“Hullo, Rube!” he exclaimed. “Well, this is lucky! You’re the fellow I want to see.” “What about?” I asked. “Have you found the sloop?” “Come with me and I’ll tell you,” he replied. And he led the way out of the store, and down to the pier. “I ain’t found the sloop, Rube, but I’ve found out something about her.” “What have you found out, Tom?” I questioned, as my heart gave a bound. “I overheard three men talking about some sloop they had picked up,” went on the old fisherman. “They stopped talking as soon as they saw I was around. I reckon they want to scoop the prize for themselves.” “Who were the men?” “I didn’t know two of them; the other was Andy Carney. You know him?” “Yes; he is one of the tough fishermen from the north end. What do you suppose the three have done with the boat?” “Taken her up to one of the coves at Rock Island. If I was you I’d sail up and take a look around.” “I will,” I replied. “I’d go along, only I can’t spare the time,” said Darrow. Five minutes later I was on board my sloop, and speeding for Rock Island in search of the Catch Me, which I was now certain had been stolen. The large sloop had become my property, and as the craft was worth at least three hundred dollars it is no wonder that I was anxious to find her. The sum of money represented a good deal to me, especially in my present situation. Mr. Norton, my newly appointed guardian, had told me to take my time about getting back to the mill, so I considered that I had at least several hours of my own before me. This was long enough, I calculated, to take a run up to Rock Island, make an investigation, and get back to the mouth of the Torrent Bend River. I let the mainsail out full, and also the jib. This was all the small sloop could carry in the present wind, and even then I found I had a lively time whenever it came to changing the tack. I stowed away the stuff I had bought in the cuddy, where it would not get wet, and then took things easy in the stern-sheets. It was a beautiful day, and had my mind been free I would have enjoyed the outing thoroughly. But the clouds of sorrow and perplexity were upon me, and I paid scant attention to the fair blue sky above and the rippling water beneath. At length I came within a quarter of a mile of the island, and then began to keep my eyes wide open for whatever might come to view. Rock Island was half a mile wide by nearly a mile long, and on all sides were a number of coves and inlets, some well hidden by the masses of bushes and trees that grew along the shores. I decided to make my investigation as systematic as possible, knowing that it would be folly to sail about in a haphazard fashion. I ran into the first cove I came to, looked around in every direction, and continued this until I had visited the entire south and east shores.