As soon as I had finished my investigation, I followed the others to the squire’s office. I found Squire Slocum examining Carney, and ready to hear what I might say. “I will lock him up, and we will have a full hearing to-morrow,” said Squire Slocum after I had finished. “I am in a hurry this morning. I will send a message to Pointer, telling him about the meeting last night at the mill. I wish you had let me know as soon as possible, but I suppose you were worn out.” “Both that, and besides the fire drove it out of my mind,” I replied. “And that was the case with me,” added Ford. “I will also have a man take charge of Carney’s boat,” went on the squire. “We now have three different boats with detectives on board sailing the lake, and perhaps we’ll catch these fellows before night.” “Ford and I are going after them too,” I returned. “Well, every one counts,” said the squire with a smile. I could see that he was in a terrible hurry, and as soon as the fisherman was given in charge of the jailer we left. On my way to the wharf I ran against Tom Darrow. He was glad to see me out. “And glad to know that Markham proved to be a gentleman,” he added. “And that reminds me, Gus Lowell found your mill-boat over to Summer’s Point. He brought it over to Ray’s dock.” This was welcome news, and it would not now be necessary to borrow a boat in which to go after Mr. Norton and his two confederates. I ran down to the place that Tom had mentioned, and was soon at the wharf in my own boat. Ford came on board, and we set out on a voyage of discovery, as he termed it. Darrow would have liked to accompany us, but said he had work on hand, having an order for forty pounds of fish for one of the Bayport hotels. “And it don’t pay to let such an order slip by,” he added. “Not when prices are high and biting is good.” “Where do you intend to go first?” asked Ford when we were well on our way. “I think the fellows made for Rock Island,” I said. “That’s my idea, though both of us may be mistaken.” “The island makes a good hiding-place,” I went on. “But still they can’t stay there forever, and I take it they would rather leave the neighborhood entirely.” “They can’t do that if all the roads are guarded, and Squire Slocum said such was a fact. They would have a sweet job trying to get through the woods.” “It’s a wonder they committed the robbery when the chances to escape were so slim.” “I guess they thought to get away before the crime was discovered. Mr. Webster said it was only by accident that it was not allowed to run on till noon or later. The old vault, in which the safe was situated where the diamonds were placed, is not used for storing the regular bank-funds, and besides, Mr. Merton, the cashier, rarely gets to the bank as early as he did on the morning following the robbery.” “It was all known beforehand among the three men,” I went on. “But how did they get their knowledge?”