is room just now
to make the beds and clean up and I didn't see those valises anywhere. I
thought that was funny and then I noticed that the things on his bureau,
his brushes and comb and things, weren't there. Then I looked in his
bureau drawers and everything was gone, the drawers were empty....
Sears, what _do_ you suppose it means?"

Her brother did not answer at once. He tugged at his beard and frowned.
Then he asked:

"Didn't he say a word more than you've told me? Or do anything?"

"No. He had his breakfast out here with us this mornin'. Then he went
back to his room and, about nine or so, he came out to me and paid his
board bill---- Oh, I told you he'd pay it, Sears; he always does
pay--and then----"

"Here! Heave to! Hold on, Sarah! He paid his bill, all of it?"

"Yes. Right up to now. That was kind of funny, bein' the middle of the
week instead of the end, but he said we might as well start with a clean
ledger, or somethin' nice and pleasant like that. Then he took a bundle
of money from his pocketbook--a great, _big_ bundle it was, and--Why,
why, Sears, what is it? Where are you goin'?"

The captain had pushed by her and was on his way to the front of the
house.

"Goin'?" he repeated. "I'm goin' to have a look at those rooms of his.
You'd better come with me, Sarah."

CHAPTER XVIII

The keeper of the livery stable was surprised. "Why, yes," he said, "Mr.
Phillips was here a spell ago. He said he was cal'latin' to go to Trumet
to-day on a business cruise, and he hired Josiah and the bay horse and
buggy to get him over there. They left about ten o'clock, I should say
'twas. I had a mind to ask him why he didn't take the train, but then I
thought 'twould be poor business for a fellow that let teams, so I kept
still. Hey? Ho, ho!"

The captain, somewhat out of breath after his hurried walk from the
Macomber home to the stable, pondered a moment "Did he have a valise or
satchel or anything with him?" he asked.

"No. Nothin' but his cane. Couldn't navigate a yard without his cane
that feller couldn't, seemed so. Looked kind of spruced up, too. Dressed
in his best bib and tucker, he was, beaver hat and all. Cal'late he must
be goin' to see his best girl, eh. Ho, ho! Guess not though; from what I
hear his best girl's down to the Fair Harbor."

Kendrick pondered a moment longer.

"Did he pay for the team?" he inquired.

"Hey? Yus, paid in advance, spot cash. But what you askin' all this for,