rn mail he received this reply:

"Your bluff will not work with me. You are to blame and must pay.
If I do not receive your check for one thousand dollars by the
middle of next week I shall bring suit. My son is now in bed and
under the doctor's care because of the accident."

"Humph! Under the doctor's care, eh?" mused the steamboat owner. "This
certainly seems to be serious after all. He will certainly make trouble
for me even if he doesn't win his case."

Again the steamboat owner interviewed Captain Hadley, and then the pair
called in Randy, to learn what he could tell about the Bangs family in
general. Our hero told all he knew, including the trouble Mr. Bartlett
was having with the iron manufacturer.

"Evidently he is a man to get money in any manner possible," mused
Andrew Shalley. "He will certainly bring suit."

"I don't believe Bob is sick," said Randy. "He must be shamming."

"I wish I knew for sure."

"Perhaps I can find out for you--if you'll give me a day or two off,"
said our hero, struck by a sudden idea.

"A good plan!" cried Captain Hadley. "Let the lad see what he can do,
by all means."

The matter was talked over, and the upshot was that on the next trip of
the steamboat Randy went ashore at Catskill, near which town Bob Bangs
and his mother were spending their vacation.

From some men at the dock our hero was enabled to find out all about
the damaged sloop, which had been returned to Catskill. It was to cost
twenty dollars to put the craft in good condition again.

"Those folks are stopping at a small hotel on the Burnham road," said
one of the dock men. "It's called the Sharon House."

"Thank you," returned our hero.

He was soon on the way to the Sharon House--since demolished by fire.
It did not take him long to cover the distance. As he approached he
looked around for some signs of the Bangs family and presently espied
Mrs. Bangs lounging in a hammock on a side veranda, reading a novel.

"I wonder if it is possible that Bob is really in bed sick?" he mused.
"If he is it's a wonder Mrs. Bangs isn't with him. But then I guess she
is a selfish woman, anyway."

Randy walked around the hotel and down to the stable. Here he met a
colored boy who helped around the horses.

"Say, can you tell me where I can find Bob Bangs?" he asked, boldly.

"Bob Bangs jest went down to the ball grounds," was the answer, which
surprised Randy not a little.

"Where are the grounds?"