"And he lived on Fern Island all this while?" asked one of the
officers. "Why did he do that?"
"For his health I guess," said Jack sharply. "That doesn't concern
your case against Tony, or whatever his name was, and this Peters.
You've found out that my sister doesn't know anything to help you
in your hunt, and you might as well skip out. This is private
ground, you know."
"That doesn't make any difference to the law," growled the short
man.
"Oh, yes it does," said Jack sweetly. "You're trespassers as much
as any one else if you haven't a warrant, and I don't believe you
have."
"No, I guess you're right," admitted the tall man, with as good
grace as possible. "Come on," this to his companion, "we can't
learn anything here. Let's go see old Ben."
Cora and Laurel had gone into the house. Jack did not want them
annoyed again, and he wondered how the men had come to think that
Cora might know something of the quarrel between Peters and Tony.
"It was probably just a guess," decided Jack. "There is certainly
something like a mystery about the hermit, and--"
He interrupted his thoughts as he saw one of the men coming back.
"Hang it all! I wonder what he wants now?" thought Jack. The man
soon informed him.
"I say, do you think the hermit, as you call him, would be well
enough to testify in court about this case?" the detective asked.
"What case?" inquired Jack, wondering if the man suspected the
reason for the hermit's exile.
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