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diff --git a/25849.txt b/25849.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e571ece --- /dev/null +++ b/25849.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7302 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Launch Boys' Adventures in Northern +Waters, by Edward S. Ellis + +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: The Launch Boys' Adventures in Northern Waters + +Author: Edward S. Ellis + +Illustrator: Burton Donnel Hughes + +Release Date: June 20, 2008 [EBook #25849] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAUNCH BOYS' ADVENTURES *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +THE LAUNCH BOYS SERIES + +THE LAUNCH BOYS ADVENTURES +IN NORTHERN WATERS + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +THE LAUNCH BOYS SERIES + +Timely and fascinating stories of adventure on +the water, accurate in detail and intensely +interesting in narration. + +By +EDWARD S. ELLIS + +First Volume +THE LAUNCH BOYS' CRUISE IN THE DEERFOOT + +Second Volume +THE LAUNCH BOYS' ADVENTURES IN NORTHERN WATERS + +The Launch Boys series is bound in uniform +style of cloth with side and back stamped with +new and appropriate design in colors. Illustrated +by Burton Donnel Hughes. + +Price, single volume $0.60 +Price, per set of two volumes, in attractive box $1.20 + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +[Illustration: NONE SUSPECTED THE MEANING OF WHAT THEY SAW] + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +THE LAUNCH BOYS SERIES + +THE LAUNCH BOYS' ADVENTURES IN NORTHERN WATERS + +By +EDWARD S. ELLIS + +Author of "The Flying Boys Series," +"Deerfoot Series," etc., etc. + +Illustrated by +BURTON DONNEL HUGHES + +The John C. Winston Company +Philadelphia + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Copyright, 1912, by +The John C. Winston Company + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER PAGE + I. A Proposal and an Acceptance 9 + II. The Scout of the Kennebec 19 + III. At the Inlet 29 + IV. A STRANGE RACE 40 + V. The Loser of the Race 51 + VI. A Warm Reception 62 + VII. Science versus Strength 72 + VIII. The Lone Guest 83 + IX. A Break Down 93 + X. At Beartown 104 + XI. At the Post Office in Beartown 115 + XII. Hostesses and Guests 126 + XIII. An Incident on Shipboard 137 + XIV. "The Night Shall be Filled with Music" 147 + XV. A Knock at the Door 155 + XVI. Visitors of the Night 166 + XVII. "Tall Oaks from Little Acorns Grow" 177 + XVIII. A Clever Trick 188 + XIX. In the Nick of Time 198 + XX. "I Piped and Ye Danced" 208 + XXI. How It Was Done 219 + XXII. A Startling Discovery 230 + XXIII. Through the Fog 242 + XXIV. Bad for Mike Murphy 252 + XXV. What Saved Mike 263 + XXVI. The Good Samaritans 273 + XXVII. An Unwelcome Caller 284 +XXVIII. Plucking a Brand From the Burning 296 + XXIX. "The Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" 307 + XXX. A Through Ticket to Home 318 + XXXI. Gathering Up the Ravelled Threads 329 + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + PAGE +NONE SUSPECTED THE MEANING OF WHAT THEY SAW Frontispiece +LIKE A SWALLOW SKIMMING CLOSE TO THE SURFACE. 233 +"GIVE ME YOUR HAND ON THAT." 292 + +------------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + +THE LAUNCH BOYS' ADVENTURES IN NORTHERN WATERS + +CHAPTER I + +A PROPOSAL AND AN ACCEPTANCE + + +Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes were having a merry time in the home of +Mike Murphy, when a servant knocked and made known that a caller was +awaiting Alvin in the handsome bungalow belonging to his father. I have +told you how the boys hurried thither, wondering who he could be, and how +they were astonished to find him the "man in gray," who had become +strangely mixed up in their affairs during the preceding few days. + +But Alvin was a young gentleman, and asked the stranger to resume his +seat, as he and Chester set the example. They noticed that the visitor +was without the handbag which had hitherto seemed a part of his +personality. Self-possessed and vaguely smiling, he spoke in an easy, +pleasant voice: + +"Of course you are surprised to receive a call from me." He addressed +Alvin, who replied: + +"I don't deny it. Heretofore you have seemed more anxious to keep out of +our way than to meet us." + +"I admit that it did have that look, but the cause exists no longer." + +This remark did not enlighten the youths. Chester for a time took no part +in the conversation. He listened and studied the man while awaiting an +explanation of what certainly had the appearance of a curious proceeding. + +"I don't understand what could have been the cause in the first place," +said Alvin, "nor why my friend and myself should have been of any +interest at all to you." + +The other laughed lightly, as if the curt remark pleased him. + +"I have no wish to play the mysterious; my name is Stockham Calvert." + +It was Alvin's turn to smile, while Chester said meaningly: + +"That tells us mighty little." + +"I am one of Pinkerton's detectives." + +The listeners started. They had never dreamed of anything of this nature, +and remained silent until he should say more. + +"You are aware," continued the mild spoken caller, "that there have been +a number of post office robberies in the southern part of Maine during +the last six months and even longer ago than that." + +The boys nodded. + +"A professional detective doesn't know his business when he proclaims his +purpose to the world. He does so in the story books, but would be a fool +to be so imprudent in actual life. Consequently you will think it strange +for me to take you into my confidence." + +"I don't doubt you have an explanation to give," suggested Alvin. + +"I have and it is this. Without any purpose or thought on your part you +have become mixed up in the business. The other night you gave me great +help, though the fact never entered your minds at the time. You located +their boat in a small inlet at the southern extremity of Barter Island." + +At this point Chester Haynes asked his first question: + +"How do you know we did?" + +Mr. Stockham Calvert indulged in a low laugh. + +"Surely I did not follow you thither without learning all you did. Your +conversation on the steamer gave me the information I wished. I did not +expect you to succeed as well as you did." + +"Why did you avoid us? Why didn't you take us into your confidence from +the first?" asked Chester. + +"I had several reasons, but I see now it would have been as well had I +done so. However, let that go. My errand here to-night is to ask you +whether you will not assist me in running down these criminals." + +The abrupt proposition caused a start on the part of the youths, who +looked wonderingly into each other's face. It was Alvin who replied: + +"Assist you! What help can _we_ give?" + +"You have the fleetest motor boat on the Maine coast. It must be capable +of twenty miles an hour." + +"It is guaranteed to make twenty-four." + +"Better yet. These men have a boat which closely resembles yours." + +"And its name is the _Water Witch_," said Chester. "I wish Captain Landon +could run a race with it." + +"He can have the chance if he will agree." + +"I fail to see how. Those men after committing their crimes are not going +to spend their time in running up and down the Sheepscot or Kennebec." + +"Not wholly, but I don't see any particular risk they incur in doing so. +If they are pressed hard they can put into some bay or branch or inlet +and take to the woods." + +"Still I do not understand how we can help you, Mr. Calvert," said Alvin. + +"It is possible you cannot, but more probably you can. While cruising in +these waters, we may catch sight of their boat, and you can see the +advantage of being able to outspeed it. But do not think I am looking for +a battle between you and me on the one hand, and the criminals on the +other. I wish to employ the _Deerfoot_ as a scout. I can't express myself +better than by that word." + +Whatever the right name of the caller might be, he was a good judge of +human nature. He saw the sparkle in the eyes before him. While the lads +would not have been averse to a scrimmage, neither dared incur such risk +without the consent of his father, and you do not need to be told that +such consent was out of the question. + +"As I understand it, then, our boat promises to be useful to you solely +on account of its speed?" said Alvin inquiringly asked the detective. + +"Precisely. What is your answer?" + +The young Captain looked at his second mate. + +"How does it strike you, Chester?" + +"I'm with you if you wish to make the experiment. If things don't turn +out as we wish we can withdraw at any time." + +"Of course I shall expect to pay you for your services----" + +"Then you will be disappointed," interrupted Alvin crisply. "The +_Deerfoot_ isn't for hire, and if we go into this it will be for the fun +we hope to get out of it." + +"I think I can guarantee you some entertainment. I presume you two will +be the only ones on the boat beside myself." + +"You mustn't overlook my first mate, Mike Murphy. It would break his +heart if we should go on a cruise and leave him behind." + +"I am afraid he is too impetuous and too fond of a fight." + +"He may have a weakness in those directions, but his good nature, pluck +and devotion to my friend and me more than make up." + +"It strikes me----" + +"I can't help how it strikes you," broke in Alvin, who did not intend to +accept any commands at this stage of the game. "Mike goes with us +wherever we go." + +"I feel the same way," added Chester. "The _Deerfoot_ can never brave the +perils of the deep short-handed. The first mate is indispensable." + +"As you please then. When will you be ready to start?" + +"When do you wish us to start?" + +"Say to-morrow morning?" + +"This is so sudden," said Alvin, whose spirits rose at the prospect of +the lively times ahead. "We ought to have a little while to think it +over. However, if my second mate, who generally has views of his own, +will agree, we'll get under way to-morrow after breakfast." + +"I'm wid ye, as Mike would say." + +"Suppose, Mr. Calvert, we leave it this way: if we decide to go into this +business, we'll make the venture to-morrow morning." + +"I shall stay at the Squirrel Inn to-night and be on the wharf a little +before nine, on the lookout for you. If you do not show up then or soon +after I shall not expect you. Your boat will be in plain view all the +time, so I shall see you when you start." + +"Why not stay with us over night? We shall be glad to have you do so," +was the hospitable invitation of Alvin Landon. + +"Thank you very much," replied Stockham Calvert, rising to his feet; "but +I came over in a rowboat which is waiting to take me back. I engaged my +room at the inn this afternoon." + +He bade them good night and walked briskly down the slope. The boys stood +in front of the bungalow until they heard the sound of the oars and saw +the dim outlines of the boat and its occupants heading eastward toward +the twinkling lights from the inn and cottages on Squirrel Island. + +"What do you make of it all?" asked Alvin of his chum, when after some +minutes they returned to the big sitting room. + +"I don't know how to answer you," replied Chester. "It looks to me as if +we are bound to have lively times before we get through with the +business. But, Alvin, all the time that man was talking I felt a curious +distrust of him. He said he is a detective, but I'm not sure of it." + +"Suppose he belongs to the gang that is playing the mischief with Uncle +Sam's post offices in this part of the Union?" + +"If that were so, what in the world can he want of you and your boat?" + +"Because of its fleetness it may serve him when he needs it. However, I +don't see that any harm can come to it or to us. He can't pick up the +launch and run away with it and he would find it hard to do so with us." + +"Not forgetting Mike Murphy." + +"Then you accept his proposal?" + +"Not I, but we together." + +"All right; it's a go." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE SCOUT OF THE KENNEBEC + + +AT nine o'clock on a bright sunshiny morning in August the usual group +were gathered on the dock at Squirrel Island. Some were watching the +arrival and departure of the different steamers, not forgetting the +little _Nellie G._, plying between that summer resort and Boothbay +Harbor, some three miles distant, with calls at other islands as the +passengers wished. Sailboats were getting ready to take parties out, some +to fish, while others sought only the pleasure of the cruise itself. +Small launches came up to the low-lying float for men and women to get on +board, while others were rowed out in small boats to the anchored craft. + +By and by the attention of most of the spectators was fixed upon the +beautiful _Deerfoot_, which, putting out from the lower end of Southport +Island opposite, was heading toward Squirrel. The picture had become +familiar to all and they admired the grace and symmetry of the launch +which had won the reputation of being the swiftest of its kind in those +waters. It was known that she was owned by Alvin Landon, the son of a +millionaire who had built a handsome bungalow on Southport, where he was +expected to spend his vacation days, though, as we know, he passed +precious few of them there. Alvin was holding the wheel of his boat, +while directly behind him sat his chum, Chester Haynes, calmly watching +their approach to the floating dock. + +The third member of the crew was our old friend Mike Murphy, whose +official rank was first mate. Instead of sitting among his companions, +the Irish lad had gone to the stern, where he sat with his legs curled up +under him tailor fashion. He could not get much farther in that direction +without slipping overboard. The figure of Mike was so striking that he +drew more attention than did his comrades or the boat itself. His +yachting cap was cocked at a saucy angle, revealing his fiery red hair, +while underneath it was his broad, crimson face, sprinkled with freckles, +and his vast grin revealed his big white teeth. It will be remembered +that the remainder of his costume was his ordinary civilian attire, +though Captain Alvin Landon had promised him a fine suit for the +following season. The time was too short to secure one for the present +occasion. + +Mike's good-natured grin awoke more than one responsive smile among the +crowd on the dock. The universal opinion was that the youth from the +Emerald Isle was so homely of countenance that he couldn't be any +homelier, but at the same time none could be more popular. He knew that +the eyes of nearly every one were fixed upon him and he in turn scanned +the different faces, all of which were strange to him. + +Alvin Landon slowed down as he approached and guided his boat among the +others with the skill of a professional chauffeur weaving in and out of a +procession of carriages. He gave his whole attention to this task, +Chester watching the performance with the admiration he had felt many +times before. But it was the people who interested Mike. Before the boat +rounded to, Stockham Calvert, the detective, accompanied by Lawyer +Westerfield, of New York, walked down the inclined steps to the float. +Westerfield was a gentleman of culture, an authority on many questions +and one of the greatest baseball fans in the country. Having secured a +liberal money contribution from Calvert the night before at the Inn, he +invited him to stay and witness the great struggle between the Boothbay +nine and the Squirrel Islanders. Westerfield was to act as umpire, his +impartiality and quickness of perception having won the confidence of all +parties; but of course Calvert had to decline under the pressure of a +previous engagement. + +"It does a fellow good to look at that broth of a boy squatting on the +stern," remarked Westerfield, while the _Deerfoot_ was still a short +distance away. + +"His name is Mike and he is a great favorite with every one. As yet I +have not met him, but he has all the wit and humor of his people. Suppose +you test him." + +Nothing loath, Westerfield, who was a bit of a wag himself, called so +that all heard him: + +"You don't need to show a red signal light, my friend; you ought to wait +until night." + +Cocking his head a little more to one side, and with a slight extent of +increase in the width of his grin--admitting that to be possible--Mike +called back: + +"Thin why have ye the _graan_ light standing there on the wharf?" + +Westerfield joined in the general laugh, but came back: + +"That face of yours will keep off all danger by daylight." + +"And it's yer own phiz that will sarve the same purpose at night." + +The laughter was louder than ever, and the pleased Calvert said to the +lawyer: + +"Better let him alone; he will down you every time." + +But Westerfield could not refuse to make another venture. Stepping back +as if in alarm from the launch, which was now within arm's reach, he +feigned to be scared. + +"Please don't bite me with those dreadful teeth." + +Mike, who was now close to the wharf, leaped lightly upon it. + +"Have no fear; the sight of yersilf has made a Joo of me." + +Then as if afraid that the listeners would not catch the force of his +words, he added: + +"A Joo, as ye may know, doesn't ate pork." + +Detective Calvert slapped the lawyer on the shoulder. + +"Try him again." + +"No; I have had enough." Then raising his hat and bowing in salutation, +Westerfield offered his hand to the lad, who shook it warmly. + +"You're too much for me, Mike. I'm proud to take off my hat to you." + +"And it's me dooty to be equally respictful, as me dad said whin the bull +pitched him over the fence and stood scraping one hoof and bowing from +t'other side." + +While still in the boat, Alvin and Chester had returned the salutation of +Calvert. The Captain remained seated at the wheel, but the second mate +stepped out on the float and a general introduction followed. The +detective and he went aboard and sat down on one of the seats. Mike kept +them company, and throwing in the clutch, Alvin guided the launch into +the spacious waters outside, all three waving a salute to Westerfield, +who stood on the float and watched them for some minutes. + +Detective Calvert had the good sense fully to admit Mike Murphy to his +confidence, though he had hoped at first he would not be a member of the +party. Alvin Landon gave the man to understand that he was not hiring out +his boat, but was conferring a favor upon the officer, who had the choice +of rejecting or accepting it on the terms offered. While Calvert could +not doubt the loyalty of the young Hibernian, he distrusted his +impulsiveness. But as I have said, having decided upon his line of +conduct, he did not allow himself to show the slightest degree of +distrust. + +Mike on his part was tactful enough to act as listener while the man made +clear his plans. He did not ask a question or speak until addressed. The +launch moved so quietly that Alvin, with his hands upon the wheel and +scanning the water in front, heard all that was said by the others, and +when he thought it fitting took part in the conversation. + +Instead of returning to Southport, the Deerfoot circled Cape Newagen, +which you know is the southern extremity of that island, and entering the +broad bay, headed up the Sheepscot River, over the same course it had +followed before. + +"Mike was not with you," said Detective Calvert, "when you traced the +other launch into that little inlet at the lower end of Barter Island. +That boat stayed there overnight and may still be there, but probably is +not." + +"Suppose it isn't there?" said Chester. + +"We must find out where she is. That is the chief reason for my presuming +upon the kindness of the Captain to lend me the help of his launch. In +other words, it is my wish that the _Deerfoot_ shall serve as the Scout +of the Kennebec." + +"A romantic title," remarked Alvin, over his shoulder, "though we are not +cruising on the Kennebec, but up the Sheepscot." + +"No doubt we shall have to visit the larger river. And then, you know," +added Calvert, with a smile, "the name I suggest sounds better than the +other." + +The launch required no special attention just then, and, with one hand on +the steering wheel, Captain Alvin looked around: + +"Mike, what do you think of it?" + +"Arrah, now, what's the difference what ye call the boat? At home, I was +sometimes referred to as the Queen of the May, and again as the big toad +that St. Patrick forgot to drive out of Ireland, but all agraad that I +was as swate under one title as the ither." + +"Suppose the _Water Witch_ happens to be where Chester and I saw her at +night?" asked Alvin of their director. + +"We shall have to decide our course of action by what develops." + +Neither of the youths was fully satisfied with this reply. They could not +believe that a professional detective would come this far upon so +peculiar an enterprise without having a pretty clear line laid out to +follow. It may have been as he said, however, and he was not questioned +further. + +The day could not have been finer. The threatening skies of a short time +before had cleared and the sun was not obscured by a single cloud. Though +warm, the motion of the launch made the situation of all pleasant. Since +there was no call for haste, Calvert suggested to the Captain that he +should not strain the engine, and Alvin was quite willing to spare it. +The time might soon come when it would be necessary to call upon the boat +to do her best, and he meant she should be ready to respond. + +Past the Cat Ledges, Jo and Cedarbrush Islands moved the _Deerfoot_ like +a swan skimming over the placid waters. Then came Hendrick Light, Dog +Fish Head, Green Islands and Boston Island. Powderhorn was passed, and +then they glided by Isle of Springs, which brought them in sight of +Sawyer. A little beyond was the inlet where they had seen the _Water +Witch_ reposing in the darkness of night. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +AT THE INLET + + +"SLOW down," said Detective Calvert as the launch drew near the southern +end of Barter Island. Captain Alvin did as requested and all eyes were +fixed upon the inlet. + +"If that boat should happen to come out while we are in sight," added +Calvert, "pass up the river, as if you had no interest in it." + +"But if it should happen to be there?" said Alvin, repeating the question +he had asked before. + +"We can't know until we have turned in, and then it would not do to +withdraw, for that would be the most suspicious course of all. You have +as much right to go thither as anyone. Act as if you were merely looking +in out of curiosity; make a circuit of the islet and then come back and +go on up the Sheepscot toward Wiscasset." + +It was at this moment that Mike Murphy asked a question whose point the +others were quick to perceive. + +"If the spalpeens are there, will ye let 'em have a sight of yersilf?" + +"No; I shall drop down and hide, for if they noted that you had me for a +passenger they might smell a rat, but would think nothing of seeing you +three, for they know you travel together." + +As the launch drew near the opening, Alvin slackened her speed still more +until she was not going faster than five or six miles an hour. There was +an abundance of sea room and he curved into the passage with his usual +skill. The four peered intently forward and had to wait only a minute or +two when the boat had progressed far enough to give them a full view of +the crescent-like cove, which extended backward for several hundred yards +and had an expansion of perhaps four hundred feet. In the very middle was +the islet, in the form of an irregular oval, containing altogether barely +an acre. As has been said, it was made up of clay and sand with not a +tree or shrub growing, and only a few scattered leaves of grass, but +there was no sign of life on or about it. + +Alvin sheered the boat close to the shore, and continued slowly moving. A +glance downward into the crystal current showed that the depth was fully +twenty feet, so that it was safe for the largest craft to moor against +the bank. + +"Here's where the _Water Witch_ lay," said Alvin. "Do you wish to land, +Mr. Calvert?" + +He was standing up and scrutinizing the little plot as they glided along +the shore, but discovered nothing of interest. + +"No; there's no call to stop; we may as well go back." + +"Do ye obsarve that six-masted schooner wid its nose poked under the +bushes in the hope of escaping notice?" + +As Mike Murphy asked the question he pointed to the southern shore of the +inlet, where all saw the little rowboat in which Detective Calvert had +visited the spot and which had been used later for a similar purpose by +Alvin and Chester. It was drawn up so far under the overhanging limbs +that only the stern was in sight. It seemed to be exactly where it had +been placed by the boys after they were through with it. + +It was on the tip of Alvin's tongue to refer to the incident and to ask +something in the way of explanation from their companion. Instead of +doing so, the latter surprised both by saying: + +"That must belong to somebody who lives in the neighborhood." + +The remark sounded strange to our young friends and both remained silent +waiting for him to say more, but he did not. He sat down again, facing +the Sheepscot, and lighted one of his big black cigars. He crossed his +legs like a man of leisure who was not concerned by what had occurred or +was likely to occur. + +The incident impressed Alvin and Chester unfavorably. Mike, not having +been with them at the time, knew nothing of it. To each of the former +youths came the disquieting questions: + +"Does he believe we did not know him that night? Does he think neither of +us suspected what he did? _Is he what he pretends to be?_" + +These queries opened a field of speculation that was endless, and the +farther they plunged into it the more mystified they became. Alvin would +never stoop to ask favors of this man. He was trying to aid him in +carrying out a good purpose, and he must "be on the level," or the +Captain would have nothing to do with him or his plans. + +"The first proof I get that he is playing double," muttered Alvin, "I'll +order him off the boat and never let him set foot on it again, and, if he +belongs to that gang of post office robbers, I'll do everything I can to +have him punished." + +One of the most discomforting frames of mind into which any person can +fall is to see things which make him distrust the loyalty of one upon +whom he has depended. It might be Alvin Landon was mistaken and Stockham +Calvert was in reality a Pinkerton detective whose sole aim was to bring +these criminals to justice; but, as I have shown, the full truth was +still to be learned. + +And Chester Haynes' feelings were the same as those of his chum. He +glanced at the man who was puffing his perfecto, and wondered who he +really was and what was to be the end of this curious adventure upon +which he and Alvin had entered. + +It was a brief run out to the Sheepscot, and the _Deerfoot_ headed up the +river again toward Wiscasset. A steam launch was seen off to the left and +a catboat skimmed in the same direction with our friends. Both were well +over toward Westport, the left-hand bank, and slight attention was given +them. + +The _Deerfoot_ had not reached the upper end of Barter Island when Alvin +from his place as steerer called out: + +"That looks like the boat we are hunting for." + +Running closer in to the right shore than the _Deerfoot_, a second boat +was visible whose similarity of appearance caused astonishment. The bows +of the two being pointed toward each other, the view was incomplete at +first, but since the speed of each was all of ten miles an hour, they +rapidly came opposite. Alvin sheered to the left, so as to make an +interval of a hundred yards between them. Chester had caught up the +binoculars and kept watch upon the launch, his companions doing what they +could without the aid of any instrument. + +"It's the _Water Witch_!" said Chester excitedly. + +A minute before he did so, Detective Calvert quietly slipped from his +seat to the floor, removed his hat and cautiously peered over the +taffrail. But he did not cease smoking his huge cigar, and it struck +Alvin when he looked around that his head was high enough to be in plain +sight of anyone watching from the other craft. + +Mike Murphy caught the stir of the moment. + +"How many passengers do ye obsarve on the same frigate? It seems to me +there be only two." + +"That is all that are visible," replied Chester, holding the glass still +leveled. + +"Thin they must be them two that we had the shindy wid the ither night!" + +"Undoubtedly; in fact I recognize the one you pointed out at Boothbay." + +"And the ither must be the ither one." + +"There is every reason to believe so." + +"Thin----I say, Captain," said the agitated Mike, turning to Alvin, +"would ye be kind enough to run up alongside that ship?" + +"Why do you wish me to do that?" + +"I wish--that is--I wud like to shake hands wid that gintleman and ask +him how his folks was whin he last heerd from them. Just a wee bit of +friendly converse betwaan two gintlemen--that's all. Come now, Cap, be +obliging," continued Mike, in a wheedling tone which did not deceive his +superior officer. + +"I faal a sort of liking for the young gintleman and should be much +pleased if ye would give me a chance to have a few frindly words wid +him--I say, Cap, ye're losing vallyble time, fur we're passing each ither +fast." + +"No, Mike--not to-day; I have no objection to your having a little +'conversation' with Mr. Noxon or his companion, but this isn't the right +way to go about it." + +"I hope ye didn't suspict that I had any intintion of saying harsh +wurruds to them, Cap!" protested the Irish youth, in grieved tones. + +"Not words particularly, but there would be enough rough acts to make +things lively. Chester, let me have the glasses, while you take the wheel +for a few minutes." + +They hastily exchanged places, and steadying his position, Alvin pointed +the instrument at the receding launch. Detective Calvert still knelt on +the floor and peeped over the side of the boat. He did not ask for the +binoculars nor did the owner offer them to him. + +Suddenly Alvin slipped down beside his friend in front and passed him the +instrument, as he resumed the wheel. While doing so, he whispered in a +voice so low that no one else could hear what he said: + +"Look just behind the fellow who is steering. He's Noxon, I'm sure! Study +closely and let me know whether you see anything suspicious." + +Wondering to what he referred, Chester complied. While doing his best to +learn what his friend meant the latter whispered again: + +"If you see anything, be careful to let no one besides me know what it +is." + +Chester nodded, with the glasses to his eyes. The opportunity for +scrutiny was rapidly diminishing. Chester held the binoculars level but a +minute when he lowered them again. The commonest courtesy compelled him +to offer them to the detective. + +"Maybe you can discover something," remarked the youth as he passed them +over. The posture of the man gave him the best chance he could ask, and +he carefully studied the receding boat until it was so far off that it +was useless to continue. + +"Did you notice anything special?" asked Chester. + +"I saw nothing but those two young men, with whom as I learn from the +Captain he had an affray some nights ago." + +Chester leaned over and whispered to Alvin: + +"I saw it plainly." + +"What?" + +"A man crouching down among the seats as Calvert did and peering over +like him." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A STRANGE RACE + + +Suddenly the _Water Witch's_ whistle sent out a series of piping toots. + +"What's the meaning of that?" asked Chester of Detective Calvert, who had +quietly resumed his seat in one of the wicker chairs in front of the +youth. + +"It's a challenge to a race." + +"I accept it," said Alvin, with a flash of his eyes. At the same moment +he swung the wheel over and began circling out to the left, so as to turn +in the shortest possible space. "If that boat can outrun me I want to +know it." + +"Be keerful ye don't run over him," cautioned Mike, catching the +excitement, "as Tam McMurray said whin he started to overtake a +locomotive." + +Alvin quickly hit up the pace of the launch, which sped down the +Sheepscot with so sudden a burst of speed that all felt the impulse. The +sharp bow cut the current like a knife, the water curving over in a +beautiful arch on each side and foaming away from the churning screw. +Even with the wind-shield they caught the impact of the breeze, caused by +their swiftness, and each was thrilled by the battle for mastery. + +"Are you doing your best?" asked Calvert, watching the actions of the +youthful Captain. + +"No; I am making about two-thirds of the other's speed." + +"Then don't do any better, is my advice," said the detective. + +Alvin glanced over his shoulder. + +"Why not?" + +"It may be wise at this stage of the game not to let them know that you +can surpass them. Wait till the necessity arises." + +"I agree with Mr. Calvert," added Chester, and the Captain was impressed +by the logic of the counsel. He was on the point of increasing the pace, +but refrained. In truth he was already wondering what they would do if +they overtook the other and what could be gained by passing the boat. + +Again the whistle piped several times and it was evident that the +fugitive, as it may be called, had "put on more steam." + +"Do you wish me to let her get away from us?" asked Alvin. + +"Not for the present, but that may be the best course. Hold your own for +awhile and then gradually fall back." + +When the race opened, less than an eighth of a mile separated the +contestants. The abrupt burst lessened this slightly and then it appeared +to be stationary as the two glided down the river. + +Such were the relative positions when the _Water Witch_ shot past Ram +Island, holding the middle of the stream, and a few minutes later came +abreast of Isle of Springs. + +"Those two young fellows have a man with them," remarked Calvert. "He +tried to keep out of sight when we first met, but now he doesn't seem to +care. You can see him plainly without the help of the glasses." + +Such was the fact, and Chester said: + +"They must know that we also have a friend with us." + +"I don't see that it matters either way. I think you are gaining." + +"But not half fast enough," added Mike, who was standing and impatient to +beat their opponent. "We must come up wid the spalpeens before they git +to Boothbay." + +"They are not heading for Boothbay," observed Calvert, whose keen eyes +had detected the change in the line of flight. His companions saw he was +right. The front boat had made so abrupt a change of course that it was +almost at right angles to that of the pursuer. The side of the launch was +exposed, showing the two youths, one of whom held the wheel, while the +man with a mustache sat directly beside the other. It might be said of +the two craft and their crews that they were twins, so marked was their +resemblance. + +Naturally Alvin shifted his line of pursuit. You may recall that, +opposite the Isle of Springs, Goose Rock Passage connects Sheepscot River +with Knubble Bay, which leads into Montsweag Bay, reaching northward on +the western side of the long island of Westport. In their first trip +northward our young friends had gone to the eastward of Westport, as they +had been doing during this race. Montsweag Bay takes the name of Back +River at the northern end of the island and that and the Sheepscot unite +above before reaching Wiscasset. + +The _Water Witch_ dived into Goose Neck Passage past Newdick Point, where +it turned northward into Knubble Bay. This is the path taken by the +steamers from Bath and other places on the Kennebec when going to +Boothbay Harbor, Squirrel Island and other points. To the westward of +these bodies of water sweeps the noble Kennebec to the sea. + +Just ahead was discerned a swiftly approaching mass of tumbling water, +above which the deck, pilot house and puffing smokestack of a little +steamer showed. This was the "pony of the Kennebec"--the _Gardiner_, +plowing ahead in such desperate haste that one might well believe the +fate of a score of persons depended upon its not losing a half minute. +Alvin took good care to give her plenty of room and saluted with several +whistle toots. There was no reply. The captain merely glanced at the two +craft and sped onward like an arrow from the bow of the hunter. + +The _Deerfoot_ rocked and plunged in the swell made by the steamer, +which, spreading out like a fan from its bow, ran tumbling and foaming +along the rocky shores, keeping pace with the headlong charge of the +boat, and trying to engulf everything in its path. One small catboat that +was tied to a rickety, home-made landing, after a couple of dives +capsized, as if it were a giant flapjack under which a housewife had slid +her turning iron. + +"They're gaining!" exclaimed Chester, who was closely watching the +progress of the racers. "Do you mean to let them get away, Alvin?" + +"Mr. Calvert will answer that question." + +"I do so by advising that you neither gain nor lose for the present." + +The Captain gave the launch a little more power, and it became clear to +all that the pursuer was picking up the ground, or rather water, that she +had lost. Then for several minutes no difference in speed was +perceptible. A space of a furlong separated the two when they shot past +the point of land bearing the odd name of Thomas Great Toe, which is on +the western side of the lower part of Westport, some two miles above +Goose Neck Passage. Here the water is a mile in width, and is filled with +islands of varying sizes, until the large bay to the northward is +reached. + +The _Water Witch_ persisted in hugging the eastern shore, while her +pursuer kept well out, as if to make sure of having plenty of room in +which to pass her, when the chance came. But all the same the chance did +not come. It was soon seen that the fugitive was drawing away from her +pursuer. Mike Murphy fumed, but held his peace. + +"It's mesilf that hasn't any inflooence here," he reflected, "as I +obsarved to mysilf whin dad and mither agreed that a thundering big +licking was due me." + +"Can you overhaul her?" asked Detective Calvert. + +"Easiest thing in the world; I can shoot past her as if she were lying +still." + +"Well, don't do it." + +Mike could remain silent no longer. + +"That's a dooce of a way to run a race! Whin ye find ye can bate the +ither out of sight ye fall back and let her doot. That's the style I used +to run races wid the ither boys at school, but the raison was I couldn't +help it. If ye'll allow me to utter a few words of wisdom I'll do the +same." + +Alvin nodded his head. + +"It is that ye signal to that pirut ahead to wait and give us a tow, +being that's the only way we can howld our own wid 'em." + +Now while it was trying to Alvin and Chester to engage in a race of the +nature described and voluntarily allow the contestant to beat them, when +they knew they had the power of winning, yet they believed it was the +true policy, since Detective Calvert had said so. They understood the +disgust of Mike and could not forbear having a little fun at his expense. + +"You see," said Chester gravely, "those two young men who gave you and +Alvin such a warm time the other night are on the other boat, and if we +should come to close quarters with them they would be pretty sure to even +up matters with you." + +Mike glared at the speaker, as if doubting the evidence of his ears. + +"Phwat is that ye're saying?" he demanded. "Isn't that the dearest object +of yer heart? I shall niver die contint till I squar' matters wid 'em, +and ye knows the same." + +"You forget," added Calvert, with the same seriousness, "that they have a +full-grown man to help them out." + +"And haven't we a full-grown man wid us, as me dad said whin he +inthrodooced me to his friends at Donnybrook, I being 'liven years old? +Begorra, I'm thinking we haven't any such person on boord." + +It was a pretty sharp retort, but the officer could not repress his +amusement at the angry words. Alvin looked over his shoulder and winked +at Calvert and Chester, making sure that Mike did not observe the signal. +In his impatience, he had turned his back upon them and was looking +gloomily over the stern at the foaming wake. + +"I wonder if there isn't some tub along the shore that'll put out and run +us down. I hope, Captain, that whin we git back home ye'll kaap this a +secret from dad." + +"And why?" + +"He'll sure give me the greatest walloping of me life." + +"For what reason?" + +"For consoorting wid a party that run away from the finest chance in the +wurrld for a shindy. It's a sin that can be wiped out in no ither way." + +"I'll explain to him," said Calvert, "that you couldn't help yourself." + +"And it's mighty little difference that will make, as Terry McCarthy said +when he had the ch'ice of foighting two Tipperary byes or three +Corkonians." + +"Wouldn't your father prefer to have us bring you home safe and unhurt +rather than to have your beauty battered out of you?" inquired the +detective, with a solemn visage. + +Mike, who had risen to his feet and was still staring over the stern, +slowly turned and faced the questioner. Then, with an expression of +contempt, he said: + +"Ye haven't the honor of an acquaintance wid me dad." