Scotty went back to his book. Rick resumed staring at the ceiling. It had occurred to him that there was an old wrecker's trick, well used in the days of sailing ships. The trick was to extinguish a navigation light so ships would run aground and be easy prey for the wreckers. And sometimes the wreckers helped out by raising false lights. Now if the automatic light at the tip of the reef could be cut off, and if a false light were raised on the old tower . . . they just had to talk with Captain Killian! Bill Lake thought a shift of current and a patch of mist had been responsible for him losing the light and putting him off course. But what if Smugglers' Light had been cut off and a false light lighted on the old tower? Rick snapped his fingers. "I've got it!" Scotty looked up. "Got what?" Just then the phone rang. The boys almost fell over each other in their haste. Rick got to it first and said a breathless hello. "Cap'n Mike speaking. Rick?" "Yes!" "Brad just turned up Salt Creek. I'll be in my shack waiting to hear about it, boy. And say, the automatic light works by a cable. Cable comes down the pole in front of the Creek House fence and goes into a metal box. From there it goes underground to the light." "Thanks a million," Rick said exultantly. "We'll see you sometime tonight, Cap'n." He hung up and turned to Scotty. "Let's go!" They ran down the stairs and almost barged into Mrs. Brant. "Got to hurry, Mom." "Where to, Rick?" "Seaford," he said. "We'll take the boat. Don't worry, I don't think we'll be out too late." Mrs. Brant's eyes were troubled. The boys had told the Brants something about events at Seaford. "Be careful, you two," she said. "We will," Scotty assured her. They had every intention of being extremely careful. Hartson Brant, who had been on expeditions with the boys, had every confidence in their ability to look out for themselves. But Mrs. Brant, like all mothers, had some reservations. As they ran down the stairs to the landing, Scotty asked, "What was it you said you had just before the phone rang?" "Tell you when we get underway," Rick returned, and as they sped through the water at over thirty miles an hour toward Seaford, he did so. "I think I know how the _Sea Belle_ was wrecked. But if I'm right, the Kelsos were taking a terrific chance." "They're the kind who take chances." Scotty peered through the windshield at the dark sea. Behind them, their wake was white and turbulent. "Well, here's how I figure. The Kelsos knew there was no sea traffic off Smugglers' Reef except for the Seaford fleet, because the coastal traffic moves pretty far offshore. They also knew that no one goes down the old road past the hotels at night because there's nothing there. And anyway, if a car came, they could see its lights."