“That’s right,” chimed in Dray. “I’ve heard him say that certain fish won’t bite when the tide’s running out, and that you can catch others only when it’s coming in. Maybe he is hanging around for that.”
“Then he ought to be back soon,” declared Jack, “for the tide turned a half-hour ago.”
“If he’s far out in the bay it will take him a long while to come in. His boat doesn’t make very good time,” observed Walter.
The boys walked around the cabin. It was closed and locked, and the warning note they had left for the fisherman was still pinned to the door.
“Which shows that those men haven’t been here,” said Jack. “That makes me fear that they may have gotten to him before us.”
“Why so?” asked Ed.
“Well, it’s evident that the men haven’t been here since the girls gave us the alarm. If they had they’d have torn up that note. Then, too, you’d think, if they were going to try to make Denny do what they wanted in the way of giving testimony, they’d be getting at it. He goes to bed early, as everybody around here knows, and locks up. If those fellows wanted to get at him without breaking in they’d come early. All of which makes me think that they may already have had a serious interview with him.”
“I hope not,” observed Walter. “I’m more inclined to believe that he’s out on the bay somewhere. If he is he’s all right.”
“Say, fellows, I’ve got an idea!” cried Jack.