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diff --git a/40396-0.txt b/40396-0.txt index b3616e8..cd001d8 100644 --- a/40396-0.txt +++ b/40396-0.txt @@ -1,40 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jack Harvey's Adventures, by Ruel Perley Smith - -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: Jack Harvey's Adventures - or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster Pirates - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 2, 2012 [EBook #40396] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK HARVEY'S ADVENTURES *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40396 *** Jack Harvey’s Adventures @@ -9085,360 +9049,4 @@ attractive.”—Boston Herald. 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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: Jack Harvey's Adventures - or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster Pirates - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 2, 2012 [EBook #40396] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK HARVEY'S ADVENTURES *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Jack Harvey's - Adventures - Or, The Rival Campers - Among the Oyster Pirates - - - By - Ruel Perley Smith - - Author of "The Rival Campers Series," "Prisoners - of Fortune," etc. - - ILLUSTRATED BY - Louis D. Gowing - - BOSTON - L. C. PAGE & COMPANY - 1908 - - RIVAL CAMPERS SERIES - BY - RUEL PERLEY SMITH - - Each 1 vol., large 12mo, illustrated, $1.50 - - - The Rival Campers - The Rival Campers Afloat - The Rival Campers Ashore - Jack Harvey's Adventures - Or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster Pirates - - L. C. PAGE & COMPANY - New England Building, Boston, Mass. - - Copyright, 1908 - By L. C. Page & Company - (INCORPORATED) - All rights reserved - - First Impression, September, 1908 - - Electrotyped and Printed at - THE COLONIAL PRESS: - C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, U.S.A. - - - TO - Lucy E. Cyr - With the Author's Love - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. Harvey Makes an Acquaintance 1 - II. The Cabin of the Schooner 12 - III. Down the Bay 25 - IV. Aboard the Bug-eye 40 - V. The Law of the Bay 52 - VI. The Working of the Law 62 - VII. Dredging Fleet Tactics 75 - VIII. A Night's Poaching 85 - IX. Faces through the Telescope 102 - X. Flight and Disaster 117 - XI. Harvey Sends a Message to Shore 132 - XII. Escape at Last 149 - XIII. Henry Burns Makes a Discovery 163 - XIV. Harvey Meets with a Loss 181 - XV. Henry Burns in Trouble 199 - XVI. Artie Jenkins Comes Aboard 212 - XVII. Artie Jenkins at the Dredges 223 - XVIII. The Battle of Nanticoke River 241 - XIX. Surprises for Jack Harvey 256 - XX. The Pursuit of the Brandt 271 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - "Dealt Harvey a blow in the face that knocked him off his feet" - (Frontispiece) 115 - "Up from the forecastle there burst three men" 28 - "Presented a pretty sight as viewed from the deck of the river - steamer" 113 - "'Stand back there, or I'll shoot,' he cried" 196 - "'Get up there; you're quitting!' cried Haley" 237 - "The speaker was a middle-aged, well-built man" 257 - - - - - JACK HARVEY'S - ADVENTURES - - - OR - - THE RIVAL CAMPERS AMONG THE - OYSTER PIRATES - - - - - CHAPTER I - HARVEY MAKES AN ACQUAINTANCE - - -An Atlantic Transport Line steamship lay at its pier in the city of -Baltimore, on a November day. There were indications, everywhere about, -that the hour of its departure for Europe was approaching. A hum of -excitement filled the air. Clouds of dark smoke, ascending skyward from -the steamer, threw a thin canopy here and there over little groups of -persons gathered upon the pier to bid farewell to friends. Clerks and -belated messengers darted to and fro among them. An occasional officer, -in ship's uniform, gave greeting to some acquaintance and spoke hopefully -of the voyage. - -Among all these, a big, tall, broad-shouldered man, whose face, florid -and smiling, gave evidence of abundant good spirits, stood, with one hand -resting upon a boy's shoulder. A woman accompanied them, who now and then -raised a handkerchief to her eyes and wiped away a tear. - -"There!" exclaimed the man, suddenly, "do you see that, Jack? You'd -better come along with us. It isn't too late. Ma doesn't want to leave -you behind. If there's anything I can't stand, it's to see a woman cry." - -The boy, in return, gave a somewhat contemptuous glance toward the -steamship. - -"I don't want to go," he said. "What's the fun going to sea in a thing -like that? Have to dress up and look nice all the time. If it was only a -ship--" - -He didn't have a chance to finish the sentence. - -"Jack Harvey!" exclaimed his mother, eying him with great disapproval -through her tears, "why did you wear that awful sweater down here, to see -us off? If you only knew how you look! I'm ashamed to have folks see -you." - -Harvey's father burst into a hearty roar of laughter. - -"Isn't that just like a woman?" he chuckled. "Crying about leaving Jack, -with one eye, and looking at his clothes with the other. Why, Martha, I -tell you he looks fine. None of your milk-sop lads for me!" And he gave -his son a slap of approval that made even that stalwart youth wince. - -"Why, when I was Jack's age," continued the elder Harvey, warming to the -subject and raising his voice accordingly, "I didn't know where the next -suit of clothes was coming from." - -Mrs. Harvey glanced apprehensively over her shoulder, to see who was -listening. - -"Guess I wasn't much older than Jack," went on the speaker, thrusting his -hands into his pockets and jingling the coins therein, "when I was -working in the mines out west and wherever I could pick up a job." - -"Now, William," interrupted Mrs. Harvey, "you know you've told us all -about that a hundred times--" - -She, herself, was interrupted. - -"You've got just a minute to go aboard, sir," said one of the pier -employees, addressing Mr. Harvey. "You'll be left, if you don't hurry." - -Jack Harvey's father gave him a vigorous handshake, and another slap -across the shoulder. Mrs. Harvey took him in her arms, despised sweater -and all, and kissed him good-bye. The next moment, the boy found himself -alone on the pier, waving to his parents, as the gang-plank was hauled -back. - -The liner slowly glided out into the harbour, a cloud of handkerchiefs -fluttering along its rail, in answer to a similar demonstration upon the -pier. - -Jack Harvey's father, gazing back approvingly at his son, strove to -comfort and cheer the spirits of his wife. - -"Jack's all right," said he. "Hang me, if I wasn't just such another when -I was his age. I didn't want anybody mollycoddling me. He'll take care of -himself, all right. Don't you worry. He'll be an inch taller in six -months. He knows what he wants, too, better than we do. He'll have more -fun up in Benton this winter than he'd have travelling around Europe. -There he goes. Take a last look at him, Martha. Confound the scamp! I -kind of wish he'd taken a notion to come along with us." - -If Jack Harvey had any such misgiving as to his decision to spend the -winter in Maine, with his boon companions, Henry Burns and the Warren -boys, and Tom Harris and Bob White and little Tim Reardon and all the -others, in preference to touring Europe with his father and mother, he -showed no sign of it. He whistled a tune as the liner went down the -harbour, watched the smoke pour in black clouds from its funnel, then -turned and walked away from the pier. - -A glance at the sturdy figure, as he went along, would have satisfied -anyone of the truth of the assertion of Harvey's father, that he was able -to take care of himself. The black sweater, albeit it rested under the -disapproval and scorn of Mrs. Harvey, covered a broad, deep chest that -indicated vigorous health; his thick winter jacket hung upon shoulders -that were rounded and muscular. He swung along with the ease and carriage -that told of athletic training. And the advantage of the sweater to one -of his active temperament was apparent, in that, although the air had a -somewhat icy tinge, he was unencumbered by any overcoat--an economy of -dress that afforded him freedom. - -Freedom! His was, indeed, freedom now in all things. It came over him -strongly, as he walked alone in the city in which he was a total -stranger, how free he was to act as he pleased. His parents, who -exercised little restraint over him at the most, were now being borne -swiftly down the bay toward the ocean, and he should not see them again -for six long months. He, himself, was due to arrive back in Benton as -fast as trains would carry him; but the thought of his absolute freedom -for the time being exhilarated him strangely. He felt like challenging -the first youth he met to box, or wrestle, or race--anything in which he -could exert his utmost strength and let loose his pent-up energies. - -Harvey's train was due to leave that evening. He spent the afternoon -vigorously, walking miles through streets, exploring here and there, -seeing the sights all new to him. He was growing just a bit weary, and -very hungry, and was thinking of returning to the hotel for supper, when -he emerged from a side street upon a street that ran along the water -front. - -A sight that made his pulses beat faster met his eyes. Almost at his -feet, a little more than the width of the street away, lay a fleet of -some thirty or forty fishermen, snuggled all in together, close to a -large float that intervened between them and the wharf. Himself a good -sailor of bay craft, and fond of the water, the picturesqueness of these -boats attracted Harvey greatly. - -They were of an odd type, for the most part, unlike anything he had ever -seen in Maine waters, or anywhere else. They were long, shallow, light -draft fellows, with no bulwarks; so that as they lay, broadside to the -float, one might walk across from one to another, without difficulty. -Most of them were sharp at bow and stern. The masts had a most -extraordinary rake to them; and in the two-masters, the rig was more like -that of a yawl than the schooners he was accustomed to seeing. In the -case of these, the after mast, or what would correspond to the ordinary -main-mast, was the smaller and shorter of the two; and it raked aft at an -angle that suggested to the eye of a stranger that it was about to give -way and go overboard by the stern. - -Jack Harvey had heard in the vaguest way of the Chesapeake Bay oystermen; -and he surmised at once that this was a part of that fleet. There was -little about them at the moment, however, to indicate occupation of any -sort. Their decks, which were built flush fore and aft, broken only by -the hatches, were swept clean, and their equipment for fishing, or -dredging, had been carefully packed away. And, as matter of fact, the -vessels Harvey now saw were probably for the most part the carriers for -the fishing fleet, that brought the oysters to market; and so carried no -dredging outfits. - -Moreover, there was a pleasing suggestion of indolence and coziness in -the smoke that curled out of many funnels from the cook stoves in the -cabins, telling of preparations for supper. A few men were idling about, -talking together, on this and that boat, in groups. There seemed to be no -one working. Not such a bad sort of existence, thought Harvey. - -The fishing boats made, indeed, a