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE LOSER OF THE RACE + + +A long, low bridge connects the western projection of Westport with +Woolwich on the opposite bank, beyond which spreads Montsweag Bay, +narrowing to Back River, which, as has been explained, joins the +Sheepscot. + +The draw had just been swung open when our friends came in sight of the +bridge, and saw the _Water Witch_ passing through. The bridge tender +immediately began turning his lever with which he closed the draw. Alvin +whistled to signify that he wished to follow the other, but seemingly the +man did not hear him. His back steadily rose and fell, as he worked the +handle of his contrivance, and the movable section of the structure +slowly swung back in response. + +"Isn't that lucky now!" was the sarcastic exclamation of Mike. + +"Why?" asked Chester. + +"He wants to hilp ye fall back further behind the ither boat." + +"There may be something in that," the Captain replied. + +None the less, Alvin continued his tooting, without abating his speed. +The tender, however, did not mean to tantalize them, and all quickly saw +the cause of his action. A heavily loaded wagon had come upon the bridge +from the Woolwich side, and waited while the draw was held open. The +driver must have had a "pull" with the attendant, who immediately closed +the draw so he could cross before the second boat passed through. + +At this juncture fate showed how perverse she can be when in the mood. +Directly over the draw, something connected with the wagon or the harness +of the team got askew and the driver paused to set it right. Possibly it +was pretence on his part, for many men will do such things, but, all the +same, he took ten minutes before he climbed back on his seat and started +his horses forward again. Alvin reversed the screw, so that the launch +became motionless when a few yards from the bridge. + +I am afraid the driver purposely delayed the _Deerfoot_, for when Mike +shouted an angry reproach, he looked around, put his thumb to his nose, +twiddled his fingers, and then moved slowly over the rattling planks +toward Westport. + +"I suggist that ye turn about, Captain, and scoot for home," was the +ironical advice of the Irish youth. + +"For what reason?" + +"I'm afeard that man is real mad and he might take it into his head to +git down off his wagon and saize aich of us by the nape of the neck as +the boat goes through, and slam us down so hard he'd jar us." + +"Better wait, Captain, till he's a little farther off," advised Calvert; +"there may be something in what Michael says." + +As for Mike, feeling he could not do justice to the subject, he held his +peace for the moment. + +Gliding through the draw and entering Montsweag Bay, the occupants of the +_Deerfoot_ were surprised to see nothing of the other launch. She was as +invisible as if she had been scuttled and sunk in fifty feet of water. + +The right shore above the structure, belonging to Westport, slopes to the +right, and something like a half mile above, this course is at right +angles to the stream. It is really a peninsula, there being an inlet more +than a mile long which divides it from the rest of Westport. This little +bay is spanned by a bridge which forms a part of the highway that passes +over the longer structure already referred to. + +When Mike found the _Water Witch_ had vanished, he pretended to be vastly +relieved. He had dropped into his chair and now straightened up. + +"But ain't we lucky?" + +"Why so?" asked Calvert. + +"If we hadn't been stopped at the bridge the ither boat might have broke +down and we'd come up wid the same, and those chaps would have give us +all a good spanking." + +"I am glad you are becoming so prudent," said Calvert, with an approving +nod. "We must take Michael with us whenever we are likely to run into +danger. Captain, if you don't mind, you might tune up your boat a bit." + +"Better wait," suggested Mike, "fur ye might gain on t'other one." + +Alvin now put on the highest speed of which the _Deerfoot_ was capable. +The bow rose, the stern settled down in the water, and the spray was +flung high and splashed against the wind-shield. The exhaust deepened to +a steady roar, and the broadening wake was churned into a mass of +tumbling soapy foam. The whole boat shivered with the vibration of the +powerful engine. She was going more than twenty miles an hour--in fact, +must have approached her limit, which was four miles faster. Alvin had +attained such a tremendous pace only a few times in his practice and did +not like it. Though his instructor had assured him that the launch was +capable of holding it indefinitely without injury, he feared a breakdown +or the unnecessary wear upon many parts of the engine. + +He kept up the furious speed until they curved around the upper part of +the peninsula and saw the expansion above, all the way to Long Ledge, +where Back River begins. He had been confident of catching sight of the +_Water Witch_, but she was nowhere in sight. + +The natural conclusion was that the launch had taken on a higher burst of +speed--probably the limit--and gone so far that by still keeping near the +shore she had placed several miles behind her--enough to carry her out of +the field of vision. + +"Keep it up till we catch sight of her again," suggested Calvert. "I +believe there are no more bridges between us and Wiscasset." + +Some three or four miles were passed at high speed, when they reached a +portion of the river which opened a view of still greater extent. They +saw two small sailboats at a distance, and a little steamer puffing +northward, but nothing of the _Water Witch_. + +"You may as well slow down," remarked the detective, who, guarding a +match with his hands behind the wind-shield, proceeded to light another +cigar. + +"What do you make of it?" asked Alvin, turning his head, as the pace +became slower than before. + +"We have passed the other boat; she is behind us instead of in front." + +"What shall we do?" + +"For hiven's sake don't go back," protested Mike. "Ye might find her--and +then what would become of ye?" + +The detective now gave his view of the situation. + +"If we should turn round and find that boat, those on board would know we +were looking for them. We don't wish to give that impression, at least +for some time to come. While we were going in one direction and they in +another, they challenged us to a race. Any two boats might have done the +same in the circumstances. We have to accept defeat and that's all there +is to it." + +Calvert looked at his watch. + +"It is near noon; if you all feel as I do you would welcome a good +dinner." + +"That's the most sensible sense that I've heerd since we started," +remarked Mike, who was as hungry as his companions. + +"It is not a long run to Wiscasset," said Alvin; "and there's more than +one good hotel there." + +"I'm thinking that at the speed ye're going, we'll hardly arrive in time +for supper. There must be some place betwixt here and the town where we +can git enough to stay the pangs of starvation till we raich Wiscasset." + +"We shall pass several landings, and there are farmhouses along shore +where I'm sure the folks will be glad to accommodate us." + +The others were not much impressed with Mike's plan, but since there was +plenty of time at their command, they fell in with it. Alvin suggested +that all should keep a lookout for an inviting dwelling, when, if a good +landing could be made, they would stop and investigate. + +Chester offered to relieve his chum at the wheel, and Alvin was quite +willing to exchange places with him. The occurrences of the last hour or +more, together with what was said by Detective Calvert, had increased the +confidence of the youths in him. True, they could not understand the full +object of this cruise up the river, after gaining sight of the launch and +the occupants for whom he had been searching. They were content to await +explanation on that point, but Alvin determined that one or two things +which puzzled him and Chester should be cleared up. + +"Accepting what you said last night at my home, Mr. Calvert, I must say +for myself and friend that we do not understand some of your actions. +Perhaps you won't mind explaining them." + +"I shall be glad to do so, if it is prudent at this time." + +"You will pardon me for saying that in our opinion you acted foolishly +when you followed us off the steamer the other day at Sawyer Island, +pretended you had made a mistake in landing there, and then dogged us to +that little inlet. We saw you several times, but you either wished or +pretended you wished to keep out of our sight, as, for instance, after +crossing that long bridge from Hodgdon to Barter Island. You followed us, +but when we stopped at the side of the road to wait for you, you slipped +among the trees and made a circuit round the spot. Why did you do that?" + +The detective smiled, and smoked a minute or two before replying. + +"Perhaps it was undignified, though a man in my profession has to do a +good many things in which he casts dignity to the winds. The truth is, I +formed the intention of getting off at Sawyer as soon as I heard your +friend Mr. Richards say he thought he had caught sight of your launch in +that cove. I was trying to get track of the same parties, but prudence +whispered to me that the time had not yet come in which you and I should +hitch up together. I suspected it might soon be advisable, but not just +then. My pretence of having left at the wrong landing was a piece of +foolishness meant only to afford you and the agent a little amusement, +but I feared you would run into trouble with those criminals and I +decided to keep you under my eye. Until I concluded to trust you, it was +just as well that you should distrust me. For several reasons, which I +won't explain at this point, I came to the belief last night that it was +time we made common cause." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A WARM RECEPTION + + +"I have me eye on the right place, as Father Mickle said whin he wint +into the saloon to pull out Jim Gerrigan by the nape of his neck." + +Mike Murphy pointed to a small, faded yellow house which stood at the top +of a gentle slope on their right. It was a hundred yards from the river +and a faintly marked, winding path led from it down to the bank. The +surrounding land showed meagre cultivation, and the looks were anything +but inviting. + +On the little porch sat a big man with grizzled whiskers, smoking a +brier-wood pipe, his beamlike legs crossed and his arms folded as he +moodily watched the launch. + +"It strikes me as a poor promise," remarked Alvin, who, nevertheless, +asked Chester to steer to the shore to see whether a landing could be +readily made. The prospect was good, as a shaky framework had evidently +been placed there for use, though no small boat was near. + +Chester brought the _Deerfoot_ alongside with the skill that the owner of +the launch would have shown. Alvin sprang lightly upon the structure, +which sagged under his weight, caught the rope tossed to him by Chester, +and fastened it around one of the rickety supports. The boat was made +fast. + +"I'll walk up to the house and have a talk with the gintleman," said +Mike, stepping carefully out upon the boards. "Do I look hungry?" he +asked of Alvin, who replied: + +"You always have that expression." + +"I'm glad to hear it, fur I wish to impriss the gintleman that that's my +condition. I'll assoom a weak, hisitating walk. Do ye abide here aginst +me return and repoort." + +Detective Calvert retained his seat and lighted another cigar. Chester +sat with his hand idly resting on the wheel. Alvin kept his place on the +tiny dock, and all three watched Mike Murphy. They smiled, for the +stooping shoulders of the Irish youth and his feeble gait were those of a +man of four-score. The huge stranger sat like a statue, slowly puffing +his pipe, his glowering eyes fixed on the approaching lad. + +With each advancing step, Mike's doubts increased. The nearer he came to +the stranger, the more forbidding he appeared. Had the lad followed his +inclination he would have turned back, but he knew his friends were +watching him. Besides which, he was really hungry. + +He had passed half the distance between the boat and the house, +scrutinizing the scowling fellow all the time, when the latter made his +first movement. He uncrossed his huge legs, took the pipe from between +his lips and emitted a low whistle. + +"He must be so cheered at sight of me that he is obleeged to give +exprission to his feelings--Begorra!" + +Around the end of the house dashed a mongrel dog, and halting abruptly +with pricked ears, glanced at his master to hear his command. The canine +was of moderate size, black and white in color, one eye wrapped about by +an inky splash of hair that made him look as if the organ was in +mourning. + +Holding the pipe away from his lips, the man pointed the stem toward +Mike, who had paused, and said to his dog: + +"Sick him, Nick! Sick him!" + +And the dog proceeded to "go for" the caller. Had the latter run away, +the brute would have been at his heels, nipping and biting at each step. +But Mike had no thought of retreating. He was filled with anger at his +inhospitable reception and gave his whole attention to the animal, which +with a muttered growl charged full speed at him. + +Mike noticed that a collar with projecting spikes encircled the stumpy +neck, and never was one of his breed more eager to bury his teeth in a +victim's anatomy. + +"This is going to be a shindy sure, as Micky Rooney said when he tackled +five p'licemen--and I haven't even a shillaleh in hand." + +Mike coolly braced himself for the shock, not yielding an inch nor +turning his gaze from his foe. It was no longer a doddering old man who +faced the stranger, but a sturdy youth, muscular, brave and always eager +for the fray. + +Nothing could surpass the skill with which the first assault was +repelled. At the exact moment Mike launched his shoe, the toe of which +caught Nick under the jaw and caused him to turn a backward somersault. +He uttered several yelps, but the blow added if possible to his rage. + +The dog was so bewildered for the moment that he lost his sense of +direction, and made a dash toward the porch where his master was watching +proceedings. + +"Sick him, Nick! Sick him!" he called, pointing his finger at the lad. + +Nick impetuously obeyed orders, and at the critical moment Mike launched +a second kick, which, however, was not delivered with the mathematical +exactness of the first. It landed in the canine's neck and drove him back +several paces, but he kept his balance, and came on again with the same +headlong fierceness as before. + +It was at this juncture that Stockham Calvert flung away his cigar, +sprang from his chair and with one bound landed beside Alvin Landon. + +"I don't intend that Mike shall get into trouble." + +As he spoke, he laid his hand on his hip pocket where reposed his +revolver. + +"It looks as if it's the dog that is in trouble," replied Alvin, his +cheek tingling with pride at sight of the bravery of his comrade. + +"If he had to fight only one brute I shouldn't fear, but there are two +against him. When Mike is through with the dog he will have to face his +master. I shall be ready to give him help." + +"You don't mean to shoot the fellow?" said the alarmed Captain. + +"It won't be necessary," was the quiet response. + +The next exploit of Mike was brilliant. He did not kick at the dog, for +that only deferred the decisive assault, but as the mongrel rose in air, +he side-stepped with admirable quickness, gripped him by the baggy skin +at the back of his neck, and, slipping his hand under the spiky collar, +held him fast. The brute snarled, writhed, snapped his jaws and strove +desperately to insert his teeth into some part of his captor, who held +him off so firmly that he could do no harm. + +Mike now turned and began walking hurriedly toward the launch, with the +squirming captive still in his iron grip. + +The infuriated owner sprang from his seat and leaped down the steps. + +"Drop that dog!" he shouted, striding after Mike, who called back: + +"I'll drop him as soon as I raich the river." + +Afraid of being checked, the youth broke into a trot, and an instant +later was at the landing, the yelping mongrel still firmly gripped. Back +and forth Mike swung him as if he were the huge bob of a pendulum, and +then let go. He curved over the launch, like an elongated doughnut, and +dropped into the current with a splash. But all quadrupeds swim the first +time they enter the water. In an instant, the brute came to the surface, +and working all his legs vigorously, came smoothly around the stern of +the launch, and headed for Mike with the purpose of renewing the attack. + +The man, who had dropped his pipe and strode down the walk, was over six +feet in height, of large frame, and manifestly the possessor of great +muscular strength. Although he knew his dog had suffered no harm and was +safe, he was enraged over his maltreatment and resolute to wreak +vengeance upon the author of the insult. + +Mike read his purpose, poised himself and put up his fists. + +"Now for the next dog and it's mesilf that is ready fur him." + +It would give me pleasure to tell how Mike Murphy vanquished the giant +who attacked him, but such a statement would be as untrue as absurd. You +have read of the dude who daintily slipped off his kid gloves, adjusted +his eyeglasses, and proceeded to chastise an obstreperous cowboy; but +take it from me that no such thing ever occurred, except in stories. +Nature governs through rigid laws, and two and two will always make four. +It might have been creditable to the courage of the Irish youth thus to +engage in a bout with a man who would have quickly beaten him to the +earth, but it would have shown very poor judgment. Had they clashed there +could have been only one end to the encounter. + +But they did not clash. Several paces separated the two, when Stockham +Calvert, his thin gray coat buttoned around his trim form, stepped +quickly between them, and, looking sharply into the face of the savage +stranger, said in a voice that showed not the least agitation: + +"Stop! he's my friend!" + +He raised one hand, palm outward by way of emphasis of his warning words. + +"Who are you?" demanded the other, stopping short, his eyes flaming above +his shaggy beard and under his straw hat, like an animal glaring through +a thicket. + +"Come on and you'll learn!" was the reply in the same even tones, as +Calvert assumed the posture of a trained pugilist. + +Now it is proper to say of this man that he had been the champion boxer +in college, and in his New York club he was easily the master of every +one with whom he had donned the gloves. Though of only average size and +stature and inclined to thinness, his muscles were of steel, he had the +quickness of a cat, and had been told more than once, that if he would +enter the "magic circle" he would hold his own with the best in the +profession. But, like all gentlemen who are masters of the manly art, he +disliked personal encounters, and many a time had submitted to insulting +words and even the accusation of timidity, rather than to call his iron +fists and superb skill into play. You might have been in his company for +months without suspecting his attainments in that respect. His business +required that he should always carry a revolver, and when he placed his +hand on his hip at sight of Mike Murphy's personal danger, the action was +instinctive, but he instantly gave up all thought of using so deadly a +weapon. He was certain there was no necessity for it; he had no more +doubt of his mastery of the bulky brute, who was equally confident, than +he had of his ability to handle any one of the three lads who were his +companions. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +SCIENCE VERSUS STRENGTH + + +Had the large man undergone the scientific training of the smaller one, +he might have overcome him, for, as has been said, he was immensely +powerful and must have been a third heavier than Stockham Calvert. But he +was out of condition, and, worse than all for him, had not the slightest +knowledge of the "manly art." When he doubled his huge hairy fists, he +charged upon the detective like a roaring bull, expecting to beat down +his smaller antagonist as if he were pulp. + +The pose of the defendant was perfect. Resting easily on his right foot, +the left advanced and gently touching the ground, he could leap forward, +backward or to one side with the agility of a panther. The left fist was +held something more than a foot beyond the chest, the elbow slightly +crooked, while the right forearm crossed the breast diagonally at a +distance of a few inches. This is the true position, and the combatant +who knows his business always looks straight into the eyes of his +opponent. The arms and body are thus in his field of vision, whereas if +he once glances elsewhere he lays himself open to a sudden blow. + +With that alertness which becomes second nature to a pugilist, Calvert +saw before the first demonstration that his foe had no knowledge whatever +of defending himself. He allowed him to make a single rush, his big fists +and arms sawing space like a windmill. He struck twice, swishing the air +in front of Calvert's face, and gathered himself to strike again, +when---- + +Not one of the three spectators could ever describe how it was done, for +the action was too quick for the eye to follow. But, all the same, that +metal-like left fist shot forward with the speed of lightning, and +landing on the point of the chin, the recipient went down like an ox +stricken by the axe of a butcher. Rather curiously, he did not fall +backward, but lurched forward and lay senseless, knocked out in the first +round. + +"You have killed him!" whispered the scared Captain. + +"Not a bit of it, but he will be dead to the world for ten or fifteen +minutes. We may as well let him rest in peace. What's become of that +dog?" asked the officer, glancing inquiringly around. + +Chester pointed toward the house. The brute, with his two inches of tail +aimed skyward, was scooting around the corner of the building as fast as +his bowed legs could carry him. He would not have done so had he been of +true bulldog breed, but being a mongrel, there was a big streak of yellow +in his make-up. + +"He's come to the belief that it's a good time to adjourn, as me cousin +said whin someone blowed up the stump on which he was risting his weary +body." + +"I think we have had enough foraging along the river," remarked Captain +Alvin, who re-entered the boat and resumed his place at the wheel. "We +dine at Wiscasset." + +"I'm not partic'lar as to the place," said Mike, "if only we dine." + +Chester flung the loop of rope off the support, and he and the others +stepped aboard the launch, which moved up the river. Standing in front of +the detective, Mike, with his genial grin, offered his hand: + +"I asks the privilege of a shake of yours. I apologize for thinking ye +didn't like a shindy as well as the rest of us. I'm sorry for me mistake, +as me uncle said, whin he inthroodoced dad to a party of leddies as a +gintleman. I couldn't have done better mesilf." + +The smiling officer cordially accepted the proffer. + +"No one can doubt your pluck, Mike, but, to quote your favorite method of +expressing yourself, you showed mighty poor judgment, as the owner of the +bull said when the animal tried to butt a locomotive off the track. That +man would have eaten you up." + +"P-raps, but he would have found me hard to digist. Do ye obsarve?" + +He pointed to the little landing which they were leaving behind them. All +looked and saw the burly brute of a man slowly rise to a sitting posture, +with his hat off and his frowsy hair in his eyes, as he stared confusedly +after the launch speeding up the river. + +"He is recovering quicker than I expected," was the only remark Calvert +made, as he turned his back upon the fellow and gave his attention to +lighting another cigar. + +"He has the look of a fellow mixed and confused like, similar to Pat +McGuigan, whin he dived off the dock and his head and shoulders wint +through a lobster pot that he didn't obsarve in time to avoid the same." + +"He's coming round all right," said Calvert, referring to the man they +had left behind, though he did not glance at him. "He may not be very +pretty, but he knows more than he did a little while ago. Which reminds +me to say something that ought to have been said at our first interview." + +The three listened to the words of Calvert, who clearly was in earnest. + +"Each of you knows that I am a professional detective who has been sent +into Maine to do all I can to capture the gang that is robbing the post +offices in this section. I told you that much, but I wish to ask you to +be very, very careful not to say this to any person whom you may meet, +until you have my permission to do so. Some would insist that it was +unprofessional on my part to say what I did, but I had good reason for +it, as will appear before I am through with the business." + +"It was not necessary to tell Chester and me that, but I suppose you wish +to run no risk that can be avoided." + +"That's it; I did not doubt your loyalty, but you know we can't be too +careful." + +Mike was leaning back in his chair deeply thinking. + +"There's one waak p'int in the plan suggisted." + +Inasmuch as no one had submitted a plan the three wondered. + +"Me friend doesn't wish us to tell anyone that he's the best detictive +and scrapper outside of our family in Ireland, but when folks priss their +questions, some answer must be given or 'spicions will be stirred." + +"The point is well taken. I don't wish you to tell an untruth----" + +"I'm sure the task is not difficult fur the Captain and second mate," +interrupted Mike, "though it's beyond me." + +"But you can evade a direct reply." + +"May I vinture upon another suggistion?" asked Mike. + +"We shall all be glad to hear it, I'm sure." + +"Without waiting for questions to be asked, I'll step up to ivery one +that I obsarve casting an inquiring eye over ye and say ye're my older +brither, that took a hand in the Phoenix Park murders, but broke out of +Dublin jail and thus escaped hanging, and yer kaaping dark in Ameriky +till the little matter blows over." + +"A brilliant idea!" laughed the officer. "All I ask is that you give no +truthful information about me." + +"Ye doesn't objict to my telling folks how ye laid out that Goliah a bit +ago?" + +"I prefer you should not mention it." + +Mike sighed. + +"Ah, have ye no pride of family, as Tam O'Toole used to say whin +mintioning the fact that all his five brithers were in jail, where Tarn +himsilf ought to have been?" + +"I may add," continued the man, "that it is quite likely we shall soon +part company." + +Mike affected to be surprised. + +"Doesn't the Captain pay ye 'nough wages?" + +"I have no fault to find on that score." + +"I'm glad to larn that. If he requires ye to do too much dooty, I'll hilp +ye out, the bist I can." + +"I promise to call upon you if necessary, Mike, but I hope I shall not be +obliged to do so." + +"I have been wondering since we started," said Alvin over his shoulder, +"whether by any possibility the _Water Witch_ kept on up the river ahead +of us instead of running into some bay or inlet to the south." + +"It is possible, but not probable. You know we had an extended view of +this stream, or rather of Montsweag Bay, and she could not have gone far +enough in the short time to pass out of sight." + +"Ye forgits how anxious the Captain was not to overtake her," reminded +Mike. "I once read of a farmer who chased a big black bear that had been +staaling his sheep fur two days and nights and then quit. Can ye guess +why?" + +"I should say that after so long a chase he would have given up +disgusted," replied the detective. + +"It was not that; it was 'cause he found the tracks were becooming too +fresh." + +"I don't think, Mike, that you are in danger of being accused of that," +ventured Chester, "because you are always fresh--you are never _becoming_ +so." + +"But the same is becooming to me, as Jim Flannery said whin he walked +into church wid two black eyes and his head bent out of shape from the +shindy he had with his twin brither over the quistion of aiting maat on +Friday." + +"You seem quite sure that these three whom we saw in the launch are mixed +up in these post office robberies?" asked Alvin. + +"It has that look. No matter how certain I may feel, nothing can be +accomplished until legal proof is obtained. You know the rule that every +man must be presumed to be innocent until proved guilty." + +"It shtrikes me that the most important quistion of all has been +sittled." + +"What's that?" + +"These two young gintlemen are the spalpeens that tried to hold ye up, +Captain, the ither night on yer way home. That fur outweighs the taking +of a few postage stamps from some country offices." + +"The puzzling feature of that business," said Alvin, "is that when you +meet those two fellows again, you will not have Mr. Calvert along to +protect you." + +Mike stared as if he failed to catch the meaning of this astounding +remark. + +"Plaise say that agin, Captain, and say it slow like." + +Alvin's face being turned away, he was not forced to maintain his gravity +while he repeated in his most serious tones the remark quoted. + +"All I have to say to that is not to say anything, as Teddy Geoghan +observed whin they found a stolen pig in the bag he was carrying over his +shoulder which the same he insisted was filled with clothes for Widow +Mulligan." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE LONE GUEST + + +The _Deerfoot_ glided through the smooth waters, and while the afternoon +was still young rounded to at the wharf, below the long wooden bridge +which spans the stream at Wiscasset, and made fast where a score of other +boats of all sizes and models were moored. Several large vessels were +anchored farther out and Captain Alvin Landon had to slow down to thread +his way among them. There was plenty of room, and the launch was tied up +opposite a small excursion steamer which was to start southward an hour +later. A tip to the old man who was looking after a number of yachts +assured the safety of the last arrival from molestation. + +The possibility that the _Water Witch_ had preceded them to Wiscasset +caused a scrutiny of the various craft in sight by the Captain and his +crew, including Detective Calvert, but nothing was seen of the boat. + +"She is miles off down stream," was the remark of the officer, "and for +the present is out of the running." + +The four walked up the easy slope to the main street, along which they +passed to the leading hotel for dinner. They were a little late and when +they went into the spacious dining room found a table by themselves. The +only other occupant was a tall, angular man of about the same age as +Calvert, similarly attired and apparently giving his sole attention to +the meal before him. He nodded to the group in a neighborly way, but did +not speak. + +When the four took their places at the small table, Calvert faced this +person a short distance away; Chester Haynes sat with his back to him, +thus confronting the detective, while Mike and Alvin occupied the +respective ends of the board. These details sound trifling, but they had +a meaning. Calvert thus distributed his companions apparently off-hand, +but the seating of himself as mentioned was done with a purpose. Chester +then, from the position he occupied, was the only one of the other three +who observed anything significant in that action and in what followed. + +In the first place, the officer raised his glass of water, and while +slowly drinking looked over the top at the lone guest. Chester noticed +that he sipped the fluid longer than common, gazed at the stranger and +deliberately winked one eye. What response the other made of course could +not be seen by Chester. + +"The two are acquaintances," was the conclusion of the lad, "and they +don't wish anyone else to know it." + +He was curious to know whether Alvin and Mike had noticed anything of the +by-play. The Irish lad for the time devoted himself to satisfying his +vigorous hunger and cared for naught else. The same was to be said of the +Captain. Chester remained on the alert. + +Several trifling incidents that occurred during the meal, which was +enlivened by the wit of the Irish lad, confirmed Chester in his first +suspicion. Calvert tried to divert possible suspicion by cheery remarks +and pleasant conversation as the meal proceeded. + +"I am sure, Mike, you never had any such feasts in the old country." + +Having said this, the detective coughed several times and held his napkin +to his mouth, but Chester knew the outburst was forced, and was meant to +carry to the other man, who rather curiously coughed the same number of +times immediately afterward. + +"A message and its reply," was the thought of Chester, "but I have no +idea of what they mean. Mr. Calvert doesn't wish me to see anything and I +won't let him know I do." + +Meanwhile, Mike made his response to the inquiring remark of Calvert: + +"Ye're right, me frind, as Hank McCarthy said whin dining on one pratie +and a bit of black bread, calling to mind his former feasting in his own +home. Which reminds me, Mr. Calvert, to ask, did ye iver see the heart of +an Irishman?" + +"I'm not quite sure I grasp your meaning, Mike," was the reply, while +Alvin and Chester looked up. + +"I can bist explain by a dimonstration, as the tacher said whin I asked +him what was meant by the chastisement of a school lad. Now, give heed, +all of ye, and I'll show ye what I meant by the sinsible inquiry." + +Among the different articles of food on the table was a dish of "murphy" +potatoes with their "jackets" on. That is, they had not been mashed or +peeled, though a strip was shaved off of each end. They were mealy and +white, and Mike had already placed several where they were sure to do the +most good. The tubers in boiling had swollen so much that most of the +skins had popped open in spots from the richness within. + +Mike reached over and carefully selected a big murphy, which he held with +the thumb of his left hand and fingers circling about it. The upper end +projected slightly above the thumb and forefinger, as if peeping out to +watch proceedings. The three stopped eating for the moment and watched +the youth. While doing this, Chester glanced for an instant at the face +of the officer, and saw him look quickly across the room and telegraph +another wink. + +Like a professional magician, Mike was very deliberate in order to be +more impressive. The true artist does not overlook the minutest point, +and he daintily adjusted the potato, shifting it about until it was +poised exactly right. Then he slowly raised his open right hand, with the +palm downward, until it was above his head. Like a flash he brought it +down upon the upper end of the tuber, which shot through the loose +encircling grasp as if fired from an air gun. The skin remained, but the +potato itself whisked down upon the table with such force that it popped +open, and lo! + +"There's the heart of an Irishman--Begoora! but I'm mistook!" exclaimed +Mike in dismay, for when the tuber burst open the interior was black with +decay! + +Calvert threw back his head and roared, and Alvin and Chester came near +falling from their chairs. Even the man at the other table joined in the +boisterous merriment, which was increased by the comical expression of +Mike. With open mouth and staring eyes he sat dumfounded. For once in his +life he was caught so fairly that he was speechless. + +The deft little trick he had performed many times, but never before had +he been victimized by what seemed to be a rich, mealy potato. He couldn't +understand it. + +Oddly enough the stranger was the first to recover his speech. He must +have had little liking for Hibernians, since he called: + +"You're right, young man! You showed us the heart of a real Irishman!" + +With lower jaw still drooping, Mike turned his head and stared at the +speaker. He yearned to crush him with a suitable reply, but all his wit +had been knocked out of him by the cruel blow of fate. However, it could +not long remain so. He picked up the fragments of the potato, fumbled +them reprovingly and gravely laid them on the tablecloth beside his +plate. Then the old grin bisected his homely face, and addressing the +three, he said: + +"I made a slight mistake, as Jerry Sullivan said whin he stepped out of +the third story windy thinking it was the top of the stairs. If it's all +the same to yees, we'll now give our attintion to disposing of the +remaining stuff on the boord." + +Out of curiosity, the four cut in two each of the potatoes left in the +dish. Every one was as sound as a dollar, whereat all laughed again, Mike +as heartily as any. + +"It'll be a sorry day whin I can't take a joke, as Jim Doolin said +smiling whin his frinds pushed his cabin over on top of him as he lay +sleeping behind it, but I was niver sarved such a trick before." + +Chester thought the unanimous merriment caused by Mike's mishap would +open an acquaintance between the lone guest and the others, but nothing +more was said by the respective parties, nor did the watchfulness of the +youth detect any further signals while at the table. Evidently an +understanding had been brought about, and nothing else was required. + +The meal finished, the four rose to leave the dining room. While there +may have been nothing meant by Calvert's action in dropping to the rear, +Chester was alert and glanced back as they walked into the hall outside. +He was rewarded by seeing the officer turn his head for an instant and +give a slight nod. No doubt it was meant for the guest left behind, whose +response was invisible to all except him for whom it was intended. The +individual must have been blessed with a good appetite, or he followed +the sensible policy of lingering long over his meals, since he began +eating before the little party and continued after their departure. + +Reaching the pleasant, shady avenue, the four strolled through the town +and when tired came back to the hotel and sat down. Chester was on the +lookout for the stranger, but nothing was seen of him. What did it all +mean and what was the cause of the secrecy between him and Stockham +Calvert? + +"If he chooses to explain I must wait until he is ready," was the +decision of Chester. + +The afternoon was well forward, when they walked down the slope to the +wharf, where the _Deerfoot_ awaited them. Alvin made a hasty inspection +of it and found everything seemingly all right. As they were about to +step aboard, the officer said: + +"I shall have to bid you good-by for awhile." + +"Why is that?" asked the Captain, in surprise. + +"You remember I told you it was likely, but I hope soon to meet you all +again." + +Nothing could be said by way of objection, and he stood on the wharf as +Alvin seated himself after adjusting the plug and swinging over the +fly-wheel. The boat circled out into the broad stream, and all waved +their hands to the officer, who responded similarly. Then he turned about +and went slowly up the slope, probably to the hotel where they had dined. + +When everything was moving easily, and the boat was gliding down stream, +Chester sitting directly beside his chum told him all that he had +observed in the dining room. Mike had gone to the stern of the launch and +sat down in his favorite position, with his feet curled up under him. