we couldn't touch him. He's got a whole
lot of money and power, too, especially in politics. So he can get away
with things that would land a smaller man in jail in a jiffy."

"His money and pull won't do him any good down here," said Trenwith, his
eyes snapping. "Have you any reason to think he was mixed up in this
outrage here this morning and last night, Charlie?"

"Every reason to think so, Billy, but mighty little proof to back up
what I think. There's the rub. Still--well, we'll see what we see later.
I'll give you some of the reasons."

"You'd better," said Trenwith, grimly. "I think it's pretty nearly time
for me to take a hand in this." He shot a look at Eleanor that Bessie
did not fail to notice. Evidently her charms had already made an
impression on him.

"Yesterday, when Miss Mercer brought the girls down to Bay City from
Windsor," Jamieson went on, "the train was to stop for a minute at
Canton, which, though they had none of them thought of it, is in Weeks's
state. And Bessie happened to discover that Jake Hoover was spying on
them. She stayed behind the others at Windsor, discovered that he was
telegraphing the news to Holmes, and guessed the plot."

"Good for her!" exclaimed Trenwith.

"So she got a message through to Miss Mercer on the train, and, being
warned, Zara was able to elude the people who searched the train for her
at Canton. Bessie went on a later train that didn't stop at Canton at
all, so they were all right."

"That looks like pretty good evidence," said Trenwith, frowning. "He
knew they were coming here and he'd made one attempt to get hold of them
on the way."

"Yes, and there's more. When this yacht turned up here last night, Miss
Mercer and the girls were nervous. And Bessie and her chum Dolly Ransom
happened to overhear two men who were put at the top of that bluff to
watch the camp. They talked about the 'boss' and how he meant to get
those girls and had been 'stung once too often.' But they didn't mention
Holmes by name."

"Too bad. Still, that fire was too timely to have been accidental. I
think maybe we can convict them of starting it. Then if these fellows
think they're in danger of going to prison, we might offer them a chance
of liberty if they confess and implicate Holmes, do you see?"

"It would be a good bargain, Billy."

"That's what I think. I'd let the tool escape any time to get hold of
the man who was using him. They and the yacht are held safely at Bay
Ci