“They are going somewhere. I suspected it this afternoon, when I came upon them unexpectedly at the dock. Now they have waited until we went upstairs.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I’m going with them. Stokes came back from the mainland, an hour ago, in the motor boat. He brought back a lot of empty sacks that Professor Whitburn ordered. They’re still in the boat. I’m going to hide under them.”
“What shall I do?”
“Stay here. Get dressed and watch. I don’t know what the game is; and we’ve got to watch everything. Be on the job. Come down to the lake when the boat pulls away, and try to trace the direction in which it goes. Then you may know where I am.”
The secret-service man slipped from the room. Harry dressed hurriedly, his mind in chaos.
It was the third night since the episode in the tower room. He had talked with Marquette during the interim.
They had agreed that trouble might begin at any time; but they had expected it on the island. Yet here were Stokes and Marsh planning to leave.
What did it mean?
Professor Whitburn had announced that he would not require the services of any one during the evening. He had important work to do in his study. His four assistants were off duty.