minute or two.
Finally he gave vent to a muttered word of satisfaction, closed the
knife, and slipped it into his pocket.

"Here's a little luck," said he. "We can open the window now."

Noiselessly the lower sash was lifted, and the way into the bungalow was
open.

"You can stay here," whispered Burton, "or you can go with me. If you're
afraid to trust me, I can look around and report what I find."

"I'll go with you," returned Clancy. "I don't want to take your report
about what you find, I want to see for myself."

As carefully as possible they crawled through the window, and while they
stood in the dark room at the front of the house. Hiram came through the
opening and joined them.

A noise reached their ears, as of heavy breathing. Hill caught Clancy's
arm in a convulsive clutch.

"There's some one in the place, all right!" said Burton, under his
breath.

"Strike a light," suggested the motor wizard. "I believe it's safe
enough."

"Here, let me," put in Hiram. "I've got a match right in my fingers."

He scraped the match on the wall. As a flicker of light blazed up, a
small, meagerly furnished front room was disclosed. Neither Captain
Hogan nor either of those who had chartered his boat could be seen.

Clancy stepped to a shelf on the side wall, and took down a candle in a
candlestick. Hill touched the match to the wick, and the investigation
continued under a better light.

There was a door opening off the rear of the room. Burton glided to it
and carefully pushed it ajar. Stygian darkness reigned beyond.

The opening of the rear door had caused the heavy breathing to grow
louder. The man--evidently the only one they were to find in the
bungalow--must be in that back room. Clancy, with the candle, pushed
into the lead, and entered the next apartment.

Hill was watching Burton as keenly as a cat watches a mouse. At the
first sign of a treacherous move, or the springing a trap, Hill would
have been at Burton in a flash.

Nothing occurred, however, to alarm the investigators. Something was
discovered, on the other hand, which certainly, astounded them.

A figure was lying on a cot bed--a figure that was bound wrist and
ankle. A towel was tied over the face of the helpless form, and from
behind this towel came the labored breathing which had already attracted
attention.

The candle revealed the gruesome situation dimly. There seemed no longer
any good reason for silence, and startled exclamations