The chief had found the man missing from Marshlands; but in what condition? The worst might have happened, for it was now obvious that Dimitri had been the prisoner of George Clayton ever since the mysterious disappearance from the Merry Jane.
“Oh,” murmured Arden, “if he is——”
She could not finish.
“I—I feel sort of funny,” said Terry.
“Girl, if you pass out on us now I’ll never speak to you again as long as I live!” threatened Sim.
“Oh, I’m all right—I guess,” Terry said. “But——”
She was interrupted by the voice of Chief Reilly coming, muffled, from the cellar.
“Guess maybe you girls had better come down here,” he called. “I might need your testimony for evidence.”
“Oh!” almost shouted Arden. “Is he——”
“Mr. Uzlov is all right. He’s alive, though I can’t say he’s very well,” went on the chief. “He’s bound and gagged and all knocked out, but I can’t see anything very wrong. There’s so many ropes on him I’ll need help in getting them off quick. But I want you to see him so you can testify against this rat of a Clayton. Nasty piece of business, if you ask me.”