“ Mont was already on the companionway, and Jack quickly followed him.
"It's queer that Pooler should know that this stranded boat is here, and yet not touch a thing on board," remarked the young machinist. "He seems to be so close, it's a wonder he hasn't carried all the stuff away."
"You don't remember that he thinks this is haunted," replied Mont.
Jack laughed.
"Do you believe that yarn?" he asked.
"Not altogether; yet the man is certainly a strange fellow."
Meg was eagerly awaiting them on the shore.
"I don't see Mosey and Pooler," said Jack, as he stepped to the rail and looked over. ”

“ Benton will be rather surprised when he learns the true state of affairs," thought Jack to himself. "But his treatment of Deb was shameful, and I shall tell him so."
As they passed an old barn near the outskirts of the town all heard a loud cry, the scuffle of many feet, and then the door of the place burst open.
"Hello, what's all this?" exclaimed Jack. "Some one in trouble!"
Through the open doorway sprang a tall man. He was but partly dressed, and one side of his face bore a thick coating of black. He ran directly toward the road, and was followed by a dozen or more men wearing masks. ”

“ Felix Gray to the ground, but the tool manufacturer held fast to the front seat.
"Stop that!" roared Farmer Farrell.
"We want that man!" called out a person in the mob.
"No, no! Save me! save me!" cried Mr. Gray, frantically.
"We will not give him up," exclaimed Jack. "It's a shame to treat a dog in this fashion!"
"He threw us out of work. He won't give us our money. He wants to starve us and our families," called out several.
"Listen!" yelled Jack, as loud as he could. "Some of you know me. I work in the tool works; I haven't got my money, and need it as badly as any of you. ”

“ By the aid of the energetic elderly maiden the furniture from the former Willington rooms was quickly set to rights, a good part of it being stored in the garret until--when?
Deb asked herself that question many times as she sat on the edge of the bed, after Miss Parks had gone below.
"If Jack was only here," she sighed. "Where can he have gone? I will never, never believe he has run away, no matter what Mr. Benton or the others say. Something has surely happened to him." ”

“ Deb's heart sank like a clod. Her last hope was gone. She had counted on getting help from the speculator, and the result had been directly the opposite.
"Rec'on you won't get anything out of him," was the constable's grim comment. He had listened in silence to the brief interview, and now arose to continue his disagreeable but necessary duty.
"Isn't there any way at all of having this thing stopped?" asked the girl, bitterly.
"No; unless you get the money," was the man's reply, and pulling off his coat, he took up a couple of chairs, and marched down stairs. ”

“ It did not take Jack and Mosey very long to reach the shore. They found Farmer Farrell, gun in hand, stalking up and down impatiently. He had ordered Corrigan into the row-boat, and was lecturing him and the hired man at the same time.
"You've been a mighty long while coming," he remarked, as the dim rays of the smoky lantern fell upon the young machinist's face. ”

“ Suddenly she grew very pale, and with faltering steps approached the jail.
The doorkeeper greeted her with evident surprise.
"What brings you here this morning?" he asked.
"My brother has been missing since last night," replied Deb, in a choking voice, "and I thought that perhaps you had--had locked him up again!"
"Why, no. Haven't seen him since he left," replied the man. "Missing, eh!" He gave a low whistle, "Hope he hasn't jumped his bail."
"What do you mean?"
"Run away to escape trial."
"Jack wouldn't do that."
"Can't tell. Fellows do unexpected things sometimes. ”

“ Mont Gray hastened to the Corney postoffice with all possible speed. For his own sake, as well as for Deb's he wished to dispatch his business as quickly as possible, so as to devote the remainder of the day to hunting up Jack.
He was afraid that something out of the ordinary had befallen his friend. He had not wished to add to Deb's already deep anxiety, but he knew Jack too well to imagine that the young machinist would willfully keep his sister in ignorance of his whereabouts.
This feeling upon the young man's part might not have been so strong had all other surroundings been more tranquil. ”

“ Mont kept a constant eye upon his strange patient, frequently rearranging the pillow, and watching that the bandage did not slip from the shoulder.
There was an anxious look in the young man's face as he moved about, and it soon vented itself in a brief soliloquy.
"This man knows all about the past," he whispered to himself. "He knew my father, and he knows uncle Felix, I must help him to recover and, there----" he rubbed his hand over his forehead; "If I only knew the truth!" ”

“ Jack sprang forward to defend the young girl.
But his caution was unnecessary, for at the same instant Max Pooler gave a sharp gasp of pain, and wavering backward and forward for a second, fell heavily to the floor.
Deb and Meg both gave a shriek, Jack and Mont turned the wounded man over on his back.
"Is he--he dead?" asked Deb. She was white, and trembled all over.
"No, only exhausted," replied Mont, after applying his ear to the miser's breast. "His passions hold him completely under control." ”

