ase. "I've been wanting to
ask you," he said. "That answer you gave to Jerry when he asked where
Tom Tyler was. You said 'Inside. Surrounded by fools.' What did you
mean?"

Cap'n Mike sniffed. "Just what I said. If the constable and the rest
hadn't been fools they would have known that Tom Tyler was afraid to
talk. Just like plenty of others are afraid."

Rick picked up his ears. "Others? Cap'n, I think you know a few things
you haven't told us."

The old seaman hauled in his line and grunted when he saw that his
bait had been stolen. "Reckon we got too many bait stealers down below
now. Either of you boys hungry?"

"I am," Scotty said promptly.

"I could eat," Rick admitted. He looked at his watch. It was almost
noon.

"Then let's haul anchor and get out of here."

In a moment the hand lines were wound on driers and the anchor stowed.
At Cap'n Mike's direction, Rick pointed the launch to the south,
toward the town. The old man took out his pocketknife, whetted it
briefly on the sole of his shoe, and commenced to clean and fillet the
fish they had caught. Scotty slipped into the seat beside Rick.

"What do you think about trying to solve this one?"

Rick shrugged. There was nothing he enjoyed as much as a mystery, but
he wanted more information from Captain Michael O'Shannon before he
agreed to anything. He had suspected that the old seaman knew more
than he was saying. "We'll wait and see what develops," he said. "Okay
with you?"

"Suits me," Scotty agreed.

The launch sped past Million Dollar Row, leaving behind a string of
fishy waste as Cap'n Mike went on with his cleaning. By the time they
were even with the town he had a handsome stack of white boneless
fillets all ready for the pan. He brought them forward and took a
seat next to Scotty. "Guess these'll taste mighty good. Got a little
fresh bread and plenty of butter to go with 'em."

Rick pointed to a large barnlike structure on the biggest pier in
front of the town. "What's that?"

"Fish market. That's where most of the trawlers load and unload. It's
quiet now, because the fleet is out, but after dark when they come in,
and early in the morning before they leave--that's the busiest place
in these parts. I'll take you down there one of these times. Might be
we'll find a couple of answers there."

He pointed to an old windmill on the shore just below the town. "Steer
for that."

"Do you live there?" Scotty asked.

"I live in a shack behind