in the winders of the old boardin' house at night and in the winders of
the other house, though I've never ketched a glimp of a livin' critter
movin' on the island by day."

"Oh, it's haunted," nodded the one who had declared so before. "Anybody
what wants to can go foolin' round there, but I'm goin' to keep away."

He rose to his feet. He was tall and thin, with a broken nose that
seemed to tell the story of some fierce fight at an island dance. His
starboard eye was crooked, so that it was difficult to tell just which
way he was looking. He took in a fresh chew of tobacco and slouched out
of the hotel.

"This is a place to see odd characters," said Merriwell.

Browning nodded.

They listened to the men who remained, and for some time there was an
animated discussion about the creature on Devil Island. In the midst of
it the hunchback left the room.

"I want to have a talk with that fellow," said Frank. "Come on."

They followed the hunchback outside.

"Wait a minute, if you please," called Frank, hurrying after the
hunchback.

The fellow paused and turned round.

"What do ye want?" he asked.

His voice was harsh and unpleasant, and there was a suspicious look in
his eyes.

"I heard your story about the creature you saw on Devil Island," said
Frank.

"Waal, what of it?"

"My yacht is out there in the harbor, and I am thinking of taking her
and running down to Devil Island. I have a great desire to get a look at
the monster. You spoke about Bold Island harbor, and I want to find out
just how to get in there and how near I can anchor to Devil Island."

The light in the eyes of the hunchback seemed to shift in a queer way as
he stared at Frank. Browning had come up and was watching the fellow
closely.

"You keep away from Devil Island!" almost snarled Put Wiley, as the
deformed fellow had been called. "You don't know what you'll strike
there, and----"

"I'll take my chances on that. All I want of you is to tell me the best
place to lay while I am down there. I want the _White Wings_ in a good
harbor if a storm should come up."

"Waal, I don't tell ye northing about it. All I've got ter say is keep
away."

Then, despite Frank's effort to say something more to the fellow, he
hurried away.

"Well, that's a really jolly chap!" observed Browning.

"All of that," laughed Frank.

"He didn't seem to like your appearance, Merry."

"Well, I can't say that I admired his appearance."

"You will have