most attractive picture. Their lines, -though not as fine as yachts, were sweeping and graceful; their rigging, -simple and of few ropes, formed a network of sharp angles as they lay, a -score deep, by the float; their sloping masts, small and tapering, -inclined now all in one direction, like bare trees bending in a breeze. -The light that yet remained in the west brought them out in sharp relief -against water and sky. - -As Harvey stood, watching them, interestedly, a slight accident happened. -A screw steamer, docked just at the head of the float, began to revolve -its propeller rapidly, preparatory to moving in its berth. The swift -current of water excited by the propeller bore down strongly against the -bow of one of the fishermen; and, at that most inopportune moment, the -bow line by which the latter was moored, frayed with much wear, parted. -The bow swung with the current, and the vessel threatened to crash into -another lying just below. - -The veriest novice might almost have known what was needed; but Harvey -was no novice, and certainly did know. He was, moreover, prompt to act. A -coil of rope lay at hand upon the float. Snatching up one loose end of -this, Harvey quickly gathered a few loops in either hand, swung them and -threw the end aboard the vessel to a man that had run forward. Then he -took a few turns with the other end about a spiling, and held hard. The -vessel brought up, without harm. - -"Good for you!" said a voice just behind Harvey. "You saved 'em just in -time." - -Harvey turned quickly. - -The speaker was a thin, sallow youth, some years older, apparently, than -Harvey. His appearance, at first glance, was not wholly prepossessing. -His dress, which had a pretence of smartness, was faded and somewhat -shabby, but was set off with a gaudy waistcoat and a heavy gold chain -adorning its front. His collar was wilted and far from immaculate; but -its short-comings found possible compensation in a truly brilliant -necktie, tied sailor-fashion, with flying ends. A much worn derby hat was -tilted sidewise on the back of his head. - -This youth, who was perhaps eighteen or nineteen years of age, had a -smart and presuming manner. He laid a hand familiarly on Harvey's -shoulder, and addressed him as though he had known him a life-time. - -"You're all right," he continued. "You took a hitch there like an old -hand. Come on, we'll step aboard and look 'em over." - -Almost before he knew it, Harvey was being conducted across the float to -the deck of the first fisherman. He went willingly enough, for that -matter, for it was exactly what he had been wishing--that he might -inspect them closer. Yet he knew, without any definite reason forming -itself in his mind, that his chance acquaintance was not congenial to -him. - -"Will they let us go aboard?" he asked. - -"Why, of course," replied the stranger. "They don't care. I know a few of -them, anyway. I'll show you around." - -From the first boat, they stepped across to the deck of another, -alongside. - -"Stranger about here?" inquired the youth of Harvey, casually, giving him -a quick, sharp, sidelong glance, as he spoke. - -"Yes," replied Harvey; "I am here only for the day. My father and mother -just went off on that liner for Europe." - -"Is that so!" responded the other. At the same moment he fell behind -Harvey and gave him another sharp, scrutinizing glance from head to foot. -Then he added, "So that leaves you all alone, to do as you please, eh?" - -Harvey assented. It was his turn to question now. - -"You live about here?" he asked; and looked his companion in the face. It -was an uncertain glance that met his. The small, dark eyes of the -stranger gave him no direct, answering glance, but shifted evasively. - -"Oh, yes," he responded; "lived here all my life. We're one of the old -families here, but--" and he gave a slighting look at his well worn -clothing--"but we've had financial embarrassments lately. The fact is, -I've had to drop out of college for a year--" - -The youth was interrupted for a moment at this point. He and Harvey, -walking forward on the vessel, had come upon two men who were sitting on -the deck by the forecastle. One of them, looking up, burst into a laugh. -Harvey turned, quickly. - -Whatever it was that had amused the man was not apparent. As Harvey -turned and looked at him, he stopped abruptly and pointed off across the -water. Harvey, led by his companion, started aft again. - -As the two reversed their steps, the man who had laughed pointed slyly at -Harvey's escort. - -"He's a slick one, is Artie," he said. "Catches more of 'em, they say, -than any runner along the front." - -"Got him, do you think?" inquired the other man, nodding toward Harvey. - -"Looks promising." - -"My name is Jenkins," continued Harvey's companion; "and, as I was -saying, I'm out of college for a year, earning the money to keep on. -Don't know as that interests you any--but never mind. What did you say? -Queer rig, these boats have?" - -"Why, yes, it strikes me so," replied Harvey. "It looks odd to me to see -big vessels like these with no gaffs and these leg-o'-mutton sails." - -Again the youth gave Harvey one of those quick, shrewd glances, that -seemed to take in everything about him from cap to shoes. - -"Guess you know something about boats," he remarked. - -"Well, I own a sloop up in Samoset Bay, in Maine--that is, another fellow -and I own it together," replied Harvey, with a touch of pride. - -"I knew you were a sailor, the minute I saw you heave that line," -exclaimed the other. And Harvey felt just a bit flattered. Perhaps -Jenkins wasn't such a bad sort, despite his odd attire. - -"Do you see that schooner?" inquired young Mr. Jenkins, suddenly, -pointing to a craft with a distinctive schooner rig, the outermost of the -vessels that comprised the fleet. - -Harvey nodded. - -"Well," continued Jenkins, "that's Captain Scroop's boat. She's the best -one of them all, and he's the most obliging and gentlemanly captain that -sails into Baltimore. Come on, we'll go over her." - -They walked across the decks to the side of the schooner, and climbed -aboard, over the rail. The schooner seemed deserted, save the presence of -a boy of about twelve, who was engaged in chopping a block of stove-wood -into kindlings, near the afterhouse. - -"Hello, Joe," said Jenkins. - -The boy looked up and nodded, sullenly. He seemed, moreover, to eye Mr. -Jenkins with some disfavour. - -"Captain Scroop aboard?" - -The boy shook his head. - -"Well, we're going to look about a bit," said Mr. Jenkins, easily. - -He conducted Harvey about the deck, forward and aft, explaining one thing -and another; then showed the way to the companion that led to the cabin. -"Step down," he said to Harvey. "Nice quarters they have aboard here." -Then, as Harvey descended, he added, "Make yourself comfortable a moment. -I'll be right along." - -Seeing Harvey at the foot of the companion-ladder, he turned quickly, -stepped to the side of the boy and cuffed him smartly over one ear. - -"Here, you," he said, "brace up and say something! There's a dollar in it -for you if we land him. Come to life, now!" - -Then he darted after Harvey, down into the cabin. - - - - - CHAPTER II - THE CABIN OF THE SCHOONER - - -Jack Harvey stood at the foot of the companionway, for a moment, looking -into the cabin, before he entered. There was a lamp burning dimly, -fastened into a socket in a support that extended from the centre-board -box to the ceiling. Its light sufficed for Harvey to see but vaguely at -first, owing to a cloud of tobacco smoke that filled the stuffy cabin. It -was warm there, however, for the cook-stove in the galley threw its -comforting heat beyond the limits of that small place; and the warmth was -decidedly agreeable to one coming in from the evening air. - -Harvey entered and stood, waiting for his new acquaintance to join him. -He could see objects soon more plainly. He perceived that the person who -was emitting the volumes of smoke was a short, thick-set man, who was -occupying one of the two wooden chairs that the cabin afforded. He was -huddled all up in a heap, with his head submerged below the collar of his -thick overcoat, out of which rim the smoke ascended, as though from the -crater of a tiny volcano. - -He seemed to have fallen almost into sleep there; and it appeared to -Harvey that he must be very uncomfortable, bundled in his great coat, -with the cabin hot and smoky. Yet he was awake sufficiently to draw at -the stem of his pipe, and to glance up at Harvey as he entered. He even -made a jerky motion over one shoulder, with his thumb, indicating a bunk -that extended along the side of the cabin, and mumbled something that -sounded like, "Have a seat." - -Harvey, however, turned toward the companion-way, as young Mr. Jenkins -entered and rejoined him. - -"Now this is what I call comfortable for a vessel," said Mr. Jenkins, -briskly; "not much like some of those old bug-eyes, where they stuff you -into a hole and call it a cabin. We'll have a bit more air in here, and -then we'll sit down and have a bite with Joe. He wants us to. You're in -no great hurry, are you?" - -"No, I'm not," responded Harvey, congratulating himself that here was a -chance at last to see life aboard a real fisherman at close quarters. - -Mr. Jenkins opened one of the ports on either side, which cleared the -cabin in a measure of the dense cloud of smoke, and made it more -agreeable. Then, stooping, he lifted the leaf of a folding table, that -was hinged to the side of the centre-board box, turned the bracket that -supported it into place, and motioned to Harvey to draw up a chair. He -seated himself on a wooden box, close by. - -"Joe's got some steamed oysters ready, and a pot of coffee and some corn -bread," he said, cheerfully. "You don't mind taking pot luck for once, do -you, just to see how they live aboard? Here he is now. Come on, Joe, -we're hungry. Joe, this is Mr.