ttitude. There seemed nothing further to do here.

Ruth was rather interested in what Mother Purling had said about Thimble
Island, and she lingered to look at the conical rock, with the sea
foaming about it, when the others started down the stairway. Tom came
back for her.

"What are you dreaming about, Ruthie?" he demanded, nudging her.

"I was wondering, Tommy," she said, "just why Jack Crab went so often
to the Thimble, as she says he does. I'd like to see that island nearer
to; wouldn't you?"

"We'll borrow the catboat and sail out to it. I can handle the _Jennie
S._ I bet Helen would like to go," said Tom, at once.

"Oh, I don't suppose that Crab man is there. It's just a barren
rock," said Ruth. "But I _would_ like to see the Thimble."

"And you shall," promised Tom.

But neither of them suspected to what strange result that promise tended.

CHAPTER XXIII

MAROONED

It was after luncheon before the three friends got away from the Stone
bungalow in the catboat. Tom owned a catrigged boat himself on the
Lumano river, and Helen and Ruth, of course, were not afraid to trust
themselves to his management of the _Jennie S._

The party was pretty well broken up that day, anyway. Mercy and Miss
Kate remained at home and the others found amusement in different
directions. Nobody asked to go in the _Jennie S._, for which Ruth was
rather glad.

Mr. Hicks had gone over to Sokennet with the avowed intention of
interviewing every soul in the town for news of Jack Crab. Somebody,
surely, must know where the assistant lighthouse keeper was, and the
Westerner was not a man to be put off by any ordinary evasion.

"My Jane Ann may be hiding over thar amongst them fishermen," he
declared to Ruth before he went away. "He couldn't have sailed far
with her that night, if he was back in 'twixt two and three hours.
No, sir-ree!"

And that was the thought in Ruth's mind. Unless Crab had sailed out
and put Nita aboard a New York, or Boston, bound steamer, it seemed
impossible that the girl could have gotten very far from Lighthouse Point.

"Shall we take one of the rowboats in tow, Ruth?" queried Tom, before
they left the Stone dock.

"No, no!" returned the girl of the Red Mill, hastily. "We couldn't
land on that island, anyway."

"Only at low tide," rejoined Tom. "But it will be about low when we
get outside the point."

"You don't really suspect that Crab and Nita are out there, Ruth?"
whispered Helen, in h