“He told the men that you gave that man warning, and they’re awful mad at you, and they’ve put up a job to get the man into a quarrel.”

“Where are the men now?”

“Down to Rigby’s.”

“They expect the detective down there to-night?”

“Yes.”

“And Sol Burton was the man who told them I gave the detective warning?”

“Yes.”

“You go down to Rigby’s and listen to what goes on, and in about an hour come up and report to me.”

“Where will you be?”

“At the cabin.”

Tom Pearce’s house was generally called the cabin, as the timbers and other materials of which it was constructed were portions of a wreck that had come ashore many years previously.

Tommy bid the girl good-night, and the latter returned to the detective.

“Well, is the communication confidential?”

“You are in great peril.”

“Am I?”

“You are.”

“From which quarter does the danger threaten me?”

“Sol Burton has reported against me.”

“What has he reported?”

“He has told the men that I warned you, and that is the reason you did not go off in the yacht.”

“The men will not harm you, I reckon.”

“No, they will not harm me.”

“Then I reckon no harm is done.”

“The men have sworn to get square with you tonight!”

CHAPTER VIII.

The detective laughed in a quiet way, and said: 

“My dear child, I have been in hotter danger than any that threatens me at this moment.  I know now in which quarter the danger lies, and I would be a poor man were I to be frightened off when holding that ‘lead.’”

“But those men are set to catch you to-night.  They have sworn to assault you, and there are twenty of them, all told; you may treat the danger lightly, but I tell you they are a desperate lot.  They will make good their threat unless you go.  It will be impossible for you to stand against them all.”

“Never you fear for me, Renie; I’ll go off in the yacht to-night.  She catches a ‘liner,’ and don’t you forget.”

“You will go off in the yacht with those men?” exclaimed the girl.

“Yes, I will.”

’Never! they will go for you at sight!  They know now that you have been warned.”

“I will look out for myself; it is not my peril we must consider, but yours.”

“I am safe.  I shall tell all to my father, and after that it will be a dangerous thing for Garcia to show his face around our cabin.”

“The man has money, he will operate by trick and device.  He will bribe someone whom you consider your best friend to aid him, and already you have an enemy.”

“Sol Burton?”

“Yes.”

“I do not fear him.  I’ll scare that man over to the mainland, to remain there, before to-morrow’s sunset.  No, no!  I am not in danger, but you are.”