The policeman was beckoning secretively and the sheriff tramped forward and held a whispered conversation with him. Once Pud heard him exclaim ‘Well, I swan!’ in rather amazed tones, and, having exclaimed, he turned to view the occupants of the adjoining boat with a new and peculiar interest. Pud felt slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps Mr. Casey had been told about that rooster that had made a breakfast for them four days previous! But the sheriff was chuckling now, chuckling and nodding to Mr. Casey. Then, clearing his throat, he said: ‘Anson, I reckon you’d better make a point of stopping in and seeing me before you go on home. There’s――er――well, now, there’s certain formalities that ought to be attended to. Being mixed up in this matter, more or less, maybe you’d ought to make an affidavit or something, eh?’ Pud agreed, somewhat puzzled. Tim’s countenance showed that he didn’t hold with affidavits and would much prefer not having anything further to do with the Law. ‘Yes, well, now,’ went on Sheriff Bowker, ‘you see me at my office this afternoon or to-morrow morning. Don’t forget!’ ‘No, sir, we won’t,’ answered Pud with scant enthusiasm. ‘Better not,’ said Mr. Casey, smiling broadly. ‘It’s going to be to your advantage, boys, as the advertisements has it!’ ‘Yes, that’s so,’ chuckled the sheriff. ‘Well, see you later, then. Let her go, Casey.’ Good-byes were exchanged and the police launch surged away, churning, and fled down the stream, her wash breaking against the bank in miniature waves. Pud and Tim waved as long as it was in sight and then, with one accord, jumped toward the locker that held food! CHAPTER XXI MR. LISCOMB IS GRATEFUL The return voyage began at twenty minutes to ten o’clock. At eleven they made The Flat, and, as Pud swung the launch’s nose toward the outlet of the river, they looked toward the end of the nearer island. There were two fishermen there. One was clad in khaki trousers, a cotton shirt, and a wide-brimmed, sugar-loaf-crowned straw hat. He was bent motionless at the end of a weathered old punt, and beside him on the seat, apparently no less intent on the business in hand than his master, sat a yellow hound. ‘Gee,’ murmured Pud, ‘I wonder if he’s been there ever since!’