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A BREAK DOWN + + +Captain Alvin was keenly interested in the story of Chester Haynes. He +admitted that he had noticed nothing peculiar, and it was evident that +Mike had been equally blind to the events passing under their eyes. + +"It is plain," said Alvin, "that although Calvert told us a good many +things about himself, there is a good deal more he didn't tell." + +"What do you make of it all?" + +"That man who was in the dining room with us may have been another +detective or----" + +"Or what?" asked Chester, observing the hesitation. + +"I hate to say what comes into my mind, but every now and then a queer +suspicion steals over me that Calvert is deceiving us and is not what he +claims to be." + +"In other words, he is a member of the gang whom he pretends to be +hunting down." + +"I am ashamed to confess it, but such has been my fear at times. And +yet," the Captain hastened to add, as if regretting his unworthy +thoughts, "it seems impossible, when we call to mind all he did and how +he has acted from the first of our acquaintance with him." + +Chester was thoughtful for a moment or two. + +"I made up my mind after that rumpus down stream when he saved Mike from +a bad beating, that he was just what he said, though I won't deny that +more than one thing he has done--such as following us from Sawyer Island +to the inlet where the _Water Witch_ lay, and his behavior on the +road--had a queer look. But what's the use of speculating about it? +Sooner or later we shall know the truth, and, if we don't, I can't say I +much care. Which course will you take in going home?" + +"I haven't any choice; have you?" + +"Suppose then you follow Back River, and around Cape Newagen home. That's +a pretty good run, and at the rate we are going we sha'n't get there +before dark." + +"Have you any reason for the choice?" + +"Only that we may catch sight of the _Water Witch_, from which we parted +in those waters. If we do, we shall have to hold Mike in leash." + +So it came about that the _Deerfoot_ turned into the headwaters of Back +River, passing Cushman Point through the Cowseagan Narrows, and into the +more open waters below. Three or four miles farther would take them to +Montsweag Bay, of which mention has been made, that body of water being +twice or thrice as wide as the river. + +Suddenly Chester asked an odd question: + +"Do you think the launch was injured by that spurt this forenoon?" + +"She ought not to have been, for she has gone through the strain more +than once and for a longer time. Why do you ask?" + +"Somehow or other, it seems to me she isn't running exactly right." + +"What is wrong?" + +"I can't put my finger on it; I may say I _feel_ it--that's all." + +"Well, you are right, for I have had the same misgiving ever since we +left Wiscasset. I have tried to figure it out, but can't and am waiting +for it to develop, hoping all the time it won't--hello! there it comes!" + +While the speed of the boat was not affected, the engine began hissing +with vicious persistency. + +"Take the wheel, Chester, while I look around." + +He first examined the spark plugs, knowing that if one was broken the +result would be what had just taken place, but all were intact. He had +turned the switch, stopping the motor, and next inspected the valve caps +where a fracture or loosening would have caused the hissing. They were +sound and tight and the gaskets where the exhaust and intake pipes +connected with the cylinders were tight. + +"I've found it!" he called to Chester. "It's an open compression cup, +which is easily fixed; I am glad it is nothing worse." + +Remembering the lessons he had been taught, the young Captain soon +corrected the fault and resumed progress. The launch, however, was held +down to a comparatively slow pace, for the slight slip naturally caused +misgiving. Several minutes passed with all going well. + +"It seems to me safe to give her more speed," said Chester. "At this rate +we sha'n't reach home until late at night." + +"All right; turn on more power--no, don't! _Ouch!_" + +Alvin snapped his fingers, as one does when they are burned. He had +placed them upon the exhaust pipe, which was growing red hot. + +"Shut her off! The mischief is to pay." + +Knowing from the gesture of the Captain what was the matter, Chester +asked, as he obeyed the request: + +"What causes that?" + +"There is either something wrong with the water pump, the spark is +retarded, or a lack of sufficient lubrication, causing the motor to heat. +It will take some time to find out and we shall have to drift for +awhile." + +"Why not run to land and tie up? We may get in the way of some of the +boats steaming up or down the river if we stay out here." + +Alvin scrutinized the eastern bank, which is the upper portion of +Westport, and much nearer than Wiscasset township opposite. + +"The water is so deep that I suppose we can touch the bank anywhere +without risk to the hull. All right; feel your way in." + +The turning of the boat naturally stirred Mike's curiosity and he came +back to learn the cause, which was soon explained to him. + +"Ye have me consint, since I obsarve there's a bit of a town not far off +where we can git enough food to keep off starvation." + +Fir, spruce and pines line the shore of this part of Westport, the ground +rising moderately inland. A half mile, more or less, from the river, runs +the public highway from Clough Point, the northern extremity of Westport, +almost to Brooks Point at the extreme southern end, the distance being +something like fifteen miles, the entire length of the island. + +The village to which Mike Murphy alluded stands alongside this road, a +half mile from the shore of Back River. There was enough rise to the +ground to show the church steeple and the roofs of the higher buildings. +Perhaps it will be well to give it the name of Beartown, and to say that +it numbered some five hundred inhabitants. Although its main interest was +with the highway alluded to, yet it had considerable trade with the +river, up and down which boats of different tonnage steamed, sailed or +rowed during the day, and occasionally at night. A well-marked road led +from a wharf to the village. Over this freight was drawn to and fro in +wagons, and some of the less important steamers halted for passengers who +liked that way of going up or down stream. + +Alvin and Chester thought it better not to stop at the public wharf, +where they were likely to be in the way of larger craft and might draw +unpleasant attention to themselves, while engaged in repairing the +launch. Accordingly, the latter timidly approached the land, several +hundred yards below the wharf. The water possessed that wonderful +clearness which is one of its beautiful peculiarities in Maine. The boat +was far out when the change was made in her course, but she had not gone +far when, looking over the side, the dark, rocky bottom was plainly seen +fully thirty feet below. There was slight decrease in this depth until +the boat was within a few yards of land. Even then, it must have been +twenty feet at least, the bottom sloping as abruptly from the shore as +the roof of a house. Consequently the approach was safe and easy. + +In such favorable conditions there was no difficulty in laying the launch +near the bank, where, as in former instances, she was made fast by the +bow line looped around a sturdy spruce more than six inches in diameter, +and the anchor out over the stern. Chester tied the knot securely, and +stepped back to give what help he could to Alvin, who was busy with the +engine. Mike looked on and remarked that, although he knew nothing at all +about the various contraptions, he held himself ready to give valuable +advice whenever it was needed. + +"Being as mesilf ain't indispinsable just now, 'spose I strolls up to the +city nixt door and make a few more new acquaintances." + +"There is no objection to that," replied the Captain, "but be sure to +come back before dark." + +Mike sprang lightly to land and set off on his journey of discovery. It +will be recalled that our friends were some distance from the highway +connecting the wharf and town and therefore he had to thread his way +among the trees to reach the direct route to the village. There was no +trouble in doing this: the trouble came afterward. + +Alvin and Chester gave the lad no thought, for he surely was old enough +to take care of himself, and there was nothing in the situation to cause +any misgiving. Their ambition was to get the engine of the launch in +shape. With painstaking care and the expenditure of more time than was +expected, Alvin finally discovered that the heat of the exhaust pipe was +due to the clogging of the pump with weeds, and not to the lack of +lubrication or the retarding of the spark. + +To the disgust of both, when a test was made with the launch still held +immovable, and the heating was overcome, explosions in the muffler +developed. + +"Now we must find whether that is caused by a cylinder missing fire and +pumping the gas into the muffler." + +"How will that do it?" asked Chester, who, while a good motor boat pilot, +possessed less practical knowledge than his chum. + +"The charges which I spoke of are ignited from the heat of the next +exhausted charge. It may be the exhaust valve is stuck or does not seat +properly, or the gas mixture is too weak to fire in the cylinder, or the +spark may be insufficient or over-retarded. It is a job to get that +straightened out, and when that is done, perhaps something else will turn +up, but we may as well tackle it at once." + +It was fully dark before the difficulty was remedied by a careful +readjustment of the carburettor. Repeated tests were made, and everything +found to be right. + +"At last!" said Alvin, with a sigh of relief. "And now we are ready to go +home. But where is Mike?" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +AT BEARTOWN + + +Alvin Landon had been toiling so long, often in a stooping posture, that +he was tired. He sat down on one of the seats and his chum placed himself +opposite. + +"I'm mighty glad," said the Captain, "for a fellow can't do much of this +in the dark, and I was bothered a good deal as it was." + +"It strikes me that you will be running into danger by going down the +river to-night." + +"How?" + +"There is no moon until late. Suppose the launch should break down when +we were well out in Sheepscot Bay, wouldn't we be in a fix?" + +"Yes, but I hope she is through breaking down for some time to come." + +"So do I, but why take the risk, when there's no necessity for it?" + +"We aren't fixed to sleep on board, though we could do it in a pinch, for +the weather is mild." + +"Let's go up to this village or town near by. I am sure we shall get +accommodations for the night. Truth to tell, Alvin, I'm as hungry as I +was at dinner to-day in Wiscasset." + +"The plan is a good one, though I don't like to leave the boat by itself +till morning. You know what happened the other night." + +"That won't occur again in a thousand years. Put the flags and other +stuff in the cockpit, lock the engine cover, take the switch plug with +you, and the boat will be as safe as if she had a regiment of men on +guard." + +"Mike ought to have been back before this," said the Captain, with a +touch of impatience. "Unless he has a good excuse I shall demote him, by +making you first mate." + +"It is a dazzling promise you hold before me, but it won't be fair to +condemn Mike unheard. Give him a chance." + +After some hesitation, Alvin acted upon the advice of his comrade. The +launch was made as secure as possible, and they sprang ashore, where the +gloom among the trees reminded them of that other tramp after taking +supper with Uncle Ben Trotwood. There was no reason for going astray and +they followed a direct course until they reached the roadway between the +wharf and the village of Beartown, alongside the main road running the +length of the island of Westport. + +The moon had not yet risen; in fact it would not be up for several hours, +but the sky was clear and studded with stars which shone with dazzling +brilliancy. They could plainly see the broad trail into which they turned +and walked toward the village. + +Less than a score of paces were passed when the two caught sight of a +figure approaching through the obscurity. The person kept in the middle +of the road, and an instant later both recognized him as their comrade. + +"Hands up!" called the Captain, in his most startling voice. + +Mike stopped short, but made no motion to obey. + +"Didn't you hear me?" demanded Alvin fiercely, as he strode forward with +the grinning Chester at his elbow. + +"If ye'll be kind enough to spell out the words I'll think 'em over and +let ye know me decision to-morrer," replied the Irish youth, who knew the +voice, though the speaker screened himself as much as he could in the +shadow at the side of the highway. The parties met and shook hands. + +"What kept you so long?" asked Chester. + +"I spint the time in making acquaintances, and before I knowed it, night +had descinded. I 'spose there's about two thousand folks in Beartown as +they call it, and I know 'em all excipt two or three, the same being out +of town." + +"It is so late," said the Captain, "that we have decided to stay here +overnight--that is, if we can get lodgings." + +"Arrah, now, that's a sinsible remark which I ixpicted ye to make, as +Arty Devitt said whin he admitted he was the biggest fool in Cork. But +there ain't a hotel in Beartown." + +"Then we shall have to go back to the boat and either start down the +river or bunk in as best we can." + +"Nothing of the kind; supper is waiting and ye're expicted. The house has +only one bed, which av coorse is fur me, while ye two will have to make +shift in the adj'ining woodshed. Come on and I'll show ye." + +"Be sensible for once in your life," said Alvin, "and explain matters." + +"Isn't that what I'm doing?" asked Mike, as he turned about and the three +walked toward the sleepy little town. + +"I've made frinds wid the postmaster, which is a fine old lady with a +swaat darter. She has spread supper for us three, and whin I told her +we'd honor her by staying overnight, she was that pleased she danced the +Highland Fling and kicked over a barrel of apples. And what do ye think, +byes, after we'd talked awhile, we found we was relatives. What have ye +to say to that?" + +"It is impossible. What's her name?" + +"Mrs. Friestone and her daughter is Nora. It was that name that set me +wits to work. Ye see the leddy thinks--that is, after I suggisted the +same--that one of her ancistors about the time St. Patrick was driving +the snakes out of Ireland was living there, and immigrated to this +country and he come over wid the ither sarpints." + +"St. Patrick died fifteen hundred years ago," said Chester. + +"Thin I 'spose he must be purty dead by this time, but that isn't aginst +the fact of the father of Mrs. Friestone, two or three thousand +ginerations back, paddling across the Atlantic and sittling in this part +of Maine. I have raison to belave that one of me own ancisters was a +second cousin to the owld gintleman and came wid him on the v'yage. The +owld lady doesn't dispoot me, but is inclined to belave the same." + +"But where do we come in?" asked Alvin. + +"That was me chaif trouble in gitting ye folks straightened out. Av +coorse, I made it clear to them that I owned a launch, which the same is +called the _Deerfut_, and I had took ye out fur a sail--that I had left +ye to thry to run the boat, in order to taich ye the same, and ye had +broke down. I said ye were half dacent chaps, and if she would bear in +mind that ye hadn't been under me training long, she would be able to git +along wid ye. Nora said I must bring ye to the house, and ye should have +slaaping accommodations and as much as folks of yer kind oughter ate. I +reminded them that I had provided ye with plinty of pocket money and +insthructed ye niver to accept favors widout paying for 'em. Thus the way +has been opened for ye." + +"So it would seem, if a tenth part of what you say is true," was the +comment of Alvin. + +The village, which I have thought best to call Beartown, straggles along +both sides of the highway which runs the length of Westport island. It +has a neat wooden church, a faded school house, which had been closed +several weeks, it being vacation time, two stores, a blacksmith and a +carpenter shop, but lacks a hotel, no one being enterprising enough to +build such a structure with the meagre prospects he would have to face. +If now and then some visitor wished to stay overnight in the place it +depended upon his success in finding lodgings with one of the citizens. +This could not always be done, but it is safe to say that Mike Murphy won +the favor of so many with whom he came in contact that a half dozen homes +would have been glad to take him in indefinitely. Strolling along the +highway, his attention was caught by sight of a modest frame building, +standing near the middle of the village with the sign in small letters +"Post Office" over the front porch, which was crowded with samples of +what were for sale at the store. + +Entering the open door, he asked in his most suave manner if there was a +letter for "Michael Murphy, lately from Tipperary." The thin old lady in +spectacles behind the counter, at the front, pulled the half dozen +missives from the pigeon hole over which the letter "M" showed and slowly +inspected each. She gently shook her head: + +"It doesn't seem to have arrived; probably it will come in the next +mail." + +Mike's genial face became the picture of disappointment. + +"That's mighty qu'ar. The Duke promised he would write me two waaks ago +from his castle and return the five pounds I loaned him. Ye can't thrust +the nobility." + +"I am sorry," said the sympathetic postmistress, "but I don't see how I +can help you. Have patience and all will come right." + +"Don't think it's yersilf I'm blaming, though onraisoning folks are +inclined that way. The matter of a little money doesn't consarn me, but +it's the aboose of me confidence." + +Just then a man came in to inquire for a letter, and the sweet looking +old lady was obliged to withdraw her attention from the freckled face +before her. + +During this brief interview a girl not yet out of short dresses stood +behind the counter, measuring out some calico for a woman in a scoop +shovel-bonnet. The girl's face was as mirthful as Mike's, and her black +eyes twinkled with mischief. She heard all that was said, and read the +youth like a book. He looked more at her than at her mother, and could +not help being pleased with the lively young lady. Never at loss for an +excuse in such circumstances, he waited at the front of the store, +sighing as if greatly depressed, until the woman customer paid her bill, +accepted the roll and walked out. Then Mike, blushing so far as it was +possible to do so, moved respectfully toward the smiling attraction. + +"I lost me wheelbarrer in coming up from me launch; have ye anything of +the kind ye would be willing to sell to a poor orphan?" + +"Will one be all you want?" asked the miss. "We can furnish you with a +dozen as well as a single barrow. How much would you like to pay?" + +Mike was caught. He had taken a comprehensive survey of the display +outside the store before entering, and was sure that only the simplest +agricultural implements were on sale. Furthermore, he had less than a +silver dollar in his pockets. + +"I'll have to wait to consoolt me partners," he replied, while nature did +her best to deepen the blush on his broad countenance. "Ye see it's them +that has to do the work fur me, and it's only fair on me side to let them +have something to say about the ch'ice of tools. What do ye think +yersilf?" + +"I think you haven't any wish to buy a wheelbarrow, that you haven't the +money to pay for it, and I know we haven't one in the store--so I think +further that there won't be any sale so far as wheelbarrows are +concerned." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AT THE POST OFFICE IN BEARTOWN + + +Although Mike Murphy rarely got the worst of it in a bout at repartee, he +had the true sporting instinct and liked the winner because of his +victory. It took a bright person to beat him, but it did happen now and +then, and he enjoyed a clash of wits with one who proved his master, +though in the long run the youth generally came out ahead. + +When, therefore, the girl in the post office at Beartown snapped out the +remark just printed, he was roused to admiration. He threw back his head +and the store rang with his infectious laughter. + +"Begorra! ye were too much for me that time. If ye'll not think me +impudent, I beg the privilege of shaking hands wid ye." + +The merry sprite, laughing almost as heartily as he, though with less +noise, reached a dainty hand across the counter and he grasped it. From +behind the rack at the front of the store, the gentle mother beamed with +a smile. She had heard and understood it all. + +"I am afraid, Nora, you were rude to the gentleman," she said in her +silvery voice. + +"Not a bit!" was the hearty response of Mike. "I got it that time where +the chicken got the axe--which the same is in the neck. It was a fair hit +and I desarved more, though no one could give it to me." + +It may be said that this little incident fixed Mike in the favor of +mother and daughter. It was hard to resist the rollicking good nature of +the Irish youth, who was equally impressed by the gentle goodness of the +mother and the sprightly wit of the daughter. He now called a halt with +his nonsense and gave a true account of the situation. His two companions +were the sons of wealthy parents and one of them owned a beautiful motor +launch which broke down while descending the river from Wiscasset. He had +left the two trying to tinker it in shape, but had doubts of their +success. In case they failed, it would be very pleasing to them if they +could get supper and lodging in Beartown. Would the good woman advise +them where to apply? + +She replied that she would be glad to meet their wants, though they would +be disappointed with the poor meals and lodging, for she knew they must +be accustomed to much better. This was the invitation for which Mike was +angling and he promptly accepted, assuring the woman that it was a fine +piece of good fortune which more than repaid them for the disabling of +their engine. + +"They may repair it and go home," suggested Nora. + +"That will make no difference, for I sha'n't return to them till night +comes and then they'll have no ch'ice." + +"They may not wait for you," said Nora. + +"Little fear of their laving widout me, so nothing will be done till I +arrive, as Brian O'Lynn said when he was walking forth to be hanged." + +With no other purpose in mind than to force his friends to stay over +night in the village, Mike Murphy loitered. When the mother and daughter +were not engaged with customers he entertained them by his quaint +remarks, which kept the smile on their faces. He had seated himself, on +the invitation of Nora, in a chair at the rear of the store, where he was +in no one's way and where he could make use of his eyes. Thus it came +about that he observed several interesting facts. + +Mrs. Friestone and Nora made up the whole force of the store, which did a +considerable trade in groceries and articles such as a village community +needs. Furthermore, the abundant and excellent stock showed that the +owner was not only enterprising but understood her business. The other +store in Beartown hardly rose to the dignity of a rival. + +It may as well be said at this point that her husband, who had been dead +six years, went through the whole war for the Union and was badly wounded +several times. President Grant personally complimented Captain Friestone +for his bravery in battle, and when he became President appointed him as +postmaster at Beartown. He suffered so grievously from his old wounds +that the small post office and his pension were all that saved him and +his young wife from actual want. He took up storekeeping in a small way, +gradually branching out until he had established a flourishing business, +whereupon he did an almost unheard of thing. As soon as he knew his +future was secure, he notified the government that he would no longer +accept a pension and he stuck to the resolution. + +The veteran was retained in office by the successors of President Grant +until his death, when the appointment was given to his widow, not a +member of the community asking for a change. The income was meagre, but +the widow had become accustomed to the duties, having performed them +during the last years of her husband's life, and she liked the work. The +store paid so well that it more than met the wants of the two. + +When the cheering thousands welcomed the soldiers returning from the war, +a proud father held his little girl on his shoulder and she waved her +hand joyously to the bronzed heroes some of whom were still little more +than boys. One laughing soldier snatched away the child and kissed her. +He was Captain Friestone and the girl was Bessie Elton. The acquaintance +thus begun ripened until the time arrived for her to put on long dresses, +and by and by she became the happy bride of the officer, and never a +shadow darkened their hearthstone until Death called and took away the +brave husband and father. + +Mike noticed that a massive safe stood behind the counter in a corner at +the rear of the store. The ponderous door was open, for mother and +daughter had frequent cause to use the repository. Within the steel +structure all the stamps, government funds and daily cash receipts were +deposited at the close of the day's business. The value of these was +slight, but the safe contained a great deal more. While Nora was lighting +the five kerosene lamps, suspended on brackets at favorable points in the +store, a middle aged and somewhat corpulent man bustled in, nodded to the +widow and handed her a large sealed envelope. Mike heard him say, +"Twenty-five hundred," and she replied "Very well." It was evident that +he had brought in that amount of money and left if for security with her. +On the back of the envelope--though of course the youth did not see +this--was written in a large, round hand, "C. Jasper, $2500." + +The widow walked to the rear of the store, drew out one of the small +central drawers of the safe and placed the big envelope in it, still +leaving the heavy door open, though the little drawer was locked with a +tiny key. + +Five minutes later, a second man, thin, nervous and alert, stepped +through the door, glanced sharply around and passed a similar envelope to +the woman. On the back of it was written, "G. H. Kupfer--$1250." + +"You will please give me a receipt," he said in his brisk fashion. The +reply was gentle: + +"I cannot do that." + +"Why not? It's simple business." + +"Mr. Kupfer, because you have more faith in my safe than in your small +one, you bring your money to me. I have not asked it; I should rather not +have it, and I do it only to accommodate you, besides which I charge you +nothing. If burglars should break in and steal your money, I cannot be +responsible. Do I make that clear to you?" + +"Why, Mrs. Friestone, I have no fear of that sort; I only ask that you +give me a receipt merely as a matter of record and to save you possible +annoyance. Suppose anything should happen to me--such as my death--my +folks would be put to great trouble to get this money." + +"That cannot possibly occur, for your name and the amount are written on +the sealed envelope; I know every member of your family, and in the event +you speak of I should hand it personally to some one of them. On no other +condition will I take your money for safe keeping. Follow your own +pleasure." + +"Oh, well," replied the caller, with a nervous laugh, "have it as you +please. I have left money with you before and haven't suffered. But +say----" + +As the keen eyes flitted around the store, he saw Mike Murphy sitting +under one of the lamps and looking as if he was not listening to their +conversation. Mr. Kupfer leaned over the counter and lowered his voice: + +"Who is he?" + +"A young gentleman." + +"I don't like his looks." + +"Then I advise you not to look at him," was the reply. + +"How long is he going to hang round the store?" + +"Just so long as it suits his pleasure to do so. He and two of his +friends are going to take supper and stay overnight with us." + +"Do you know anything about the two?" + +"I have never seen them, and I never saw this young gentleman till this +afternoon." + +The caller turned his face and scanned Mike more closely. The youth, who +was boiling with anger, tried to look as if unaware of the insulting +action. + +"Please hand that package back," said Mr. Kupfer, with a compression of +his thin lips. + +Without a word, the widow passed the envelope to the man, who whisked +through the open door, fairly leaping off the porch to the dusty path. + +Who shall describe the emotions of Mike Murphy during these exasperating +moments? He recalled the experience of Alvin and Chester, as they related +it to him, when they were arrested as post office robbers some days +before, and now something similar in essence had come to him. But what +could he do? He would have liked to pummel the one who had insulted him, +but that was impracticable, inasmuch as he had not addressed any words to +the youth. + +While he was fuming and glaring at the door through which the man had +disappeared, Mike heard a soft chuckle behind him. He whisked his head +around and saw Nora standing beside the safe just back of him, stuffing +her handkerchief in her mouth and with her face almost as crimson as his +own. + +"If I may be so bowld I should like to know what ye are laughing at," +said Mike, who could feel no resentment toward the merry young miss. + +"We both heard what he said," she replied as soon as she could command +her voice. + +"Being I faal like a firecracker that has jest been teched off, I suspict +I caught his loving remarks consarning mesilf." + +"Will you tell me something truly--upon your word of honor--take your +dying oath?" + +"That I will, ye may depind upon the same." + +"Are you a real post office robber?" