"No, he'd only smile; and somehow that makes you feel quite cheap and small. Besides"--and he hesitated--"there was another time, when I roused them for nothing; and I don't want to do it again. You wouldn't either, if you had stood as much about it from Jake as I've had to ever since." They decided to say nothing about the matter unless some reason for doing so appeared in the morning, and creeping back through the house as silently as possible they went to bed. They awoke a little later than usual, and going down found Mr. Oliver standing at one side of the kitchen table rather grave of face, with Jake, who also looked thoughtful, opposite him. A strip of paper with some writing on it lay between them. Mr. Oliver looked around as the boys came in. "Did either of you hear anything suspicious last night?" he asked. "Yes," said Harry hesitatingly. "In fact, we came down." He briefly related why they had done so, and Jake broke in: "Then why in the name of wonder didn't you call somebody?" "It's a reasonable question," said Mr. Oliver. Harry explained with some diffidence that they were afraid of being laughed at, and Frank felt a little uncomfortable under the rancher's steady gaze. "Well," said the latter dryly, "I suppose your idea was natural, and we'll let it go at that. It's perhaps scarcely worth while to point out that most people get laughed at now and then, and there's no reason for believing that it hurts them. I wonder if you will be surprised to hear that my team has gone?" They were certainly somewhat startled. "I found this stuck up on the stable door," said Jake, pushing the strip of paper across toward them. The boys read the straggling writing: "_If you want your team back keep your mouth shut._" For a moment they looked at each other in silence, and then Mr. Oliver turned to them. "It's all we know in the meanwhile. Have you anything more to tell us?" Harry diffidently mentioned the schooner, and his father drew down his brows. "Whether her appearance has any connection with the matter is more than I can say, but I'll sail up to the settlement this morning. You and Frank can go on with the drain cutting while I am away." Just then Miss Oliver came in to get breakfast ready, and when the meal was finished the two boys made for the clearing where they were cutting a trench. When they reached their destination Harry sat down and pushed back his hat. "This thing isn't very clear to me, but I'm beginning to get the drift of it," he announced. "It's quite likely that dad knows a good deal more about it than I do, but until he has it all worked out he won't tell. First of all, we'll allow that they're smugglers on that schooner. They borrowed two of our horses and that fixes it." "You couldn't smuggle a great deal on two horses," Frank pointed out.