clump of bushes I heard voices. I looked out and there I saw the
two men."

"At first I thought they were trailing me, but I saw that they had
not seen me, and I didn't see how they could know I was in the
neighborhood. So I quietly made my way back to the hotel."

"Could you hear what they were saying?"

"Not all, but they seemed angry over something. The man with the
blue ring on his finger asked the other man whether Murdock had
been heard from."

"Who is Murdock?"

"I don't know, unless he is another member of the gang or unless
that is an assumed name."

"It may be that. What else did you hear?"

"The man we know as Morse replied that he hadn't heard from him,
but that he suspected Murdock was playing a double game. Then the
tramp--Happy Harry--asked this question: 'Have you any clew to
the sparkler?' And Morse answered: 'No, but I think Murdock has
hid it somewhere and is trying to get away with it without giving
us our share.' Then the two men walked away, and I came back to
the hotel," finished Mr. Swift.

"Sparkler," murmured Tom. "I wonder what that can be?"