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diff --git a/22277-8.txt b/22277-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..47082ba --- /dev/null +++ b/22277-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5755 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Darry the Life Saver, by Frank V. Webster + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Darry the Life Saver + The Heroes of the Coast + +Author: Frank V. Webster + +Release Date: August 8, 2007 [EBook #22277] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DARRY THE LIFE SAVER *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Illustration: THEN A WOMAN WAS LOWERED BY MEANS OF THIS, AND SAFELY +STOWED AWAY. Darry the Life Saver--Page 185] + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +DARRY THE LIFE SAVER +Or +The Heroes of the Coast + +By +FRANK V. WEBSTER + +Author of "Only a Farm Boy," "Bob the Castaway," +"The Boys of Bellewood School," etc. + +ILLUSTRATED + +New York +Cupples & Leon Company +Publishers + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +BOOKS FOR BOYS + +By FRANK V. WEBSTER + +12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 40 cents, postpaid + +ONLY A FARM BOY +TOM, THE TELEPHONE BOY +THE BOY FROM THE RANCH +THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER +BOB, THE CASTAWAY +THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE +THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS +THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES +TWO BOY GOLD MINERS +JACK, THE RUNAWAY +COMRADES OF THE SADDLE +THE BOYS OF BELLWOOD SCHOOL +THE HIGH SCHOOL RIVALS +AIRSHIP ANDY +BOB CHESTER'S GRIT +BEN HARDY'S FLYING MACHINE +DICK, THE BANK BOY +DARRY, THE LIFE SAVER + +Copyright, 1911, by +CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY + +DARRY, THE LIFE SAVER + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. The Hurricane 1 + II. Saved by the Life Chain 10 + III. Abner Peake's Offer 19 + IV. The Cabin by the Sea 29 + V. An Encounter on the Road 39 + VI. Winning His Way 46 + VII. The Midnight Alarm 55 + VIII. Across the Bay 63 + IX. The Signal Rocket 71 + X. Jim the Bully 78 + XI. A Glorious Prospect 86 + XII. The Stolen Traps 94 + XIII. Joe's Shotgun Secures a Supper 102 + XIV. The Lonely Vigil of the Coast Patrol 110 + XV. The Power of Music 117 + XVI. Darry Meets with a Rebuff 124 + XVII. Abner Tells a Little History 132 + XVIII. The Imprisoned Launch 139 + XIX. The Part of an Elder Brother 146 + XX. Bad Luck and Good 154 + XXI. Satisfying the Mortgage 162 + XXII. Abner Hears the News 171 + XXIII. Darry in the Lifeboat 179 + XXIV. The Awakening 191 + XXV. Conclusion 202 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + +DARRY, THE LIFE SAVER + +CHAPTER I + +THE HURRICANE + + +"Will we ever weather this terrible storm?" + +It was a half-grown lad who flung this despairing question out; the wind +carried the sound of his voice off over the billows; but there came no +answer. + +A brigantine, battered by the tropical hurricane sweeping up from the +Caribbean Sea, was staggering along like a wounded beast. Her masts had +long since gone by the board, and upon the stump of the mizzen-stick a +bit of canvas like a goose-wing had been spread in the useless endeavor +to maintain steerageway. + +All around, the sea rose and fell in mountainous waves, on which the +poor wreck tossed about, as helpless as a cork. + +Though the lad, lashed to some of the rigging that still clung to the +temporary jury mast, strained his eyes to the utmost, he could see +nothing but the waste of waves, the uplifting tops of which curled over, +and were snatched away in flying spud by the furious wind. + +Darry was the cabin boy of the _Falcon_, having sailed with Captain +Harley now for several years. The old navigator had run across him in a +foreign port, and under most peculiar conditions. + +Hearing a boyish voice that somehow struck his fancy, raised in angry +protest, followed by the crack of a whip, and much loud laughing, the +skipper of the brigantine had pushed into a café in Naples. + +Here he discovered a small, but sturdy lad, who had apparently been +playing a violin for coppers, refusing to dance for a big brute of a +sailor, an Italian, who had seized upon his beloved instrument. + +When the boy had made an effort to recover the violin the bully +deliberately smashed it on the back of a chair. + +Then, laughing at the poor little chap's expressions of grief as he +gathered up the pieces tenderly in his arms, the brutal sailor had +seized upon a carter's whip, and cracking it loudly, declared that he +would lay it over the boy's shoulders unless he mounted a table and +danced to his whistling. + +It was then that the big mariner strode in and stood between the lad and +his cowardly persecutors. + +When good-hearted Captain Harley heard the boy's pitiful story, and that +he was a waif, having been abandoned some years before by an old man +with whom he seemed to have been traveling, he offered to befriend him, +and give him a chance to see something of the world as cabin boy on the +good old brigantine, _Falcon_. + +This offer the little chap had eagerly accepted, for he believed he must +be of American birth, and somehow longed to set foot on that land far +across the sea. + +Some years had passed. + +Darry knew no other home save the friendly cabin of the brigantine, and +since he had no knowledge as to what his name might be, by degrees he +came to assume that of his benefactor. + +During these years the boy had seen much of the world, and learned many +things under the guidance of the warm-hearted captain. + +Of course he spent many bitter hours in vain regrets over the fact that +there was so little chance of his ever learning his identity--only a +slender link seemed to connect him with that mysterious past that was +hidden from his sight; and this was a curious little scar upon his right +arm just below the elbow. + +It looked like a crescent moon, and had been there ever since he could +remember. + +This fact caused Darry to believe it might be the result of some +accident that must have occurred while he was yet a baby. + +If such were the case then some people, _somewhere_, would be apt to +recognize this peculiar mark if they ever saw it again. + +Captain Harley had always encouraged him in the belief that some happy +day he would surely know the truth. + +Just now, however, it really looked as though Darry need no longer allow +himself to feel any anxiety on that score. + +The ocean depths would offer just as easy a resting place to a nameless +waif as to a crowned monarch. + +When the great waves broke over the drifting vessel the rush of water +must have swept him away, only that he had been wise enough to lash +himself to the stump of the mizzen-mast. + +During a little lull in the tempest someone joined him, also using the +whipping rope-ends to secure his hold. + +Darry saw by the aid of the darting lightning that it was his good +friend, the captain; and with his thoughts still taken up with the peril +of his situation he repeated the question that only the mocking winds +had heard before: + +"Will we ever weather this storm, captain?" + +"I fear not, my lad," replied the master of the ship, sadly, "the poor +old hulk is now only a plaything for the elements. It looks as though +the _Falcon_ had reached the end of her voyaging at last. Twenty years +have I commanded her. I have a feeling that if so be she goes down I +will not survive her." + +The roar of the gale was such that it became necessary to shout at +times, in order to make one's self heard above the elements. + +"Are we near the coast?" asked the boy, anxiously; for he knew that such +a thing must double their danger. + +"I am afraid it is only too true, though the storm has been so prolonged +that I have long ago lost my reckoning," replied the mariner. + +"But you told me these coasts are patrolled by brave life savers, who +always stand ready to risk everything in case a vessel is driven on the +reefs?" continued the boy, trying to see a gleam of hope through the +gloom. + +"That is true, but alas! I am afraid even the bravest of men would find +themselves helpless in such a terrific blow as this." + +"But, captain, surely you have not given up all hope?" anxiously +demanded Darry, trying to face the terrible prospect with a brave heart. + +"I never do that, lad. But one of us may not live to reach the shore; +and since it is so, I wanted to have a few last words with you, and then +I must return to my duty, which is to try and steer this drifting hulk +until the end comes." + +He reached out his hand. + +The boy eagerly clutched it, and there, as the lightning flashed, he +looked into the kind face of his benefactor. + +Something seemed to tell him that it was the last time he would ever +feel the pressure of that friendly hand, and this thought alarmed him as +the storm had thus far been unable to do. + +"Listen, and take heed, my lad," said the skipper, earnestly, "it may be +that Providence will shield you through this time of trouble, and that +you shall reach the shore in safety after all. Should ill befall me I +want you to write my old mother up in York State--you know where she +lives. I have made all preparations, so that she will be provided for, +and my sister also. Do you understand me?" + +"Oh! yes, sir! But I hope we may both pull through!" cried the boy, +earnestly. + +"So do I, for life is sweet; but it may not be. Now, lad, about +yourself, and I am done. Remember all that I have taught you. Then you +will grow up to be a true man. And continue to search for some evidence +of your people. That mark on your arm may be of great value to you some +day. Hark! I fancied I caught the sound of the breakers just then! It is +possible that the time has come for us to part. Good bye, my boy, and +God bless you whatever betide!" + +Another fierce pressure of the hand, and Captain Harley was gone. + +Standing there, filled with horror and dismay, Darry caught a last +glimpse of his guardian staggering across the wet deck, and then the +gloom forever hid him from view. + +The days would come, and the days would go, but always must he remember +that the last thought of the noble captain was for him. + +He strained his hearing to ascertain whether the captain's fears were +well founded, and it was not long before he too could catch the awful +pounding of the seas upon the half-submerged reefs. + +The helpless brigantine was drifting slowly, but surely to her fate; for +there was hardly a place along the whole American coast more dangerous +than this, which had in times past proved a graveyard for many noble +ships. + +Among the tangled rigging was a broken spar, and to this Darry lashed +himself, in the faint hope that if it were swept ashore he might still +cling to life. + +He awaited the impending crash with his heart cold within his breast; +for after all he was but a lad, and the strongest men might have viewed +the catastrophe with a sickening sense of dread. + +Then came a fearful shock, as the brigantine was smashed down upon the +jaws of the reef by a mighty force. + +After that the seas had her for a plaything, rushing completely over her +as if in derision. + +Three times the boy was almost drowned by the flood that poured across +that slanting deck, and he knew that if he remained there longer his +time had surely come. It would be better to cut loose from the mast, and +trust his fortunes upon the breast of the next giant wave that, if it +were kind, would carry him well over the rocks, and head him for the +distant beach. + +It was in sheer desperation that he seized upon his sailor's knife and +severed the ropes that thus far had held so securely. + +Then he awaited the coming of the next comber with set teeth, and held +his breath. + +A few seconds and it was upon him. + +This time the spar, as well as the clinging lad, went sweeping over the +side of the vessel, and carried safely above the reef, started in +toward the beach on a roller that seemed gigantic. + +The spray was in his eyes, so that he could hardly see at all, but at +that moment Darry thought he glimpsed a light somewhere ahead; and what +the captain had told him about the gallant life savers flashed into his +mind. + +Somehow, it seemed to give the despairing boy renewed hope. + +Perhaps these brave men were watching for the coming of just such +flotsam from the wreck, which they must have sighted when the lightning +flashed; and would find some means for plucking him out of the raging +sea. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SAVED BY THE LIFE CHAIN + + +The line of reefs stood as a barrier to the sea, and after the waves +came in contact with the rocks they continued on their course with less +violence than before. + +Still, it was terrible enough to any one exposed to their fury. + +Hope soars high in the breast of youth, however, and life is sweet, so +that our hero continued to struggle against the forces to which he found +himself exposed. + +Again had his eyes caught a glimpse of a burning light on the shore, and +somehow it gave him renewed courage to hold on, for he seemed to +understand that determined hearts were waiting there, eager to give him +a helping hand. + +Then some object sped past him, and he caught the sight of flashing +oars. + +It was the lifeboat! + +In spite of the great danger involved in the undertaking, the coast +guards had succeeded in launching their boat, and were even now heading +toward the wreck on the reef; though the chances of finding a single +living soul aboard seemed small indeed, for the billows were breaking +completely over her, and she must soon go to pieces. + +Darry tried to call out, but his mouth filled with salty water, and in +despair he saw the boat pass him by. + +Even the lightning failed to illumine the scene just then, or some eager +eye might have detected the floating spar and its human burden. + +No hope remained save that he might be tossed up on the beach somewhere +near the friendly fire that was burning as a beacon. + +Once he fancied he heard men shouting during a lull in the roar of the +elements; but the coming of another smothering billow shut out the +friendly sounds. + +Closer he was flung, until he could again hear the shouts of men, but +the baffling seas kept playing with him, sending him up on the breaking +wave only to once more snatch him back, until the poor boy almost +despaired of living through the dreadful ordeal. + +He tried his best to raise his voice, but the cry he gave utterance to +was so feeble that even if heard it must have been taken for the note of +some storm bird attracted by the light of the beacon fire. + +Just when he was giving way to despair, he saw the figures of men +running along the beach close to the edge of the waves, and new hope +awoke in his breast that his predicament had been seen. + +Now they were pushing into the sea, holding one another's hands, and +forming a living chain, with a sturdy fellow at the end to snatch the +victim of the wreck out of the jaws of death. + +The precious sight was at that instant shut out, for again there came a +deluge of water from behind, overwhelming the boy on the floating spar. + +Darry felt something take hold upon him, which, in his excited +condition, he at first believed to be a shark; but, on the contrary, it +proved to be the fingers of the man at the outer end of the line. + +Once they closed upon the person of the shipwrecked cabin boy they could +not be easily induced to let go, and amid shouts of triumph, spar and +lad were speedily dragged up on the beach beyond reach of the hungry +waves. + +He was dimly conscious of being released from his friendly float, and +tenderly carried a short distance to the shelter of a house. + +It was the life-saving station to which the boy had been taken by his +rescuers. + +[ILLUSTRATION: HE WAS DIMLY CONSCIOUS OF BEING RELEASED FROM HIS +FRIENDLY FLOAT.] + +Here he was wrapped in blankets, and placed close to a warm fire in +order to restore his benumbed faculties; while some hot liquid being +forced between his pallid lips served to give new strength to his body. + +In less than ten minutes he opened his eyes and looked around. + +Kind faces, even though rough and bearded, surrounded him, and he knew +that for once he had cheated the sea of a victim. + +As strength came back he began to take an interest in what was passing +around him, especially when he saw several men carried in, whom he +recognized as some of the sailors of the ill-fated brigantine. + +Eagerly he watched and prayed that his good friend the captain might be +one of those who had been snatched from a watery grave; but as time +passed this hope gradually became fainter. + +The lifeboat had managed to return from the wreck, to report that not a +living soul remained aboard; and that the seas were so tremendous that +even had it been otherwise there would have been small chance of saving +them, since it was next to impossible to approach close to the vessel. + +How the boy, lying there, looked with almost reverence upon those +stalwart fellows who were risking their lives in the effort to save +their fellow men. + +Darry would never forget that hour. + +The impressions he received then would remain with him through life; +and in his eyes the calling of a life saver must always be reckoned the +noblest vocation to which a young man could pledge himself. + +He thought he would like nothing better than to become one of the band, +and in some way repay the great debt he owed them by doing as he had +been done by. + +Presently he had so far recovered that he could get up and move around. + +All of the sailors had not been equally fortunate; indeed, two of them +would never again scour the seas, having taken out papers for that long +voyage the end of which no mortal eye can see. + +As each new arrival was carried in the boy would be the first to hasten +forward, but as often his sigh echoed the heavy feeling in his heart as +he discovered a face other than the familiar one he had grown to love. + +One of the surfmen who had manned the lifeboat seemed to be particularly +interested in the rescued boy, for he came into the station several +times to ask how he was feeling, and if there was not something more he +wanted. + +He was a tall, angular fellow, with a thin but engaging face, and Darry +had heard some of the others call him Abner Peake. + +Somehow he found himself drawn toward this man from the start; and it +seemed as though in losing one good friend he had found another to take +the place of the kind captain. + +Abner was a native of the shore, and spoke in the peculiar dialect of +the uneducated Southerner; but as a water-dog he knew no superior, and +it is this quality that Uncle Sam looks for when making up his crews to +man the life-saving stations that dot the whole coast from Maine to +Florida. + +There was a twang about his voice that reminded Darry of a negro he had +once had for a shipmate on the brigantine; but at the same time his tone +was soft, and inspired confidence. + +"Better hev a leetle more coffee, bub?" he said, coming upon Darry as +the latter turned away white-faced from the last body carried in by the +rough men. + +"Perhaps it would do me good; I still feel mighty weak; but I'm glad to +be here instead of out there," replied Darry, pointing to where the +white-capped waves were rushing in long lines toward the beach. + +"Course yuh be, bub. And we-uns air glad tuh get a chanct tuh pull yuh +outen the water. My old woman'd like tuh set eyes on yuh. Jest the age +our Joe would a-ben if he'd pulled through," and the rough surfman swept +his sleeve across his eyes as he spoke. + +The secret of his interest in Darry was out; he had lost a boy of his +own, and his heart was very tender still, so that the sight of this poor +shipwrecked lad brought back his own sorrow keenly. + +"You haven't seen anything of the captain, I suppose?" anxiously asked +Darry, wondering if it could possibly be that he had missed sight of his +friend at the time he was lying there unconscious. + +Abner Peake shook his head in the negative. + +He saw the boy was very eager to learn of the mariner's fate, and well +he knew that with each passing minute the chances of the other surviving +the pounding of the seas became less and less. + +It was now not far from dawn. + +The hurricane still blew with its old violence, and there was scant hope +of its passing for another twelve hours at least. + +All that time those devoted men must be on the watch, ready to man their +surfboat again and take their lives in hand, should another vessel +strike the dangerous reefs that were marked upon the chart as the worst +within a hundred miles of Hatteras. + +Sick at heart over the loss of his wise friend and benefactor, Darry +found the interior of the station almost unbearable just then. + +He felt as though he must get outside where the elements rioted, and +watch the incoming waves for some sign of the captain. + +But this new-found friend declared that it could do no good, since the +beach was already patrolled by those whose keen eyes would discover the +faintest trace of a brave swimmer trying to buffet the cruel waves; he +must remain under cover, so as to escape the possible evil results of +his late experience. + +And so Darry had to once more lie down and let the other cover him with +a blanket, a pillow having been placed under his head. + +He was utterly exhausted, and it had only been hope and excitement that +had buoyed him up until now. + +As he lay there watching the various things that were being done for the +relief of the poor fellows snatched from a watery grave he found his +eyes growing heavy, and occasionally closing in spite of his efforts to +remain awake. + +Once he sat up as some men came in bearing another sailor who, alas, had +apparently been dragged out of the sea too late to save the spark of +life; but, upon learning that it was not the one in whose fate he was so +keenly interested, Darry had fallen back again upon his hard pillow. + +Soon after things faded from his sight, and he slept the sleep of +weariness, for every muscle in his body was as sore as though it had +been pounded with a club. + +It was hours before he awoke. + +At first he could not understand just where he was or how he came in +such unfamiliar surroundings; but seeing the kindly face of Abner Peake +bending over, he asked a mute question that the other answered with a +shake of his head. + +The captain's body had not as yet come ashore. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +ABNER PEAKE'S OFFER + + +Days passed. Darry had entirely given up hope of ever hearing from the +captain, whose body must have been carried out to sea again, as were +several of the crew. + +After the shock became less severe, our hero began to take a new +interest in the scene around him, and particularly in connection with +the life-saving station where his new friend Abner was quartered. + +The keeper was a grizzled surfman named Frazer, and a man possessed of +some education; he did not awaken the same feelings in the boy as Abner +Peake, but at the same time he was evidently inclined to be friendly in +his own gruff way. + +On the third day after the rescue he called Darry to him as he sat +mending a net with which the crew of the station secured enough fish to +serve them for an occasional meal. + +"Sit down, lad. I want to talk with you a bit," he said. + +Darry dropped on a block close by. + +He was still filled with the deepest admiration for these men of the +coast, and his determination to follow their arduous calling when he +grew big enough to take an oar in the surfboat was undiminished. + +"Now, tell me about yourself, and where you belong. We are not allowed +to keep any rescued sailors more than a certain time. You notice that +all the others have gone, save the poor chaps lying under those mounds +yonder. Being a boy you've been favored; but the time has come to know +what you mean to do. Speak up, lad, and tell me your story?" + +Encouraged by his kind voice, Darry told all he knew about himself up to +the very moment when he parted from his friend, the captain. + +Mr. Frazer seemed interested. + +"I feel sorry for you, Darry. It must be hard to feel that you haven't +got a friend in the world. My hands are tied in the matter, so I can do +nothing; but there's Abner Peake telling me he'd like you to stay with +him," he remarked. + +"I understood him to say he once had a boy about my age." + +"Yes, a likely little chap, but it was about a year back he was lost." + +"Was he drowned?" asked Darry, feeling that this was about the way most +persons in this coast country must meet their end. + +"Yes. The little fellow was a venturesome boy, and tried to cross the +bay in a heavy sea. He must have been swept out at the inlet. They found +the boat on the beach, three miles above here, but never little Joe. +Abner has never gotten over it. To this day he sits and looks out to sea +as if he could discover his poor boy coming back to him. I thought for a +time the fellow would go out of his mind." + +"And he wants me to stay with him?" continued Darry, musingly. + +"Yes. Abner has a small house out of the village, where his wife and the +two little girls live, while he is over here at the station. Often we +want someone to cross over with supplies, and he thinks you might like +the job." + +Darry drew a long breath. + +"I have no home. The only one I ever knew was the poor old _Falcon_, and +her timbers are scattered along the coast for ten miles. I think that if +Mr. Peake really wants me to stay with him I shall accept gladly. It is +tough to feel like a piece of driftwood all the time," he said. + +"I think you are wise in deciding that way. Abner is a kind man, and as +for his wife--well, she's got a temper all right, but if you don't rub +it the wrong way she can be got on with, I reckon. Anyhow, it would pay +you to try it until something else turns up. Maybe you want to ship on +another vessel?" + +"I think I have had all of the sea I want, after that time. I wake up +nights, thinking I'm choking with the salt water, and trying to catch my +breath. When I get older and stronger I want to be a life saver like +you, sir." + +The keeper smiled pleasantly. + +It was not often he appeared as a hero in the eyes of even a boy, and, +being human, he could not help feeling some satisfaction. + +"It's a dangerous calling, Darry; but, after all, no worse than that of +a sailor. And while we risk our lives often, it is to try and save +others. There's some satisfaction in that. But there sits Abner on that +old keel of a wreck; suppose you go and tell him your story, and see +what he says." + +When the boy joined him Abner Peake looked up, and the solemn expression +on his face changed to one of kindliness. + +"Set down, lad. Are yuh feelin' all right agin after your rough time?" +he asked. + +"A little sore in the arms still, but that will pass away soon. Mr. +Frazer told me you wanted to hear my story." + +"If yuh don't mind tellin' me. I reckoned as how yuh must 'a' had a hard +time. Now, I ain't never been away from this here coast, but I feels +for boys what's out in the wide world. Still, there's some hope o' +_them_ comin' back tuh the nest agin, some day. Now, go on, lad," with a +long-drawn sigh. + +Again did the homeless Darry start in to narrate his brief career, so +far as it was known to him; and the old surfman listened with a tear in +his eye, as he told of his abandonment in a foreign port, and the hard +time he had getting enough to eat. + +Finally it was all told, and Abner Peake laid a hand on his arm, saying: + +"Don't say yuh ain't got a home, any more, Darry, if so be yuh'd care to +stay at my place. The missus ain't the easiest one in the world tuh get +along with, but soon as she sees what a likely chap yuh be I know she'll +like yuh, same as I do. Try it awhile, lad, until yuh kin make your mind +up. My Joe used tuh make a tidy lot of money trappin' animals in the +swamp for ther skins, huntin' turkles like them terrapin they pay sech a +big price fur, an' actin' as guide fur the shooters as come down along +the coast after ducks and snipe and bay birds. No reason but what you +could do the same. Only try and git on the good side of the ole woman, +to begin with, lad. She's got a heart, tho' there's some as don't +believe it. I know she's still a feelin' bad because Joe was taken from +us." + +"It was hard to lose him, your only boy," said Darry, consolingly. + +The man shook his head dolefully, and bent a wistful look toward the +open sea. + +"Yes, it was tough; but I reckon he's safe in the harbor long afore now. +What say, lad, be yuh of a mind to try it with us?" he continued +eagerly. + +"I will, and only glad of the chance. It is kind of you to make me the +offer, and I only hope I may be able to please your wife. I'll do +everything I can to take the place of Joe, although, of course, I +couldn't expect to do that altogether," replied Darry. + +"Say, yuh make me feel better, already. Seems to me as if I heerd little +Joe aspeakin' to me from somewhere. I'm goin' crost the bay to-night, +lad. It's my turn for a day off, an' I'll take yuh with me. I reckons +his clothes'd just about be the right fit fur yuh." + +So it was settled. + +Darry felt easy in his mind now, much more so than he had been ever +since finding himself adrift on shore, like a vessel without an anchor. + +No matter how humble, it would be _home_ to him, for he had no memories +to haunt him, and bring about discontent. + +There was the village near by, where possibly he might meet boys of his +own age; and what Abner had said about the pursuits by which Joe had +been accustomed to making odd bits of money appealed to him, for he +believed he had something of a love for outdoor sports in his nature, +since he had never neglected to take advantage of a chance to use a +fishing line, when the brigantine happened to be in one of the world +ports to which business called her. + +But above all he gloried in the fact that occasionally he would have the +opportunity to visit the station on the outer beach, where those hardy +men patrolled every night, and stood ready to go to the assistance of +any imperilled mariners. + +After supper he accompanied Abner to the little landing where a stout +rowboat was fastened. + +Into this they dropped, and Darry immediately seized upon the oars, to +the secret amusement and satisfaction of the life saver, who was quite +willing to let him display his ability in this important line. + +"Yuh sure pull a good, strong stroke, lad," he declared, after they had +been upon the bay for some time, Darry taking his bearings from a bright +star that had appeared in the east. + +"He taught me," replied the boy, and, perhaps unconsciously, his voice +quavered as he spoke, for he could not even think of the captain without +emotion. + +"All the better. A feller ain't no use 'round this section less he kin +row a boat with the best. And if so be yuh 'spect to jine with us some +day, the more yuh larn about this same thing the better for yuh. Joe, he +was a reg'lar water duck--but he was too darin' and he tried the game +onct too often. Beware o' that inlet, lad. The tide sweeps outen it like +a mill race sometimes, an' the best man couldn't hold his own agin it. +It's ben a mystery to me always how it happened. Nobody ever knowed, +only that we found the boat two days arter on the beach, three miles up. +When yuh git tired say so, an' I'll spell yuh." + +After a long time they drew near the other shore. Here lights had been +seen, and Darry discovered quite a collection of houses, for the most +part cabins such as are so common in the south, especially along the +coast of North Carolina. + +Abner insisted upon taking the oars now; and as he knew just where it +was most desirable to land the boy no longer objected. + +Sitting there in the stern he watched the scene unfold as they +approached the mainland, though the new moon gave very little light. + +Sounds as of boys at play, together with the barking of dogs, and even +the gabble of a goose, awoke in his breast new emotions such as he had +never experienced before; for he was about to be introduced to a home, +no matter of what character, where he would after that belong. + +The boat was brought up against a landing, and both went ashore. + +"In the mornin' I'll get yuh to help carry the groceries to the boat, so +I kin ferry 'em acrost. Jest now I'm pinin' to get to the shack, 'cause +I ain't ben home these two weeks, yuh see. This way, Darry, lad. My +cabin ain't jest in the village; but when I come home I ginerally stop +in at the butcher's an' take some meat along. Git out, yuh yaller +critter!" this to a dog that had come barking toward them as though +recognizing the fact that a stranger had come to town. + +"Hyar, Peake, don't yer hit my dorg!" shouted a half-grown boy, +slouching around a corner as though he had just come out of a drinking +resort there. + +"Keep him home, then, Jim Dilks, er else teach the critter to behave. He +tackled me onct and I had to kick him over a fence to save my shins from +his teeth. Some day that hound'll get a call all right, yuh hear me, +Jim?" declared Abner. + +Jim leered at him, and then looked at the boy. + +"Reckon it'll be a bad day for the feller that hurts me dorg, see? Who +yer got trailin' 'long with yer, Peake? Say, be he the critter as kim +ashore? Sooner he skips outen this the better. We ain't got jobs enough +now fur them as growed up round hyar." + +"No danger of you worrin' 'bout jobs, Jim Dilks. Work an' you never got +on well. Mind your own business, now. This lad can look out for hisself. +He's goin' to live with me. Come on, Darry, don't notice the loafer," +concluded the life saver; and he and the boy passed on. Darry was +destined to see a great deal more of Jim Dilks, as we shall presently +learn. