pass?"

"Oh, an hour or more. Why?"

"She seems to have been beached up north here a little way."

"She may have been. Or they've been lying to out there."

In Orme's mind arose a surmise that in this motor-boat Maku and his
companion had come from Chicago. The surmise was so strong as to develop
quickly into a certainty. And if the Japanese had come by this boat, it
stood to reason that the one who had the papers was escaping in it. He
must have waited some time for Maku and, at last, had pushed off to
return alone.

Were these Japanese acting for themselves? That did not seem possible.
Then who was their employer?

Orme did not puzzle long over these questions, for he had determined on a
course of action. He spoke to the life-saver, who appeared to be
listening to the droning conversation which continued within the station.

"The hold-up men may be in that boat," remarked Orme.

"Hardly." A laugh accompanied the answer.

"Well, why not? She came north an hour or so ago and either was beached
or lay to until just now."

"You may be right." Then, before Orme knew what was happening, the young
man opened the door and called into the station: "Hey, there! Your robber
is escaping on that motor-boat out there."

"What's that?" The policeman strode to the door.

"Don't you hear that boat out there?" asked the life-saver.

"Sure, I hear it."

"Well, she came up from the south an hour or more ago and stopped a
little north of here. Now she's going back. Mr. Holmes, here"--he grinned
as he said it--"Mr. Holmes suggests that the hold-up man is aboard."

The reference to the famous detective of fiction was lost upon the
policeman. "I guess that's about it, Mr. Holmes," he said excitedly; and
Orme was much relieved to note that the life-saver's humorous reference
had passed for an introduction. The policeman would have no suspicion of
him now--unless Maku----

There was an exclamation from within the room. "What's the matter?" asked
the policeman, turning in the doorway.

The voice of Asuki replied: "He say the robber came in a bicycle--not in
a boat."

"But I thought he didn't see the fellow coming."

"He remember now."

The policeman started. "How did he know what we were talking about out
here?" he demanded.

"He understand English, but not speak it," replied Asuki readily.

To the policeman this explanation was satisfactory. Orme, of course,
found in it a corroboration of his guess. Maku evidently d