t back to Huddleston, and
meet us on the wharf at nightfall. We've got a heavy night's work ahead
of us. Carey's probably jarred a good deal to find that we've got a tug
and a launch to play with."

"That's all right, and I'll obey orders, of course," said Congdon,
wiping the oil from his hands; "but don't forget that my father's out
there on that tug. I don't know what trouble he's in, but I can't forget
that he's my father--"

Archie, touched by his display of feeling, turned with a pleading glance
to the Governor, but the Governor needed no prompting to be kind.

"My dear boy," he said, "you may rely upon me to extricate your father
from his embarrassments. Archie and I are going aboard the tug to study
his case carefully. If we don't do anything else this summer we're
going to take the kink out of your family affairs."

"There's no reason why you should--" Putney began.

"Reason!" exclaimed the Governor, snapping his fingers contemptuously,
"reasons for things are a horrible bore. In this pretty good old world
we must apologize for our sins and weaknesses but not for our kind
intentions."

As they boarded the _Arthur B. Grover_ Eliphalet made no attempt to
speak to Putney though he leaned over the side and shook his umbrella at
the launch as it drew away. The Governor told Perky to produce food and
invited Eliphalet and the detective to supper. The officer, churlish
from his bath in the bay and his enforced appearance in jumper and
overalls during the drying of his garments, replied to a polite inquiry
that his name was Briggs but that his credentials had been lost in his
tumble into the water.

"We shall waive all formalities," said the Governor, "as my guest your
official connections, real or fictitious, concern me not at all."

Corned beef, crackers, fruit and coffee composed the supper, and
Eliphalet Congdon, Briggs, Archie and the Governor sat cross-legged on
the deck and partook of it picnic fashion.

"A truce to our difficulties, gentlemen!" the Governor cried, lifting
his tin cup of coffee. "I'm sure there are misunderstandings involving
all of us that time will clear up. It's mighty lucky for you, Briggs,
that we succeeded in detaching you from that chap who brought you here.
If you had remained in his company you would certainly have come to
grief. With murderous intent he ran down two women right here in the
bay last night. We saved their lives by sheer good luck. You were not
with him, I suppo