They hurried around to the door and into the cottage. Alas! a single glance around was enough. Fully half the panes of glass in the cottage were smashed, and on the floors of the various rooms lay a dozen stones as big as a man's hand.
"I know who did this!" ejaculated Ralph, in high anger. "Percy Paget, and no one else!"
"Would he dare?" faltered Mrs. Nelson.
"Yes; and it is just in line with his sneak-like character. I am going to see if I can find him."
Ralph dashed out of the cottage as rapidly as he had entered it. He made a strict search about the grounds, up the road, and in the wood on the other side. But it was of no avail; the person who had committed the contemptible act had disappeared.
CHAPTER X.
RALPH IS GIVEN NOTICE.
Had it not been for his duties on the bridge, Ralph would have continued his search still farther. But already several persons had passed over and dropped their pennies on the counter of the little office, and now a horn was blowing from the deck of the little schooner sailing up Silver Lake.