“Can’t you remember anything, Jerry?” Penny asked. “You went out on the river to try to trace those two men in the cruiser.”
“Oh, it’s coming back to me now. I ran into their boat down by Cranberry Cove. They tied up there.”
“And then what happened?” Penny demanded, as Jerry paused.
“I saw ’em walk ashore. Thought I would follow so I tied up my boat, too. They started off through the trees. Pretty soon they met a third man, a well dressed fellow, educated too.”
“Did you hear any of their conversation?” Mr. Parker questioned.
“I heard Kippenberg’s name mentioned. That caught my interest so I crept closer. Must have given myself away because that’s about the last I remember. A ton of dynamite seemed to explode in my head. And here I am.”
“Obviously, you were struck from behind with some heavy object,” Mr. Parker said. “They probably dumped you back in your own boat and set it adrift. You never saw your attacker?”
“No.”
Jerry rested for a moment, and then as it dawned upon him that he was being speeded to a doctor, he began to protest.
“Say, Chief, I’ll be all right. I don’t need any doc. Head’s clear as a bell now.”