Perhaps Mr. Grubb can tell us. Who do you think it could have been,
sir?" she asked, turning to the guide.
"I swum! I swum!" muttered the guide.
"It isn't possible!" exploded Jim.
"I reckon Miss--Miss Burrell is right, Jim," agreed the guide. "Either
you threw the stuff in, or somebody else did, and we know you didn't,
so what's the answer? The young lady has given us the answer, and
there you are."
"I'm sorry," pondered Miss Elting. "I was in hopes this journey would
be free from unpleasantness, but here we are meeting with difficulties
at the very start of it. Have you any enemies who would wish to do you
harm, Mr. Grubb?"
"No, no, no! Nothing like that, Miss."
"Do you know a man named Collins?"
"Collins? Never heard of him. Who is he?"
"I don't know. I will tell you something that you do not know, either.
The night we arrived at Compton a man called on me at the hotel to ask
me to discharge you and let him act as our guide instead. He said he
needed the money. He also said we would be sorry for having taken you
as our guide; that we would get into no end of trouble were we to go
with you.
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