s much human reasoning power as
all that. Yet I'm of the opinion that we'll continue to rest
badly at night as long as we continue to feel any unhealthy curiosity
about the lake mystery. In other words, my belief is that our
interest in the affairs of perfect strangers is regarded by the
unknowns as rudeness that must be rebuked."

"I don't care a hang about the lake mystery, anyway," gaped Dan,
who was giving forth a series of yawns, his mouth only partially
hidden by his right hand.

"There's just one strong point to the other side of the question,"
Dick argued. "There's a very fair amount of reason to believe
that a man may have been drowned late yesterday afternoon, and
that Tom and Dan saw him go down for the last time. That probability
existing, I believe we are bound, as good citizens, to see if
we can find any trace of a drowned man. If we can, then as good
citizens it is clearly our further duty to report the matter to
the authorities. If we can't find the remains of the drowned
man, then I am under the impression that, at the least, Tom and
Dan must report to some county officer just what they did see,
and the county can then take up the question in any way it pleases.
First of all, however, we ought to look for the body of a drowned
man."

This view prevailing, Tom and Dan launched the canoe, Dick entering
as passenger, while the other two handled the paddles.

Some brisk work took the canoe over, as nearly as Tom could judge,
to the spot where the haunting face had been seen so briefly on
the afternoon before.

Under the bright morning sun the waters were clear here, though
the bottom could not be seen.

"Paddle half a mile up the lake, then down," Dick ordered.

This was done, Prescott and the paddlers keeping a sharp lookout.
No body of a drowned man was seen, however, either on the surface
or under the water.

"I don't believe anyone was drowned," re marked Dick at last.
"There is no wind today, and hardly any such thing as current
on this placid water. Whoever the man was, he got ashore."

"That's my belief," agreed Reade.

"Where's that brush arrangement?" asked Dan suddenly. "That frame
all trimmed with green boughs."

Nor was this to be seen, either, though an object of that size
would have been visible at any point on the water within half
a mile.

"The man got ashore, all right, and he took care of the bush-trimmed
frame as well," was Prescott's conclusion. "Whoever the m