shack behind it.

"Go past Smugglers' Reef and then turn and come back over Creek
House," Scotty suggested.

Rick nodded. Dead ahead he could see the curving arm of the reef and
the wreck of Tyler's trawler. He saw that the fishing craft had piled
up just about midway between the navigation light on the reef's tip
and the old tower where the light formerly had been. Men were working
about the trawler. Then, as the Cub flashed overhead, he saw a large
truck that had backed down the reef toward the wreck as far as it was
safe to go.

Scotty had been watching through the glasses. As Rick swung wide out
to sea and banked around to go south again, he said, "Know what
they're doing down there? They're stripping the wreck."

"That makes sense," Rick said. "Probably the insurance company wants
to salvage what it can. They'd have to act fast before sea water
ruined the engines."

He banked sharply over Brendan's Marsh. To the right was the highway
leading from Whiteside to Seaford. Between the highway and the sea was
the marsh. Although the marsh looked like solid growth from the
ground, it could be seen that it was cut up by narrow waterways, most
of which wandered aimlessly through the rushes and then vanished. Salt
Creek was sharply defined, however, indicating that it was much deeper
than the surrounding water.

The Creek House was fenced in on only two sides, he saw. The high
boards separated it from the next hotel on the south, and from the
road on the sea front. But inland, a continuation of the marsh served
as a dividing line. Salt Creek made the fourth side. The old mansion
was set in the middle of the square with a big combination garage and
boathouse behind it, almost against the marsh on the creek side. The
doors were open and he could make out a black car, probably a coupe or
two-door model, in one of the stalls.

"See anyone?" Scotty asked.

"Not a soul." Evidently the Kelsos were indoors.

Rick climbed as the Cub passed over Seaford, then turned out to sea
and went northward again. Scotty kept the glasses on Smugglers' Reef.
As they flashed past, he swiveled sharply. "Rick, make another run,
right over the wreck."

"You won't be able to see it if I go right over it," Rick objected.

"I don't want to see the wreck, I want a closer look at the old
tower."

Rick shot a glance at his pal. "See something?"

"I'm not sure."

"I'll throttle down so you can get a better look." He made a slow
bank, lin