We have gone carefully over the reports of your secret agent at St.Heliers.Make us square with him, Captain, let him have your orders to aid us, and he can get us first hooked on to this Yankee Professor Alaric Hobbs! We will jolly him a bit, and so, get an interview with old Fraser, and then fool the old chap to the top of his bent.

We will supply him with theories enough to set every bee in his bonnet buzzing.

Your man is already 'solid' with Professor Alaric Hobbs, who is a quaint genius, and withal, a hard-headed Yankee, but full of cranks and 'isms.'" Anson Anstruther exchanged doubtful glances with Alixe Delavigne, who was still very agnostic.

"The real object is to spy out the interior of Fraser's household without alarming him, and to locate his hidden treasure, and, moreover, to open a safe, personal communication with Nadine Johnstone.

Letters and messages finally go astray.