Grandall's great, fat neck was
weakened. Like lightning and with a vicious curse the latter threw him
off, put forth all his strength and hurled the tramp to the floor.

For himself there was aid in sight, was Grandall's thought. If he could
escape to the water below, he could make some explanation to those on the
raft, whoever they might be. They would save him from the fire and from
Murky, whom he feared still more.

Far more quickly than you read the words, the idea flashed in the mind of
the frightened scoundrel. The instant he freed himself he leaped again
through the window. With the yell of an enraged maniac Murky followed.

The Auto Boys and their companions on the great raft, floating but a
few hundred feet from shore, saw Grandall reappear. With horrified
faces they saw about him the smoke and flame that now raged in the roof
above, and throughout the whole lower floor of the clubhouse, below
the balcony,--saw him seize the leather case and pitch it far forward
to the water's edge--saw him glance down as if, in desperation, to leap.

Again a blood-thirsty savage scream sounded above the fury of the fire
and wind, and Murky also appeared on the flame-shrouded balcony.

Grandall was too late. No more than a child could he cope with the mad
strength of his assailant. Like a great bag of meal, or other heavy, limp
and lifeless thing he was dragged in through the open, blazing window. A
fiendish but triumphant yell once more came out of the leaping smoke and
flame. It was the voice of the infuriated tramp, to be heard on earth
again, no more forever.

Dazed, powerless, speechless, those on the lake helplessly witnessed the
awful tragedy. With straining eyes and ears they watched and listened;
but there came now no sound above the fitful roar and crackle of the fire
and the surging wind.

Within a minute the roof of the clubhouse went down. The whole interior
of the building followed, and where had stood the old house on the Point
there remained only the walls of flaming logs, the mass of debris and the
wreckage of wrecked lives that rapidly burned within them.

"You know what's in that bag he threw down to the water?" the golfing
man asked. It was in the midst of the exclamation and words of awe of
those who saw the terrible scene enacted, that the question was asked
of Anderson. The Swede nodded.

"And you?" said the stranger, turning to Phil as spokesman for the boys.

"Yes, we know. We know the whole s