Merton repeated the story. Logan was silent. 'Do you see your way?' asked Merton. 'I must have time to think it out,' said Logan. 'It is rather mixed. When was Bude to return from his cruise to "The Seven Hunters"?' 'Perhaps to-night,' said Merton. 'We cannot be sure. She is a very swift yacht, the _Flora Macdonald_.' 'I'll think it all over, Bude may give us a tip.' No more would Logan say, beyond asking questions, which Merton could not answer, about the transatlantic past of the vanished heiress. They loitered back towards the hotel and lunched. The room was almost empty, all the guests of the place were out fishing. Presently the motor returned from Lairg, bringing Mr. Gianesi and a large box of his electrical appliances. Merton rapidly told him all that he did not already know through Mr. Macrae's telegrams. He was a reserved man, rather young, and beyond thanking Merton, said little, but pushed on towards Castle Skrae in the motor. 'Some other motors,' he said, 'had arrived, and were being detained at Lairg.' They came later. Merton and Logan followed in the tandem, Logan driving; they had handed to Gianesi a sheaf of telegrams for the millionaire. As to the objects of interest on the now familiar road, Merton enlightened Logan, who seemed as absent-minded as Merton had been, when instructed by Dr. MacTavish. As they approached the Castle, Merton observed, from a height, the _Flora Macdonald_ steaming into the sea loch. 'Let us drive straight down to the cove and meet them,' he said. They arrived at the cove just as the boat from the yacht touched the shore. The Budes were astonished and delighted to see their old friend, Logan, and his dog, Bouncer, a tawny black muzzled, bow-legged hero, was admired by Lady Bude. Merton rapidly explained. 'Now, what tidings?' he asked. The party walked aside on the shore, and Bude swiftly narrated what he had discovered. 'They _have_ been there,' he said. 'We drew six of the islets blank, including the islet of the lighthouse. The men there had seen a large yacht, two ladies and a gentleman from it had visited them. They knew no more. Desert places, the other isles are, full of birds. On the seventh isle we found some Highland fishermen from the Lewis in a great state of excitement. They had only landed an hour before to pick up some fish they had left to dry on the rocks. They had no English, but one of our crew had the Gaelic, and interpreted in Scots. Regular Gaels, they did not want to speak, but I offered money, gold, let them see it. Then they took us to a cave. Do you know Mackinnon's cave in Mull, opposite Iona?' 'Yes, drive on!' said Merton, much interested. 'Well, inside it was pitched an empty corrugated iron house, quite new, and another, on the further side, outside the cave.' 'I picked up this in the interior of the cave,' said Lady Bude. 'This' was a golden hair-pin of peculiar make. 'That's the kind of hair-pin she wears,' said Lady Bude.