“Well, I got to thinking that it wasn’t right to let the mill stand alone, and I told mother I was going over and take possession for you till everything was straightened out.” “Thank you, Dan; it’s a good deal to do, and so late at night too. Do you know what I have a mind to do?” I added suddenly. “What?” “Follow these men. I know they are the three robbers, and even if one of them is my uncle, I want them brought to justice.” “Have you got a boat?” “Yes; the Catch Me. Mr. Markham has straightened everything out, and the boat is mine.” “Good! Well, if you go after them, I will go along. It isn’t safe for you to go alone.” “Thanks. I would like to have you along first-rate.” “Where is your boat?” “Down at the dock.” “I didn’t see her as I came up.” “She is there――unless Mr. Norton took her,” I added, with a sudden sinking of the heart. “I’m positive there was no boat there when I came up, for I looked for the regular mill sloop.” By this time we had gone down-stairs. I rushed outside and down to the pier. Sure enough the Catch Me had disappeared. I gave a groan as I made the discovery. Ford shook his head. “Mr. Norton is a bad man and no mistake. He’s the kind of a relative that no one wants,” he exclaimed decidedly. “You are right, Dan. I would rather be alone in the world ten times over than have him for my uncle. How my father ever took up with him in the West I cannot imagine.” “Perhaps he hid his real nature when he was with your father,” suggested Ford. “Smart rogues can do that very easily, you know.” “He didn’t deceive me much. I didn’t like him from the start.” “Nor I. But you know your father was a very easy-going man.” “He never wrote to me about Mr. Norton,” I returned; and then to change the subject, which was so disagreeable to me, I went on, “but the question is now, what is best to do?” “I don’t know. Suppose we take a look up and down the shore for the boat. He most likely went off with those other men and merely sent the Catch Me adrift.” “True. We will make an examination. You can go down the shore, and I will go up. The signal to come will be a whistle, or in case of danger the hoot of an owl.” This was agreed to, and we separated at once. I started along the shore very slowly, keeping my eyes open, and stopping often to scan the darkness that overhung Rock Island Lake. At length I reached the spot where the boat belonging to the thieves had been lying. It was gone, and not a trace of where. I, however, for some reason, decided that the trio had embarked for Rock Island. Perhaps I was mistaken, but I thought that the most likely place for such men to seek. The island was a wild and rocky place, and provided they could get enough to eat and drink, they could stay there a month without the authorities discovering their hiding-place.