kin
hesitated in his intention of landing the bloodhounds. Besides, having
learned that one of these girls was a daughter of a member of the
powerful lumber company, he feared to make a misstep.

The Rocky River Lumber Company could make or break a sheriff easily
enough. The political power of the men owning the corporation in
Monadnock County was supreme.

"Well, I tell ye what it is, ladies," he said, pulling off his broad
brimmed hat to wipe a perspiring, red brow. "I gotter do my duty----"

"With the prospect of five hundred dollars ahead of you!" interposed
Bobby, pertly.

"That ain't neither here nor there," declared the man. "I got to
search the island."

"You know best what you must do, sir," said Mrs. Morse, coldly. "But I
beg of you to leave your dogs on the boat. I am afraid of the
brutes."

"And don't come to _our_ camp, I pray, looking for any criminal," said
Laura, speaking for the first time.

"Why! I guess not, Ma'am!" cried the sheriff. "Come on, boys. Leave
them dawgs tied yere. And we'll go over the island. It's purty open
timber this end, so he ain't likely to be near here."

They had moored the barge. Barnacle had barked himself hoarse. When
the sheriff and four of his companions leaped ashore, he put his tail
between his legs and scuttled up the hillside again.

At the top he suddenly began to bark once more. He did not face down
hill, but seemed distraught about something, or somebody, in the
camp.

"Hey!" exclaimed the ugly farmer whom Laura had taken a dislike to the
previous day. "That dawg sees something."

"He is crazy," spoke up Laura, quickly. "He is like enough barking at
our maid."

"Sure!" rejoined Bobby. "Liz is up there."

"Come on!" exclaimed the sheriff to his men, and started westward, in
the direction Professor Dimp had taken.

"Whom do you suppose the Barnacle is really barking at?" whispered
Jess to Laura Belding. "He'd never make all that 'catouse' over Liz.
In fact, he wouldn't bark at her at all."

"Hush!" warned Laura, as the party started up the slope toward the
camp.

Jess looked at her curiously. Barnacle was still barking with
desperate determination. Liz appeared before the Central High girls
climbed to the top of the hillock, and catching the dog by the collar,
dragged him over to the corner of the log cabin and snapped on his
chain.

"There!" Laura heard her say. "Ye kin bark your head off--but ye can't
run."

The girl went back to her cook-t