CHAPTER VIII.

A DEEP MYSTERY.

Whoever the man was, he stared very hard at Nick, and seemed about to address him.

He had come up directly near the lamp-post, and a dash of rain and the wind took back the cloak that enveloped his form as he did so.

Then, in an effort to restore its clinging folds, the face was revealed, and Nick Collins had a full view of it.

It was particularly pale--a white, anxious face, careworn and sad, but eager and excited just now, in keeping with the wild, staring expression of the restless eyes, which shone like two stars of fire.

That face Nick never forgot, and he was destined to see it very soon again under the strangest of circumstances.

Somehow he associated the newcomer with his mysterious predecessor. Almost involuntarily, as if he believed the former to have been sent by the other, Nick took the yellow package from his coat.

As the light fell upon it, and its conspicuous glare of color struck the eyes of the man, he startled Nick by uttering a wild cry, resembling that of some beast of prey.

In a bound he was at Nick’s side.

“The yellow package!” he cried, in shrill, eager tones.

“Yes. The man----”

“Give it to me! At last! Here!”

He had torn the parcel from Nick’s hand. Fairly gloating over it, he drew a similar package from his cloak, only that it was larger and more compact, and thrust it into the bewildered boy’s grasp.

Then with a hunted look about him, as if fearing that some one might be lurking in the shadows to rob him of what he appeared to prize as a great treasure, the man darted off, ran down the thoroughfare, and disappeared around the next corner, leaving the astounded Nick Collins standing beneath the lamp-post, staring vaguely, mutely at the package so deftly substituted for the one he had previously held.

What did it mean? What was the significance of these strange doings? Who were the two men who appeared and disappeared so singularly?

What was their connection one with the other? What was the mystery of the two packages? Nick turned the new package over and over in his hand; he tried vainly to reason out some motive for the action of the men who had come and gone.

Frank called to him from the veranda.

“Nick!”

Collins looked up and down the street, and reluctantly entered the garden and approached the veranda.

“I thought you were going to stay away all night,” said Frank.

“I thought so myself,” was the other’s preoccupied answer.

“Aren’t you wet through?”

Nick had not noticed, but believed he was. Frank, who had observed all that had occurred, was keen for information.

“Nick!” he cried sharply.

“Well?”

“What does all of it mean? Rouse up! You seem to be going to sleep.”

Nick roused himself.

“Tell me what it all means!” persisted Frank.

“You saw me on the sidewalk?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you know as much as I do.”

“But the man?”

“There were two men.”

“Yes, I know, and the last one?”

Nick related what he had said.

“And he gave you another package?” said Frank.

“Yes.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes.”

Frank looked at the package curiously.

“What do you suppose is in it, Nick?”

“I don’t know.”

“Aren’t you going to open it?”

“It isn’t mine.”

“The man gave it to you.”

“By mistake.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because it certainly was not intended for me.”

“Whether or not, it is yours now. Open it. That may give us a clue to the owner.”

“Maybe we had better.”

“Of course we had,” cried the curious Frank.

“Come inside.”

Frank had bought a candle that evening. He lighted it, and took it into a room where the blinds had been carefully closed, so that no light might warn outsiders of their presence there. The boys sat down on the floor, with the candle beside them.

Nick glanced at the outside of the package. It was covered with a piece of manila paper and tied carelessly with a string.

He untied this. The first covering was removed. A second one appeared; it was of thin tissue paper. This was removed.

“Oh, Nick!”

No wonder that Frank gasped out the words and recoiled in wonder. Nick Collins sat speechless, and the contents of the package fell from his nerveless fingers.

Bank notes--fives, tens, twenties!

There was nothing in the package but money.