--let's see, did I get your name?" - -Harvey informed him, wondering at the easy familiarity of his new -acquaintance aboard the vessel, but somewhat amused over it, and his -curiosity aroused. The boy nodded to Harvey. Stepping into the galley, he -returned directly, bringing two bowls filled with steamed oysters, which -he set before Harvey and Mr. Jenkins. The corn bread and coffee arrived -duly, and young Mr. Jenkins urged Harvey to fall to and eat heartily. - -Harvey needed no urging. His long walk about the city had made him -ravenously hungry. Moreover, although the coffee was not much like what -he had been accustomed to, the oysters and corn bread were certainly -delicious. Harvey and Mr. Jenkins ate by themselves, waited on by the -youth, who declared he would eat later, with "him," pointing to the -drowsy smoker, who had not stirred from his original position, and with -Captain Scroop, if the latter should return to supper. - -It was in the course of the meal that Harvey, to his surprise, discovered -that there was still another occupant of the cabin, of whose presence he -had not before been aware. In the forward, farther corner of the cabin, -what had appeared to be a tumbled heap of blankets, on one of the bunks, -suddenly gave forth a resounding snore; and the heap of blankets stirred -slightly. - -"Hello," exclaimed Harvey; "what's that?" - -Mr. Jenkins glanced sharply at the sleeper, sprang up and made a closer -inspection, and then, apparently satisfied with what he saw, resumed his -seat. - -"It's one of the mates," he said. "He's had a hard cold for a week; taken -something to sleep it off with, I guess." - -Harvey went on eating. He might not have had so keen a relish for his -food, however, had he known that the sleeper was not only not a mate, but -that, indeed, he had never been aboard a vessel before in all his life; -that he hadn't known when nor how he did come aboard; that he was utterly -oblivious to where he now was; and that he had been seized of an -overpowering drowsiness shortly after taking a single glass of grog with -the same young gentleman who now sat with Jack Harvey in the schooner's -cabin. That had taken place at a small saloon just across from the float. - -Perhaps the suggestion was a timely one for Mr. Jenkins; perhaps he did -not need it. At all events, he said guardedly, "Scroop sometimes opens -that bottle for visitors; do you want to warm up a bit against the night -air?" - -He pointed, as he spoke, to a half opened locker, in which some glassware -of a certain kind was visible. - -"No, thanks," replied Harvey, "never." - -"Nor I, either," rejoined Mr. Jenkins, emphatically. "A man's a fool that -does, in my opinion. But it's hospitality along here to offer it, so no -offence." - -One might, however, have noted a look of disappointment in his -countenance; and he seemed to be thinking, hard. - -"Joe's a good sort," he remarked, presently. "I don't know why I should -tell you, but it's odd how I come to know him. The fact is, when my folks -had money--plenty of it, too--Joe lived in a little house that belonged -to our estate, and I used to run away and play with him. What's more, now -I'm grown up, I'm going to run away with him again, eh, Joe?" - -The boy nodded. - -Harvey looked at Mr. Jenkins, inquiringly. The latter leaned nearer to -Harvey and assumed a more confidential air. - -"Why, the fact is," he said in a low tone, "you might not think it, -perhaps, but I'm a college man--Johns Hopkins--you've heard of that, eh?" - -Harvey recalled the name, though the mere fact that such an institution -existed was the extent of his information regarding it, and he nodded. - -"Well," continued Mr. Jenkins, "I'm working my way through, and my folks -are so proud they don't want it known. So I'm going a trip or two with -Joe and Captain Scroop, just as soon as they have a berth for me, because -it's out of the way, where no one will know me, it's easy work, and the -pay is high. Isn't that so, Joe?" - -One might have caught the suggestion of a fleeting desire to grin, on the -features of the boy addressed; but he lowered his gaze and nodded. - -"Why, how many more men do you have begging for chances to ship, every -voyage, than you have need of?" inquired young Mr. Jenkins, looking -sharply at the boy. - -"Dunno," answered Joe, doggedly. "Mebbe five or six; mebbe more." - -"That's it!" exclaimed Mr. Jenkins, "And the wages are twenty-five -dollars a month, and all the good food a fellow can eat, eh?" - -"More'n he can eat, mostly," responded the boy. "They gets too much to -eat." - -"And when are you going to find that place for me to go a voyage--and -berth aft here with you and the captain and mate, like a gentleman, and -get my twenty-five a month at easy work?" - -"We've got it now," said Joe. - -Young Mr. Jenkins sprang from his chair, with an exclamation of delight. -He stepped up to the boy and seized him by an arm. - -"Say!" he cried; "you're in earnest now--none of your tricks--do you mean -it, really?" - -The boy nodded. - -"We've got two chances," he said. - -Young Mr. Jenkins gave a whistle of amazement. - -"Two chances open on the same voyage!" he exclaimed. "I never knew of -that before, and just before sailing. How do you account for it--somebody -taken sick?" - -"That's it," said the boy. - -Young Mr. Jenkins walked slowly back to his seat, looked sharply at -Harvey from the comers of his eyes, and spoke earnestly. - -"Say, Mr. Harvey," he said, "I'm not sure, but I believe I could get that -chance for you. You played in great luck when I saw you throw that -heaving line to the vessel there, this afternoon. I'll swear to Captain -Scroop that you're all right, and I know you could make good. Do you know -I've taken a sort of liking to you; and I tell you what, you and I'll -ship for one month and I'll see you through. Why, they're all like -brothers here, the captain and his men. We'll have a gorgeous time, see -how the fishing is done, come back in a month and have twenty-five -dollars apiece to show for it. And then you'll have had a real sea -experience--something to talk about when you get home. It's the chance of -a life-time." - -Taken all by surprise by the offer, and withal against his better -judgment, Jack Harvey found a strange allurement in the suggestion. At no -time in all his life could it have been held forth so opportunely. He -thought of his father and mother, on the ocean, to be gone for six -months. He knew, too, what his father would say, when he should tell him -of it later; how the bluff, careless, elder Harvey would throw back his -head, and laugh, and vow he was the same sort when he was a youth. - -How strangely, too, events that had taken place in Benton coincided -favourably with his already half-formed intention to take the chance. He -recalled, in a flash, the hour of leaving there, with his father and -mother, for Baltimore; how Henry Burns's aunt, with whom he had been -boarding, had asked when he would return; how Harvey's mother had -answered that she hoped yet to persuade the boy to accompany them to -Europe; and how Miss Matilda Burns had said, then, she should expect him -when he arrived--no sooner--and had remarked, smiling, that if he didn't -come back at all she should know he had gone to Europe. - -"It's only for a month, you know," suggested young Mr. Jenkins, almost as -though he had been reading Harvey's thoughts. - -Harvey sat for a moment, thinking hard. - -"Isn't it pretty cold down there in the bay this time of year?" he asked. - -"Why, bless you, no," replied Mr. Jenkins, laughing at the suggestion. -"Don't you know you're in the South, now, my boy? This is the coldest -day, right now, that we'll have till January. And if we have a touch of -winter--which isn't likely--why, there's a good, comfortable cabin to -warm up in." - -"Are we sure to get back in a month?" - -"Joe, when are you due back here?" called Mr. Jenkins. - -"Middle of December," came the reply. - -"I'm most inclined to try it," said Harvey, hesitatingly. - -Mr. Jenkins slapped him on the back, then shook his hand warmly. - -"You're the right sort," he said. "We'll have a lark." - -And Harvey knew from that moment that, for better or worse, be it a -foolish venture or not, he was in for it. - -"What do I need to get for the trip?" he asked. "Guess I'd better step up -into the town and buy some boots and oil-skins." - -A look of determination came into the face of Mr. Jenkins. It was as if -he had made up his mind that Harvey should have no opportunity now of -backing out. - -"No, you don't need to," he said. "The captain's got all that stuff, and -he buys at wholesale, and you can get it cheaper of him. Wait till -to-morrow, anyway, and if he can't fit you, we'll go ashore." - -Harvey gave a start of surprise. He hadn't counted on spending this night -aboard the schooner. - -"Do you mean to stay here to-night?" he asked. - -"Why, sure," responded young Mr. Jenkins. "Good chance to try it on and -see how you like it. We'll just roll up here, and you'll swear you were -never more comfortable in all your life." - -"Well," answered Harvey, "I'll try it. You're sure the captain will ship -us, though?" - -"Oh, you can take what that boy Joe says for gospel," answered young Mr. -Jenkins. "He knows." - -"Then I'll step out on deck and bring down that little hand-bag of mine," -said Harvey. "I left it forward by the rail when I came aboard. It's got -a comb and brush and a tooth-brush and a change of underwear in it." - -Harvey ascended the ladder and walked out on deck. It was a glorious -night, the sky studded with thousands of stars. The air was chilly, but -Harvey was warmly dressed, and the crisp air was invigorating after his -stay in the cabin. He went forward, wondering, in his somewhat confused -state of mind, what his chums in Benton would think of it if they could -know where he was, and what he contemplated doing. - -"I only wish Henry Burns was going along," he thought. "Well, I'll have -something to tell him next time I see him." - -He little thought under what strange circumstances they would next meet. - -Hardly had Harvey left the cabin, when young Mr. Jenkins sprang into the -galley, leering at the boy Joe, and digging that stolid youngster -facetiously in the ribs. - -"Oh, that's rich!" he chuckled. "What do you say, Joey--a pretty -hair-brush and comb and a tooth-brush aboard an oyster dredger? You'll -have to tell old Haley to get a mirror--a French-plate, gold-leaf -mirror--for Mr. Harvey. Oh, he'd do it, all right. He'll--ah, ha, ha--oh -jimminy Christmas! Isn't that rich?" - -The boy, Joe, turned toward Mr. Jenkins, somewhat angrily. - -"You think you're smart," he muttered. "You'll get come up with, one of -these days. What did you get him for? He ain't the right sort. He's got -folks as will make trouble. I'll bet the old man won't stand for him." - -"Look here, you," exclaimed Mr. Jenkins, seizing the boy, roughly, "you -shut up! Who asked you to tell me what to do? Don't I know my business? -Don't I know old Scroop, too, as much as you do? Of course he'll stand -for him--when I tell him a few things. You leave that to me, and don't -you go interfering, or I'll hand you something you'll feel for a week." - -The boy shrank back, and relapsed into stolid silence. - -"Where's that pen and ink?" inquired Jenkins. - -The boy pointed to a locker. - -Taking a faded wallet from his pocket, Mr. Jenkins produced therefrom a -paper which he unfolded and spread upon the table. It seemed to be a -form, of some sort or other, partly type-written. He got the rusty pen -and a small bottle of ink, laid them beside it, and waited for Harvey's -return. Harvey soon reappeared. - -"We'll just sign this agreement," remarked Mr. Jenkins carelessly. -"Scroop had some aboard here. They don't mean much, with a good captain -like him, for he does better than he's bound to, anyway. I'll just run it -over, so you can get an idea of it." - -Talking glibly, Mr. Jenkins ran his finger along the lines, whereby -Harvey, by the dim light, got a somewhat hazy idea of them: to the effect -that he, Jack Harvey, twenty-one years of age, was bound to serve for one -month aboard the fisherman, Z. B. Brandt, whereof the master was Hamilton -Haley, on a dredging trip in Chesapeake bay and its tributaries. -Together, with divers conditions and provisions which Mr. Jenkins -dismissed briefly, as of no account. - -"But I'm not twenty-one years old," said Harvey. "That's wrong." - -"Oh, that don't amount to anything," responded Mr. Jenkins. "I knew you -weren't quite that, but it's near enough. It's all right. No one ever -looks at it. We'll sign, and it's all over. Then we'll turn in, and see -the captain in the morning. He's going to be late, by the looks." - -"But I thought you said the captain's name was Scroop," suggested Harvey, -puzzled. - -"So it