be polite to ask why you're
interested?"

Steve had been studying Harris since the two boats joined up, Rick knew,
so he wasn't surprised when Steve gave a direct reply.

"You'll keep this to yourself, please. The boys have been doing a little
research, and it's clear these unidentified flying objects people have
been seeing come from Swamp Creek. That points to the old mansion,
especially since Mr. Merlin is so secretive about himself. We decided to
get up before the people at the mansion were likely to be about, and
look the place over. If it looks promising, we'll try keeping an eye on
it."

Harris nodded. "I'll keep it to myself, you can be sure. If the mystery
of those flyin' stingarees gets solved, we may find out what happened to
Cousin Link. I'll help if I can."

"You know these waters pretty well," Steve returned. "Is there any way
of getting to Calvert's Favor, or within watching distance, without
going up this creek?"

The crabber reached over and turned a switch, cutting his engine. "There
is, for that boat you're in. About thirty yards downstream from the
entrance to this creek, there is a break in the line of swamp grass
along the shore. It's a little lead, a channel maybe six feet wide and
from two to three feet deep. It runs into the swamp. Right at the place
where the water gets too narrow for the boat, a man who didn't care if
he got muddy or wet could go through the brush to an old duck blind
right across from the mansion. A pair of good glasses would give him a
right good view of the whole thing."

"We couldn't see the mansion from the boat?" Rick asked.

"The brush is too thick. Tell you what, if you got ground tackle aboard,
drop a hook and come over with me. I'll run you up the creek and you can
take a good look. If anyone's out watchin', they'll only see a crab boat
lookin' for a place to set lines."

"Scotty," Steve directed, "there's a grapnel on a line up on the bow,
under that small hatch. Toss it in, please."

Scotty stood up on the seat, stepped to the bow, and found the small,
four-pronged anchor. He dropped it into the water, let out line, and
tied the line fast to the bow cleat. "Okay, Steve."

The three got aboard the crab boat as Harris started his engine. "Make
yourselves comfortable," the crabber invited. "There's a pair of glasses
on the engine box."

With the binoculars Rick and Steve had brought, that made three pairs
each. The crabber swung the boat around expertly