increased perplexity, until his wits were
totally befuddled. He dare be sure only that the yachtsman he had
rescued was either a villain or a maniac.

It was a custom in the Sound Country for the natives at frequent
intervals to favor their preacher, their doctor and the editor of the
gossipy local newspaper with a gift of something attractive, either
grown in their vegetable gardens, or taken from the waters round about.
In this respect, Ichabod was not different from his neighbors of the
other islands and the mainland. Many a time and oft, after he had made a
particularly good catch of the delicious stone crabs or scallops, he had
set sail to carry an offering of the delicacies to friends in the town.
To-day, after he had finally established order in his house and among
his accoutrements, he shouldered his clam fork, and, carrying a large
bucket to hold the catch, strode out on the point. The tide was
extremely low, and Ichabod was aware that now was the time to reach the
place where round clams grew in great abundance. The old man was an
expert at locating these shell-fish. The keyhole sign made by them in
the sand was so familiar to him that he could walk along at a smart
pace, while peering alertly here and there in search of it. When his
eyes caught the mark, he would strike quickly with his fork into the
yielding sand, and so bring to the surface one of the luscious bivalves.
On this occasion, Ichabod filled his bucket well within the hour, and
then, content, returned to the shack for a midday meal.

When he was done eating, the fisherman washed the clams carefully and
wrapped them in a neat bundle. He then took them on board the skiff, and
made sail for Beaufort Town, to pay his promised visit to Doctor Hudson,
and to present him with the morning's catch, which was of particularly
good quality. In addition, he was prompted to the trip by anxiety to
learn if anything had been heard in the town as to the identity of the
yacht _Isabel_, or of those who voyaged in her.

On this occasion, the customary group of loungers was not present on the
shore to welcome the little red skiff and her skipper. The quay was
practically deserted. The fishing fleet had put to sea again in order to
take advantage of as many days as possible with favorable weather for
their labor. Ichabod made his boat fast, and then with his bundle of
clams took his way at once to the physician's house. Doctor Hudson
himself met the fisherman at the