the keys from the ignition and joined him. Together they
pulled the launch in a foot or two more, then dug the anchor into the
sand. It would hold until the tide changed.

"Let's go look at the wreck," Scotty said.

Rick nodded. "Afterward, I think we'd better go look up Cap'n Mike. I
have some questions I want to ask him."

"About what?"

"Something he said last night. And about the Kelsos."

They reached the old light tower and paused to examine it. Salt air
had etched the steel of the frame badly. The tower was almost forty
feet high, about twice as tall as the present light. At its top had
been a wooden platform where the lightkeeper had once stood to care
for the light. A rusty metal ladder led up one side of the tower to
where the platform had been.

Rick wondered why the authorities had abandoned the tower in favor of
the smaller light at the very tip of the reef and decided it probably
was because having the warning signal at the very point was more
practical. That way, a ship needed only to clear the light without
worrying about how far away from the light it had to pass.

"Let's go," Scotty said. "Nothing interesting about this relic."

They joined the group of men at the wreck of the _Sea Belle_ and saw
that the wreck was being inspected, probably by the insurance people.
A question to one of the watchers affirmed the guess. Rick asked,
"What do they expect to find?"

"Search me."

Scotty nudged Rick. "We won't have to look far for Cap'n Mike. There
he is."

The old man was seated on a rock, whittling at a twig. Seemingly, he
paid no attention to anything going on. Now and then he looked out to
sea, but mostly he paid attention to his whittling.

Rick walked over, Scotty behind him. "Good morning, Cap'n Mike."

"'Morning, boys."

"Remember us?"

"Sure do. Where's the reporter?"

"He's not with us. We came down to do a little fishing."

Bright eyes twinkled at them. "Fishing, eh? What kind?"

"We thought we might get some blackfish at the end of the reef,"
Scotty replied.

"You might at that," Cap'n Mike said. "You might gets crabs off the
end of the Creek House pier, too, if Red Kelso would let you try. Did
you ask him?"

Rick grinned. Cap'n Mike might not seem to be paying attention, but
evidently he didn't miss much.

"We didn't ask him," he said. "Maybe we didn't even see him." He knew
Cap'n Mike could have seen the boat vanish upcreek and return, but he
wouldn't have been able