“Mr. Dunstan, it’s possible, isn’t it, that one of your men about the place may be disloyal to you? Such a man may have done this thing either to help your enemies, or to satisfy some spite against you.”
“I can’t think of a man in my employ I’d suspect of such a thing,” murmured the troubled man.
Plainly the owner was not the man to discuss this suspicion with. Toward dark, however, Tom and Joe went to one man on the place whom they believed to be above all suspicion. That was big Michael, the coachman. With Michael, they discussed the matter long and earnestly.
Though the honest coachman could tell them nothing definite, Tom Halstead went away from that talk on a new scent of danger ahead.
Dawson, too, was thinking hard, and, as a consequence, was even more quiet than usual.
“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be much use to go to Mr. Dunstan with this,” sighed the young captain. “We’ll just keep our eyes open.”
CHAPTER XVI—FOLLOWING UP THE CLUE
There was plenty to do by the time the boys got back to the pier. Jed, lone-handed, was pumping gasoline into the tank through the strainer. Several barrels of the oil had been sent down to the water front. Stripping off their coats, Tom and Joe turned to and helped.
Bouncer, the bull pup, was on hand also, chained in the engine room. In view of the late near-tragedy Mr. Dunstan had decided to keep the dog aboard, at the home pier, hereafter, and had brought Bouncer down himself.
“We’ll finish this job Jed, if you’ll turn to and cook up a quick supper,” proposed Halstead.