"Nonsense!" exclaimed Bruce. "The place is deserted." "Somebody owns it." "According to the yarns of the fishermen, it is owned by a monster with blazing face and black holes for eyes." "None of them told of seeing the monster anywhere around this building. He was seen in the woods or on the other side of the island." "I think we'll see him here just as quick as anywhere," grinned Bruce, who had thrown off the uncanny feeling that had possessed him as they stood beside the grave in the woods. "Those stories were not told for nothing," declared Frank. "Why were they told?" "I don't know--not yet." "But you have an idea?" "Yes." "What is it?" "I rather fancy somebody wishes to keep people away from this island for some reason." "I thought the same thing." "What that reason can be I do not know." "But, Frank," said Bruce, hesitatingly, "you heard something as we stood beside that grave up there in the woods?" "Yes." "A whisper?" "Sure." "What did it say?" "'Dead and buried.'" "Then it was not imagination, for we both heard the same thing. Now how do you explain that?" "Somebody whispered the words." "Where was that somebody?" "You know just as well as I do; but those words were whispered for our ears to hear. We heard them." "I do not believe in ghosts any more than you do, Merriwell, but I will admit that there was a mighty queer feeling came over me as we stood there near that grave." "I felt it," confessed Frank. "Had I believed in ghosts, I should have been badly frightened." "Well, let's look this building over. We may find something in here." So they began to explore the old boarding house. It was a large building, and they climbed the stairs to the second story, where none of the windows were boarded up. Up there were the rooms where the laborers had slept. They looked through them all, but found nothing of interest. At last they stopped by a window and looked out upon the water. "By Jove!" exclaimed Merriwell. "Look down there!" "What is it?" "A boat." "Where?" "Beyond the land at the other side of the cove. It's laying close in to shore. See the mast?" "Yes, I see it now. Why, it almost seems aground! Wonder what it's there for?" "Whoever was in the boat has come ashore on the island." "Then why didn't he run into the cove down here?" "Because the boat would be seen in the cove, and where it lays it is not liable to be seen from the island." "Why should anybody wish to come onto the island here and not be seen?" "I don't know, but I'll wager something that that is the lap-streak sailboat belonging to our friend, the cock-eyed man. If I am right, he is somewhere on this island." "He warned us not to come here."