augh.

It was some time before the last of the rowboats returned to the
steamer. The first mate brought a report to Captain Bradley and Mr.
Lawrence, to which the boys listened with interest. The mate said that
it was thought on board the steam yacht that the fire had started from a
cigarette thrown away by one of the moving-picture actors, a young man
named Ward Porton, but that this could not be proved. The mate stated
that the captain of the steam yacht was quite upset over the occurrence,
as he considered that the fire was due to carelessness, and nothing
else. He had told the mate privately that it would be a long time before
he would take out another moving-picture company on his vessel.

"He says they are doing all sorts of stunts on the ship, and taking
pictures of 'em," went on the mate. "He says some of the actors and
actresses are pretty good people, but the rest of the bunch act like
wild Indians."

"Ward Porton!" exclaimed Dave, turning to his chums. "Why, that is the
young fellow we hauled out of the water!"

"That's right," returned Phil. "Maybe he got scared when he found out
that his cigarette had started the fire and that was one reason why he
jumped overboard."

"I didn't like the manner of that fellow at all," was Shadow's comment.
"He looked like a pretty loose sort of a character."

"Well, I don't know. I thought he looked like----" began Ben, and then
stopped suddenly, in some confusion.

"Looked like what, Ben?" asked Dave, curiously.

"Oh, it doesn't matter, Dave," answered his Crumville chum. "Just the
same, I can't help but think that--Oh well, never mind, let it go."

"But what did you think he looked like, Ben?" put in Phil. "Come, what
are you so mysterious about?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter, I tell you," answered Ben, and now looked more
confused than ever.

"Hello! Ben is trying to hide some deep and dark mystery," put in
Shadow. "Come now, little boy, unlimber your mind and let us know what
it is."

"Well; if you've got to know, I'll tell you. I was thinking that in some
way that Ward Porton looked something like Dave."

"Say, that's right!" burst out Phil, and then added quickly to our hero:
"No offense, old man, but he did resemble you--only of course he was not
so good-looking."

"Yes, there was some resemblance," said Roger, "but I don't think it was
enough to count; so Dave needn't worry."

"I guess Mr. Ward Porton has a perfect right to his looks," remarked
Dave ca