is," replied Mr. Jenkins. "This is an old contract, but it's just -as good. Haley used to be captain, and they use the old forms. It don't -matter what the captain's name is, so long as he's all right, and he's -got a good boat." - -Harvey, following the example of his companion, put his name to the -paper. - -It might have been different had he had opportunity to take note, on -coming aboard, that the schooner, in the cabin of which he now sat, bore -no such name on bow and stern as the "Z. B. Brandt." It might have been -different had he seen, in his mind's eye, the real Z. B. Brandt, pitching -and tossing in the waters of Chesapeake Bay, seventy odd miles below -where the schooner lay in her snug berth. But he knew naught of that, nor -that the schooner in which he was about to take up his quarters for the -night was no more like the Z. B. Brandt than a Pullman is like a -cattle-car. - -It was with his mind filled with a picture of the voyage soon over and -done, and a proud return to Henry Burns and his cronies, that Harvey -turned in shortly, on one of the bunks, wrapped himself snugly in a good -warm blanket, and went off to sleep. The creaking of rigging, as some -craft moved with the current, the noise of some new arrival coming in -late to join the fleet at moorings, the tramp of an occasional sailor on -the deck of a neighbouring craft, and the swinging of the schooner, did -not disturb his sound slumbers. Wearied with the doings of a busy day, he -did not move, once his eyes had closed in sleep. - -Some time after eleven o'clock, Mr. Jenkins arose softly and stepped -cautiously over to where Harvey lay. There was no mistaking the soundness -of Harvey's slumbers. Mr. Jenkins slipped out of the cabin, upon deck. A -row-boat soon attracted his attention, coming toward the schooner from -somewhere below. There were three figures in it. As the boat came -alongside, Mr. Jenkins stepped to the rail and spoke to the man in the -stern. - -"Hello, Scroop," he said. "I've got another for you. He wouldn't drink, -but he's a sound sleeper." - -The captain nodded. With the assistance of his companion in the boat, -whom Mr. Jenkins called mate, and of Mr. Jenkins, himself, another man -was lifted from the small craft to the deck of the schooner. He seemed -half asleep, and walked between them like one that had been drugged. They -did not take him aft, but assisted him down into the forecastle, and -returned presently, without him. - -"All right, captain?" queried Mr. Jenkins. - -"Yes, cast us off." - -Mr. Jenkins sprang over the rail, to the deck of the craft alongside. He -cast off the lines, forward and aft, that had moored the schooner to the -other vessel. The captain and mate ran up one of the jibs. Mr. Jenkins -pushed vigorously, and the bow of the schooner slowly swung clear. The -current aided. The light night breeze caught the jib. The schooner -drifted away, with Captain Scroop at the wheel. - -Mr. Jenkins, standing on the deck of the vessel to which the schooner had -been moored, watched the latter glide away. After a little time the -foresail was run up. The schooner was leaving the harbour of Baltimore. - -Mr. Jenkins did a little shuffle, thrust his hands into his pockets, and -walked briskly across the decks to shore. - -"That's ten dollars easy money for me and Scroop," he muttered. Then he -stopped once and chuckled. "A comb and brush and a tooth-brush aboard old -Haley's bug-eye!" he said. "Oh, my! That's a good one." - - - - - CHAPTER III - DOWN THE BAY - - -Jack Harvey's father, awakening next morning in his comfortable -state-room aboard the liner, would have been not a little astounded had -he known how strangely the facts belied his remark to Mrs. Harvey that -Jack must, by this time, be well on his way north. By no possible stretch -of fancy could the vision of their son, lying asleep in the crazy cabin -of the old schooner, appear to the minds of Harvey's parents. In blissful -ignorance of his strange adventure, they sailed away. Miles and miles -behind, the schooner followed in the liner's wake. - -Jack Harvey was a good sleeper. The sun came up out of the bay and shed -its light far and wide upon hundreds of craft, borne lightly by the wind -and tide. It penetrated, even, the cabin of the dingy schooner, and it -lighted the way for the youthful sleeper to come back from dreams to -consciousness. - -For some moments, as Harvey lay with half opened eyes, he wondered where -he was. Then it all came back to him in a flash: the Baltimore -water-front; the picturesque fishermen; the strange young man--and then, -the remembrance that he had signed for a month aboard the schooner. For -an instant he almost regretted that act, and the thought brought him up -quickly on one elbow, to look about him. - -One resolve he made at the moment. He would not back out now. He might -find that impossible, anyway, since he had signed the paper. But he would -send a line to Miss Matilda Burns, letting her know what he was doing. It -was no more than fair to her. - -The next moment, Jack Harvey leaped to his feet. He was fully awake now. -Dressed, as he was,--for he had removed only his shoes and coat,--he -sprang to one of the ports. He had sailed too much not to know that the -vessel was under weigh, although, on a perfectly smooth sea and with no -swell, there was but slight perceptible motion to the schooner. - -One glance told him the truth. He waited no longer, but ran up the -companion-way on deck. Amazed, he looked about him. Far astern, some -fifteen miles, the outlines of the city showed. The nearest shore was a -mile away. The schooner, foresail and main-sail set, and winged out, was -slowly gliding before the wind down the bay. - -Jack Harvey gave a whistle of astonishment. Then a feeling of resentment -toward young Mr. Jenkins arose in his breast. - -"That's a cool trick!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't he tell me we were going -to sail so soon? He said we'd have time to get a few things in the shops -before we sailed. I'll tell him what I think of it." - -Without waiting to speak to anyone on deck, or scarce take notice of who -was there, Harvey darted down the companion-way and hastened to the bunk -where he had seen Mr. Jenkins turn in, the night before. - -It was empty. - -Strangely puzzled, Harvey made his way out on deck. A tall, keen-eyed -man, smooth-shaven save for a light blond moustache, sat astride the -wheel box, steering. Harvey turned to him, somewhat excitedly. - -"Where's that fellow Jenkins?" he asked. - -Coolly surveying Harvey, with a pair of steady, blue eyes, the man -replied, "You call me 'Mr. Blake,' young feller; I'm mate." - -Harvey's face flushed, angrily. A feeling that he had been somehow -tricked came over him. Ignoring the man's order, he stepped nearer to -him. - -"I want to see that chap, Jenkins," he repeated. "He didn't tell me we -were going to sail this way in the night. Where is he?" - -The lines about the mouth of Mr. Blake, mate, tightened as he looked the -boy over from head to foot. Later experience enlightened Harvey as to -what would have happened to him had they been well down the bay. But, as -it was, the man merely uttered something softly under his breath. "I'll -leave you for Haley to deal with," was what he said. And he added, in a -mollifying tone, addressing Harvey: - -"Why, it's too bad about that young feller, Jenkins. You see he got left. -He slipped up town for some stuff, early this morning--about three -o'clock, I guess, and didn't show up when the tide served for starting. -Scroop wouldn't wait, and you can't blame him. But he left word for -Jenkins to come down on that boat that lay alongside us. She starts -to-morrow. We'll pick him up down the bay. It'll be all right. You're the -young feller that Joe told about, eh--going a trip with us?" - -The man's manner, changing thus suddenly from sharp to kindly, was -surprising--and a bit comforting, too. Without a companion, even though -Jenkins were a chance acquaintance, the venture seemed to have taken on a -somewhat different and less pleasing aspect to Harvey. - -"Yes," he said, in answer to the mate's query, "I'm going one trip, just -for a month." - -"I see," said the mate, quietly. "Well, you'll like it. You're the right -sort. I can tell that. Ever shipped before?" - -Harvey shook his head, as he explained that he had done some bay sailing. -He was about to explain further under what circumstances, but something -made him pause. Under the same sudden impulse--he knew not the reason for -it, but obeyed it--he became reticent when Mr. Blake, mate, plied him -with questions concerning himself and where he was from. - -"I'm just knocking around a bit," he replied, and kept his own counsel. A -fortunate thing for him, perhaps, in the light of subsequent events. - -The conversation was abruptly broken off. Up from the forecastle there -burst three men, clinching in a confused, rough-and-tumble fashion, and -struggling together. Had Jack Harvey been on deck the night before, and -observed the man who had been carried, sleeping, from the cabin to the -forecastle, he might perhaps recognize him now as one of these three. - -Somewhat recovered from his condition of stupefaction was he; sufficient -to gaze about him wildly, wrestle with the two men who attacked him, -strike at them furiously, and cry out several times that he was up to -their tricks, that he couldn't be trapped like a dog and shanghaied down -the bay--and let them come on, if they dared. - -That they did dare was quite apparent; for they rushed him almost off his -feet the next moment. And then, to Harvey's surprise, he found himself -suddenly at service aboard the schooner. - -Leaping to his feet, the mate exclaimed, hastily, "Here, you, hold that -wheel a minute." - -Harvey obeyed. The mate made a few bounds across the deck, took advantage -of the opening that offered as the strange man's back was turned to him, -and dealt him a blow behind one ear that felled him, half stunned. The -next moment, Harvey saw the three lift the vanquished fighter by head and -heels and carry him below again. - -Harvey's heart sank a little. It was hardly an auspicious beginning of a -cruise on a strange craft. - -Mr. Blake was back again in a few minutes. He was as cool as though -nothing unusual had taken place. - -"No, you keep the wheel a moment, while I light my pipe," he said, as -Harvey started to relinquish the post. Then he laughed, drew forth his -pipe and a piece of tobacco, and proceeded to cut a pipeful with his -knife. - -"That's Tom Saunders," he said. "Gets foolish drunk the minute he steps -on shore; never's sober except when he's afloat. Comes aboard a-boilin' -every trip, fights, and makes a mess about being carried off against his -will. He'll straighten out tomorrow and be the best man in the crew." - -Harvey felt a bit easier. There had come over him, as he watched the -struggle, a feeling that perhaps he, too, had been trapped aboard here. -It was strange, certainly: the disappearance of Mr. Jenkins, and the -words the man had just uttered about being shanghaied. However, he was in -for the cruise; and come what would, Harvey resolved to make the best of -it. - -There came aft, presently, the man Scroop, captain of the schooner, whom -Harvey eyed curiously, when the mate addressed him. - -"Well?" inquired Mate Blake. - -Captain Scroop gave vent to a