Captain Rogers laughed unexpectedly. “She doesn’t have a very high regard for the secret investigators of her country, eh, Carter?” “Oh, I don’t mean it that way!” Kitty hastened to apologize. “But you see from the very beginning I—I was afraid that somehow this office—Dad’s office—was involved. One doesn’t run to the FBI about things where one’s father may be concerned.” Captain Rogers glanced significantly at the Chief Pharmacist’s Mate. “Well, Carter, I suppose that puts a stop to my scolding.” He suddenly grew serious again as he turned to Kitty to say, “Young lady, if you had known what perfect confidence we have in this dad of yours you would have had no fears. When we sent him here we knew he was the one man who could stop the dirty business going on—if anyone could.” It was Chief Carter’s turn to look surprised. “But I asked to be sent here!” he exclaimed. Captain Rogers laughed. “You were only one step ahead of us. We had planned to ask you to take this post in hopes of clearing up the trouble.” “Then you knew the fault was not in this office?” “Certainly.” “But you dumped Chief Dawson down in Santiago.” “That was only a blind to throw the guilty parties off the track until we could pin the goods on them. Dawson understands all that, but is pledged to secrecy.” “Well, for goodness sake!” burst forth Kitty. “If I’d had any idea of all that I would have told everything long ago.” “If several people had had an idea of all this we might never have sprung this trap,” explained Captain Rogers. “You speak as if it were really sprung,” said Kitty eagerly. “It is—practically.” “It seems rather certain that Punaro is responsible for young Brad Mason’s wound. He was away from the hospital all afternoon. I’ll order his arrest shortly. As for Beeson, he’s practically a prisoner on that island until this blow is over. We’ll be prepared to handle him as soon as we can get out there.” “You won’t let anything happen to poor Uncle Mose?” “We’ll do our best. The old darky is certainly entitled to his reward, too, in opening your eyes to so much.” “But there are others. Brad thinks one of the ward attendants may be helping, too.” “Oh, yes. They figure they have a perfect set-up,” said Captain Rogers. “First they put the incinerator out of order to make an opening for traffic into the marshes. Lieutenant Cary, with the assistance of your father’s stenographer—” “Dad’s stenographer?” exclaimed Kitty, completely shocked. “I was just as surprised as you, Kitten, when that amazing fact dawned on me,” explained Mr. Carter. “Miss Dales seemed such a quiet, clinging vine sort I couldn’t feature her daring to mix in anything like this.” “Why, Dad, I can’t believe it! She acted as though she would do anything in the world for you.” “She had been Dawson’s secretary, so I thought surely she was all right.”