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE CABIN BY THE MARSH + +As is customary in many of these little villages along the coast, the +butcher shop was also the country store where groceries, dry goods, +notions, and possibly boots and hats in addition, were sold. + +Mr. Keeler eyed the boy in Abner's company, while he was cutting off the +meat. + +"Likely lad, that, Mr. Peake," he said. "I reckon he must be the one +that come ashore from the wreck t'other night. I heard all about it, +'cause some of our men were over to help out," he added, in a low tone, +taking advantage of Darry straying off a bit to examine a colored print +that hung on the wall, and offered all manner of inducements to young +fellows wishing to enlist in the navy. + +"The boy's all right. He's gwine to live with my missus--if they kin git +on together. But about them as were over, Gus, I've got a notion some on +'em thought it might be a good chanct to wreck a craft. I seen Dilks +there, with his crowd, an' yuh know he's under suspicion o' havin' lured +that schooner ashore with a false light last year. Time's comin' when +them rascals air goin' to git caught. Hangin' 'd be too easy for such +snakes. An' that boy o' his'n promises to be a chip o' the ole block. +He's as bad as they make 'em," returned the surfman, shaking his head. + +Nothing so angers a life saver as the mention of a wrecker; for deep +down in his heart he believes that the men who make a living from +salvage after a vessel has gone to pieces on the reefs, or else in +boarding the wreck when the storm has gone down, would not hesitate a +minute about sending any ship to her doom if they believed it could be +done without too much risk. + +"If he doesn't get on with the missus let me have a try with him, Abner. +Looks to be a likely lad. They're a scarce article around here--some go +to sea, others are in the service, and more get drowned; while those +that are left seem bad from top to bottom, just like Jim Dilks. Yes, I +could use that younker, I think." + +Peake had turned white at mention of the fate that befalls so many young +men of the shore; but he made no remark concerning his feelings. + +"I'll remember what yuh say, Mr. Keeler. But I got a notion the boy will +stick with me. When the missus gets to know him she can't help but like +him. He's the clear quill. Take the change out of that bill. We just +got paid last night, yuh see. Darry, let's move along." + +The village merchant looked after the couple a little enviously, as +though something about the boy's appearance had awakened his interest. + +"I saw Jim Dilks talking to Peake before they came in here. I wager that +young scamp has it in for the new boy in town. He's been a holy terror +for a long time, and for one I think something should be done to put a +stop to his doings. But his father has a grip on the worst elements +here, and everyone seems afraid to rile up the old wrecker. Some say he +used to be a smuggler years back, and even blacker stories are told of +his life in Cuba, before Spain got out of the island. Well, it's none of +my business. I don't dare act alone. If someone else starts the ball +rolling I'll give it a big shove." And so the butcher salved his +conscience for not doing his duty. + +Meanwhile Darry and his new friend walked briskly along, talking as they +went. + +The boy had seen considerable of foreign ports, and the many strange +things he could tell were doubly interesting to this simple life saver, +who had never been further than to Wilmington in all his life. + +"See that light ahead, lad? That's a lamp in the windy o' my shack. +They knows when my night comes around, an' the missus puts that lamp +there. It's a big thing, Darry, to have a light in the windy, ashinin' +only fur you. Makes a feller feel like he had one leetle nest in all +this big world, where some un cared fur him. And that is goin' to be +your home too, boy." + +"I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Peake," faltered the lad. + +"Then don't try. Besides, mebbe yuh won't like it so well, after all. +Nancy, she ain't so easy to get on with, since leetle Joe went away. +Seems like she jest can't ever git over it. I seen her cryin' the last +time I was over. No use tryin' to comfort the pore ole gal. It left a +sore place in her heart that nothin' kin ever heal. I'm a hopin' that +p'haps with you around she may perk up some." + +They were soon at the door. It was thrown open at the sound of Abner's +call, and two rather unkempt little girls rushed out, to be tossed up in +the air by the proud father. + +They looked at Darry with wide-eyed wonder, for strangers were uncommon +in this neighborhood, so far removed from the railroad. + +"Come right in, Darry. Here's the missus," said the life saver. + +A woman came forward, and after greeting Abner, looked with a little +frown in the direction of the boy. + +The surfman hastened to explain that Darry was a survivor of the last +wreck, on the shore where so many brave ships had left their bones. + +"He's a waif, what's never knowed no home, Nance. The captain picked him +up abroad, but he's English or American, sure enough. With the death of +that captain went his only friend. I liked the lad,--he somehow made me +think of our Joe. Jest the same size, too, and he could wear his clothes +fine. He'd be a great help to yuh, I reckons, if so be yuh would like to +have him stay." + +Abner saw a look of coming trouble in the eyes of his wife, and his +voice took on a pleading tone. + +His mention of Joe was unfortunate, perhaps, for the woman had never +become reconciled to the loss of her only boy, and always declared +Heaven had dealt unjustly with her when there were so many worthless +lads in the village, who could have been far better spared. + +"Just like I didn't have my hands full now, without bringing home any +more mouths to feed," she fumed. "Like as not he's a good-for-nothing +like Jim Dilks, and will only make us trouble right along. Keep him over +at the station if you want, Abner Peake, but you don't quarter him on +me. This is my house, and I'm to be consulted before anybody is brought +here." + +Abner had apparently thought this all over. + +He simply took Darry's hand and drew the half resisting lad over in +front of the irate woman. + +"Nancy, I never knowed yuh to be anything but fair. S'posin' our leetle +Joe was kerried out to sea, an' in a strange land met up with a citizen +as took him home to his wife. What kinder reception do yuh think _he'd_ +get? Could any woman look in Joe's face an' send him away from her door? +Wall, then, jest look in the face o' this boy, an' then if so be yuh say +take him away, I'll do it, Nancy," he said, simply. + +Almost against her will she was compelled to look. + +Well it was for Darry that he had clear eyes in which lurked no guile, +for that gaze of the surfman's "missus" was searching, since she had +before her mind a picture of the lost Joe. + +She only nodded her head and said: + +"Let him stay." + +Perhaps she was too full of emotion to say more; but the husband nodded +his head as though satisfied with what he had done. + +"It's all right, boy; she seen Joey in your eyes, jest as I done. Seems +to me yuh kin make good with the ole woman. Don't notice all she says +fur a time. Sure she's suffered some." + +Apparently the family had waited with supper for Abner to come home, for +his wife immediately placed the meat on the frying pan, and the odor of +steak quickly filled every cranny of the small cabin of three rooms. + +The two little girls were slow to make up with Darry, but he knew how to +interest them in certain ways, and it was not long before they hovered +around him as if he were a curiosity indeed. + +Abner tried to make himself as agreeable as possible, for various +reasons. + +He saw that his wife had not yet become reconciled to the fact of a +stranger coming among them, and was watching Darry out of the corners of +her eyes from time to time, while a frown would gather on her brow. + +She was a sharp-featured woman; but life goes hard with those of her sex +in this coast country, and they grow old at forty. + +Darry was studying hard how to please her, for he felt that she was to +be pitied after having lost her only boy so suddenly a year or so back; +and he determined never to forget this if she should scold him +needlessly or show temper. + +He anticipated her wants in the line of wood for the fire, cheerfully +assisted in washing up the supper dishes, and was withal so obliging +that ere long the anxious Abner saw the lines begin to leave the +forehead of his better half. + +This tickled him more than any well-won fight in the breakers might have +done, for he had a secret dread of Nancy's often ungovernable temper. + +"The boy's gone and done it, blame me if he ain't!" he muttered to +himself, when he saw his wife actually smile over at where Darry was +sitting, with one of the twins on either side, entranced with some +figures he was drawing to illustrate a little story he had been telling +them about some sight seen in Naples. + +When it came time to retire Darry was given a shake-down in the second +room. + +He felt that he had made some sort of an impression upon the surfman's +wife, and that after all she might not prove so hard to win as he had +feared from what little he had heard about her temper. + +That night was the most peaceful he had known for some time. + +In the morning he was up before any one else stirred, and when Mrs Peake +made her appearance she found a bright fire burning in the kitchen, +plenty of wood on hand, a bucket of water from the spring handy, and a +boy only too anxious to do anything he was told in the way of chores. + +Perhaps she may have had a suspicion that it would not last. + +"A new broom sweeps clean," she remarked to Abner, as he appeared and +looked at her inquiringly. + +"I calkerlate this one means to keep a-going' right along," he said, +"yuh see, the poor critter ain't never had no home before, an' he'll +sorter 'preciate one now. Give him a show an' he'll make good." + +When Abner had to return to the other side of the bay Darry went with +him to the store, where a supply of edibles was laid in according to the +list written out by the station keeper; together with a can of oil, +since their stock had run low. + +When Abner shook his hand heartily at pushing off, Darry felt as though +another link connecting him with the past had been broken. + +Perhaps his face betrayed his feelings, for the old man exclaimed: + +"Keep a stiff upper lip, lad, and it'll all come out well. The missus is +interested in yuh already. Tell her that I said to give yuh Joe's gun, +and the traps he left. He writ down how he used to git the muskrats an' +coons, too, so yuh kin understand how to set the traps. Tell the missus +that yuh mean to share an' share alike with her in the money yuh get. +That'll please her, 'cause yuh see cash is some skeerce with we-'uns all +the time. Ten dollars a week don't go far. Sometimes Nancy hunts roots +in the marshes, or picks up a few turkles that sells for a dollar or two +each. To-morrow yuh bring over the mail. I've got a boat as is fair, if +it only had a new pair o' oars. P'raps as a sailor lad yuh could whittle +out a pair to answer. Well, good-bye, Darry, my boy, and good luck. Keep +an eye out to windward for squalls if so be that Jim Dilks shows +alongside." + +When the surfman had pulled with a strong stroke for some distance he +paused long enough to wave his hand to the boy; after which Darry turned +away to get the articles Mrs. Peake wanted at the store, and for which +she had doled out the necessary cash to a penny. + +It would seem as though Abner must have had a vision of some coming +trouble in connection with the ne'er-do-well son of the notorious +wrecker, Dilks, for even as Darry entered the village street on his way +to the general store he saw the heavily built young ruffian shuffling +toward him. + +There was a leer on the features of the bully. + +Our hero had knocked around the world long enough to be able to detect +signs of a coming storm when he saw them; and if ever the signals were +set for trouble they certainly gave evidence of being now, when that +shiftless Jim Dilks intercepted the newcomer. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AN ENCOUNTER ON THE ROAD + + +Jim Dilks had long ruled as the bully of Ashley village. + +He had a reputation as a bad boy that served him in place of fighting; +and as a rule an angry word from him was sufficient to command +obedience. + +Besides, Nature had made him so ugly that when he scowled it was enough +to send a shiver down the spinal column of most boys. + +Darry came to a pause. Indeed, he could not well have continued along +the path he was taking without walking over the bully, so completely had +Jim blocked his way. + +"Looky here, didn't yer hear me tell yer last night ter get outen this +place?" demanded the wrecker's son, thrusting that aggressive chin of +his forward still more, and glaring at his prospective victim in his +usual commanding way. + +"I believe you did say something like that. Are you Jim Dilks?" asked +Darry, and to the surprise of the other he did not seem to show the +customary anxiety that went with hostile demonstrations by the bully. + +"When air yer going, then?" continued Jim. + +"I haven't decided. In fact, I like my present accommodations with Mrs. +Peake so well that I may stay there right along," replied Darry, +steadily. + +Jim caught his breath, and in such a noisy way that one would think it +was a porpoise blowing in the inlet. + +In all his experience he had never come across such an experience as +this. + +"I see yer want takin' down," he cried. "I've run this ranch a long time +now, an' there ain't no new feller comin' here without I say so. Yer got +ter skip out er take a lickin' on the spot. Now, I give yer one more +chanct ter say yer'll hoof it." + +Darry knew what it meant, for he had not knocked around so long without +learning the signs of storm and fight. + +He had thought seriously over this very matter, after being warned that +he might sooner or later have trouble with Jim; and as a result his +decision was already formed. + +When Jim Dilks saw him deliberately taking off his jacket he stared, +with a new sensation beginning to make its presence felt around the +region of his heart--the element of uncertainty, even fear. + +"Wot yer doin' that fur?" he demanded, shaking his head after the manner +of a pugnacious rooster about to enter into combat for the mastery of +the barnyard. + +"Why, you said you were going to lick me, and as this is a very good +coat Mrs. Peake gave me, one that used to belong to her boy, Joe, I +thought she might feel bad if she saw it dusty or torn," replied Darry, +solemnly. + +"Say, you bean't goin' ter fight, be yer?" gasped Jim, hardly able to +believe his senses, the shock was so great. + +"Why, you said I had to. I don't want to fight a bit, but I always obey +orders, you see, and you told me I must or leave Ashley. Now, I don't +mean to go away, so I suppose I must do the other thing. But I hate to +hurt anyone." + +"Hey? You hurt me? Don't worry about thet, cub. I reckon I kin wipe up +the ground with a feller o' yer build. So yer won't run, eh? Then all I +kin say is yer got to take yer medicine, see?" + +Naturally, Jim knew next to nothing about the science of boxing, for he +had always depended upon his brute strength to pull him through, backed +by his really ferocious appearance, when he assumed his "fighting face," +as he was proudly wont to term it. + +On the other hand Darry had often boxed during the dog watch, with some +of the sailors aboard the old brigantine, and since there were several +among the crew who prided themselves on a knowledge of fisticuffs, he +imbibed more or less of skill in the dexterity shown in both self +defense and aggressive tactics. + +At the same time Darry had seldom been called upon to utilize this +knowledge, for he was of a peaceful nature, and would shun a fight if it +could be done in honor. + +Now, he knew that Jim Dilks was determined to have it out with him, and +consequently, if he really intended to remain in Ashley, he must show +this bully that he could take care of himself. + +Jim was surprised when he received a staggering blow in the first +encounter, and before he had even been able to lay a hand on his +antagonist, who, after striking had nimbly bounded aside, so that the +village boy came near falling down. + +Believing that this must have been only an accident, Jim turned with a +roar and once more strove to crush his rival by sheer weight and bulldog +tactics. + +There never was a fight yet that did not immediately attract a crowd of +the curious and idle. Boys came running from several quarters, and not a +few men too, the more shame to them, always glad to watch a contest, +whether between a pair of aggressive dogs or roosters, or pugnacious +lads. + +Those who came running up could hardly believe their eyes, when they saw +the recognized bully of the village engaged with a strange boy, and +apparently, thus far, getting the worst of the bargain. + +Darry felt rather ashamed to be caught in the centre of such a +gathering; but the fight had been forced upon him, and the only thing +left was to wind it up as quickly as possible. + +Accordingly, he began to force matters, and the third time that Jim +leaped at him, failing as before to land his blow, he received a sudden +shock in the shape of a swift tap directly under the ear that hurled him +to the ground. + +There was a buzz of excitement about this time. + +Boys who had tamely yielded to the sway of the bully for many moons +began to take notice, and even say things that were not calculated to +soothe the lacerated feelings of Jim who was picking himself up slowly, +and trying to collect his scattered wits. + +The bully, of course, had not had enough as yet. This time, however, +when he came on it was with considerable caution, for his rough +experience had begun to teach him that rush tactics were not going to +answer with the boy who knew so well how to handle his fists. + +It made no difference, for Darry met him squarely, and after a rapid +interchange of blows that brought out many a whoop from those who looked +on, Jim once more received an unexpected tap that caused him to sit down +a second time. + +He was in no hurry to get up now, but sat there in a half-dazed way, +rubbing the side of his head, and gritting his teeth savagely. + +The crowd began to cheer, and it must have been a galling sound to that +defeated bully, whose hour had come, as it usually does with most of his +kind. + +"Get up!" said one man, jeeringly. + +Jim scrambled to his feet, to find his antagonist facing him in a manner +that made him quail. + +"Are you done, or shall we go on with it?" asked Darry, calmly, for he +did not seem to have been even winded in the exchange of blows. + +"Ah, git out. Me hand is sprained, I tell ye. I fell on it last night. +That's why I couldn't knock yer out. This thing ain't done yet, cub. +I'll git yer as sure as me name is Jim Dilks. I allers do wen I goes +arter a feller." + +He turned away with his head tossed in the air as though victory had +really perched upon his banner. + +[ILLUSTRATION: HE WAS IN NO HURRY TO GET UP NOW, BUT SAT THERE IN A +HALF-DAZED WAY.] + +The laugh that arose must have been galling to his pride, for he stopped +in his tracks and looked around angrily in the hopes of detecting one of +the boys in the act, whom he could trash later on as a sop to his +wounded feelings; but they were shrewd enough to hide their exultant +faces just then. + +Darry picked up his coat, and putting it on, strode away. + +He was conscious of a feeling of satisfaction, not because he had +whipped his antagonist, for it had been almost too easy; but he knew Jim +Dilks had long lorded it over the boys of Ashley, and perhaps after this +he might hesitate to act the part of bully again. + +At any rate he was not intending to leave the place just because one +fellow had given him orders; perhaps before they left him alone he might +have to repeat this dose; but the reputation of the one who had downed +Jim Dilks would travel fast, and the balance of the village herd would +think twice before trying conclusions with the new boy at Peake's. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +WINNING HIS WAY + + +When Darry entered the store the proprietor looked at him with interest. + +Mr. Keeler was a very strait-laced individual, and wont to raise his +hands in horror at the mention of fighting, or anything, in fact, that +partook of violence. He always gave it as his opinion that football was +a brutal game, equal to the bull rights of the Spaniards, and could +hardly be induced to even watch a baseball match, for fear one of the +players be injured. + +Nevertheless, Mr. Keeler was human, and from the door of his shop he had +seen the little affair on the road, and recognized the combatants as +Peake's new boy and the village bully. + +He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw that Darry had come off +victor, and that the idle men who gaped at the encounter were giving Jim +the laugh as he crossly slouched away. + +Perhaps after all there might be something in such a fight as this, +where a much-needed lesson was taught a young scoundrel. + +Mr. Keeler had his eyes opened for once; but at the same time he thought +it his duty as a man of peace to speak to the new boy. + +"What was the trouble about, my lad?" he asked, as Darry handed him a +list of the articles Mrs. Peake wished him to bring back. + +"There was no trouble on my side. I only wanted to be left alone, sir," +replied our hero, smiling. + +"Oh! I see, and Jim wouldn't have it? Like as not he told you to get off +the earth--it would be just like his impudence." + +"Not quite so bad as that, sir, but he did say I couldn't stay with Mrs. +Peake, and must move on. I'm quite satisfied where I am, and I mean to +stay--that is as long as she wants me to." + +"Quite right. I suppose there may be times when a boy is compelled to +stand up for his rights, although I've generally preached the other way. +But if you had to fight I'm glad you succeeded in convincing Jim that +you could hold your own." + +"That was easy enough, sir. He is a clumsy fighter." + +"I hope you do not love to engage in such affairs, Darry?" continued the +grocer, alive to what he considered his duty. + +"I've been set upon a few times when I had to defend myself, but I never +look for trouble. I'd even avoid it if I could; but you know, Mr. +Keeler, sometimes a boy has to either run away or fight; and somehow I +don't care to run away." + +Mr. Keeler nodded his head. + +He was getting a new insight into boy character that day, that might +revolutionize a few of his pet theories. + +"You say you have decided to stay with the Peakes?" he continued. + +"If Mrs. Peake wants me to. It isn't quite decided yet; but I think I +shall like to have a home there. You see, sir, outside of the cabin of +the old _Falcon_ I've never known a home in all my life." + +Mr. Keeler felt a new interest in this strange lad, who had been a +wanderer the brief span of his days, and yet strange to say seemed to +possess the instincts of a manly young chap. + +He wondered very much where the boy could have picked up his ways; but +then Mr. Keeler had never met Captain Harley, or he might not have +indulged in so much vague speculation. + +"If you can get on with Mrs. Peake you deserve considerable praise, lad. +Not but what she is a good enough woman, and with a kindly heart; but +ever since little Joe went out on the ebb tide and never came back +again she seems to have become what I might say, soured on humanity. +Abner is meek enough to stand it, but she has had quarrels with many +people in the village. Still, who knows but what you may be the very one +to do her good. You are about the size of her Joe, and with his clothes +on, I declare now, you do look a little like him. He was a clever boy, +and I just reckon her heart was all wrapped up in him. At any rate, I +wish you success there, Darry. And if I can do you a good turn at any +time just ask me." + +"Thank you, sir," replied the boy, with a lump in his throat; for he was +unused to kindness save from Captain Harley, and had had more hard +knocks in the past than good wishes. + +The benevolent grocer continued to chat with him until the purchases +were all tied up in a bundle, and after payment had been made Darry +placed the rather bulky package on his shoulder and trotted off. + +On the way home he was not spoken to by anyone. + +He saw several boys pointing in his direction, and there was a look of +awe on their faces as they watched him walk by; but no one ventured to +address a word to the newcomer who was said to have roundly trounced big +Jim. + +A tall man also looked sharply at him, and as he wore a great nickel +star on the breast of his coat Darry understood that this must be Hank +Squires, the constable of the village. + +No doubt news of