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HOSTESSES AND GUESTS + + +Mike affected to be greatly embarrassed by the question of Nora +Friestone. He swallowed what seemed to be a lump rising in his throat, +grinned in a sickly way and then asked as if much distressed: + +"Do ye insist on me answering yer quistion?" + +"I do," she replied, with an expression of tremendous solemnity. + +"Then I'll hev to own that I'm the champion post office robber in Maine. +It was mesilf that plundered three offices, each a hundred miles from the +ither, on the same night and burned up an old man, his wife and siven +children that vintured to dispoot me will. I've been in the bus'ness iver +since the year one and me home is Murthersville at the head of +Murthersville Creek in Murthersville County." + +Rising from his chair, Mike bowed low. + +"I thrust I have answered yer quistions satisfactorily, Miss." + +"You couldn't have done better--hello, Jim!" + +This salutation was to a big gawky boy, who slouched through the door, +with the announcement: + +"Wal, I'm ready: what shall I do?" + +"Who's yer frind?" asked Mike of Nora. + +"He comes round each morning to take out and place the things on the +porch in front and brings them in again each evening" + +"Jim," said Mike, addressing the gaping youngster, "ye're discharged fur +to-night. I'm doing yer job for the avening, but you git your wages just +the same." + +With which Mike thrust his hand into his trousers pocket and drew out one +of the three silver quarters there, handing it to the boy, who was too +mystified to understand what it meant. + +"Yaws," he said, with a silly grin, looking at the coin and then clasping +it tight; "what do yuh warnt me to dew?" + +"Go right home to yer mommy and give her that quarter to save up fur ye. +Don't git gay on the road and buy a horse and wagon." + +"Yaws, but--uh--I don't understand what yuh am drivin' at." + +"Ye don't understand anything in this wurruld and by yer looks niver +will." + +"He means, Jim," interposed Nora, "that he will bring in the things +to-night for us, but you must come round in the morning and set them out +again. That's plain enough, isn't it?" + +"Yaws--but what did he give me so much money fur? I hain't done nothin' +to earn it; I don't understand it." + +"We all know that. Come wid me, James." + +As Mike spoke, he slipped his arm under that of Jim and walked to the +door, not pausing until they stood on the porch. + +"Now, James, tell me where ye live." + +"Yaws, what fur?" + +"'Cause I asked ye; out wid it!" + +The lad pointed a crooked finger down the street to the left. + +"Now, see how quick ye can git thar. Don't look back, and whin ye tumbles +over the doorsill, tell yer mither ye won't have any wurruk to do here +until to-morrer mornin'." + +"Oh, yaws, I understand--why didn't ye say so afore?" + +"'Cause ye wouldn't have understood if I did. Off wid ye!" + +And to make sure of being obeyed, Mike gave him a push which caused his +dilapidated straw hat to fall off. He snatched it up and broke into a +lope, as if afraid of harm if he lingered longer in the neighborhood of +such strange doings. + +"Now, Miss Nora, if ye'll tell me where ye want these things placed, I +shall be honored by carrying 'em in fur ye." + +Mike stood in the front door and looked down the big store to Nora, at +the rear, who called: + +"Set them in the back part of the room right here where I'm standing." + +"How can I put 'em there, if ye stand there?" asked Mike. + +"I expect to get out of your way." + +"Oh, yaws," remarked the youth, mimicking Jim, who had shown so much +mental bewilderment. + +The task was easy. There were picks, shovels, rakes, hoes, spades, pails, +ice cream freezers, toy wagons with gilt letters, coils of rope and the +various articles displayed by most village or country stores to attract +custom. These were carried in by the lusty Mike, a half dozen at a time, +and set down somewhat loosely at the rear, Nora making a few suggestions +that were hardly needed. + +While this was going on, the mother employed herself in locking the safe +for the night. It will be remembered that in addition to the stamps and +money belonging to the government and to herself, a liberal amount was +already there, the property of one of the leading citizens of Beartown, +who was glad to entrust it to the keeping of the honest widow. + +"I think," said the daughter when Mike had completed his work, which took +only a few minutes, "you have earned your supper." + +"Ah, now what reward can equal the light of yer blue eyes and the swate +smile that shows the purtiest teeth in the State of Maine?" was the +instant inquiry in return. + +The mother had just finished locking the safe, and, standing up, she +laughed in her gentle way and said: + +"Surely you have kissed the blarney stone, Mike." + +"I would have done the same had the chance been mine, which it wasn't. Is +there any more play that ye call wurruk which I can do fur the likes of +ye?" + +"Nothing more, thank you. Nora and I will now close the store and attend +to preparing supper." + +"And I'll bring me frinds to enj'y the same." + +So Mike bade them good night for a brief while, and strode down the road +to find Alvin and Chester, whom, as you know, he met on their way to look +for him. The three lingered and chatted, with the view of giving mother +and daughter time in which to make ready the evening meal. + +Following a common fashion of the times, the veteran Carter Friestone, in +building his store and home, made the second story the living room of the +family. It could be reached by the stairs at the back of the regular +entrance, being through a narrow hall where visitors rang a bell when +they called. + +The upper front apartment served for parlor and sitting room, and was +neatly furnished, one of the principal articles being a piano. This was a +birthday present to Nora, who was gifted with a naturally sweet voice and +received instruction from the schoolmistress of Beartown. At the rear was +the kitchen and dining room, with two bedrooms between that and the +parlor, facing each other across the hall. + +Nora answered the tinkle of the bell, and Alvin and Chester were +introduced to her under the light of the hanging lamp overhead. The +little party found the mother awaiting them at the head of the stairs. + +"Supper will be ready in a few minutes," she said. "Nora will entertain +you in the parlor until I call you." + +The girl escorted them to the front room, where all sat down and chatted +with the cheery good nature proper in such a party of young folks. Mike +was at his best, and kept all laughing by his drollery. Nora's merriment +filled the room with music. Michael had given his name soon after his +entrance into the store, but insisted that the way to pronounce it was +"Mike," not "Michael." + +"I never knew such a funny person," said Nora, after one of his quaint +remarks. "Mother and I took to him from the first." + +"I find it's a common wakeness whereiver I go," said Mike gravely. + +"We find him fairly good company," said Alvin. "He seems to have been +born that way and we can hardly blame him." + +"He tries our patience very much," added Chester, "but we have learned to +bear the affliction." + +"I wish you all lived in Beartown," said Nora impulsively, "and that Mike +would call to see us every day." + +"Whisht, now," said he, lowering his voice. "Whin I strolled through the +town on me arrival, I was so chaarmed I began hunting fur a house and +property to buy fur me home. I sthruck the right spot and made an offer +to the owner of the same. I think we'll come to tarms, being there's only +a difference of a thrifle of five or six thousand dollars in the price." + +Mrs. Friestone now appeared with word that supper was waiting, and all +passed into the kitchen and dining room. Of course she presided, Nora +acting as waitress whenever necessary. Alvin and Chester complimented +their hostess on the excellence of the meal, while Mike was so +extravagant in his praise that they protested. Alvin told the particulars +of their trip in the launch from home to Wiscasset and return, omitting +of course all reference to Stockham Calvert that would give a hint of his +profession and his purpose in making what looked like an aimless ramble +through this portion of Maine. The Captain was assured that his boat +would not be disturbed where it lay moored under the bank, and he and +Chester gave no further thought to it. + +The group lingered long at the table, and at the close of the meal Nora +preceded them to the parlor, were she excused herself in order to help +her mother in washing the dishes and clearing away things. The work was +finished sooner than the friends expected, and the happy party gathered +in the parlor. + +The presence of the musical instrument made its own suggestion, and the +lads insisted that Nora should favor them with a song or two. She had the +good taste to comply after a modest protest, and gave them a treat. Her +voice, as I have said, was of fine quality though rather weak, and she +sang several of the popular songs of the day with exquisite expression. +She was so warmly applauded that she blushed and sang again until it was +evident to all she was tired. + +"Now," said she as she rose from the stool and looked at Mike, "you must +sing for us, for I know you can." + +"Certainly, Mike, show them what you can do in that line," joined Alvin, +and Chester was equally urgent. + +He objected and held back, but when Mrs. Friestone joined in the request +he rose reluctantly and went to the instrument. + +And straightway came the surprise of the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +AN INCIDENT ON SHIPBOARD + + +Among the passengers on one of the most magnificent of ocean steamers +that crossed the Atlantic during the summer of which I have made mention, +was a famous prima donna coming to the United States to fulfil a contract +which would net her many thousand dollars. This notable artist who +possessed a most winning personality as well as great beauty was easily +the most popular passenger aboard the steamer on that memorable trip +across the ocean. + +One evening this lady was strolling over the promenade deck under the +escort of her brother. The night was unusually calm, with a bright moon +in the sky. The mighty throbbing structure glided over the sleeping +billows as across a millpond, and all were in fine spirits, for they were +nearing home, and that dreadful affliction _mal de mer_ had troubled only +the abnormally sensitive. Neither the brother nor the prima donna had +felt the slightest effects. + +The two were chatting of many things, but nothing of any importance, when +she suddenly stopped with an exclamation of surprise. + +"Listen!" she added when they had stood motionless for a few seconds; "do +you hear that?" + +"I do; it is wonderful." + +It was the voice of some one singing "Mavourneen," that sweet Irish +melody which has charmed and will always charm thousands. It came from +the second class section, which was separated from the first by two +gates. These marked the "impassable chasm," so far as the less favored +were concerned, though of course the first class passengers were free to +wander whither they chose. + +The lady and gentleman walked to the barrier and looked across. + +"There he is!" said the man, in a low tone. + +"Where?" asked his companion, with eager curiosity. + +"To the right, in front of that group which has gathered round him." + +"I see him now. Why, he is only a boy." + +"A pretty big one. But hark!" + +They ceased talking that they might not lose any of the marvellous music. +Others gathered near until more than a score were listening near the +bridge. Many more paused in different parts of the deck, and even the +grim captain high up on the bridge expressed the opinion that the +singer's voice was "infernally good." + +The singer was modest, for when he discovered the number of listeners he +abruptly ceased nor could any coaxing induce him to resume the treat. + +"Louis," said the prima donna, after the silence had lasted some minutes +and the various groups began dissolving, "I want you to bring that boy to +me." + +"Why, my dear, he is a second class passenger." + +"What of that? He has a divine gift in his voice. I must meet him." + +Louis shrugged his shoulders, but he was used to the whims of his +brilliant sister. He strolled through one of the gates while she awaited +his return. He soon appeared, walking slowly, in order to keep pace with +a big boy behind him, who, it was evident, moved with deep reluctance. +Louis led him straight to the lady, who advanced a step to meet him. + +"I wish to shake hands with you," she said in her frank, winning manner, +"and to tell you how much we all enjoyed your singing of 'Mavourneen.'" + +The confused lad doffed his cap and bowed with awkward grace. + +"It was mesilf that feared I was disturbing yer slumbers, which if it be +the fact I beg yer pardon fur the same." + +"Disturbing our slumbers! Did you hear that, Louis?" + +And the artist's musical laughter rang out. More soberly she asked: + +"Will you tell me your name?" + +"Mike Murphy--not Michael as some ignorant persons call it--and I'm from +Tipperary, in the County of Tipperary, and the town is a hundred miles +from Dublin--thank ye kindly, leddy." + +"Are you alone?" + +Mike was standing with his cap in hand where the moonlight revealed his +homely face and his shock of red hair. His self-possession had quickly +come back to him and his waggishness could not be repressed. He glanced +into the beautiful face before him and made answer: + +"How can I be alone, whin I'm standing in the prisence of the swatest +lady on boord the steamer, wid her father at her elbow?" + +How the prima donna laughed! + +"Louis, he thinks you are my father, when you are my twin brother! It's +delicious." + +"It may be for you, but not for me," he grimly answered, though scarcely +less pleased than she over the pointed compliment to her. + +Addressing Mike, the lady said: + +"You have a wonderfully fine tenor voice: do you know that, Mike?" + +"I do _now_, since yersilf has told me, though ye make me blush." + +"Are you travelling alone?" + +"Yes, Miss; I'm on me way to jine me dad and mither, which the same live +in the State of Maine, of which I suppose yersilf has heerd." + +"Have you had any instruction in music or the cultivation of your voice?" + +"The only insthrumint on which I can play is the jewsharp, and folks that +hear me always kindly requists me to have done as soon as I begin. As to +me v'ice, the cultivation I've resaved has been in shouting at the cows +when they wint astray or at the pigs whin they broke out of the stye." + +"How would you like to become an opera singer, Mike?" + +He recoiled, and, though he knew the meaning of the question, he asked: + +"And phwat does ye mane by 'opera'?" + +"Ah, you know, you sly boy. I am sure that after a few years of training +you can make your fortune on the operatic stage." + +The assurance did not appeal to Mike. He must find some excuse for +declining an offer which would have turned the heads of most persons. + +"It is very kind of you, leddy, and I'm sorry I can't accipt, as Terence +Gallagher said whin the mob invited him out to be hanged." + +"And why not?" + +"Ye see, me dad, if he lives long enough will be eighty-odd years owld, +and me mither is alriddy that feeble she can hardly walk across the floor +of our cabin, and I am naaded at home to take care of the two." + +"Well, let that go for the present. I wish you to come and see me +to-morrow at ten o'clock. Will you do so?" + +"How can I refoos?" asked Mike, who would have been glad to back out. +"Who is it that I shall ask fur whin I vinture on this part of the boat?" + +She gave him her name, thanked him for the meeting and bade him good +night. Mike donned his cap and returned to his acquaintances, to whom he +told a portion of what had taken place. + +Dressed in his best, his obdurate hair smoothed down by dousing it in +water and threading a brush many times through it, and spotlessly clean, +Mike with many misgivings crossed the bridge the next morning into the +more favored section of the steamer. He did not have to make inquiries +for the lady, for she stood smilingly at the end of the first class +promenade awaiting him. She extended her dainty gloved hand, and the lad, +who had braced himself for the ordeal, had shed most of his awkwardness. +The brother kept in the background, having been ordered to do so, but he +amusedly watched the two from a distance, as did a good many others. + +The prima donna conducted Mike straight to the grand saloon and sat down +before the superb piano. Others sauntered into the room to listen and +look and enjoy. + +The frightened Mike hung back. + +"Stand right here beside me," she said with pleasant imperiousness. "I +will play the accompaniment while you sing 'Mavourneen.'" + +"I'm that scared, me leddy, that I couldn't sing a word." + +"Tut, tut--none of that. Come, try!" and she struck several notes on the +instrument. + +Mike's voice was a trifle uncertain at first, but she knew how to +encourage him, and soon the tones rang out with the exquisite sweetness +that had charmed the listeners the evening before. When with many doubts +he finished, he was startled by a vigorous handclapping that caused him +to look round. Fully fifty men and women had gathered without his +suspecting it. He bowed and was turning to walk to a chair, when the lady +stopped him. + +"You are not through yet; I must test your voice further. Can you sing +any other songs?" + +"I have thried a few." + +"Name them." + +"I can't ricollect them at this moment, but there's 'Oft in the Stilly +Night' and----" + +"That will do; it is one of Tom Moore's prettiest. Are you ready?" + +And the fast increasing audience applauded to the echo. Other pieces +followed until the prima donna allowed him to rest. Then sitting down +beside him, she said: + +"As I told you last night, you have a fortune in your voice. If you can +arrange to leave your feeble parents to the care of others, you can soon +earn enough to keep them in comfort all their lives. If you can come to +Boston or New York when I sing there, you must not fail to call on me and +to attend the concert. Here is my card." + +She had already written a few lines upon the pasteboard which made it an +open sesame to the possessor to any and all of her concerts. Mike thanked +her gratefully, and had to promise to come to see her again before the +steamer reached New York, and to think over her proposal. He kept his +promise so far as calling on her again, not once but several times before +she bade him good-by on the pier. + +But, as I have said, there was nothing in her plan that appealed to the +Irish youth. The modest fellow never told of the occurrence to anyone, +nor did he give it more than a passing thought in the weeks and months +that followed. The brother of the prima donna imparted the particulars to +his intimate friend Gideon Landon, the wealthy banker, and in this way I +am able to relate the incident on shipboard. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +"THE NIGHT SHALL BE FILLED WITH MUSIC" + + +The prima donna who grew so fond of Mike discovered several interesting +facts about him, aside from his marvellous tenor voice. He had the talent +of improvisation. When they became well enough acquainted for him to feel +at ease in her presence, he sang bits of melody that were his own +composition. She was delighted and encouraged him to cultivate the gift. +Of course he knew nothing about playing any instrument, but under her +instruction he quickly picked up the art of accompanying himself on the +piano. The music which he sang was of the simplest nature and the chords +suggested themselves to his ear. + +Another peculiarity of the lad was that, despite his exuberant, +rollicking nature, he had no taste for humorous music. When she asked him +to sing a lively song, he shook his head. He not only knew none, but had +no wish to learn any. His liking was for sentiment and tenderness of +feeling. Moore's melodies were his favorites and he knew few others. At +the last meeting of Mike and the lady she gave him a fragment of verse +which she had cut from a paper and asked him to compose a melody for it. +He promised to try. + +With this rather lengthy explanation, and the fact that neither Alvin +Landon nor Chester Haynes had ever heard him sing, though both had +noticed that his voice was peculiarly clear, you will understand the +surprise that awaited them when he walked to the piano and reluctantly +sat down. The hoarseness which followed his shouting when marooned on +White Islands was gone and his notes were as clear as a bell. + +Every one expected a mirth-provoking song when he placed his foot on the +pedal and his fingers touched the keys. Even Widow Friestone smiled in +anticipation, while Alvin and Chester feared that in his ignorance of +true singing his attempts would become comical to the last degree. The +listeners glanced significantly to one another, while he was bringing out +a few preliminary notes. + +Suddenly into the room burst the most ravishing music from the sweetest +voice they had ever heard. + + "The harp that once through Tara's halls + The soul of music shed, + Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls + As if that soul were fled. + So sleeps the pride of former days, + So glory's thrill is o'er, + And hearts that once beat high for praise, + Now feel that pulse no more." + +With the same bewitching sweetness he sang the remaining stanza, and then +paused with his fingers idly rambling over the keys, as if in doubt what +next to do. + +There was no applause. Not a person moved or seemed to breathe. Then +Alvin and Chester looked wonderingly at each other, as if doubting their +own senses. Whoever imagined that Mike Murphy was gifted with so +wonderful a voice? It seemed as if they were dreaming and were waiting +for the spell to lift. + +It would have been affectation on the part of Mike to pretend he was +ignorant of the effect he had produced. He had seen it too often in the +past, and he knew the great songstress on the steamer would not have said +what she did had there not been good basis therefor. So, without seeming +to notice the hush--the most sincere tribute possible--he sang the old +favorite "Mavourneen," and at its conclusion "Annie Laurie," with a +liquidity of tone that was never surpassed by throat of nightingale. + +At its conclusion he swung round on the stool, sprang up and dropped into +the nearest chair, looking about as if doubtful of the reception that was +to attend his efforts. + +Nora was the first to rally. She uttered one ecstatic "Oh!" bounded +across the floor, threw her dimpled arms about his neck and kissed him on +the cheek. + +"You darling! You sing like an angel!" + +"Nothing could be sweeter," added the smiling mother. Mike gently kissed +the girl on her forehead, and did not release her until she drew away. + +"Ye're very kind. It's mesilf is glad me efforts seemed to plaise ye, +though I'm in doubt as to the Captain and second mate." + +Alvin walked silently across the floor and reached out his hand. + +"Glad to know ye," replied Mike, with a grin, looking up in the face that +had actually turned slightly pale. "What is yer name, plaise?" + +Chester joined his chum. + +"Mike, Alvin and I were silent, for we didn't know what to say. You have +given us the surprise of our lives. I am no singer and never can be, but +I would give a hundred thousand dollars, if I had it, for your voice. +Alvin makes some pretensions. He is the leader of his school quartette, +but he can't equal you." + +"Equal him!" sniffed the Captain. "If Mike ever shows himself where our +quartette is trying to sing, I shall make every one shut up to save +ourselves from disgrace. As for Mike, we'll give him the choice to sing +for us or to be killed." + +Chester asked reprovingly: + +"Why didn't you let us know about this before?" + +"Ye didn't ask me, and what could be the difference if ye didn't find it +out? Ye wouldn't have larned the same if Nora and her mither hadn't +insisted that I should entertain them, as I tried to do." + +"You are a queer make-up," replied Alvin, with a laugh. + +"Since ye are the leader, Captain, of yer quartette at school, it's up to +ye to obleege the company wid something in their line." + +Nora added her entreaties. + +"We know you can do very well, Alvin, though of course not half so well +as Mike, for _nobody_ can do that," was the naive argument of the miss. + +"No, sir," said Alvin emphatically, and, assuming deep solemnity, he +raised his hand. "I vow that I will never, never sing in Mike's presence. +I can stand a joke as well as most persons, but that is the limit. Here's +Chester, however. He will be glad to give Mike a few lessons." + +The fun of it was that Chester could not sing the chromatic scale +correctly if his life were at stake. He was not rattled by the request. + +"Mike, can you play the accompaniment to 'Greenville'?" he asked. + +"How does it go? Hum the same fur me so I can catch it." + +Chester stood up and "hummed," but without the slightest resemblance to +any tune that the others had ever heard. + +"That gits me," commented Mike, "as Teddy O'Rourke said whin the +p'liceman grabbed him. If ye'll sthrike in I'll do my best to keep wid +ye." + +"No, sir; I decline to play second fiddle to anyone," and Chester resumed +his seat as if in high dudgeon. + +At this moment Nora asked of Mike: + +"Did you ever make up music for yourself?" + +"I have tried once or twice, but didn't do much." + +"Oh, please sing us something of your own." + +"A leddy on the steamer that brought me over give me some printed words +one day wid the requist that I should try to put some music to 'em. I +furgot the same till after she had gone, but I'll make the effort if ye +all won't be too hard on me." + +(This was the only reference that Mike was ever heard to make to the +incidents recorded in the previous chapter.) + +And then the Irish lad sang "The Sweet Long Ago." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A KNOCK AT THE DOOR + + +Alvin easily caught the swing of the bass and sang when the chorus was +reached. Mike barely touched the keys, bringing out a few faint chords +that could not add to the sweetness of his voice. Mrs. Friestone sat +motionless, looking intently at him until he came to the last words. Then +she abruptly took off her glasses and put her handkerchief to her eyes. + +The sweet long ago! Again she saw the handsome, sturdy youth when he +returned from the war for the defence of his country, as brave, as +resolute, as aflame with patriotism as in his earlier years, but with +frame wrenched by painful wounds. Their lives were inexpressibly happy +from the time she became a bride, and their maturer age was blessed by +the gift of darling Nora. Existence became one grand sweet dream--more +happy, more radiant and more a foretaste of what awaited them all in the +great beyond. That loved form had vanished in the sweet long ago, but the +memory could never fade or grow dim. + +It was the song that brought back the picture with a vividness it had not +worn for many a year. The tears would come, and Nora, glancing at her +mother, buried her face in her own handkerchief and sobbed. Alvin and +Chester sat silent, and Mike, turning gently on the stool, looked +sympathetically at mother and daughter. + +"Thank you, Mike," came a soft, choking voice from behind the snowy bit +of linen, and the brave lad winked rapidly and fought back the tears that +crowded into his honest eyes. + +It was not strange that the effect of Mike Murphy's beautiful singing of +the touching songs brooded like a benison throughout the evening. Even +Nora, when asked to favor them again, shook her head. + +"Not after Mike," she replied, her eyes gleaming more brightly through +the moisture not yet dried. + +It was impossible for the Irish lad to restrain his humor, and soon he +had them all smiling, but there was no loud laughter such as greeted his +first sallies, and the conversation as a whole was soberer and more +thoughtful. Alvin and Chester told of their school experiences, and +finally Mike related his adventure when marooned on the lonely island +well out toward the Atlantic and his friends found him after they had +given him up as drowned. + +So the evening wore away until, at a seasonable hour, the head of the +household said that when they wished to retire she would show them to +their room. Just then Mike had his hand over his mouth in the effort to +repress a yawn. Nora laughingly pointed at him. + +"In a few minutes he'll be asleep and will tumble off his chair." + +"I'm afeard ye're right, as I replied to me tacher whin he obsarved that +I was the biggest numskull in Tipperary County. Come, Captain and sicond +mate--ye won't forgit, Miss Nora, that I'm _first_ mate of the battleship +_Deerfut_." + +The girl went to the kitchen from which she speedily returned, carrying a +hand lamp, which she gave to her mother. She nodded to the lads, who +followed her to the door of the apartment assigned them for the night. +They entered behind her as she set the light on the stand and turned +about. + +"I think you will find everything as you wish." + +"It couldn't be itherwise, whin it's yersilf that has provided the same. +Be that token, we're getting more than we desarve." + +"Nothing could be finer," added Alvin, glancing round the lighted room. +"It's as neat as a pin and we shall sleep the sleep of the just." + +The three had noticed when in the parlor the portrait suspended in the +place of honor. The blue uniform, the military cap resting on one knee, +and the strong, expressive face told their own story. It was the picture +of Captain Carter Friestone, taken many a year before, when in the flush +of his patriotic young manhood. A smaller picture was on the wall of the +bedroom of mother and daughter. + +The chamber which the lads entered was graced with two small, inexpensive +pictures of a religious character, a pretty rug covered most of the +floor, the walls were tastefully papered and there were several chairs, +to say nothing of the mirror, stand and other conveniences. + +Not only was the broad bed with its snowy counterpane and downy pillows +roomy enough for two, but a wide cot had been placed on the other side of +the neat little room for whoever chose to sleep upon it. + +That which caught the eye of the three was a musket leaning in the far +corner. Chester stepped across, and asking permission of Mrs. Friestone, +picked it up and brought it over to where the light was stronger. He saw +it was a Springfield rifle, but the lock and base of the barrel were torn +into gaping rents. + +"I suppose this belonged to the captain," said Chester inquiringly. The +widow nodded her head. + +"And it did good service--that is certain," added Chester, with his +companions beside him scrutinizing the weapon. "But it seems to have been +injured." + +She smiled faintly. + +"Carter brought it home from the war, declaring it was better than when +new. He put a double charge in one Fourth of July morning, forgetting +that the weapon was much worn from many previous firings. It exploded at +the lock and came very near killing him. But," she added, with a sigh, +"it is very precious to me." + +"I am sure of that," said Chester as he reverently carried the gun back +to the corner. + +The good woman kissed each lad on the forehead. When she thus saluted +Mike, who was the last, she placed her thin hand on his head, and said +with infinite tenderness: + +"I thank you for what you did to-night." + +"I beg ye don't mintion it----" + +Mike stopped abruptly, and pretending to see something interesting in the +old rifle, hurried across the room to examine it more closely. + +"Good night and pleasant dreams," called the lady as she passed out, +noiselessly closing the door behind her. + +It having been agreed that Mike should use the cot, the three prepared +for retiring, the mind of each full of the experience of the evening. +Both Alvin and Chester wished to speak of the extraordinary voice of +Mike, but neither did, for they knew he would prefer they should not. He +could not help knowing how greatly he had been favored by nature, and +disliked any reminder. + +The wick of the lamp was turned down and blown out by Alvin, after +glancing around and noting that his companions were ready. Through the +raised window, opening over a broad alley, the cool wind stole. It so +came about that for several days and nights, including the one of which I +am now speaking, the leading cities of the country, embracing even +Boston, were suffering from one of the most intense heat waves that ever +swept like a furnace blast over most of the States in the Union. But in +favored southern Maine it was ideally cool. You could stand a thin +covering at night, or you could cast it aside. You were equally +comfortable in either situation. + +Our young friends ought to have sunk into a sound sleep within a few +minutes after lying down, but they did not. Something was on their minds, +and the singular fact of it was that the thoughts of each were +identically the same, though as yet not a hint had been dropped by +anyone. + +It was Mike who abruptly spoke: + +"I say, Captain, are ye aslaap?" + +"I ought to be, but I was never wider awake." + +"How about the second mate?" + +"The same here," was the reply from that individual. + +"I wish to obsarve that I'm engaged just now in thinking, byes." + +"Thinking of what?" asked Alvin. + +"'Spose them post office robbers should pay this place a visit." + +"What in the world put that in your head?" + +"Didn't the same thought come to ye, Captain?" + +"I must admit it did." + +"And how is it with the second mate?" + +"It has troubled me, too, Mike." + +"But I can see no real cause for misgiving," added Alvin. + +"We know the _Water Witch_ is somewhere in the neighborhood," remarked +Chester, to which his chum replied: + +"What could attract them to a small office like this? They hunt for +bigger game." + +"There's a good lot of money in the safe downstairs," said Mike. "'Twas +mesilf that obsarved one of the leddy's callers gave her twinty-five +hundred dollars, which she put away. Where could the spalpeens make a +bigger haul?" + +"But how should they know about it? They didn't see it done," said Alvin. + +"Hist, now! From what me eyes told me, the same being anither chap called +and would have lift more, had he not been afeard of me eagle eye that was +on him." + +"What of that?" + +"Doesn't it show that it's the practice in Beartown wid some of them as +has lots of money to lave the same wid the leddy? Thim chaps are prying +round and it would be aisy fur 'em to larn the fact." + +"We should have seen something of them if they were in this village." + +Alvin felt the weakness of this statement, for such unwelcome visitors +would be too shrewd to expose themselves to discovery when it was +possible to avoid it. All three might have been in Beartown for hours +without drawing attention to themselves and without giving Mike, during +his earlier visit, a glimpse of them. + +Speculating in this manner, Alvin and Mike came to the belief, or rather +hope, that their good friend was in no danger of a burglarious visit. +Chester would not be convinced, but expressed the hope that they were +right. + +"I shall make bold to remind Mrs. Friestone in the morning of the risk +she runs and advise her to cease accepting any outside deposits." + +Chester was the last to fall asleep. It was a long time before he sank +into slumber, but by and by he glided into the realm of dreams. He had no +means of knowing how long he lay unconscious, when he gradually became +aware of a peculiar tapping somewhere near. A moment's listening told him +that someone was knocking on the door. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +VISITORS OF THE NIGHT + + +Chester bounded out of bed and hunted to the door, which he unlocked and +opened for a few inches. He could see nothing in the gloom, and asked in +a whisper: + +"Who is it?" + +"It is I--Nora. Mamma and I are awfully scared." + +"What's the matter?" + +"Somebody is in the store downstairs." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Mamma heard the window raised and woke me. She asked me to call you +boys." + +"Wait a moment and we'll be with you." + +It showed how lightly Alvin and Mike were sleeping when they were +instantly roused by the slight noise made in opening the door. Each sat +on the side of his couch and listened. In the deep silence they heard the +snatch of conversation and hurriedly began putting on their clothes. They +wrought silently and without lighting the lamp. + +"I expected it," remarked Chester, imitating them. + +Mrs. Friestone joined her daughter in the dark hall, she being too wise +to use a light. A moment later the whole party stood together in the +gloom, where neither could see the face of the others. + +"Hark!" whispered the mother. + +The five stood for a minute without stirring or speaking and hardly +breathing. Not the slightest sound reached their ears. Then Chester asked +in a guarded undertone: + +"Are you sure you were not mistaken, Mrs. Friestone?" + +"I could not have been; the sound of the raising of the window was too +distinct for me to be deceived--hark!" she warned again. + +This time all heard something. It was a faint, rasping noise such as +might have been caused by the cautious pushing of a box or large smooth +object over the floor. If this were so, the article could not have been +moved more than a few inches, for the sound ceased immediately. + +"You are right," said Alvin; "you have visitors. About what time do you +suppose it is?" + +"The clock struck twelve quite awhile ago. There! it is now one," she +added as a silvery tinkle came from the parlor. + +"What shall we do?" asked Nora, echoing the question that was in the mind +of every one. + +And then a strange council was held in a place so dark that all who took +part were mutually invisible. + +It would seem that the common sense course was to make a noise that would +be heard by the burglars and would scare them off. That is to say that +theoretically this would occur, but it might not. Knowing how much loot +was within their reach, if not already in hand, one or two of them were +likely to hurry upstairs and compel those that were there to hold their +peace, hesitating at no violence to enforce their orders. + +While the boys were eager to take the risk, the mother would not agree +and the plan had to be abandoned. + +The next proposal was for each to thrust his or her head out of a window +and call for help. The cry would rouse the village and it would not take +long for many citizens to rush thither. Beartown had no police force, the +only officer of the peace being a constable who was lame and cross-eyed +and lived at the farthest end of the village. No dependence could be +placed on him, but there were plenty of others who would gladly hasten to +the help of mother and daughter. + +This was the only thing to do, and it would have been done but for the +hysterical opposition of Nora Friestone. She declared that the dreadful +robbers--she was sure of it--would hurry upstairs the instant the first +scream was made and kill every one before any help could arrive! It might +not take more than five or ten minutes for friends to run to the spot, +but that would be enough for the burglars to complete their awful work. + +Possibly the girl might have been argued out of her absurd fear had she +not won her mother to her side. She took the same view. + +"What then is to be done?" asked Chester a trifle impatiently. + +"Nothing; they can't get the safe open, if they work till daylight." + +"They can do it in a few minutes if they use dynamite, and at the same +time blow out the whole end of your house." + +To this terrifying declaration the lady could make no reply except to +say: + +"We may as well go back to our rooms." + +It was on the point of Chester's tongue to ask in view of this conclusion +why Nora had knocked on their door, but he thought best to refrain. + +"Whisht!" whispered Mike; "let's go to the parlor, where we have the +moonlight to help us." + +Walking on tiptoe and as silent as so many cats, the party moved through +the hall to the front room. The straining ears heard nothing more from +below stairs, though there could be no doubt that their visitors were +still there. + +As Mike had intimated, the round, clear moon was in the sky, and looking +from the windows it seemed almost as bright as day. The party stood just +far enough back to be invisible to anyone in the street below. A row of +elms lined each side of the highway, being mutually separated by a dozen +yards or so. They were small, having been set out only a few years +before, but were in full foliage and the most remote ones cast a shadow +into the highway. On the same side of what was the main street, each +frame house that served for a dwelling had a yard, shrubbery and flowers +in front. Farther to the left was the small grocery store, while to the +right on the same side as the post office was the pert little village +church to which reference has already been made. + +At this hour all Beartown seemed to be sunk in slumber, as was quite +proper should be the case. From not a single window twinkled a light nor +was man, woman or boy seen on the street. A solitary dog, with nose down +and travelling diagonally as canines sometimes do, trotted to the front +gate of the house opposite the post office, jumped over and passed from +view to the rear. + +"I wonder what that man is waiting there for." + +It was Nora who whispered this question, which instantly put the others +on the _qui vive_. + +"I don't see any man; where is he?" asked Chester. + +"Under that tree opposite; he's in plain sight." + +Such was the fact now that she had directed attention to him. The elm was +directly across the street, and had a trunk not more than six or eight +inches in diameter. A man was standing motionless under the dense foliage +several feet above his head, doing nothing except simply to stand there. + +"He is the lookout," said Chester. + +"What's a lookout?" asked the nervous Nora. + +"He is there to watch for danger that may threaten the others who are +inside and working at your mother's safe. If he sees anything wrong he +will give a signal, probably by means of a whistle, and the fellows below +will run." + +"Why couldn't you give the signal?" + +"I could if I knew what it is, but I don't." + +"Look! he is coming over here!" exclaimed the affrighted Nora, as the man +stepped from the shadow, walked half way across the street, and then +halted as if in doubt whether to advance farther. + +"No fear of his visiting us," Alvin assured her; "but it is best to keep +out of sight." + +All shrank still farther back, when there was no possibility of being +seen in the first place. The man did not look up, but kept his slouch hat +pulled so far down that nothing of his face was visible. He held his +position for perhaps five minutes, when he turned about and went back to +his post. There could be no doubt that he was the lookout of the gang, as +Chester had said when he was first noticed. Not once did he look up +before reaching his place, so that none of our friends caught a glimpse +of his features. + +What a unique situation! One or more burglars were at work on the safe +below stairs, and there were five persons on the floor above who knew it, +but did not raise voice or a hand to interfere with them. It has been +explained why, though it should be added that in the way of firearms +there was only the single worthless Springfield rifle in the house. It +was mother and daughter who held the three lads supine. Had they been +left free they would have acted immediately on first learning of the +presence of the criminals. + +Chester had spoken the word "dynamite," and it was that terrific +explosive which he and his companions dreaded unspeakably. If the charge +were fired, it would not only blow the massive safe apart, but was likely +to wreck the building itself and probably inflict death to more than one +in the dwelling. + +Mike Murphy chafed more than his comrades. Reflecting on the exasperating +state of affairs, he determined to do something despite the opposition of +the mother and daughter. A few minutes' thought suggested a plan. He +would have revealed it to Alvin and Chester, but feared they would +prevent action or that his whispering in the darkness of the room would +awaken the suspicion of the other two. + +Only when near the front windows could the members of the party dimly see +one another. They had withdrawn so far at sight of the approach of the +man on guard that the light ill served them. Mike stealthily retreated to +the open door leading into the hall. Neither of his comrades heard him, +and he groped along the passage, with hands outstretched on each side to +guide him. The feet were lifted and set down without noise, and by and by +he came to the opening leading to the bedroom. Across this he made his +way with the same noiseless stealth, until the groping hand touched the +battered rifle, which he lifted from its resting place. Back into the +hall again, and then through the dining room, inch by inch, to where he +remembered seeing the head of the stairs, though he knew nothing beyond +that. He would have struck a match but for fear of attracting the notice +of those below. + +"I've only to feel each step," he reflected, "and I'll soon arrive, and +then won't fur of the spalpeens fly?" + +His unfamiliarity with the stairs made him think they were not so nearly +perpendicular as was the fact. While the thought was in his mind, he made +a misstep and, unable to check himself, went bumping all the way to the +bottom. