"Good!" exclaimed Jack. "Then you come back and tell us, and we'll see what we can do in the way of tricks."
John put on a pair of moccasins he had in his valise, and moved through the aisle, now completely hemmed in with the curtains from the various berths. The other boys began to undress within their narrow sections but they did not take off all their clothes, so as to be in readiness for whatever should happen.
Jack managed to get into an unoccupied berth next to the smoking compartment. By placing his ears to the partition he could just distinguish what the professor was saying to Mr. Post.
"Well, that's about the limit!" John exclaimed softly to himself. "I think we can spoil that proposition for him."
Having learned all he wanted to know, the Indian lad returned to his friends.
"Professor Punjab is planning to get possession of the miner's money," he said in whispers, as the three boys held an impromptu conference in the lavatory, where Nat and Jack had gone to clean their teeth before retiring.
"How's he going to do it?" asked Jack.
"He has told Mr. Post that he has the power of making money increase over night," John explained. "He says if a certain sum is put in a mysterious box which he has, it will be doubled in the morning."
"And the miner believed him?" asked Jack.
"Sure. He agreed to put his roll in the box the fakir has, and it is to be placed under Mr. Post's berth. He is not to open it until morning."