vigorous expletive. "We've fixed him!" he -said. "He'll shut up for a while. Hullo, who's this?" - -"A friend of Jenkins," replied the mate, giving a sly wink as he spoke. - -Captain Scroop looked at Harvey keenly. Harvey eyed him, eagerly, in -return. What he saw was not wholly favourable. Scroop, a hard-featured, -shifty-eyed man of middle stature, had not been rendered more -prepossessing by his recent encounter. A swelling under one eye showed -where the stranger's fist had landed heavily. His woollen shirt was torn -open at the neck, wherein the veins were distended from wrath and -excitement. He gave one quick, shifting glance at Harvey and said -abruptly, "All right. Get below now and tell Joe to give you breakfast." - -Harvey went below. - -Captain Scroop turned angrily upon the mate. - -"Who got him aboard?" he asked. - -"Jenkins--who do you suppose?" - -Captain Scroop's face darkened, and he shook a clenched fist in the -direction of Baltimore. - -"Won't he never tell the truth, nohow?" he exclaimed. "Lied to me last -night, up and down. Twenty-five years old, or near that, was what he -swore. Haven't I told him not to get these boys? That's a kid--if he's -seventeen he's doin' better'n I think. He's got to go, though. I'll put -him through, now. But wait till we get back. Won't I settle with -somebody? They'll have the law on us some day." - -"Pooh! You've said all that a million times," replied the mate, coolly. -"What's the odds? Aren't we taking chances, every trip we make? Haven't -we had boys before? Look at the lot of 'em we've had from New York. -What's it to us? Leave Haley to work it out. And don't you go to getting -down on Artie Jenkins. He knows his lay. He wouldn't have shipped this -fellow unless he knew it was all right. He's no fonder of trouble than we -are." - -Jack Harvey, the innocent subject of the foregoing remarks, was, in the -meantime, getting into a better frame of mind. There was no great fault, -surely, to be found with the grub aboard the schooner. Nothing that he -had ever cooked and eaten at his camp by the shore of Samoset Bay tasted -better than the corn flap-jacks handed out from the galley by the boy, -Joe. Smeared with a substance, greasy and yellow, but that never was nor -ever could be suspected of being butter, and sticky with a blackish -liquid that was sweet, like molasses, they were still appetizing to a -hungry youth who had never known the qualms of sea-sickness. A muddy -compound, called by extreme courtesy coffee, warmed Harvey to the marrow -and put heart in him. A few slices of fried bacon tasted better than the -best meal he could have had aboard the ocean liner. - -Eating heartily, despite his disappointment to find himself forsaken by -Mr. Jenkins, Harvey essayed to draw the boy, Joe, into conversation; but -the latter was sullen, and chary of his words. - -Would Jenkins surely be down by the next vessel? The boy nodded, somewhat -blankly. He guessed so. Where would they begin fishing, and how? Harvey -would see, later. And so on. There was clearly little to be gotten from -him. - -Once there came down into the cabin the same, odd individual who had sat, -huddled in the cabin, smoking, the afternoon before. He got a dish of the -flap-jacks and a pail of the coffee, and started out again. Harvey fired -a question at him, as the man waited a moment to receive his grub. - -"How do we fish, down the bay, anyway?" asked Harvey. - -The man turned a little, stared at Harvey in a surly manner for a moment, -and then--apparently not all in sympathy with methods aboard the schooner -and in the trade generally--answered, "Hmph! You breaks yer back at a -bloody winder." And with this somewhat enigmatical reply, went about his -business. - -"Say," said Harvey, turning to the boy, once more, "what's a winder?" - -"Why, it's a--a--winder," responded the boy. - -"That's just what I thought," said Harvey, smiling in spite of his -perplexity. "And what's it for?" - -"You get oysters with it," replied the boy. "You heaves the dredge -overboard, and you winds it in again." - -"Oh, I see," said Harvey, enlightened by this lucid explanation. "It's a -sort of windlass, eh?" - -Joe nodded. - -"Hard work?" continued Harvey. - -"Naw--easy." - -But Harvey had his misgivings. And again he comforted himself with the -thought, at worst, the cruise would be over and done in a month. - -"I guess I'm good for that," he muttered; and went out on deck again. - -The schooner's course had been changed a little, and they were now -sailing almost directly south, down Chesapeake bay. The schooner was no -longer winged out, but had both booms off to port, getting the wind on -the quarter. Fore-staysail and jib and main gaff top-sail, as well, were -set, and the old craft was swinging southward at a fair clip. The wind -had begun to increase. - -This was action after Harvey's own heart, and he walked forward, toward -the gruff sailor, who was stationed near the forecastle. He observed, as -he advanced, that there was still another man forward by the jibs; and -that these two sailors, the captain and mate and the boy, Joe, were -apparently the only ones aboard the vessel, besides himself. - -Harvey glanced at the man forward. He was almost dwarfish in stature, -thick-set, with unusually broad shoulders. Clearly, this was not the man -that Harvey had seen asleep, amid the bundle of blankets, in the cabin. -Harvey had not seen the face of the sleeper, but he had noted once, when -the man had stirred, that he was a tall man; that the figure stretched -out at length took up an unusual amount of room. - -It flashed over Harvey that the man he had seen asleep in the cabin, the -night before, was missing from there now. Harvey was certain he had not -seen him, as he sat eating. To make sure, he went back and looked. The -man was not there. - -"That's odd," said Harvey to himself, as he came on deck again. "I wonder -if they've lugged him down into the forecastle, too. They must have done -it in the night. By jimminy! I wonder how many they've got stowed away -down there, anyway." - -Somewhat startled at the idea that there might be other men held there, -and curious to see for himself, Harvey approached the companion. As he -did so, the surly seaman barred his way. - -"Keep out 'er there," he said, roughly. "You can't go below now. Them's -my orders." - -Harvey stepped back, in surprise. There was a mystery to the forecastle, -then, sure enough. He hazarded one question: - -"What's the matter? What's down there?" - -The man made no reply. - -Harvey went forward to where the other man stood. - -"Say, what's there to do aboard here?" he asked. - -The fellow turned and eyed Harvey for a moment, curiously. - -"Nothin' now," he replied, finally. "Nothin' till we get down the bay. We -all takes it easy like, till then." - -But further than this, he, too, became uncommunicative when Harvey -questioned him about the cruise. It was discouraging, and Harvey gave it -up. He seemed likely to have little companionship, if any, aboard the -schooner, and the thought was not pleasing. Again he wondered at the -strange disappearance of Mr. Jenkins, and hoped it might be true that the -young man would rejoin them down the bay. - -The day passed somewhat monotonously for the most part. The schooner was -holding an almost straight course down the bay, along the western shore. -Harvey, having an eye for safety, noted that the coast was almost -unbroken for miles and miles, affording no harbour in case of storm. He -spoke of it once to the sailor by the forecastle. - -"Plenty of harbours down below," replied the man. "We're goin' well; -reckon we'll lie in the Patuxent tonight. There's harbour enough for -you." - -It was a positive relief to Harvey when, some time in the afternoon, it -came on to blow very fresh, and the foresail and mainsail were both -reefed. He lent a hand at that, tieing in reef points with the other two. -They seemed surprised that he knew how to do it. - -But, with the freshening of the wind, it altered its direction and blew -up finally, towards evening, from the eastward; so that they made slower -progress, running now on the wind, close-hauled. Rain began falling at -twilight, and a bitter chill crept into the air. Harvey thought of the -oil-skins he had intended buying in Baltimore, and wished he had them. -There was nothing for him to do on deck now, however, and he gladly went -below. - -He ate his supper alone, for all hands were on deck. The schooner pitched -and thrashed about in the short, rough seas. It was gloomy in the dimly -lighted cabin, and the boy Joe, at work in the galley, positively -declined to enter into conversation. Jack Harvey, left to himself, -mindful of his strange situation, of the mysterious forecastle with its -imprisoned men, and depressed by the wretched night, didn't dare admit to -himself how much he wished himself ashore. The confinement of the cabin -made him drowsy, not long after he had eaten, and he was glad enough to -roll up in a blanket on one of the bunks and go off to sleep. - -While he slept, the schooner thrashed its way in past a light-house on a -point of land on the western shore, and headed up into the mouth of a -broad, deep river. They sailed into this for something like half a mile, -Scroop at the wheel, and the mate and two seamen forward, peering ahead -through the rain. - -Presently the mate rushed aft. - -"There she lies," he said, pointing, as he spoke, to where a lantern -gleamed in the fore-mast shrouds of a vessel at anchor. - -"I see her," responded Scroop. - -The old schooner, under the guiding hand of Scroop, rounded to and came -up into the wind a few rods astern of the other vessel. And now, lying -astern, the light from the other's cabin shone so that the forms of three -men could be distinguished vaguely, standing on the deck. The schooner's -anchor went down, the foresail was dropped, and, the jibs having already -been taken in, the craft was soon lying snug, with her mainsail hauled -flat aft, to steady her. A small boat was launched from the deck, and -made fast alongside. - -Mr. Blake, mate, pointing toward the cabin, inquired briefly, "Take him -first?" - -"No," said Scroop. "Clear out the forecastle. He'll make a fuss, I -reckon. When we drop him, I want to get out and leave him to Haley." - -Advancing hastily across the deck, the four men, captain and mate and the -two sailors, disappeared into the forecastle. They reappeared shortly, -bearing an unconscious burden between them, much as they would have -carried a sack of potatoes; which burden, however, showed some sign of -animation as the rain fell upon it, and muttered something -unintelligible. They deposited the burden in the bottom of the small -boat. - -Another disappearance into the forecastle, and a repetition of the -performance; another and similar burden being laid alongside the first in -the boat. - -Then five men emerged from the forecastle, the fifth man walking upright, -held fast by the others. It was the man that Harvey had seen struggling -with the two sailors that morning. But he went along quietly now, the -reason being apparent in the words of Scroop. - -"You go along or you go overboard," he said. "The first yip out of you -and you get that belayin' pin in the head." - -The boat, with its conscious and unconscious cargo, rowed by the two -sailors and guided by Scroop in the stem, put away from the