the encounter had drifted to his ears, and since the +boy who usually made life miserable for him had come out "second best" +Hank did not think it policy to take any official notice of the +misdemeanor. + +As soon as he arrived at home, Darry busied himself in undoing his +package, and placing the various articles where Mrs. Peake told him they +belonged. + +His manner was so obliging and his answers to her questions so ready, +that despite her feeling of resentment at Abner, thinking anyone could +ever take the place of Joe in her heart, the woman found herself +insensibly drawn to the boy. + +Perhaps, after all, the mere fact that he had never known a mother's +love, nor had a home of any kind, appealed more to her sympathies than +anything else. + +She watched him take off his coat and carefully fold it before setting +to work. + +That too, was like Joe, always trying to save his mother needless worry +and work. + +After a while, as he happened to come close to her in doing something to +save her steps, she uttered a little exclamation. + +"Did you fall down with the bundle, Darry?" she asked, leaning forward. + +He turned a little red, conscious that in some way she must have +discovered signs of his recent adventure on the road. + +"Oh! no, it was not heavy at all, ma'am," he replied, and then noting +that her eyes were fastened on his cheek he put up his hand, in this way +discovering for the first time, a little soreness there. + +When he withdrew his fingers he saw a spot of blood. + +"How did that happen then, Darry?" she asked, suspiciously. + +"I think he must have hit me there, but I didn't know it until now," he +replied, relieved to feel that he could tell her the whole truth. + +"Someone struck you--have you been fighting then?" she asked, a little +coldly; for woman-like, Mrs. Peake did not approve of strenuous +encounters. + +"He said that I would have to leave you, and get out. I couldn't do +anything else but defend myself when he came at me. I'm sorry, for I +never tried to get in a fight in my life, and I never ran away from one +either." + +"Who was it, Darry?" she asked again, looking uneasy. + +"Jim Dilks," he answered promptly, unconsciously squaring his shoulders. + +"Oh! that terrible boy again! What a shame he can't pick out some one +of his own size to beat! Did he hurt you very much, my poor boy?" + +Then she was surprised to see Darry smile broadly. + +"I didn't know he had even struck me until just now. You see Captain +Harley allowed me to box with the sailors, and I learned how to defend +myself. Jim says he is going to get even with me later on," he said +modestly. + +"Do you mean to tell me you whipped that big loafer, that +good-for-nothing bully who has run the place for years?" exclaimed the +woman, in astonishment. + +"I wouldn't just say that, ma'am, and Jim wouldn't admit it either; but +I did knock him down twice, and the second time he said he wouldn't +fight any more because, you see, his right hand was sprained. So he went +off and left me alone." + +"Splendid! He deserved a lesson, the brute! Many's the time he has +jeered at me when he passed; and everyone has been afraid to put a hand +on him because his father is a bad man. And you did that? Well, the boys +of Ashley ought to vote you thanks. And you fought because he wanted you +to leave _this_ house? You thought it was a home worth fighting for? +Then it shall be yours as long as you want to stay here, Darry." + +Before he suspected how greatly her feelings had been aroused, Mrs. +Peake threw her arms about his neck and gave him a resounding +kiss--perhaps in her heart she was in this way demonstrating her undying +affection for the boy who had vanished from that home one year ago, and +never came back. + +After that Darry worked with a light heart, such as he had never before +known in all his life. + +During the afternoon Abner's wife took pains to open a box that +contained all the treasured possessions of the young trapper and +naturalist whose greatest delight had been to spend his time in the +swamps watching the animals at their play; and in the proper season +setting his traps to secure the pelts of muskrats, 'coons and skunks, +which, properly cured, would bring high prices at such centres where +furs are collected, and secure many little luxuries for his mother +during the winter season. + +Darry handled these with a bit of reverence, for he knew what a wrench +it must be to the devoted heart of the mother to see a stranger touching +the things she had hoarded up as treasures, and over which she must have +had many a secret cry. + +Together with the traps and other things there was an old shotgun still +in good condition, and Darry had visions of coming days in the marsh and +swamp, where fat ducks and squirrels might fall to his aim, and provide +good dinners for this little family into whose humble home he had now +been fully taken. + +His heart was filled with gratitude, for he knew that his lines had +fallen in pleasant places, since he was no longer a waif in the world. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE MIDNIGHT ALARM + + +Darry found himself greatly interested in the little diary left behind +by the boy naturalist, and which, besides containing an account of his +catches in the way of fur-bearing animals, also explained his methods of +setting snares and traps, how he cured the skins when taken, and where +he received the highest prices for the same. + +All of this information was eagerly devoured by his successor, who felt +that it was certainly up to him to do his share toward supporting the +little family of the life saver who had been so kind to him. + +He wandered out late one afternoon to look around and see what prospect +there might be for game; since the fall season was now on, and the boom +of guns beginning to be heard on the bay, where the ducks were +commencing to congregate. + +As he drew near the cabin just at dusk he was surprised to discover a +figure making off in a suspicious way, as though not desirous of being +seen. + +He recognized the lurker as Jim Dilks, and the fact gave him +considerable uneasiness, for he had not forgotten how the other vowed to +get even for his discomfiture, and Jim's methods of wiping out a score +were sometimes little short of shocking, if Darry could believe half he +had heard. + +Had the fellow been prowling around in hopes of meeting him again, and +trying conclusions a second time? + +Darry could not believe it, for such a thing would not be in line with +the reputation of the village bully. + +He would be more apt to try and obtain a mean revenge by doing some +injury to the kind woman who had given refuge to this shipwrecked lad. + +Evidently Mrs. Peake should know what he had seen, and so as soon as he +entered the kitchen, he spoke of it. + +"Jim Dilks hanging about here," she echoed, in rising anger; "I'd just +like to know what that scamp wants, that's all. No good follows his +visits, as every one about this section knows to their sorrow." + +"I'm afraid I'm the cause of it all. Unfortunately my being here is apt +to bring trouble down upon you. Perhaps it might be as well if I moved +on, as he said," remarked the boy, dejectedly. + +The woman looked at him quickly, almost sharply. + +"Do you want to go?" she demanded. + +"No, oh, never; but it would save you trouble, and I have no right to +bring that on you," he cried, hastily, and with emotion. + +"Then I say you shan't go away, not for a dozen Jim Dilks. You belong +here now. I've done what I said I never would do, given away my Joey's +things, and you're my boy, I say. I won't let you go away! This is your +home as long as you want to stay. Let me catch that Jim Dilks trying to +chase you off, that's all." + +Darry could not trust his voice to say one word, only caught up her +work-stained hand and pressed it to his lips, then fled from the house. + +And yet as Darry stood out under the old oak that shielded the cottage +from the burning sun in summer, and the biting winds of the "northers" +in winter, looking up at the first bright evening star that peeped into +view, he felt a happiness deep down in his boyish heart that could not +be excelled by a prince of the royal blood coming into his palace home. + +He was merry all evening, and the twins romped as they had not done for +many a day, in fact, ever since their brother had left them. + +The mother looked on in silent approval, thinking that once more home +seemed to have a brightness about it that had been long lacking. + +When all had retired save Darry he sat by the fire thinking. + +Somehow he could not forget that skulking figure he had seen leaving the +vicinity of the cabin at dusk, and he would have given much to have +known just what mission brought the vindictive Jim out there. + +The bully's home was in the village, and he had no business so far away, +unless bent on an errand that would not bear the light of day. + +A sense of responsibility came upon the boy as he sat there. + +What if this young wretch should be cruel enough to poison the chickens, +or the three pigs that were expected to help carry the family over the +winter? + +The thought gave him a bad feeling, and almost unconsciously he reached +out his hand and picked up the gun that Joe had purchased with money +earned through the sale of roots dug in the woods or furs secured +through clever deadfalls. + +There were a few shells in the box, and among others, several containing +very small shot, that might sting pretty lively, but could not do much +damage to a half-grown boy as tough as Jim Dilks. + +And it was with that same individual in his mind that Darry pushed two +of these small bird shells into the barrels of the gun. + +He did not know that he would care to send even this charge directly at +a human being; but in case it became necessary he wanted to make +certain he would do little harm. + +After that he seemed to feel easier in his mind, for he lay down and was +soon fast asleep. + +Something awoke him about midnight, and thinking he had heard a sound he +sat up to listen; then he heard it again, and felt sure it must be a +cough, as of some one partly choking. + +He was worried and left his lowly bed to go to the door connecting the +rooms and listen, but nothing came from beyond. + +Could the sound come from outside? + +He slipped on some of his clothes, and stepping over quietly opened the +outer door, looking into the night. + +The new moon had long since vanished behind the horizon, and yet he +could see some sort of flickering light, coming from that region back of +the house. + +At the same time he believed he caught the muttering of voices, or it +might be a low chuckle, followed by a plain sneeze. + +Smoke came to his nostrils, and that meant fire! + +Darry had a sudden vision of Jim Dilks getting even, and it took the +form of a burning corn-crib or chicken house. + +Filled with indignation, he turned back into the house, and snatched up +the old shotgun; gone now was his hesitation with regard to using the +gun to pepper the rascally gang that took orders from the even more +rascally Jim. + +Without saying a word Darry shot out of the door and turned the corner, +when his worst fears were realized, for he saw flames rising up +alongside the pigsty, which adjoined the building in which the fowls +were kept. + +His first act was to fire the right barrel of his gun in the air, and at +the same time give vent to a shout. + +Immediately several shadowy figures, which in spite of their bent +attitudes he knew to be boys, started to scamper away, in sudden alarm +lest they be recognized, and made to pay the penalty in the squire's +court. + +As near as Darry could tell there were three of them, and as they ran he +believed he could recognize Jim Dilks in the centre of the group. + +The temptation was too great to be resisted, and filled with indignation +because of the cowardly trick of which they had been guilty, Darry took +a snap shot at the running bunch. + +It was music to his ears to catch the howls that immediately arose; but +he knew no serious damage had resulted because they ran faster than ever +after that, quickly vanishing from view in the shadows. + +There was work to be done if he would save the humble quarters of the +family porkers from destruction, and the hennery as well. + +He knew where the rain barrel stood that held the wash water, and +snatching up a bucket he hastily dipped it in, after which he rushed +over to the fire and dashed the contents upon the blaze. + +Back and forth he galloped, using considerable discretion as to where he +put the water so as to head off the creeping fire. + +Mrs. Peake now came running with another bucket, and proved herself a +woman in a thousand by assisting the new addition to the family put out +the last of the conflagration. + +When there was not a spark remaining, and beyond the grunting of the +pigs and the cackling of the fowls, everything had fallen back into its +usual condition, one or two neighbors arrived on the scene, asking +questions, and busying themselves generally, though had it depended on +their efforts the frail buildings must have gone up in smoke before now. + +Of course many questions were fired at Darry, and he felt that it was +necessary he should tell what he had seen, though cautious about saying +he had fully recognized any one of the three skulkers, no matter what +strong suspicions he may have entertained. + +He believed he had a means of identifying one or more of them, +nevertheless, when the proper time came. + +More neighbors arrived, attracted by the shots and the confusion, for +nothing could quiet the excited chickens; and for an hour there was more +or less discussion on the part of these good people. + +Finally the excitement died out, the last neighbor went home, and the +Peake cabin was left to those who belonged there. There was no further +alarm during the balance of that eventful night. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ACROSS THE BAY + + +Darry welcomed the coming of dawn. + +He was glad to see that the sky was clear, for he anticipated a long row +across the broad bay that day, bearing the mail for those at the +life-saving station, as well as several things he had been commissioned +to fetch over by Abner. + +Hardly had they finished breakfast than there arrived a visitor. + +Mrs. Peake saw him coming along the road, for she could look out of the +window of the kitchen, where they ate, and have a view of the open +stretch. + +"Here comes old Hank Squires. I reckon he's heard something about what +happened here last night. It's about time he took notice of some of the +mean pranks those village boys play on those who live outside. Tell him +all he wants to hear, Darry; but unless you can swear to it perhaps +you'd better not say that you think it was Jim Dilks and his crowd. If +you feel sure, go ahead," she remarked, for with all her temper Mrs. +Peake was a woman with a due sense of caution. + +The constable knocked, and in response to her call to "come in," he +entered. + +"I heard ye had a little shindig up to here last night, Mrs. Peake, an' +I jest called 'round to see what it is all 'bout," said Hank, seating +himself. "I see thar was a fire here all right, an' it kim near burning +yer buildings down in the bargain. Some says as how it was sot by a +passel o' boys. How 'bout that, ma'am?" + +"I didn't see anyone," answered the woman. "When I got out Darry here +had the fire pretty well under control, and I only helped him finish. +You can ask him about it, Mr. Squires." + +Darry had already learned through the grocer that previous to her +marriage to Abner the good woman had been for some years a teacher in +the schools, which fact accounted for her superior language and +knowledge of things that were far above the intelligence of most of her +neighbors. + +The constable looked keenly at our hero. + +"I b'lieve this is the boy wot was saved from the wreck o' that +brigantine. So he's gwine to be your boy now, Mrs. Peake? Well, I +understand he's got the makin' o' a man in him, so Mr. Keeler sez to me +last night, and I hope you'll never have no reason to be sorry. I want +to know, Darry, what about this here fire?" + +"I'll be only too glad to tell you all I know, sir," replied the boy +promptly. + +"When did it happen?" began the constable, with the air of a famous +lawyer, with a bewildered witness on the rack. + +"I think it was somewhere near midnight. I have no watch, and Mrs. Peake +took the little clock in her room with her." + +"That was near the time. It was half-past one when I went back to my bed +with my two little girls," remarked the owner of the house. + +"S'pose you tell me what happened, jest as it comes to you, lad." + +With this invitation Darry soon related the whole matter, even to his +firing after the vanishing culprits. + +This latter event appeared to interest the constable more than anything +else. + +"Do you think you hit any o' 'em?" he asked, eagerly. + +"They didn't stop to tell me, but I heard a lot of howling, and they ran +faster than ever," replied Darry, smiling. + +"That sounds as if you did some damage. Mrs. Peake, I must look into +this outrage closer, and if I can only git my hands on any dead-sure +evidence somebody's boys is a gwine to pay for the fiddlin'. I'm tired +o' sech goings-on. They sure are a disgrace to our village. But you know +how it is--my hands are tied acause theys politics back o' it all. If I +arrested Jim Dilks now on the strength o' a suspicion I'd get tied up in +litigation and lose my job in the bargain. I hears as how theys gwine to +be a meetin' called at the house o' the dominie to discuss this +question, an' see what kin be did to change things." + +"I'm sure I'm glad to know it, and if they want another to join in tell +them to count on Nancy Peake. The women must take this thing in hand, +since the men are too much afraid of that ruffian, big Jim Dilks, to do +anything. Be sure and let me know when that meeting is coming off, Mr. +Squires," said Abner's better half; and when he saw the fire in her eyes +and the determination shining there Constable Squires realized that the +day of salvation for Ashley village was not so very far away. + +"Then you wouldn't like to swear to its being any particular pusson?" he +went on, turning again to Darry. + +"I did not see a face, and without that my evidence would hardly +convict. No, sir, I would not swear that one of the three was Jim." + +"That's bad. I stand ready to do my duty and arrest the boy if so be +any one makes a complaint; but without that it wouldn't pay and only +makes useless trouble all 'round. But I'm goin' to keep my eyes open +from now on, and when I git a sure case on Jim he comes in." + +That was all Mr. Squires would say, and he soon departed; but not before +he had called Darry outside for a few words in parting. + +"Looks like you was marked to be the central figger o' the comin' storm, +lad. Keep your eye open for squalls. If things git too black around jest +slip over to the dominie's leetle house and hev a talk with him. I knows +more about what's gwine to happen than I let on; but somebody's due to +hev a surprise that hain't a donation party either. You seem to have the +right stuff in you, lad. I heard from Mr. Keeler how you took that bully +Jim into camp mighty neat. He'll never be satisfied till he's paid you +back. A word to the wise is sufficient. Goodbye, Darry." + +After all the constable did not seem to be a bad sort of fellow. + +During the morning Darry accomplished many things for Abner's wife, and +she showed in her manner how pleased she was to have him there. + +When noon had come and gone he prepared for his row across the bay, for +she insisted upon his making an early start. + +"Clouds are banking up in the southeast, and we look for trouble +whenever that comes about. Still, you will have plenty of time to row +over. Stay with Abner to-night and return in the morning if it is safe +on the bay. Perhaps you may have a chance to see how the life savers +work," said Mrs. Peake. + +It was almost two when he pushed off from the float and started on his +long row directly across the bay. + +Steadily he kept pushing across the wide stretch of shallow water. + +As Abner had said, a new pair of oars seemed to be badly needed in +connection with the old boat; but a willing heart and sturdy arms sent +the craft along until finally Darry reached his goal. + +The storm was drawing near, for by now the heavens were clouded over, +and the haze seemed to thicken. Perhaps had he lingered another hour +Darry might have stood a chance of losing his way, and being drawn out +of the inlet by the powerful ebb tide--just as the unfortunate Joe had +been. + +Abner was waiting at the landing for him. + +"Glad to see yuh, lad. How's everything to home?" he asked. + +Of course Darry understood this to mean with regard to himself and his +relations with the good woman of the house. + +Truth to tell Abner had worried more than a little since parting from +the boy, for his wife had shown more than unusual ill temper lately, and +he feared that he had possibly done an unwise thing in leaving Darry +there to be a constant reminder of the son she had lost. + +But the happy look on the boy's countenance eased his mind even before +the boy spoke a single word. + +"He kin do it, if any boy kin," was what the life saver was saying under +his breath. + +"All well, and your wife sent this over to you, sir. Here's the mail, +too. The postmaster didn't want to give it to me, but Mr. Keeler told +him it was all right, and that I belonged with the crew over here." + +Unconsciously his tones were full of pride as he made this assertion, +and the grocer had evidently done more to please the lad in making that +assertion than he would ever know. + +But Abner seemed to be staring down at something. + +"Seems like as if yuh bed ben a leetle mite keerless, son, with them +trousers. Don't strike me thet burn was on 'em yesterday," he remarked. + +"It wasn't, Mr. Peake. I got that last night," he said, quickly. + +"Doin' what?" went on Abner, who seemed to guess that there was a story +back of it all that he ought to hear. + +"Putting out the pigsty, that was on fire, sir." + +"What's that? Who sot it afire, I'd like to know? Them pigs never has +smoked, leastways not yit. Jest tell me the hull bloomin' thing, lad." + +To begin at the start Darry had to take up the subject of his encounter +on the road, and from that he went on until the whole story had been +told, including the visit of Hank Squires. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE SIGNAL ROCKET + + +Abner Peake made no comment until the end had been reached. + +Then he smote one hand into the palm of the other, and relieved his +feelings in the expressive way one would expect a coast "cracker" to do. + +"This sorter thing has got to stop! It's sure the limit wen them +varmints set about burnin' a honest man's buildin's up! I'll take the +law into my own hands onless somethin' is did soon. P'raps that parson +kin manage to rouse up the village, and upset old Dilks. Ef so be it +falls through I'm gwine to take a hand, no matter what happens." + +He immediately told the whole story to his companions at the station, +and they, of course, sympathized with him to a man. + +"That Dilks gang has got to be run out of Ashley, root and branch, daddy +and sons, for they're all alike," declared the keeper, Mr. Frazer, who +was a man of considerable intelligence--indeed, no one could hold the +position he did unless fairly educated and able to manage the various +concerns connected with the station. "It's a burning shame that the +families of men who are away from home in the service of the Government +can't be left unmolested. I'm going to take the matter up with the +authorities the next time the boat comes to this station." + +The life savers asked Darry many questions, but he was careful not to +fully commit himself with regard to identifying the three culprits. + +"Course he couldn't say, boys. Don't forget Darry's new in this section, +and most o' the boys is strangers to him. But he's put his trade-mark on +one as won't forget it in a hurry. And for me I'd be willing to wager my +week's pay that young Jim Dilks was leadin' them raiders in their +rascally work," declared one of the crew, a stalwart young fellow named +Sandy Monks. + +By this time the storm began to break, and it became necessary for the +keeper to make good use of his glass in the endeavor to place any vessel +chancing to be within range, so that in case of trouble later in the +night they would have some idea as to the character of the imperiled +craft. + +Darry watched everything that was done with eager eyes. + +After an early supper, in which he participated with the men of the +station, he saw the guard that had the first patrol don their storm +clothes, and prepare to pass out to tramp the beach, exchanging checks +when they met other members of the next patrol to prove that through the +livelong night they had been alive to their duty. + +Abner was on the second watch. He had consented to let the boy go out +with him, and share his lonely tramp, for he seemed to realize that just +then it was the most ardent wish in the heart of our hero to become a +life saver like himself. + +The rain came down in sheets, and the thunder rattled, while lightning +played in strange fashion all around; but this storm was not in the same +class with the dreadful West India hurricane that had sent the poor +_Falcon_ on to the cruel reefs, to wind up her voyaging forever. + +Darry might have liked to sit up and listen to the men tell about former +experiences; but the keeper chased them to their beds, knowing that it +was necessary to secure some sleep, since they must remain up the latter +half of the night. + +A hand touching his face aroused Darry. + +"Time to git up, lad, if so be yuh wants to go along," came a voice +which he recognized as belonging to Abner, though he had been dreaming +of the captain. + +He was quickly dressed and out of doors. + +It seemed to be still raining, and the wind howled worse than ever, +though but little thunder accompanied the vivid flashes of lightning. + +Having been giving some spare waterproof garments in the shape of +oilskins, and a sou'wester, Darry felt himself prepared to face any +conditions that might arise during his long walk with his friend. + +Taking lantern and coster lights for signalling, Abner set out, another +patrol going in the opposite direction. + +Those who had been out for hours had returned to the station in an +almost exhausted condition, and at the time Abner and Darry left they +were warming up with a cup of coffee, strong spirits being absolutely +forbidden while on duty. + +Darry asked questions when the wind allowed of his speaking, which was +not all the time, to be sure. + +He wanted to know how the patrol learned when a ship was in distress, +and Abner answered that sometimes they saw lights on the reefs; again +the lightning betrayed the perilous condition of the recked vessel; but +usually they learned of the need of assistance through rockets sent up +by those on board, and which were answered by the coast guard. + +Captain Harley had not been given a chance to send such an appeal for +help, since he had been swept overboard just after the brigantine +struck; besides, the vessel was a complete wreck at the time, and +without a single stick in place could never have utilized the breeches +buoy even had a line been shot out across her bows by means of the Lyle +gun. + +In two hours they had gone to the end of their route, and exchanged +checks with the other patrol coming from the south. Then the return +journey was begun. + +Almost an hour had elapsed since turning back, and they were possibly +more than half way to the station, when suddenly Darry, who chanced to +be looking out to sea, discovered an ascending trail of fire that seemed +to mount to the very clouds, when it broke, to show a flash of brilliant +light. + +"See!" he had exclaimed, dragging at the sleeve of his companion's coat, +for Abner was plodding along steadily, as if his mind was made up to the +effect that there was going to be no call for help on this night. + +"A rocket! a signal!" cried the old life saver, at once alive to the +occasion. + +His first act was to unwrap one of the coster lights, and set it on +fire. + +This was intended to inform those on board the ship that their call for +assistance had been seen, and that the lifeboat would soon be started if +conditions allowed of its getting through the surf; for there are +occasionally times when the sea runs so high that it proves beyond human +endeavor to launch the boat. + +Having thus done his duty, so far as he could, Abner set out on a run +for the station, knowing that unless the full crew was on hand all +efforts to send out the boat would be useless. + +Darry kept at his heels, though he could have outrun the older man had +he so desired, being sturdy and young. + +Stumbling along, sometimes falling flat as they met with obstacles in +the darkness, they finally came within sight of the lights of the +station. + +Here they found all excitement, for the signal rockets had of course +been seen by the lookout, and all was in readiness to run the boat out +of its shed. + +Darry found that he could certainly make himself useful in giving a +helping hand, and with a will the boat was hurried down to the edge of +the water that rolled up on the beach. + +All they waited for now was the coming of one man, whose beat happened +to be a little longer than any other, but who should have shown up ere +now. + +As the minutes passed the anxiety of the helmsman grew apace, for those +on the stranded vessel were sending more rockets up, as though they +believed their peril to be very great. + +The men stood at their places, ready to push at the word, and then leap +aboard. + +Darry was with them, eager and alert; indeed, he had done such good +service up to now that the stout Mr. Frazer cast an eye toward him more +than once, as though tempted to ask him to take the place of the missing +man, who must have had an accident on the way, perhaps spraining an +ankle over some unseen obstacle that came in his way as he ran headlong. + +Darry saw him talking with Abner, who looked his way, and shook his head +as if hardly willing to give his consent. + +Just as his hopes ran high, and the words seemed trembling on the lips +of the helmsman a shout was heard and the missing man came limping down +to take his place without a complaint, though as it afterwards turned +out he had a bad sprain. + +Then the wild word was given, the men heaved, the surf boat ran into the +water, with the men jumping aboard, oars flashed out on either side, and +were dipped deep, after which the boat plunged into the next wave, rode +on its crest like a duck, made a forward move, and then darkness shut it +from the gaze of the lad left behind. