od at Bill
Boughton's, but that's all."

"But the cottage--"

"That is my mother's, and they could never get that. If they sue and I
lose they must take the _Lass_, and after they've subtracted the
judgment from the sale price I suppose I'll get the rest--maybe
enough to buy a second-hand sloop."

"Yes, but that isn't the worst part of it, Code. As soon as they bring
suit they will attach the schooner, so that even if the trial doesn't
come up for weeks you still can't use her, and will have to sit around
idle or go hand-lining in your dory. And you know what that means with
winter comin' on."

"I know." He had seen hard winters that had tried the resources of the
village to the utmost, but he had never faced one that promised to be
like the next.

"Well, what would you advise me to do, captain?"

"Get out!" snapped Tanner. "Get a crew and take the _Lass_ to sea.
There's one thing sure, a lawyer can't serve you with a summons or
anything else if he has to look for you on the Atlantic Ocean."

Schofield smiled. The remedy called for was heroic, truly; but was it
honorable?

"I wonder if they can do that, anyway?" he asked. "After the _May_ was
lost the insurance people settled without a complaint. Can they rake
up that matter again now?"

"By Jove! That reminds me. Them fellers discussed that very thing; an'
the secretary said that if the law had been broke at the time of the
sinkin'--I mean, if the schooner wasn't fit or had been tampered
with--that it was within the law. But, o' course, somebody's got to
make the complaint."

"That's just it," cried Code, springing up and throwing away the stump
of his cigar; "somebody has got to make the complaint! Well, now, from
what I can see, somebody's made it. All this talk could not have gone
on in the island unless it started from somewhere. And the question
is, where?"

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. In the darkness the
figure of a man appeared approaching the house. A moment later the
newcomer stepped on the low veranda, and both men recognized him.

It was Nat Burns.

"Is Nellie here?" he asked without the formality of the usual
greetings.

"I cal'late she is, Nat," replied Tanner, rising to his feet. "Wait a
minute an' I'll call her."

But he had not reached the door before the girl herself stepped out on
the porch. She ran out eagerly, but stopped short when she saw Code in
the darkness. Their meeting was obviously reserved.

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