The Reverend Mr.Withers expressed his pleasure in a hollow, sepulchral tone at meeting the gentlemen.

Carlos replied rather stiffly.

Mr.Werner contemplated the proceedings curiously, yet courteously.

Mr.Duncan seemed struggling to suppress an exhibition of merriment. In this he was not successful, for he soon burst into a fit of hearty laughter.

Then it was that the Reverend Mr.Withers went through with a most surprising performance. He seized Carlos by both shoulders, shook him violently, and exclaimed:

“Don’t you know me, old boy?”

Carlos sprang back in amazement, and gazed at the speaker as if he would look him through and through.

“Know you?” he faltered. “Your voice seems familiar.”

“Does it? Ishould think so. I’ll let you hear it again. Now do you know me?”

Alook of intelligence and gladness gradually crept over the face of Carlos. He could not be mistaken; he was not. It was his cousin, Leonard Lester.

The reader has already recognized the disguise in which Mr.Stark, the detective in the Boston custom-house, had arrayed him.

The violent hand-shaking and extravagant ejaculations of joy which the cousins indulged in, need not be here recorded.

When the first greetings were over, Carlos hastily informed Mr.Werner who Leonard was, and explained his enthusiastic welcome of his appearance.

Mr.Werner smiled brightly, and offered a brief congratulation.

“Where did you come from, Leonard, and what are you fixed up in this ridiculous style for?” asked Carlos.

“Icame from—— Where did Icome from, Mr.Duncan?” appealed Leonard to his employer.

“You will have to tell the whole story to answer that question,” replied Mr.Duncan.

“Isuppose Iwill. And though you have just heard it from my lips, Isuppose Imust satisfy Carlos at once.”

“Certainly.”

“But first tell me why you are rigged out so outlandishly?” cried Carlos.

“Outlandishly!” repeated Leonard, in a tone of mock reproach. “Ithought Ipresented a highly respectable appearance. But wait. I’ll come to it in the course of my story. Iwill be very brief now, and give only the main points. The details Iwill relate when we have more time.”

It is not necessary to repeat Leonard’s story, as the reader knows it already. It will be remembered that when we left him he had made the journey from Boston to New York. We will take up the thread of his narrative at that point.

Carlos had already apologized to Mr.Werner, saying:

“You will pardon us for speaking in English; we can talk more readily and to the point. All shall be explained to you afterward.”

“Iarrived in New York,” said Leonard, “about two hours ago—it is now ten o’clock, Ibelieve. Iat once proceeded to Mr.Duncan’s house, and requested to see him alone, giving my name as the Reverend Mr.Withers. It is perhaps not surprising that he failed to recognize me at first, but Isoon made myself known. And, as he had already heard your story, you are prepared to believe that he gave me rather a warm reception. Well, Itold my story. While Iwas telling it Isaw he had something on his mind that he was impatient to reveal, but you may judge that Iwas unprepared for the first question he asked, which was ‘if Iwould like to see my cousin Carlos?’ ‘Of course Iwould,’ Ireplied, not dreaming what was to follow. But you know what followed. He brought me here, and here Iam. It is safe to say that nothing more surprising ever happened during the whole course of my life. And now here we are, all together, with business of the most important kind before us.”

“Yes, business of the most important kind,” repeated Mr.Duncan, emphatically. And he muttered in an under-tone, half to himself: “And I’ll wager that he’ll carry it through. Isaid it wasn’t easy to outwit him.”

“After a good night’s rest we will proceed upon it in earnest,” continued Leonard.

“After a good night’s rest!” exclaimed Carlos, who seemed anxious to do something at once.

“Yes,” replied Leonard. “We all need it; or, at least, you and Ido. And there is nothing to be done to-night.”

The wisdom of this course was apparent, and was soon admitted by all.

“Isuppose you are safe enough here,” said Leonard to Carlos. “Ishall go to a hotel. It will be prudent, perhaps, for you and Inot to be seen together, at all events until Ihave consulted with Mr.Stark. What connection can you, a pupil of Mr.Werner, be supposed to have with me, the Rev. Mr.Withers?”

“Just so,” said Mr.Duncan. “You are right.”

“And,” resumed Leonard, “Ishould like to stop where there is a telegraph office near at hand.”

“There is a telegraph office in the United States Hotel,” said Mr.Duncan.

“Very well, Iwill put up there. And now good-night, Carlos. Iwill see you to-morrow, probably. Gute nacht, Herr Werner.”

They separated, Carlos remaining with Mr.Werner, Mr.Duncan going to his own home, and Leonard proceeding to the United States Hotel.

The next day was Sunday, but, feeling that no time must be lost, Leonard dispatched a message to Mr.Stark, early in the morning. It bore the following cautious wording:

“MR. STARK, Custom House, Boston:

“The property is found.