“ But Jack and his sister Deb are not without friends, and the fact that the boy is an inventor and has almost ready the model of a useful and valuable invention, aids him to secure his release, and then he goes forth to run down his enemies and to solve the mystery connected with a rich family legacy.
Generally speaking, life in a factory town is thought to be dull and monotonous, whereas the truth is, that it is usually full of interest and not devoid of excitement of a peculiar kind. ”

“ For Jack was a duly enlisted member of the Corney Volunteer Fire Department.
He hurried into his clothing as rapidly as possible, and jumped down the stairs three at a time.
"Don't get hurt!" called Deb after him.
The engine house was but a few blocks away. When Jack arrived there, he found that the machine had been dragged out into the street but no further.
"Why don't you catch hold?" he called to a crowd of men who stood on the sidewalk.
"It's old Gray's house!" exclaimed one man, "and it can burn to the ground for all I care."
"He don't help us; now let him help himself," put in another. ”

“ Felix Gray of setting fire to the mansion, and was now languishing in the town jail.
Deb's outburst was dreadful to behold. She threw herself upon the old German woman's breast and sobbed as if her heart would break. Her Jack--her own dear brother, in prison! The only one she had in the wide world taken away from her, and sent to a criminal's cell! It was too horrible to realize.
"How cruel of them to do it!" she moaned. "And he is innocent, too. He was home when the fire broke out;" and she shook her head in despair.
"Of course he didn't do it," said Mr. Snitzer. "All der men say so. ”

“ Left to herself, Deb stood dazed for a moment in the center of the floor. Then she tottered to an empty box standing near and sank upon this, the picture of misery and despair.
What should she do? What could she do?
Over and over she asked herself the questions, but without reaching a satisfying answer. She was the prisoner of a wicked man, and to get away from him appeared impossible.
The loft was very dusty, and from overhead hung huge cobwebs full of dirt and spiders. ”

“ As Jack ascended the stairs he heard talking in the kitchen.
"Wonder who is here? Visitors of some kind," he thought.
Entering, the young machinist found Mr. Hammerby, the house-agent, in earnest conversation with Deb.
Mr. Hammerby was a short, dapper business man, small in form, and a person of few words.
"Yes, I never allow a rent day to go by," he was saying. "People who hire from me must expect to pay promptly."
"But sometimes people fall ill, and get behind----" began Deb.
"True, but that's not my fault, and I never--ah, here is your brother at last. Good morning, Mr. Willington." ”

“ Pooler comes only once in a great while, and I never knew that Mosey to go anywhere but to the cottage."
"Well, what shall we do?" asked the young man, turning to Jack.
"Better get out of his way," suggested Meg. "He's a wicked man when he's mad, and he'll be the maddest man in the district if he catches you two on this boat."
"Suppose we go below and hide," replied the young machinist. "It ought to be an easy thing to do so on such a craft as this."
"Just the idea!" exclaimed Mont. "How slow of me not to think of it." ”

“ He will let that man put us out even when he owes us more than the amount of the rent. Well, it may be law, but it isn't justice and he shall not do it!"
And the young machinist shut his teeth in grim determination.
"If you can't get the money from the bank, I suppose you can't go into business for yourself," said Deb, when they reached home.
"That's true enough. Before the shut-down I might have borrowed money, but now I guess all our friends need every cent they have."
"Can't we raise some?" Deb's eyes wandered around the apartment. Jack gave a dry little laugh. ”

“ Max Pooler struggled to his feet. The movement caused him intense pain, and he uttered a sharp groan.
"We can't do as he wishes," said Jack to Mont. "He might die, and we would never forgive ourselves."
"I know it," replied the other. "But it will be a hard matter to separate him from his money. Besides what shall we do with Mosey and Corrigan?" ”

“ THE MISER OF THE ISLAND HAD LOST HIS BALANCE, AND AFTER VAINLY CLUTCHING THE AIR TO SAVE HIMSELF, HAD FLOUNDERED INTO THE WATER AND MUD BELOW. "Hello!" exclaimed Jack. "There's an accident that's lucky for us."
"He'll have all he can do to take care of himself," remarked Mont.
"Serves him right," put in Meg, with a laugh. She had not taken the whole affair very seriously. "Maybe it'll cool his blood."
The three saw Mosey rush to Max Pooler's assistance, and then, without waiting to see the outcome of the mishap, the girl again bent to the oars, and sent the boat flying onward. ”

