away from the lighthouse, boys," Albert said, as
they were getting into their boat. "Mr. Terry's family are rather
sensitive people and may not like to have a lot of us trooping around
their place. I am going over there this afternoon to make a sketch, and
then I'll ask permission, and we'll all go there some other day."

He had whispered to Frank to remain on the yacht, and when the rest were
gone he said to him: "Frank, I am going to confide something to you, and
I want you to promise me on your honor not to hint it to any of our
friends." When that astonished young man had promised to keep mum,
Albert continued, "The fact is, Frank, I've tumbled into an adventure,
and fallen in love with a girl on sight, and without having exchanged
ten words with her! She is Mr. Terry's daughter, and has eyes that take
your breath away, and a form like the Venus of Milo. She paints
pictures that are a wonder, considering she never has taken a lesson,
and has a face more bewitching than any woman's I ever saw. It is like a
painter's dream."

"Well, you have gone daft, old man," replied the astonished Frank,
breaking into a laugh in which Albert joined, and then adding with
mischief in his eyes, "Does she take good care of her teeth and
fingernails, Bert?"

Albert frowned. "Don't for heaven's sake mention her in the same breath
with those cigarette-smoking blemishes on their sex!" he answered; and
then he added more pleasantly, "But you haven't heard it all yet. This
unique old man, who saved me from sleeping all night in a thicket of
briers, and who has opened his heart and home to me, has fallen into the
clutches of--Nicholas Frye!"

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Frank, "and how on earth did he ever find Frye,
or Frye find him? Was your old man of the island hunting around Boston
for some one to rob him?"

"That I do not know yet," replied Albert; "all I know is that Mr. Terry
has paid Frye about four hundred dollars, and, as he says, so far has
nothing to show for it. What the business was I expect to learn later.
Now what I am coming at is this: can't you manage to leave me here for
the rest of the day, or, better still, make it two days? I'll tell the
boys I've tumbled into a bit of law business, which is what I think will
come out of it, and you can run down to Bar Harbor, or out to Monhegan
and back here to-morrow night."

"Well, I'll do that gladly," replied Frank; and then he added with a
droll smile, "It will give you a c