Clearly Ralph had not guessed wrongly when he hazarded the belief that a link existed between Dexter Island and the mysterious men of the night-roving motor boat.
The link was Roger Malvin.
CHAPTER XV.
CROSS PURPOSES.
Following out his prearranged plans, Ralph ordered the River Swallow to be made ready for her run to Cardinal that night. After a good supper the three young Border Boys, now changed to motor boatmen, sauntered down toward the dock somewhat ahead of the time they had decided on leaving.
Harry Ware was in advance of his comrades, and as he turned an angle in the patch he came into full view of the River Swallow lying at her dock.
“What a pretty picture she makes lying there,” he thought. “My, to look at her you’d never think she could hustle over the water the way she can!”
Malvin and Hansen were standing near the craft, and the former turned as Harry came round the corner.
Instantly a long, low whistle came from the fellow’s lips, and Harry could have sworn that at the same instant a third figure arose from the deck of the River Swallow, where it had seemingly been lounging, and vanished down the forescuttle.
Harry Ware rubbed his eyes.
“Well, I’ll be jiggered!” he exclaimed. “Am I seeing things, or what? There are Malvin and Hansen on the dock. Besides the servants, they are the only men on the island, and that man on the deck—or the man I thought I saw on the deck—is most assuredly not one of them.”