The Washington herald., 1915-03-28
CHAPTER u.

n pidty. 1t was the womans swift intui-
tive part to discover hiding places; the lean
Jake's to discriminate In values; Big Ben's, with
nippers and hammer and screwdriver to rip off
hrasswOrk. to open drawers to rend and tear and
splinter if need he Within Incredibly short space
of time they had the skif piled high with the rich
est and the best which the houseboat had contaned
then they spread the tarpaulin over their plumber
and disposed their punches Of celery so that the
green leaves protruded in a fringe from under the
edge OF the tarpauin: then the heavily laden skif,
with its four passengers and its loot wormed its
way clumsily from amid the barges looking like an
innocent farmer boat
The sun. now golden ball in the eastern mist
looked down upon a harborage busy with the pur
suers of the little runaway bride Henri and Marie
were swishinG swiftly; Ned and Bobbie and Iris
were leaving the dock in Boobies speedy little cruis
er; Honoria Blye and the well known and justly IA
nous private detective Bill Wolf were putting out
into the river in the Eagle Eye Detective agency's
steam yawl its stovepipe stack rolling black smoke
and cinders and hot sparks back over the already
hIackening passengers; Gilbert Blye and the heavy
dded Edwards were just leaving the Hilarity in
the keen little racer; Cunningham had been slow
and below decks when they put of. but he followed
now in the cutter The racer and the cutter speed
ell straight the point around which June had dis
appeared Tommy Thomas waved scarf after
them and shouted absurd instructions to them, but
Mrs Willard stood quietly by the rail, her eyes fixed
somberly on that distant point
Slowly June raised from her crouching position
The cling of the small boat which she had sighted
seemed he fainter rather than more distinct. 1t
was fading into the distance when she looked. and
from its red stern she knew that 1t not one of
the IIiIaritys boats Once more she breathed sigh
of relief but even she did she heard familiar
sound-the siren whistle Of the Hiaritys cutter!
And il near!
Frantically she scanned the shore. There
was another inlet Just ahead Of her, and in despera
hrrtd fc-
tinct channel, winding about amid tange Of shrub
berry and marsh grass and stunted trees, with here
and there a larger tree rising from mound OF
solid earth. There high banks presently and
then tiny island in the center Of which was de-
crepit hut. June was about to step ashore when
she heard the low purring OF a motor. The cutter
From the sudden shut-in ness of the sound it had
entered the inlet In terror June jumped back into
the boat The hut seemed deserted There was no
smoke rising from the chimney and one to protect
her if she were found there alone. She away
In Il flash. circng the island. From the other side
she that the channel led away into the marshes,
probably to another inlet and she had started TO
dart down this lonely waterway when suddenly she
spicd a rope trailing out into the water from under
some bushes matted with marsh weeds. The whir
Of the motor was rapidly advancing. She could
scarcely hope To escape unseen. Her wits sharp
cned by her peril she steered with swift decision
TOW ard the overhancinC bushes They parted as her
PROV ran into them. and. hcuding low she found
herself shot into entire concealment. The whir of
the approaching motor grew loud. Quick As flash
June reached for the teltalc rope which had be-
traycd this hiding place and drew it under cover OF
the matted bushes.
Louder and lauder grew the whir. 1t was just
upon her With her heart beating so that her
full Of the sound Z" June pcered out through
her leafy screen. Grin Cunningham. He crcled the
island in his swift little cutter his keen eyes search
ing everywhere He PASSED within ten feet of her.
She held her breath lest he might hear it. and
his eyes turned full in her direction and she
thought he had certainly detected her hiding place.
she almost screamed
He passed however. and. running his light lit
tie boat ashore stepped out and went up to the hut.
the only p"Ssihc place of cOnccamcnt the island.
June held Il swift debate with herself Should she
leave her concealment and. running her motor at its
quietcst speed slip away down that other channel
while Cunningham in the hut: That debate
settled in instant. for up the other channel
slipped the swift little speed boat carrying Edwards
and Gilbert Blye Blye's dark. handsome face WAS
without its usual suave smile. and it wore look Of
concern making a quick landing he hurried up
to the hut. followed by the plOdding Edwards
Ii seemed a"pS before they came away. and they
had apparently thorough search for they
even stopped down they came outside tn peer
under the stlted foundation amid the rubbish which
had accumulated there When they had gone away
June remained for long time in her hiding place.
hut finally she stepped from her boat and crept from
her concealment- Thirst inspired by the fever of
lrinkable water.