great deal of harm. It would be
a serious thing for your father if certain persons were to find out
that he was trying to steal a valuable invention from his own country."

"You wouldn't tell, would you, Flora?" Alfred Thornton wiped his
forehead nervously with his handkerchief, though it was a cool night.
"Whew, if only I'd never let you find out what I was after!"

"You couldn't help yourself," retorted Flora airily. "You needed me. I
would have done a great deal more for you, too, if you had not
developed such a liking for Madge Morton. You thought you were managing
so cleverly that I would not notice. Of course, I am not angry with
you, but I think you ought to do something to make amends for being so
deceitful."

Alfred Thornton flushed and hesitated.

"You see, Alfred, it is like this," went on Flora, taking advantage of
his hesitation. "You must help me get the 'Merry Maid' away from our
neighborhood. I believe I told the truth about Madge Morton's father.
But if my father or grandfather ever learn of what happened to-night,
they will be furious with me. I overheard my grandfather telling the
story to my father the other night. When he mentioned the name of
Captain Robert Morton, I remembered hearing Miss Butler telling Mrs.
Curtis when the 'Merry Maid' girls were here before that Miss Morton's
father had been an officer in the Navy, and that his name was Captain
Robert Morton. Miss Butler is Miss Morton's cousin, you know. They live
in the same house. When I heard that I put two and two together and
took a chance on saying what I did. Now that you know the whole story
you can easily see why I am anxious to have the 'Merry Maid' anchored
as far from me as possible. If you will cut the rope of the houseboat
and let the silly old craft drift away somewhere, the girls will be so
busy with getting it back here that by the time they have done that
their vacation will be over, and in the hurry of packing they won't
have much chance to make a scene. I think my scheme is very clever."

Alfred Thornton looked overhead. It was a dark night. The stars had
disappeared. Black clouds were gathering in the east.

The young man realized that he could do as Flora Harris demanded of him
with very little danger of detection. The houseboat was moored along
the beach by means of a heavy anchor tied with a thick rope. As an
additional safeguard the stern hawser had been hitched about a post
several yards up the beach out of the