“Nevertheless, he appeared wealthy enough to do so, and he said I could have her,” I cried hotly. “I wouldn’t steal a pin!”
There was no reply to this, and presently we came in sight of the Catch Me.
“That my boat?” ejaculated Mr. Williams.
“That’s the Catch Me,” I replied. “Some men tried to steal her and alter her appearance.”
“A likely story! This is some of your own work”—
“It is not!”
“And I say it is. I believe you are in with this Markham,” stormed Mr. Williams. “You towed the boat in here, and expected to fix her up in such a fashion that no one would know her again. Pointer, I want him arrested.”
I started back. The word arrest sent a chill through my body.
“Believe me or not, Mr. Williams, I am innocent,” I cried. “Mr. Markham gave me this boat—at least he said I could have her. I went on a hunt for her, and took Tom Darrow the fisherman with me. I found that a fellow named Andy Carney had taken her to Rock Island, and was at work on her. We waited till Carney and his chums, two in number, had left the island, and then we hooked fast and dragged her over here. That’s the whole story, and it’s the truth.”
And I looked the boat-owner squarely in the eye as I spoke.