ng
night.

"Come on back, fellows," said Tom, chokingly. "There's nothing we can
do here, and Mr. Seaton must know the whole situation."

The owner of the bungalow listened to them with a blank face when the
Motor Boat Club boys again stood before him.

"I can't even guess what to make out of this," he confessed.

"It would help Dalton greatly if Mr. Clodis died to-night, wouldn't
it, sir?" inquired the young skipper.

"It would help Dalton much, and be of still greater value to the
wretches behind Dalton," replied Mr. Seaton, grinding his teeth.

"Then, sir, as the tug went back to mainland with two of the doctors,
isn't it possible that some spy may have concluded that _all_ the
doctors had returned until summoned again?"

"That seems very likely," nodded the owner of the bungalow.

"Then perhaps Dalton--and those behind him--hope that Mr. Clodis will
become much worse, and die before you can again summon help from the
mainland."

"That looks more likely than any other explanation of these strange
happenings," agreed Mr. Seaton, studying the floor, while the frown on
his face deepened.

"And the scoundrels," quavered Tom, "may even come back during the
night and try to make _sure_ that Mr. Clodis dies without ever
becoming conscious."

"I don't quite see why they need care so much," replied Mr. Seaton,
slowly. "Dalton got all of Clodis's papers--the ones that I wanted
preserved from the wretches back of Dalton."

"Are you sure they have _all_?" propounded Captain Halstead.

"Why, Clodis carried the papers in a money-belt, and, in undressing
him, we found that belt gone."

"Have you looked through the baggage that we brought ashore with Mr.
Clodis?"

"I haven't thought of it. Haven't had time," replied Mr. Seaton. "But
I will now. Mr. Clodis's steamer trunk is in the room with him. We'll
bring it out, and search."

Tom and Hank brought the trunk out.

"The lock hasn't been tampered with, you see, sir," suggested
Halstead.

"Here are Clodis's keys," replied Powell Seaton, producing a ring. One
of the keys he fitted to the trunk lock, next throwing up the lid.
After rummaging for a few moments, Mr. Seaton brought up a sealed
envelope from the bottom of the trunk.

"Dalton _would_ have been glad to get this," he cried, with a near
approach to delight.

"Lock it up tight in your innermost pockets then, sir," counseled Tom
Halstead. "The contents of that envelope must be what Dalton has come
bac