The frown became one of puzzlement. "Ah don't know--" His voice trailed off into a thin whisper as his eyes closed wearily. Val signaled Ricky to keep quiet. "Ahoy there!" Along the bank toward them came Rupert and after him Sam. Beyond them lay the Ralestone landing. Val headed inshore. "Just what does this mean--Val! Has there been an accident?" The irritation in Rupert's voice became hot concern. "An intended one," his brother replied. "We've got the real victim here with us." They tied up to the landing and Sam came down to hand out Jeems who apparently had lapsed into unconsciousness again. "You'd better call a doctor," Val told Rupert. "Jeems has a head wound." But Rupert had already taken charge of affairs with an efficiency which left Val humbly grateful. The boy didn't even move to leave the boat. It was better just to sit and watch other people scurry about. Sam had started for the house, carrying Jeems as if the long-legged swamper was the same age and size as his own small son. Ricky dashed on ahead to warn Lucy. Rupert had Sam Two by the collar and was giving him instructions for catching Dr. LeFrode, who was probably making his morning rounds and might be found at the sugar-mill where one of the feeders had injured his hand. Sam Two's sister had seen the doctor on his way there a scant ten minutes earlier. Val watched all this activity dreamily. Everything would be all right now that Rupert was in charge. He could relax-- "Now," his brother turned upon Val, "just what did--What's the matter with you?" "Tired, I guess," Val said ruefully. But Rupert was already in the boat, getting the younger boy to his unsteady feet. "Can you make it to the house?" he asked anxiously. "Sure. Just give me an arm till I get on the landing." But when Val had crawled up on the levee he did not feel at all like walking to the house. Then Rupert's arm was about his thin shoulders and he thought that he could make it if he really tried. The garden path seemed miles long, and it was not until Val had the soft cushions of the hall couch under him that he felt able to tell his story. But at that moment the short, stout doctor came through the door in a rush. Sam Two had led him to believe that half the household had been murdered. At first Dr. LeFrode started toward Val, until in alarm the boy swung his feet to the floor and sat up, waving the man to the stairway where Ricky hovered to act as guide. Then Val was alone, even Sam Two having edged upstairs to share in the excitement. The boy sank back on his pillows and wondered where their late assailants were now, and why they had been so determined to learn Jeems' secret. As Ricky had said once before, the Ralestones seemed to have been handed a gigantic tangle without ends, only middle sections, and had been told to unravel it.