"Back so soon!" he exclaimed. "I thought this trip would keep you away at least a week. What's the matter? Did you get frightened by the sea serpent?"
"We didn't get frightened, Dad. We had to come back with a man who got hurt."
"Oh." Fenton Hardy's expression changed to one of concern. "Who is he?"
"We think he's Todham Todd."
"Todham Todd!" exclaimed the detective. "Are you sure?"
"We're not sure. But we have an idea that's who he is. And he may be a murderer too."
Mr. Hardy motioned the three boys to chairs. "Sit down and tell me all about it. A murderer! That sounds bad."
With Frank as spokesman, and Chet and Joe prompting him once in a while, they told Mr. Hardy about their meeting with Captain Royal, about the eccentric behavior of the old man and of his actions on finding the brothers looking over the clippings in the cave, culminating in his fall from the cliff.
"And he's at the private hospital now," concluded Frank.
"Well," said Mr. Hardy, "we'll have breakfast now and then we can soon settle the matter once and for all. Evangeline Todd is staying at the summer hotel and we can ask her to come over to the hospital and have a look at this Captain Royal."