"I was astonished when I received the blow which broke my
wrist."

"Who set your wrist?" asked Will.

"There was only one bone broken, and I set it myself!" was the
reply.

"Perhaps we did wrong in taking it for granted that George had
been drugged to get him out of the way, and that we would share
the same fate," Will admitted after a moment. "But, under the
circumstances, I don't see how we could have done any differently."

"I'm sorry you were so precipitous," Antoine said with what was
intended for a suave smile. "You boys, I understand," he went on,
"are now occupying the cabin on the island in the marsh."

"Who told you that?" asked Will.

"No one!" was the reply. "I have been near the place twice since
you took possession.

"Why didn't you call?" demanded Tommy.

Again the boy's question was ignored.

"Did you see any one loitering about the cottage when you were
there?" asked Will. "You were there in the daytime, I suppose."

"Why do you ask that question?" demanded Antoine, giving a quick
start. "Have you been annoyed by people hanging about the cabin?"

Will didn't know whether to relate the story of the midnight visit
or not. He finally decided that the least he said to Antoine the
better it would be for him, so he replied that they had passed two
very restful nights in the deserted log house on the island.

"Did you find it deserted?" asked Antoine.

"It had the appearance of having been recently occupied," replied
Will. "I understand from one of the boys that Pierre formerly
lived there."

"So I understand!" Antoine replied grimly. "The point now is,
whether it was occupied by any one after Pierre left it."

Not caring to tell the exact facts. Will said nothing whatever,
and for a moment there was a rather embarrassed silence.

"What do you say about that?" demanded Antoine.

"Why, I think there was a little fire left when we went into the
place," Will replied, "but that might have been a left-over from
the day before. Those large fires burn a long time."

"And you say that you have not been disturbed at all during your
occupancy of the place?" Antoine continued.

"Now I wonder how much this fellow knows," Will asked himself while
Antoine stood gazing curiously down upon him. "I wonder if he
knows about the people who came there that night? He seems to have
a suspicion that some person is wandering about the country, and
keeping pretty well out of sight. I wish I knew