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +JIM THE BULLY + + +Although he could not accompany the life savers in the boat Darry had +been given duties to perform, which he went about with a vim. + +One of these was to keep the fire burning, so that it might serve as a +beacon to the life savers as they toiled at the oars. + +What with the darkness, and the flying spray that seemed almost as dense +as fog, it was a difficult task to hold their bearings, and this glare +upon the clouds overhead was essential. + +By this time several other men arrived on the scene, having taken +chances upon the bay when it was seen that the night would be stormy. + +They were only too willing to assist, and as time passed many anxious +looks were cast out upon the dashing sea in expectation of seeing the +boat returning, possibly with some of the passengers or crew of the +vessel in danger. + +Finally a loud shout was heard: + +"There they come!" + +Upon the top of an incoming billow the lifeboat was seen perched, with +the men laboring at the oars to keep it steady, and the steersman +standing at his post, every muscle strained to hold the craft from +broaching to. + +It was a wild sight, and every nerve in Darry's body seemed to thrill as +he kept his eyes glued upon that careening boat. + +On it came, sweeping in with the wash of the agitated sea, until finally +it was carried far up the beach, where men, rushing in waist deep, +seized hold and prevented the undertow from dragging it out again. + +Then the crew jumped out to lend their aid. + +Darry saw that quite a number of strangers were aboard, who had +undoubtedly been taken from the vessel. + +They were passengers, the captain and crew refusing to abandon their +craft. + +The steamer being head on, was not in as bad a condition as might +otherwise have been the case; and as the storm promised to be +short-lived, the commander had decided to try and await the coming of +tugs from the city to drag his vessel off. + +The telephone to the mainland was immediately put to good use, and a +message sent to a salvage company that would bring a couple of strong +sea-going tugs to the scene inside of ten hours. + +Abner had labored with the rest. + +He was more or less tired when Darry found him, after the boat had been +drawn up on the beach, but not housed, since it might be needed again; +but this sort of thing was an old story in his life, and in comparison +with some of his labors the adventure of the night had been rather tame. + +In the morning Darry started across the bay again, homeward bound. + +He was sorry to leave the beach, so much was his heart wrapped up in the +work of the life savers. + +The day was bright and fine after the short storm which had seemed to +clear the air wonderfully. + +He could see a few boats moving about, some of them oyster sloops or +dredgers, other pleasure craft belonging to the rich sportsmen who had +already commenced to drift down in pursuit of their regular fall +shooting. + +Occasionally the distant dull boom of a gun told that a few ducks were +paying toll on their passage south. + +Darry looked longingly at a splendid motor-boat that went swiftly past +him. + +The young fellow on board seemed to be having a most delightful time, +and it was only natural for any boy to envy him. + +It was noon when our hero arrived home. Mrs. Peake was interested in +all he had to tell about the trip of the life savers. + +"We get used to hearing these things," she said, "but all the same it +keeps the wives of the life savers feeling anxious. Some night it +happens one of the crew of the lifeboat goes out and does not return. At +any time it may be my turn. I know three widows now." + +"I think they ought to pick out the unmarried men," remarked Darry, who +had himself been considering this very subject. + +"They do, I believe, as far as they can; but we must have bread, and the +number of available surfmen is small. But those who win their living +from the sea learn to expect these things sooner or later. It is only a +question of time." + +After a bit of lunch Darry was sent to the village on an errand. + +This was how he happened to see Jim Dilks again. + +The meeting occurred just before Darry reached the grocer's, and as Jim +was totally unaware of his coming he had no chance to assume airs. + +Darry looked at him eagerly, as though expecting to make a discovery; +and this anticipation met with no disappointment. + +There could be no doubt about Jim limping, and once he instinctively +put his hand back of him as if to rub a spot that pained more or less. + +Darry understood what it meant, and that he had not sent that shower of +fine bird shot after the trio of desperate young scamps in vain. + +If Hank Squires wanted positive evidence as to who had been connected +with the firing of Mrs. Peake's out-buildings he could find it upon an +examination of the person of Jim Dilks. + +When the good-for-nothing caught sight of Darry it was surprising how he +stiffened up and walked as upright as a drum-major. + +Darry had lost all respect for the prowess of the young ruffian, after +that one trial of strength, when he had found Jim so lacking in +everything that goes to make up a fighter. He had the feeling that he +could snap his fingers in the other's face. + +Being a boy he could not help from addressing the ex-bully, and rubbing +it in a little, for Jim was scowling at him ferociously. + +"Hello, Jim, how's the sprain--or was it rheumatism you had in your +wrist? Sorry to see it's gone down now into one of your legs, and makes +you limp. I tell you what's good for that sort of thing. First, be sure +to take out any foreign substance, such as gravel, _lead_ or anything +like that; then wash it well and rub on some sort of ointment. Follow +the directions and it will work fine," he said, as soberly as though he +meant every word. + +If anything, Jim scowled worse than before, since his guilty soul knew +that this boy suspected his connection with the lawless act of the +recent night. + +"Saw yer comin' acrost the bay this mornin'; say, was yer over on ther +beach with the life savers? Did a boat go ter pieces on the reefs?" he +asked. + +Darry saw that the other was swallowing his resentment in order to pick +up information, and he remembered what dark stories he had heard in +connection with the men who formed the companions of Jim's father--that +they were termed wreckers, and some said they had reached a point of +desperation where they did not hesitate to lure a vessel upon the reefs +in order to profit from the goods that would float ashore after she went +to pieces. + +Possibly the older Dilks and his cronies may have been abroad on the +preceding night, hovering around in hopes of a windfall; and Jim was +eager to learn whether such a chance had come. + +"Not last night, I'm glad to say. There was a steamer aground, but only +the passengers would come ashore, the captain and crew remaining on +board waiting for the tugs to arrive," replied Darry. + +Jim's face fell several degrees. + +He would have been satisfied to hear that a dozen poor sailors had been +lost if it meant a big haul for the wreckers of the coast. + +"Say, be yer goin' to stay 'round this district," asked the bully, +changing the subject suddenly. + +"Well, Mrs. Peake wants me to remain with her, and so does Abner. I'm +thinking about it. When I make my mind up I'll let you know, Jim. If +it's stay, why we can have it all over again. I want to warn you, Jim. +You're going to get yourself into trouble if you keep on the way you're +bent now. There's a law that sends a man to the penitentiary for setting +fire to a neighbor's house," he said, as sternly as he could. + +"Never set fire ter a house," declared Jim, quickly. + +"Well, it doesn't matter whether it's a house or a barn or a hencoop. If +Hank Squires could only find some positive evidence against you he says +he'd lock you up right now; and Jim, I know how he could get all the +evidence he needs." + +"'Taint so," flashed out the bully, but looking alarmed all the same; +while his hand half instinctively sought his rear. + +"I think that an examination of those ragged trousers you wear would +show where a few fine bird-shot peppered you as you ran. Perhaps both +the other fellows got a touch of the same medicine, too, so you'd have +company, Jim, when you went up." + +"It's a lie. I never sot that pigpen on fire!" + +"Oh! you know it was a pigpen, then, do you? I spoke of a chicken coop +only." + +"Heerd 'em torkin' about it. Thet ole busybody, Miss Pepper, she war in +ther store wen I was gittin' somethin' fur mam, and she sed as how she'd +run this village if she war a man, an' the feller as set fire ter a +honest woman's pigpen 'd git his'n right peart. Like fun she wud," +returned Jim, quickly. + +"She's got her eye on you, Jim. She believes you led that gang. Going, +eh, good-bye." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A GLORIOUS PROSPECT + + +Jim had heard enough. He was beginning to be a bit afraid lest this +sturdy new boy who had mastered him so easily in their late encounter, +take a notion to investigate his condition physically; and there were +several little punctures that just then Jim did not care to have seen. + +Darry watched the bully saunter away, and it made him smile to see what +an effort the other kept up his careless demeanor, when every step must +have caused him more or less pain. + +Perhaps Jim, in spite of his bombastic manner, might have received a +lesson, and would be a little more careful after this how he acted. + +So he walked to the store, completed his purchases, and was waiting for +them to be tied up when who should enter but the young fellow he had +seen in the beautiful cedar motor-boat out on the bay. + +He was dressed like a sportsman, and there was a frank, genial air about +him that quite attracted Darry. + +Apparently he had dropped in to get his mail, for he walked over to the +little cubby hole where a clerk sat. + +As his eyes in roving around chanced to fall on Darry, and the latter +saw him give a positive start, and he seemed to be staring at him as +though more than casually interested. + +Then he spoke to the clerk, who looked out toward Darry and apparently +went on to explain that he was a stranger in the community, having been +on a brigantine recently wrecked on the deadly reefs off the shore. + +The young man sauntered around until Darry left. + +Just as our hero put the last of the small shanties that formed the +outskirts of Ashley behind him he caught the sound of hurrying steps. + +Thinking of Jim and his ugly promise of future trouble he half turned, +but to his surprise and pleasure he saw that it was the owner of the +launch, and that apparently the youth was hurrying to overtake him. + +What his curiosity was founded on Darry could not say; but presumed the +other had liked his looks and wanted to strike up an acquaintance. + +It would not be the first time such a thing had happened to him. + +"Good morning, or rather good afternoon," said the stranger. "I believe +they told me your name was Darry, and that you are stopping with one of +the life savers. My name is Paul Singleton, and I'm down here, partly +for my health, and also to enjoy the shooting. It turns out to be pretty +lonely work, and I'm looking for a congenial companion to keep me +company and help with the decoys later. I'm willing to pay anything +reasonable, and I carry enough grub for half a dozen. My boat is small, +but affords ample sleeping accommodations for two. How would you like to +try it," and the youth smiled broadly. + +Darry was thrilled at the prospect, although he could not see his way +clear to accept it just then. + +First of all he would not think of doing so without consulting Abner, +who had been so kind, and who expected him to remain with the little +family; then, it was nice to believe that Mrs. Peake would feel sorry to +lose him; and last of all he knew little or nothing about the bay or the +ways of guides, and the duties connected with the profession. + +"I'd like it first-rate, but just now I don't see how I could accept," +he replied. + +"If it's a question of wages--" began the young man, who was watching +the various expressions flit over Darry's face with an eager eye. + +"Not at all. I was only thinking of my duty to Abner Peake and his wife, +who have been so good to me. Perhaps later on I might accept, providing +you have not already filled the place." + +"I suppose you know best, but somehow I've taken a notion I'd like to +have you along with me, Darry. For a week or two I mean to just knock +around here, sometimes ashore and again afloat. Perhaps when the +shooting begins in earnest you may be able to give me a different +answer." + +"At any rate by that time I shall know more about the bay and the habits +of the ducks that drop in here. I'm a stranger, you see, Mr. Singleton, +and though I've done some hunting in India and other places where our +ship lay at anchor for weeks, I know little about this sport. I can cook +as well as the next fellow, and of course know something about boats, +though more used to sails than gasoline." + +"You're too modest, Darry. Some chaps would have jumped at the chance to +have a fine time. But I like you all the better for it. I see you are in +a hurry, so I won't detain you any longer. It's understood then that if +you can get off later you'll come to me?" + +"I'll only be too glad to do so, Mr. Singleton," was Darry's answer. + +The young fellow thrust out his hand, while his gaze still-remained +riveted on Darry's face. + +As the boy walked rapidly away, feeling a sense of overpowering delight +at the prospect ahead if all things went well, something caused him to +glance back, and he saw Paul Singleton shaking his head while sauntering +toward the village, as if something puzzled him greatly. + +Darry could not understand what ailed the other, or how anything about +his appearance should attract so fine a young gentleman. + +He told Mrs. Peake about it, and while she looked displeased at first, +Darry was so apparently loth to leave her that the better element in the +woman's nature soon pushed to the front. + +"Of course you can go, after a little. There's nothing to prevent. It +will be a fine thing for you, and may lead to something better. We have +put through one winter without a man in the house, and can again. Time +was when all my children were little, and even then Abner used to be +away most of the time. Don't worry about us, Darry. When the time comes, +I say, go," was what she remarked. + +How the skies were brightening for him! + +And only a few days back he had faced such a gloomy prospect that it +appalled him! + +Now he whistled as he worked, rubbing up the various traps taken from +Joe's box, and preparing to sally out for his first experience in trying +to catch the muskrats that haunted the borders of the watercourses in +the marshes near by. + +Carrying that invaluable little notebook along for reference in case he +should become puzzled about anything, and with a few traps slung over +his shoulder Darry followed the paths along the edge of the marsh until +he reached one that seemed to enter the waste land. + +Joe had designated this as his favorite tramp, since it paralleled the +creek, and the burrows of the little fur-bearing animals could be easily +located. + +Presently Darry was busily engaged in examining the bank, and it was not +long before he had found what he sought. + +This was a hole just below the water line. + +There were also the tracks of the occupants close by, showing just how +they issued from their snug home to forage for food. + +He carefully set his trap under a few inches of water, so that the first +rat coming forth and starting to climb the bank would set his hind feet +in it. + +The chain he fastened to a stake out in the creek. + +This was done in order that the little rodent would be quickly drowned. + +Trappers invariably follow this rule when after water animals, and it is +not always through a spirit of mercy toward the victim that actuates +their motive, but the fact that they would otherwise lose many a catch, +since the captive in despair over its inability to escape would gnaw its +foot off. + +Having finished with the trap, Darry walked further into the marsh. It +was a lonely place, seldom visited save by a few hunters in the season, +who looked for mallard ducks there; or it might be some boy trapper, +endeavoring to make a few dollars by catching some of the shy denizens +wearing marketable fur coats. + +Here a brace of snipe went spinning away, and a little further a blue +crane got up and flapped off, his long legs sticking out like fishing +poles. + +In an hour or so the boy had placed all his traps. He had followed Joe's +directions to the letter, and the morning would show as to whether he +was to make a success of the venture. + +One thing was positive, and it was this, that even should he find +nothing in the traps he did not mean to give up; if he had made a +mistake, then it must be rectified, even if he had to secure some old +boat in order to carry out his operations without leaving a scent behind +to alarm the game. + +It was late in the afternoon when he reached home. + +The twins ran to meet him as though already they looked upon him in the +light of a member of the little family. + +Darry threw first one and then the other up into the air, while they +shrieked with laughter, and he could see that Mrs. Peake was looking on +approvingly, as if her desolated mother heart was warming toward this +lad who had never known what it was to have any one love him. + +He had been thinking much that afternoon of Paul Singleton, even +repeating the name of the young man over and over, as though striving to +remember whether he could have ever heard it before, which did not seem +likely. + +And it was not so much anticipation of the good times coming that +engaged his thought as that queer look on the face of Paul while they +had been talking. + +What could it mean? + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE STOLEN TRAPS + + +In the morning Darry occupied himself repairing the damage done by the +fire. + +After he had done all the chores, even to assisting Mrs. Peake wash the +breakfast dishes, and there seemed nothing else to be undertaken, he +took Joe's shotgun on his shoulder and walked toward the marsh. + +The woman, seeing how much he looked like her lost boy with the gun and +the clothes, had a good cry when left to herself; but Darry did not know +this. + +As he approached his first trap he found himself fairly tingling with +eagerness. + +This was not because of the value involved in the skin of a muskrat, +though it seemed as though each year the price was soaring as furs +became more scarce; but he wanted to feel that he had learned his lesson +well, and followed out the instructions given in Joe's little handbook. + +The trap was gone! + +He saw this with the first glance he cast over the low bank. + +Did it have a victim in its jaws or had some marauder stolen it? + +With a stick he groped in the deeper water, and catching something in +the crotch he presently drew ashore the trap. + +He had caught his first prize. + +Of course he understood that when compared with the mink and the fox, a +muskrat is an ignorant little beast at best, and easily captured; but +for a beginning it was worth feeling proud over. + +Setting the trap again in the hope that there might be others in the +burrow, one of which would set his foot in trouble on the succeeding +night, Darry went on. + +He found only one more victim to the half dozen traps. + +Perhaps he had been too careless with the others and left plain traces +of his presence that had warned the cunning rodents. + +Having placed all his traps in the water again, he started back home, +swinging the two "muskies" in one hand, while carrying his gun in the +other. + +After leaving the marsh he chanced to look back and was surprised to +see a boy come out and start on a run toward the village. + +Darry had very little acquaintance with the village lads, and could not +make up his mind whether he had ever seen this fellow before or not; but +once or twice he thought he detected evidence of a limp in his gait when +he fell into a walk, and this brought to mind Jim and his two cronies. + +It was not Jim, but at the same time there was no reason why it should +not be one of his bodyguard, "the fellows who sneezed when Jim took +snuff," as Mrs. Peake had said in speaking of the lot. + +Suppose this did happen to be Sim Clark or Bowser, what had he been +doing in the marsh? + +Could it be possible that the fellow had been spying on him, and was now +hastening to report to his chief? + +They might think to annoy him by stealing the traps he had placed, or at +least robbing them of any game. + +Darry shut his teeth hard at the idea. + +He made up his mind that he would go out earlier on the following day, +even if, in order to do so, he had to get up long before daylight to +accomplish his various chores. + +No doubt he made rather a sorry mess of the job when he came to removing +those first pelts--at least it took him half a dozen times as long as a +more experienced trapper would have needed in order to accomplish the +task. + +Still, when he finally had them fastened to a couple of boards left by +Joe, he felt that he had reason to be satisfied with his first attempt. + +Mrs. Peake declared they seemed to look all right, and as each +represented a cash money value of some forty or fifty cents, Darry +realized that there was a little gold mine awaiting him in that swamp, +providing those miserable followers of Jim allowed him to work it. + +Several times he awoke during the night and started up, thinking he +heard suspicious sounds again, but they proved false alarms. + +He was glad to see the first peep of day, and quickly tumbled out to set +about his various duties of starting the fire, bringing in water and +wood, and later on chopping a supply of fuel sufficient to last through +the day. + +When Mrs. Peake gave him permission to go Darry hurried off. + +Again he carried the gun, thinking he might find a chance to bag a fine +fat duck or two, which Mrs. Peake declared she would be glad to have for +dinner. + +Arriving at the scene of his first triumph of the previous day, he +discovered once more that the trap was gone from the bank. + +Again he fished for it with the crotched stick, but despite his efforts +there was no trap forthcoming. + +Finally, filled with a sudden suspicion, he crawled down to examine the +stake in the water to which the chain had been secured. + +The stake was there all right but no trap rewarded his search. + +With his heart beating doubly fast, Darry sped along the path to where +he had located his second trap, only to find it also missing. + +Now he knew that it could be no accident, but a base plot to upset all +his calculations and deprive him of the fruits of his industry. + +The thing that angered him most of all was the fact that he must face +Mrs. Peake and tell her he had lost the treasures she valued so highly. + +He shut his teeth together firmly. + +"They won't keep them, not if I know it," he muttered. "I'll find out +where they hide them. I'll get 'em again, sure as I live!" + +The thieves had apparently done their evil work well. Not a single trap +did he find in the various places where he had left them. + +But one thing he saw that gave him a savage satisfaction, and this was +the fact that there were footprints around the last one, in which the +muddy water had not yet had time to become clear. + +Darry believed from this that those who had rifled his belongings could +not have left the scene more than a few minutes. + +Perhaps if he were smart he could overtake them and demand restitution. + +It stood to reason that the rascals could not have returned along the +same path, for he would have met them. + +He bent down to examine the ground and could easily see where the marks +of several wet and heavy shoes continued along the trial that followed +the creek. + +Darry immediately started off on a run. + +Hardly five minutes later, as he turned a bend, he had a glimpse of a +figure just leaving the path and entering the woods bordering the swamp. + +So far as he knew he had not been noticed; but to make sure he crept +along under the shelter of neighboring bushes until he reached the place +where the moving figure had caught his eye. + +Voices now came to his ear, and it was easy enough to follow the three +slouching figures that kept pushing deeper into the swamp. + +He even saw his precious traps on their backs, together with several +muskrats which Jim himself carried. + +Perhaps their first idea was to throw the traps into the oozy water of +the swamp, so that they could never be found again; but then those steel +contraptions represented a cash value of a dollar or so, and money +appealed strongly to these fellows; so they hung on, with the idea of +placing them in a hollow tree, where, later, they could be found and +sold. + +Darry knew that he was going to recover his own, and he now watched the +movements of the three with more or less curiosity. + +All the while he kept drawing nearer, fearful lest they discover him +before he could get close enough to hold them up; for should they run in +different directions he could not expect to accomplish his end. + +Then he saw what brought them to this place. + +A rude shack made of stray boards, and branches from trees loomed up. + +It was evidently a secret hide-out of the gang, where they came when +matters got too warm either at home or among the neighbors whose hen +roosts they had been pillaging. + +When Darry saw Jim throw his bunch of game on the ground, he knew his +chase was at an end, and that presently, when he felt good and ready, he +could turn the tables on his enemies. + +Lying there watching them start a fire and prepare to cook something +they had brought along, he even chuckled to imagine how surprised the +trio of young rascals would be when he popped up like a +jack-in-the-box. