One of the men on the piazza answered:
"Big Duck."
"Big Duck Island?"
"Yup. He—"
The other man broke in. "He says to me that he was goin' to
Rogerses'."
"Rogerses'? Where's that?"
"Rogerses' Island," said the hotel man, "'bout three miles t'other side of Bailey's Harbor."
One of the men now came in from the piazza, and after much questioning we found out all they knew. Captain Bannister had arrived in Lanesport sometime the latter part of the afternoon. He left the "Hoppergrass" at the wharf, and came up into the town. When he returned, an hour later, his boat had disappeared. One or two men had seen it sail down the river, but in the fog had not noticed who was on board. The Captain "flew round like a coot shot in the head," declared our informant. He went from one wharf to another, started to hire a yacht and go in pursuit, but gave up the plan. Then he went to the police-station.
"The police reckoned it was some of them burglars had took it. The fellers that have been breakin' into houses on Little Duck."
"They've ketched them fellers," said the hotel man.