"I know you weren't," agreed Hardy.
"And, by the way," continued the operator, "about two hours ago, just before my machine broke down, I picked up a message for Seagulls' Nest."
"You did? Let's have it quick," said Hardy eagerly, turning his head in order to listen with greater sharpness to the answer.
"It was from Commodore Hatton. Said he was passing and wouldn't be able to stop. He was trying to beat the gale and put into Hampton Roads. Important business was hurrying him."
"Where you s'pose the yacht is by this time?" demanded the pilot as the other paused.
"Judging by what they said when they spoke to us, the boat was then right off this point; so it must be well up the coast by now."
"Don't think he'll have any trouble making his port?"
"Ought not to. And see here, there was a message for us here, too. He had expected to stop in the Sound to report on that suspicious case—"
"Suspicious case? What suspicious case?"