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +JOE'S SHOTGUN SECURES A SUPPER + + +One of the fellows with Jim, and whom he addressed as Sim, gathered the +six stolen traps together and held them up laughingly. + +"A bully find, fellers; but if I had me way I'd let 'em lie and snooped +the musky out every day. Why it'd be like takin' candy from the baby, +that's what. But Jim there wanted to kerry off the hull bunch," he said, +swinging the traps idly to and fro. + +"I wanted ter let him know I allers kep' me word. When he finds 'em gone +I bet yer he knows who's had a hand in it; but he caint prove nothin'. I +kin snap me fingers in his face, an' tell him ter chase hisself. Here, +Bowser, git that fire goin' in a hurry. I'm pretty near starved. The ole +man chased me outen the house last night, an' ther ole woman won't give +me a bite. Reckon I'll hev ter hustle fur meself arter this. Dad's as +mad as hops 'cause he aint hed a chanct ter pick up any stuff on the +beach fur three moons. If it keeps on, him and his gang 'll hev ter do +sumpin different ter make biz good." + +Darry did not care to linger any longer. + +He wanted those traps and the animals that had been taken from them, and +he meant to have them. + +"Why, hello, boys!" + +The three young rascals sprang erect when they heard these words, and +their amazement can be imagined at discovering the object of their +recent raid standing there not twenty feet away, holding Joe Peake's old +shotgun carelessly in his hands. + +In that moment the real nature of each of them showed itself--Sim Clark +darted into cover and ran away at the top of his speed like the coward +he was, Bowser fell on his knees and wrung his hands, being weak when it +came to a showdown; but Jim Dilks, ruffian as he was, scorned to do +either, and stood his ground, like a wolf brought to bay and showing its +fangs. + +"I see you have been so kind as to gather a few traps of mine together. +And as I live if you haven't relieved me of the trouble of fishing for +several rats. Very kind of you, Jim. Now, don't say a word, and just +keep where you are, or by accident something might happen. Guess you +know what shot feels like when it hits. Once ought to be enough, and +this time you're so close it might be serious. Now, listen to me, once +and for all, Jim Dilks, and you Bowser, I'm going right back and set +these traps where I think I'll find more game. You touch a finger to +one of them at your peril. I'll let Hank Squires know all about this +shack here, and what you've been up to. The first trap that is missing +means the whole three of you behind the bars. That's all." + +Jim never opened his mouth. He was awed for the time being, and watched +Darry pick up the traps, together with the three muskrats, swing the lot +over his shoulder and walk away. + +The boy did not know but what they might attempt to jump upon him yet +and kept on the alert; but when he presently looked back upon hearing a +shout, he found that Jim was only relieving his wounded feelings by +kicking the kneeling Bowser vigorously. + +Darry did just as he had said he would. + +He went a little further into the marsh, thinking that since so many +feet had been trampling around the bank of the creek the game might have +become shy; but he set the six traps, and even marked the tree nearest +each, so that the location could be easily found by himself or others, +inclined that way. + +Such bold tactics would do more to keep Jim and his set from disturbing +the traps than the utmost secrecy. + +When Darry went back home, he thought it best not to say anything about +his adventure to Mrs. Peake; but having occasion to go to the village +later in the day he sought out the constable, whom he found cleaning up +his garden patch and burning the refuse. + +Old Hank amused him. The fellow was always indulging in mysterious hints +as to what he was going to do some day soon, and doubtless his +intentions were all right, but, as Miss Pepper had truly said, he lacked +the backbone to carry them out. + +Old Jim Dilks and his crew of trouble breeders had dominated the +vicinity so long now that it was hard to break away from their sway. + +The officer of the law was in his shirt sleeves, so that his fine nickel +badge could not shine upon his manly breast; but as he saw Darry +approach, and scented coming business, he drew his tall figure up as if +in that way he could at least represent the majesty of the law. + +Hank had an idea that he possessed an eye that was a terror to +evil-doers, when to tell the truth his gaze was as mild and peaceful as +that of a babe. + +"Glad to see you, Darry. Hope there ain't been any more doings up at +your place? I'm laying for the slippery rascals, and hope to have them +dead to rights soon; but you know men in my profession have to go slow. +A mistake is a serious thing in the eye of the law," he said, offering +his hand in a friendly fashion. + +"There's nothing wrong up at the house, sir; but I wanted to tell you +something I think you ought to know, in case the time comes when you +might want to find Jim Dilks and his gang and they were not at home," +began Darry. + +The constable quailed a trifle, then grew stern. + +"Big Jim or little Jim, which?" he said, anxiously. + +"The boy who has tried to make things so warm for me. He and his crowd +have a shack in the swamp, where they camp out from time to time. That's +where you'll find them when wanted." + +"Sure that's interesting news, lad. Can you tell me just where to look?" + +He heaved a sigh of relief--then there was not any need of immediate +haste, and Hank was a true Southern "cracker," always ready to postpone +action. + +"Leave the path along the creek just where it makes that sharp bend. A +fallen tree marks the spot. Head due south until you sight a big live +oak, the only one I noticed. The shack lies under its spreading +branches, Mr. Squires. I thought you ought to know. Besides, I told Jim +and his crowd I meant to inform you." + +"What! you saw Jim there, and his crowd with him? I wonder they let you +get out of the swamp without a beating," exclaimed the constable, +surprised, and looking at this newcomer as though he could hardly +believe his senses. + +"They knew better. The fact is, sir, I had a shotgun with me. Perhaps +they may have had a recent experience with such a little tool. But no +matter, they let me gather up my traps and the three muskrats taken from +them, and never offered to put out a hand to stop me." + +"Traps--muskrats--look here, now I begin to see light, and can give a +guess how it came you were there in that swamp. You followed the rascals +there." + +"To tell the truth, I did, for I was determined to get back what they +had taken." + +"Bully for you, lad. If you had dropped in on us some time back we might +have had a different class of boys around here by now. You're a +reformer, that's what you are. First you knocks that tyrant Jim down; +then you pepper him with shot after he has fired the pigpen of your new +home, and now you brave him in his own dooryard. That's reforming all +right, and I hope you keep at it until you've reformed the ugly beggar +into the penitentiary. I begin to pluck up hope that soon public spirit +will be so aroused that we can do something right. Would you mind +shaking hands with me again, Darry. It does me good, sure it does." + +Of course Darry complied, though he had his doubts as to whether Mr. +Squires would ever have the nerve to connect himself with any movement +looking to the purging of Ashley village of its rough element. + +In fact, if anything were ever done he believed such women as Miss +Pepper would be the ones to run the evil-doers out of town, and put up +the bars. + +Darry had taken the three animals home, pleased to know that after all +half his traps had found victims on this second day. + +He judged from this that he was doing very well, and with a little more +experience could consider himself a full-fledged trapper. + +Later in the afternoon he thought of the ducks, and passing out upon the +marsh walked until he discovered several feeding among the wild rice, +when he started to creep up on them with infinite cunning. + +Reaching at last a bunch of grass as near as he could hope to go he +waited until two were close together, when he fired his right barrel. + +As the remaining mallard started to rise in a clumsy fashion Darry gave +him the benefit of the other barrel. + +When Mrs. Peake saw what fine birds he had secured she was loud in her +praise, for their coming meant at least one good meal without cost, and +every cent counted in this little family. + +Again Darry busied himself with his pelts. + +He was pleased to find how much easier the job seemed after his +experience of the preceding day; and when the skins had been stretched +upon the boards they had a cleaner look that satisfied the eye. + +After that he plucked the three ducks for the good woman, saving her a +task she never fancied, and winning her thanks. + +Then he looked after the gun, believing that it is wise to always keep +such a weapon in the best of order, since it serves its owner faithfully +when called upon. + +"I had some visitors while you were away," announced Mrs. Peake, when +after supper they were seated by the table. + +Darry looked up from his work of whittling more stretching boards, +interested at once. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE LONELY VIGIL OF THE COAST PATROL + + +Mrs. Peake looked amused. + +"A young man called on me," she said. + +Dairy's face lighted up. + +"It must have been Mr. Singleton!" he exclaimed, eagerly. + +She nodded in the affirmative. + +"Did he come to see me?" he asked. + +"No, I rather think he wanted to have a little talk with me. You see he +guessed from what you told him that it all was because of me you +wouldn't go with him, and he just dropped in, he said, to have a +neighborly chat, and let me know how much he was interested in a boy by +the name of Darry." + +"That was fine of him. What did you think, wasn't he all I said?" + +"As nice a young gentleman as I ever met. He asked a lot of questions +about you." + +"Of course. He had a right to. When a gentleman asks a strange fellow to +go off with him on a cruise it's only business for him to learn all he +can about whether the other is honest and all that. You told him I +never touched liquor, I hope?" + +"He never asked about such things. In fact, it was all in connection +with your past he seemed interested." + +"My past--how could he be interested in that? He never saw me before." +Yet, strange to say, the fact seemed to thrill Darry through and +through; for he was still hugging that hope to his heart, and wondering +if some day he might not be lucky enough to learn who and what he was. + +"Well, all I can say is that he kept asking me all about you came here, +why you were Darry, and what your other name might be; when he learned +that you never knew who your parents were he seemed to be strangely +agitated. He didn't take me into his confidence; but I'm morally +convinced that Mr. Singleton believes he is on the track of some sort of +discovery. I heard him ask Miss Pepper, who was hurrying over, seeing I +had a visitor, if there was a telegraph office in Ashley; and when he +left he was saying to himself: 'I must let her know--this may be +important.' It would be a fine thing for you, my boy, if circumstances +brought you face to face with some rich relative so soon after you +landed on the soil of America." + +Darry drew a long breath, and shook his head. + +"It would be great, as you say, whether my father or mother were rich or +poor, it wouldn't matter a bit to me; but I'm afraid you're getting too +far along. Perhaps what you heard him say may refer to another affair +entirely. No matter, I like Mr. Singleton, and have from the start. If +we go off together I know I'd enjoy it first-rate in that dandy little +motor-boat of his. I haven't said I would for sure. I mean to wait a +while and see how things come out here ashore." + +She knew he was thinking of Jim Dilks and his scheming for +mischief--that he believed the fact of her giving him shelter and a home +had drawn upon her head the vindictive fury of the lawless rascal, who, +finding the little home undefended if Darry went away, might think it +safe to continue his persecution. + +When Darry strode forth into the marsh the next day he again carried the +gun. + +He found his traps all safe. Undoubtedly his defiance had had its effect +upon the mind of Jim; and however much he may have felt like repeating +the thievish act which Darry's prompt arrival on the scene had nipped in +the bud, he dared not attempt it. + +He was beginning to be afraid of this young chap who kept a chip on his +shoulder, and dared him to knock it off. + +This time four victims attested to the skill with which the new trapper +attended to his business. + +Already was the list reaching respectable proportions. + +He expected to cross over that afternoon to see Abner, and carry the +mail again; and it would be with satisfaction that he could inform his +good friend how the traps Joe had left behind were still fulfilling +their destiny at the same old stand. + +The sky was clouded over when he started out on his long trip. + +He had during his leisure minutes fashioned a sort of sail that could be +used with the wind astern; and as this happened to be the case now Darry +got it in position for service. + +With the sail, he just rushed along over the bay; and all the while sat +there taking his ease instead of dragging at the oars. + +Having spent some years on the waters there was little in connection +with boats, big or little, that the lad did not know. + +He had found some good wood which Abner had expected to use for the +purpose at some future date, and one oar was already pretty well +advanced. + +By the time he crossed again he believed he would have them both +completed; and at that they would be nothing of which anyone need feel +ashamed. + +The favoring wind kept up until he drew in to the little landing where, +as before, Abner stood waiting for him. + +That was a great night for Darry. First there came the supper with those +jolly fellows, whose laughter and jokes he enjoyed so much; after that a +nice quiet chat with Abner, who asked for all the news, and was deeply +interested in his success in catching the sly denizens of the marsh; +although he frequently sighed while Darry was speaking, and the boy +could easily comprehend that at such times the poor man was picturing in +his mind how Joe used to go through with the same experiences. + +When Darry thought it only right to tell how the three cronies had +stolen his possessions, and how he had recovered them, Abner slapped his +hand down on his knee, and exclaimed: + +"I reckon Mr. Fraser was right t'other day when he sez as how the sun o' +the Dilks tribe began to set when yuh kim ashore from that wreck. +Somehow yuh seem to be hittin' 'em hard, son. I aint much o' a prophet, +sence I caint even tell wot the weather's gwine to be tomorry; but I +seem to just know from the way things is a heapin' up that they's gwine +to be a big heave soon, an' that means the Dilks has got to move +on--Ashley don't want ther kind no more." + +Darry insisted on accompanying Abner when it came his turn to go out on +his long patrol; this time it was in the earlier part of the night, so +neither man nor boy thought of going to bed. + +The night was not wholly dark, for there was a moon behind the clouds; +but beyond a certain limited distance of the sea lay in gloom, only the +steady wash of the incoming waves telling of the vast reach of water +lying along toward the east. + +They talked of many things as they plodded along the sandy beach. + +Darry spoke for the first time of Paul Singleton, and his desire that he +accompany him later on in his cruising up and down the series of +connected bays that stretched for some hundreds of miles back of the +sandbars. + +Abner was silent at first, and the boy realized that he felt grieved to +know there might come a break in the pleasant relations that had been +established at home. + +"Course it's only right yuh should accept, lad," he said presently, +"It's give me much comfort to know yuh was gittin' on so well with the +ole woman, for I've felt bad on 'count o' her many times sense _he_ war +taken. But it's a chance thet may never kim again, an' we cudn't 'spect +to tie yuh down. Anyhow, your comin' hez been a good thing fur Nancy, +an' I reckons she'll begin to perk up from now on. 'Sides, who knows wot +may kim outen this? Jest as she sez thet younker aint interested in yuh +jest acause he wants a feller in the boat along with him--I tell yuh he +thinks he knows who yuh belong to, and that's a fack, son." + +"Oh! I hope so; but I don't dare dream of it. But I'm glad you think +well of his offer. I can earn some money that will help out at home, +besides having a good time," said Darry, eagerly; though truth to tell, +it was the faint hope lodged in his heart that he might learn something +concerning his past that chief of all influenced him in his desire to go +with the owner of the motor-boat. + +"Glad to hear yuh say that word '_home_,' boy. I hopes it is a home to +yuh, an' allers will be. I've ben thinkin' that your comin' war the +greatest favor Heaven ever sent to me an' mine. If it gives Nancy new +life that means a lot to me." + +Darry knew not what to say to this, but he found the rough hand of +Abner, and with a hearty squeeze expressed his feelings far better than +any words could ever have done. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE POWER OF MUSIC + + +It seemed as though luck favored Darry on this trip, for the wind veered +around during the night, and blew out of the southeast when he was ready +to start on his return voyage to the mainland. + +Thus he was able to use his little sail to advantage both ways. + +It was coming so hard off the ocean, however, that at the advice of +Abner he took a reef in the canvas before leaving--the life saver had +become so attached to his new boy by this time that he could not bear to +see him taking any unnecessary chances on that sheet of treacherous +water that had already deprived him of one son. + +Darry was glad he had taken his friend's advice before half way across. +Where the wind had a full sweep of the bay the waves were quite heavy, +and it required all his skill as a sailor to keep his cranky little +craft head on. + +As it was, he reached his haven with a rush, and his tactics in making a +landing aroused the admiration of several old fisherman who were +lounging at the dock. + +He had only time to accomplish several little messages at the store and +get on the road for home when it began to drizzle. + +Darry was sorry for this, for he had laid out to visit his traps again +during the afternoon, not wishing to leave any game that may have been +taken, too long in the water. + +When later on at lunch he mentioned this to Mrs. Peake she said he would +find an old oilskin jacket of Abner's behind the closet door in the +hall, which Joe had been wont to don under similar circumstances. + +So after all, he went forth, defying the elements, as a true sailor lad +always does; and was rewarded for his labor by taking three more +trophies from the firm-jawed traps. + +Really it was beginning to look like business, with so many on the +stretching boards; and Mrs. Peake smiled to see how careful the boy was +in everything he undertook. + +It spoke well for his future, if he carried the same principle into his +whole life. + +Of course Darry knew full well that the skins he was taking thus early +in the fall were not as good in quality, and would not be apt to bring +as high prices in the fur marts as those to be captured when real cold +weather had set in; but there are times when one has to make hay while +the sun shines; and he could not be sure that he would have the +opportunity to do these things later. + +Besides, the supply of rats seemed unlimited, so rapidly do they breed +all over the Eastern coast, from Maine to the Florida line. + +The rain continued all that night and the better part of the following +day. + +It was one of those easterly storms that generally last out portions of +three days, and are followed by a lengthy spell of good weather, with +touches of frost in the early mornings. + +Darry made his regular pilgrimage to the marsh in spite of the rain, and +this time found only two prizes to reward his diligence. + +From this he determined that it was time to make a change of base, and +set his traps in other places where the game might not be so wary. + +At any rate he was having no further trouble with the Dilks crowd, and +in that he found more or less satisfaction. + +Unconscious of the fact that he was being watched from time to time by +one of the cronies of which Jim boasted, Darry went about his business, +satisfied to do his daily duties, and each night count some progress +made. + +Twice had he crossed the bay to the strip of sandy beach where the tides +of the mighty Atlantic pounded unceasingly, day and night. + +His coming was always eagerly anticipated by the whole crew of the +life-saving station, and for a good reason. + +It happened that on his visit just after the easterly storm had blown +out, while they were all gathered around just before dark, chatting and +joking, Darry cocked up his ear at the tweeking sound of a fiddle, which +one of the men had drawn out of its case, and was endeavoring to play. + +Altogether he made a most doleful series of sounds, which upon analysis +might prove to be an attempt to play "Annie Laurie," though one would +need all his wits about him to settle whether this were the tune, or +"Home, Sweet Home." + +The men looked daggers at the player, for the screeching sounds were +certainly anything but pleasant. + +Darry sauntered over. He had played since a little lad, some Italian +having first taught him; and on the brigantine Captain Harley had a +violin of more than ordinary make, with which he had coaxed the cabin +boy to make melody by the hour. + +"Sounds like a pretty good instrument?" suggested Darry to the would-be +performer. + +"They tell me that, boy; but you see I ain't much of a judge. P'raps in +time I may get on to the racket, that is if the boys don't fire me and +the fiddle out before-hand," replied the surfman, grinning, for his +clumsy hands were really never intended by Nature to handle a violin +bow. + +"Would you mind letting me try it? I used to play a little." + +At the first sound of that bow crossing the strings, after Darry had +properly tuned the instrument every man sat up and took notice; and as +the boy bent down and lovingly drew the sweetest chords from the violin +that they had ever heard, they actually held their breath. + +After that he was kept busy; indeed they would hardly let him have any +rest, and that was why those rough men looked forward eagerly to the +expected coming of Abner Peake's new boy. + +It seemed as though he must know everything there was, and the music +would turn from riotous ragtime to the most tender chords, capable of +drawing tears from those eyes so unused to weeping. + +It was a rare treat to Darry, too, for he dearly loved music, and the +absence of his fiddle had made a gap in his life. + +The month was now passing, and closer drew the stormy period when, with +the advent of grim November, the duties of the beach patrol naturally +grow more and more laborious, since there are greater possibilities of +wrecks, with the strong winds and the fogs that bewilder mariners, and +allow them to run upon the reefs when they believe they are scores of +miles away from the danger zone. + +The boom of guns could now be heard all day, and frequently Darry saw +Northern sportsmen in the village; though as a rule they kept on board +their yachts or else stayed at the various private clubs up or down the +sound. + +Jim Dilks and his gang still lay low. They awaited a favorable +opportunity to carry out some evil scheme, whereby the boy they had come +to fear, as well as hate, might be injured. + +Well, they knew that he made daily trips into the marsh, and it would +seem that they might find the chance they craved at such times; but +there was one thing to deter them, and this was the fact that Darry +never went to examine his traps without carrying that steady-shooting +old shotgun. + +The burnt child dreads the fire, and Jim had hardly ceased to rub his +injured parts, so that the possibility of getting a second dose was not +at all alluring in his eyes. + +He was a good waiter, and he felt that sooner or later fortune would +turn the trick for him, and the chance arise whereby he might pay back +the debt he owed the "interloper," as he chose to deem Darry. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +DARRY MEETS WITH A REBUFF + + +During these weeks Darry had accomplished many little jobs around his +new home, things that had been wanting looking after for a long time; +for Abner's visits were so few and far between that he had little time +to mend broken doors, or put up shelves where they would save the +"missus" steps. + +If he went off with Paul Singleton later he would have no chance to look +after these things, and so he made good use of his opportunities. + +He had not seen the young gentleman once since, and upon making +inquiries of the storekeeper, learned that he had gone to a very +exclusive club to spend some little time. + +Darry wondered whether he had been utterly forgotten. + +Perhaps the youth had regretted asking him to keep him company; it may +have been done on the spur of the moment, simply because he chanced to +resemble someone he knew. + +Once in the comfortable club, with experienced guides to attend him, and +the very best points for shooting reserved, doubtless Paul Singleton had +forgotten that there was such a boy as Darry in existence. + +So he tried to forget about it, and make up his mind that he could find +plenty of congenial work looking after his traps and assisting Abner's +wife during the winter, with occasional trips across the sound, and +possibly a chance to pull an oar in the surfboat, should luck favor him. + +All this while he had taken toll of the feathered frequenters of the +marsh, and many a plump fowl graced the table of the Peake family, +thanks to the faithful old gun, and the steady nerves back of it. + +Darry soon learned where there were squirrels to be found, and twice he +had brought in a mess of the gray nutcrackers, though not so fond of +hunting them as other game. + +And one day he had delighted the good housewife with four nice quail, or +as they were known in this section, "pa'tridge," which he had dropped +out of a bevy that got up before him in the brush close to the woods +where he looked for squirrel. + +He knew that something had been troubling Mrs. Peake, but it was a long +time before he could tempt her to speak of it. + +It concerned money matters, of course, as is nearly always the case when +trouble visits the poor. + +Abner had been incautious enough to put a little mortgage upon his +humble home in order to help a relative who was in deep distress because +of several sudden deaths in her family. + +He should not have done it, to be sure, but Abner had a big heart, as +Darry well knew, and simply could not resist the pleading of his cousin. + +No doubt she meant well, but circumstances had arisen that prevented her +from repaying the debt, and for the want of just one hundred dollars the +Peakes were in danger of being dispossessed. + +Of course the mortgage was in the hands of a money shark, for even +little villages boast their loan offices, where some usurer expects to +get ten per cent. on his money, and will not hesitate to foreclose if it +is not forthcoming. + +Abner's friends were all as poor as he was, and besides, he was so +bashful about such things that he could never muster enough courage to +mention his financial troubles to anybody. + +When by degrees Darry managed to draw this story from Mrs. Peake he +thought it all over while off on one of his swamp trips, and reached a +conclusion. + +That very day he stepped into the store of a man who as he chanced to +know purchased the few furs that were taken in a season around that +section. + +He learned that pelts were bringing unusually good prices, and the party +quoted as high as eighty cents for fall muskrat skins, properly treated. + +When he got home, Darry counted his catch and found that he had some +twenty-six in stock; with these he went back to the dealer, and struck a +bargain whereby he came away with fourteen dollars in his pocket. + +Then he made for the office of the lawyer who held the mortgage, +thinking he could pay up the arrears of interest, and bring happiness to +the face of his kind benefactress. + +Just there he struck a snag. + +The loan shark refused to accept the money. + +He claimed that since they had defaulted on the interest the entire +amount was due, and that he meant to have it, or foreclose. + +Darry knew little of law, but he saw that Darius Quarles meant business, +and suspected that for some reason he meant to hold to his advantage and +give Abner Peake more or less trouble. + +"Mr. Quarles, if you would only accept this interest now, I think I can +promise that the whole sum will be paid by spring," Darry said, eagerly. + +This was, of course, just what the lawyer did not want. He pretended to +look skeptical, and shook his head. + +"I suppose you are the boy Peake has adopted. Where did you get this +money, may I ask? Did Nancy send you here with it?" he went on; and from +the look in his cold, blue eyes, it was apparent that he would have +enjoyed having the woman on her knees before him. + +Darius Quarles was a very small-minded man evidently; even a boy like +Darry could understand that. + +"No, she does not know I have come here," replied our hero. + +"Then where did you get the money? Boys as a rule don't sport such sums +as fourteen dollars in a bunch. I haven't heard of any bank being +robbed, or a sportsman being held up; but you understand, it looks +suspicious, boy." + +Darry flushed with mortification at the insult; but because of Mrs. +Peake he managed to bite his lips and refrain from telling the +curmudgeon just what he thought of him. + +"I received that fourteen dollars not ten minutes ago from a merchant in +this village. He will vouch for it if you ask him," he said, quietly, +though his eyes flashed fire. + +"Just mention his name, if you please. I might take a notion to drop in +and see if he corroborates your assertion. As I am a magistrate as well +as a lawyer, it is my bounden duty to make sure there is nothing crooked +in such transactions as come under my observation. Who is the man?" + +He tried to look stern, but the attempt was a failure. Nature had made +Mr. Quarles only to appear small and mean. + +"It was Mr. Ketcham, the hardware man," the boy answered. + +"And what would he be paying you this munificent sum for? So far as I +know you have never worked for Ketcham, boy. Now, be careful not to +commit yourself. What was this money given to you for doing?" + +Darry smiled as he drew out a paper. + +How fortunate that the hardware merchant who sold traps and purchased +such furs as were taken in that region had insisted upon giving him a +little bill of sale, in order to bind the transaction, and prove +conclusively what the reigning price happened to be at the time. + +"Please glance at that, sir." + +Darius Quarles did so, and a shade of disappointment crossed his face. + +"I see you have taken up the same foolish pursuit that young Joe Peake +followed--wasting your time loafing in the marsh when you had better be +going to school and perhaps learning to become a useful man, a lawyer +like myself for instance." + +Darry shrugged his shoulders, and his action brought a frown to the face +of the narrow-minded man who sat there before him; perhaps he jumped to +the conclusion that this frank-faced lad did not entertain such an +exalted notion of his greatness as he would have liked to impress upon +him. + +"At least that proves I did not steal the money, Mr. Quarles?" asked +Darry. + +"I suppose so, though it is an open question as to whether you have any +right to take these little inoffensive animals, and sell their coats to +Ketcham. I think he might be in a better business; but then he always +was a cruel boy." + +As Darry remembered the hardware man he believed him to be a jolly, +red-faced man, and with a kindly eye, quite the opposite from the fishy +orb of Mr. Quarles; but then there are some things that had better +remain unsaid, and he did not try to voice his opinion. + +"Then you will not do Mrs. Peake this little favor, sir?" he asked. + +"Business is business with me, young man. Sometimes it is one person's +day, and then the tables turn, and it is another's. This happens to be +my time. According to the strict construction of the law, and the +wording of the mortgage, the failure to pay the interest on time, with +three days' grace, constitutes a lien on the property. I have a use for +that cottage--in fact, a relative of mine fancies it. Here, I will give +Nancy a chance to redeem her home. Wait a minute or two." + +He wrote rapidly on a sheet of paper, signed the same, and held it out. + +"Seven days I agree to wait, and if the principal and delayed interest +are not handed over to me by next Tuesday, just one week from to-day, on +Wednesday they will have to vacate. That will do, boy. Tell Nancy I only +do that because of our old friendship. Had it been anyone else they +would have cleared out before this. You can go now." + +Darry had to bite his lips harder than ever to keep from telling the +skinflint just what he thought of him. + +Thrusting the paper in his pocket he stalked from the den of the human +spider, his mind in a whirl; but grimly determined to try and find some +means for saving the humble home of Abner Peake from the hand of the +spoiler. