ve a
cigar?"

"Thanks, but I'm only staying a jiff. Got to make another call and
it's nearly noon now. Would you mind if I leave the door open? The
smoke's pretty thick."

"Hit you with an umbrella, eh?" chortled the lawyer with jovial
skepticism as he tilted back in his swivel chair. "Deduction: It had a
knob on the end of it! Sentence: Thirty days in the woods!" and Mr.
Ferguson stroked his nose while he permitted his shoulders to shake in
appreciation of his own pleasantry. Mr. Ferguson's nose was fleshy and
its color was red.

"On my way there now--going fishing down the French River with an old
schoolmate," grinned Phil. "Say, there was a meeting over at my
uncle's on the Island last night, Blatch," he added briskly. "I
believe you were there. Will you tell me what took place?"

Ferguson sat up. He ran his fingers over his head in a habitual
gesture which long since had worn a bald streak along the top. He
leaned back again in his chair, the tips of his fingers pressed
together, and for a moment scowled thoughtfully at the wall.

"You're getting into deep water, boy," he warned at last slowly. "I
don't know where the mischief you got that information; but I'll have
to refer you to the Chief himself for your answer. Why, what do you
want to know for?"

"Oh, nothing in particular, except--it was very foggy, you remember?--a
pretty good night for concealment, if anybody happened to be interested
in spying on you people over there. You know more about that than I
do."

Mr. Ferguson played a good game of poker; he prided himself upon his
self-control. But the seriousness of his manner indicated that he was
startled.

"Just what do you mean by that, Phil? You've come here to tell me
something. What is it?"

So Kendrick told him, omitting nothing except the fact that the girl
had dared him to kiss her, and that when he had done so he had gone in
for an involuntary swim.

"And you let that woman go home alone at that hour of the morning? You
are neglectful both of your opportunities and your etiquette!" but
although the lawyer's tone was light he was very serious as he pursed
his lips and scowled.

"Don't go blaming me, Blatch. As soon as I helped her ashore she ran
off and the fog was so thick you couldn't see anybody within a couple
of feet of you. I tried my best to find out who she was; but she
ducked. Besides, how was I to know the thing mattered? I didn't know
Uncle Milt was in