aled, visibly, under that threat.

"Ho, ho!" laughed Jacob Farnum. "When thieves fall out--"

"Mr. Farnum, sir," thundered the elder Melville, stalking over to where
the boatbuilder stood, "do you realize you're talking about my son?"

"Well, why not?" asked Mr. Farnum, coolly. "It's becoming pretty
evident that he isn't a bit too good to be talked about."

"What does all this hubbub and outrage mean, anyway?" cried George
Melville.

"It looks to me," rejoined Farnum, coolly, "as though your son would
have the extensive task of informing us."

"Come on, father; let's be getting away from these people," proposed
Don. "But what are you going to do with that young man?"

"In the name of the Commonwealth," replied the boatbuilder, "I've placed
this young man under arrest, and I'm going to deliver him up to the
authorities. He has been engaged in a conspiracy, and must suffer for
his full share in the affair. If he confesses, and implicates others,
they'll have to stand the consequences."

Again Don lost color, though now he was careful not to betray himself
any further. But he hesitated, afraid to go away, lest Jack's prisoner
be led into betraying him.

"Start your young man towards the road, Jack," directed Mr. Farnum, who
now had the envelopes taken from Don and the stranger.

Jack started, holding to the arm of his late impersonator.

"Mr. Farnum, may I have a word with you?" asked George Melville, as the
others walked along.

"Mr. Emerson," urged the boatbuilder, "will you walk on the other side
of Captain Benson's prisoner? I want to make sure that no attempt at
rescue is made."

Broughton Emerson readily nodded his agreement, and stepped up ahead.
As for Don, he fell in behind this group, while Messrs. Melville and
Farnum walked still more to the rear.

"Now, what does this whole affair mean?" demanded George Melville.

"As far as I understand it," answered Jack's employer, stiffly, "it looks
as though your son and yourself had framed up a scene, to be witnessed
in poor light, at night, in which my young captain would appear to be
hound enough to sell out Pollard's business secrets, and mine."

"I can assure you," said the capitalist, coldly, "that I had nothing to
do with any deception."

"Then your son, without your knowledge, fixed up to-night's affair."

"You seem bound to fasten something upon my son."

"Well, Mr. Melville, can't you yourself understand that everything
appears to po