"He won't stay there--not as long as his father is in the East. He will be back before long, if he isn't back already." "But he took that money belonging to his father." "What of that? His father can't do anything against him, for he himself is worse than his son, as we all know. Besides, his father is most likely still in the hospital." "If you young gentlemen want to sail around until tomorrow noon, I can take you out in one of my boats," remarked Martin Harris. "I've got a first-class yacht, the _Searchlight_, that I can let you have reasonably." "Thanks, but I would just as lief stay on shore until our boat is mended," answered Dick. "But I want to pay you for what you did for us," he added. "Oh, that's all right." But the boys thought otherwise, and in the end gave Martin Harris two dollars, with which the boatman was highly pleased. "Remember, I saw that accident," he said, on parting. "I can prove it was the _Falcon's_ fault." "We'll remember that," answered Dick. From time to time they had watched the _Falcon's_ course until the yacht had disappeared down the river. After a short debate the brothers decided to put up at a hotel which stood not far away, on a high cliff overlooking the noble Hudson. "We've been on the water for nearly two weeks now," said Dick, "and to sleep in a real bed will be something of a novelty." As it was in the height of the summer season the hotel was crowded; but some guests were just departing, and they managed to get a fairly good room on the second floor. This had a double bed, and a cot was added, to accommodate Sam; Dick and Tom sleeping together, as usual. It was supper time when the boys arrived, and as soon as they had registered and washed up and combed their hair, they descended to the spacious dining room, where fully a score of tables were set. "This way, please," said the head waiter, and showed them to a table at one side, overlooking one of the wide verandas of the hotel. "I'm as hungry as a bear!" exclaimed Tom. "You can't serve us any too quick," he added, to the waiter who came up to take their orders. "Yes, sah, do the best I can, sah," grinned the colored man. "What kind of soup, please?" "I'll have ox-tail--" began Tom, when he happened to glance out of the window. As his gaze fell upon a man sitting in an easy chair on the veranda he uttered a low whistle. "By jinks, boys, look! Josiah Crabtree, as sure as you're born!" he whispered. CHAPTER III JOSIAH CRABTREE FREES HIS MIND The individual to whom Tom referred had been a former master at Putnam Hall, but his disagreeable ways had led to his dismissal by Captain Putnam.