Mr. Morton permitted himself to smile in a bored way.
"And now I understand why you were deaf and dumb to me," blurted Reggy Williams with a sheepish flush.
"You see, Reggy and I are old pals," remarked Billy. "I knew he'd never recognize me in my old rig and with the beard; but I didn't dare speak to him. So I played dummy."
Reggy turned an inquiring glance upon Rosalind.
"Was he a dummy when you hired him?" he inquired.
She shook her head.
"But you didn't tell me that!"
The silence threatened catastrophe. It was broken by a strident laugh from Billy Kellogg.
"Oh, I've been having a lot of fun," he said. "Of course I didn't mean to get you all worked up over burglars. Remember the night, Uncle Henry, when you and the help hunted the whole island and then chased me in the launch?"
Rosalind breathed again. The boatman was doing his best to save her.