“And, if you find the man?” asked Rose.

“If we do, and he needs help, we’ll see that he gets it; I think if we do find him we’ll learn more about Mr. Carson Blowitz than we know now.”

“Shall I tell my father?” asked Nellie, as the boys were preparing to make the return trip.  The dock was deserted, save for the young people and Ponto, but in the chocolate refreshment place, and other booths on shore there was plenty of life.

“I think it would be a good plan,” agreed Jerry.  “You know the whole story, about the brig and the offer Blowitz made.  Tell Mr. Seabury that we would have consulted him before, only he was out when we got back this afternoon.  Now, Ponto, lookout that no horned toads or web-footed lizards get the young ladies, and, above all, don’t lie down alongside the road and take a nap.”

“Hu!  Guess I ain’t gwine t’ sleep when I’s ’scortin my massa’s daughters home,” declared the colored man, rather indignant that such a slur should be cast on him.

“Don’t worry,” called Jerry, as the girls walked along the dock to shore.  “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“Do you really think we’ll find anything?” asked Ned of Jerry when they were some distance out, and speeding along toward where they had seen Blowitz and the other man on the cliff.

“I don’t know,” Jerry frankly admitted.  “It looks suspicious, and the way Blowitz acted made it more so.  Maybe the shadows deceived us, and the man did not fall, for the cloud over the moon made things black.  But it will do no harm to take a look, and then we’ll be satisfied.”

“If we find him, what will we do with him?” asked Bob, who had a habit of looking ahead.

“Let’s find him first,” said Jerry.  “Maybe it is some man who works for Blowitz, and who would not do just as his boss wanted him to.  Blowitz can get angry very easily, as was proved by his actions when we refused to make that trip.  Maybe he hit the man in a fit of passion, and the man cried out in surprise, and ran away.”

The sky was more cloudy now, and the moon was oftener obscured by masses of dark vapor.  Still, there was light enough for the boys to make out landmarks, and distinguish objects when they came near the low cliff, on which they had seen Blowitz and the other man.

“There’s the place,” called Ned suddenly, from his position near the wheel.

“That’s right,” admitted Jerry.  “Better put us in near that rock where we talked to Blowitz.  We can fasten the boat there and go ashore.  There’s no swell in here.”

In a short time the three boys were on the rocky shore.  Jerry carried a lantern and Ned had a coil of rope, as he thought if the man had fallen over a cliff, and was unable to help himself, they might need a line to hoist him up.

“Go easy now,” cautioned Jerry, as they moved forward.  “We don’t want to send out notice that we have arrived.  Blowitz may still be sneaking around.”