“Ain’t any chance of him nosin’ around that Polucca place, is there?” asked Bates. “It’s a mighty good place to stay away from if everythin’ you hear is true. It’s haunted, that place is.” “Oh, that wouldn’t matter to him. But I’m glad you told us about seeing him. It gives us a better idea of where to look for him.” “Well, I’m glad if I’ve helped any. Guess I’ll be goin’ now,” said Sam Bates, putting on his cap. “I hope your dad shows up all right.” The Hardy boys thanked him warmly and Bates shambled away, his hands in his pockets. Mrs. Hardy came into the hallway. “Any news?” she asked anxiously. “We have a clue, anyway,” Frank told her. “That fellow says he saw dad on the shore road the morning he left here.” “Where was he?” “Near the old Polucca place.” “The house on the cliff?” Frank nodded. Mrs. Hardy looked grave. “Surely he couldn’t have gone there and disappeared!” she said. “I can’t imagine why he would go to the house on the cliff, anyway,” observed Joe. “Oh, I know now!” Mrs. Hardy exclaimed. “I had forgotten all about it. I intended to tell you boys, but somehow it slipped my mind. Now that you mention the Polucca place, I remember.” “What was it?” “Your father discovered something about Snackley, the smuggler. It seems that Snackley was related to Felix Polucca, the miser.” “Related to him!” “He was a cousin or nephew, or something of the sort. One of the government men told him that. So your father had an idea that Polucca must have been visited by Snackley at some time or another and that Snackley must have got the idea of using Barmet Bay for his smuggling operations at that time.” “Whew!” exclaimed Joe. “Now we’re getting on the right track. Dad must have gone up to the house on the cliff to investigate.” “Why didn’t we think of searching there before! Dad put two and two together and figured that there might be some connection between the queer things that happened at the Polucca place the day we visited it and the case of that fellow Jones whom we rescued. Then, when he learned that Snackley was related to Polucca, he was sure of it. It’s as clear as daylight. But what on earth could have happened to him?” “Let’s go up to the Polucca place and find out.” But Mrs. Hardy interposed. Her lips were firm. “Promise me you won’t go alone.” “Why not, mother? We can look after ourselves.” “If anything has happened to your father, I don’t want you to run the same risk.” “But we _must_ go up there and look the place over again.” “Get some of the boys to go with you.” “I guess it would be safer,” agreed Joe. “We can round up a bunch of the fellows and go up there to-morrow morning. We’ll search that place from top to bottom this time.”