Leaving at length the subject of the fire, County Attorney Perkins came down to the subject of the attempt to serve the warrants upon the boys at the camp and at the Warren cottage, the failure, the subsequent pursuit of the boys down the bay in the _Nancy Jane_, and the final surrender of the yacht _Spray_ in the middle of the bay. It was clear that this part of the evidence would have great weight with the court. After the attorney’s questions he put several of his own, regarding the escape from Little Reach, and whether it must have been clear to the boys in the yacht that they were being pursued. It was this testimony that made Mr. Warren breathe hardest, and put his hand to his head with a troubled look. Squire Barker’s cross-examination was brief, but he made two telling points, which might have their influence. One was, that the boys had been very brave on the night of the fire, and had undoubtedly saved many lives. This the colonel reluctantly had to admit. The other, and far more important point, was the bringing out that early on the morning of the fire the colonel had seen that the yacht _Surprise_ was absent from her moorings, whereas the colonel had seen her lying there the afternoon preceding. “Was it not common talk in the village that Harvey and his crew were missing the very morning after the fire?” inquired Squire Barker. “It was,” answered the colonel. “And did you not see all of the accused about the village for the entire day following the fire?” “Yes.” There was a buzz in the court-room, which indicated that this point had told. “And is it not true,” continued Squire Barker, “that this Jack Harvey and his crew have not yet returned, are still missing?” The colonel said he believed such was the case. Asked why he had not secured their arrest, he responded that he felt sure he was on the right track, as he would prove by his witness, Squire Brackett. And Squire Brackett, nothing loath, was the next witness. Having brought out, what everybody knew, that the squire was a property owner and a man of importance in his own village, the county attorney asked: “And where were you shortly after midnight on the night of September 10th?” “I was passing the Hotel Bayview on my way to the shore.” “What did you see as you neared the hotel?” “I saw a light in the billiard-room window, and went to the window and looked in.” “Did you see any one in there?” “I did.” “And who were they?” “These accused,” and the squire named in turn each of the six boys and pointed them out in court. They, feeling the eyes of all turned toward them, the awful stillness of the court-room for the moment following the squire’s declaration, and oppressed more than ever by the hot, choking atmosphere of the stuffy little court, turned white and red by turns, wished that the floor would open beneath their feet and swallow them, and felt a burning sensation in their throats as though they were stifling.