“The worst of it is he is provoked at my action,” thought the young prisoner. “I hope I have done what is for the best. I wonder what will happen to me next.” With these far from pleasant thoughts, Dean sank back upon his rude couch, but not to sleep. His mind was too active with the peril hanging over him. In the long, painful hours that dragged away on leaden wings he thought of many things. Breakfast had been eaten the following morning at the home of Judge Oglesby and he had repaired to his study, when Eva and Manly, who were discussing the new development in regard to Dean Mercer, discovered a man coming hastily toward the dwelling. A second glance disclosed the identity of the early caller, as he advanced at the peculiar rolling gait of one used all his life to being on board of a sailing vessel. “It’s Jack Carboy!” exclaimed Manly. “I am so glad he is coming.” “So am I,” declared Eva. “Among them all he seems to be the only one who has faith that Dean Mercer is innocent.” “Besides you and me, sister.” “Yes, Manly. But I can’t understand this last affair.” “Avast there, shipmates, I mean, lad and lass,” greeted the newcomer. “These air hard seas to sail.” “What is the trouble now, Jack? And what has brought you here so early?” “The b’y, lass. Is it true they hev run down his sloop and moored him here in this landlocked harbor?” “You mean Dean Mercer, Jack?” “Ay, ay, miss. I heerd o’ it. He’s in prison. Lass, he hain’t done nothing to deserve this.” “I believe it, Jack. What can be done to save him?” “Throw a rope to leeward.” “I do not understand you, Jack. Tell us in plain English what you know about Dean. You have heard how they have arrested him for breaking into our house, and that he is now in the lockup. Oh, Jack! what can we do to save him?” Half an hour’s consultation followed during which Eva got a more complete account from Jack Carboy of the burning of the _Spray_ than she had ever obtained before. At its conclusion she said: “I tell you what I am going to do. Father is too much worked up over the whole affair to give Dean any consideration. So I am going to see Mr. Montague. I do not believe he thinks Dean wholly to blame. Come, Manly, let’s go at once.” Having come to this decision Eva started immediately to visit the lawyer at his office, accompanied by Manly and Jack. They found Mr. Montague alone and willing to talk with them. In fact the lawyer was glad to have some one willing to speak of his young friend in a sympathetic manner. “They are all against him,” he declared. “I cannot yet think he could have been so lost to the teachings of his good mother, to say nothing of the example set him by all of us. Go ahead, Miss Oglesby, and tell me all you know of the unfortunate affair.” CHAPTER XXVI. CRAZY MEG’S MARK. Let us see what that pair of young schemers, Tim Downey and Rodney Darringford, are doing all this time.