hear you mention SmugglerHogan, of the _Sylvia?_"
"I called him Uriah Hogan," said Hill.
"It's all one and the same. Hogan's bad medicine." The man surveyedClancy with an approving eye. "Maybe I shouldn't say anything aboutthis," he continued, "but your hair's the same color as mine, and Ialways make it a point to pass valuable information along to a fellowbricktop. Beware of Hogan! What's the fellow doing with that boat ofhis? Some say he's smuggling arms into Lower California, for the use ofthe revolutionists, and some say he's running chinks and opium--bothcontraband goods--into the United States. Cap'n Hogan is not in thesewaters for any good, take it from me."
The red-headed man finished with an ominous look, and then with greatpoliteness requested Hill to pass the salt.
"Hogan, I hear," the loquacious stranger continued presently, "chartersthat boat of his to the unsuspecting. He does it for a blind--nothingelse. Now, if you gents want a trip up or down the coast, as far northas San Fran, or as far down as the Horn. I've got just thething--slickest little schooner with steam auxiliary you ever put eyeson."
A light broke over Clancy. Maybe Captain Hogan wasn't such bad medicine,after all. This rival ship owner might be giving him a badcharacter--for business purposes.
"We're not intending to charter any boat." said Clancy.
"No harm done, anyway," said the red-haired person. "I've given you astraight tip about Hogan, though, and you can bank on it."
"Much obliged," returned Clancy.
A little later he and Hill got up from the table, settled their bill,and left the restaurant.
"How about takin' a walk?" Hill asked. "The way that red-headed chapthrowed me into the man I thought was dad, kinder made me feverish."
"All right," agreed the motor wizard cheerfully, "we'll walk. It'salways a good thing to walk a mile or so after you've had your supper."
They strolled down the main street, Clancy doing his best to cheer uphis melancholy companion. Presently they turned a corner and startedalong a thoroughfare that was bordered on both sides with eucalyptustrees. A figure stepped suddenly out of the black shadow of one of thetrees and posted itself in front of Clancy, barring his path.
"Owen Clancy?" the figure asked.
"Yes," Clancy answered, thinking the voice sounded rather familiar.
"Well, I'm back again, and---"
"Burton!" the motor wizard exclaimed.
"Yes, Burton," the other returned. "I've had it rubbed into me by GeraldWynn and Bob Katz till I reckon I can't stand it no longer. I'm ready tohelp you, now, and this time I mean it."
"What's happened to cause this great change, Burton?" Clancy askedskeptically.
"Wynn and Katz are trying to beat me out of my share of the fifteenthousand," was the reply. "If I help you, Clancy, maybe, between us, wecan beat out the pair of them. What do you say?"
CHAPTER IX.
A SPLIT IN THE GANG.
Clancy had no confidence whatever in Burton.
"I'm willing to hear what you've got to say, Burton," he said, "butwhether I believe you or not, is another question."
"You'll believe me, fast enough," was the confident response. "Down thestreet, a little way, is a place where we can talk."
They walked down the street to a bench. The bench was in an obscureplace, and the gloom of the eucalyptus trees surrounded it. Here, afterthey had seated themselves, Burton began his remarks.
"I've been treated like a dip by Wynn and Katz," said he, "and I'm goingto be square with you, Clancy, just to get even with them. When welifted the fifteen thousand, at the time you were shot, we laid a beeline for Los Angeles. We've been there ever since, up to last Sundaymorning. Gerald was bughouse on a gambling proposition, across theMexican line. He heard of a stockholder he could buy out for fifteenthousand dollars, and that's what set him to working his brother for themoney, in the first place.
"Well, he was as close-fisted with that dinero as any miser you eversaw. I didn't have a cent in my pocket, and Gerald wouldn't give me anycash. He paid my expenses, but that was all.
"Last Saturday he saw that mix-up at Sixth and Main, in Los Angeles, andhe got the idea that Hill was trailing him. Of course, Gerald knows allabout Hill's search for his lost father---"
"Of course he does!" grunted Hiram. "There's a reason for that."
