科尔比律师希望琼斯去贿赂依西多尔，而莫德却认为这是个很不光彩的主意。在与琼斯的单独会谈中，莫德将自己的疑问一一提出，琼斯则对答如流。原来，琼斯拥有一艘名为“阿拉贝拉”的快艇，他希望莫德找到这艘船的船长来帮助自己。莫德真的会去寻找卡格船长吗？
As the party drove into town Colby said：
"It wouldn't be a bad idea for Jones to bribe that fellow Le Drieux.If Le Drieux，who holds a warrant for the arrest of Jack Andrews，issued by the Austrian government and vised in Washington，could be won to our side，the whole charge against our friend might be speedily dissolved.""Disgracefula！"snapped Maud indignantly."I am positive Mr.Jones would not consider such a proposition.""Diplomatic，not disgraceful，"commented the lawyer，smiling at her."Why should Jones refuse to consider bribery ？""To use money to defeat justice would be a crime asdespicableb as stealing pearls，"she said.
"Dear me！"muttered Colby，with a puzzled frown."What a queer way to look at it.Le Drieux has already been bribed，by a liberal reward，to run down a supposed criminal.If we bribe him with a larger sum to give up the pursuit of Jones，whom we believe innocent，we are merely defending ourselves from a possible injustice which may be brought about by an error of judgment.""Isn't this judge both able and honest？"asked Uncle John.
"Wilton？Well，possibly.His ability consists in his knowledge of law，rather than of men and affairs.He believes himself honest，I suppose，but I'll venture to predict he will act upon prejudice and an assumption of personal dignity，rather than attempt to discover if his personal impressionscorrespond with justice.A judge，Mr.Merrick，is a mere man，with all the average man's failings；so we must expect him to be quite human.""Never mind，"said Patsy resignedlya."Perhaps we shall？nd him a better judge than you are lawyer.""He has had more experience，anyhow，"said Colby，much amused at the shot.
They found，on arriving at court，that the case hadalready been postponed.They drove to the jail and obtained permission to see the prisoner，who was incarcerated under the name of "Jack Andrews，alias A.Jones."Maud would have liked a private audience，but the lawyer was present as well as Patsy and Mr.Merrick，and she did not like to ask them to go away.
The boy greeted them with his old frank smile and did not seem in the least oppressed by the fact that he was a prisoner accused of an ugly crime.The interview was held in a parlor of the jail，a guard standing by the door but discreetly keeping out of earshot.
Colby ？rst informed the boy of the postponementb of his formal examination and then submitted to his client an outline of the defense he had planned.Jones listened quietly and shook his head.
"Is that the best you can do for me？"
"With my present knowledge，yes，"returned the lawyer.
"And will it clear me from this suspicion ？"was the next question.
"I hope so."
"You are not sure？"
"This is an extraordinary case，Mr.Jones.Your friends all believe you innocent，but the judge wants facts—cold，hard facts—and only these will in？uence him.Mr.Le Drieux，commissioned by the Austrian government，states that you are Jack Andrews，and have escaped to America after having stolen the pearls of a noble Viennese lady.He will offer，as evidence to prove his assertion，the photograph and the pearls.You must refute this charge with counter—evidence，in order to escape extradition and a journey to the country where the crime was committed.There you will be granted a regular trial，to be sure，but even if you then secure an acquittala you will have suffered many indignities and your good name will be permanently tarnished.""Well，sir？""I shall work unceasingly to secure your release at the examination.But I wish I had some stronger evidence to offer in rebuttal.""Go ahead and do your best，"said the boy，nonchalantlyb.
"I will abide by the result，whatever it may be.""May I ask a few questions？"Maud timidly inquired.He turned to her with an air of relief.
"Most certainly you may，Miss Stanton.""And you will answer them？""I pledge myself to do so，if I am able.""Thank you，"she said."I am not going to interfere with Mr.Colby's plans，but I'd like to help you on my own account，if I may."He gave her a quick look，at once grateful，suspicious and amused.Then he said：
"Clear out，Colby.I'm sure you have a hundred things to attend to，and when you're gone I'll have a little talk with Miss Stanton."The lawyer hesitated.
"If this conversation is likely to affect your case，"he began，"then—""Then Miss Stanton will give you any information she may acquire，"interrupted Jones，and that left Colby no alternative but to go away.
"Now，then，Miss Stanton，out with it ！"said the boy.
"There are a lot of things we don't know，but ought to know，in order to defend you properly，"she observed，looking at him earnestlya.
"Question me，then."
"I want to know the exact date when you landed in this country from Sangoa.""Let me see.It was the twelfth day of October，of lastyear.""Oh！so long ago as that？It is ？fteen months.Once you told us that you had been here about a year.""I didn't stop to count the months，you see.The twelfth ofOctober is correct.""Where did you land ？""At San Francisco.""Direct from Sangoa ？""Direct from Sangoa.""And what brought you from Sangoa to San Francisco ？""A boat.""A sailing—ship ？""No，a large yacht.Two thousand tons burden.""Whose yacht was it ？""Mine.""Then where is it now？"He re？ected a moment.
"I think Captain Carg must be anchored at San Pedro，bynow.Or perhaps he is at Long Beach，or Santa Monica，"he said quietly.
"On this coast ！"exclaimed Maud.
"Yes."
Patsy was all excitement by now and could no longer hold her tongue.
"Is the yacht Arabella yours？"she demanded.
"It is，Miss Patsy."
"Then it is lying off Santa Monica Bay.I've seen it！"she cried.
"It was named for my mother，"said the boy，his voicesoftening，"and built by my father.In the Arabella I made my first voyage；so you will realize I am very fond of the little craft."Maud was busily thinking.