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +"TALL OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW" + + +If you wish an illustration of how great events often flow from trifling +causes read what follows. It is one of the many events which prove that +"tall oaks from little acorns grow." + +You have not forgotten Jim, the gawky, overgrown boy who had a verbal +contract with Mrs. Friestone which bound him to go to the store each +weekday morning and set out on the front porch the score or more samples +of the goods that were on sale within. The same agreement required him to +come around at dusk each evening and carry them inside, his weekly wage +for such duty being twenty-five cents. When, therefore, Mike Murphy +handed him a silver quarter and assumed the job for that single night, +Jim received a whole week's pay for turning it over to the Irish lad. It +is not so strange that the youngster was confused at first over his bit +of luck, which he did not fully understand until he reached home and had +eaten his supper. + +Now by one of those curious coincidences which occur oftener in this life +than most people think, that day was the anniversary of Jim's birth. +Being a good boy, as such things go, his father presented him with a fine +pocketknife, than which nothing could have pleased his son better. It was +really an excellent article, having four blades, one of which was a file, +two of small size, and one quite large, the three being almost as +keen-edged as a razor. Straightway the happy lad selected his right hand +trousers pocket as the home of the knife when not in use. The +miscellaneous articles, such as a jewsharp, a piece of twine, a key, +three coppers, a piece of resin, several marbles, two ten-penny nails, a +stub of a lead pencil and a few other things were shifted to the left +side repository, where also he deposited the shining silver coin, after +showing it to his parents and telling them how he fell heir to it. + +The chat of the family shut out reference to the knife for most of the +evening. Both parents were inclined to be gossipy, and they indulged in +many guesses as to the identity of the donor and what caused him to be so +liberal. The mother's first thought was that the red-haired, +freckle-faced youth was a newcomer to Beartown, and had secured Jim's +job, but that fear was removed by Jim's declaration that the stranger +distinctly said he intended to do the work only for that evening. + +It was not very late when Jim went to his bedroom on the second floor to +retire for the night. When ready to disrobe, he took out the wealth of +treasures in his left pocket, including the bright quarter, and shoved +his hand into the other for the prize that outweighed them all. Then he +emitted a gasp of dismay: the pocket was empty! + +For a few moments he could not believe the truth. He frantically searched +his clothing over and over again, but in vain. The explanation was as +clear as noonday. In the bottom of his right-hand pocket was a gaping +rent, through which he pushed two fingers and disgustedly spread them +apart like a fan. He turned the cloth wrong side out and the dreadful +yawn seemed to grin at him. + +Weak and faint he sat down on the edge of his trundle bed. + +"What made that blamed hole? It wasn't there a little while ago. It must +have wored the hole while I was walking. I wouldn't lose that knife for +ten million dollars. It _can't_ be lost!" + +And then he repeated the search, as almost anyone will do in similar +circumstances. He even looked under the jewsharp and among the marbles on +the stand, where a mosquito could not have hidden itself. + +"Oh, what's the use!" he exclaimed, dropping down again despairingly on +the bed. "It's lost! Where did I lose it?" + +Pulling himself together, he recalled the experiences of the day, from +the time he received the present directly after breakfast. He had tested +the implement many times in the course of the forenoon and afternoon, and +by and by remembered snapping the big blade shut and slipping it into his +pocket as he was going out of the house to the post office to perform his +daily task. He reasoned well. + +"I lost it somewhere atween here and the store. I can't see how it +slipped down my trousers leg without me feeling it, but that's what it +done. It's a-laying on the ground atween here and there, onless," he +added, with a catch of his breath, "that ugly looking willain seen me +drop it inside the store. I wonder if he give me that quarter so as to +hurry me out that he might git my knife!" + +He shivered at the probability, but rather singularly the dread was +dissipated by a few minutes more of thought. + +"If he'd seen it, so would Nora and she'd told me. It's somewhere along +the street." + +Such being his conclusion, the all-important question was what should he +do to retrieve his crushing loss. His first inclination was to tell his +parents and then hurry back over the route to look for the treasure. But +it was night. There was no such thing as a lantern in the house, he could +not carry an ordinary light in the breeze, and the search would be +hopeless. + +"I'll get up as soon as it is light," he said, "and hunt till I find it." + +Trying to gain hope from this decision, he knelt at the side of his bed +to say his prayers, which he never omitted. His petition was longer than +usual and I need not tell you what its chief if not its whole burden was. + +Despite the depressing weight upon his spirits, Jim fell asleep and +remained so for several hours, though his slumber was tortured by dreams +of his knife. Sometimes it was tiny as a pin and then bigger than +himself, but it always slipped from his grasp when he reached out to +seize it. + +Suddenly he awoke. It took a minute or two to recall his situation, but +soon the startling truth came back to him. He had lost his knife, and, +remembering his resolve before going to sleep, he bounded out of bed, +certain that day not only had dawned but that it had been light for some +time. He soon discovered, however, that what he took for the glow of the +rising sun came from the moon, whose vivid illumination made the mistake +natural. + +"I never seen it so bright," he said, stepping to the window and peering +out. + +And then as if by inspiration he whispered: + +"It's the right time to hunt for my knife." + +He did not know what time it was nor did he care to know. There was so +much moongleam in his room that he easily dressed without any artificial +light. Then, too, the night was mild and his covering scanty. Shirt and +trousers were his only garments. He left his straw hat where he had +"hung" it on the floor in one corner beside his shoes and stockings. The +chief cause for now going barefoot was that his steps would be lighter, +though as a rule he saved his shoes for Sunday and his trips to and from +the store. + +He knew his father was a light sleeper, and if awakened would probably +forbid him to go out before morning. So Jim opened his bedroom door so +softly that not the slightest noise was caused. He went down the stairs +as if he were a real burglar in rubber shoes. He stopped several times +with a faster beating heart, for although he had never known the steps to +squeak before they now did so with such loudness that he was sure his +father heard him. But the snoring continued unbroken and Jim reached the +door, where he stealthily slid back the bolt and reversed the key, +without causing any betraying sound. + +This side of the house was in shadow, and he stood for a minute or two on +the small, covered porch looking out upon the highway or main street. Not +a soul was in sight, nor did he see a twinkle of light from any of the +windows. It cannot be said that Jim felt any fear, nor did he reflect +upon the risk caused by leaving the door unlocked behind him. He was +thinking only of that loved knife. + +He had walked to and from the store so many times that he knew every step +taken earlier in the evening. It was impossible to go wrong, and he was +quite confident of finding the knife unless the brilliant moonlight had +disclosed it to some late passerby. + +Jim always crossed the street at a certain point, the post office being +on the other side, so he trod in his own footsteps, which would have worn +a path long before but for those of others, including horses and wagons. +He walked slowly, scanning every inch of the ground and clay pavement in +front of him, but when he drew near the well-remembered building he had +not caught sight of the prize. He was within a few paces of the steps of +the porch of the store, when he was suddenly startled by a gruff voice: + +"Hello, there! Where you going?" + +He turned his head as a man stepped from under the small elm behind him. +Both being on the same level the slouch hat only partially hid the grim +face and big mustache. Jim would have been more scared had he not caught +sight an instant before of his knife lying at the foot of the steps of +the porch. He sprang forward, caught it up and then faced the stranger, +who had stepped into the street. + +"I'm looking fur my knife that I dropped and I've found it too!" he +replied gleefully, holding up the cool, shiny implement. "Gee! aint I +lucky?" + +"Well, you get out of here as quick as you can. Go back home and stay +there till morning. Do ye hear me?" + +"Yaws; I'm going." + +A strange discovery had come to Jim the instant before. As he stooped to +seize his property, his eyes were at the same height as the bottom of the +door leading into the store. It was only for a second or two, but in that +brief space he saw a faint glimmer through the crevice, which he knew was +caused by a light within. With a shrewdness that no one would have +expected from him he said nothing of his discovery to the man who had +accosted him. + +"Mind what I told you!" added the stranger, "and don't show your nose +outside your house before morning. Understand?" + +"Yaws; I don't want to, 'cause I've got my knife. Hooray!" + +"Shut up! Off with you!" + +"Yaws;" and Jim broke into a trot which he kept up until he reached his +own porch. In his exuberance of spirits, he was careless and awoke his +father. He came into the hall and roared out a demand for an explanation, +which his son gave in a few hurried words. + +"Hooh!" exclaimed his parent; "there's robbers in the post office and I +think I'll take a hand as soon as I can get hold of my shotgun." + +Which may serve to explain how it was that Gerald Buxton became involved +in the incidents that speedily followed. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +A CLEVER TRICK + + +At the foot of the rear stairs in the home of Widow Friestone was an +ordinary door latched at night, but without any lock. When Mike Murphy +was groping about in the blank darkness, where nothing was familiar, he +did not know, as has been said, of the steepness of the steps. Thus he +placed his shoe upon vacancy, and, unable to check himself, bumped to the +bottom, striking every step on the route, and banging against the door +with such force that the latch gave away, it flew open, and he sprawled +on his hands and knees, still grasping the rifle with which he had set +out to hunt for burglars. He was not hurt, and bounded like a rubber ball +to his feet. + +An amazing scene confronted him. A young man, his face covered with a +mask, had just drawn back the ponderous door of the safe, and by the +light of a small dark lantern in his left hand was trying to unlock one +of the inner compartments, with a bunch of small keys held in his right. +It was at this instant that the racket followed by the crash which burst +open the door paralyzed him for the moment. He straightened up and stared +through the holes of his mask at the apparition that had descended upon +him like a thunderbolt, in helpless amazement. + +If he was terrified, Mike Murphy was not. Forgetful of his shillaleh in +the shape of the Springfield, he made a leap at the fellow. + +"S'render, ye spalpeen!" he shouted. The criminal answered by viciously +hurling the lantern into the face of his assailant, and in the act, the +mask somehow or other was disarranged and slipped from its place. It was +only a passing glimpse that Mike caught of him, but it identified him as +one of the young men who had attacked Alvin Landon some nights before +while passing through the stretch of woods near his home. + +The throwing of the lamp was the best thing the burglar could have done, +for it caught the Irish youth fairly between the eyes and dazed him for +an invaluable second or two. Instant to seize his advantage, the criminal +made a leap through the rear window, which he had left open for that +purpose, and sped like a deer across the back yard of the premises. Mike +was at his heels and shouted: + +"Stop! stop! or I'll blow ye into smithereens! I've got a double barreled +cannon wid me, and if ye want to save yer life, s'render before I touch +her off!" + +Perhaps if the fugitive had not been in so wild a panic he would have +given himself up, for no man willingly invites the discharge of a deadly +weapon a few paces behind him. But the youth was bent on escape if the +feat were possible and ran with the vigor of desperation. + +Less than a hundred yards over the garden beds and grass took the fellow +to the paling boundary over which he leaped like a greyhound. Mike would +have done the same, but feared it was too much for him. Moreover, his +short legs could not carry him as fast as those of the fleeing one. The +pursuer rested a hand on the palings and went over without trouble. By +that time the fugitive was a goodly distance off in the act of clearing a +second fence. In dread lest he should get away, Mike called: + +"Have sinse, ye lunkhead! I don't want to kill ye, but hanged if I don't, +if ye fail to lay down yer arms." + +The appeal like all that had preceded it was unheeded. The burglar must +have taken heart from the fact that his pursuer had already held his fire +so long. Running with unusual speed, he took advantage of the shadow +offered by several back buildings and continued steadily to gain. When he +made a quick turn and whisked out of sight, the exasperated Mike dropped +to a rapid walk. + +"Arrah, now, if this owld gun was only in shape! there wouldn't be any +sich race as this, as Brian O'Donovan said--phwat's that?" + +When within twenty feet of a small barn, a burly man stepped out of the +gloom and with a large gun levelled gruffly commanded: + +"Throw up your arms or I'll let moonlight through you!" + +"I don't see any room for argyment, as Jed Mitchell said whin----" + +"Up with your hands! and drop that gun!" thundered the other, and Mike +let the old rifle fall to his feet and reached up as if trying to hold +the moon in place. Which incident requires an explanation. + +Gerald Buxton, the father of Jim, had no sooner heard the story of his +boy than he decided, as had been related, that something was wrong at the +post office. He had read of the many robberies in southern Maine during +the preceding summer, else he might not have been so quick to reach a +conclusion. He woke his wife, told her his belief and then took down his +shotgun from over the deer's antlers in the kitchen. Both barrels were +always loaded, but to make sure of no lack of ammunition, he put a number +of extra shells loaded with heavy shot into his pockets. + +"Remember," he said impressively to his son, "to stay home and not show +your nose outside the door while I'm gone." + +"Yaws, sir," meekly replied Jim, who three minutes later, unseen by his +mother, sneaked out of the back door and reached the battlefield directly +behind his parent. + +Mr. Buxton had never had any experience with house breakers, and did some +quick thinking from the moment he left his front gate until he arrived on +the scene. Nothing seemed more natural than that the ruffians would not +approach the house from the front, but by the rear. The light which Jim +saw must have come from the back part of the store. For the gang to make +their entrance from the main street would have been far more dangerous. + +Because of this theory, Mr. Buxton crossed the road directly before his +own house, passed through the alley of a neighbor, and followed a +circuitous course which compelled him to climb several back fences. But +he knew all the people, and in case he was questioned could readily +explain matters. + +So in due time he came to the barn of one of his friends, and had turned +to pass around it when to his astonishment a man dashed toward him on a +dead run. Buxton was alert, and pointing his weapon, crisply commanded: + +"Stop or I'll fire!" + +The panting fellow obeyed with the exclamation: + +"I'm so glad!" + +"Glad of what?" + +"That you came as you did. There are burglars in the post office!" + +"That's what I thought, but wasn't sure. Who are you and why are you in +such an all-fired hurry?" + +"One of them is chasing me. I tried to wake the postmistress, when he +heard me and I had to run for my life. How thankful I am that you +appeared just in time!" + +"Where is the scandalous villain?" demanded Mr. Buxton, glancing on all +sides. + +"He will be here in a minute." + +"I shan't wait for him; tell me where he is." + +The fugitive, who was momentarily expecting the appearance of his +pursuer, pointed to the barn around which he had just dashed. + +"He is coming from there. Look out, or he'll shoot you!" + +"I'm ready for him," exclaimed the angered citizen as he hurriedly +trotted off and confronted Mike Murphy a few seconds later. + +We have learned of the pointed conversation which passed between them. +Mike's first thought was that it was one of the robbers who had held him +up, but there was no gainsaying the argument brought to bear against him. +He remained with hands uplifted, awaiting the will of his captor. + +"So you're one of those post office robbers," said Mr. Buxton, partly +lowering his weapon. + +"Not that I know of," replied Mike, beginning to scent the truth. + +"Have you a pistol?" + +"The only deadly wippon I have is me pocketknife, with its two blades +broke and the handle being lost some time since." + +"Where is the rest of your gang?" demanded the man, stepping closer to +the youth. + +"The two frinds that I have are wid the widder Mrs. Friestone, doing +their best to entertain the leddy and her daughter, while I started out +to chase one of the spalpeens that run too fast for me to catch." + +Mr. Buxton stepped still nearer. He was becoming doubtful. + +"Who the mischief are you, anyway?" + +"Mike Murphy, born in Tipperary, in the County of Tipperary, Ireland, and +lately, arrove in Ameriky." + +"What are you doing here?" + +"Standing still for the time, as Pat Mulrooney said whin the byes tied +him to the gate post and wint off and left him." + +"Ain't you one of those post office robbers?" + +The question told Mike the whole truth. It was a clever trick that had +been played upon him, and his musical laugh rang out on the still night. + +"What made ye have that opinion?" + +"I just met a young chap the other side of this barn, and when I stopped +him he said he was running away from an enemy." + +"Which the same was the thruth." + +"And that one of the gang was chasing him, meaning to shoot him." + +"It's mesilf that would have shot if I'd had a gun wid a conscience, fur +I catched the spalpeen when he was opening the safe of Widder Friestone, +and I made after him; but most persons can run faster than mesilf, owing +to me short legs, and he was laving me behind, whin ye interfared." + +"Do you mean to tell me that first fellow was one of the burglars?" asked +the astounded Mr. Buxton. + +"As sure as ye are standing there admiring me looks." + +"Confound the rapscallion! I'll get him yet!" and the irate citizen +dashed off with the resolution, to put it mildly, of correcting the error +he had made. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +IN THE NICK OF TIME + + +Standing in the darkness of the upper front room, stealthily watching the +mysterious stranger on the other side of the street in the shadow of the +elm, and knowing that burglars were at work below stairs--the nerves of +mother and daughter and of Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes were on edge. +Had they peered out of the window less than half an hour earlier they +would have seen the meeting between the lookout and young Jim Buxton. + +Mike Murphy had slipped so silently from among them that no one was aware +of his absence when the bumping and crash at the rear were followed by +exclamations and words that were not intelligible. Mrs. Friestone uttered +a faint cry and sank back on her chair. Nora screamed and threw her arms +about her mother's neck. + +"They will kill us! What shall we do?" she wailed. + +For the moment Alvin and Chester, startled almost as much as their +friends, were mystified. When Chester said: + +"That sounds like Mike's voice. Hello, Mike, are you here with us?" + +The failure to receive a reply proved that Chester was right. Their +comrade had stolen off and was already in a "shindy" at the rear of the +store. + +"He may need our help!" called Alvin, starting for the stairs, with his +chum at his heels. But Nora, who had heard the unguarded words, called in +wild distress: + +"Don't leave us! Don't leave us!" + +They stopped irresolute. They could not abandon the two, and yet Mike's +life might be in peril. + +"Go back to them," whispered Chester. "There's no call for both of us to +stay." + +"Better not go down yourself; you know you have no weapon. Let's take a +look." + +First of all it was necessary to quiet the daughter and mother, for one +was as much terrified as the other. Alvin hastened into the room. + +"We will not leave you," he said, "but we wish to see what we can from +the kitchen window." + +"Oh, you may fall out," moaned Nora, scarcely responsible for what she +said. Even in the crisis of a tragedy a vein of comedy will sometimes +intrude itself. + +"Have no fear of that," replied Alvin. "I will hold Chester from tumbling +out and he will do the same for me. Pray, compose yourselves." + +During this brief absence Chester had threaded his way past the furniture +in the darkness to the window, out of which he was gazing on a most +interesting moving picture which had vanished when Alvin appeared at his +elbow. + +"It made my blood tingle," said Chester. "I was just in time to see a +man, who must have leaped out, running for life with Mike in pursuit. He +had that old gun in one hand--as if it could prove of any earthly use to +him." + +"Where are they now?" + +"The fellow, after leaping the fence, turned to the right and disappeared +among the shadows." + +"With Mike still chasing him?" + +"As hard as he could run, but you know he hasn't much speed." + +"I wonder," whispered Alvin, "whether there are any more of them +downstairs." + +They stepped noiselessly to the head of the steps and listened. +Everything was so quiet that they heard the ticking of the clock on the +wall of the store. + +"I don't believe anyone is there. Let's take a closer look." + +Alvin struck a match from his safe and led the way, thus saving the two +from the mishap that had overtaken their friend. They were a trifle +nervous when they stepped upon the lower floor, Alvin maintaining the +illumination by burning more matches. He climbed upon the counter, and +lighted the large oil lamp suspended there for such purpose. Adjusting +the wick to the highest point it would stand without smoking, the two +looked around. + +What they saw completed the story that had already taken shape in their +own minds. The unbroken dark lantern lay on the floor where it had +fallen, the light having been extinguished. The raised window showed by +what avenue the burglar and Mike had left the building, but what amazed +the youths more than anything else was the wide open door of the safe. +Not a burglar's tool or device was in sight, and the appearance of the +lock and door without a scratch showing proved that no part of the +structure had been tampered with. It was just as if Mrs. Friestone had +manipulated it--as she had done times without number. + +"Whoever opened it must have known the combination. And how did he learn +it?" + +Chester shook his head. + +"Perhaps Mrs. Friestone can guess. I'll ask her." + +Going to the foot of the stairs, the young man called to the woman just +loudly enough for her to hear. He said the visitors had left, but the +door of the safe was open and it was advisable for her to come down and +take a look at things. + +She timidly came down the steps, with Nora tremblingly clinging to her +skirts, ready to scream and dash back to the front of the house on the +first appearance of danger. But nothing occurred to cause new alarm, and +mother and daughter stared wonderingly at the safe with its wide open +door. + +"Who did that?" asked the woman, in a faint voice. + +"One of the burglars," replied Chester. + +"How did he learn the combination?" + +"That's the mystery; Alvin and I cannot guess. Was it known to anyone +besides yourself?" + +"No; I changed it two days ago and did not even tell Nora. Not another +soul knew it--and look!" + +She pointed to a bunch of keys, one of which was inserted in the lock of +the middle small drawer, with a half dozen others dangling from the metal +ring. It will be understood that while the door of the safe was opened by +means of a usual combination of numbers, the interior was guarded by only +a tiny lock and key. This was more convenient, for, when the massive door +was drawn back, the little wooden drawers, even with a combination, would +not avail long against a burglar. + +"They have taken the money!" gasped the widow. + +"Let us see." + +As Alvin spoke, he turned the key. The lock clicked and he drew out the +drawer. There lay the big sealed envelope with the two thousand five +hundred dollars intact within, while the stamps and cash receipts of the +day were neatly piled on the shelf beneath. + +The astonishing truth was that the criminal had been interrupted at the +critical moment when he had succeeded in fitting a key to the lock. Had +Mike Murphy been the fraction of a minute later in bursting upon the +scene, he would have been too late. The robber would have carried off +nearly three thousand dollars. + +"That's what I call the greatest luck that ever happened," said Chester. + +The discovery was as cheering as amazing. The large amount of money had +been saved by a hair's breadth. The woman clasped her hands in +thankfulness. Chester slowly shoved the steel door shut. + +"Now try the combination," he said to Mrs. Friestone. "Chester and I will +turn our backs while you do so." + +"And why will you do that?" + +"So that we shall not learn the secret. If anything like this happens +again, you cannot say we did it." + +She saw the smile on his face and knew he spoke in jest. + +"It may be the lock was broken in some way," suggested Chester. + +But it worked perfectly. The knob was turned forward till the finger +pointed to a number, then back and then forward again to another numeral. +It moved as smoothly as if the delicate mechanism was oiled. + +"Now open it," she said to the lads, her spirits rallying over her good +fortune. They shook their heads and Chester said: + +"We might succeed, and that would be suspicious." + +"Whether you noticed the combination or not, you surely did not know what +it was a little while ago. I acquit you of having any understanding with +the burglars." + +"What's become of Mike?" asked Nora plaintively, speaking for the first +time. "I'm afraid something dreadful has happened to him." + +"He is probably still chasing the bad man," said Chester. + +As if in answer to her wail a hasty tread was heard at that moment and a +bushy red head without a cap appeared at the window, as if flung thither +by the hand of a giant. The bright light within the door told him the +story. + +"The top of the morning to ye all, for I jedge it's near morning, as Tim +Mulligan said after he had been slaaping fur two days and nights. I hope +ye are all well." + +He began climbing through and was half inside when Nora dashed forward +and caught hold of his arm. It so disarranged his balance that he tumbled +on the floor, the rifle falling from his grasp. + +"I'm so glad to see you, Mike! I was afraid those awful people had killed +you," said the happy girl. "Are you hurt?" + +"Not worth speaking of; I think my neck is broke and me lift leg +fractured in two places, but niver mind." + +Then the exuberant youth told his story, to which his friends listened +with breathless interest. + +"Then you didn't catch the villain?" said Chester inquiringly. + +"No, but I made it hot fur him, as me cousin said after chasing the +expriss train a couple of miles. He has longer legs than mesilf. The next +time I engage in a chase wid him I'll make sure his legs is sawed off at +the knees, so as to give me a chance. If I had thought to have that done +I'd brought the spalpeen back to ye." + +"Well, you drove him off in the nick of time. He didn't get away with a +penny," said Alvin. + +"But what was the maans he used to open that door? That's what gits +me--whisht!" + +The report of a gun rang out on the stillness, and the friends stared at +one another. Before anyone could venture an explanation, the sound of +hurried footsteps told that someone was approaching. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +"I PIPED AND YE DANCED" + + +Gerald Buxton was boiling over with indignation when he parted company +with Mike Murphy and realized how he had been tricked. He had allowed the +real burglar to get away while he held up his innocent pursuer. + +"All I ask is one sight of that villain!" he muttered, striking into a +lope which carried him rapidly over the ground. Since the fugitive had +disappeared several minutes before and there was no telling what course +he had taken, it would seem there was not one chance in a hundred of +Buxton ever seeing him again. + +But, although the citizen had been cleverly hoodwinked, he used +shrewdness in wrestling with the problem. As he viewed it, the fellow was +likely to make for the stretch of woods between Beartown and the river, +that he might screen himself as quickly as possible. He would lose no +time in getting away from the village as soon as he could. It was quite +probable that he and his gang had come up or down the river and had a +launch awaiting them. To avoid going astray, he would use the highway +which joined Beartown and the landing. + +Mr. Buxton had to climb three fences before he reached an open field of +slight extent, beyond which lay the woods. He knew the chances of +overtaking the criminal were meagre, but with a thrill of delight he +caught sight of his man only a little way in front and walking in the +same direction with himself. He seemed to have sprung from the ground, +and it was clear that he had no thought of further pursuit. His follower +tried to get nearer to him before he reached the woods, but the fellow +heard him and glancing over his shoulder broke into a run. + +"Stop or I'll fire!" shouted Buxton. + +After the young man's experience with his first pursuer and his +Springfield, he could not be blamed for refusing to heed the command. He +ran the faster and the next minute would have whisked beyond reach, had +not Buxton come to an abrupt halt, and taking a quick aim, fired. + +He got his man too. With a cry of pain he leaped several feet in the air +and fell. Terrified by what he had done, Buxton ran forward, gun in hand, +and called out while several paces distant: + +"Are you hurt bad?" + +"I'm done for," was the reply as the wounded fellow laboriously climbed +to his feet. + +With anger turned into sympathy, the captor asked: + +"Where did I hit you?" + +"You shattered my right leg," was the reply, accompanied by groans as the +fellow with excruciating effort tried to support himself on the other +limb. + +Buxton laid down his weapon and knelt to examine the wound. He saw now +that the lower part of the trousers leg was shredded by the charge of +shot and that, doubtless, the hurt was a very grievous one. + +"I'm sorry I gave it to you so bad, but you can't deny you desarved it. +If you're able to walk back to my house, with my help, I'll get a doctor +and we'll soon----" + +At that instant the young man sprang back a couple of paces, and the +startled Buxton looking up saw that he stood firmly on both feet, with +the shotgun pointed at him. He had snatched up the weapon while the owner +was stooping over to inspect the wound. + +"Now it's _my_ turn!" he said, with a chuckle. "It isn't your fault that +you didn't kill me, and it will be my fault if I don't even matters up +with you!" + +Poor Buxton slowly came to the upright position, with jaws dropping and +eyes staring. He could only mumble: + +"W-w-what's the matter?" + +"Nothing with me; it's _you_ that's in a hole." + +Believing it was all up with him, the terrified victim stood mute. + +"I ought to shoot you down and I'll do so if you don't obey me." + +"W-w-what do you want?" Buxton managed to stammer out. + +"Dance!" was the crisp command. + +The citizen stared, not comprehending the order. + +"We cowboys in the West when we want a little fun make a tenderfoot dance +while we fire our revolvers at his feet. BEGIN!" + +The victim lowered the point of the gun so as to point it at the shoes of +Mr. Buxton. + +"I--I--can't dance; never done it in my life," he stuttered. + +"Can't begin earlier. Start up!" + +Knowing what was ordered, the victim obeyed. He leaped up and down, +shuffled his feet and made such comical antics that the gun wabbled in +the hands of the laughing master of the situation. + +"I have one loaded barrel left and I'm aching to let you have it! Keep it +up!" + +Now that he had started, Mr. Buxton threw more vigor into his steps. He +bounded in the air, side-stepped, kicked out his feet, tried a number of +fancy movements of which he knew nothing, and acted like an energetic +youth taking his first lessons in that branch of the terpsichorean art +called buck dancing. + +"Turn your back toward me and dance all the way home! If you let up for +one minute or look around I'll blaze away, and you won't get the charge +in your _feet_! Remember that!" + +Mr. Buxton reflected that having left home so jauntily with loaded weapon +over his shoulder, it would be anything but a dignified return to dance +back again without it. If he jig-stepped down the main street some +neighbor was likely to see him and make remarks. A waltz through the +gate, up the steps of the porch and into the hall, by which time it would +probably be safe for him to cease his exhausting performance, would +undoubtedly cause annoying inquiries on the part of his wife and family. + +But there was hope. He might gain a start that would make it safe to +resume his natural gait. He did his best. Facing the boundary fence less +than two hundred yards away he kicked up his heels, swung his arms in +unison, and steadily drew away from that fearful form standing with gun +levelled at him. He yearned to break into a run, but dared not. He +believed his tormentor was following so as to keep him in range. + +It was hardly to be expected that he should go over the fence with a +dance step, but he reflected that he could resume his labors immediately +he dropped to the ground on the other side and faithfully maintain it to +the next boundary. But there was risk and he was afraid to incur it. +While still shifting his feet with an energy that caused him to breathe +fast, he approached the obstruction. Partly turning his head while +toiling as hard as ever, he called: + +"I'll have to stop a minute till I climb over, but I'll resoom dancing as +soon as I hit the ground on the other side agin. Is that all right?" + +There was no reply and he repeated the question in a louder voice. Still +hearing nothing, he ventured to look back. The young man was nowhere in +sight. Truth to tell, no sooner had Mr. Buxton begun his humorous +exhibition than the youth, vainly trying to suppress his mirth, flung +down the gun, turned about and entered the wood toward which he was +running when so abruptly checked by his pursuer. + +"Wal, I'll be hanged!" was the disgusted exclamation of the panting +Buxton. "That's the meanest trick I ever had played on me. The scand'lous +villain oughter be hung. What a sight I made! I'm mighty glad no one seen +me." + +In his relief, he did not notice a vague form which flitted along the +edge of the wood, so close to the trees that the shadow screened it from +clear view. Had Mr. Buxton noted it he might not have felt certain that +no one witnessed his unrivalled performance. + +He was so tired out from his tremendous efforts that he stood awhile +mopping his moist forehead with his handkerchief while he regained his +wind. + +"It's lucky he didn't foller and make me dance all the way home. Never +could have done it. Would have dropped dead, I am that blamed tired." + +He leaned against the fence while recovering from his unwonted exercise. +Naturally he believed the young man who had used him so ill had carried +away his weapon beyond possibility of recovery. + +"And I paid twenty-five dollars for it in Portland," he bitterly mused. +"It looks to me that as a hunter of post office robbers I ain't of much +account." + +He resumed his walk homeward, going slowly, carefully climbing the +obstructions in his path and studying what explanation to make to his +friends for the loss of his valuable piece. He might manage it with all +except his wife and son. It would not do to tell them he had dropped it +somewhere along the road without noticing the accident. A boy might lose +his pocketknife (I know of a youngster who lost a wheelbarrow and never +found it again), but a double barreled shotgun manifestly could not +disappear in that fashion so much out of the ordinary way of things. + +"I think I'll have a look at the post office and larn what mischief the +villain done there." + +He veered in his course and came to the back window, where a light showed +that some persons were gathered. He found mother, daughter and the three +boys, who gave him warm greeting. + +"Was that your gun we heard a little while ago?" asked the woman. + +"I reckon it must have been," replied Mr. Buxton, who declined the +invitation to enter and remained standing outside the window. + +"Did you hit the burglar?" asked Alvin. + +"Young man," said Mr. Buxton loftily, "when I fire at anything I _always_ +hit it." + +"You didn't kill him, Gerald!" exclaimed the horrified mother. + +"No; I just winged him so he won't forget it if he lives a thousand +years; don't like to kill a scamp even if he is a burglar." + +"Where's your gun?" continued Alvin. + +The man glanced around as if it were hidden somewhere about his garments. + +"Now isn't that a fine go?" he exclaimed disgustedly. "I set it down +while I went forward to see how bad that feller was hit, and plumb +forgot." + +"O dad, here's your gun!" + +It was the son Jim who called this greeting as he straddled forward with +the heavy piece resting on his shoulder. All stared in amazement, and the +father in his confusion was imprudent enough to ask: + +"Where did you get it?" + +"I seen that feller that took it away from you and made you dance all the +way across the field. He throwed it down and went into the woods. When I +seen you hopping and dancing and kicking up your heels I nearly died +a-larfing. But I didn't forgit the gun, and run along the edge of the +woods and picked it up. Gee! it's heavy! But, dad, I didn't know you +could dance like that. Say----" + +"You young rascal, didn't I tell you to stay home? I'll larn you!" + +The parent made a dive at his son, who, with the gun still over his +shoulder, scooted across the yard and over the fence, with his irate +father in fierce pursuit. