Van Dusen regarded the young man tolerantly, but his smile was a little
cynical as he replied:

"When you have studied crime as thoroughly as I have during the past few
years, Roy, you will not be so confident of finding nothing but good in
any particular man, no matter how high his reputation may be. I cannot
say with certainty that Doctor Garnet is vile; neither can I say that he
is incapable of vileness. But in the work I have to do, I must entertain
all possibilities if I would solve the problem."

"Well, Arthur," came Roy's reply after a moment of reflection, "I admit
that I am amazed by what you have told me. I do not in the least
understand the turn of affairs by which Doctor Garnet is implicated. But
you are in charge of the case, and I am absolutely in your hands. I mean
not to hamper you in any way--not even by throwing doubts on your
judgment. So, now, just tell me what you mean to do next."

Van Dusen answered authoritatively:

"We must leave at once. On my way here, I sent out wires to Norfolk and
other near-by coast points. These will be sufficient to keep the port
officers on the lookout for _The Isabel_, as well as the coast-guard
crews. I have a wardrobe on board my yacht. Whatever you may need beyond
what's in your bag, I can supply you with. Let's be off."

Van Dusen's yacht was moored near the spot where _The Isabel_ had been
lying. The detective made diligent inquiry at the landing stage in the
hope of picking up some bit of information concerning Doctor Garnet's
presence there, but the effort was fruitless. No one seemed to have
known anything concerning the physician's visit.

Forthwith, then, the two young men went aboard Van Dusen's yacht, and a
few minutes later the vessel was under way, with instructions to the
master to hug the New Jersey shore while keeping a sharp lookout for
_The Isabel_.

The detective operated his own wireless outfit and for several hours at
the outset of the voyage he kept busy, interrogating the different ships
bound up and down the coast, and the shore stations as well, for any
information concerning the stolen yacht. Finally, a tramp steamer
answered that she had passed _The Isabel_ the day before, and that the
yacht at that time was headed down the coast, going slowly, in the
direction of Hampton Roads. At once, on receiving this news, Van Dusen
directed that the yacht's course should be set for Cape Charles and the
Roads.

As a matter of fact, without