While he was gone Tom endeavored to get a few more particulars from Harry, but Hazelton simply didn't know anything that threw any more light on the dread mystery of the breakwater.
"Then a million-dollar undertaking like this is to be constantly imperiled, just because of a senseless moral crusade that you two young men are trying to put through in the camp," declared Mr.Bascomb moodily.
Tom covertly signaled his chum to pay no heed to this remark.
Within a quarter of an hour Treasurer Prenter returned in a stage drawn by two sorry looking horses.
"This will carry us up to the house, if the affair doesn't break down," Mr.Prenter called cheerily.

"Come along, folks." Soon afterwards the four were back on the porch.

Nicolas came gliding out to see what he could do for their comfort.
"Just circulate around and make sure that no one gets close enough to hear what we're talking about," Mr.Prenter directed.

He had already ordered the driver of the stage to withdraw a few rods and await orders.
"Now, then, Hazelton," continued the treasurer, "we're anxious to hear more of your strange story." "I've told you all there is to it," protested Harry.
"Surely, there must be some more to it." "There isn't." "Then, for the tale of an engineer who was all but murdered, and a case enveloped in mystery from end to end," cried Mr.Prenter, "we have a most singular scarcity of details." "There are only two more details needed, as it appears to me," Tom remarked quietly.
"Good! And what are they ?" demanded the treasurer, wheeling around to look keenly at the young chief engineer.
"The two details we now need," Reade continued, "are, first, who was the negro?
Second, who was behind the negro in this rascally work ?" "Only two points to be solved," suggested the treasurer mockingly, "but pretty big points.

Of course, the first point is---" "To find that negro, and get him jailed," Tom declared incisively.
"Good enough!" nodded Mr.Prenter.