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +HOW IT WAS DONE + + +The attempt to rob the safe in the Beartown post office was accompanied +by more than one unique incident. Chief among these was the cowardice +exhibited by two of the three members who composed the little band of +lawbreakers. + +It has been shown that the full-grown man with a big mustache acted as a +lookout at the front, which is perhaps the safest post for a criminal in +such circumstances, since he has a good chance to get away on the first +approach of danger. A second lookout was placed at the rear. +After-developments showed that the trio was headed by Kit Woodford, the +adult member, who had led a life of crime since boyhood and had served a +term in prison. He would have been more successful as a criminal except +for his rank cowardice which caused him to be despised and cast out by +several gangs with which he sought to connect himself. + +The other two burglars were Orestes Noxon and Graff Miller, neither of +whom had reached his majority by more than two years. It was Miller who +took his station at the rear, where on the first sign of something amiss +he sneaked off without giving the signal which would have warned Noxon in +time to flee unharmed. In his way, he was as lacking in personal courage +as Kit Woodford. The latter held his place until the racket caused by +Mike Murphy's tumble downstairs apprised him that things were not going +right. He ventured upon a single timid whistle, which no one else heard, +and then slunk down the road, hugging the shadows and intent only on +saving his own bacon. + +How was it that young Noxon was assigned the most perilous task of all, +when in reality he was the youngest of the three? It was due to a +peculiar skill which neither of the others possessed. He proved more than +once that he could take position in front of an ordinary safe--not the +most modern kind--and by a wonderfully deft manipulation of the knob +which governed the combination tell by the fall of the tumblers just when +the index struck the right numerals. He demonstrated this power many +times when all others who made the trial failed. He asked simply to be +left undisturbed with his ear against the steel door as he turned the +knob with infinite delicacy. He was proud of his ability in this respect, +and when Kit Woodford gave him the post of peril he accepted it as a +compliment and eagerly essayed the task. + +Although there is no evidence on the point, it is quite sure that Kit +Woodford, whose chief business was to spy out the land, knew that several +wealthy citizens of Beartown made a practice of leaving large deposits +with Mrs. Friestone overnight or for several nights and days. It is not +to be supposed that Woodford would rob so insignificant a post office for +the small booty that belonged to the government. Quite likely he was +aware of the large sum left with her on the afternoon before. + +But Mike Murphy's original style of descending the back stairs brought +the schemes of the criminals to naught, and saved the safe from +spoliation. I have told how the three criminals scattered to as many +different points of the compass. They could not have come together again +had not previous provision been made for such emergencies. The leader, +having shaken himself clear of the village, turned into the wood and +picked his way toward the river. He was to the north, however, while the +other lookout, Miller, was to the south, and neither knew how far apart +they were. + +There seemed little risk in signalling, and after Woodford had gone half +way to the river he paused among the shadows and listened. He had been +startled by the report of the gun, but everything was now still. Placing +his thumb and forefinger between his lips, he emitted a sharp, tremulous +whistle, which was instantly answered by a similar call from some point +not far off. A few minutes later he and Miller, after a few precautions, +came together among the shadows. + +"I knew you would be somewhere in the neighborhood," was the young man's +explanation, "and I was listening for your signal." + +"Well," growled the elder, "Noxon made a mess of it to-night." + +"It looks that way." + +"Do you know what happened? Did you see anything?" + +"I saw him dash out from the rear of that store with someone chasing him +with a loaded gun." + +"That must have been what we heard a little while ago. Looks as if they +got Nox." + +"Shouldn't be surprised," remarked the other indifferently. + +"He oughter managed things better. How was it you didn't warn him?" + +"I did; I whistled twice the instant I saw his danger, and ran the risk +of getting it in the neck myself," was the unblushing response of the +youth. + +"I don't see that there's anything we can do for him. He got himself in a +hole through his own foolishness and must pull himself out. My motto when +a gang gets into trouble is that every one must look out for himself and +the devil take the hindmost." + +"I say, Kit," said Miller, lowering his voice as if fearful of being +overheard, "do you think they'll get Nox?" + +"Haven't a doubt of it." + +"I say, do you think there's any danger of his squealing, that is, if he +hasn't been killed?" + +"Naw," was the disgusted reply. "Nox is game--true blue; you can bet on +him till the cows come home." + +Which was more than Nox could say about his two pals. + +Kit Woodford may have spoken with confidence, but he was not as free from +misgivings as he would have it appear. He could not feel sure of their +missing companion. If the report which they had heard did not mean that +he had been slain, his capture looked certain, and there was no saying +what he might do to secure leniency. Kit knew what _he_ would do in a +similar situation. + +"Well, come on," he growled. "We're in tough luck to-night." + +And the two pushed their way among the trees in the direction of the +river. + +Meantime, matters remained interesting at the home of Widow Friestone. +The words of young Jim Buxton told a graphic story which made even Nora +laugh and forget for the time the frightful excitement they had passed +through. When the merriment had partly subsided, Mike drew one of his +remaining two quarters from his pocket and handed it to Nora. + +"Will ye do me the kindness to presint that to Jim when he comes to the +store in the morning to set the table on the front porch?" + +"What's that for?" asked the puzzled girl. + +"For the gayety he imparted to this gloomy avening. I don't know as ye +need say that to him, for he wouldn't understand what ye meant until +after three or four years of hard thought. But he's airned it, and ye'll +not forgit." + +She laid the coin aside and assured the donor that his wishes should be +carried out. + +Chester spoke: + +"It seems to me we are throwing away time. It is past midnight and here +we sit talking, and doing nothing because there seems nothing to do. What +do you think, Alvin?" + +"You are right. This business doesn't seem to have stirred up the town. I +don't suppose anyone knows what has happened except Mr. Buxton and his +family, and I don't think he will tell the particulars himself." + +"That can be lift to Jim," said Mike, "onless his dad imprisses upon him +that it won't be healthy for him to talk too freely wid his mouth +regarding the sarcus he obsarved this avening." + +"The lookout in front ran off at the first sign of danger, and if there +was a second one he ran too. It will be a long time before any member of +that party pays Beartown a second visit." + +Alvin now made known the fear in his mind--a fear that was shared by +Chester. The _Deerfoot_ was lying against the bank in Back River exposed +to any injury which these criminals might choose to inflict by way of +revenge. He proposed that the mother and daughter, after refastening the +window and locking up, should retire to their beds, while the boys +returned to the launch to make sure no harm befell it. + +This course was only the commonest prudence, but the hostess and her +daughter were clearly so nervous over being left alone for the remainder +of the night that Alvin regretted his proposal. Nora especially did not +try to hide her distress. + +"Never mind," Alvin made haste to say, "we will wait till morning. You +have been so kind that we cannot willingly cause you a moment's pain." + +"May I make a suggistion?" asked Mike, speaking so seriously that all +knew he was about to say something worth while. + +"I know he's going to tell us the right thing," said Nora. + +"How could I do itherwise wid yer bright eyes cheering me?" he asked, +with his expansive grin. "The same is this: Do ye two spalpeens go down +to the launch and stay there till morning while I remain behind wid the +misthress and sweet Nora, and keep off the burglars wid that same gun +that sarved me so well." + +Only Alvin and Chester knew the chivalry of this proposal. Mike regretted +keenly the separation from them, even though it promised to be for only a +few hours. + +"That is asking too much," said the widow, though her countenance +brightened with pleasure. + +"How can the same be asking too much whin ye haven't asked it?" + +Nora clapped her hands. + +"I can't hilp it if she looks upon mesilf as worth the two of ye," said +Mike, with an assumption of dignity that deceived no one. + +"It is good on your part, Mike," said Alvin. "I feel as if we ought to +give attention to the boat, and you may as well stay here. We'll wait for +you in the morning." + +"Don't feel obleeged to do the same. Something may turn up that may cause +ye to hurry off. If it be so, don't tarry a minute for me." + +"Possibly you may prove right, but we shall hate to leave you behind." + +"Ye may do so foriver, so long as I have such quarters as these." + +With this understanding, the friends parted, no one dreaming of what was +to befall them before all met again. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A STARTLING DISCOVERY + + +Nothing was more natural than that Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes should +be concerned for the safety of the motor launch _Deerfoot_. It had been +stolen from them once in simple wantonness by two young men who had +nothing to do with the post office robberies. The motive for a similar +theft was now much stronger. It was evident that the criminals had come +to Beartown, or as near to it as they could come, by water, and their +boat was somewhere in the neighborhood. They were likely to discover the +_Deerfoot_, if they had not already done so, and knowing its superior +speed, would either make use of or disable it so it could not be employed +for pursuit. + +Alvin and Chester kept to the road which connected the landing with the +village, for it was much easier thus to advance than to pick their way +through the pines and firs. They did not meet a solitary person, for the +night was well along and daybreak near. When the rickety frame work +loomed up in the moonlight, they turned off into the shadow of the wood +and moved with the utmost care. All the time they kept within sight of +the gleam of water. Alvin was in advance, with his comrade close upon his +heels. + +"Hello! here she is!" was the pleased exclamation of the Captain a few +minutes later. + +"Has she had any visitors while we were away?" asked Chester, as the two +stepped down to the margin of the river. + +"I see no signs of it, but we shall have to examine further." + +The launch lay as close to shore as it had been possible to bring her--so +close indeed that the two stepped aboard without use of a plank. The +position of the moon in the sky was such that the shadow of the trees was +cast several feet beyond the boat, which, as a consequence, was wrapped +in obscurity. Peering here and there, the youths began a visual search +for the evidence they did not wish to find. Alvin tried the covering, +which had been drawn over the cockpit, preliminary to taking the bunch of +keys from his pocket. It slid back easily. + +"I thought I locked that," he said in surprise. + +"I remember you went through the motions, but you must have missed it." + +"So it seems." + +He stepped over, seated himself and grasped the steering wheel. + +"Nothing is wrong here----" + +"Hark!" whispered Chester. + +The two listened and heard the muffled exhaust of a launch not far off. + +"It comes from down stream," said Chester. + +"It's their boat!" exclaimed the excited Alvin. "They are hurrying off." + +"Let's chase them!" added Chester, catching the glow of his chum. + +"All right! Light up and cast off." + +[Illustration: LIKE A SWALLOW SKIMMING CLOSE TO THE SURFACE.] + +Chester quickly fixed the lights, sprang from the taffrail to shore, +untied the loop of rope, flung it on deck and leaped after it. Alvin had +opened the forward deck, which covered the engine, climbed down and +around to the front and started it. Then throwing in the clutch the boat +quickly caught the impulse, and the Captain steered away from shore. +While lying against the bank the nose of the launch was pointed up the +river, and since the noise showed that the other boat was speeding down +stream, it was necessary to head in that direction. The sweeping circle +carried the craft far out into the moon glow and the Captain turned on +full power, sending the boat southward like a swallow skimming close to +the surface. + +"They got the idea yesterday that the _Water Witch_ is faster than the +_Deerfoot_. That was a cute idea of Calvert, but they will soon learn +their mistake. Do you see anything of her lights?" + +Chester stood beside him in the cockpit, with one hand grasping the top +of the wind-shield, while he peered into the sea of illumination through +which they were plunging. + +"Not yet," he answered "but we must be gaining fast." + +The water curled over in a graceful half circle as it was split apart by +the sharp prow. Some of the spray was scattered over him, though +otherwise the river was as calm as a millpond. The tide was at its turn, +so there was no current. Alvin held to the middle of the river, where he +knew it was very deep, and he would have timely notice of every +obstruction that could appear. + +Now that the two were fairly started upon the singular chase, they had +time to speculate as to its probable result. They had not a firearm on +the boat nor had they ever had one aboard. They were chasing a party of +criminals who were sure to be well armed. Suppose our young friends +overtook them, what could they do? + +Alvin had a dim idea that having drawn near enough to discover the _Water +Witch_, he would keep in sight until others could intervene. His boat +would follow whereever the fugitive dare lead, and would never give up. +If our young friends could not attack, they could point out the way for +others. Should the criminals run into shore, where there was a chance of +landing without being observed, the pursuers could be at their heels, and +through the nearest telegraph station raise the hue and cry that would +quickly end in their overthrow. + +"It is strange," reflected Alvin, "that while we have not meant to have +anything to do with those scamps we are continually running into them, +while Detective Calvert, who is in this part of the world for that +purpose, can't put his hand on them. If he and his friend, whom we saw at +Wiscasset, and who is an officer of the law also, were here, we should be +sure of doing the right thing. As it is, it's all guesswork." + +"Light ahead!" suddenly called Chester beside him. + +"Where away?" + +"Right ahead, but closer in shore on the left." + +Alvin leaned forward and gazed intently. + +"You are right," he added as he saw a white light low down on the water. +"Now we'll show those fellows what the _Deerfoot_ can do when she tries." + +He flirted over the little lever controlling the power, and instantly the +engine responded so fiercely that the launch shivered from stem to stern. +It bounded forward like a hound freed from the leash, the bow rising from +the impulse, as if it would leap clear of the water, and seemingly +shooting over it, like an iceboat driven in a hurricane. + +But the launch in front was no laggard. Whether she increased her speed +at sight of the light which was seemingly hustling down the river after +her, or whether she simply held her former rate, she was going at a +tremendous pace. Soon leaving Long Ledge on their right, the pursuer shot +into the broader waters of Montsweag Bay, only to find the white light +seemingly as far off as ever. Possibly the pursuers had gained something, +but not enough to be perceptible. + +"They have seen us," said Chester, from his station at the front, "and +are putting in their best licks. We must be going the limit." + +"That is twenty-four miles, but we're not making it, Chester." + +The second mate pulled down his cap more snugly, for the motionless air +was turned into a gale, and looked back. + +"What do you mean? The _Deerfoot_ is eating up water." + +"That may be, but she isn't getting there as she ought to," insisted +Alvin, who, of course, was more familiar with his boat. "Something is the +matter with her. She seems to be doing her best, and yet she lags." + +"Do you think it because of her trouble yesterday?" + +"It must be, but I was sure she was shipshape when we left her last +night. See whether we are gaining." + +Chester spent several minutes in studying the position and progress of +that white light, which was gliding with swift smoothness over the water, +and hugging the bank all the while. When he spoke it was doubtfully. + +"Perhaps we have gained a little, say about six inches." + +Alvin groped about him for the binoculars, which he had left on the seat +at his side. By turning the glass over when in use, one could avail +himself of the night lens, which was helpful in the gloom. But he did not +find it. + +"That's queer," he muttered; "I am sure I laid it there. I wonder if +anyone visited the boat while we were away." + +"By gracious!" called Chester from his station; "I believe she has +stopped!" + +"Make sure of it. I should think they would put out their stern light if +they wanted to elude us." + +"Likely they don't care. Yes; she has run into shore, where there seems +to be some sort of landing." + +Alvin swung over the wheel so as to approach directly from the rear. +Since the other boat had become motionless, he slackened speed to save +the strain upon his own. + +Everything was now in the vivid moonlight. The launch drew steadily up to +the landing where the other boat had halted. Two men were observed moving +about as if making ready to tie up for the remainder of the night. They +showed no interest in their pursuers, and Alvin sheered off slightly so +as to pass at a distance of several rods, and while doing so he made an +exasperating discovery. + +The craft which he had been pursuing with so much zest was not the _Water +Witch_, but a small runabout capable of high speed. The couple on board +gave no attention to the larger craft, and the chagrined Alvin turned +farther out into the bay and gradually headed up stream again. Chester +came back from the front and chuckled: + +"What a wild goose chase! The next thing to do is to make after the +_Nahanada_ or the _Gardiner_. There will be as much sense in the one as +the other." + +Observing the change of course, Chester inquired: + +"Where to now?" + +"We may as well go back and pick up Mike. It seems to be growing light in +the east." + +"So it is; a memorable night in our experience is drawing to a close." + +"I say, Chester," called the Captain, "I am sure someone was on this boat +while we were away at Beartown." + +A sudden suspicion took form in his mind. + +"Is there enough light for you to see the name on the bow?" + +"Of course." + +"Take a look and tell me what it is." + +Chester carefully leaned over and studied the gilt letters painted on the +right of the prow corresponding to those on the left. Then he +straightened up with a gasp: + +"As sure as I'm a living sinner it's the _Water Witch_!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THROUGH THE FOG + + +It was an astounding discovery. + +With never a thought of the grotesque mistake, both youths had boarded +the launch believing it to be the _Deerfoot_; they had pursued the +imaginary fugitive only to awaken to the fact that she was not a +fugitive, and that they had unconsciously stolen the property of the +burglars, which must have been lying so near their own craft that the +slight difference of location was not noticed. + +Chester stepped down and seated himself at the elbow of his chum. + +"Here are only four seats instead of six. Why didn't we notice it +before?" + +"Because we were too much occupied with other things, or rather were both +struck with blindness just then. As Mike would say, I'm completely +flabbergasted." + +"And I'm with you. What's to be done now?" + +"Tell me where the _Deerfoot_ is." + +"Ask me something easier. She may be lying where we left her, or twenty +miles away." + +"We should have heard her if she came down stream." + +"She may have gone up the river and around into the Sheepscot." + +"And back to the former hiding place of this boat or to a different +one--the 'Beautiful Isle of Somewhere,'" said Alvin grimly. + +"One place will serve as well as another. I wonder whether there was ever +so wonderful a mix-up of launches since such craft were known." + +Alvin shut off power and the two listened. From some point miles away +came the hoarse growl of a steam whistle, but all else was still. He had +hoped that they would hear the _Deerfoot's_ exhaust, but nothing of the +kind came to their ears. He flirted the switch around and resumed the +speed which was not above half a dozen miles an hour. + +One of the plagues of the Maine coast is the dense fogs which sometimes +creep far up the rivers. Such an obscurity now began settling over +Montsweag Bay and Back River, shutting out the moonlight as well as the +rays of the rising sun. Before Alvin was aware, he could not see either +shore until he had run far over to the right and caught a shadowy sight +of the pines, spruce and firs which lined the bank. The air dripped +moisture and, though it was summer, it grew chilly. + +While gliding slowly forward they heard a steamer's bell, accompanied by +occasional blasts from her whistle. She was feeling her way down stream +and sounding warnings to other craft. By and by the beat of her screw and +the ripple of the water from her bow sounded so near that Alvin edged +closer to land. In the heavy mist loomed a minute later a bulky steamer, +surging southward at sluggish speed, the crew, as seen for an instant, +looking like saturated ghosts. + +The boat was quickly swallowed up, her bell still tolling, with blasts +from her whistle at short intervals. + +Seated as described, the two youths discussed what was the best thing to +do. It seemed advisable to return to the point from which they started, +that is, near Beartown landing. There was not one chance in a hundred +that they would find the _Deerfoot_ there, but such a thing was not +impossible. That which made this policy seem wise was the likelihood of +again meeting Detective Calvert. The news of the attempted robbery of the +Beartown post office would be telegraphed far and wide, and he would be +sure to hear of it at Wiscasset. It would not take him and his brother +officer long to reach the village, where the lads could hope to see him. + +It was certainly a singular coincidence that the launch should be twice +stolen in so brief a time, and the owner grimly asked himself whether +fate had not ordained that he was to lose it after all. + +There was no light in the maze of conjecture that opened before them. +Chester suggested an alarming complication. + +"The _Deerfoot_ can outspeed any craft in the Maine waters. These +burglars must have a hiding place, and we know there is no end to them +among the bays, inlets, coves and islands that stud the rivers. Suppose +they board the launch and speed away till all pursuit is thrown off the +scent--something they can easily do--and then abandon the boat." + +"We shall find her sooner or later, and Calvert will perhaps in this way +get on their track." + +"They can avert such danger by sinking her in deep water, where she may +not be found for years." + +"I have not thought of that. It looks as if they had the whip-hand. These +fellows may have blundered last night, but it was solely through the +sudden appearance of Mike on the spot, for they are no fools. If we try +to get the best of them we shall get the worst, unless we have the help +of Mr. Calvert." + +"And the only way to gain that is to go back to Beartown." + +"So it seems to me. What do you think?" asked the Captain. + +"I know of nothing better. Wouldn't it be well to hit up the pace a +little?" + +"If this fog would only lift! But it seems to be growing thicker. We must +feel our way." + +While the Captain was doing this, his second mate looked over the _Water +Witch_. Its resemblance to the _Deerfoot_ was remarkable. It was probably +two or three feet shorter, but that was the only noticeable difference. +The model was the same, even to the color of the paint used. As has +already been said, however, there were only four seats while the +_Deerfoot_ had six. The similarity of the craft was proved by the fact +that Alvin Landon boarded and ran it for quite a number of miles before +even the slightest suspicion entered his mind. + +All landmarks were shut from view until, as may be said, the launch ran +against them. The boys had little or no acquaintance with the river they +were ascending, and only here and there were they able to identify +certain landings or towns from their previous study of the map. Alvin +knew he was creeping northward, and sooner or later must reach the point +which he left during the latter part of the night. Even the landing would +not be recognized without close study, and possibly not even then. + +Had not the noise made by the progress of the launch shut out a certain +sound and had not the dense fog hidden something from sight, the two +would have made a startling discovery within the hour which followed +their turning back. But no knowledge of that nature came to them. + +The boys agreed that they would not reach their destination until long +after their change of course. Neither noted when this was done, but +Chester now looked at his watch and found it showed a few minutes to +seven. + +"A good hour for breakfast," he remarked, "and my appetite is with me, as +I am sure yours is with you." + +Alvin nodded and kept his eye on the receding shore and the water ahead. + +"Mike is to be envied, for the good woman and especially the daughter +will give him the best their house can afford. These boats don't carry a +large stock of provisions--who knows but there's something of the kind on +board?" + +He asked the Captain to rise while he lifted the cushioned lid of the +locker upon which he had been sitting. The next moment Chester uttered a +joyous cry. + +"Hurrah! we're in luck!" + +He held up a large paper bag into which he had peeped. It contained half +a dozen plump ham sandwiches. + +"While we are about it suppose we see what other treasures are in the +ship's chest." + +They found a most interesting stock indeed. Five black pieces of muslin, +each with two peep-holes, several sets of false whiskers, two pairs of +brass knuckles, three metal rings from each of which dangled more than a +dozen keys of varying sizes, a box of revolver cartridges, a formidable +knife, some twine and a number of articles of no importance. + +"They tell their story," said Chester, holding them up one after another +for his chum's inspection. "If the officers of the law arrest us, we +shall have to depend upon our friends to prove an alibi." + +"Meanwhile there is no need to keep those sandwiches waiting." + +"Wonder if they are poisoned," laughed Chester, as he passed one to his +chum, and sank his teeth in another. "Anyhow, I'm going to take chances." + +"So am I. They don't seem to have any cooking utensils on board, so +coffee and warm food are to be denied us." + +The Captain ate with one hand on the steering wheel, and frequent glances +ahead. Now and then they would find themselves approaching a sharp +projection of land, around which the launch was steered, and then perhaps +would glide past a cunning looking cove, too narrow to admit a boat of +large size. Once, while doubling a cape, they came within a hair of +running down a small rowboat propelled by a single occupant. He shouted +angrily for the steersman to keep a better lookout. + +"I'm sorry!" called back Alvin; "but the fog bothers us. Will you please +tell me how far it is to Beartown landing?" + +"'Bout half a mile, mebbe a little more. Who are you?" + +Alvin gave his right name and thanked the man for his information. + +"I thought that was about the distance," said Chester, as he resumed the +duty of sentinel. "I can't recognize any landmark, and couldn't if there +was no fog to play the mischief with our sight." + +Alvin stopped the engine two or three times while approaching the spot, +in order to listen for sounds of the other boat. They heard nothing, but +had they not waited too long to make the experiment, they would have +picked up some exceedingly interesting information. + +"Here's the spot!" called Chester a few minutes later, as he identified +the spiderlike landing from which a road led to Beartown. + +"Then we have passed the place where the launch lay up last night. We may +as well go beyond and be out of the way of folks." + +A hundred yards north of the wharf, too far to see it when they looked +back, the _Water Witch_ came gently to rest, the waiting Chester sprang +ashore with a line in hand and made fast. