"Oh, I don't mind a fellow roaming around a little," said Alfred Darkingham, loftily. "But we came here to camp out, and of course we prefer to have the island to ourselves."

"I see. Well-er-I shan't disturb you. I-er-left my fishing outfit on the opposite sh.o.r.e. I'll go and get it, and then I'll be ready to leave as soon as my friend comes for me."

"Oh, you needn't be in such a tremendous hurry, Mr.--"

"Smith-plain John Smith," filled in the stranger. "I'm stopping at Peak's Island."

"My name is Alfred Darkingham. These are my friends, Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur."

"Koswell!" cried the stranger, in considerable surprise. "Did you say Jerry Koswell."

"Yes."

"Did you-were you a student at Brill College?" asked the man who had given his name as John Smith.

"Why, yes," was the reply. "But I don't remember you."

"No, for you never met me. But I have heard of you, and I think I have heard of your friend, Mr. Larkspur. Didn't you once have some trouble with some fellow students named Rover?"

"Yes," answered Larkspur, and his brow darkened.

"Pretty bad trouble, too, wasn't it?"

"Bad enough," growled Koswell. "Are you a friend to the Rovers?" he added, suspiciously.

"Oh, no, I don't know them. But I heard of the trouble."

"It was the Rovers' fault," said Jerry Koswell, sourly. "They put it off on us, but they were to blame. We might have gone back to Brill, but we didn't think it was worth while; did we, Bart?"

"No, we had enough of the grind as it was," answered Larkspur, glibly.

"Great Scott! just listen to that!" whispered Tom to his brothers. They were behind some nearby bushes and could catch every word that was spoken.

"Hush! or they may hear you," was the warning, from d.i.c.k.

"Didn't you once get a letter or two from a party named Tad Sobber?" went on the fellow who called himself John Smith.

"I did!" cried Jerry Koswell. "Then you know Sobber?"

"Supposing I told you that I did?" And the strange man eyed Koswell narrowly.

"Sobber wanted me to help him get square on the Rovers," went on Jerry Koswell.

"But you didn't want to help him, is that it?"

"Yes, I did want to help him. I sent him a long letter to that effect, but he never answered it."

"A letter that you would help Sobber?"

"Sure. The Rovers treated me dirt mean, and I'd go out of my way a good deal to get square."

"So would I!" cried Larkspur.

"I don't believe Sobber ever got your letter," went on the stranger. "He told me he had waited to hear from you but you hadn't answered."

"Then the letter got lost," answered Jerry Koswell. "I am sorry if it did, for I wanted to fix the Rovers."

"And so did I," echoed Larkspur.

"Well, maybe you can fix them yet," went on the fellow who had called himself John Smith. "You say you are going to camp out here?"

"Yes."

"Then I may see you again in the near future. I am going to Peak's Island and then to Portland, and I may see Tad Sobber, and if I do, I'll tell him what you've said."

"Do it!" cried Koswell promptly. "And tell him I am willing to help him all I can against the Rovers."

"And tell him that Bart Larkspur will help him, too," supplemented that individual.

"All right," answered the stranger. "Of course you know it might be a-er-a little risky, getting the best of those Rovers."

"Oh, we'll take a little risk," answered Koswell. "But, say!" he almost shouted. "I begin to smell a mouse!"

"Eh?"

"It was the Rovers who were here-looking for that lady who was abducted!"

"Well?"

"Did you and Sobber bring her here? Is she here now?" went on Koswell, quickly.

"If-er-if Sobber was here, would you like to meet him?"

"Sure I would. And the lady who was abducted--"

"I can't tell you anything about her. But-well, I might as well admit it-Tad Sobber is on this island with me. He-er-he came on rather a peculiar errand and he didn't want anybody to know it. But I rather think, as you are going to camp out here, he would like to meet you and talk to you."

"Where is he?"

"Up the sh.o.r.e a distance. If you'll wait for me here I'll hunt him up and bring him to you."

"Bring him down to our camp yonder," put in Alfred Darkingham. "We are going down there to get something to eat."

"All right, I'll bring him to your camp just as soon as I can locate him.

We'll be there in less than an hour. So long!" And with a wave of his hand, the stranger turned and hurried across the rocks and into the bushes.

"I think I know that man!" whispered Sam, excitedly. "His name is Pally, Jim Pally. He was one of the freight thieves who was in league with Sid Merrick and Tad Sobber. He got away when the gang was rounded up," he added, referring to a happening, the particulars of which were related in "The Rover Boys on the Farm."

"And now he is aiding Sobber again," said Tom. "Maybe he is the fellow who helped in carrying Mrs. Stanhope off."