"Well, they're going right along about their own business, and don't
seem to be changing their course a little bit," Allan said as he passed
the glasses to Giraffe.

"I'm glad to hear that," Bumpus admitted, breathing freely again.
"Because, as you all know, I'm very much opposed to violence at any
time; though," he continued, "I'd fight if I was hard pushed, and fight
real fierce, too."

"We all know that, Bumpus, so there's no need of you apologizing," Thad
assured him, with a smile and a nod, for he was very fond of the stout
chum.

"But when you said smugglers, what did you mean, Giraffe?" questioned
Step Hen.

"Oh! Don't you know that they have heaps of trouble with such law-
breakers all along the Canadian border?" demanded the tall boy. "You
see, there's a heavy duty on a lot of things that can come into Canada
free, or with only a small sum to pay; and whenever men can make money
taking chances, they're just bound to try it. Why, I understand that
millions of dollars are lost to the Government every year just in the
goods smuggled across the border all the way from Maine to the Pacific
ocean."

"Whew! and yonder craft might be one of the tricky boats engaged in that
business; is that what you mean, Giraffe?" asked Bumpus, again staring
hard after the strange black powerboat which was larger than the
Chippeway Belle, and apparently much better able to meet the heavy seas