“What do you make of that fellow, Ralph?”
“He’s a puzzle to which we have no answer—as yet,” was the reply.
“A puzzle, all right. I sure agree with you. But as to the answer part——”
“Well?”
“I rather think that we are not so far off from the solution as you fancy. For instance, this business to-night.”
“Let’s hear what you make of it.”
“Why, it looked to me as if the fellow deliberately tried to wreck the boat.”
“But for what earthly reason?” demanded Ralph, in an astounded tone.
“Well, for one thing, we have supplanted him on board her. You must remember that before we came up here your dad had given Malvin absolute charge of the craft. I’ve heard that he took full advantage of this. The boat was seen cruising about at all hours of the night.”
“Even so. Granted that he dislikes us, even hates us, although he has shown no signs of harboring such a feeling.”