nt night.

"Saw yer comin' acrost the bay this mornin'; say, was yer over on ther
beach with the life savers? Did a boat go ter pieces on the reefs?" he
asked.

Darry saw that the other was swallowing his resentment in order to pick
up information, and he remembered what dark stories he had heard in
connection with the men who formed the companions of Jim's father--that
they were termed wreckers, and some said they had reached a point of
desperation where they did not hesitate to lure a vessel upon the reefs
in order to profit from the goods that would float ashore after she went
to pieces.

Possibly the older Dilks and his cronies may have been abroad on the
preceding night, hovering around in hopes of a windfall; and Jim was
eager to learn whether such a chance had come.

"Not last night, I'm glad to say. There was a steamer aground, but only
the passengers would come ashore, the captain and crew remaining on
board waiting for the tugs to arrive," replied Darry.

Jim's face fell several degrees.

He would have been satisfied to hear that a dozen poor sailors had been
lost if it meant a big haul for the wreckers of the coast.

"Say, be yer goin' to stay 'round this district," asked the bully,
changing the subject suddenly.

"Well, Mrs. Peake wants me to remain with her, and so does Abner. I'm
thinking about it. When I make my mind up I'll let you know, Jim. If
it's stay, why we can have it all over again. I want to warn you, Jim.
You're going to get yourself into trouble if you keep on the way you're
bent now. There's a law that sends a man to the penitentiary for setting
fire to a neighbor's house," he said, as sternly as he could.

"Never set fire ter a house," declared Jim, quickly.

"Well, it doesn't matter whether it's a house or a barn or a hencoop. If
Hank Squires could only find some positive evidence against you he says
he'd lock you up right now; and Jim, I know how he could get all the
evidence he needs."

"'Taint so," flashed out the bully, but looking alarmed all the same;
while his hand half instinctively sought his rear.

"I think that an examination of those ragged trousers you wear would
show where a few fine bird-shot peppered you as you ran. Perhaps both
the other fellows got a touch of the same medicine, too, so you'd have
company, Jim, when you went up."

"It's a lie. I never sot that pigpen on fire!"

"Oh! you know it was a pigpen, then, do you? I spoke of a chicken coop
only."