"Those Secret Service men would have caught you if the boat hadn't been handy," went on Fenton Hardy. He turned to his sons: "What sort of story did this fellow tell you?" "He said he had to catch a train, as he was going to be married, and some of his friends in the village were trying to hold him back, as a practical joke," answered Frank. "We thought the yarn was rather fishy and I was going to turn back but he drew a revolver on us." "How did you get him tied up?" "He got seasick and Joe knocked the gun out of his hand. Then we tackled him." "Good work," approved Mr. Hardy. "I got a 'phone call from two Secret Service men this morning. It seems they've been trailing Paul Blum for some time and they were just about to arrest him when he made a bolt for liberty. They chased him down the street, but he disappeared, and the next thing they knew he was in your boat, heading for Bayport. They waved at you and tried to signal to you to come back--" "So that's why the two fellows were running along the shore!" exclaimed Joe. "But when you didn't turn back they telephoned to me to meet the boat and arrest him." Fenton Hardy turned to Chief Collig. "Did you find anything?" he asked. The Chief straightened up, scratching his head. "Not a thing. Nothin' but a dollar bill and some matches." "No counterfeit money?" exclaimed Mr. Hardy, in surprise. "Not a bit." "That's strange. The detectives told me he had a big roll of bad bills." "Why, that must have been what he threw overboard," said Frank. "He took something out of his pocket and tossed it over the side of the boat while we were fighting with him. At the time I couldn't imagine what it was." "I guess that's how he got rid of it." Fenton Hardy turned to Paul Blum, who was standing sullenly, with his pockets turned inside out. "And what have you got to say for yourself, Blum?" "Nothing. You haven't got anythin' against me." "Perhaps not just now. But wait till those Secret Service men arrive from Barmet. You were passing counterfeit money in the village." "Any counterfeit money I passed, I got from some one else," blurted the prisoner. "I'm not in that game." Fenton Hardy turned to his sons. "This doesn't happen, by any chance, to be the fellow who tricked you on that bad five dollar bill at the railway station, does it?" he asked. They shook their heads. "No, it isn't he." "I'm convinced that he's associated with the gang in some way." "You haven't got anything on me," Blum persisted doggedly. "Perhaps I did pass some bad money in the village. What of it? If I did, I didn't know it was bad. I got it from some one else. It ain't my fault." "If you're so innocent, why did you run from the detectives?" "I had to catch a train." "Tell that to the judge," advised Chief Collig roughly. "I think I'll lock you up for a while, my friend, and let you just think things over." "Yeh, put him in the cooler," piped up Con Riley.