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +BAD FOR MIKE MURPHY + + +When Gerald Buxton's shotgun was fired by him, and the report rang out in +the still night, it awoke several persons, who wondered what it meant. No +one gave the matter further thought, however, until an old lady, facing +the main street, looked through her bedroom window and saw the citizen +chasing his boy, who toted a gun over his shoulder. At the first +streakings of daylight she hurried to the Buxton home for the +explanation. Within the following half hour the majority of the +population of Beartown knew that an attempt had been made to rob the post +office during the night. Then followed a hurrying thither, for no one +could be satisfied until he had viewed the scene and talked with the +postmistress herself. + +It was the confusion and hurly-burly below stairs that awoke Mike Murphy +early. He would have left at once to join Alvin and Chester if Nora had +not forced him to eat breakfast before bidding them good-by. It must be +said that the Irish youth did not require much urging to detain him that +long. + +He found he was attracting unpleasant attention. It was Nora who took +pains to let it be known that but for him all the money in the safe would +have been stolen. Mr. Jasper, the owner of the large sum, scrambled +through the crowd, snatched up his big envelope and hurried off without +so much as thanking Mike, who cared naught. + +"You needn't tell me," said the keeper of the other grocery store to the +husband of the town milliner. "That redheaded Irish chap is one of the +gang." + +"How do you account for his preventing the other robber from carrying +away the money in the safe?" asked his neighbor. + +"Plain enough; they'd had a quarrel. He wanted it all for himself." + +"Why didn't he take it then?" + +"The widder and others bounced down on him afore he had the chance." + +"I don't see why if the other villain run away this one didn't do +likewise." + +"He'll do it quick enough, never you fear." + +"Why is he hanging round after they've gone?" + +"To git the money. Seems to me, Rufe, you're blamed stupid this morning. +Why, you've only to take one look at that young ruffian's face to see the +wickedness wrote there. He oughter be in prison this very minute, and +he'll soon be there--take my word for it!" + +"Where is he?" + +"Sneaked off while he had the chance--wal, I'll be gul darned!" + +The grinning Mike Murphy was standing at his elbow, where he had heard +every word of the pointed conversation. The gossip was so taken aback +that he began stammering: + +"I had--that is, I was thinking of the other robber." + +"I was told," said Mike, "that there was a man hereabouts that looked so +much like me he must be my lost brither that was let out of jail in +Boston a fortnight since. I've found him and begs the privilege of +shaking his hand." + +And he caught the limp fingers of the gaping fellow and squeezed them +hard, while he continued to gape and say nothing. + +Since this unpleasant person bore not the slightest resemblance to the +youth, being pale and effeminate looking, those who stood near broke into +laughter. Mike turned about, and having bidden good-by to mother and +daughter, passed into the street and turned down the road leading to the +landing. + +The hour was early and the fog of which I have spoken was beginning to +creep over the village and through the woods. He kept his bearings, and +when near the river plunged in among the trees to find the _Deerfoot_, +remembering where she was moored the night before. + +Some hours earlier Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes had boarded the _Water +Witch_, never doubting that it was the _Deerfoot_, and started down the +river. Consequently Mike could not make the same mistake, and came +straight to the launch with which he was familiar. Standing for a brief +period on the bank he looked admiringly at it. + +"Where are the byes?" was the first question he asked himself, as a +glance told him he had arrived ahead of them. "I wonder now if they have +strayed off in the woods, where they may wander about like the two lost +babes and be niver heerd of agin." + +Not doubting that they would soon show up, he sat down on the velvety +ground to await them. By and by he became drowsy. The previous night had +been so broken that he had not gained half the sleep he needed. It was +natural, therefore, after his generous breakfast, that he should be +inclined to slumber. Rousing up, he reflected: + +"If I fall asleep here, the byes may not obsarve me and sail away and +leave me behind. I shouldn't mind that so much wid only a quarter of a +dollar in me pocket, fur I could go back to Nora and her mother and spind +the rest of me days. But the Captain and second mate would graive +themselves to death, and that would make me feel bad." + +Throwing off his drowsiness, he rose to his feet, reached out one hand +and sprang lightly aboard the boat. Seats, cushions, flags, everything +was as they had left it the night before. He sat down on one seat, rested +his feet upon another and settled himself for a good nap, indifferent as +to how long it should last. + +"When they come they will obsarve that I'm sweetly draaming, and will +respict me enough to refrain from disturbing me, as Bobbie Burns used to +say whin he lay down beside the road late at night on his way home." + +His posture was so comfortable that his head soon bowed and he drifted +into the land of dreams. His first essay was not so successful as he +hoped it would be, for by and by the nodding head tipped too far forward, +and he sprawled on his face. His first confused fancy was that he had +been lying in his trundle bed at Tipperary with his cousin Garry Murphy. + +"Arrah, now, what do ye maan by kicking me out on the floor, ye spalpeen? +Whin I git me eyes open I'll taich ye better manners," he called, +climbing carefully to his feet. After a brief spell he recalled the +situation. His first fear was that the Captain and second mate had +returned and witnessed his tumble, but looking around, he saw nothing of +them. The mooring line lay looped around the base of the spruce and the +launch was motionless. + +Soon after, two persons came stealing their way among the trees, feeling +each step like a couple of Indian scouts entering a hostile camp. They +were Kit Woodford, leader of the post office burglars, and his young +companion Graff Miller. You remember they acted as lookouts, while the +third was busy inside. They had fled like the cowards they were on the +first sign of danger, had managed to find each other and then set out to +flee in their launch. What had become of "Nox" they did not know or care. +He must do as they had done--save himself or go unsaved. + +A shock of astonishment came to the miscreants when they reached the +place where the _Water Witch_ was moored the night before, only to +discover that it had vanished. To the alarmed ruffians there was but the +one explanation: the men who had interfered with the work at the post +office had learned of the launch and run off with it. + +"This is a rum go!" was the disgusted exclamation of Woodford. "I thought +we should have an easy thing of it, but we've got to turn back inland. We +shouldn't have any trouble, though it looks to me as if we shall have to +part company." + +The younger man was not favorably impressed at first, but a moment's +reflection convinced him that this was one of the situations in which the +proverb, "In union there is strength," did not hold good. Two persons +trying together to make their way out of the neighborhood without drawing +suspicion would be in more danger than one. So he said: + +"All right; I will go down stream." + +He moved away from his companion, who held his place for a brief while, +still reflecting whether his plan was the better one after all. He was +turning over the problem in his mind, when he caught the sound of a +guarded whistle. It was a familiar call from his companion and he did not +hesitate to follow it. Only a little way off he paused with an +exclamation of astonishment. + +There was the swift launch _Deerfoot_ moored against the bank so near the +place where the _Water Witch_ had been left that it is no wonder that +Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes failed to notice the difference of +location. Not only that, but one of the youths belonging to the boat was +seated near the stern with head bowed as if asleep. + +What could the amazing fact mean? Woodford's first thought was that a +trap had been set for them. More than likely the seeming slumber on the +part of the motionless figure was a pretence, and meant to tempt them to +come out into the open. + +"What do you make of it?" whispered Graff Miller. + +"Some deviltry you may be sure; the others are near by." + +They stealthily withdrew deeper into the wood and watched and listened, +but nothing occurred to cause alarm. Then a sudden resolution came to the +elder. + +"So long as there's only one, let's make him prisoner." + +"I'm willing," assented the other. + +As silently as two shadows, they stole to the edge of the water. Woodford +deftly cast off the bow line and, leaning over, gently laid it on the +deck. Then they stepped aboard and Miller took up the boathook, pressed +it against the bank and the launch began moving away. When the boathook +could be used no longer, it was softly laid down and the younger man took +his place at the wheel. He understood the running of the launch better +than his companions and generally acted as pilot. + +"Shall I start?" he asked, in a guarded voice. + +The other nodded. Miller slipped the switch plug in place, started the +motor and put on the power, with just enough force to set the screw +slowly revolving. He headed out in the river, where, because of the fog, +he could barely see the flagstaff at the bow, and began a wide sweeping +circle with the intention of descending the stream. + +And still Mike Murphy dreamed on. + +Now that the boat was under way with the screw revolving faster, Kit +Woodford stepped closer to the sleeping youth and looked at his face. +When he recognized him as the belligerent Irish lad, his feelings +underwent a sudden change. He knew something of the sleeper and decided +on the instant that he was _persona non grata_. While one of the other +boys might have been held with some vague idea of being used as a +hostage, this one would make more trouble aboard than on land. + +Without a word as to his purpose to his companion, Kit Woodford stooped +over, and with the great strength he possessed, easily lifted the +sleeping boy clear of the deck. Then he cautiously moved to the taffrail, +and with a single toss flung Mike Murphy clear of the launch. And the +water was fifty feet deep, and Mike had never swum a stroke, and there +was no one to go to his help. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +WHAT SAVED MIKE + + +Let us be just to all. I therefore make haste to say that when Kit +Woodford thus threw Mike Murphy into the Back River he did not doubt for +an instant that he was a swimmer, for whoever heard of a lusty youth +seventeen years old who could not take care of himself in water? Of +course there are such, but they are so few that they are a negligible +number. + +Graff Miller was startled when he heard the splash, and turning his head +saw the lad disappear, but his belief was the same as his companion's, +and turning on more power, he shot beyond sight before the lad could come +to the surface. + +Now I wish to say further that it is a fact within the knowledge of more +than one that a person who did not know how to swim has, upon being +precipitated into deep water, struck out like a master of the natatorial +art. A father standing on the shore of a lake in northern England saw a +boat upset when a hundred yards off and his little boy flung clear of the +support. The lad had never even tried to swim, but as he was going down +the parent shouted to him: + +"If you don't come right to land, I'll whip you within an inch of your +life!" + +And the little fellow swam to where the frantic parent awaited him. + +Moreover, I once witnessed the same strange occurrence. I was not six +years old when I was waiting at the side of a deep pond, and watching my +brother, four years older, construct a raft, with which he had promised +to come over and take me a-sailing. He put a number of boards loosely +together, and using a shingle for a paddle, worked out from shore and +began making his way toward me, who was in high spirits over the promised +treat. + +In the very middle of the pond, where the water was fully twenty feet +deep, the primitive raft began disintegrating. The boards slipped apart, +so that those upon which my brother stood sank under his weight. Had he +been older and more sensible, he would have known that this need not mean +danger to him, for the smallest board was buoyant enough to hold his head +above water, and he could have worked his way to land with such support. +But the sight of the structure breaking apart threw him into a panic. He +made a frenzied leap as far out as he could, came up instantly, blew the +water from his mouth and swam so easily to where I was standing that I +never dreamed he was in peril. I should have said that never before had +he tried to swim. + +The explanation of what seems unaccountable is simple. Now and then it +happens that when a sudden demand is made upon a person to save his life +by swimming he instinctively does the right thing. He adjusts his body +correctly, and uses his legs and arms properly--his action being exactly +like those of a bullfrog when he starts on a voyage to the other side of +the spring where he makes his home. + +This thing does not often occur, but, as I have said, it does now and +then. Let me beg you never to make the experiment unless it is forced +upon you, for I dread what the result would be. + +You have already guessed that this is what took place with Mike Murphy. I +cannot think of a more startling awaking than that of a sleeping person +who is flung into a deep stream of very cold water. Mike's momentum took +him several feet below the surface, but he quickly rose again, shook the +water from his eyes, blew it out of his mouth, and then swam straight for +land with the skill that you would show in a similar situation. Even in +taking the right direction he was providentially guided, for at first the +dense fog shut everything from sight, but after a few strokes, he saw the +dim outlines of the trees, and never stopped the vigorous swimming until +he reached up, grasped an overhanging limb of a near-by tree and felt his +feet touch bottom. + +And then he was so overcome by what had taken place and it was so beyond +his comprehension that he believed it was a miracle. Standing on the bank +in his dripping clothing, he was mute for a full minute. Then he sank on +his knees and looking reverently upward said: + +"I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, for saving me life when I didn't +desarve it. Why Ye took the trouble is beyond me, but I niver can thank +Thee enough. I'm going to try me bist to be more desarving of Yer +kindness, and now if it's all the same to Yer blissed silf, plaise give +me a chance at that spalpeen that treated me as he did." + +From down the river came the sound of the _Deerfoot's_ exhaust, growing +fainter as the boat sped on its way. The hoarse blast of a steamer's +whistle shuddered through the mist, but the lad saw nothing of either +craft. It was fog, fog on every hand. + +He could not straighten out in his mind all that had taken place. More +than one phase of the occurrences was beyond explanation. Overcoming in a +degree the awe he felt for what had occurred in his own person, he +thought: + +"If the Captain and second mate didn't know I couldn't swim, I'd belave +it was them that dropped me overboard by way of a joke, as the Barry +brithers explained to the Judge was their raison for hanging Black Mike. +It was thim spalpeens that wint fur the Captain whin he was journeying +through the woods. Begorra! but they are piling up a big debt fur me to +pay! But I'll sittle the same wid int'rist at siven thousand per cent. + +"Where's Alvin and Chester all this time? Why didn't they git to the +_Deerfut_ before me instead of laving it fur them chaps? What does it all +maan, anyway?" + +One of the singular coincidences of this series of adventures was that +the _Deerfoot_ in going down the Back River passed within a few rods of +the _Water Witch_ coming up. The noise of the respective engines +prevented either party hearing the other, and the fog would have veiled +them had the space between been considerably less. + +Not knowing that the launch of their enemies had been moored anywhere +near, Mike did not look for it. Ignorant also of how far he had been +carried while asleep, he could not guess the distance to Beartown +landing. It might be half a mile or ten times as much. In truth, the +former distance was about right. + +The pressing question was as to what he should do. His clothing even to +his cap was saturated. The morning was chilly, and he shivered. He must +find a place where he could obtain warmth until his garments dried. When +that was done he would decide upon the next step to take. + +Had he suspected that he was so close to the landing, he would have +picked his way thither and then followed the road to the home of Mrs. +Friestone. It seemed to him that there must be a good many scattered +houses, any one of which would give him welcome. He remembered that a +broad highway runs the whole length of big Westport Island. Necessarily +this was parallel with the course of Back River. If he therefore turned +away from the latter and held a direct course, he must sooner or later +reach the road named, where he would be sure soon to receive hospitality. + +No doubt you know from experience how hard it is to hold a straight +course when going through a wilderness, without landmarks to guide you +and ignorant also of the "signs" which are as plain as print to the +veteran hunter. The fog inclosed Mike on every hand, but his activity +imparted a pleasant warmth to his frame, which otherwise would not have +been felt, even though it was summer time. + +He zigzagged sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left, but, on +the whole, held substantially to the right direction and gradually drew +near the dusty avenue which, once reached, would bring the end of his +discomforts. Good fortune stayed with him, for when he was beginning to +feel somewhat discouraged with his failure to free himself from the +dripping woods, he abruptly came upon a clearing, in the midst of which +stood a small house, surrounded by a well-tilled garden and several +smaller buildings. Chickens were scratching and picking at the earth, and +a big dog, fortunately restrained by a chain, scrambled out of his kennel +at sight of the stranger and barked and tugged to get at him. + +Between him and Mike stretched a clothesline supported at intervals by +leaning props, and despite the fact that the humidity in the air must +have been close to ninety-nine degrees, a corpulent woman was hanging out +clothes. Two or three wooden pins were in her mouth, and every now and +then she reached up with one hand and squeezed the little conveniences +over the cord which supported the flapping clothes. She wore no bonnet or +hat, and the untied shoes evidently were an old pair belonging to her +husband. + +Hearing the dog bark, she looked around to learn the cause. She saw a +freckle-faced youth in the act of doffing his cap and bowing. + +"The top of the morning to yer ladyship, and would ye be willing to hang +me across yer line till me clothes be dried?" + +The woman snatched the pins from between her teeth and stared at him. Her +face was broad, homely and good-natured. + +"G'way now," she answered; "I don't hang up any clothes till the same is +_claan_. It will take a waak's washing to rinder ye fit. If I straddle ye +over the line wid yer faat and rid head hanging down and bumping +togither, ye'll cut a purty figger a-flapping in the wind." + +Mike's laughter rang out. She was Irish like him and his heart warmed to +her. + +"Begorra! I've met a leddy after me own heart. She's from the 'owld sod' +and it's not mesilf that is going to have me own way in gay conversation +wid the charming beauty." + +True enough, the woman was his match and Mike was glad to learn it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE GOOD SAMARITANS + + +She looked sharply at him through her bright blue eyes. + +"Are ye saaking to make me belave ye are from Ireland?" + +"Sartinly--Mike Murphy, from the town of Tipperary, County of Tipperary, +at your sarvice," and he bowed again. + +"Arrah, poor Ireland, how many wrongs are heaped upon ye! I was sure from +yer accint that ye were a Dutchman or Frinch." + +"May I ask yer name, me leddy?" + +"Mrs. Maggie McCaffry, and me husband is Tam that is working for Mr. +Burns at Beartown." + +Mike clasped his hands and with a glowing expression stepped forward. + +"I knowed it! I knowed it!" he exclaimed, as if overrunning with joy. + +"Knowed phwat?" + +"That ye were my mither's fourth cousin that lift Tipperary fur Noo York +six years ago, but by some mistake landed in Dublin jail--bad cess to +them as made the same mistake!" + +"It's bad enough fur ye to be born in the same counthry wid mesilf, but I +war-r-n ye to make no claim to relationship. There's some things a +respictable leddy can't stand." + +"Did ye not almost break me heart by thinking I was a Dutchman?" asked +Mike reprovingly. + +"I'll make the same roight by axing the pardon of ivery Dutchman I maats +for the rist of me born days. 'Twas har-r-d on the poor haythen." + +"Aunt Maggie, I'll give ye all me wealth if ye'll consint to let me dry +mesilf in front of yer fire." + +"Arrah, now, what are ye saying? Five cints is no object to me----" + +Just then, in spite of an effort to prevent it, Mike's teeth chattered. +Now that he had ceased walking he quickly became chilled. The woman +noticed it and her warm sympathy instantly welled up. + +"'Tis a shame that I kipt ye talking nonsense wid me while ye was +shivering. Do ye walk straight into the house and war-r-m yersilf till I +come, which will be in a jiffy whin I have the rest of me clothes hung +out. And if ye're hungry ye shall have food." + +"I thank ye, aunty, but I am not in need of that." + +Two small wooden steps were in front of the only door on that side of the +neat little cottage. He pressed his thumb on the latch, pushed open the +door and the next instant faced one of the greatest surprises of his +life. + +The lower floor consisted of two rooms, a kitchen and a general living +room. The fire in the former would have been enough for the interior, but +for the fact that a visitor had preceded Mike, and because of his +presence a roaring fire was burning on the hearth. In front of this sat a +young man leaning back in a rocking chair, with a bandaged leg resting on +a pillow laid upon a second chair in front of him. He was smoking a +cigarette, and despite the fact that something ailed him, looked quite +comfortable. + +As the door opened, his eyes met those of Mike Murphy, who halted with +one foot over the threshold, started and exclaimed: + +"Can I belave what me eyes tell me! Is it _yersilf_?" + +The young man sitting before him, smoking and nursing his injured limb, +was Orestes Noxon, whom Mike chased away from the Beartown post office +the night before, and who received a part of the charge from the shotgun +of Gerald Buxton. + +The face of the injured youth flushed and he laughed nervously, but with +amazing coolness answered: + +"I guess you don't need spectacles. You've got the best of me; I'm down +and you're up." + +"There's an old account to be squared atween us, but that can rist till +ye become yersilf. Be the same token, are ye much hurt?" + +Mike's Irish sympathy immediately went out to the fellow, who certainly +was at his mercy. + +"I can't say I am. But your clothing is wet. I heard a part of your talk +with Mrs. McCaffry--God bless her splendid soul!--so suppose you come +closer where you will be in front of the fire and can dry yourself, and +we'll get on better." + +It was good advice and Mike acted upon it. Standing with his back to the +blaze, he looked down in the face of the criminal whose self-possession +he could not help admiring. + +"You remember our little foot race from the back of the Beartown post +office?" said Noxon, as if referring to an incident in which he felt no +particular interest. + +"I do, but I niver won a prize at running and ye give me the slip." + +"Only to get in front of that beefeater with a shotgun. Why didn't you +fire when you were chasing and threatening me?" + +"I couldn't have touched off that busted gun any more than I could have +fired a broom handle." + +"I made the mistake of thinking the other fellow would be equally +forbearing and kept on running, till all at once, bang! he let drive. I +caught a good part of the charge in that leg below the knee. It didn't +hurt much at first, and after managing to get hold of his gun I made him +dance for me. It would have killed you to see him," and at the +recollection the young man laughed hard. + +"His boy Jim obsarved it all and told us and we laughed," said Mike, with +a grin. "The sight must have been very insthructive." + +"It was, to that old codger, who won't get over his lesson for a month. +Well, as the gun wasn't of any use to me I threw it away and started to +find my friends and the boat we came on. By and by my leg began to hurt, +I suppose from walking so much and a tumble I got by catching my foot in +the root of a tree. I sat down to rest awhile and when I got up it hurt +so badly that I thought it was all up with me. You know it was night, and +somehow I had gone astray in the infernal pine woods. The wound was +bleeding, and I sat down again intending to wait till morning. By and by +I heard a dog bark so near that I climbed to my feet again and made by +way to this house. McCaffry and his wife were asleep and it took a good +deal of banging and shouting for me to wake them. But when they found out +what was the matter they took me in, and my own father and mother could +not have been kinder." + +"What did they do fur yer fut?" + +"The good woman not only washed the wound, but, by the light of the lamp +which her husband held, picked out every one of the shot that had been +buried there and were making the trouble. Then she bathed the hurt again +and wrapped it about with the clean linen, as you see for yourself. All +that remains is for me to keep quiet for a few days and nature will do +the rest." + +"Wouldn't it be well if I got a docther fur ye?" + +Noxon looked up in the face of the Irish youth, who tried to keep a grave +countenance. + +"I think not," replied the sufferer. + +There was a world of significance in the words, and both understood. + +Strange that these two who had never met before except as the bitterest +of enemies should talk now as comrades. Mike kept pinching his clothing +and turning every side to the blaze, thus drying the garments quite +rapidly. He was so interested in the story of Noxon that he grew +careless. + +"I think I see smoke coming from behind you," finally said the sitter. + +Mike reached back to investigate and with a gasp snatched back his +fingers. + +"I'm afire! Is there a well outside that I can dive into the same?" + +"Turn around; I can help you," said Noxon, laughing, dropping his foot +and sitting forward. + +Together they quenched the twist of blaze which if left alone would have +played the mischief with Mike's garments. + +"I'm thinking this is a little different, Mr. Noxon, from last night." + +"It is, and I hope it will always stay that way." + +Mike was astonished and looked questioningly at the fellow. + +"Phwat might ye be maaning?" he asked, lowering his voice. + +Noxon tried to speak, but his voice broke. He snatched out his +handkerchief from the side pocket of his coat and pressed it to his eyes. +Then his breast heaved and he broke into sobbing. + +The heart of Mike melted at the sight. He had never dreamed of anything +like this. Enmity and resentment gave way to an anguish of sympathy for +the fellow. He longed to say something comforting, but could not think of +a word, and remained mute. Very soon the youth regained his self-control. +Dropping his handkerchief in his lap, and with eyes streaming, he +exclaimed from the very depths of his despair: + +"Oh, why didn't that man aim better and kill me! I'm not fit to live! I'm +the worst villain unhanged! I am lost--damned, and a curse to those who +love me!" + +Mike pulled himself together sufficiently to reply: + +"I don't think ye're quite all them things. Cheer up! cheer up, old +fellow!" + +Noxon did not speak, but slowly swayed his head from side to side, like +one from whom all hope had departed. Mike drew a chair beside him, and as +tenderly as a mother lifted the white hand from where it lay on the +handkerchief, and held it in his own warm grasp. + +"Noxy, me bye, Mike Murphy is yer frind through thick and thin--don't ye +forget _that_--and I'm going to see ye through this if I have to break a +thrace in trying." + +"_You!_" repeated the despairing one, looking up in Mike's honest blue +eyes. "No one can save a wretch like me. I'm not worth saving!" + +"Ye forget there's One to whom the same is aisy, me bye. Ye feel down in +the mouth jest now, as Jonah did respicting the whale, but bimeby this +fog will clear away and the sun will shine forth again. I've been in some +purty bad scrapes mesilf and He niver desarted me. Why, it ain't two +hours, since He raiched out His hand, grabbed me by the neck and saved me +from drowning. I tell ye, Noxy, that He won't fail ye." + +"But you never did what I have done." + +The Irish youth bent his head as if recalling his past life. + +"I can't say that I did, but I'm the meanest scamp that iver +lived--barring yersilf," he added, with the old twinkle in his eyes. +"Come, now, be a man and we'll have ye out of this scrape as quick as I +jumped awhile ago whin I awoke to the fact that me trousers was afire." + +Noxon actually smiled at the recollection. + +"You call yourself a scamp. Why, you are an angel compared with me--so is +everybody! Kit Woodford and Graff Miller are a thousand times better than +I." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +AN UNWELCOME CALLER + + +With rare wisdom Mike now gave an abrupt turn to the conversation. +Lowering his voice to a confidential tone, he asked: + +"Does Mrs. McCaffry know anything of this?" + +"If so, she hasn't given me any reason to suspect it," replied Noxon, +brightening up and seizing the straw held out to him. "I told her I had +met with an accident, and neither she nor her husband asked a question. +Their big hearts had no room for any feeling other than of pity for the +one who is not deserving of a particle of it." + +"She told me her husband works in Beartown. He wint there airly this +morning; he'll hear of the throuble at the post office and the beefeater, +as ye call him, will let everybody know he winged the robber as he was +running off. Did ye spake any caution to the man before he lift this +morning?" + +"By good luck I thought of that. I asked him to make no mention of my +being at his house and he promised me he would not." + +"Arrah, now, but that's good, as me dad says whin he tips up the jug. All +that ye have to do is to sit here and let Mrs. McCaffry nurse that game +leg till ye're able to thravel." + +"Ah, if that was _all_! But I have a father and mother whose hearts I am +breaking. I have two younger brothers and a sweet sister. What of +_them_!" demanded Noxon almost fiercely. + +"Ye have read the blissed story of the Prodigal Son, haven't ye?" + +"I am a thousandfold worse than that poor devil, who was simply foolish." + +"Do yer dad and mither know where ye are?" + +"No; the one decent thing I did when I turned rascal was to change my +name. Orestes Noxon is a _nom de plume_." + +"I don't know the fellow, but that shows, me bye, ye ain't such a big +fool as ye look. I'm beginning to have hope for ye." + +A strange impulse came to Mike. It was to sing in a low, inexpressibly +sweet voice a single stanza of a familiar hymn, just loud enough for the +one auditor to hear. But he restrained himself, fearing the effect upon +him. The "fountains of the deep" were already broken up, and the result +might be regrettable. At that moment a heavy tread sounded on the little +steps outside, the door was pushed inward, and the bulky form of the +red-faced Mrs. McCaffry filled the whole space. She now stepped awkwardly +and ponderously within. + +"I begs that ye'll oxcoose me for not coming in wid this blarney and +inthrodoocing ye to aich ither. Have ye becoom acquainted?" + +"It was an oversight which no Irish leddy should be guilty of," gravely +replied Mike, "espicially whin the same is the fourth cousin of me own +mither. But ye have been away from the owld counthry so long that ye have +forgot a good deal, Aunt Maggie." + +"I haven't furgot to resint the insult of being accused of relationship +wid the family of a spalpeen that is proud of the belaif. Whin Tam coomes +home to-night I'll explain the insult to him and lave ye two to sittle +the same." + +"I'm thankful ye give me due notice, Aunt Maggie, so that I'll have time +to slip outside and climb a tree. Which reminds me to ask how fur it is +to Beartown." + +"It's a good half mile from our home, and nigh about the same distance +back. Ye can figger out the rist for yersilf. Now, me darlint," said she, +coming to Noxon's chair and bending over with her broad face radiating +sympathy, "it's toime I had a look at that leg, which would be a big +ornamint if bestowed on the spalpeen wid the freckles and rid hair." + +"I don't think it can need any attention," said Noxon, pleased to listen +to the sparring of the two; "but you are the doctor." + +Her hands were big and red, but no professional nurse could have handled +a patient with more gentle deftness. The linen was unwound, and Mike for +the first time inspected the wound inflicted by Gerald Buxton with his +shotgun. Little as the lad knew of such things, he saw the hurt was not +serious. With the removal of the leaden pellets went the cause of +irritation. The stumble in the woods had aggravated the wound +temporarily, but a rest for even a day would render it safe for the young +man to use the leg. + +When the bandage had been repinned in place, Noxon felt that he was being +coddled more than was necessary. Dropping his foot to the floor, he asked +impatiently: + +"What's the sense of my playing baby? I can walk as well as ever. All I +need is an ordinary cane. I think I'll stay with you till after dinner, +Aunt Maggie--I suppose I may call you that--and then I'll vamose the +ranch." + +The woman stared wonderingly at Mike. + +"Do ye know what he maanes by thim words? His mind I fear is afther +wandering." + +"He wishes to say that ye and Tam have used him so well that he will take +delight in spinding siveral days wid ye." + +"Ah, now his mind isn't afther wandering when he do spake that way. All +roight, me cherub, ye'll stay where you be till I give you liberty to +lave. Do ye mind that?" + +And she shook her stubby finger in his face. + +"Ah, what a tyrant you are, Aunt Maggie!" + +"Phwat's that?" she demanded, straightening up. "Are ye calling me out of +me name?" + +"You are the sweetest, kindest, most motherly woman and best wife in the +State of Maine." + +She sprang to her feet and lumbered to the door. + +"I haven't finished hanging me duds; whin I have I'll come back and wipe +out the insoolt ye have put upon me." + +Noxon looked at Mike, who for the first time heard him laugh with real +jollity in his voice. + +"What a big heart! How unutterably ashamed she makes me feel! What can I +weigh in the balance against her? She is pure gold and I am base dross." + +"Don't forgit to include mesilf wid the dross, me bye. Ye won't be able +to get away from this here place for a few days, I guess." + +"Glad should I be if I could believe it safe to stay here." + +"And why not?" + +"Her husband has already heard all about last night's business." + +"He promised ye to say nothing." + +"When he did that, he had no suspicion of who I am. He will know that I +was one of the gang and his disposition will be far different when he +comes home to-night. In fact, he is likely to feel freed of any promise +he made me." + +"Ye don't know a real Irishman. I can't say how he will be disposed, but +I know he'll kaap that pledge. Have no fear of that." + +Noxon sitting back in his chair and apparently without any thought of his +injured leg, pondered earnestly over the situation. + +"I am disposed to believe as you do, but that isn't my only danger." + +"Phwat have ye in mind now?" + +"There will be lots of people scouring the country for the three persons +who were in this business. We are so near Beartown that some of them are +likely to call here before the day is over." + +"This house stands well back from the road wid only a path betwaan the +two. Why should anyone sarch here fur ye?" + +"And why should they not? I shouldn't dare to stay here while this is +going on. However, you have shown such goodwill toward me, I am willing +to compromise. I'll stay till to-night and then must make a change of +base." + +"Whither will ye go?" + +"I haven't thought of that. My aim will be simply to get out of the zone +of danger, and what follows must depend upon circumstances." + +"Noxy, will ye answer me one question?" + +"I will." + +[Illustration: "GIVE ME YOUR HAND ON THAT."] + +"When ye lave here will ye be going back to Kit Woodford and Graff +Miller?" + +The eyes of the young man flashed and, with an earnestness that seemed +deadly in its intensity, he said hoarsely: + +"No! never! I'll die first!" + +"Give me yer hand on that!" + +It seemed as if the grip would crush the clasping fingers. The pressure +continued for nearly a minute, while the two looked fixedly into each +other's eyes. The pledge had been made and into each heart stole the +warm, irradiating glow that God gives to all the children of men when +they break loose from evil and cling to that which is good. + +And then the young man gave Mike his confidence. Aunt Maggie, with a tact +that was creditable to her, left them together most of the forenoon and +their talk was comparatively free from interruption. + +As Noxon had hinted, he was the eldest son of parents who were in +prosperous circumstances. He did not give their name nor place of +residence, for it was unnecessary, but he admitted he had been wayward +from early boyhood. He longed for wild adventure, and caused his family +grief and anguish by his persistent wrongdoing. Finally, when he had +matriculated at Yale, he ran away from home, taking what funds he could +steal and fully resolved upon a life of sin. + +"If there were pirates to-day, as there used to be, I should have striven +to become the chief of a crew that flew the black flag, but I had to give +that up. Some humorist has said that when a man starts to go to the devil +he finds everything greased. So it proved with me. I fell in with Graff +Miller, who, though he is about my age, has been a burglar for several +years. I never suspected it until he found I was hunting for such a +companion, when he told me of his partnership with Kit Woodford. In my +vanity, I had shown how easy it was for me to open one of the +old-fashioned combination safes, by detecting the working of the +mechanism inside. This made me invaluable to them, and they proposed that +I should become the third member of the gang. I jumped at the chance. +Since Miller told me they used aliases instead of their right names, I +took the one by which you know me. + +"Their plan was to visit different points in the south of Maine, where +there had been a number of post office robberies, and use me to open the +safes. I was delighted with the scheme, and we started in a few weeks +ago. The Beartown post office was the third visited----" + +Just then a knock sounded on the door. Both were startled and Mike +called: + +"Come in!" + +The door was pushed inward and Stockham Calvert entered the room. + +"Holy smoke!" exclaimed Mike, "as Father Malone said when he saw his +church burning." