As soon as the boat came to anchor, taking the little skiff which the motor-boat had in tow, Mr. Button alone rowed quickly to the shore and soon was on his way toward the little house in the distance. CHAPTER XXV A SMALL BOX The feeling of keen excitement, soon after the departure of Mr. Button returned in full force to the waiting boys. And what a sharp contrast it presented to the scene all about them! The waters of the lake were so smooth that an occasional gentle breeze ruffled the surface only in spots. There was scarcely a cloud to be seen in the summer sky. The shadows of the rocks and trees along the shore were so clearly reflected in the lake that the boys were reminded of the clearness of the water along the shores of Mackinac Island. Far away the motor-boat in which George and Grant were approaching now could be seen. Whenever the two boys looked toward the house in the distance they were again impressed by the almost unnatural quietness of the summer day. Not a person was to be seen near the building and the silence was broken only by the noisy flying grasshoppers near the shore. "Suppose this is all a false alarm," suggested John at last breaking in upon the silence. "What do you mean?" "Why, I mean suppose that there's nothing in this. Suppose the whole thing is a wild goose chase." "Do you mean that Mr. Button may not be what he says he is?" "Oh, I don't know that I mean that," rejoined John, "but somehow it seems so unreal. It doesn't seem possible that men really should be trying to break the laws and smuggle goods across the border here when everything is so quiet and peaceful on every side." "Look yonder!" suddenly exclaimed Fred, pointing as he spoke to a man who could be seen walking rapidly toward the shore. He was coming from the house and it was quickly manifest that it was Mr. Button himself who was returning. He was alone and as the boys watched his rapid approach their feeling of excitement quickly returned. As soon as Mr. Button arrived it was manifest to both Fred and John that he too had been strongly aroused. His eyes were shining and though his manner was quiet it was plain that he was highly elated over some discovery he had made. As soon as he was on board the motor-boat he said, "The little Jap has taken two of the dogs and gone away." "Gone for good?" demanded John. "No. The woman says he has gone out to exercise them and that he is usually gone an hour at least. Now is the time when you boys can help me if you really want to." "We do," said Fred eagerly. "We'll go ahead the minute you say so." "That's very good. What I want you to do is just this,--while these dogs are away I'll go into the house and keep the attention of the woman there." "What about the third dog?" demanded Fred.