The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 179: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BUNKEL MYSTERY. _ 199 ‘“T think that is plain enough, Mr. Rynon, for the boys went back to the west shore after they had looked over the channel, and you found them there. I contend that they could not have crossed the channel, for it isa mile and a half wide, and the boys would have seen them if the boat had left on that side of the island,’’ argued Andy, with a good deal of earnestness. ‘“T don’t care whether it did or did not ; it has nothing to do with the robbery committed by Dolph and Phin, for neither of them were on the island, or anywhere near it,’? answered Rynon roughly. ‘‘ We have looked the island over, and there is not the ghost of a sign to show that the robbers are here. ‘That is all I want to know.”’ ‘‘T am not satisfied yet,’’ said Andy. ‘‘T don’t care whether you are satisfied or not,’’ replied the officer, as he walked down to the landing rock. ‘‘I did not come down here to satisfy you, but myself. I know the robbers are not here, and have not been here, and Iam going back to town. Do you think, after twenty years’ experience, I don’t understand this sort of business better than you do?” Andy realized that it was useless to attempt to get ahead any farther with such an officer as Rynon; and he thought he could borrow a detective from any ten cent novel who would have more shrewdness than his companion. ‘‘ Tf it is all the same to you, Mr. Rynon, I should like to remain here a little while longer. I will pull back in the tender when I want to go home,”’ said Andy, for he could not think of leaving the island until he had sane a more thorough examination of the place for himself. Andy embarked in the tender, and while the Dragon was standing up the lake on her way to. Montoban, he pulled over to the east side of the island. Under one of the cliffs he stopped to consider the situation. He and Rynon had exainined the island without finding the slightest evidence that the man was still on the island. ‘The boards must be on the island, and he was determined to find them. CHAPTER XXX.—TuHE CONFERENCE ON THE ISLAND. Tom and the man, if they had committed the robbery, or had a hand in it, might have escaped in their boat to the main land, and departed to parts unknown; but they could not have taken the boards with them. ‘The lumber, or a part of it, had been taken ashore, to Andy’s certain knowledge. Now it had disappeared with the man and Tom. It was a mystery, to say the least, whether or not it had any connection with the cleaning out of the two banks. Andy knew of a place on the west shore where he could leave the tender © in safety, for he was general enough not to trust himself on the island with- out leaving open his line of retreat. He could shove it in under the rocks, and then walk on a sort of shelf to an accessible part of the island. He came to the lower level of the island just below the hill which lay between the landing rock on the south side and his present position. He had hardly reached the plain, as visitors called the lower part of the island, before he was sure that he heard footsteps on the side of the hill. CoTpmiclaoolK< (<@)