ould be easy for anyone to disconnect
Smugglers' Light and then reconnect it. All he would need would be an
insulated screw driver."

"And that's not all," Scotty added. "He said Tom Tyler was first one
back from the fishing grounds eight times out of ten because the _Sea
Belle_ was the fastest boat in the fleet and the best handled."

The more Rick thought about it, the more he was convinced that his
theory of the wrecking of the trawler would hold water. Cap'n Mike had
plugged up another hole, too. Rick had wondered about the backside of
the light. He had noticed that there was a red sector on the
townside, a common method of construction on lights of that sort. On
Cap'n Mike's chart, shaded areas showed how the light worked. It was
visible from the seaside in an arc of 180 degrees. It was dark in the
quadrant toward the marsh and red in the quadrant toward the town. But
warehouses and pier sheds blocked off the light from almost all of the
town except Million Dollar Row, and since the red portion would be out
for only a short time, it was long odds against anyone noticing it or
investigating if they did.

"It's pretty sound," Rick said. "Only I wonder if we'll ever prove
it?"

"Not in time for this morning's hearing, that's for sure," Scotty
commented. "Maybe Captain Killian will have something to say. If he
ever gets back."

Cap'n Mike had tried unsuccessfully last night to see Jim Killian. He
was still visiting his mother.

Jerry's car rolled down the main street of Seaford toward the town
hall. Rick could see that an unusual number of cars was lined up along
the curbs. The hearing was attracting a great deal of interest, as
could have been expected. He wondered if the Kelsos would be there.

Jerry pulled into a convenient parking space. As they got out, he
asked Rick, "Got your camera?"

Rick held it up. "We've got our press cards, too. That makes us legal
spectators for a change."

"For a change is right," Scotty said. "Lead the way, Jerry."

The hearing room was on the second floor. Jerry pushed his way through
the crowd in the corridor with Rick and Scotty following, and found
the entrance. A police officer stopped them at the door, then
permitted them to enter when they showed their press cards. Rick
wondered if the hearing would be closed to the public, but when he got
inside he saw that every seat was taken. He recognized a face here and
there, including that of Bill Lake. The others he recogniz