“I guess now you’ll be content to go to bed and give us a little rest,” said the conductor when Bob reached his own berth. “I’ve got to get off a telegram first,” replied Bob. “Give me the name of that stream and the correct time.” The conductor supplied the information and Bob wrote a brief report of the night’s events and addressed it to Waldo Edgar, the chief of the division of investigation back in Washington. “See that this message is dispatched at the first stop,” said Bob. Then he turned, crawled between the crisp, cool sheets, and dropped into a deep sleep of exhaustion. Chapter XVIII PICKING UP CLUES ★ When he awoke the Limited was pulling into the train shed at Jacksonville and his uncle, Merritt Hughes, was waiting for him on the platform. The older federal agent jumped aboard the Limited before it came to a full stop and hastened down the aisle to the berth where Bob, still the only occupant of the car, was partially dressed. “How are you, Bob?” There was real anxiety in the question as Merritt Hughes looked down on his capable young nephew. “I’m a little stiff, but otherwise all right,” grinned Bob. “My bag is under the berth. See if you can find a clean shirt for me.” “Never mind the shirt now. I want to know what happened last night. We got only the briefest word from Washington over the wires and Condon Adams left before dawn for the hospital up the line where they took Tully.” “Is he all right?” asked Bob. “I understand he’ll have to stay in bed for a couple of days.” “What about the man we knew as Joe Hamsa?” Merritt Hughes shook his head. “There are no reports on him. There’s a large searching party out looking along the banks of the stream where he disappeared, but it looks like we’ve seen the last of him.” Bob wished that he could have had the confidence his uncle displayed in believing that Joe Hamsa was gone forever. At his uncle’s urging, Bob recounted in detail everything that had taken place after the Limited left Washington. “So Hamsa hid out on top of the observation car?” mused the federal agent. “Well, that’s a new one for me. No wonder you failed to find him even though you went through the train several times.” Bob motioned toward his bag beneath the berth, “Now how about my shirt? Then some breakfast, and I’ll be ready to go along on my assignment.” “You’ll do nothing of the kind. You’re going to spend the rest of the day in bed in my room at the hotel. Tomorrow we’ll talk about your going on to Atalissa. I’m not sure that I want you to go there alone. It’s a tough little town. People know too much there, but they won’t talk. Either scared or in league with some illegal racket.” “And you figure the racket is the jewel smuggling?” Merritt Hughes nodded gravely.