He nodded toward the harbor. There lay the Merry Anne at the wharf. The smaller schooner was not to be seen. “Too late, eh?” said Wilson. “Too late.” “Suppose they've gone overland?” “Not a bit of it. They left Smiley's schooner here and went off in Spencer's.” “Oh, he had one too?” “Certainly he did.” Dick had made headlong for the schooner. Now they saw him standing on the after deckhouse, reading a paper which he had found nailed to the mast. “What have you there?” called Beveridge. “Come and see.” The special agent joined him and took the paper. “It's hard enough to read. Whoever wrote this was in a big hurry. What's this? 'Left again. You'd better foot it home. Whiskey Jim.' Whiskey Jim, eh? He's stealing your thunder, Smiley.” “Will you let me see it again?” said Dick. He sat down on the edge of the deck-house and read it over, gazing at it with fascinated eyes. The other men watched him curiously. CHAPTER X--THURSDAY NIGHT--THE GINGHAM DRESS [Illustration: 0260] WELL,” said Wilson, “what do you think?” “We 'll do our thinking later. Take these men and search the place. Smiley and I will wait here.” “You don't expect them to find anything, do you?” asked Dick, when the others had gone. “Can't say. We've lost the men, but we may get some evidence.” “Where do you think they are?” “Where could they be but in Canada?” Dick was silent. “Say, Smiley, I like the way you're acting in this business. If anything on earth will make it any brighter for you, it is what you are doing now. You might even go a step farther if you should feel like it any time. It's plain that McGlory and Spencer are pretty deep in, and if you would come out and tell all you know, it might help you a lot.” “I have told all I know.” “Oh, of course,--that's just as you like.” They were silent again for a few moments. Then Dick spoke up. “You feel pretty sure about their being in Canada, don't you?” “Have you thought of anything else?” “Yes. Where is the other revenue cutter now?” “The _Porter?_ At Buffalo, I think,--or Cleveland, or Detroit.” “And she's about twice as fast as the _Foote_, isn't she?” “Just about.” “Well, now, supposing they weren't sure but what she would be sent up here too? It was as likely as not.” “It should have been done.” “Then wouldn't they have been fools to have put right out again to cross the Lake--with one steamer coming down on 'em through the Straits and another coming up from Detroit?” “Fools or not, they did it. We know that much.” “Do we?” “_Don't_ we!” “I don't see it.” “Don't you see what they've done? They have left your schooner here and gone off in Spencer's. “Who has?” “Look here, Smiley, you are on the wrong side of this case. You ought to be working for the government.” “I may be before I get through with it. You see what I'm driving at, don't you?” “About yourself?” “Hang myself. About Spencer.” “And McGlory?” “No, not McGlory. Just Spencer.” “Why not McGlory?” “Just this--”