“No more fires?” asked Ned. “No; didn’t read of any.” “Crooked Nose wasn’t arrested for stealing the old Frenchman’s money, or my father’s watch, or Mrs. Hopkins’ brooch, was he?” inquired Bob. “No. But the article said that the old man insisted that he did lose a big sum on the occasion of the blaze. He tells the same story he told us, but I guess few believe he had much money.” “All the same it was a mean trick, if some one robbed the old man, and I’d like to catch Crooked Nose, if there is such a person,” declared Ned with energy. “I’m with you!” added Bob. “Say,” he went on, “have any of you written to Professor Snodgrass?” “No, and we ought to,” said Jerry. “We ought to invite him down to camp. I heard he was given a leave of absence, and there are some queer bugs down here in camp that he might like to look over.” “I’ll drop him a line,” promised Jerry. That night the three motor boys went on guard together for a two-hour period just before midnight. Their posts adjoined, and as they marched back and forth they could speak now and again. It was shortly before twelve o’clock, when the camp was wrapped in darkness and very still, that, as Jerry passed a certain spot where there was a small hollow among some trees, he saw, dimly outlined against the sky, a figure crawling along in a stooping position. Jerry was about to challenge, for those were his orders, when he saw a second figure crawl along, from the direction of a public road outside the camp, and join the first. “That’s queer,” mused Jerry, as he observed the midnight meeting. “I’ll have to look into this.” CHAPTER XVIII A STAB IN THE BACK Jerry Hopkins was of two minds. He knew his orders as sentry required him to challenge any one trying to pass in or out of camp after hours without a pass. And it did not seem likely that these persons, whoever they were, would act so suspiciously if they had passes. In fact, one came from the direction of the barracks, and the other from the town, which lay about three miles from camp. On the other hand, Jerry knew that often some of the boys stayed in town beyond the legal hour, and tried to run past the guard without getting caught, for in the latter event it meant punishment for being out after taps. The soldier boys were but human, and, naturally, they did not want to see their fellow soldiers get into trouble. So it was sometimes the custom not to look too closely when some of the late-stayers tried to run guard. “If that’s all it is, I guess I can find something to do at the other end of my post,” thought Jerry, for he felt that, some day, he might want a similar favor. But as he was debating with himself he heard Ned approaching, and he waited. “Everything all right?” asked Ned in a low voice. “Well, not exactly,” was the answer. “Did you see anything suspicious?” “Suspicious? No.”