for it if none comes our way.
But seriously, Scotty, this is none of our business. The local
officials can handle it without any help from us. So let's not get too
involved."

Scotty leaned back against the seat and grinned lazily. "Think you can
take your own advice?"

"I think so," Rick said, with his fingers crossed.

Scotty pointed to a low line ahead. "There's the reef. See the light
on the tip?"

"Couldn't very well miss it," Rick said. The light was painted with
red and white stripes and it stood out sharply against the sky. He
gave Scotty a side glance. "What did you make out of all that talk
last night? Think Captain Tyler ran on the reef purposely?"

Scotty shook his head. "He didn't strike me as a thief, and that's
what he'd have to be to wreck his trawler on purpose."

"I liked his looks, too. Then Cap'n Mike said he didn't drink, so his
statement that he was under the influence of liquor wouldn't hold
water, either. What's the answer?"

"If we knew, would we be here?" Scotty waved at the shore. "How far
does this stuff extend?"

The water ended in an almost solid wall of rushes and salt-marsh
growth that would be far above even a tall man's head if he stood at
sea level. Now and then a small inlet appeared where the water flowed
too rapidly for plant life to grow.

"There's about a mile of the stuff," Rick said. "It stops at the reef.
I'm not sure how wide it is, but I'd guess it averages a quarter of a
mile. It's called Brendan's Marsh, after an old man who got lost in it
once. It was over a week before he was found."

They were approaching the reef at a good clip.

"What do we do first?" Scotty asked.

Rick shrugged. He had no plan of action. "Guess we just sort of wander
around and wait for a bright idea to hit us."

"Lot of other people with the same idea, I guess." Scotty nodded
toward the reef.

Rick saw a number of figures moving around the wreck of the trawler.
"Wonder who they are?"

"Probably a lot of folks who are just curious--like two in this boat.
And I wouldn't be surprised if the law was doing a little looking
around by daylight, too."

"We'll soon see." Rick turned the launch inshore as they approached
the reef. "Let's tie up at the Creek House dock. Then we can walk down
the reef and join the rest."

"Suits me."

Rick rounded the corner of the salt marsh and steered the launch into
the creek, reducing speed as he did so. On their right, the marsh
stretched inland