He paused and looked away at the sea. When he resumed there was a
suspicious huskiness in his voice. "Seems to me that as far as you are
concerned, nature has punished you about enough. You ought to know by
this time what interfering with the radio wave lengths belonging to sea
traffic might mean to shipwrecked men; and--well--Oh, what's the use!"
he broke off abruptly. "I'm a chicken-hearted fool. You're out on parole
and must report to your sister every week. She's--she's what I'd call a
brick!"

Turning hastily he walked away.

Almost before he knew it, he all but ran over Gladys Ardmore, coming to
meet him.

"Oh, Mister--Mister--" she hesitated.

"Just plain Curlie," he smiled.

"You--you're coming to see me when you get home? Won't you?"

Curlie thought a moment, then of a sudden the spacious walls of the
Ardmore mansion flashed into his mind. To go there as an officer of the
law was one thing; to go as a guest was quite another.

"Why--why--" he drew back in confusion--"you'll have to excuse me
but--but--"

"Oh! I know!" she exclaimed. "It's the house and everything. Tell you
what," she seized him by the arm; "there's a little old-fashioned
farmhouse down in one corner of our estate. It was there when we bought
it and has been kept just the same ever since. Even the furniture, red
plush chairs, kitchen stove and everything, are there. We'll go down
there and have a regular frolic sometime, popcorn, molasses candy,
checkers and everything. We've a wonderful cook who once lived on a
farm. We'll take her along as a chaperon. Now will you come? Will you?"
she urged eagerly.

"Why--why--"

"If you don't," she held up a warning finger, "I'll come up and visit
you in that secret wireless room of yours just as I once said I would."

"In that case," said Curlie, "I suppose I'll have to surrender. And," he
added happily, "here we are, back to dear old North America, without any
gold but with a lot to be thankful for."

The boat was bumping against the dock. Giving his arm a squeeze the girl
dashed away.

CHAPTER XXV

OFF ON ANOTHER WILD CHASE

A few nights later Curlie was back in the secret tower room. He was busy
as ever running down trouble.

Joe Marion, entering the room noiselessly, dropped a letter into his
hand. The letter bore the insignia of the Ardmore family in one corner.

"From Gladys Ardmore!" he told himself.

But he was mistaken. It was a typewritten letter signed in a bol