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +ABNER TELLS A LITTLE HISTORY + + +As he walked home that evening Darry was figuring. Fourteen dollars was +not going far when the sum required, according to the figures Mr. +Quarles had written out, reached the grand total of a hundred and eleven +dollars and thirty-seven cents. + +He had had much more than that on board the poor old _Falcon_ when she +went to pieces, the amount of his savings for several years; but there +was no use of his thinking about that. + +To whom could he look for assistance? + +He had not a friend, save new ones in the village; and even Mr. Keeler +would be apt to decline to lend him money. Times were hard, collections +very slow--he had heard this said many times of late--and to small +merchants the sum of a hundred dollars means much. + +Darry thought it best not to say anything just then to Mrs. Peake, +though a little later he must tell her about his visit to the money +lender, and deliver the message Mr. Quarles had sent to her. + +He was due to cross the sound on the morrow, and perhaps it would be +best to tell Abner first; he might have been making some arrangement to +get someone else to assume the mortgage, and pay the lawyer off. + +So Darry tried to assume a cheerfulness he was far from feeling. + +Long he lay awake that night, thinking and trying to lay out some plan +of action that might promise results. + +In the morning Darry visited his traps. + +Only one victim rewarded his labor, and this added to his gloom. + +He finished all his various chores, and they were many, for he had taken +numerous duties upon his shoulders in order to spare Abner's wife. + +As before, it was nearly the middle of the afternoon before he could get +away. + +Mr. Keeler loaded him down with packages intended for the +station-keeper; indeed Darry had to make two trips between the store and +his boat before he had all his cargo aboard. + +The weather was what a sailor would call "dirty"; that is, it gave +promise of turning into more or less of a storm, and wise mariners would +be keeping a weather eye out for a safe and snug harbor. + +Darry had no fear. He believed he knew that bay like a book now, and +since he had tinkered with the boat and placed it in fair condition he +thought it could stand any sea that might meet him in his passage to and +fro between the mainland and the stretch of sand acting as a buffer to +the ocean tides. + +It was a dead calm when he started, and he was compelled to use the +oars; but by the time he reached the middle a breeze sprang up, and +quick to take advantage of his opportunity he spread his bit of a sail, +and went flying along like a frightened gull. + +Abner was always glad to see him, and taking advantage of the first +chance to get the life saver alone, Darry told of his recent experience +with the loan shark. + +The other looked very downcast; indeed, Darry could not remember having +ever seen him appear so disheartened. + +"It means trouble for the poor ole woman, Darry. If I kin only muster up +enough courage to ask some o' the folks to help me out p'raps we kin +pull through; but the best o' friends pull back wen money is spoken of. +They all got ther own burdens to kerry. I know I war a fool to ever do +it; but Jenny got on my nerves yuh see, an' promised to give it back. +An' thet shark, Quarles, it does him a lot o' good to know he kin push +me down a peg," he said, with a heavy sigh. + +"I seemed to get the notion that he didn't love you very much, Mr. +Peake," remarked Darry. + +"I thort he'd forgot all about it, but now I know he ain't, the skunk! +He holds it agin me, and hes all these years. I reckon he jest hugged +hisself wen I kim to him an' asked that loan. It war jest like playin' +into his hands. Yuh see, lad, him an' me was rivals onct on a time." + +Darry pricked up his ears. + +Here was a touch of romance, something one would hardly expect to find +in connection with so ordinary looking a man as Abner Peake. + +"You mean that he wanted Nancy--that is Mrs. Peake, to marry him?" he +asked. + +"Thet's jest it, son. I reckon he'd a got her, too, fur I didn't hold a +candle to Darius wen it kim to looks or larnin', but yuh see thet's whar +chanct stepped in an' guv me a shove." + +"Something happened then?" + +"Nancy fell overboard off a boat we was all on. Darius, he didn't know +how to swim and all he could do was to yell and wave his arms." + +"And you went overboard after her?" + +"I reckon I did. They sed as how I was in the water nigh about as quick +as Nancy herself. She was a carryin' on high, like she was chokin', when +I got to her, but I had her out in a jiffy. Arter thet she kinder took +to me, an' Darius he got the mitten." + +"Now I understand why he feels that way toward you," said Darry, wisely. + +"They was some things I never did understand 'bout that thing. Nancy, +she was allers the best gal swimmer in the village, but she did act like +she was drownin' that day. Some sed as how they thort she tumbled over +apurpose jest to hev some fun, an' see which o' her beaux'd drap in +arter her the quickest," and the surfman smiled at the thought. + +"And you won out. I guess Mr. Quarles has never forgiven you for that. +But what can be done to beat him at his game now? Isn't there any way?" + +"We got a week to try, an' as I git off before the end o' the time I'll +see if anything kin be did. P'rhaps Keeler might help me out, though I +did hear him say he was mighty hard up jest now. It was nice in yuh +tryin' to do wot yuh did, boy. I knowed I wasn't makin' no mistake when +I sized yuh up as the right sorter lad to take leetle Joey's place." + +The life saver put an arm affectionately across the shoulders of his +companion, and Darry never felt prouder in his life than when he +realized that he had "made good" with this simple surfman who had been +so kind to him at their first meeting. + +"I only wish I had been able to do what I wanted to. It it had been any +other man but Mr. Quarles I think he would have fixed it up, and I +meant to put aside what I earned this winter, either from trapping or +working for Mr. Singleton, to wipe out all that debt. I will yet, if I +have the chance, and you can get somebody to take over the mortgage," he +said, stoutly. + +"Give me time to think, lad. Wen yuh kim acrost another time p'raps I'll +have some plan made up. I'd do nigh anything to save pore Nancy bein' +put outen our leetle home. 'Taint much to look at, but she sets a heap +by it, I reckon. And as soon as I git a chanct I mean to drop outen this +business an' try to make a livin' another way, so I kin be home more. +Fishin' it might be, er somethin' thet way." + +That night Darry played for the men, but they could not help noticing +that much of his music was along the sad order. + +In the morning the sky was still overcast, and the sound lay in a bank +of half darkness that looked like fog, though the whistling wind seemed +to forbid such a thing. + +Abner was a little dubious about letting the boy depart, but Darry +laughed at the idea of any harm befalling him. + +He had several things he wished to attend to, and besides, Mrs. Peake +would need him through the day in many ways. + +He entered his boat and took up the oars for a hard row, for the wind +was of too deceptive a character to allow him to make use of his sail. + +The men of the station had come down to see him off, for by this time +Darry had won his way into the hearts of every rough fellow, and they +looked upon him as a sort of general ward of the crew, pulled out of the +sea at their door and destined for great things. + +Not one of them but who believed a bright future awaited Peake's new +boy, and many were the predictions made among them, some even venturing +the assertion that he would be president yet. + +So they waved their sou'westers and shouted a merry good-bye to him as +he rowed into the gray blanket of mist that shrouded the sound. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE IMPRISONED LAUNCH + + +The prospect ahead did not dismay Darry at all. + +He had been a sailor for some years and was accustomed to meeting all +kinds of bad weather. + +Besides, his boat though old, was staunch, and could hold its own +against waves that would upset another craft less steady; and then again +he knew how to handle his oars with the skill that only long practice +can bring. + +By degrees he lost sight of the sandy shore. + +He was now surrounded by a heaving sheet of water, and it required all +his knowledge of things nautical to keep his bearings, for it was +impossible to see even the slightest object on any side. + +The situation would have alarmed many a lad less accustomed to depending +on himself in emergencies. + +Darry felt no fear. + +He noted the direction of the waves, and unless the wind shifted +suddenly, which it was not apt to do, he felt positive he could bring up +somewhere along the shore near the village. + +To his surprise he heard the sullen boom of a gun close by and wondered +what any sportsman could be doing out there in that dense atmosphere, +where it was impossible to see more than fifty feet away. + +Certainly ducks could not be coming to stool under such conditions. + +What could he be firing at then? + +There it was again, one shot following another in rapid order, until he +had counted six. + +That would indicate the possession of one of those new style repeating +shotguns, capable of holding half a dozen shells, and worked with a pump +action. + +All of a sudden it struck Darry that possibly someone was in trouble and +was taking this means of summoning assistance; though the chances were +very slight that any bayman would be anywhere near with that gray +blanket covering things--they knew enough to stick to the shore at such +a time. + +Our hero changed his course a little thinking it could do no harm to +look into matters and see what the bombarding meant. + +Should it prove that some green sportsman from one of the clubs was lost +in the mist perhaps he would be glad of help, and might even promise to +pay liberally to be taken ashore in tow. + +Just then Darry's mind was filled with an eager desire to make money, +for he knew of a good use to which he could put it. + +Again as he approached, the rattle of a fusilade came to his ears, +followed by a series of shouts in a strained voice. + +He was close on the spot apparently. + +"Hello!" he shouted in return. + +An answering whoop came back. + +"This way, please! I'm in a peck of trouble here!" he heard someone say. + +Twisting his head around as he bobbed up and down on the rollers, our +hero caught just a glimpse of some object that seemed stationary, with +the waves breaking over it. + +It was even worse than being lost upon the sound then--the unknown had +driven his boat upon some half hidden rocks, and caught as in a vise she +was in danger of being wrecked unless some other craft came upon the +spot and pulled her off. + +That accounted for the shots and shouts, her owner realizing his extreme +peril, for he was two miles from land and the storm increasing +constantly. + +Darry pushed on and soon another surprise awaited him. + +"Hello! is that you, Darry?" asked a voice, and now he recognized it, so +that even before he turned around again he knew he was once more in the +company of Paul Singleton. + +"How are you, sir?" he cried. "Looks like you had run aground in the +middle of the bay. If you will give me a rope I'll try and drag you off +the way you went on. That is the only thing to be done." + +"I like the way you go about business," answered the young man. "I begin +to have hopes that my poor little _Griffin_ may come out of this +adventure with a whole skin. It began to look as though I might have to +swim for it. Here you are with the painter, which I have fastened to the +stern. All depends on how good a haul you can give, Darry." + +"What happened to your engine, sir?" asked the boy, surprised that it +was not working in the effort to help the boat off. + +"I'll start it up again, but it did no good before, only churned the +water. It seems I am wedged between two rocks so fast that even the lift +of the waves has no effect upon the boat. They break all over us, and +I'm wet to the skin and shivering in the bargain. You're as welcome as +the flowers in May, Darry." + +The engine was speedily started up and the little propeller thrashed the +water at a great rate, but though the cedar craft trembled violently +there was no change in her position. + +"Keep that up and stay in the stern, so as to lighten the bow all you +can. I think that is where she is caught fast. If you have anything +heavy up forward and can manage to shift it aft so much the better," +called Darry, as he kept off by an expert use of the oars; indeed, Paul +never could understand how he managed to do this and secure the rope to +a thwart at the same time. + +"There are a few things up there I can move--the water can and a lot of +stuff in tins. Will you be able to hold out a few minutes longer?" asked +Paul. + +"Easy enough. Take your own time, sir. When you're ready tell me, and +I'll give a series of sharp jerks. I hope we can make her move some." + +Presently the owner of the motor-boat declared he had moved everything +possible, and that the bow seemed to be a little more free than before, +as though almost ready to rise with each flowing wave that swept past +with a rush. + +Darry set to work and began to use every atom of strength in his sturdy +muscles; at the same time he engineered matters in such a clever fashion +that every time he pulled his oars through the water it was with a rapid +movement in the nature of a shock, so that the little hawser tightening, +gave a drag at the imprisoned craft. + +"She's moving!" yelled Paul Singleton, excitedly. + +Darry kept right along, pulling with even more vim than before. + +"Bully boy! she's coming! I can feel her move each time. If only an +inch, it is something. We're going to get her off! It's a cinch, I tell +you!" + +Plainly Paul Singleton was considerably excited over the changed +prospect that confronted him, and his cries gave the lad heart to exert +himself to the utmost. + +Suddenly he found that he was towing the launch behind him. + +She had left her berth in between the two rocks and floated on the +waves. + +The owner gave a last whoop of delight. + +"I knew if anyone could accomplish it, you would. I think you must be my +good genius, Darry. To think of our meeting again here in the middle of +the bay and just when I was on my way to your home to see if I could +induce you to keep your half-given promise. It's great! Tell me about +destiny after this." + +That was the way Paul was calling out, as he busied himself in righting +things aboard the jaunty little cedar craft. + +[Illustration: SHE HAD LEFT HER BERTH IN BETWEEN THE TWO ROCKS AND +FLOATED ON THE WAVES.] + +"Now, what's to hinder you coming aboard and towing the rowboat astern? +The engine is all right and capable of twelve miles an hour, so we can +go with this blow easily enough," he suggested. + +Darry was quite willing, for his arms felt a bit weary after his +exerions, and the launch did look comfortable, even though fairly +drenched just then, as a result of the waves breaking over the stern +while she was held a prisoner in the jaws of rock. + +The transfer was made without any particular trouble, and once Darry had +secured his boat to the brass cleat in the stern of the launch he set to +work throwing some of the surplus water overboard. + +"Working your passage, eh?" laughed Paul, who seemed to be in unusually +high spirits, such was the re-action that had come over him. + +Meanwhile they drew in toward the land. + +What with the rain that was falling both of them were wet through; but +this was such a chronic condition for a sailor lad to be in that Darry, +for one, paid little attention to it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE PART OF AN ELDER BROTHER + + +"Come," said Paul, after the boat had been tied up where the waves could +not reach them and things had begun to assume a more comfortable aspect; +"Here's a fine little cabin and an oil stove on which to make a hot pot +of coffee, besides assisting to dry us out. I insist on you staying to +keep me company for a while. We are both cold and wet. Say you will, +Darry!" + +Darry did not need much urging. He was wet and chilled, and it did look +cozy after Paul had started the stove going. + +"Besides," continued Paul, misconstruing his silence; "I am under heavy +obligations to you for coming to my assistance when you did. You saved +my life and you are a regular life saver like Mr. Peake. There must be +some way in which I can partly cancel that debt. You are allowed salvage +by law when you save a vessel, Darry, did you know it? But for your +coming my poor little _Griffin_ must have gone to pieces, not to mention +what would have become of her owner. Now, how can I settle for this +indebtedness." + +He was laughing as he spoke, but Darry considered the moment had come +for him to put in a plea for his friends. + +So he swallowed what seemed to be a lump in his throat, for after all it +was no easy thing to ask such a favor from one who was hardly more than +a stranger. + +"Mr. Singleton, I was just wishing I could meet you somewhere soon," he +began. + +"Well, that is queer, since I was thinking about you too, and hoping you +would not go back on me, for somehow, I seem to have set my mind on +having you with me. And besides, there was another reason why I wanted +to keep track of you, which I may tell you some day soon, Darry. But why +were you wanting to see me?" + +"To ask a great favor?" + +"Not to let you off from your promise?" + +"Oh, no, I'll be only too glad of a chance to be with you. It would be +glorious to spend some time aboard this fine little boat. What I wanted +to say--that is, the favor I wanted to ask was not for myself." + +"Come, that's rather strange, Darry. Not for yourself--a favor for +another? Let's hear what it's about. You've certainly excited my +curiosity, and don't hesitate a bit about it. I shall be only too +willing to do anything that lies in my power, if it pleases you." + +The words were most kind, and the smile that accompanied them even more +so. + +Darry flushed with a sense of coming victory, for something told him he +was in line to win out, and that the money-shark would be cheated of his +prey. + +"I want to borrow a hundred dollars, sir," he said, slowly. + +Paul laughed as if amused. + +Immediately taking out his pocket-book he withdrew from it a bank bill of +a large denomination and handed it to his companion, who received it in +an embarrassed way. + +"There you are, Darry, and there is no loan about it. I owe you many +times that much for your assistance. Now, don't say anything about it, +for I am not used to being crossed. It's a mere bagatelle to me, as you +must know. Some time if you feel like it you may tell me the +circumstances that have arisen; but not until you're good and ready. I'm +only too delighted to be of a little help." + +"I'm going to tell you all about it right here. It's only fair you +should know where your money is going, sir. As soon as I get my breath +you shall hear," went on Darry, fingering the hundred dollar bill as +though he could hardly believe his senses. + +Never did a bill of like denomination seem to carry more happiness in +its touch; he could easily picture the light that would dawn upon the +worried features of Mrs. Peake when he handed her that mortgage, +canceled, and Abner, too, how he would be likely to throw up his hat in +the air and shout like a boy. + +Paul Singleton had been observing him curiously, but with kindling eyes, +as if he saw more and more in this boy to admire; he could give +something of a guess as to what was coming, and hence was not much +surprised a little later when he heard the story of Darius Quarles and +his long-slumbering revenge. + +He laughed heartily at the quaint way in which Abner had hinted about +Nancy tumbling overboard on purpose, in order to discover which of her +lovers was the better man. + +"I've met the lady, and to tell the truth I really believe she would +have been equal to such a prank some years back. There's a lurking +spirit of mischief in her eyes to this day, though I know she has met +with a great grief lately, for I heard all about poor little Joe," Paul +said, after Darry had finished. + +"You can never understand how glad I am to be able to bring a little joy +to this poor couple. They have not known much happiness, sir. Even now, +Abner is compelled to be away from home all the time in order to earn +bread for his family." + +Paul Singleton seemed to consider. + +"We'll talk that over later on, Darry, when we have plenty of time," he +answered. "Perhaps I may be able to suggest a remedy. I have shares in +several properties down this way, and possibly Abner can be given a +steady job as keeper at the club, or put in charge of a farm I own not +far away from here. Depend upon it, some means can be found to help your +benefactor out. I'd rather talk about you, just now, and what you have +seen in your adventurous past. In fact, I'd like to know everything that +ever happened to you, if you don't mind," he continued. + +Again Darry had that queer sensation pass over him, and he could not but +remember what Abner had said about the possibility of his finding out +something connected with his childhood, and that this young gentleman +would be the means of supplying the missing link. + +So as they sat there and sipped the delicious coffee and dried out in +comfort, he answered all the questions Paul could think of asking. + +They covered his entire past, from his earliest recollection, and +especially about the old man who had finally deserted him in Naples, +for he naturally occupied a prominent place in the recital. + +Darry had called him uncle, but thought the man could not have held that +relationship toward him. He never knew what had become of the old man, +but suspected that he must have met with some fatal accident in the +Italian city. + +Then he narrated how he had supported himself by playing the violin, and +at the same time learned to speak Italian as well as a native. + +Finally came the scene in the café, when Captain Harley rescued him from +the cruelty of a bully, and after that there was very little to tell up +to the time the brigantine was lost and his best friend vanished from +the scene, never to appear again on earth. + +Paul Singleton harked back to his earliest recollections, and with the +skill of a lawyer asked questions that put Darry's memory to a strain; +he examined the singular mark upon the boy's arm with deepest interest +and seemed impressed. + +"That will undoubtedly prove one thing or the other, as soon as I can +see her," Darry heard him say, as if to himself. + +Evidently Paul Singleton knew nothing of the mark and was depending upon +some other party to settle the identification. + +It was noon before either of them realized it. + +Darry declared he must hurry off so as to catch the lawyer at his office +and settle matters before going home. + +"Hark, Darry," said Paul, holding his hand as they parted; "promise me +that if there is anything else I can do to please you I'm to know it +right away. Confide in me, my boy. It makes me happy to share, even to a +limited extent, in your little affairs. And you know we are going to be +great chums all winter, you and I. Look on me then as a sort of elder +brother or a cousin, if you please." + +And Darry thought as he looked into the clear laughing eyes of Paul +Singleton that nothing would give him greater happiness on earth than if +he could claim relationship to this fine manly fellow. + +He seemed to be walking on air as he left the cove and headed into the +village. + +Upon calling at the office of Darius Quarles he was disappointed to +learn that the lawyer had gone off in his closed buggy early that +morning, and would not be back all day--he had to foreclose a mortgage +the clerk remarked, and never allowed that duty to be performed by a +subordinate, for it gave him too much satisfaction to attend to it +personally. + +Even his employees had a secret contempt for his mean ways, it seemed. + +"He expects to be home to supper, and if your business is pressing you +might call at his house, which is just out of the village on the road to +Harden," the young clerk said in concluding. + +"Thank you, I believe I shall call, as I wish to see him very much," +replied Darry, and left the place. + +He made his way along the rather lonely road that led to the humble home +of the Peakes, bowing his head to the storm, and yet with a song of +thanksgiving swelling in his heart, for he knew he was carrying with him +the means of lifting the load that had for some time oppressed his kind +benefactors. + +Suddenly something struck him a stunning blow and looking up as he +staggered he heard a chorus of shrill laughs, and realized that a rope +had been thrown around him in such a way that his arms were pinioned +down at his sides. + +At the same moment several impish figures sprang out of the dense brush +and fell upon him with vicious blows, as though bent upon knocking him +down. + +Though they had their faces concealed after a ridiculous fashion he +recognized the malicious laugh of one as belonging to Jim Dilks. