if
the _Sylvia's_ dinghy is tied up at the pier."

"If the dinghy isn't there," spoke up Burton, "it wouldn't prove that
the _Sylvia_ wasn't still in the harbor. She may be at anchor, Katz,
with no one ashore."

"Right-o," answered Katz. "On t'other hand, Burton, if the _Sylvia's_
dinghy is at the pier, then it's a lead pipe that the yacht isn't far
away. We'll go look."

They went down the stairs to the floats. There were several boats
chained and locked to the floats, and among them was the _Sylvia's_
dinghy. The dinghy, however, was not locked to the float post, and a
pair of oars lay across the thwarts.

"She's here, by Jerry!" muttered Katz. "Hogan and Wynn haven't left us
yet--not just yet! I allow they're whoopin' it up, some'r's, and are
show gettin' out to the yacht."

"Maybe they're on the _Sylvia,_" said Burton, "and some of the crew's
ashore."

"What diff'rence does it make who's ashore and who's on the yacht?"

"It makes a good deal," put in the motor wizard. "Two of our party will
stay on the pier and watch this float to see who comes after the dinghy,
and the other two will take the dinghy and go out to the _Sylvia._ By
making a move of that kind, we'll be able to land on Gerald Wynn, no
matter whether he's ashore or on the boat."

"I'll watch this end o' the play," said Katz.

"No," objected Clancy, "you'll go with me to the yacht, Katz. Hill and
Burton will stay here and keep an eye on the float."

"Well, you're the doctor," acquiesced Katz grumblingly. Clancy had
divided the party so that he and Hill would each have a man to watch.
Neither Katz nor Burton would have the same opportunity to be
treacherous as they would have had if they had been left together.

The motor wizard fully believed that Hogan and Wynn were ashore, and
that the dinghy was waiting to carry them to the yacht. He felt that he
could trust Burton to be one to deal with Wynn much more safely than he
could trust the more desperate Katz.

"Who'll do the rowin'?" queried Katz.

"You'd better do that, Katz," said Clancy. "My shoulder isn't in the
right sort of condition for such work."

Katz was interested at once.

"What's the matter with your shoulder?" he asked.

"You ought to know. I'm pretty sure you're the one who put a bullet into
it."

"I got an alibi for that," muttered Katz, stepping into the boat and
adjusting the oars.

Clancy followed him.

"The idea is, Hill," said Clancy, "to get the money from W