T

When his work was done the next day, Jack Danby found Dick Crawford
waiting for him.

"Jack," said the Assistant Scout-Master, "I don't want to raise any
false hopes in you, but I think we're on the verge of finding out
something about you--about who you really are, and all that."

"How, Dick? I'd give anything if that were true!"

"We were awfully stupid not to think of it last night, Jack. You know
that pretty girl, that Miss Burton, who was on the burning launch? She
wasn't like the others--we all saw that. She wasn't their sort at all!
Well, she said she was with them because she believed that they were
going to be able to lead her to someone that her father had been
searching for."

"You mean I might be the one they were looking for, Dick?"

"I don't know, Jack, but it looks possible. Not that she might not be
looking for someone else. But she was with these people, and one of
those men had a letter about you from the lawyer up at Woodleigh. I
don't believe they really meant to lead her to you at all. I think
that there are people who are spending their time in making it
impossible for those who are really interested in you to get any trace
of you."

"Then why should they have told her they could find me, if it really is
I she's looking for?"

"They might think it better to fool her, Jack, than to let her deal
with people who would treat her honestly. If she thought they were
helping her, and trying to earn a reward, if there is one, she and her
father would be unlikely to go to anyone else. And as long as they
could convince her that they were doing their best they would be in
complete control of the situation, you see."

"That certainly sounds as if it might be right, Dick. What do you
think we'd better do?"

"Go and see Mr. Burton and his daughter right away. I'm certain of one
thing: that girl is all right. She's true and honest, no matter what
sort of people may have deceived her and have induced her to fall into
their plans and ways. She thinks she's doing the right thing. Depend
on that!"

"I think you're right about her, Dick. I thought she was different
from the others at once. She was so plucky and so cool, and she helped
Pete all she could when he swam ashore with her, instead of getting
frightened and making it harder, as the old woman did. She was all
right."

"Well, we'll go there right away. They're at the Hotel Lincoln.
That's the best hotel in town, you know,