schooner and -was soon alongside the other vessel. - -"Hello," said a voice. - -"Hello, Haley." - -"How many?" - -"Three here and one to come; good men, too--sailors, every one of 'em." - -A snort of incredulity from the man on deck. - -"Let you tell it!" he exclaimed. "I'm in luck if there's one of 'em that -hasn't been selling ribbon over a counter. Well, fetch 'em on." - -A hatch-way forward received the three men; a short, thick-necked, burly -individual--the same being Hamilton Haley of the bug-eye Brandt--eying -them with evident suspicion as they were taken below. After which, the -two worthy captains repaired together to the cabin of the bug-eye, and -partook of something in the way of refreshment, which was followed by the -transfer of forty dollars in greasy bills, from a chest in the cabin to -the wallet of Captain Scroop. - -"Dredging good?" inquires Scroop. - -"Not much. Lost a man day before yesterday--took sick and died. Went -overboard in the chop, down below, and I couldn't get him." - -"Wasn't near time for his paying off, eh?" suggests Scroop, leering -skeptically. - -"Never you mind what it was near. It couldn't be helped, and the mate -will swear to it." - -This asserted by Haley, red of face, wrathful of manner, and bringing a -heavy fist down hard on the chest. - -Some time later, Jack Harvey awoke suddenly from sound sleep. Someone was -shaking him. Dazed and hardly conscious of where he was, he recognized -the mate. - -"What's the matter?" he asked. - -The mate shook him again. - -"Get up!" he said. "Get up. We're going to row ashore. Hurry now, jump -into your boots and coat." - -Harvey, blinking and drowsy, did as he was ordered. Escorted by the mate, -he went out into the drizzle on deck. It was almost like an unpleasant -night-mare, the act of stumbling down into the boat, the short, pitching -ride in the rainy night. Then, all at once, the side of the other vessel -loomed up. Another moment, Harvey found himself lifted roughly aboard, -and, before he knew hardly what had happened, the rowboat was going away -and leaving him. - -"Here!" he cried, thoroughly frightened. "What are you doing? What are -you leaving me here for? This isn't ashore. Here, you, keep your hands -off me." - -But there was no hope for Jack Harvey. In the grasp of two stalwart -sailors, seeing in a flash the truth of what had befallen him, knowing, -all too late, that he had been tricked and trapped aboard a strange -vessel, he found himself dragged across the deck. He was half carried, -half thrown down the companion-way. He found himself in a stuffy, -ill-smelling forecastle, not much bigger than a good sized dog-kennel. It -was already crowded with men; but there, by lying at close quarters with -this forsaken lot of humanity, he might sleep out the rest of the night, -if he could. - -And thus Jack Harvey was to begin his adventures aboard Hamilton Haley's -bug-eye. Nor would it matter, as he should find, that the satchel -containing the articles which had occasioned so much hilarity on the part -of young Mr. Jenkins, had been left behind, in the confusion. Jack Harvey -surely would not need them aboard the Z. B. Brandt. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - ABOARD THE BUG-EYE - - -Jack Harvey stood at the foot of the short ladder leading down into the -forecastle, looking anxiously about him. A boat-lantern, wired for -protection in handling, hung by the bulkhead, affording a gloomy view of -the place. Harvey had, in the course of much roughing it, lived at times -in tents, in log cabins, and in odd sorts of shacks, and slept in the -cabins of the fishing boats of Samoset Bay in Maine. But never in all his -experience had he found himself in such dismal, cramped and forbidding -quarters as these. - -On either side of the forecastle nearest the ladder was a narrow, shallow -bunk, raised a little above the floor, sufficient to tuck a few odds and -ends of clothing under; directly above each was a similar bunk, of equal -dimensions. All four of these had scarcely any head-room at all--an -arrangement whereby one, springing quickly up into a sitting posture, -would give his head such a bump as would remind him unpleasantly of the -economy of space. - -In the lower of these bunks there now lay two men, at least asleep if not -resting. They breathed heavily, moaning as though in some unnatural -condition of slumber. It was evident to Harvey that they were under the -influence of something like a drug; and the recollection flashed through -his mind of the offer of young Mr. Jenkins in the cabin of the -schooner--which he had fortunately refused. If he were, indeed, a -captive, he was at least in no such senseless condition as these men. - -The upper bunks held two more occupants. These two slept quietly, even -through the disturbance that had been made so recently. Perhaps they were -not unused to such occurrences. It was apparent they were sailors, and -their sleep was natural. In all likelihood, the two lower bunks had been -left vacant for new recruits, the old seamen taking the upper ones. - -All this Jack Harvey took in with a few quick glances. What he saw next -gave him something of a start. - -Forward of the four bunks described were yet two others, the space in the -forecastle being arranged "to sleep" six men. These bunks were, if such a -thing could be possible, even less comfortable than the others. Curving -with the lines of the bows of the vessel, they had scarce length enough -for a good sized man to stretch out in. In part compensation for which, -however, there being no upper bunks, there was head-room enough so that -one could sit upright with some degree of comfort. - -In the starboard bunk there sat a man, huddled up, with one arm bracing -him from behind, and a hand, clutching one knee. He was staring at the -new-comer Harvey, with a look of abject despair. - -Harvey, surprised and startled to find himself thus confronting someone -who was clearly in his proper senses, returned the man's gaze, and the -two stared wonderingly at each other for a moment, in silence. - -With a groan, the man swung himself down to the floor and advanced a -step. - -"Hullo," he said, "how in the Dickens did they get you?" - -"Same to you," said Harvey, by way of reply. He had, at the sight of this -companion in misery, regained his composure a little. Unconsciously, the -fact that here was someone with whom he could share misfortune had raised -his courage. For Harvey had taken in the appearance of the man at once. -He was well dressed. His clothes were of fine material and of a stylish -cut--albeit they were wrinkled and dusty from his recent experiences. A -torn place in the sleeve of his coat told, too, of the rough handling he -had received. His collar was crumpled and wilted, his tie disarranged. A -derby hat that he had worn lay now on the floor, in one corner, with the -crown broken. On the little finger of his left hand he wore a ring. - -Instinctively, Jack Harvey and the stranger extended arms and grasped -hands, with the warmth of sudden friendship born of mutual sympathy. - -"Well, I'll be hanged, if they're not a lot of scoundrels!" exclaimed the -man, surveying Harvey with astonishment. "Why, you're only a boy. How on -earth did they get you? Didn't drug your drink, did they?" - -"No, I don't drink," said Harvey. "I signed for a cruise, all right, but -not on this craft. I signed to go a month on that schooner that brought -me down. Cracky, but it looks as though I'd made a mess of it. A chap -named Jenkins got me into this--" - -"Jenkins!" cried the man, bursting out in a fury. "Jenkins, was it? Slim, -oily chap, flashy waistcoat and sailor tie?" - -Harvey nodded. - -The man clenched his fist and raised it above his head. - -"Told you he was going to Johns Hopkins when he earned the money--nice -family but poor--and all that sort of rot?" - -"That's the chap," said Harvey. - -The man dropped his fist, put out a hand to Harvey, and they shook once -more. The man's face relaxed into a grim smile. - -"Well, I'm another Jenkins recruit," he said. "I'm an idiot, an ass, -anything you're a-mind to call me. There's some excuse for you--but me, a -man that's travelled from one end of this United States to the other, and -met every kind of a sharper between New York and San Francisco--to get -caught in a scrape like this!" - -"Why, then your name is not Tom Saunders," exclaimed Harvey, who now -recognized in his new acquaintance the man he had seen struggling with -the men of the schooner. "They said you were a sailor." The man made a -gesture of disgust. "I hate the very smell of the salt water!" he cried. - -There was a small sea chest next to the bulk-head at the forward end of -the forecastle, and Harvey and the stranger seated themselves on it. The -man relapsed for a moment into silence, his elbows on his knees, his face -buried in his hands. Then, all of a sudden, he sat erect, and beat his -fist down upon one knee. - -"This ends it!" he cried, earnestly. "Never again as long as I live and -breathe." - -Harvey stared at him in surprise. - -"I mean the drink," cried the man, excitedly. "Mind what I say, and I -mean it. Never another drink as long as I live. I've said, before, that -I'd stop it, but this ends it. Say, what's your name, anyway?" - -"Jack Harvey." - -"Well, my name's Edwards--Tom Edwards. Now look here, Harvey, I mean what -I say; if you ever see Tom Edwards try to take another drink, you just -walk up and hit him the hardest knock you can give him. See?" - -Harvey laughed, in spite of the other's earnestness. - -"I won't have any chance for some time, by the looks of things," he said. -"You won't need to sign any pledge this month. I reckon there's no saloon -aboard this vessel." - -"I'm glad of it," exclaimed Edwards. "I wouldn't walk into one now, if -they were giving the stuff away. Look what it's got me into. Say, how did -our Johns Hopkins friend catch you?" - -Harvey quickly narrated the events that had followed the departure of his -parents for Europe, and the meeting with young Mr. Jenkins. Mr. Edwards, -listening with astonishment, eyed him with keenest interest. - -"That's it," he exclaimed, as Harvey recounted the engaging manner in -which Jenkins had assured him he would return in one short month, with a -nautical experience that should make him the envy of his boy companions; -"put it in fancy style, didn't he? Regular Tom Bowline romance, and all -that sort of thing, eh?" - -Mr. Edwards's eyes twinkled, and he was half smiling, in spite of -himself. - -"Well," he continued, noting Harvey's athletic figure, "I guess you can -stand a month of it, all right, and no great hurt to you. And, what's -best, your folks won't worry. But I tell you, Harvey, it's going to be -tough on me, if I can't force this bandit to set me ashore again. I'm in -an awful scrape. My business house will think I've been murdered, or have -run away--I don't know what. And when it comes to work, if we have much -of that to do, I don't know how I'm going to stand it. You see, my firm -pays my expenses, and I'm used to putting up at the best hotels and -living high. So, I'm fat and lazy. Billiards is about my hardest -exercise, and my hands are as soft as a woman's. See here." - -Mr. Edwards stretched out two somewhat unsteady hands, palms upward; then -slapped them down upon his knees. As he did so, he uttered a cry of -dismay and