"Then I'm going with you, and see you start back to town," asserted Bert Dodge. Hemingway did not interfere, but, leaving his brother policeman at the river's edge, accompanied young Dodge. In a few minutes they arrived at the spot in the lane where Dick had tied the horse. Here they found Dave Darrin seated in the buggy. Dave glanced unconcernedly at them all, nodding to Hemingway way, who returned the salutation. "Now, I'll watch you start away from here," snapped Bert. "All right, then," smiled Dick, climbing in, after unhitching, and picking up the reins. "I won't keep you long." With that, and a parting word to the policeman, Dick Prescott drove away. "I saw Hemingway coming, and knew you wouldn't need me," Dave explained with a laugh. "So, to save Bert a double attack of nerves, I slipped off in the darkness, and came here. But what on earth ails Dodge, anyway?" "Why, for one thing, he's worried to death about the disappearance of his father," replied Dick Prescott. "I've seen people awfully worried before, and yet it didn't make madmen of them," snorted Darrin. "Well---perhaps-----" Dick hesitated. "Well----?" Darrin insisted, rather impatiently. "I'm half inclined to think that Bert Dodge has been leading the soreheads who sulk and won't play football in the same team with some of us common fellows," Dick laughed. "If so, the very fact of my being sent to look into the news side of his father's disappearance would make Bert feel especially sore at me." "By George, you've hit the nail right on the head there," cried Dave. "That's the trouble. Bert has been leading a kick that was aimed very largely at Dick & Co., and now it almost puts him out of his head to find that Dick Prescott, of all the fellows in the school, has been sent by 'The Blade' to gather the facts concerning Theodore Dodge's mysterious disappearance---or death." "Mr. Dodge isn't dead," replied Prescott slowly. "What? And say! Do you realize, Dick, that you're letting the horse walk?" "I intended to," returned Dick. "Whoa!" "There's a boat coming up the river and showing a search-light," broke in Dave, pointing. "I saw it. That's why I stopped the horse. It must be Chief Coy's launch that he went after. Yes; there it is, putting in where we first saw Bert Dodge and the officers." "Well, if you're not going to keep track of the launch, why don't you hit a fast gait for the office?" queried Darrin. "There is plenty of time yet," Dick replied, "and we've nothing to report to the office yet. I'm just waiting for that boat to take on its passengers and get well away from the spot." "Oh!" guessed Dave. "Then you're going back and make your own search of the place?" "You're clever," nodded Prescott, with a low laugh. "Yes; it may be that Hemingway and his companion have made a fine search. Or it may be that they've missed clues that a blind man ought to see."