“The hotel people have been paying you,” declared Piper. “That’s it, eh?”
“Sure. As I told you boys when I visited your camp, this hotel, being located some distance from a convenient railway station, didn’t succeed very well at first. Its methods of advertising were strictly conventional, and it was I who suggested something better in that line. Having heard the fable of Lovers’ Leap and the story of Old Lonely, I placed before the hotel proprietors a scheme through which I felt confident their place could be made very popular and attractive. It was I who advised them to place the white cross upon the cliff, and I wrote for them the story of the Indian lovers, which they are now using in their printed advertising. I urged them furthermore to make the most of the superstitious belief of some people that this island was haunted, and I agreed to do a few ghost stunts. You can see how easy it was for me, in collaboration with the hotel people, to carry this thing through. Two of the men from the hotel boathouse were rowing that boat, and, had the others insisted on landing upon the island, they would have pretended they were too frightened to do so. But it’s all over now. My lucrative profession as a spook is busted.”
“Now, really, that’s too bad,” said Sleuth, feeling sorry for the man. “If I don’t tell——”
“But you will. You can’t keep it to yourself. I never saw a boy who could keep such a secret.”
“Is that so?” exclaimed Sleuth resentfully. “Perhaps, Mr. Granger, you haven’t got boys thoroughly sized up. There may be some who can’t keep their traps closed, but I want you to understand that I’m different.”
The man stopped and grasped Piper by the shoulder.
“Will you promise not to expose me—at least, not for a year?” he asked eagerly. “That would give me time enough. Another season at this ghost game ought to pack that hotel full, and I can get a regular monthly salary to do my part of the work.”
“I’ve always wanted to write stories,” said Sleuth shrewdly. “You seem to know something about that sort of business, and if you’ll put me wise to the game I’ll remain as dumb as an oyster about this spook trick.”
“Well, I’m not sure that I can instruct you in the art of writing stories; I’ve a lot to learn myself. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best. If you have some natural ability in that line, it may be possible that you can write, but I can’t promise you any degree of success without knowing more of your talents.”