"Lorna, it’s impossible. Not from the station. And none o’ the crew is patrolling the beaches. Cap’n Edgar’s men air watching this schooner. Shouldn’t be noways surprised if they was out there right now. But none of the Upper Trillion crew are coming down yonder to the other side of the bay mouth to the key-box like they do when they are on patrol. Dickson P’int being so high, shut’s off all view of this here stretch of coast from Upper Trillion. And the telephone ain’t working." "Oh, Tobias!" "I know, Lorny; I know," he said. "But what can I do? The light can’t be left untended—’specially a night like this. If somebody could get across the bay and run to the Upper Trillion station——" "We can, Tobias! There is Ralph’s _Fenique_" "Yes, I cal’late she’s there in the cove all right," he muttered. "But who’s going to manage her? If I could go, I am free to confess I don’t know much about handling that motor-boat. If Zeke was only here——" He suddenly turned his gaze on Rafe Silver. But the momentary flash of confidence in his face faded almost instantly. "Oh, sugar!" muttered Tobias. "Rafe can’t run a motor-boat with a broken wrist." "Tobias Bassett!" exclaimed the girl, getting to her feet with decision. "I can manage Ralph’s boat. I can run the _Fenique_ just as well as Ralph can himself. Ralph said so." "Oh, sugar, girl! you couldn’t get across the bay to-night in it. Alone? Why, I wouldn’t hear to it. No, indeed!" "Somebody must go, Tobias. Can’t—can’t _this_ man go with me?" and Lorna pointed to the detective, who listened open-mouthed. "What? _Me?_" he gasped, quite horrified. "I could not think of such a thing." "I bet you couldn’t," observed the lightkeeper, with disgust. "I cal’late you air too precious to have your hide risked where it might get scraped a bit. Humph! Tell ye what, Lorny: You and me will have to go." At this decision she displayed instant satisfaction. She seized her jacket and veil. But Tobias was looking at Rafe Silver. "Rafe," he said, "I’ve got to depend on you if I go with Lorny. Somebody’s got to watch the light. You savvy?" "_Si, si!_ Captain Bassett can depen’ on heem," and he struck his chest with his uninjured hand. "If you need a man’s two hands for anything, ring _that_ fellow in," and Tobias nodded scornfully at the detective. "If anything goes wrong here and me gone, remember it means I’ll lose my job. And the good Lord knows," he murmured, "me and Heppy’s lost enough, seems to me—money and all." The girl was already at the door; but Tobias took his time. He refilled and lit a lantern. He searched out a can of gasoline from the storeroom. He burdened Lorna with a stout ash oar. And last of all he coiled a length of strong line over his arm. He insisted that the girl be buckled into a lifebelt and he put on its mate himself.