“(Signed) REV. MR. WITHERS.”

He had confidence that its meaning would be understood by Mr.Stark; and he was not mistaken.

In an hour a reply came, which read as follows:

“REV. MR. WITHERS, U.S. Hotel, N.Y.:

“Iwill be with you to-day. Meet me at the place where Itold you to call.

STARK.”

Leonard estimated that Mr.Stark would have to make some preparations before leaving Boston, and that he would reach New York in the evening, on the same train that had brought “Rev. Mr.Withers” the night before. So he was in no haste to show himself at the appointed place.

He passed most of the day in his room, reading the daily papers, and reflecting on the matters in which he was so immediately concerned.

He reviewed the situation, formed plans to suggest to Mr.Stark, and arranged his thoughts to be submitted to the detective in the most concise manner possible. He sent a note to Carlos, informing him that matters were progressing, but stating that he thought it not best to call on him during the day.

In the latter part of the afternoon he walked to No. —— Twelfth street.

He was met at the door by a woman, who instantly smiled, and greeted him cordially.

“Good afternoon, Mr.Withers! We will be glad to see you. Please walk in.”

She was a comely woman, aged about forty years, rather portly, and had a wholesome, shrewd-looking face. She was dressed in black.

Leonard evinced some surprise at her ready recognition of him, though he remembered that Mr.Stark had predicted that he would be known.

The woman urged him not to delay going in, and as soon as he had entered the hall, she closed the door and locked it.

“Mr. Stark sent you, of course,” she said. “You are to wait in this room, and we are not to have any conversation with you until he comes. Do you wish a lunch?”

“No, thank you. That is, not at present. I will wait until Mr.Stark comes, and then we can take it together.”

“Very well. Ihope you will pass the time pleasantly. There are books and papers.”

Leonard had been shown into a room adjoining the hall, and here the woman left him alone. He reflected, with wonder and admiration, on Mr.Stark’s system of arrangements, and patiently awaited the arrival of the detective.

The latter made his appearance shortly after eight o’clock. After brief greetings, a lunch was brought in, and the two were left together.

“You say you have found him,” said Mr.Stark, immediately entering on the business in hand.

“Yes; he is staying with a musician named Werner, not a great distance from here—perhaps ten minutes’ walk.”

“How did he escape?”

Leonard related briefly the adventures of Carlos.

Mr.Stark made no comment.

“What steps have you taken?” asked Leonard.

“None, except to advertise the yacht.”

“Have you much confidence that the owner will put in an appearance?”

“We must wait and see,” was the non-committal answer.

“Some measures ought to be put in operation at once.”

“Undoubtedly. Have you anything to suggest?”

“Yes,” replied Leonard, after some deliberation. “This Snags, of whom Itold you, will probably take alarm at my flight and get out of the way. Besides, as Ifurther mentioned, he and Roake are probably the tools of others whom they would not betray. So it is desirable to do something more than merely arrest them, and seize the smuggled goods—even if the former could be accomplished.”

“Go on,” said Mr.Stark, as Leonard paused.

“This deaf and dumb fellow who attends to the boats at Rocky Beach is evidently in the employ of the villains, and he is a poor ignorant devil. My idea is that they have got possession of him in some way, and impressed him with the belief that he is in a sense their property. He has a hang-dog look, like one without ambition, or at least without the knowledge that there is any possibility of changing his condition. Yet there is a discontented expression about his face, and he has a bright eye, and not a bad head.”

“Yes,” said Mr.Stark, as Leonard again paused.

“Well,” resumed Leonard, “if we could get possession of him, and cheer him up, and make him believe he is somebody, perhaps he could impart some valuable information. He must be possessed of some. And there would be no use in pumping him where he is, for Ibelieve he stands in a sort of terror of his masters.”

“Can he talk in any way, either by the dumb signs or by writing?”

“That Idon’t know.”

“The experiment may be worth trying. We will consider it. And now Ihave something to propose. Has your cousin plenty of nerve?”

“Yes,” replied Leonard, smiling, “when he is set on in the right way.”

“What can he do?”

“In the way of business do you mean? Not much, Iam afraid. His father brought him up very indulgently. But he is a good musician.”

“Just the thing. We’ll fix him up as a young Dutchman. Ibelieve you said he spoke the language?”

“Like a native.”

“We’ll send him to Dalton as a music teacher, and let him take observations.”

Leonard was not prepared for this novel proposition, and he considered a moment before replying.

“Do you think it would be safe?” he asked.

“Yes, if he has a respectable amount of tact. Can’t you take me to him?”

“Yes. As Isaid, it is only a short walk to where he is stopping.”

“Then come on.”

So Leonard and Mr.Stark started out and turned their steps in the direction of Mr.Werner’s place of abode.