I do not," replied Ned.

"But you have a notion that he let the others into the house?"

"Well, he might have done so."

"He showed guilt when he ran away."

"Of course. The fact is that if he did let the thieves into the house he
did not do so especially to give them a chance to steal the necklace. At
least that is the way I look at it. And, again, if he did admit them, he
permitted them to do a bungling job."

"You mean that they didn't get what they wanted?"

"Exactly."

"The papers concerning the plot?"

"Probably."

"Well, how could they get them if they weren't in the house?"

"He should have located them before he turned his confederates loose."

"Then you really think Pedro was at the bottom of all that?"

"I have not said so," was the reply. "There is no knowing whether he was
or not."

"I wish you wouldn't be so secretive," Frank said. "You have a straight
out and out theory of that night's work, and you won't tell me what it
is."

"I never form theories," was the reply.

"What would Pedro want of the papers?" Frank demanded. "Was he in the plot
to blow up the dam, or was he just paid to get them?"

"I can tell you more about that in a few days. It is midnight, and I will
relieve you. Go to bed."

"I shall sleep sounder after I hear from father," the boy said, passing
into the cottage. "He may be having troubles of his own in New York," he
added, pausing at the door for a last word.

Ned sat for a long time on the screened porch with the splendor of the
tropical night about him. The jungle came nearly to the walls of the house
on all sides, save in front, where a little clearing had been made, and
the noises, the creature and vine talk of the thickets, came to his ears
like low music.

He listened constantly for the footsteps of the absent boys, but for a
long time there was no break in the lilt of the forest. Then--it must have
been two o'clock--he heard the quick beat of running feet, and directly
Gastong, as Jack had fancifully named his new acquaintance, came spurting
into the cleared space.

He stopped running when he reached the middle of the cutaway spot and,
seeing Ned on the porch, beckoned to him.

Ned was off the porch in an instant, standing by the exhausted boy, who
was now on the ground, supporting his swaying figure with one hand
clutching the long grass.

"What is it," asked Ned.

"Have you heard anything of the boys, the two who went away in the car?"
asked the o