“So I did,” admitted her friend.
“I believe,” went on Ruth earnestly, “that this man who came here to live on Beach Plum Point only three weeks ago, is that very vagrant. It is plain that this fellow is playing the part of a hermit, just as he plays the parts Mr. Hooley casts him for.”
“Whew!” whistled Tom. “Almost do you convince me, Ruth Fielding. But to prove it is another thing.”
“We will prove it. If this man was at the Red Mill on that particular day, we can make sure of the fact.”
“How will you do it, Ruth?”
“By getting one of the camera men to take a ‘still’ of the hermit, develop it for us, and send the negative to Ben. He and Uncle Jabez must remember how that traveling actor looked——”
“Hurrah!” exclaimed Tom, jumping up to the amazement of the rest of the party. “That’s a bully idea.”
“What is it?” demanded Helen. “Let us in on it, too.”
But Ruth shook her head and Tom calmed down.
“Can’t tell the secret yet,” Helen’s twin declared. “That would spoil it.”