in.

"Of course," he continued, as if thinking aloud, "it's obvious. The
man came ashore in a small boat, picked some heather, and carried it
in his arms. Anyone who noticed him would have noticed his load of
heather. Then he stole Sholto, concealed him under the heather, and
was still apparently only carrying a bundle of innocent heath. Why!
they seem to have thought of everything, and made no mistake."

"Except that the man was wandering about the country-side, gathering
wild flowers, in his stockinged soles," I pointed out.

"Still, it was almost dark, and he chanced that," said Garnesk.

"What I don't understand about it is this," the General joined in:
"Where did he come from to gather this heather? A man must know that
if he is seen to come ashore and pick heather and get into his boat
again he is doing a very curious thing. That boat can only have come
from Knoydart or Skye at the farthest, and everybody knows you
wouldn't take heather there."

"Yes, I'm afraid you're right, General," Garnesk admitted, with a
sigh of regret, and I was compelled to agree with him.

"I know where he came from, then."

It was said so quietly that it startled us all, though it was Myra who
spoke.

"Where, then?" we all asked together.

"He must have come from a yacht."

CHAPTER X.

THE SECRET OF THE ROCK.

We made exhaustive inquiries everywhere, but no one had seen a yacht
anchored or otherwise resting off the point the previous night. One or
two vessels had been noticed passing the mouth of Loch Hourn during
the evening, but they were mostly recognisable as belonging to
residents in the neighbourhood, and in any case not one of them had
been seen to drop the two men in a boat who were causing us so much
anxiety. When Garnesk and I went up the river to the Chemist's Rock we
were equally unsuccessful there.

"Look here," I said, "suppose you were to go blind, Mr. Garnesk? I
can't allow you to run any risks of that sort. We have every reason to
know that there is something gruesome and uncanny about this spot, and
I should feel happier if you would keep at a safe distance."

"How about yourself?" he replied.

"It's a personal affair with me," I pointed out, "but I can't let your
kindness in assisting us as you are doing run the length of possible
blindness."

"Nonsense, my dear fellow," he exclaimed; "we're in this together. I
am just as keen to get to the bottom of this matter as you are. But it
behoves