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +BAD LUCK AND GOOD + + +Of course Darry knew what this attack meant. + +His enemy had been brooding over matters for a long time, and despairing +of accomplishing his end while Darry was armed with a gun, during his +daily visits to the big marsh, he had finally decided to lie in wait and +have it out on the road from the village. + +Jim wisely backed himself up with a couple of allies in thus undertaking +to give his enemy that long-delayed whipping. + +He had tried it once by himself and apparently had no relish to repeat +the experiment. + +Perhaps it would have been the part of wisdom on the part of the young +life saver to have taken to his heels and beat a masterly retreat. + +Great generals have done this same thing and considered it no dishonor +to save their army for another day. + +To a high-spirited lad, however, it is the last thought, and many a +fellow will stand the chances of a beating rather than to turn his back +on the foe. + +Of course there was no time to consider the matter. + +The three disguised boys attacked him on all sides, and almost before +Darry knew what he was doing blows were being exchanged with a vim. + +He fought gallantly and well, sending in just as many hard hits as his +knowledge of the game permitted. + +Whenever he saw an opening he was quick to take advantage of the same, +and as a consequence first one of Jim's supporters and then the other +temporarily bit the dust, with a galaxy of stars floating before their +mental vision. + +They were very much surprised. + +True, they may have heard something about the fighting abilities of this +wonderful new boy; but Jim had kept declaring that only for his lame +hand he would surely have easily come out victor on that memorable day +of the first meeting, and they were forced to believe him. + +Artful Jim was wise enough to do a great deal of jumping about, but +seemed quite willing his allies should meet with the brunt of the battle +while he saved himself for the finishing touches. + +When Darry had tired himself out against Sim Clark and Bowser then his +time would have arrived. + +Darry anticipated being whipped in the encounter. + +It was not to be expected that one boy could hold his own against three +such tough customers as those opposed to him, since they would wear him +out. + +Nevertheless, he declined to run at the beginning, and after a little it +was entirely out of the question for him to do so, since he lacked the +wind to conduct a flight. + +So there was really nothing to do but stand and take what was coming to +him, at the same time give as good as he knew how. + +They would never be able at any rate to say they had won an easy +victory. + +By this time they were beautifully daubed with mud, as each appeared to +be the under dog while the minutes crept along. + +Darry's only hope lay in the possibility of some one passing that way, +and as the day was so stormy, and few people ever took this road, his +chances were indeed slender. + +Now the whole bunch seemed to be upon the ground alongside the road, +struggling like a pack of Kilkenny cats, the three aggressors having +their hands on Darry at one time in the endeavor to subdue him. + +Suddenly Jim gave a hoarse cry. + +"Haul off dere, fellers; somebody's comin'!" was what he ejaculated. + +Immediately the other two sprang to their feet like a couple of deer, +afraid lest they be caught at their game; perhaps a vision of old Hank +Squires flashed before them, with the penitentiary in the background. + +Darry, out of breath, but game to the last, made an ineffectual attempt +to hold one of his tormentors, catching the flying end of his jacket; +but such was the moment of Sim's upward movement, and the flimsy +character of his wearing apparel, that the entire section came away, +remaining in the grip of the enemy as he went tearing after his mates. + +The three of them plunged into the bushes alongside the road, and were +lost to sight, leaving Darry half sitting up on the road, plastered with +mud, and ruefully surveying the strip of cloth in his hand. + +After all it proved to be a false alarm, for no one came in sight. + +Darry was not foolish enough to invite a further attack by remaining on +the ground after the enemy had temporarily withdrawn, so he gathered +himself together and continued along the road, feeling of his limbs to +ascertain just how seriously he had been bruised, and trying to scrape +some of the mud from his clothes. + +He felt ashamed to let Mrs. Peake see him in this condition, for the +clothes had been Joe's, and naturally she would feel badly to discover +how they were now treated to a coating of mud. + +But then the fact of his having such a joyful surprise for her would +discount any bad effect of his appearance. + +Thinking thus, Darry put his hand eagerly into the inside pocket where +he had so carefully stowed the little leather pocket-book in which the +hundred dollar bill given him by Paul, as well as the amount which his +muskrat pelts had fetched at the hardware store, had been lodged. + +The pocket-book was gone! + +Poor Darry shivered as if someone had struck him a blow. + +Could he have lost it while upon the shore with Paul Singleton and had +the angry sound claimed it as passage money for having allowed a victim +to escape? + +No, he recollected very distinctly feeling it there as he started from +the office of the lawyer, after learning that Mr. Quarles was away. + +Then it must have fallen out during his struggles on the road, for +several times he had been on his back, with those "wildcats" clawing at +him. + +Despite the chances of meeting them again, and having the struggle +renewed, he deliberately turned back and quickly ran to the spot where +there were plain evidences to be seen of the free-for-all fight. + +How eagerly he searched every foot of that territory, his heart, +figuratively speaking, in his throat with anxiety. But as the minutes +passed and he realized the hopeless character of his hunt it seemed to +drop like lead into his shoes, the change was so great. + +Then there remained only one solution of the mystery--one of those young +rascals must have inserted a hand in his coat while they were struggling +there on the road and stolen the pocket-book with its contents. + +His heart seemed almost broken, and he even contemplated rushing after +them to renew the battle and tear the prize from their possession; but a +little thought caused him to understand how foolish such a move would +be, for he had no idea as to what quarter they could he heading for when +they left him, unless it might be that shack in the swamp, and it would +be rash indeed for him to go there alone. + +He tried to pluck up courage enough to go home, basing all his hopes on +Paul, who had seemed so very kind, and ready to help him out. + +Of course Mrs. Peake was astonished at his appearance, but the rising +anger vanished when she learned who had been the cause of his +misfortunes--at least it was turned in the direction of Jim Dilks, and +she vowed that before another day had passed she would swear out a +warrant for his arrest, and go personally to see that Hank Squires did +his duty. + +Depressed in spirits Darry crept away to change his clothes for some +others she brought him, also once belonging to Joe. + +Mrs. Peake advised that the muddy garments be hung up until they dried, +when by a vigorous brushing they might be restored to something like +their former condition of cleanliness. + +Accordingly, Darry first of all picked up the trousers and placed them +on a line in a corner of the room, where they could drip without soiling +the floor, he having spread a newspaper beneath. + +Then he proceeded to attend to the coat in the same way. + +While engaged in this he felt something bulky in one of the pockets and +smiled faintly as he remembered thrusting that portion of Sim's torn +coat there. + +This he had done under the impression that Hank might consider it +conclusive evidence, calculated to convict the young ruffian beyond a +possibility of doubt. + +It might just as well hang alongside the other garments, though Darry +did not intend removing the incriminating mud stains from the fragment. + +As he drew the offending piece of cloth out he was thrilled to feel +something in the folds, and with trembling fingers he opened it out. + +It seemed that with the portion of the coat that had come away in his +hands was one of the pockets, and out of this receptacle Darry quickly +drew something at which he stared as though he fancied he were dreaming. + +_His pocket-book!_ + +Sim had undoubtedly snatched the same from his person as they wrestled +upon the ground, and having no other place in which to hide it at the +moment, had thrust it in the very outside pocket of his coat that a +minute later remained in the grip of the boy he had robbed. + +Darry stared at it until he realized the amazing fortune that had so +kindly returned him his property, and then rolling over on the floor he +shook with wild laughter, so that Mrs. Peake came to the door in alarm +to see if he were ill. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +SATISFYING THE MORTGAGE + + +While Darry was gurgling with laughter, still clutching the fragment of +coat and the precious pocket-book, he felt a hand seize his arm. + +Looking up he saw the puzzled and anxious face of Abner's wife. + +"What ails you, boy? Did they injure you more than you told me?" she +asked, as if fearful that he were going out of his mind. + +To the further astonishment of the good woman the boy climbed to his +feet, suddenly threw his arms around her neck and gave her a vigorous +hug. + +"It's all right, mother, after all; they didn't get it!" he exclaimed. + +"What's all right? I don't understand at all," she replied, looking at +the dirty strip of cloth he was holding, and the pocket-book as well. + +"Why, what do you think, while we were struggling there on the road, +with me underneath part of the time, that sneak thief, Sim Clark, +managed to steal my pocket-book out of my inner pocket. That was what +made me seem so blue, for I had something in it I meant to show you. But +when he tried to run away I held on and part of his coat ripped away. I +stuck it in my pocket, thinking Hank would like to see it as evidence, +and when I took it out here, don't you see I found what I had lost in +Sim's pocket! Did you ever hear of such luck in your born days." + +Mrs. Peake herself laughed. + +"You do seem to be a fortunate boy. And they would have robbed you of +what little you have. I'm glad you got it back, and I'm determined to +see Hank Squires to-morrow about this thing. It has gone far enough." + +"But I've got something else to tell you. Come and sit down where we can +talk," he continued, feeling happier than ever before in all his life, +for he knew he was in a condition to chase away the clouds that had been +bringing anxiety to her mind for months. + +So he told first of all about his visit to the hardware man, and how he +obtained fourteen dollars for his muskrat skins. + +After that came the call upon the lawyer and what followed in connection +with his offer to pay the interest due, and how Mr. Quarles had +absolutely refused to accommodate him. + +Nancy sighed as she heard what the cold, grasping man of law had said +about settling old scores. + +Perhaps she was sorry now she had given him such cause for hatred; but +better the life she had led than one as the wife of a cruel money shark +of his breed. + +From this Darry soon branched out and spoke of his trip to the shore, +and how on his return a kindly fate had allowed him to be of material +assistance to the very young man with whom he expected to spend the +winter on his launch. + +Mrs. Peake began to listen more eagerly now, for she surmised that +something of a pleasant nature was coming. + +When Darry finally placed the money in her hand, she looked at it in +bewilderment, never having touched so much at one time in all her life; +then she turned her tear-stained eyes upon him, and drawing him into her +motherly arms kissed him again and again. + +And Darry never felt so well repaid for any action of his life as that. + +There was sunshine in the Peake house the balance of that day, even +though the weather without was dark and overcast, for light hearts carry +an atmosphere of their own that does not depend upon outside +influences. + +The woman would not hear of Darry's going to see the lawyer that night. + +Something might happen to him again, with those malicious boys still at +large, and it would be wiser she thought, to wait until morning, when +the two of them could take the money to Darius Quarles and satisfy the +mortgage. + +Besides, Nancy thought she would like to see what the money-lender +looked like when finding his plans frustrated so neatly. + +"Thank goodness that relative of his will have to wait some time before +this house falls into his clutches," she remarked, for the fourth time, +since it was impossible, just then, to talk about anything else. + +So when another day dawned, while the weather was still heavy they +walked to the village and astonished the lawyer by appearing in his +office soon after his arrival. + +Supposing that Nancy had come to beg for more time, he set his face in +its hardest lines, even though pretending to be sympathetic--times were +out of joint, collections difficult to make, and he absolutely needed +every cent he could scrape together in order to meet his +obligations--that was the way he put it, when she announced she had come +in relation to the mortgage. + +"Then I suppose you will be glad to receive this money, Darius, and +return the mortgage canceled to me. And you can be sure that Abner will +never trouble you in the same way again," she said, thrusting the full +sum, with interest toward him. + +He slowly counted it, and found that every cent, as he had written it +down for Darry, was there. + +"Ahem! this is an unexpected pleasure, Nancy. I congratulate you, indeed +I do, on your success in finding someone to take over the mortgage," he +stammered, as his face turned from red to white, and his little eyes +glittered. + +"You are mistaken. There will be no mortgage on my home after this. The +money has been earned by this brave boy here, not borrowed," she said, +coldly. + +This caused him to look at Darry, and his mouth told that he was +gritting his teeth wrathfully. + +"Ah! yes, indeed, truly a remarkable boy. What has he been doing +now--taking the rats of the swamp by wholesale, I presume? Let me see, +only yesterday he had sold twenty-six skins for fourteen dollars, and +now a hundred dollar bill follows. It is amazing. Pardon me if I doubt +my eyes. I suppose the bill is a good one?" + +"We will wait here until you go and find out. You might ask Mr. Paul +Singleton, who has a little launch down at the docks, and is a member of +the club above," replied Mrs. Peake, with stinging emphasis. + +"Did Mr. Singleton give him this money?" demanded the lawyer, suddenly. + +"He did, for saving his launch out in the bay yesterday. And what is +more, Darry expects to cruise with him the balance of the winter. He has +taken a great fancy for my boy. You can find him easily if you wish to +ask him about this." + +It was wonderful how quickly the lawyer changed his manner. + +He knew who Paul Singleton was, and what wealth he represented in the +exclusive sporting club near Ashley. + +"That alters the complexion of the whole thing. Now I congratulate Darry +on his good fortune in making such a good, easy friend. Of course the +bill must be all right if Paul Singleton gave it to him. I will +immediately attend to the mortgage for you, and also see that it is +satisfied on the books at the county office. Meanwhile I shall write you +out a receipt in full, showing that it has been paid." + +Mrs. Peake said nothing more. + +She felt the utmost contempt for this man, and having been enabled to +defeat his scheme for humiliating herself and husband, wished to remain +in his company no longer than was absolutely necessary. + +So she and Darry presently went forth, and how pure even the stormy +atmosphere seemed after being for half an hour in that spider's web of a +lawyer's den. + +On the strength of the improved prospects Mrs. Peake felt that she was +privileged to spend a portion of the small sum of money she had been +hoarding against paying the interest, though as it had not amounted to +the full sum she had not dared approach Darius with an offer. + +Mr. Keeler, being a good friend of the Peakes, and inclined to be +hostile to the lawyer, she naturally confided her late troubles to his +sympathetic ear, feeling that she could not keep silent. + +He shook the hand of the boy with sincerity, and declared that it was a +great day for Abner and his brood when the surf man helped to pull the +cabin boy of the _Falcon_ out of the sea. + +Being a modest lad, Darry escaped as soon as he could, and waited around +until Mrs. Peake was ready to go home, when he showed up to carry her +parcels. + +The family feasted that night most royally. + +Darry himself had purchased a steak in the store as his donation, and +this was a luxury the little Peakes seldom knew. + +Ducks and fish were all very well, together with oysters, when they +could get them; but after all there was a sameness in the diet that +rather palled on the appetite, and that beefsteak with onions did smell +mighty fine, as even the good cook admitted. + +The future looked very rosy to both Darry and Abner's wife. + +When the latter heard what Paul Singleton had said about getting some +place for the life saver ashore, where he could be with his family right +along, the poor woman broke down and sobbed; but it was joy that caused +the tears to flow, and Darry felt his own eyes grow wet as he realized +how she must have suffered while compelled to live in this mean way. + +Nancy having been a teacher had looked to better things, no doubt; but +Abner thus far had lacked the ability to provide them for his family. +Now, however, the current had changed. + +"And to think it all comes through you, boy. God sent you to us, I +believe, just when things were at the worst. How different it looks now. +I am the happiest woman in Ashley this night," she declared, and it +seemed as though she could hardly take her beaming eyes off his face +during that whole evening as they sat and built air castles for the +future. + +It can be set down as certain that Darry found it hard to get to sleep +after so much excitement. Long he lay there and went over all the +recent experiences, to wonder again and again why Providence was so good +to him, the waif who had until the last few years known only cuffs and +trouble. + +The morning showed no improvement in the weather, for which Darry +was sorry, because he wished to cross the sound in order to carry the +glorious news to Abner and relieve his mind of the worry that must even +now fill it. + +And as the prospect was that even worse weather might follow before it +would improve he determined to go, though Mrs. Peake was rather loth to +grant permission. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +ABNER HEARS THE NEWS + + +When Darry reached the village and was making for the place where his +boat was tied up, he remembered that Paul Singleton was close by with +his motor-boat. + +Perhaps he was aboard and would be interested in hearing what had +happened to Darry since they parted. + +Accordingly he walked that way and was accosted by a genial voice +calling: + +"All hail, comrade, what news? Come aboard. Just thinking about you, and +if you hadn't hove in sight soon I meant to don my raincoat and saunter +up to find out what was in the wind. Here you are, just in time to join +me at my lunch, such as it is--coffee, a canoeist stew and some fresh +bread I bought from a good housewife in the village. Sit down right +there; no excuse, you must know sooner or later what sort of a cook I +am, for we expect to share many a meal in common." + +In such a hearty way did Paul Singleton greet him, and of course Darry +had to obey orders, even though hardly hungry. + +He entertained Paul with an account of his recent adventures, and that +young gentleman nearly doubled up with merriment when he heard how a +malicious fate had succeeded in cheating Sim Clark out of the reward of +his villainy. + +"And where are you off to now?" demanded Paul, when they had finished +their "snack," as he termed it in Southern style, and Darry seemed to be +getting ready to depart. + +"Across to the station. Mr. Keeler told me last evening there was some +important mail to go over, and I think its going to storm worse before +it finally clears up." + +"Looks pretty dusty out there even now, for your little tub. Say, +suppose we take your boat in tow and go over in the launch? I was +wondering what to do only a little while back. Besides, I've wanted to +see the surfmen work their boat, and if it comes on to storm hard, +perhaps there may be a necessity for them to launch. I'd be sorry to +have a wreck occur; but if it does happen I'd like to be on hand. Say +yes, now, Darry." + +Of course he did, for who could resist Paul Singleton; especially when +the passage could be made so much more quickly in the staunch little +motor-boat than with his own clumsy craft. + +In a short time they sallied out. + +The cedar craft was a model of the boat builder's art, and carried a +twelve-horse power engine, so that even though the wind and tide chanced +to be against them they made steady progress toward the shore seen so +dimly far across the sound. + +Nearly every wave sent the spray flying high in the air as it struck the +bow; but there was a hood to catch this, and besides both occupants of +the motor-boat had donned oilskins before starting. + +It was a long trip, nevertheless, for the wind continued to increase in +force as the afternoon waned, and Darry, with a sailor's gift of +foretelling what the weather was to be, predicted that the succeeding +night must witness a storm such as had not visited the coast since the +night he was cast ashore. + +Abner was delighted to see his boy, and it was not long before the party +found shelter in the warm station, for the air was growing bitter. + +"A bad night ahead!" said one of the surfmen, after greeting Darry, "and +worse luck, poor Tom here has broken his leg. Mr. Frazer is somethin' of +a surgeon, and has set it, but as soon as this storm is over he must be +taken home. It leaves us short a man if so be we are called out, unless +some feller happens to run across before night, which is kinder +unlikely." + +"I'd be only too glad to pull an oar, if necessary, and you couldn't +find any better man," said Darry, quickly, looking at Abner, who shook +his head, dubiously. + +"They may hev to take yuh, lad; but I hopes as how we aint gwine to be +called out. It's a cruel night to fight the sea, an' only them as has +been thar knows wot it means. Now come an' set down here, both on yuh, +an' tell me all the news from hum. I seen somethin' in your eye, lad, +thet tells me yuh knows sure a heap wuth hearin'. I hopes it's good +news," he said. + +"Indeed it is, the best ever," replied Darry, with bursting heart, and +then as quickly as he could he told the whole story. + +Poor Abner sat there, blinking, and hardly able to comprehend the +wonderful change that had so suddenly come over his fortunes. + +Unable to speak he could only stretch out his hand to Paul, and then +turning to our hero looked at him with his very soul in his eyes. + +After a little, when he became calmer, he asked many questions, and even +had a quiet little laugh at the expense of Darius Quarles. + +"That's the second time yuh see he's ben knocked out a-tryin' to rob +me. Nancy done it fust a-fallin' into the water, and this time Darry +here cum to the front. Darius he must be concludin' he was borned under +an unlucky star, 'specially wen he tackles Nancy Peake. I'd give +somethin' to see the gal jest now," he added wistfully as he tried to +picture what she must look like when really and truly happy. + +Long they talked, until an early supper was ready, and the men gathered +about the table, while the wind shrieked and sighed about the corners of +the station, telling of the severe labors the coming night would demand. + +After the meal was finished nothing would do but that Darry must give +them some music ere the first detail went out on their arduous duties in +facing the cold storm. + +Paul had known nothing of this accomplishment on the part of his new +friend. + +He sat there as though enthralled while Darry drew such weird strains +from the little polished instrument in his hands that this young man, +who had doubtless listened to many masters of the violin believed he had +never in all his life heard such wonderful music. + +Of course the strange surroundings had something to do with it, for +there was a constant accompaniment of howling wind, with the surge of +the wild surf beating time to the magic of the bow, and it seemed as +though the player selected just such music as would be appropriate to +such a setting. + +Finally the first detail had to make ready for their long tramp along +the beach, and muffled in their oilskins they sallied forth. + +Later on Abner and his companions expected to start out, for Paul was +determined to learn all he could about this hard life of those who +patrolled the coasts while the storms raged, a helpful auxiliary to the +lighthouse department. + +The men should have sought rest and sleep while they had the chance, but +no one seemed desirous of lying down. + +Tom, the poor fellow with the broken leg, was bearing up bravely, and +only bemoaned the fact that, if there should be any necessity for the +launching of the surfboat he could not do his duty. + +Suddenly everyone started up. + +Above the roar of the storm a sound had come that could not be anything +other than the boom of a gun. + +There is nothing that startles more than this sound, heard upon the +shore as the storm rages, for it invariably tells of peril hovering over +some vessel that has been beaten from her track and is threatened with +wreck, either upon the reefs or the treacherous sands. + +Instantly all was bustle and excitement. + +Every man donned his oilskins, and as they had made all preparations +there was little time wasted in doing this. + +Paul rushed out with the rest, eager to be "in the swim," as he said. + +It was a scene never to be forgotten. + +The waves were running high and breaking upon the beach with a +thunderous roar, while the wind added to the clamor; so that save for +the absence of thunder and lightning the picture seemed to be a +duplicate of that other so strongly impressed upon Darry's mind. + +Down the beach they could catch glimpses of an illumination, and it +seemed as though some of the coast patrol might be burning coster lights +to signal the vessel on the reef. + +Presently they would come back, when the lifeboat would be launched. + +With material that was kept ready for just such an emergency a fire was +immediately started. + +Mr. Frazer was looking anxiously down the beach, and Darry heard him +calling to Abner. + +"I don't like the looks of things yonder. That fire is none of the work +of our men. Jim Dilks and his wreckers must be over here looking for +pickings. I pity any poor wretch who comes ashore and falls into their +hands. That scoundrel wouldn't be above robbing a castaway, and even +chocking out what little life remained in his body, if so be it looked +like he might tell. Keep a lookout for the rascals, boys. And all give a +hand here to get the boat out of the shed. We're going to have a hard +night of it, I'm afraid." