ey thought that they were doing me
a good turn by trying to discredit my young friend--I am proud to call him
so--my young friend, Prescott."

For the first time, Roy was moved to speak.

"I hardly think that your workmen were responsible, Mr. Mortlake," he said
slowly and distinctly.

"You do not? Who, then?"

"I don't know, yet, but I shall, you can depend upon that."

"Really? How very clever we are. Smart as a steel trap, hey?" grated
out old Harding, rubbing his hands. "Smart as a steel trap, with teeth
that bite and hold, hey, hey, hey?"

"Instead of wasting time here, I propose that we at once go to the house
in which Roy was confined, and see if we can catch the rascals implicated
in this," said Lieut. Bradbury. "Can you guide us, my boy?"

"I think so, sir. It's not more than half an hour's tramp from here," said
Roy. "Let's be off at once, otherwise they may escape us."

"Ridiculous, in my opinion," said Mortlake decisively. "Depend upon it,
those ruffians have found out by now how cleverly the boy escaped them,
and have decamped. We had much better get back to town and notify the
police."

"I beg your pardon, but I differ from your opinion," said the naval
officer, looking at the other sharply. "Of course, if you don't want to
go----"

"Oh, it isn't that," Mortlake hastened to say. "I'm willing, but Mr.
Harding. He is old, and the night air----"

"Mr. Harding can remain with the automobile. There are plenty of wraps in
it. Come, Roy. Are you coming, Mr. Mortlake?"

"Yes, oh, yes. Mr. Harding, you will make yourself comfortable till we
return."

Having said this, Mortlake came lumbering after the other two, as eagerly
as if his whole soul was bent on capturing the two men who had been
carrying out his orders.

"I've got a revolver ready for them," he volunteered, as the party plunged
through the woods along the little track Roy had followed.

"Take care it doesn't go off prematurely and alarm them," said the
officer. "We don't want to let them slip through our fingers."

"Of course not; I'll be very careful," promised Mortlake.

They trudged on in silence. Suddenly Roy halted.

"We're near to the place now," he said.

"Advance cautiously in single file," ordered the lieutenant. "I'll go
first."

In Indian file, they crept up on the house. Its outlines could now be
seen, and in one window a ruddy glow from the lamp the two abductors of
Roy had kindled. Evidently they had not yet discov