g infectious in his light spirits and careless air.
Despite themselves the boys found they were growing interested in this
queer old fellow.

Frank studied Mr. Cooler carefully. Had he not felt certain that the man
was playing a part, he would have enjoyed the old fellow's chatter. But
Frank could see beneath the surface, and he was absolutely satisfied
that Mr. Cooler was not what he represented himself to be. Frank had
never heard of the Bay Islands Land Company; he did not believe there
was such a company in existence.

If Cooler was lying, why was he doing so? What was his object in
attempting to force himself upon them? Why had he come to the island in
such a manner?

Frank had decided that Cooler was a spy and he had been set upon them by
the very ones who were so determined to drive them away from that
island. In that case, this light-hearted, careless old fellow was
connected with a gang of criminals who did not hesitate to do murder in
order to conceal their crimes.

Mr. Cooler did not stop eating clams till the last one was devoured, and
he disposed of that himself.

"Ah!" he sighed, drawing back and finding a comfortable position, where
he could sit with his back resting against a bowlder. "Now, I do feel
good! Young gentlemen, I am glad you came. Accept my congratulations on
this remarkably successful clambake. You have done a good job; I have
done another. My stomach has not been in the best possible condition
lately. I've been living at home. My wife cooks. Six months ago she was
a magnificent, a celestial cook! Oh, how beautifully she could broil a
beefsteak! But, alas! Also alack! She got the bicycle craze; she bought
a wheel. Now she is an inveterate scorcher."

He took a pipe out of his pocket and began to fill it, chattering away
in a jolly manner as he did so. He seemed inclined to do all the
talking.

"Doesn't your jaw get tired at times?" inquired Frank.

"Eh?" came in surprise from the little man. "Why?"

"I should think it would, you talk so much."

"He! he! Ho! ho! Wait a minute. Ha! ha!--knew there was another way to
laugh if I could think of it. Jaw get tired? My dear young gentleman, if
you had a wife like mine, you would consider it a privilege to talk
occasionally. I do not get an opportunity when I am at home. When I get
away from home, I make up for lost time. Haw! haw!--came near forgetting
that method of laughing. Don't mind me. I know I am something of a
chinning machine,