"Yes," went on Sammy. "We'll try to find where he lives, and what he is after."
"And why he goes about nights with a lantern," added Frank. He and Bob were now as much interested as was Sammy, and they were eager to help their chum clear up the mystery.
Getting to the cottage, they found company had come to call on Mr. and Mrs. Bouncer, and before the boys went to bed they had to tell all about their adventure at the lighthouse.
"My, you boys certainly do things!" exclaimed one of the callers.
"Yes, too much, sometimes," said Mrs. Bouncer, with a sigh, as she looked at her son and his chums. "I never know what they'll be up to next. That's one reason I rather dreaded coming here. I didn't so much mind it at home, for though they were out on Rainbow Lake much of the time, there was a limit to that water. But here, so near the big ocean,—I don't know. I'm always afraid they'll be carried out to sea!" and she shivered slightly, as if from some unknown fear.
"Carried out to sea!" exclaimed Bob. "How could we be? We never go as far as the inlet."
"And I hope you never will!" exclaimed his mother.
The boys told more in detail of their doings at the lighthouse and then were sent off to bed, for the hour was growing late. They only made a mention of the strange man with the lantern, whom they had passed in the darkness, and they did not tell of their intention to get on his trail, and try to find out who he was and what he was after. They thought that, had they spoken of him, permission to seek after his secret might not be given.
"Well, what's on the program this morning?" asked Bob, after breakfast one day.