"And he conceived the notion of sending Hill a letter and signing thename of Upton Hill to it," went on Burton. "The idea was to get Hill offof our trail, and we all reckoned the scheme had won out. I didn't know,until I looked up into the glass bottom of that boat, that Hill waswithin a hundred miles of Catalina Island! And I thought Clancy wasstill in Phoenix! Say, it was sure a big surprise to me."
"That's what I reckoned," remarked Hill, with a chuckle.
"I used to be swimming instructor in a gymnasium," proceeded Burton,"and as soon as we reached Avalon I made a deal with Mynie Boltwood, whoowns a boat, and we took to snorkin' the tourists. Gerald was still thetightwad, and I couldn't live on prospects, no matter how rosy theymight be. Sunday afternoon, while I was out diving, Gerald and Bobcalled on Lopez. I get it straight, from a fellow who knows, that Lopeztold them the Fortunatus deal had fallen through. Right then and thereis where those two skunks began to scheme to beat me out of my share ofthe swag we brought from Wickenburg."
Burton fell silent for a moment, evidently reflecting on the greatwrong that had been done him by his former pals. At last he resumed:
"Wynn and Katz chartered the _Sylvia_ to take them down the coast. I wastold that by Lopez, and I reckon he got it from Captain Hogan. Lopez--Isaw him no more than half an hour ago--says Wynn and Katz are planningto cut loose from me, I've been a fool all along to let those two do allthe schemin' and never put in my oar. But now I'm going to get busy."
"You saw Lopez pretty soon after you gave us the slip at SugarloafRock?" Clancy asked.
"Quite a long time after that. I laid low in town until Mynie Boltwoodbrought me my clothes. You see, I was expecting every minute you'd havean officer on my trail, so I didn't stir around very much."
"Lopez is a friend of yours?"
"He's treated me white when he saw how I was being double-crossed byfellows I thought were my pards. Now, Clancy, here's a plan I've thoughtof: From all I can find out, Wynn and Katz haven't an idea you and Hillare up Avalon. Suppose we three go to their hang-out and jump them? Wecan do it, and recover the money. We'll have to be quick, though, andpull off the work before they leave in the _Sylvia._"
"Where are Gerald Wynn and Bob Katz?"
"Lopez says they're staying at Hogan's bungalow. I know where that is.Will you go?"
Clancy hesitated.
"You're afraid I'm working some underhand scheme, eh?" said Burton."Well, forget it. All I want in this world is to break even with Wynnand Katz. Don't you believe what I've been telling you?"
"You're a slippery customer," answered Clancy, "and you may be lying forthe purpose of getting Hill and me into hot water."
"Nothing to it. I tell you I'm square with you."
"Let's try him once, Clancy," suggested Hill. "If it turns out to be aframe-up, Burton will be with us, and we can hand him a sample of ourregards."
"Very well," said the motor wizard. "Lead the way, Burton."
Burton moved down the walk to the first cross street, proceeded halfwayalong the block, and halted in front of a small bungalow with a deepporch.
"Here's where Captain Hogan stays when he's in Avalon and ashore,"remarked Burton, in a guarded tone.
"Can't see any light," murmured Hill. "Looks like the place was empty."
"I should say, at a guess," put in Clancy, "that the captain is not athome. He may be aboard the _Sylvia._"
"We're not looking for Hogan, but for Wynn and Katz," continued Burton."I'll not leave this place until I investigate a bit."
He began climbing the steps that led to the porch. Clancy was still verydistrustful of Burton, and watched warily while following the fellow tothe front door of the house.
/> Burton seemed straight enough. With a soft hand he tried the door, anddiscovered it to be locked. Moving thence to a window that opened uponthe porch, he tried to raise the lower sash. It was secured.
"Maybe I can open the sash lock," he whispered to Clancy. "If it's theordinary kind, a knife will do the trick."
He took a jackknife from his pocket,