sprang to his feet, sticking out his little finger and staring -at it ruefully. - -"The thieves!" he cried, angrily. "The cowardly thieves! See that ring? -They've got the diamond out of it. Worth two hundred dollars, if 'twas -worth a cent. They couldn't get the ring off, without cutting it, and I -suppose they couldn't do that easily; so they've just pried out the -stone." - -Harvey looked at the hand which Edwards extended. The setting of the -costly ring had, indeed, been roughly forced, and the stone it had -contained, extracted. - -"I wouldn't care so much," said Edwards, "if it hadn't been a gift from -the men in the store." Impulsively, he turned to Harvey and put a hand on -his shoulder. - -"Say, Harvey," he exclaimed, "when you and I get ashore again--if we ever -do--we'll go and hunt up this young Mr. Jenkins." - -"All right," replied Harvey; "but it may not be quite so bad as you -think. We'll get through some way, I guess." - -Oddly enough, either by reason of the lack of responsibility that weighed -on the spirits of the man, or because of a lingering eagerness for -adventure, in spite of the dubious prospects, the boy, Harvey, seemed the -more resolute of the two. - -"Well," responded Edwards, "I'm sorry you're in a scrape; but so long as -you're here, why, I'm glad you're the kind of a chap you are. We'll help -each other. We'll stand together." - -And they shook hands upon it again. - -"Now," said Edwards, "here's how I came here. I'm a travelling man, for a -jewelry house--Burton & Brooks, of Boston. I was on the road, got into -Washington the other night, and sold a lot of goods there. But one of my -trunks hadn't come on time, and I was hung up for a day with nothing to -do. Never had been in Baltimore, and thought I'd run down for a few -hours. - -"I got dinner at a restaurant and went out to look around. I went along, -hit or miss, and brought up down by the water-front. This chap, Jenkins, -bumped into me and apologized like a gentleman; we got to talking, and he -invited me into one of those saloons along the front. Beastly place, and -I knew it; but I was off my guard. He certainly was slick, talked about -his family and Johns Hopkins, and pumped me all the time--I can see it -now--till he found I wasn't stopping at any hotel, but had just run in to -town for the day. - -"That was all he wanted. Saw the game was safe, and then he and the -fellow that ran the place must have fixed it up together. I'll bet he -stands in with most of these places on the water-front. He apologized for -the place, I remember; said it was rough but clean, and the oysters the -best in Baltimore. Well, I don't remember much after that, until I woke -up in that hole on the schooner that brought us down here. I know we had -something to drink--and that, so help me, is the last that anyone ever -gets Tom Edwards to take. Shake on that, too." - -He had a hearty, bluff way of talking, and a frankness in declaring -himself to be the biggest simpleton that was ever caught with chaff, that -compelled friendship. - -Harvey again accepted the proffered hand, smiling a little to himself, -and wondering if it were a habit of the other's profession to seal all -compacts on the spot in that fashion. - -"So here I am," concluded Mr. Edwards, "in the vilest hole I ever was in; -sick from the nasty pitching of this infernal boat; the worst head-ache I -ever woke up with--thanks to Mr. Jenkins's drug--robbed of $150 in money, -that I had in a wallet, a diamond that I wouldn't have sold at any -price--and, worst of all, my house won't know what's become of me. You -see, I'm registered up in Washington at a hotel there. I disappear, they -find my trunk and goods all right, and my accounts are straight. Nobody -knows I came to Baltimore. I'm not registered at any hotel there. There's -a mystery for 'em. Isn't it a fix?" - -Harvey whistled expressively. - -"You're worse off than I am, a million times," he said. "Besides, I've -got a little money, if it will help us out any. It's twenty-five dollars -I had for fare back to Benton, and pocket-money." - -"Where's that--where'd you say you were going?" asked Mr. Edwards, -quickly. - -"Benton." - -"Benton, eh? Well, that's funny. I've been there; sold goods in Benton -lots of times. You don't happen to know a man by the name of Warren -there, do you? He's got three boys about your age, or a little -younger--nice man, too." - -Harvey gave an exclamation of surprise and delight. - -"Know him? I guess I do," he cried. "And the Warren fellows, well rather. -Hooray!" - -It was Harvey's turn to offer the hand of fellowship this time; and he -gave Mr. Edwards a squeeze that made that gentleman wince. - -"You've got a pretty good grip," said he, rubbing his right hand with the -other. "I guess you can stand some hard work." Then they reverted to the -subject of Benton, once more, and it brought them closer together. There -was Bob White's father, whom Mr. Edwards knew, and several others; and -Jack Harvey knew their sons; and so they might have shaken hands at least -a half dozen times more, if Mr. Edwards had been willing to risk the -experiment again. - -"Now, to get back to the money," said he, finally; "you've got to hide -that twenty-five dollars, or you'll lose it. Here, I can help you out." - -He drew forth from a pocket a rubber tobacco pouch, and emptied the -contents into an envelope in one of his inside coat pockets. - -"I don't see how they happened to leave me this," he said, "but they did, -and it's lucky, too. It's just what you need. We'll tuck the bills in -this, fold it over and over, wrap a handkerchief about it, and you can -fasten it inside your shirt with this big safety-pin. Trust a travelling -man on the road to have what's needed in the dressing line. It may save -you from being robbed. What are you going to do with that other five? -Don't you want to save that, too?" - -Harvey had taken from a wallet in his pocket twenty dollars in bills, -letting one five dollar bill remain. - -"I'm going to use that to save the rest with," replied Harvey. "Supposing -this brute of a captain asks me if I've got any money, to buy what I'll -need aboard here, or suppose I'm robbed; well, perhaps they'll think this -is all I've got, and leave me the twenty." - -"You're kind of sharp, too," responded Mr. Edwards, smiling. "You'd make -a good travelling man. We'll stow this secure, I hope." - -He enfolded the bills handed to him by Harvey in the rubber tobacco -pouch, wrapped the boy's handkerchief about that, and passed it, with the -pin thrust through, to Harvey. Harvey, loosening his clothing, pinned the -parcel of bills securely, next to his body. - -"That's the thing," said Mr. Edwards, approvingly. "That's better than -the captain's strong-box, I reckon. I'm afraid we've struck a pirate. -Whew, but I'd give five hundred--oh, hang it! What's the use of wishing? -We're in for it. We'll get out, I suppose some way. I'll tackle this -captain in the morning. I've sold goods to pretty hard customers before -now. If I can't sell him a line of talk that will make him set me ashore, -why, then my name isn't Tom Edwards. Guess we may as well turn in, though -I reckon I'll not sleep much in that confounded packing-box they call a -berth. Good night, Harvey, my boy. Here's good luck for to-morrow." - -Mr. Edwards put forth his hand, then drew it back quickly. - -"I guess that last hand-shake will do for to-night," he said. "Pretty -good grip you've got." - -Harvey watched him, curiously, as he prepared to turn in for the night. -Surely, an extraordinary looking figure for the forecastle of a dingy -bug-eye was Mr. Tom Edwards. He removed his crumpled collar and his -necktie, gazed at them regretfully, and tucked them beneath the edge of -the bunk. He removed his black cut-away coat, folded it carefully, and -stowed it away in one end of the same. He likewise removed a pair of -patent leather shoes. - -It was hardly the toggery for a seaman of an oyster-dredger; and Harvey, -eying the incongruous picture, would have laughed, in spite of his own -feeling of dismay and apprehension, but for the expression of utter -anguish and misery on the face of Tom Edwards, as he rolled in on to his -bunk. - -"Cheer up," said the latter, with an attempt at assurance, which the tone -of his voice did not fully endorse, "I'll fix that pirate of a captain in -the morning, or I'll never sell another bill of goods as long as I live." - -"I hope so," replied Harvey. - -But he had his doubts. - -They had made their preparations not any too soon. - -A voice from the deck called out roughly, "Douse that lantern down there! -Take this ere boat for an all-night dance-hall?" - -Harvey sprang from his bunk and extinguished the feeble flicker that had -given them light, then crept back again. He was young; he was weary; he -was hopeful. He was soon asleep, rocked by the uneasy swinging and -dipping of the vessel. Mr. Thomas Edwards, travelling man and gentleman -patron of the best hotels, envied him, as he, himself, lay for hours -awake, a prey to many and varied emotions. - -But he, too, was not without a straw to cling to. He had his plans for -the morrow; and, as tardy slumber at length came to his weary brain, he -might have been heard to mutter, "I'll sell that captain a line--a -line--a line of talk; I'll make him take it, or--or I'll--" - -His words ceased. Mr. Thomas Edwards had gone upon his travels into -dreamland. And, if he could have seen there the face and figure of -Captain Hamilton Haley of the bug-eye, Z. B. Brandt, and have listened to -that gentleman engaged in the pleasing art of conversation, he might not -have been so hopeful of selling him a "line of talk." - - - - - CHAPTER V - THE LAW OF THE BAY - - -The bug-eye, Z. B. Brandt, lay more easily at anchor as the night wore -away and morning began to come in. The wind that had brought the rain had -fallen flat, and, in its stead, there was blowing a gentle breeze -straight out the mouth of the river, from the west. The day bade fair to -be clear. Still, with the increasing warmth of the air upon the surface -of the water, a vapour was arising, which shut out the shore in some -degree. - -To one looking at it from a little distance, the vessel might have -presented a not unpleasing appearance. Its lines were certainly -graceful--almost handsome--after the manner of that type of bay craft. -The low free-board and sloping masts served to add grace to the outlines. -The Z. B. Brandt was a large one of its class, something over sixty feet -long, capable evidently of carrying a large cargo; and, at the same time, -a bay-man would have known at a glance that she was speedy. - -Built on no such lines of grace and speed, however, was her skipper, -Captain Hamilton Haley, who now emerged from the cabin, on deck, -stretched his short, muscular arms, and looked about and across the -water, with a glance of approval and satisfaction at the direction of the -wind. He was below the medium height, a lack of stature which was made -more noticeable by an unusual breadth of chest and burliness of -shoulders. - -Squat down between his shoulders, with so short and thick a neck that it -seemed as though nature had almost overlooked that proportion, was a -rounded, massive head, adorned with a crop of reddish hair. A thick, but -closely cut beard added to his shaggy appearance. His mouth was small and -expressionless; from