“That looks like pretty good evidence,” said Trenwith, frowning. “He knew they were coming here and he’d made one attempt to get hold of them on the way.”
“Yes, and there’s more. When this yacht turned up here last night, Miss Mercer and the girls were nervous. And Bessie and her chum Dolly Ransom happened to overhear two men who were put at the top of that bluff to watch the camp. They talked about the ‘boss’ and how he meant to get those girls and had been ‘stung once too often.’ But they didn’t mention Holmes by name.”
“Too bad. Still, that fire was too timely to have been accidental. I think maybe we can convict them of starting it. Then if these fellows think they’re in danger of going to prison, we might offer them a chance of liberty if they confess and implicate Holmes, do you see?”
“It would be a good bargain, Billy.”
“That’s what I think. I’d let the tool escape any time to get hold of the man who was using him. They and the yacht are held safely at Bay City, in any case, and we have plenty of time to decide what’s best to be done there.”
“If I know Holmes, he’ll show you his hand pretty soon, Bill. I believe he thinks that every man has his price, and he probably has an idea that he can get you on his side if he works it right and offers you enough.”
“He’s got several more thinks coming on that,” said Trenwith, angrily. “What a hound he must be! We’ve got to get to the bottom of this business, Charlie. That’s all there is to it!”
“Won’t Jake Hoover help, Charlie?” suggested Eleanor. “He told Bessie he would go in to see you.”
“He did come, but I was called away, and meant to talk to him again this morning, Nell. Then of course I had to come down here when I got this news from you and so I didn’t have a chance. But I may get something out of him yet.”
“We’ve decided, Mr. Trenwith,” Eleanor explained, “that the reason Jake is doing just what they want is that he’s afraid of them–that they know of some wrong thing he has done, and have been threatening to expose him if he doesn’t obey them.”