A man came down the slip, and even in the fog they knew the figure was familiar. When he drew closer they saw that the man was none other than their father.
"Dad!" exclaimed Frank.
"Have you got him with you?" asked the detective quickly.
"Who? Joe?"
"No, no. The man you picked up at Barmet village. I had a telephone message about him."
"Yes, we have him here. He tried to hold us up with a revolver, but we got the better of him."
"Fine!" said Mr. Hardy, peering down into the boat, where the stranger was struggling to sit up. "All right, Chief!" he called, to a burly man who was coming down the slip. "They have him."
Chief Collig, of the Bayport police force, and Con Riley, one of his men, then appeared in view.
"Got him, hey?" said Collig.
"They have him here in the boat."