“Then he isn’t kidnapped at all,” said Ned.
“I never believed he was,” came from Jerry.
“I wonder who the other person was,” said Bob.
“I have an idea it was Bill Berry,” said Jerry.
“It didn’t sound like his voice,” interposed Ned.
“If you noticed,” went on Jerry, “he talked with two voices. When he spoke to Noddy his tones and words were much different than when he addressed us and threatened to have the law on us. I’m sure it was Bill Berry.”
“Then those two are up to some mischief, I’ll bet,” ventured Ned. “There must be some game afoot when Noddy lets it be thought he is kidnapped, and when we find him away off here in a schooner.”
“There is,” spoke Jerry. “It’s the same game that began with the reference to something ‘blue’ that Bill Berry made that day. It’s the same game that we nearly discovered when we almost ran into the Bluebird, and now we have the same schooner away down here on the lake and we nearly sink in consequence of hitting her, or of her hitting us, for I believe they got in the way on purpose.”
“But what is the game?” asked Bob.