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +PLUCKING A BRAND FROM THE BURNING + + +"Good day, my friends!" was the greeting of the detective as he closed +the door behind him, strode forward and saluted Mike, who, after his +exclamation, rose from his chair and, open mouth and staring eyes, limply +clasped the hand that was offered him. + +"I wasn't looking for you, Mike, but I was searching for Hor--I beg +pardon, Orestes Noxon. I hope I see you well, barring the slight injury +to the leg inflicted by Mr. Gerald Buxton last night." + +And what did the officer do but shake hands with Noxon, who kept his seat +as if in a daze? Mike, who was watching the couple, instantly noted a +significant fact. Beyond question the two were acquaintances. The face of +the young man flushed scarlet and he said faintly: + +"Well, Mr. Calvert, you have got me at last." + +"Yes; and a right merry chase you have led me. You won't get away this +time." + +"I suppose not." + +"Sit down, Mike," said the caller, drawing up a chair for himself. "I +have something I would like very much to say to thee, Orestes." + +At this moment Aunt Maggie swung through the door again. She had seen the +man enter and wished to know what it meant. Calvert sprang to his feet +and bowed. + +"I have found a couple of good friends of mine, who I am sure are greatly +indebted to you for your hospitality. One cannot fail to tell by your +looks that you have a wonderfully kind heart----" + +"Arrah, now," replied Mrs. McCaffry, pushing away the hair in front of +her face with her fat hand, "but ye are the worst blarney of thim all. +I'll have nothing to do wid ye till dinner time, whin I'll stuff ye all +so full of roast pig and praties that ye'll be obleeged to kaap quiet +regarding dacent folks." + +She knew the three wished to talk over private matters, and made sure +they were left alone for the next hour or two. + +"Mr. Calvert," said Noxon, "Mike here has proved himself a true friend to +me--so you may talk freely before him. He doesn't know my right name and +says he doesn't care to know. So we will let that pass. What caused you +to look here for me?" + +"Warner Hagan met me in Wiscasset yesterday to give what help he could in +running Kit Woodford and his gang to earth. Early this morning we heard +of the attempted robbery of the Beartown post office. We hired a launch +and got there as soon as we could. Nobody in Beartown suspects our +business. It did not take us long to pick up all that was known. We +learned that one of the three got peppered with bird shot, and managed to +limp off in the woods. Of course I recognized the three young gentlemen +who were accepting the hospitality of Mrs. Friestone, the postmistress. +They required no immediate attention and were sure to turn up all right +in the end. + +"I left Hagan in Beartown to look into matters further while I set out to +hunt for the fellow who had limped off in the woods, after turning the +tables so cleverly on Mr. Buxton. Without any reason that I could explain +I formed the suspicion that this member of the gang was you, Noxon (I +believe that is your travelling name). It was represented that he was +hurt much worse than I am glad to say was the fact. I inquired at each +house along the road between here and Beartown and hit it at last. + +"Now," added the visitor as if seated with his intimate friends, "since +you tell me to talk freely in Mike's presence, I shall do so. Are you +ready, Noxon, to go to your home with me?" + +"Begging yer pardin, Mr. Calvert, I beg to say that has been sittled. The +dearest hope of Noxy's heart is to return to his parents." + +"Is that so?" asked the detective of the young man. + +"I would give my right hand," he solemnly replied, holding it up, "if I +could go back three months in my life and have things as they were." + +"You can't do that as regards time, but it will bring sunshine and +happiness to your loved ones when the wandering boy comes to their +waiting arms. All being true, we have got to travel the 'rocky road to +Dublin.' You have committed a serious crime against the United States +laws, and if convicted nothing can save you from a long term in prison." + +"Then what hope is there for me?" + +"You haven't been convicted yet, but I won't deny that you are in serious +danger of it." + +"How shall I escape?" + +"I thought that over while on the road from Beartown. This, I believe, is +your third essay as a burglar. Am I right?" + +Noxon nodded. + +"Once would be enough to send you to Atlanta, but let that go for the +present. Are you willing to turn state's evidence?" + +Noxon moved uneasily in his seat. The proposition was distasteful. + +"You needn't feel any compunctions. Kit Woodford and that cub who calls +himself Graff Miller have handed out the double cross many a time, and +stand ready to do it again if it promises the slightest advantage to +them. They have run off in the hope of taking care of their own hides, +without caring the snap of a finger what became of you." + +"There is no mistake about _that_, Mr. Calvert?" + +"I wouldn't deceive you for an instant. Their own actions prove it. They +have done the same thing before, and to-day they did not give you a +thought, when danger threatened them." + +"I shall do whatever you wish." + +"Good! You may not know that, although I am a Pinkerton detective, I am +under promise to my lifelong friend to do all I can to save you from +yourself." + +"Does father know I am in this business, Mr. Calvert?" + +"He doesn't dream of such a thing. The shock would kill him. Therefore, I +shall strain every nerve to keep him from ever learning the truth. I have +a plan in mind, but before trying it you must answer a few questions." + +"I am ready." + +"In the first place, where do this gang with whom you have been +associated have their headquarters?" + +"I can guide you to the exact spot." + +"It is not that little patch of ground in the cove at the southern end of +Barter Island?" + +"No; the character of the islet forbids. Miller ran the launch in there +one night when he thought some one was watching, to throw him off the +scent. Have you a pencil and bit of paper anywhere about you?" + +Calvert produced the articles from an inner coat pocket and handed them +to Noxon. Placing the paper on the table in the middle of the room, he +spent several minutes in drawing a diagram. He was apt at the work and +did it with no little skill. By and by he handed paper and pencil to the +owner with the remark: + +"That will answer your question." + +"It is a production of art," said the detective admiringly. "No +professional artist could beat it." + +Noxon had not only drawn a perfect representation of the neighborhood +which he had in mind, but lettered it so that no mistake was possible. It +pictured a part of the eastern shore of Westport Island, opposite Barter, +and only a short distance north of the inlet where the _Water Witch_ had +been visited some nights before. Noxon leaned forward and placed the tip +of his finger on the different points. + +"Right there is one of a hundred similar coves among the waters of +southern Maine. It is smaller than the others, and a little way back is +an island, which resembles except in size those that you see in every +part of these waters. You know they rise above the surface like vast +bouquets, with trees growing down to the edge of the river or sea. It is +not so with that bit of earth you first asked about, but it is so with +the islet in that cove which I show on that piece of paper." + +"What about this one?" + +"It is what you may call the headquarters of the Woodford gang of post +office robbers. And, yet, it seems hardly right to call it that, for it +is sort of hiding place to which they flee when things begin to grow +warm." + +"You have been there?" + +"Several times. I will go again with you." + +"No need; I can't go wrong with such directions. Why, Mike himself can +understand it." + +He gravely held up the drawing before the Irish youth, who squinted one +eye and carefully scrutinized it. + +"I must say I don't make sure whither it's a picter of yersilf, Mr. +Calvert, or a view of an automobile trying to climb a tree." + +"What did I tell you, Orestes? Isn't he bright?" + +"An unnicessary question," said Mike loftily; "as Auntie McCaffry would +answer if ye asked her which was the handsomest and cutest and smartest +one among her three guests." + +"Noxon," said Calvert, with a smile over the repartee of the Irish lad, +"do either Kit Woodford or Graff Miller know your right name?" + +"They never asked me and it was never given in their presence." + +"You said as much before. Do they know where you came from?" + +"They haven't the slightest knowledge. I am as unknown to them as regards +my real identity as if I never existed." + +"That will help my plan, which, I may say to you and Mike, is simply +this: get you out of this neighborhood to your home. There, of course, +you will assume your true identity and no one need ever be the wiser." + +"What of the testimony of Woodford and Miller when they are released from +jail?" + +"You and they will be so much older that neither will recognize the +other. Have no fear on that score. The thing is to run you out of the +State of Maine. The hunt for these post office robbers has become so hot +that it isn't going to be an easy job, but I believe I can work it. +There's some sort of a mix-up of motor boats, which as yet I can't get +the hang of, but when I do I shall try my plan. Mike, how was it you were +here with Noxon when I called? Can you tell me anything about your launch +or the _Water Witch_?" + +Thereupon the Irish youth related his story, and when it was finished the +detective smiled. + +"If I'm not mistaken that is going to help us a big lot." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +"THE BEAUTIFUL ISLE OF SOMEWHERE" + + +Detective Stockham Calvert was quick to make deductions and as quick in +adapting himself to circumstances. He had said he did not expect to have +the help of Orestes Noxon--as we must continue to call him--in capturing +the two criminals, but ten minutes later he made a radical change of +plans. He meant to make use of the young man, in his pursuit of the post +office robbers. + +"We must leave here at once," he announced in his crisp manner. +"Searching parties are out and some of them are likely to call here at +any time. Since Noxon worked with his face masked, except when the slip +occurred last night, it is not likely, he would be recognized by any of +those who are looking for him. But there is a risk which we must avoid." + +Mrs. McCaffry made strong objection to their leaving before the dinner +hour, but the officer assured her it could not be helped. He and Noxon +compelled her to accept liberal tips, but she refused to take the last +remaining quarter of Mike. + +"The same would bring me bad luck," she said, with a shake of her head. + +"How could it do that whin it brought me the bist of luck, being I came +to your door?" asked the youth, trying to press it upon her; but she +would not consent. + +"Ah," he said, "it's mesilf that's of no more account than a naught wid +no circle round it." + +Instead of following the path that led to the highway and so on to +Beartown, Calvert turned into the woods through which his companions had +made their way to the humble but hospitable home. + +"We'll keep clear of the village," he explained, "for every one there is +in a fever of excitement, and although I can do my part in the way of +prevarication, I don't wish to be driven to the limit, when it might not, +after all, avert trouble." + +The fogs which often plague the coast of Maine and vicinity have a habit +of sometimes leaving as suddenly as they come. It was a great relief to +the party when they dived in among the pines and firs to find that the +gloomy dampness had lifted and the sun was again shining from a clear +sky. It impressed all as a good omen. + +Noxon's rest and care for his injured leg had been of great benefit. The +rising inflammation had gone and the pain was trifling. If they did not +walk fast, he was sure it would give him no anxiety. + +Calvert took the lead, with Noxon next and Mike Murphy at the rear. The +last was highly pleased to see his young friend walk without a +perceptible limp. + +The leader kept his bearings so well that when within an hour he reached +the shore of the Back River, it was at the spot he had in mind. There was +the runabout in which he and Warner Hagan had come from Wiscasset, and +the owner was calmly smoking his brier wood pipe, content to wait +indefinitely when he was well paid for so doing. He lay a few rods south +of the landing, and just below him was the _Water Witch_, with Alvin +Landon and Chester Haynes on board, wondering what in the world had +become of Mike Murphy. The youths had tried to open communication with +the master of the runabout, but he had been warned by his two passengers +to tell nothing to anyone, and he glumly refused to talk. Chester had set +out in quest of the missing Mike, going as far as the village. All he +could learn there was that his friend had left a good while before and no +one knew anything of him. The second mate went back to his Captain, and +the two were so impatient that they were half inclined to leave without +him, when lo! he appeared with Calvert and Noxon, coming from among the +trees as if he had been absent only a few minutes. + +Then followed full explanations, and you can imagine the astonishment of +Alvin and Chester. They were sure of the identity of Noxon when he first +appeared, but were considerate and said never a word that could hurt his +feelings. + +"You ran away with their launch," added Calvert. "They ran away with +yours, and you and they met as you were coming back. But for the fog you +would have seen each other, for you must have passed quite close. The +beauty of it is," said the officer, with a flash of his keen eyes, "that +while they have gone far away we know exactly where. My friend Hagan and +I, with Noxon as our guide, are going to scoop them in." + +He thought it best not to affect too much mystery. + +"They passed down Montsweag Bay clear to Knubble, through Goose Rock +Passage into the Sheepscot, and up that to the Beautiful Isle of +Somewhere. Most folks don't know the exact location of that sweet spot, +but we know--thanks to Noxon--the latitude and longitude of ours, which +the same is the port we are heading for." + +The plan was simple. Noxon, who was familiar with the running of the +_Water Witch_, was to act as engineer and steersman. Calvert and Hagan +would be the only passengers, and the prize would be Kit Woodford and +Graff Miller. + +"And phwat's to become of us?" asked Mike. + +"That depends upon how you behave yourself. If you grow tired of waiting, +take a walk up to Beartown, have dinner with Mrs. Friestone and then come +back and wait for a few days and nights till you see us again." + +"That's aisy, as I told me taicher whin she asked me how much two and two +made and I informed her the same was five." + +"But Mr. Hagan isn't here," reminded Chester. + +"He will be very soon. Meanwhile, I'll say a word to my man." + +He walked to the runabout, where he told its owner he might return to +Wiscasset as he was not needed further. He added a dollar to the price +agreed upon and the man bade him good-by. Hagan, who had gone off on what +might be called a reconnaissance, justified the faith of his partner, for +he came forward, and thus the party was complete. + +The distance was shorter by way of the Narrows and down the Sheepscot +than by the route just named. Accordingly, the _Water Witch_ headed +north, while the _Deerfoot_ it will be remembered went south. The +difference was not much, the real reason why the course was taken being +of another nature. If the _Water Witch_ had set out to search for the +other boat, with no knowledge of its destination, it would have prowled +to the southward, inspecting all likely hiding places on the way, with a +strong chance that she herself would be detected and her purpose read +before she discovered the fugitive. By taking the northern route this +handicap would be avoided. They could make much better progress and not +be seen until it was too late for the criminals to escape. + +Thus Alvin Landon, Chester Haynes and Mike Murphy were left on the shore +of the Back River, near Beartown landing, without any launch and +compelled to pass the time as best they could. They decided to spend a +few hours in the village. + +They appreciated the reason why Calvert would not have their company. He +was plunging into a venture where deadly weapons were likely to be used, +and their lives would be endangered. The affair was really none of +theirs. Besides, their presence would be a serious handicap and might +prove fatal to success. + +The _Water Witch_ soon shot past Cushman Point, passing the runabout so +close that the officers exchanged salutations with the man who had +brought them from Wiscasset. Calvert and Hagan sat side by side, both +puffing heavy black cigars, the smoke of which as it streamed astern +might have suggested that the launch was impelled by steam instead of +gasoline. She ran smoothly, and Noxon, with a pale face, his hands +grasping the wheel, steered as skilfully as Alvin Landon had directed the +swifter _Deerfoot_. He had done it many times and had no fear. The young +man had come to the parting of the ways, and nothing could turn him back. +His resolution was due to the wound, which had distressed him so much +when he hobbled to the home of Mrs. McCaffry that he believed for a time +he was near the end of life, and when one reaches _that_ point he is sure +to do some serious thinking. + +Just above Clough Point, marking the northern extremity of the large +island of Westport, the _Water Witch_ turned eastward through the Narrows +and headed straight south down the Sheepscot River to its destination +some ten miles away. Noxon seated with his hands upon the wheel remained +silent. The officers spoke to each other now and then in low tones, but +most of the time left him to his meditations. He held the boat to +moderate speed, for there was no call for haste. She was running easily, +but a glance by the young man into the gasoline tank showed the supply +was low, and he wished to avoid stopping at any of the landings to renew +it. Besides, high speed is always a strain upon an engine, and he was +nervously anxious to prevent a breakdown at a critical point in the +enterprise. His familiarity with the launch made him cautious. + +While Calvert and Hagan were following a clearly defined plan, they knew +"there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip." They had high hopes of +finding the other boat at the spot which Calvert had facetiously named +the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, but it might well happen that they would +be disappointed. At the first sign of danger the _Deerfoot_ would run +away and her superior fleetness would leave her pursuers hopelessly +behind. Above all, it was important that the criminals should not +discover their peril in time to get away. + +"Noxon," said Calvert, leaning forward, "let us know when we are near the +cove." + +"We are within less than a mile of it now. It is just ahead on the +right." + +Each officer flung his stump of a cigar overboard and slipped from his +chair to the bottom of the boat. Inasmuch as their interest was centred +on one side of the boat, they crowded each other a little. They removed +their headgear and permitted only their crowns to show a few inches above +the rail as they peered over. They held themselves ready at the same time +to duck into complete invisibility. + +"The cove is in sight," announced Noxon, slightly turning his head. +"Better keep down." + +A few minutes later they felt the change in the course of the launch. +They were entering the inlet and the officers raised their heads barely +enough to peer alongside of the steersman, over the front and beyond the +flagstaff with its fluttering bunting. + +"There it is!" whispered Calvert to his friend. + +"I see it," said the other, "the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere; we are +closer to it than I supposed." + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +A THROUGH TICKET TO HOME + + +There it was in plain sight, rising like a giant nosegay of emerald from +the crystalline water. It was barely two acres in extent, and, like +nearly all islands great and small in southern Maine, the firs, pines and +spruce grew to the very edge of the water. It reminded one of the patches +of green earth in Europe where the frugal owners do not allow a square +inch to go to waste. + +"I don't see anything of the _Deerfoot_," said Calvert in a guarded voice +to Noxon. + +"We always lay to on the other side. Keep down!" + +It was wise advice, though not needed. The two crouched so low in their +crowded quarters that a person a hundred feet away would not have seen +them. Each instinctively felt of his hip pocket. The little weapon was +there. + +The officers had now to depend upon Noxon, who for the time was director +of the enterprise. He could make himself heard over his shoulder without +drawing attention to himself, provided he was under the eye of his old +associates. He was never more alert. + +Veering to the right, where there was a hundred yards of clear water +between the islet and the mainland, he slowed down and began gradually +circling the exuberant patch of earth. It will be remembered that he had +been there before and knew the habits of Woodford and Miller. By and by, +he had glided far enough to bring the western shore into his field of +vision. Before that moment he had discerned the stern and flagstaff of a +launch. A second glance told him the truth, which he cautiously made +known to the crouching forms behind him: + +"The _Deerfoot_ is there! Don't stir till I give the word!" + +Neither of the criminals was in sight, but it was evident they were near, +else the launch would not be lying where it was. Noxon gave a series of +toots with his whistle, though the noise of the exhaust must have been +noted before. In response, Kit Woodford and Graff Miller came out from +among the trees, halted at the side of the launch and stared at the +_Water Witch_ and its single occupant. + +Could they believe their eyes? They saw before them their own boat and +the young man whom they had cowardly deserted in his extremity. What was +the explanation to be? + +By this time the parties were so near that they could talk with only a +slight raise in their voices. Kit Woodford was the first to open his +mouth. With a profane expletive expressing his surprise, he demanded: + +"Where did you come from?" + +It was on the tongue of Noxon to make a biting reply, but he did not +forget the part he had to play. + +"I found this boat at the wharf at Beartown and thought I'd hunt you up. +How came you to have _that_ launch?" + +"Some one had run off with ours and left that. So we made a trade and I +rather think we got the best of the bargain. I don't understand how ours +was found by you." + +"Maybe the owners of that wanted to trade back. I say, Kit, I would like +to know something--why did you and Graff run off and leave me behind?" + +"We didn't!" replied Woodford, with virtuous indignation. "Me and Graff +hunted high and low for you and made up our minds you had run off +yourself with the swag." + +"A fine lot of swag I had, when I had to scoot just after I got the safe +open." + +While this snatch of conversation was going on, Noxon, who had cut off +the power, was edging nearer. Calvert and Hagan squeezed each other so +hard that it looked as if they would push themselves through the hull of +the launch. + +Graff Miller now put in his oar: + +"If we didn't get a haul out of the measly post office we've scooped a +mighty fine motor boat. We can sell it and gather in enough to last us +till we crack another place." + +"That won't be as easy as it looks to you. The whole neighborhood is up +in arms and we shall have to lie low for awhile." + +"Well, we've got enough to keep us a week or so----_Nox, there's somebody +in the boat with you_!" exclaimed Miller, who that instant caught sight +of the head of one of the crouching men. The craft was now so close that +concealment was impossible. In fact, in the same moment that the _Water +Witch_ gently bumped against the other boat, Stockham Calvert and Warner +Hagan straightened up and bounded across upon the _Deerfoot_. Each +grasped a revolver, and Calvert shouted: + +"Hands up, or I'll let daylight through you." + +The terrified Woodford turned to run, but a bullet whistled past his ear. +Perhaps too he realized in that frightful instant that no place of refuge +awaited him. The island was too small to allow him to hide himself. He +abruptly halted on the edge of the wood, and facing about sullenly raised +his hands. + +As for Graff Miller he did not attempt to get away. Accepting the order +addressed to his leader as applying to himself, he stood stock still and +seemed to be doing the best he could to keep the sky from falling on him. + +Knowing that Hagan would look after him, Calvert gave his whole attention +to Woodford. Keeping his revolver presented, he crossed the narrow deck +of the _Deerfoot_ and dropped lightly to the ground. A few steps took him +to the cowardly ruffian. Never lowering his weapon, he ran the other hand +over the outside of the man's clothing and twitched a revolver from his +hip pocket. + +"That will do, Christopher; if you now feel an inclination to lower your +dirty hands, you have my permission to do so. Perhaps it will not tire +you quite so much." + +Hardly had he complied when a sharp click sounded. So quickly that it +looked like a piece of magic a pair of handcuffs were snapped upon the +miscreant, and Hagan was only a few seconds later in doing the same with +his prisoner. + +The capture of the two was so easy that it suggested a farce. + +"If you had only put up a fight, Kit, it would have been a good deal more +interesting," said Calvert, "but you always were one of the biggest +cowards that ever made a bluff at being a bad man. Get a move on you!" + +As meekly as a lamb the prisoner stepped upon the nearest launch, and, as +ordered, seated himself on one of the seats at the stern. + +"Do you want me to go there too?" humbly asked Graff Miller. + +"Of course; step lively." + +Calvert explained what was to be done. The handcuffed prisoners were to +be taken to Wiscasset on the _Deerfoot_, their captors bearing them +company. In that city they would be locked up, and every step that +followed would be strictly in accordance with law. + +Noxon was to trail after the launch in the _Water Witch_. There was more +than one reason for this arrangement. Since both boats were capable of +making good speed, it was better than to have one tow the other. If the +_Water Witch's_ gasoline gave out, the _Deerfoot_ could take it in tow, +but this would not be done unless the necessity arose. + +The separation of Noxon from his former associates would prevent an +unpleasant scene. Kit Woodford and Graff Miller could not fail to see +that Noxon had given them into the hands of the officers. While they were +powerless to harm the young man, they could make it uncomfortable for him +despite the restraining presence of Calvert and Hogan. + +It is safe to say that none of the steamers and other boats encountered +on that memorable voyage up stream suspected the meaning of what they +saw. One launch was gliding evenly up the river with a second closely +resembling it a hundred yards or more to the rear. In the latter sat a +young man. In the former were four persons, two of whom had been engaged +for weeks in robbing post offices in the State of Maine. No one observed +that they wore handcuffs, or dreamed that the man handling the wheel was +a famous detective. In this case he was Calvert, who had a fair knowledge +of running a motor boat. + +The prisoners were sullen and silent for most of the way. Hagan, seated +behind Calvert, could protect him from any treacherous attack with the +handcuffs. The detective was too wise to invite an assault of that +nature. + +When a turn in the course brought the long Wiscasset bridge in sight with +the pretty town on the left, Kit Woodford turned his head and looked back +at the young man who was guiding the other launch. + +"What are you going to do with _him_?" he asked, with a black scowl. + +"Nothing," replied Hagan. + +"Why haven't you got the bracelets on him?" + +"He has done us too valuable service. That isn't the way we reward our +friends." + +Calvert, who had overheard the words, looked round. + +"We may need his evidence to land you and Graff in Atlanta." + +The remark was so illuminating that the prisoner said never a word. The +occasion was one of those in which language falls short of doing justice +to the emotions of the persons chiefly involved. It was Graff Miller who +snarled with a smothered rage which it is hard to picture: + +"I'll get even with him if I have to wait ten years." + +"You'll have to wait all of that and probably longer," said Calvert, "and +by that time I don't think Orestes Noxon will care much what you try to +do." + +The detective pronounced the name with emphasis, to learn whether it +attracted any notice. It did not so far as he could judge, whereat he was +glad. + +The criminals were put behind bars, and the young man strolled through +the street to the railway station. On the way, the elder said: + +"It looks to me as if you have a clear title to the _Water Witch_. What +do you wish to do with it?" + +"Sell it to someone so I shall never see it again." + +"If you will turn the boat over to me I think I can dispose of it for +you. Have you any price in mind?" + +"Sell the launch for whatever you can get, if it isn't more than +twenty-three cents." + +"All right; I'll fix it. Here is the railway office. You have enough +funds?" + +"Plenty. I shall a buy a through ticket to--_home_." + +"Of course. I shall call upon you this autumn. Good-by, Horace." + +"Good-by to one of the best friends I ever had. God bless you!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +GATHERING UP THE RAVELLED THREADS + + +The records show that not long ago there were a number of post office +robberies among the towns and villages in that section of Maine to which +some attention has been given in the preceding pages. Not all the guilty +parties were captured, but we know of two, or rather three, who were +caught in the toils. Two of them, Kit Woodford and Graff Miller, were +convicted in the United States Court at Portland, for, to use a common +expression, they were caught with the goods on them, and sentenced to +long terms in the Atlanta penitentiary. There they are sure to stay for +an indefinite time to come, provided they are not soon released on +parole, or pardoned on the ground of poor health. Let us hope for better +things. + +During the trial of the criminals inquiries were heard for the third +member of the gang, but he seemed to have vanished as completely as if +the earth had opened and swallowed him. Possibly the Judge learned all +the facts from Detective Calvert and saw that justice would be best +served by winking at the youth's offence. Moreover, an officer of the law +cannot be punished for the escape of a prisoner unless gross carelessness +or collusion is proved, which was not easy in the case named. Be that as +it may, Orestes Noxon no longer exists. In his place rises another young +man, "redeemed and disenthralled"--a brand plucked from the burning. The +grandest work of our penal institution is that of reforming instead of +wreaking revenge upon the erring ones. It certainly proved so in the +instance named. The parents of the youth knew he had strayed from the +narrow path, but it will be a long time before they learn how far his +wayward footsteps led him. There is no need of their ever knowing the +painful truth. Detective Calvert simply told the grateful father that his +boy had gotten into bad company, but the error could never be repeated, +nor can I believe it ever will be. + +One day Gideon Landon, the wealthy banker and capitalist of New York, +received a characteristic letter from his son Alvin. He said his motor +boat _Deerfoot_ had been housed for the winter, there to remain until +next summer, and he and Chester Haynes had had the time of their lives, +for which they could never thank the kind parent enough. The son meant to +prove his gratitude by acts instead of words, for he intended to buckle +down to hard work and not rest until he was through West Point and had +become General of the United States Army. He added: + + "And now, my dear father, I want you to do a favor or two for me, + Chester and Mike Murphy, who is one of the best fellows that ever + lived. Some time I shall tell you all our experience after you left + the bungalow on Southport Island. I know you will agree with what I + say. + + "Please send to 'Uncle Ben Trotwood,' Trevett, on Hodgdon Island, + Boothbay Township, Maine, a big lot of fine smoking tobacco. While + you are about it you may as well make it half a ton, more or less. + In his old age, he doesn't do much else but smoke, eat, sleep, and + talk bass, but he was very kind to Chester and me. He kept us + overnight and fed us, and was insulted when we wished to pay him." + (No reference was made to Uncle Ben's frugal wife.) + +The genial old man would never have solved the mystery of the arrival of +the big consignment of the weed had it not been accompanied by a letter +from the two boys in which all was made clear. + +(Another paragraph from Alvin's communication to his father.) + + "In the little town or village of Beartown live the sweetest mother + and daughter in the State of Maine. Anyhow, there is none kinder and + more loving. The name of the daughter, who isn't out of short dresses + yet, is Nora Friestone. Send her a fine first class piano--no + second-hand one--with about a bushel of music. Select any stuff you + choose, not forgetting a copy of 'The Sweet Long Ago,' published by + C. W. Thompson, Boston. I wish you could have heard Mike Murphy sing + that for them. He has one of the finest voices in the world. If he + would only study and cultivate it, he would be a second Caruso. I + will send an explanatory letter to Mrs. Friestone, so you needn't + bother to write her." + +And the Steinway duly reached its destination. Mother and daughter were +overwhelmed. They would have insisted that a tremendous mistake had been +made had not a letter reached them at the same time from the bungalow. +This was signed by Chester Haynes, Mike Murphy and Alvin Landon. It +begged Miss Nora to accept the present as a token of their appreciation +of the hospitality received by them, and in memory of an interesting +night they had spent in the Friestone home not long before. Nora wrote +one of the most delightful replies that goodness and innocence could pen, +and assured the donors that the prayers of her mother and herself would +follow the three as long as mother and daughter lived. + +(Another paragraph from Alvin's communication to his father.) + + "You must understand that the expense of these presents, including + that which follows, is borne by you and Mr. Haynes. He knew all + about them and is as ardent as we. He says he is sure you will be + as glad as he to help in so good a cause. + + "One more trifling gift and I shall be through. About a half mile + from Beartown lives a poor Irish day laborer known to every one as + Tam McCaffry. Chester and I did not have the pleasure of meeting + him, but Mike spent some time at his home, where his big, jolly + wife proved herself the soul of hospitality. She is Irish through + and through. Mr. Calvert saw her and says the great attraction of + the woman, aside from her natural goodness, is that she is the only + person he has yet met who in the way of repartee and wit could give + Mike as good as he sent. It was a treat to hear the two spar, and + Mike admitted that he had met his match. + + "Send her a pianola. Her hands are too big and untrained to master + the keys of a piano, but there is nothing the matter with her feet, + which is all she needs to work one of those contrivances. Don't + forget to include a whole lot of music, which should be of the + Irish vintage, such as Moore's melodies, 'Sweet Mavoureen,' 'The + Rocky Road to Dublin,' 'St. Patrick's Day in the Morning,' 'Rory + O'Moore,' and so on. Be sure that the expense is prepaid all the + way to the McCaffry door. Mike is specially interested in this + present and contributes more than both of us, for he gives his all, + the same being twenty-five cents, and to him we have assigned the + duty of explaining things to the good woman." + +Alvin had his father well trained, and he cheerfully granted every +request of his son. He smiled and remarked to his wife after reading the +letter to her: + +"Alvin has never caused us an hour of anxiety. He would not ask these +things without good reason. I shall give orders when I go to the office +that everything he wishes shall be done." + +"That was rather nice on the part of Mr. Haynes to say what he did of +you, Gideon." + +"Yes, Franklin hasn't anything mean in his nature." + +"Don't you think it a pity that while his boy and ours are so fond of +each other their fathers are not on speaking terms?" + +"Perhaps so, but there must always be two persons to a quarrel." + +"And you are one of them in this case. I mean to call on Sophia this very +day." + +"Haynes flew up before he had time to understand all the facts in that +little affair of ours. If he had waited he would have found that he had +no cause for grievance." + +"Suppose you call on him." + +The banker shook his head. + +"That is asking too much; it would be humiliating." + +Now when a sensible wife makes up her mind that her husband shall do a +certain thing, and when that husband wishes to do it, but allows a false +pride to hold him back, you may make up your mind that the aforesaid +thing will be done with no unnecessary delay. + +So it was that Gideon Landon went to Franklin Haynes and they had not +talked ten minutes when the cloud between them vanished. Friendship and +full trust were restored and can never be broken again. It was another +illustration of the good that often flows from small deeds and even +smaller words. + +(Mike Murphy's letter to Mrs. McCaffry.) + + "MY DEAR AUNT MAGGIE: + + "I'm thinking that about the time this luv letter raiches ye, an + insthrumint will do the same, which the name is peeanoler, or + something like that. I beg ye to accipt the thrifle as a prisent + from Captain Landon, Second Mate Haynes and First Mate mesilf. I + know Misther Noxon would crack his heels togither fur the chance of + j'ining wid us, but he forgot to lave his card and I suspict he's + sailed for Europe not to be back fur fifteen or twinty years, as + was the case wid me great uncle whin he sailed for Botny Bay. + + "The peagnoluh--I'm thrying all ways of spelling the name of the + blamed thing so as to get the same right wunst any way--is played + wid the feet. You slide the sheet wid the holes punched into 'em + into the wrack over the keeze and then wurrk the feet up and down + like yer husband Tana used to do at home in the treadmill. + + "Don't try to sing along wid the music for somebody might hear ye. + Me worry is that yer teeny Sinderilla feet won't be able to wurruk + the peddles, and if ye put on the shoes ye wore whin hanging out + the clothes, there wont be room in the house for the peanholler, so + ye might try the same widout yer shoes and stockings. + + "Wid regards to Tam and much love to yersilf I am ever + + "Yer devoted, + "Mike Murphy." + +(Mrs. McCaffry's reply to the foregoing.) + + "My darlint broth of a boy: + + "It tuk me and Tam 2 nights and 3 days to understand the maaning of + the action of Jim Doogan the carter in drawing up his taam to our + risidence and tumbling out a big shiny box wid the remark that + there wasn't a cint to pay. Tam hadn't got home and Jim carried the + purty thing into the parler and leaned it aginst the flure. He had + obsarved something of the kind in his travels and he showed me how + to wurruk it wid me faat. Whin he slipped in one of the shaats of + paper, wid hundreds of little kriss-kross holes through it, sot + down on the stule and wobbled his butes, and 'Killarney' filled the + room, I let out a hoop, kicked off me satan slippers, danced a jig + and shouted, 'For the love of Mike!' which the same is thrue, that + being yer name. + + "My number 10 shoes fit the peddlers as yer snub nose fits yer + freckled face. Tam and me spind the time whin we aint slaaping or + eating or working in playing the thing and thinking of yersilf and + the byes you spake of. + + "Me darling Mike, may the birds wake ye aich morning wid their + swaat songs of praise and soothe ye to slaap in the avening; may + the sun shine fur ye ivery day through; may yer draams be of angels + and no man or woman spake anything but wurruds of love to ye; and + whin old age bows yer head and the time comes to lave us all, may + ye be welcomed to heaven wid the blessed graating: 'Well done, good + and faithful servant!' + + "Do you and the other byes come soon and see what a happy home ye + have made for Tam and me. + + "Lovingly, + "Aunt Maggie." + +THE END + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Launch Boys' Adventures in +Northern Waters, by Edward S. 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