin.

And not only that, they would have had two weeks during which to wear
off the newness of habit and apparel; and by the time they arrived at
the place of meeting, each would have become sufficiently schooled in
his part to play it quite naturally.

And there was still another reason which Nick hoped they would take
advantage of, although he said nothing about it: That was that they
would make acquaintances amon