“What do you fear?”

“Shall I say it?”

“Certainly.”

“I fear his tender care of me has been a speculation.”

“You do not believe he is your friend?”

“I fear he is not.”

“Some enemy may have traduced Tom Pearce.”

“No; the words that aroused my suspicions fell frown his own lips.”

“And what do you fear?”

“You must learn from other lips.”

“Who will tell me?”

“If you are to know at all, you must learn my fears from the lips of my enemies.”

“How shall I do that?”

“Are you willing to serve me?”

The detective was silent.  He was certainly charmed and lured by this beautiful child of the shore, but could he afford to undertake to be the champion of a barefooted girl, though she did own a strangely beautiful face?

“If you serve me I will serve you.”

“What can you do for me?”

The girl’s eyes gleamed as she answered: 

“Let me but know that these men are my foes, that I owe them no gratitude, and I can give you information for which the government would pay thousands! and even to-night in serving me you would also serve yourself.”

“Will you tell me how?”

“One of the bosses is to visit the shore to-night.”

“Aha! there is where the whale blows.”

“Yes.”

“Who does he visit?”

“Tom Pearce.”

“What is his purpose?”

“I only guess.”

“What do you guess?”

“Am I to speak more plainly to you, or can you not discern?”

“Have you ever met the man?”

“Yes.”

“You fear him?”

“I do not know yet; you may find out.”

“What do you suspect?”

A moment the girl was silent, but at length she said: 

“I suspect I am to be sent away!”

“You mistrust your reputed father?”

“I do.”

“And this man comes to-night?”

“Yes.”

“You would offer a suggestion?”

“Are you prepared to take advantage of my information?”

“I am.”

“Watch them:  learn their purpose!”

“Where do they meet?”

“In my father’s cabin.”

“Lead me there.”

“I will.”

The detective decided not to go off in the yacht that night.  He preferred to be “taken in tow” by beautiful little barefoot, and strange adventures were the outcome of his change of plans.

The detective and the girl traversed a mile and a half of the beach and then struck inland, and soon came in sight of the glimmer of lights gleaming forth from a fisherman’s shanty.

“They meet there.  You know how to act, and I can give you no ‘points’ when it comes to ‘piping.’  Good-bye for the present.”

The girl glided away and the detective proceeded toward the cabin only to encounter a series of thrilling, extraordinary, and startling adventures.