Rick and pointed to the camera. Rick nodded and inserted
a flash bulb. He caught the clerk's eye and held up the camera. The
clerk frowned, then motioned him to come inside the rail. Rick did so
and snapped a picture of the tribunal. Then he turned and got a photo
of Tom Tyler and the men at his table, with the audience in the
background. He looked at Jerry. The young reporter nodded, indicating
that two pictures would be enough.

Rick resumed his seat.

The middle man on the platform leaned over and asked, "Who is
representing Captain Tyler?"

Tom Tyler stood up. "No one, sir."

A murmur ran through the courtroom.

"Captain," the man asked, "do you mean you have come into this hearing
without counsel?"

"Sir, I'm pleading guilty to whatever the charge is. I don't need a
lawyer for that." Tyler sat down again.

There was whispered consultation among the three on the bench. Then
the spokesman leaned forward again.

"Captain, as I understand the facts presented by the officers who
investigated, if you plead guilty you will, in effect, state that you
deliberately wrecked your ship. If you so state, your insurance
company will have no recourse but to ask your arrest on a charge of
barratry. Do you understand that?"

Tyler's shoulders straightened. "If that's the way it is, sir, I guess
that's the way it is. I'm pleading guilty."

The murmur in the court rose.

Rick leaned over to Jerry. "He's scared stiff. He must be, to take
this lying down."

But if the Kelsos had threatened Mrs. Tyler and their little girl,
there wasn't much else he could do. Wrecking the trawler had shown him
they were capable of carrying out any threat. Rick was glad he had had
presence of mind the night before to say that other people knew he and
Scotty were going to Creek House. He was sure that had the Kelsos and
Brad thought that no one else knew, their fate would have been much
different.

A hand fell on his shoulder. He looked up into the face of the officer
who had been at the door.

"You Rick Brant?"

He nodded.

"Cap'n Mike is outside. Says it's urgent. He wants you and Don Scott."

"We'll come right away," Rick said. He leaned over and explained to
Jerry. "We'll meet you outside. Come on, Scotty."

As quietly as possible he and Scotty left the room just as the
spokesman for the board declared that the hearing would proceed.

Cap'n Mike was on the steps in front of the town hall. His weathered
face lit up at the sigh