"Who could it have been?"
"That's more than I know. Here comes Noddy, and he can speak for himself."
Noddy had come forward for this purpose when he saw Mr. Grant and Bertha on the pier, and he had heard the last part of the conversation. He was not a little astonished to hear Ben declare his belief that he was not guilty, for he had been fully satisfied that he should have all the credit of the naughty transaction.
"Do you know how the fire caught, Noddy?" said Mr. Grant.
"I reckon it caught from a bucket of water I left there," replied Noddy, who did not know what to say till he had felt his way a little.
"No trifling, Noddy!" added Mr. Grant, though he could hardly keep from laughing at the ridiculous answer.
"How should I know, sir, when Ben don't know? I tried to make him tell me how it caught, and he wouldn't say a word about it."
"I thought it was best for me to keep still," said Ben.
"This is very strange," continued Mr. Grant. "Who was the last person you saw in the boat-house, Ben?"
"Miss Fanny, sir. I saw her come out of it only a few moments before the fire broke out."