oe."

"How?"

"Why, we may be able to help the police catch these same fellows."

"That's so. Have you a plan, Blake?" asked his chum, eagerly, as they
walked on along the path.

"Not yet, but we'll make one up. But, Joe, did you notice just what it
was that big wrecker said?"

"Not exactly; I was too excited when I heard them mention my father's
name."

"Well, they as much as said that your father had refused to give them
the information they wanted, and this spoiled their scheme. That might
go to show that they made offers to him to have him help them in their
wicked plans, and he refused. That made them turn against him, and----"

"I see, Blake! You mean that, maybe, after all, he left because he was
afraid of the wreckers, and not because he had done anything wrong?"

"That's it, Joe. Of course, it's all guess work on our part, so far, and
I think the best thing we can do is to go to the lighthouse and tell Mr.
Stanton all we've seen and heard. He may be able to advise us, even if
he is an old man. At any rate, he'll know what police or government
officers to go to, so we can catch these wreckers."

"That's right, Blake. Come on. I guess we can go down on the beach now.
Those fellows won't venture out into the open after us, I don't
believe."

"No, they seem to have given up the chase," replied Blake, and the two
lads were soon down on the shore.

A look around showed no signs of the supposed wreckers, and a little
later the two lads were in the lighthouse telling their story to the
wondering and amazed keeper.

"So that's how the scoundrels are planning to work; are they?" cried the
old man. "Going to duplicate my light, and fool the poor sailors! But
we'll put a spoke in their wheel, boys. We'll spike their guns for 'em,
and have 'em behind the bars, if there's any law in this land.

"Putting up a false light right opposite those rocks--the most dangerous
on the coast! No punishment would be too bad for 'em. Did you happen to
hear, boys, when they expected to play that wicked game?"

"They didn't mention any special night," replied Blake; "it seemed that
they counted on getting some information which failed them--Joe's
father," he added, thinking it well to let Mr. Stanton know that Joe had
been informed of the secret.

"Joe's father; eh?" said the old man, musingly. "Boy, I'm mighty sorry
for you," he said, softly; "for I know the disgrace is trying, and if it
had been possible to keep this fro