“ Meg shrank back.
"It's haunted!" she exclaimed. "Besides, Pooler would kill me if he found it out."
"We'll never tell him, will we, Jack?"
"Certainly not," replied the young machinist, to whom this new move was only another mystery.
"Besides, we intend to be your friends, you know," continued Mont.
"Well, then, come on," replied Meg, finally. "I don't care if he likes it or not. 'Taint a very nice place though."
"Never mind. We can't find any worse or more dangerous places than we have already gone through."
Meg picked her way along one bank of the island for nearly a quarter of a mile. ”

“ She walked slowly in the direction of the Redrock road, in hope of meeting her brother. At the end of three blocks, she came face to face with Mont Gray, who had just been finishing up some accounts at the tool works.
"Where are you going, may I ask?" he said, with a smile.
"To meet Jack," replied Deb. "He ought to be home by this time."
"Perhaps the work took longer than he expected," observed the young man. "You know he hates to leave a job until it's done." ”

“ Mont tried to catch hold of the rock, but the smooth surface slipped from under his hands. He grasped the small bushes--they came out by the roots. He felt himself going down--down;--the glint of the sunshine upon the water sparkled in his face and then?
WITH A QUICK SPRING HE GAVE THE YOUNG MAN A PUSH THAT SENT HIM SPINNING OVER BACKWARD. Mosey got down flat on the rocks and crawling to the edge, peered over the bank. He saw Mont's hat rise to the surface, and float swiftly along with the bounding stream. ”

“ Jack was silent a moment.
"I think he's outrageously mean and close!" he burst out. "He doesn't treat you, nor any one else in the tool works fairly! He's the hardest master to work for in the town!"
The young machinist could be blunt when the occasion demanded, and he did not mince matters now.
"I guess you are right," replied Mont, shaking his head affirmatively. "And yet----" he hesitated. ”

“ As Mosey drew nearer Mont noticed that his eyes were deeply sunken, and that despite the drink, his face looked pale and haggard.
"Possibly he is worried over his wrongdoings," thought Mont, hitting more truth than he imagined. "It's a pity such a strong fellow can't keep from liquor."
The Irishman shuffled directly toward Mont, without apparently noticing him.
"Hello," exclaimed the young man, sharply. "Where bound?"
The Irishman started up in surprise.
"Where you--hic--goin'?" he asked.
"I'm looking for Jack Willington. Have you seen him?" ”

“ The mention of pay immediately altered the matter in Max Pooler's eyes.
"I'll do it for another quarter," he said. "Times are hard and one must make his living."
Jack made no reply. The closeness of the man disgusted him, and he paid the amount without a word.
Meg led the way toward the beach. Their backs were scarcely turned before Max Pooler disappeared in the cottage.
"The mean miser," burst out the girl, when they were beyond hearing, "He's itchin' to put that seventy-five cents along with the rest of his money! Hope you don't blame me for what he's done. ”

“ A quarter of an hour, a very long quarter to Deb, passed.
"My brother ought to be in sight," she said. "He ought to stop working. It is getting late."
"Maybe he's struck a new idea," replied Corrigan. "You know he hates to give up unless a point is settled."
Deb knew that this was true of Jack. But might not her brother go straight home, without returning to the mill?
"I guess I'll go up the road to meet him," she said, rising.
Corrigan stepped over to the door. "No, you must stay here," he replied, decidedly. ”

“ I have a feeling that every minute is valuable."
Meg led off at once, Jack and Mont following first, with Farmer Farrell close behind, and Deb helped along by the hired man, who lagged considerably, having no desire to expose himself to possible harm.
"'Taint very pleasant," said Meg, as they journeyed over rocks and stumps, and through a copse of thick undergrowth, and then over a shallow stream.
Quarter of a mile brought them to a ravine, near the center of the island.
"Here we are!" exclaimed the young girl. "There's the mouth of the cave." ”

“ ON BOARD THE "KITTY"
"Hello!" exclaimed Jack, in astonishment. "I never knew such large craft came here."
"It's really haunted," replied Meg. "Mustn't go near it."
The young machinist laughed.
"Seems to me everything is haunted around here," he said, "Were you ever on board?"
"Nope, Pooler would kill me if I went. He's terrible when he's mad;" and Meg shook her head as the memory of past trials arose in her mind.
Meanwhile Mont had gone on ahead, and now, not without some difficulty, reached the deck of the stranded vessel. Jack followed him, leaving the girl behind. ”

“ Mont looked at Deb. He knew both her and Jack very well.
"I am sorry to hear it," he said, with a pained face.
"It's all because of the shut-down at the factory," explained Deb, who, for a purely womanly reason wanted to set herself right with the young man.
In a few short words she made him acquainted with the situation. Involuntarily Mont's hand went down in his pocket, and then he suddenly remembered that he had no money with him.
"See here, Mr. Hammerby," he said, "you had better take this notice back. There is no doubt that you will get your money." ”