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +DARRY IN THE LIFEBOAT + + +The boat was soon rolled out and placed where it could be quickly +launched at the word. + +Mr. Frazer was not only the keeper of the station but the helmsman of +the lifeboat, which latter was a most responsible position, since he +must direct the movements of the men who pulled the oars, bring the boat +under the vessel in peril, manage to rescue as many of those aboard as +could be carried, and finally navigate the craft successfully to the +shore. + +Darry looked upon him as a wonderful man, a hero, indeed, whose equal he +had never known. + +There were signs of distress seaward. Through his night glasses Mr. +Frazer reported seeing a steamer in trouble. She had evidently gone on +the reef, having gotten out of her course in the wild storm, or else +because the wreckers further down the coast had deceived her navigator +by means of false beacons. + +No matter, she was fast upon the treacherous reef and would likely fill +and be a wreck before morning, since her entire port side seemed +exposed to the fury of the waves. + +It was a wonder how anything could remain on board and endure so +terrific a pounding; if later on she were washed free the chances were +there would be holes enough in her by that time to cause her to sink +like a shot. + +The lifeboat could not get out to her any too soon. + +Those on board were burning lights, and sending up rocket after rocket +to indicate that their need of assistance was great. + +Still nothing could be done until the men on the detail came in. + +Already it had been settled that unless assistance came speedily, in the +shape of a recruit to take the place of Tom, Darry would have to go. + +The boy was in a fever of suspense, fearful that he might be cheated out +of the experience, as on the previous occasion. + +Paul was quite useless because he knew so little about pulling an oar, +while as a sailor, with some years experience on a vessel, Darry was at +home on the water in any capacity. + +"I certainly admire your grit, Darry," said Paul, shuddering as he +looked out at the heaving waves, the white tops of which loomed up in +the gloom. + +"Oh! I'm used to these things. Dozens of storms I've been through, under +all sorts of conditions," answered the boy. + +"All the same it's a big risk. I hope nothing will go wrong. That's a +mighty small boat to pit against the fury of the sea." + +"But as safe as they make them. It's impossible to sink it, and the +ropes are there to keep us from being swept out, even if flooded. All +around the outside you see ropes, and if a fellow goes over he holds on +to one of those until another wave sweeps him back in his seat again, +and there you are." + +Although Darry spoke so lightly it must not be assumed that he failed to +realize the gravity attending the passage of the surboat out upon such a +troubled sea; for accidents do happen to the crews of these life-saving +craft, and many a daring soul has gone to his account while trying to +rescue others. + +But just then the patrol came running up, almost out of breath. + +From one man Frazer learned that his surmise concerning the appearance +of the lawless wreckers on the shore was well founded, and that they had +been up to some mischief further south, where signs of lights had been +noticed by this coastguard. + +The word was given to take their places, as the boat was about to be +launched. + +They had waited a brief time to allow the newly-arrived men a chance to +recover their wind for they would need it presently, when once upon the +heaving bosom of the deep. + +Paul squeezed the hand of his young friend. + +How he envied him this chance to prove his courage and to pull an oar in +a life-saving trip. + +The rockets had ceased to ascend as though either the supply had given +out, or else conditions had become so bad that there was no longer a +chance to carry on this work. + +Then came the word: + +"Go!" + +There was a simultaneous movement on the part of the entire crew, and as +the sturdy men put their shoulders to the task the surfboat shot forward +just at the proper instant when a wave expended itself upon the sloping +beach. + +Its prow entered the water, and those furthest ahead sprang into their +places, whipping the long oars into the rowlocks for a struggle against +the force of the next onrushing billow. + +Darry was one of these. + +He had not watched that other launching for nothing, and understood just +what was required of him, as though through long practice. + +Now they were off! + +The oars dipped deep, and hardy muscles strained back of them. + +Slowly but surely the boat gained against all the fury of the onrushing +tide, and foot by foot they began to leave the shore. + +Paul was shouting, swinging his hat, as Darry could see while he tugged +at his task. + +Once fully launched upon the swelling bosom of the sea, the progress of +the surfboat was more rapid, though every yard had to be won by the most +arduous of labor, the men straining like galley slaves under the lash; +but in this case it was a sense of duty rather than the whip of the +tyrant that urged them on. + +No man but the helmsman saw anything of the steamer that was fast upon +the cruel jaws of the reef, for it was against orders for anyone to turn +his head. + +Such an incautious movement might throw him out of balance in the swing +of the stroke and bring about disaster, or at least temporarily +disarrange their regular advance; they had to trust everything to the +wisdom and experience of the man who hung on to the long steering oar, +and blindly obey his shouted instructions. + +Many times had he gone forth upon just such a hazard, and thus far his +sagacity had proven equal to the task. + +They began to hear human voices shrieking through the storm. + +That meant they were drawing close under the lee of the steamer, and +that those on board must have sighted them, and were consequently filled +with new hope. + +Above all else came the awful pounding of the sea upon the side of the +doomed steamer. + +Darry knew the sound well, for many a night had he gone calmly to sleep +while the chorus of the elements was beating close to his head. + +He had pulled well, and held his own with the brawny men of the crew, +just as Mr. Frazer had known would be the case when he allowed him to +take the place of Tom in the boat. + +Abner was next to him, and the surfman had watched the manly efforts of +his adopted boy with secret delight. + +Few boys indeed of his size could have proven their worth to the crew of +the lifeboat in time of need as Darry had done. + +He could indeed be reckoned one of the life savers from this hour on, if +so be they came back again to the shore that had witnessed their +departure. + +Now, as they swung around temporarily the rowers were afforded their +first glimpse of the imperiled vessel. + +It was undoubtedly a steamer, one of the coasters that pass up and down +the Atlantic seaboard, bound from New York to one of the various +southern ports, or _vice versa_, and usually keeping far enough out to +avoid the perils that hover about Kitty Hawk and Hatteras. + +She was in a bad position, having gone ashore, or been washed aground, +so that her whole quarter was exposed to the sweep of the boiling sea. + +Through the flying spray they could see numerous figures along the lee +rail of the vessel, hanging on desperately, while now and then the water +would sweep over the deck, and at such times a chorus of screams told +that there were other than men there, women half frightened out of their +senses by the peril. + +The surfboat was, after some maneuvering, gotten in such a position +under the lee of the steamer that a rope could be thrown aboard. + +Then a woman was lowered by means of this, and safely stowed away. + +As the rope had been fastened to the boat there was no longer necessity +for the crew to strain at the oars, consequently they were at liberty to +assist in caring for those sent down by the steamer's crew, working +under the direction of a cool, level-headed captain. + +Darry had cast off his oilskins, as being in the way. + +A wetting was of small moment anyway to one so warm-blooded as he, and +the cumbersome garments impeded his movements, since they were meant for +a big man. + +The sleeve of his shirt had also become torn in some way and flapped +loose until he tucked it up out of the way. + +All unconscious of the picturesque figure he made he continued to work +with all his might, helping to receive the women and children as they +were slipped over the side. + +Many an eye was attracted toward him as seen by the light of the +lanterns that were held over the side of the steamer to aid the workers, +and more than one wondered how it came that a mere lad was to be found +keeping company with these hardy men of the coast, seasoned to storms, +and able to defy the rigors of the cold. + +It was no easy task to take on a load of the passengers under such +conditions. + +Only when the surfboat rose on a billow could they be lowered, for at +other times the distance was so great that the deck of the steamer +looked as far away as the roof of a tall building. + +Yet, thanks to the ability of the steamer captain, and the experience of +the surfmen below, the shipping of the women and children was +accomplished with but a single accident. + +One child dropped off the rope, having been insecurely fastened, and +with the shrieks of the women fell into the sea, but hardly had she +reached the water than with a splash Darry was over, and had seized upon +the little one. + +His companions immediately reached out friendly hands, and both were +drawn into the plunging boat, amid frantic cheers from all who had seen +the daring rescue. + +One woman seized hold of the boy as he pushed his way through the crowd +to his place at the oars, and looked wildly in his face. + +He supposed she must be the mother of the child he had saved, and not +wishing for any scene just then, when he was needed at his place, as +they were about to cast off, Darry gently broke her hold, leaving on her +knees and staring after him. + +Although he little suspected the fact it was something else that had +chained the attention of this woman passenger; and even as she knelt in +the bottom of the boat, which was beginning its perilous passage toward +the shore, her eyes continued to be riveted upon his face, and she was +saying to herself over and over: + +"Oh! who is he, that boy? I must see him again if we both live. Can it +be possible he had any connection with Paul's telegram? I have come far, +but I would go over the distance a thousand times if only a great joy +awaited me. Yes, I must see him surely again!" + +From which it would appear that the friendly fortune that seemed to be +attending the affairs of our young hero of late had again started work; +and that even in gratifying his wild desire to serve as a life saver +Darry had been advancing his own cause. + +Now the lifeboat was headed for the shore, and sweeping in on a giant +roller. + +Great care had to be exercised lest the boat broach-to, and those in her +be spilled out, when some must be drowned, for having taken so many +aboard they lacked the buoyancy that had previously marked their +progress. + +Standing in his place the steersman carefully noted every little point, +and high above the rush of the storm his voice rang out as he ordered +the crew to cease rowing, or to pull hard. + +It was well worth experiencing, and Darry was glad he had at last found +a chance to go out with the crew. + +Abner knew that at least one more trip would have to be made, in order +to take off the crew of the steamer, and he was determined that if there +should have arrived any substitute on the beach while they were away +Darry must not be called upon to undertake the second voyage. + +The strain was terrific for a mere stripling of his build, and only old +seasoned veterans could stand under it. + +There was no need of questioning the willingness of the lad to volunteer +again; and if it seemed absolutely necessary Abner would give his +consent, but he hoped circumstances might change and another hand be +provided. + +With the women and children they had several of the crew who had come +along to relieve any oarsman who might give under the great strain; the +more sent in this load the less remaining for the next, and among these +Abner had picked upon a certain husky fellow who seemed able to do his +part if called upon. + +Now the shore was close by. + +The fire burned brightly, fed by Paul, and the steersman could see +several other men at the water's edge, proving that they had crossed the +sound in some sort of staunch craft, or had come down from above, +knowing the wreck was close to the life-saving station. + +At last the boat mounted the last billow on which she was to continue +her voyage to the beach. + +The crew pulled heartily to keep her perched high on its foamy crest, +and in this fashion they went rushing shoreward. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE AWAKENING + + +As the boat shot forward and her keel grated on the sand the crew were +over the sides like a shot, seizing upon her in order to prevent the +outgoing wave from carrying her along. + +Then one by one the women and children were carried to the shore, and +hurried to the shelter of the station, where a warm fire and something +to drink in the way of coffee and tea would put new life in the +shuddering mass. + +The woman who had been so strangely agitated at sight of Darry seemed to +be a lady of refinement, but she was almost perishing from the cold, and +did not resist when they forced her to seek shelter. + +Once she turned around and looked back to where Darry was busy; but when +inside the house she swooned from exhaustion, to come to later and find +Paul Singleton bending anxiously over her, with words of affection on +his lips. + +Meanwhile Darry was ready to again take his place with the rest, but +Abner had been busy, and spoke to Mr. Frazer, who in turn engaged a +stalwart fisherman to fill the vacancy caused by Tom's absence. + +Although disappointed, Darry did not insist, for he knew the tax upon +his young muscles had been severe, and if he failed it might throw the +whole crew out of balance. + +So he saw them set out again, with his heart in his eyes. + +When they had vanished from view he walked nervously up and down the +beach for a short time; then noticing the presence of a moving light not +more than half a mile down the shore he remembered what he had heard Mr. +Frazer say about the wreckers being abroad, looking for anything of +value they could lay hands on. + +Usually these men make their living by gathering up whatever may be cast +on the beach after a vessel has gone to pieces, and thus far their +calling is legitimate, but as a rule they are a bad class, and at times, +when fortune frowns upon their efforts, many of their kind resort to +desperate means for accumulating riches, even robbing the dead, and it +was hinted in connection with Jim Dilks' crowd, going still further. + +When a vessel is in danger of going to pieces, the passengers usually +load themselves with what valuables they may possess in the hope of +saving these in case they reach the shore in safety; so that these +ghouls frequently find a little fortune upon the persons of the drowned +travelers. + +Darry had heard the crew of the lifeboat talking about these wreckers so +frequently that he was more than curious with regard to them, and as he +saw the lantern moving to and fro along the water's edge, now +approaching and again retreating, he felt a sudden desire to look upon +their methods of work. It was not a wise move on his part at all, for +such men are as a rule desperate characters, and resent being spied +upon, since such action savors too much of the law and justice in their +eyes; but Darry was only a venturesome boy, who somehow never knew the +meaning of the word fear, and a little saunter along the beach would +pass away some of the time until the boat came in again. + +So he started off, telling no one of his intention, though one man +noticed him walk away, which fact proved fortunate in the end. + +As he drew nearer the moving light he saw that, as he had suspected, it +was a lantern held in the hand of a big man who was passing along as +close to the edge of the water as he could, and surveying with the eye +of a hawk each incoming billow, as though he expected to discover a +floating form that must be snatched away ere it were carried out again. + +But it was no errand of mercy that caused this human vulture to keep up +his unceasing vigil; for should the body of a luckless passenger come +ashore his first act would be to rifle the pockets rather than attempt +to restore life. + +Darry caught a glimpse of several other figures beyond, but their +lanterns had evidently given out, so they were trusting to their eyes +alone for seeing in the dark. + +He had never as yet met big Jim Dilks, but something told him that this +man was now before him, and he wondered if the son might not also be one +of the other prowlers beyond, since he evidently possessed the same kind +of savage instincts that characterized his father. + +Darry had come as close as he deemed prudent when he saw the man start +forward with a sudden swoop, and seizing some object from the inflowing +wave drag it up on the shore. + +There was no outcry to call the attention of others, for evidently this +was a game of "every man for himself," though possibly a division of +spoils might be made later on. + +Horrified, Darry pressed closer, for he fancied he had seen a feeble +movement on the part of the figure drawn from the waves--doubtless +alone and unassisted the swimmer could never have crawled out on the +beach, but now that he was beyond reach of the waves, would the man who +had snatched him ashore do the slightest thing to keep the spark of life +from going out entirely? + +He saw Jim Dilks bend eagerly down. + +Closer still Darry pressed, unconscious in his eagerness to see that he +was placing his own life in danger. + +The man who would not hesitate to rob the dead might go even further in +order to conceal his crime. + +He saw Jiw Dilks hurriedly search through the pockets of the figure, +transfer a number of articles to his own person, and then with a growl +lift the body in his arms, giving it a toss that once more sent it +afloat. + +The terrible nature of this act brought out a half-stifled cry from the +watching boy, and the wrecker, startled, wheeled to see him there. + +He darted upon him like a wolf, and ere Darry could lift a hand to save +himself he was struck a severe blow on the head. + +After that he knew nothing more. + +When he opened his eyes later he found himself in the life-saving +station, and for a minute or so wondered what had happened, for as he +started to rise there was a severe pain in his head, and he sank back +with a sigh. + +Then it all seemed to pass before him. + +Again he could see the savage face of big Jim, as he turned like a +sheep-killing dog caught in the act, and once more Darry shivered with +the terrible thought that life had not wholly departed from the wretched +passenger from the ill-fated steamer at the time the wrecker tossed him +back into the merciless sea. + +Who had found him, and brought him here, when evidently the lawless man +had intended that he should share the fate of the doomed passenger, and +thus forever have his lips sealed? + +Someone must have heard him sigh, for there was a movement close by, and +his eyes took in the eager face of Paul Singleton. + +"Bully for you, Darry! We were getting mighty anxious about you, but I +can see you're all right now. It has been hard to keep Abner at his duty +watching the shore. Every little while he appears at the door to ask if +you have recovered your senses yet. Why, he couldn't be more fond of you +if you were his own Joe," said Paul, running his hand tenderly over the +boy's forehead. + +"I don't understand how I got here," declared Darry; "the last thing I +remember was being struck by the fist of that brute, big Jim Dilks. He +had just robbed a passenger from the wreck. I saw him pull the body out +of the water, clean out the pockets, and then throw the poor fellow back +again. And, Mr. Singleton, it's a terrible thing to say, but I'm most +sure there was life still in the body of the man he robbed when he +tossed him back!" + +"The scoundrel, I wouldn't put it past him a particle. And that isn't +the first time he and his gang have done the same thing either. But +their time has come, Darry. Even now I chance to know that the +government has sent agents down here to make arrests, urged on by the +women of Ashley, and before another day rolls around all of those +rascals will be in the toils. You may be called on to give evidence +against Dilks. But please forget all about this gruesome matter just +now, my dear boy. There is something else of a vastly different nature +that awaits you--some delightful intelligence, in fact." + +Paul paused to let the half-dazed lad drink in the meaning of his words. + +"Oh! Mr. Singleton!" he began. + +"No, from this hour let it be Paul--Cousin Paul, in truth. You know, I +said I wanted you to look upon me as an elder brother, but now it seems +that we are actually related, and that I am your full-fledged cousin." + +"My cousin! Oh! what can you mean?" gasped the bewildered Darry. + +"I'll tell you without beating around the bush, then. You are no longer +the poor homeless waif you used to believe yourself." + +"No, that is true, thanks to dear old Abner and Nancy," murmured Darry, +loyal to his good friends in this hour. + +"But there is someone who has a better claim upon your affection than +either Abner or Nancy, kind-hearted though they undoubtedly are. It is +your own mother, Darry!" exclaimed the young man, leaning over closer as +he said that word of magic. + +"Mother! My mother! How sweet that sounds! But tell me how can this be? +Who am I, and where is she? How did you find it out, and, oh! Paul, are +you _sure_, quite sure? A disappointment after this would be hard to +bear." + +"Have no fears, Darry, there is no longer the slightest shadow of a +doubt. The minute my aunt set her eyes on that crescent-shaped mark on +your arm she knew beyond all question that Heaven had granted her +prayers of years, and in this marvelous way restored her only child to +her again. She saw you leap overboard to save that little child, and she +recognized in your face the look she remembered so well as marking the +countenance of her husband, now long since dead. She says you are his +living picture as a boy." + +"I remember some lady seizing hold of my arm after they dragged me +aboard the lifeboat, but at the time I believed it must be the mother of +the child, and I was anxious to get back to my place, for the boat might +upset with one oar missing. And that was--my mother?" + +How softly, how tenderly, he spoke the word, as though it might be +something he had only dared dream about, and had difficulty in realizing +now that he could claim what nearly all other boys had, a parent. + +"Yes, that was my dear Aunt Elizabeth. I wired her away down in South +America, where she was visiting cousins, and it has taken her quite a +while to get here. She had to change steamers twice, and meant to come +back here from New York by rail, when a strange freak of fortune sent +that vessel upon the reef, and placed you in the lifeboat that went to +the rescue. After this I shall stand in awe of the mysterious workings +of Providence, since this beats anything I ever heard of. I could see +something familiar in your looks, and after hearing your story sent for +her on a chance. That was why I dared not tell you any more than I did. +If I had only known about the history of that scar on your arm I would +have been positive. She asked me immediately about it, and when I told +her it was surely there she fainted again." + +"My mother! how strange it seems. Go on please, Paul," murmured the boy, +reaching out and possessing himself of the other's hand, as though its +touch gave him assurance that this was not one of his tantalizing +dreams. + +"I went in search of you, and one of the men told me he had seen you +walking down the beach, as though attracted by the light which he +believed was a lantern carried by a wrecker, perhaps the feared Jim +Dilks. I engaged him to accompany me, and securing a lantern we hurried +along. And Darry, we found you just in time, for the sea was carrying +you out. I believe that wretch must have cast you into the water just as +he did the body of the passenger." + +"Then I owe my life to you--Cousin Paul?" + +"If so it only squares accounts, for I guess I'd have gone under out +there on the sound only for your coming in time. But Darry, do you think +you feel strong enough to see your mother? I forced her to lie down in +the little room beyond, but she cannot sleep from the excitement." + +"Yes, oh! yes. Please bring her. I shall be a long time understanding it +all, and trying to realize that I am truly awake. To think that I +really have a mother!" + +Darry drew a long breath, and followed Paul with eager eyes as he went +through the doorway into the other room. + +It was dawn now. + +In more senses than one the day had come to Darry. + +He heard low voices, and then someone came through the door, someone +whose eyes were fastened hungrily upon his face. + +Darry struggled to sit up, and was just in time to feel a pair of arms +around his neck and have his poor aching head drawn lovingly upon the +bosom of the mother whom he had not known since infancy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +CONCLUSION + + +Later on, in fragments, Darry learned the whole story. It was all very +wonderful, and yet simple enough. + +The old man whom he remembered so well, and who had told him to call him +uncle, was in reality a brother of his mother. + +He had quarreled with his sister Elizabeth's husband, after abusing his +kindness, and to cancel what he called a debt, had actually stolen the +only child of the man he had wronged and hated. + +An old story, yet happening just as frequently in these modern days as +in times of old, for men have the same passions, and there is nothing +new under the sun. + +Everything that money could do was done to find the man and the little +boy he had kidnapped, but he proved too cunning for them all, and +although several times traces were found of his being at some foreign +city, when a hunt was made he had again vanished. + +So the years came and went, and the child's mother was left a widow. + +Hope never deserted her heart, though it must have grown fainter as time +passed on, and all traces of the wicked child-stealer seemed swallowed +up in mystery. + +Paul had known of her great trouble, and it was the remarkable +resemblance of Darry to a picture he had seen of his uncle Rudolph as a +boy that first startled him. + +Then came the story about the waif, and this gave him strong hopes that +by the wonderful favor of Providence he had been enabled to come across +the long-lost boy, his own cousin. + +Their happiness was subdued, for there had been lives lost in the storm, +a number of passengers and crew having been swept from the deck of the +steamer by the giant waves before the coming of the life savers. + +As the storm subsided by noon, our little party, increased by Abner's +presence, was enabled to cross the still rough sound in the staunch +motor-boat of Paul, and to Nancy's amazement appeared at her humble +little home. + +She heard the story of Darry's great good fortune with mingled emotions, +for while she could not but rejoice with him in that he had found a +mother, still, in a way, it seemed to the poor woman as though she had +been bereaved a second time, for she was beginning to love the boy who +had come into her life to take the place of Joe. + +Still, the future appeared so rosy that even Nancy could not but feel +the uplift, and her face beamed with the general joy as she bustled +around and strove to prepare a supper for her guests. + +In the village they had heard news. + +Jim Dilks and several of his cronies were in the hands of the United +States authorities, having been arrested on serious charges. + +Later on they were convicted of using false beacons in order to lure +vessels on the reefs for wicked purposes, and of robbing the dead cast +up on the shore. + +A more serious charge could not be proven, though few doubted their +innocence. + +Darry, or as he was compelled to call himself now, Adrian Singleton, +being summoned to give evidence, helped to send the big wrecker to his +well-earned solitude by telling what he had seen on the night of the +last storm, and as some jewelry was found in his possession, which was +identified by the wife of a passenger who lost his life, and whose body +was washed up on the beach later on, there was no difficulty in securing +his conviction. + +As for his profligate son, he was not long in following the elder Dilks +to confinement, being caught in some crime that partook of the nature of +robbery, and was sent to a reformatory, where it is to be hoped he may +learn a lesson calculated to make him a better man when he comes forth. + +Since these happenings took place only a few years back, young Jim is +still in confinement; his boon companions Sim Clark and Bowser vanished +from Ashley and doubtless sought congenial surroundings in Wilmington, +where they could pursue their destiny along evil lines until the long +arm of the law reached out and brought them to book. + +True to his word, Paul saw to it that Abner Peake was placed in charge +of the big farm he owned, not a great distance away from Ashley, and +here the former life saver and his family have every comfort their +simple hearts could wish for, so that they count it the luckiest day of +their lives when the cabin boy of the lost brigantine, _Falcon_, was +washed up on the beach out by the life-saving station. + +About once a year Abner visits his old chums out on the beach, spending +a couple of days in their company and reviving old times, but on such +occasions they often see him sitting by himself under the shelter of +some old remnant of a former wreck, his calm blue eyes fixed in an +absent-minded fashion upon the distant level horizon of Old Ocean, and +at such times no one ventures to disturb him, for well they know that he +is holding silent communion with the spirit of poor little Joe, who went +out with the tide, and was seen no more. + +Somewhere upon that broad, lonely ocean his little form has found a +resting place, and so long as he lives must Abner drop a tear in his +memory whenever he sets eyes upon his watery shroud. + +But the Peakes are happy, and the twins are growing up to be buxom +children. + +There is another little laughing Peake now, a boy at that, and at last +accounts Darry--it is hard to call him by any other name--heard that he +is destined to be christened Joseph Darry Peake. + +After all, Paul and Darry did have a chance to spend some part of the +winter cruising together on the sound, although our hero later on +decided that he must start in to make himself worthy of the position +which was from this time to be his lot, and enrolled at an academy where +his fond mother could be near him, and have a home in which he might +find some of the happiness that fate had cheated him out of for so long. + +No one who knows the youth doubts that he has a promising future before +him, and many prophesy that he will eventually make a more famous +lawyer than his father was before him. + +Often Darry loves, when by himself, to look back to the days that are no +more, and at such times he thinks with gratitude of the friends whom a +kindly Providence raised up for him in his time of need. + +Among these he never fails to include Captain Harley, the skipper of the +_Falcon_, whose widow Darry had communicated with while he was still +under the roof of the life saver's home, and whom he later on met +personally, as she came on to hear all he could tell about her lost +husband. + +And the brave life savers on that desolate Carolina beach have not been +forgotten by the grateful mother of the boy they had adopted, for during +each winter there always comes a huge box filled with such warm clothing +as men in their arduous and dangerous profession greatly need. + +At Christmas holidays Darry, Paul and Mrs. Singleton make it a point to +spend a week at Ashley, during which time they live again the stirring +scenes of the past, and find much cause for gratitude because of the +wonderful favors that were showered upon them in that locality. + +THE END + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Darry the Life Saver, by Frank V. 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