sbrook was with him, and quite as much interested in
the theory as the officer, who desired to vindicate his reputation as a
detective. He had driven to the house of the victim of the outrage, and
looked the matter over again in the light of the evidence obtained from
the boat-builder.

[Illustration: MORE EVIDENCE. Page 299.]

"I have been trying to see Donald Ramsay," said Hasbrook. "I have been
to his shop four times, but he's always off on some boat scrape. You say
he saw Captain Shivernock the next morning."

"Yes; and the captain didn't want to be seen, which is the best part of
the testimony. If it was he, it seems to me you would have known him
when he hammered you."

"How could I, when he was rigged up so different, with his head all
covered up?" replied Hasbrook, impatiently. "The man was about the
captain's height, but stouter."

"He was dressed for the occasion," added the sheriff, as he walked to
the shore, where the skiff lay.

They dragged it down to the water,--for it was low tide,--and got into
it. Beardsley had traced to the cove the print of the heavy boot, which
first appeared in some loam under the window where the ruffian had
entered Hasbrook's house. He found it in the sand on the shore; and he
was satisfied that the perpetrator of the outrage had arrived and
departed in a boat. He had obtained from the captain's boot-maker a
description of his boots, but none corresponded with those which had
made the prints in Northport and Lincolnville.

At the cove all clew to the ruffian had been lost; but now it was
regained.

The sheriff paddled the skiff out from the shore in the direction of
Seal Island. The water was clear, and they could see the bottom, which
they examined very carefully as they proceeded.

"I see it," suddenly exclaimed Hasbrook, as he grasped the boat-hook.

"Lay hold of it," added the sheriff. "I knew I was right."

"I have it."

Hasbrook hauled up what appeared to be a bundle of old clothes, and
deposited it in the bottom of the skiff. Mr. Beardsley had worked up his
case very thoroughly, though it was a little singular that he had not
thought to ask Donald any questions; but these investigations had been
made when the boat-builder was at home all the time, and the detective
did not like to talk about the case any more than was necessary. He had
ascertained that Captain Shivernock wore his usual gray suit when Donald
saw him after the outrage, and he came to the concl