"My idea is that he had heard that story about the cards before and is trying to scare people away from Nell Harley. The old fool is soft as mush on her himself, you know."
"Well, doc, what we'd best do now is to eat a snack an' then turn in an' get a couple of hours' sleep; an' if we don't find Mr. Banks to-day we'll just up an' ask old Wigmore the reason why."
Two hours later Captain Wigmore himself arrived at Rayton's house. Nash, Goodine, and young Bill Long were in the kitchen, pulling on their moccasins and overcoats. The captain looked exceedingly tired, but very wide awake.
"I've found a clue!" he exclaimed. "Look at this knife! Did you ever see it before, any of you?"
He placed a big clasp knife on the table.
"Why, it's Banks' knife," cried Doctor Nash. "I've seen it several times. I'd swear to it."
"Yes, it's his. And there's H. P. B. cut on the handle," said Dick.
"I found it this morning, on the Blue Hill road," said the captain.
"On the Blue Hill road? How far out?"
"About three miles from my place. I've been hunting for Banks since sunrise, and this is all I've found."