under heavy eye-brows, small, grayish eyes twinkled -keenly and coldly. - -Smoke pouring out of a funnel that protruded from the top of the cabin on -the starboard side, and a noise of dishes rattling below in the galley, -indicated preparation for breakfast. Captain Haley, his inspection of -conditions of wind and weather finished, went below. - -A half hour later, there appeared from the same companion-way another -man, of a strikingly different type. He was tall and well proportioned, -powerfully built, alert and active in every movement. His complexion -showed him to be of negro blood, though of the lightest type of mulatto. -His face, smooth-shaven, betrayed lines that foreboded little good to the -crew of any craft that should come under his command. His eyes told of -intelligence, however, and it would have required but one glance of a -shrewd master of a vessel to pick him out for a smart seaman. Let -Hamilton Haley tell it, there wasn't a better mate in all the dredging -fleet than Jim Adams. Let certain men that had served aboard the Brandt -on previous voyages tell it, and there wasn't a worse one. It was a -matter of point of view. - -Captain Hamilton Haley having also come on deck, and it being now close -on to five o'clock of this November morning, it was high time for the -Brandt to get under way. Captain Haley motioned toward the forecastle. - -"Get 'em out," he said curtly. - -The mate walked briskly forward, and descended into the forecastle. The -two seamen in the upper bunks, sleeping in their clothes, tumbled hastily -out, at a word from the mate, and a shake of the shoulder. The men in the -two lower bunks did not respond. Angrily raising one foot, shod in a -heavy boot, Jim Adams administered several kicks to the slumberers. They -stirred and groaned, and half awoke. Surveying them contemptuously for a -moment, the mate passed them by. - -"I'll 'tend to you gentlemen later on, I reckon," he muttered. Jack -Harvey, aroused by the stirring in the forecastle, had scrambled hastily -out, and was on his feet when the mate approached. The latter grinned, -showing two rows of strong, white teeth. - -"Well done, sonny," he said. "Saved you'self gettin' invited, didn't you? -Just be lively, now, and scamper out on deck. Your mammy wants ter see -you." - -"All right," answered Harvey, and stooped for his shoes. To his surprise, -he felt himself seized by the powerful hand of the mate, and jerked -upright. The mate was still smiling, but there was a gleam in his eyes -that there was no mistaking. - -"See here, sonny," he said, "would you just mind bein' so kind as to call -me 'mister,' when you speaks to me? I'm Mister Adams, if you please. -Would you just as lieves remember that?" - -Jack Harvey was quick to perceive that this sneering politeness was no -joke. He answered readily, "Certainly, Mr. Adams; I will, sir." - -The mate grinned, approvingly. - -"Get along," he said. - -Pausing for a moment before the bunk in which Mr. Tom Edwards was still -sleeping, the mate espied the black tailor-made coat which the owner had -carefully folded and stowed in one corner before retiring. From that and -the general appearance of the sleeper, it was evident Jim Adams had -gathered an impression little favourable to the occupant of the bunk. - -"Hmph!" he muttered. "Reckon he won't last long. Scroop's rung in a -counter-jumper on Haley. Wait till Haley sees him." - -His contempt for the garment, carefully folded, did not however, prevent -his making a more critical inspection of it. Drawing it stealthily out of -the bunk, the mate quickly ran through the pockets. The search -disappointed him. There was a good linen handkerchief, which he -appropriated; an empty wallet, which he restored to a pocket; and some -papers, equally unprofitable. Tossing the coat back into the bunk, the -mate seized the legs of the sleeper and swung them around over the edge -of the bunk; which being accomplished, he unceremoniously spilled Mr. Tom -Edwards out on the floor. - -There was a gleam of triumph in his eyes as he did so; a consciousness -that here, in these waters of the Chesapeake, among the dredging fleet, -there existed a peculiar reversal of the general supremacy of the white -over the black race; a reversal growing out of the brutality of many of -the captains, and the method of shipping men and holding them prisoners, -to work or perish; in the course of which, captains so disposed had found -that there was none so eager to brow-beat and bully a crew of -recalcitrant whites as a certain type of coloured mates. - -Tom Edwards, awakened thus roughly, opened his eyes wide in astonishment; -then his face reddened with indignation as he saw the figure of the mate -bending over him. - -"Would you just as lieve 'blige me by gettin' your coat on an' stepping -out on deck?" asked the mate, with mock politeness. - -Tom Edwards arose to his feet, somewhat shaky, and glared at the -spokesman. - -"I want to see the captain of this vessel," he said. "You fellows have -made a mistake in your man, this time. You'd better be careful." - -"Yes, sir, I'm very, unusual careful, mister," responded the mate, -grinning at the picture presented by the unfortunate Mr. Tom Edwards, -unsteady on his legs with the slight rolling of the vessel, but striving -to assert his dignity. "Jes' please to hustle out on deck, now, an' -you'll see the cap'n all right. He's waiting for you to eat breakfas' -with him, in the cabin." - -Tom Edwards, burning with wrath, hurriedly adjusted his crumpled collar -and tie, put on his shoes and coat, and hastened on deck. Glancing -forward, he espied Harvey engaged at work with the crew. - -"Here, Harvey," he cried, "come on. I'll set you right, and myself, too, -at the same time. I'll see if there's any law in Maryland that will -punish an outrage like this." - -Somewhat doubtfully, Jack Harvey followed him. Jim Adams, leering as -though he knew what would be the result, did not stop him. The two -seamen, also, paused in their work, and stood watching the unusual event. -Captain Hamilton Haley, standing expectantly near the wheel, eyed the -approaching Mr. Edwards with cold unconcern. Perhaps he had met similar -situations before. - -Under certain conditions, and amid the proper surroundings, Mr. Thomas -Edwards might readily have made a convincing impression and commanded -respect; but the situation was unfavourable. His very respectable -garments, in their tumbled and tom disarrangement, his legs unsteady, -from recent experiences and from weakness, his face pale with the -evidence of approaching sea-sickness, all conspired to defeat his attempt -at dignity. Yet he was determined. - -"Captain," he said, stepping close to the stolid figure by the wheel, -"you have made a bad mistake in getting me aboard here. I was drugged and -shipped without my knowing it. I am a travelling man, and connected with -a big business house in Boston. If you don't set me ashore at once, -you'll get yourself into more kinds of trouble than you ever dreamed of. -I'm a man-of-the-world, and I can let this pass for a good joke among the -boys on the road, if it stops right here. But if you carry it any -farther, I warn you it will be at your peril. It's a serious thing, this -man-stealing." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, fortifying himself with a piece of tobacco, eyed -Mr. Thomas Edwards sullenly. Then he clenched a huge fist and replied. - -"I've seen 'em like you before," he said. "They was all real gentlemen, -same as you be, when they come aboard, and most of 'em owned up to bein' -pickpockets and tramps when they and I got acquainted. I guess you're no -great gentleman. When a man goes and signs a contract with me, I makes -him live up to it. You've gone and signed with me, and now you get -for'ard and bear a hand at that winch." - -"That's an outrageous lie!" cried Tom Edwards, shaking his fist in turn -at Captain Haley. "I never signed a paper in my life, to ship with you or -anybody else. If they've got my signature, it's forged." - -"Look here, you," answered Haley, advancing a step, "don't you go an' -tell me as how I lie, young feller. Ain't I seen the contract with my own -eyes? Didn't Scroop show it, along with the contract of that other young -chap there? Don't you go telling me I ain't doin' things legal like. I'll -show you some Chesapeake Bay law." - -"Well, Chesapeake Bay law is the same as the law for the rest of -Maryland, I reckon," exclaimed Tom Edwards hotly. "You've got no law on -your side. I've got the law with me, and I'll proceed against you. You'll -find Chesapeake Bay law and State law is much the same when you get into -court." - -For a moment something like a grin overspread the dull features of -Captain Hamilton Haley. Then he raised his arm, advanced another step -forward, and shook his fist in the other's face. - -"I reckon you ain't had no experience with Chesapeake Bay law," he cried -angrily. "But it's easy to larn, and it don't take no books to teach it. -Do you see that fist?" - -He brandished his huge, red bunch of knuckles in Tom Edwards's face. - -"Do you see that fist?" he cried again, his own face growing more fiery. -"That's the law of the Bay. That's the law of the dredging fleet. There -ain't no other. Any man that goes against that law, gets it laid down to -him good and hard. There it is, and you gets your first lesson." - -With a single blow of his arm, planting the aforesaid digest and epitome -of dredging law full in the face of Tom Edwards, he stretched him -sprawling on the deck, dazed and terrified. - -Captain Hamilton Haley, having thus successfully demonstrated the might -and majesty of dredging-fleet law, according to his own interpretation of -its terms, proceeded now to expound it further. His anger had increased -with his act of violence, and the veins in his neck and on his forehead -stood out, swollen. - -"See here you, young fellow," he cried, advancing toward Harvey, -threateningly, "don't you go starting out uppish, too. Don't you begin -sea-lawyerin' with me. I know the law. There it is, and I hand it out -when needed. There ain't no other law among the dredgers that I knows of, -from Plum Point down to the Rappahannock. Some of 'em larns it quick, and -some of 'em larns it slow; and them as larns it quickest gets it -lightest. Now what have you got to say?" - -Jack Harvey, thus hopelessly confronted, thought--and thought quickly. - -"I signed for a cruise, all right," he replied, returning the infuriated -captain's gaze steadily, "and I'm ready to go to work." - -"Then you get for'ard, lively now, and grab hold of that winch. You -loafers get back and yank that anchor up. This ain't a town meetin'. Get -them men to work again, mate. Take him along, too." - -The captain pointed, in turn, to Harvey, to the sailors who had edged -their way aft, to watch proceedings, and to the unfortunate Mr. Edwards, -who had arisen from the deck and stood, a sorry, woe-begone object, -unable physically to offer further resistance. - -"Shake things up now, Jim Adams, shake 'em up," urged Haley. "Here we are -losing good wind over a lot of tramps that costs ten dollars apiece to -get here, and little good after we've got 'em. How's a man goin' to make -his livin' dredging, when he pays high for men an' gets nothin' to show -for his money? I'd like to get that fellow, Jenkins, out here once, -himself. I'd show him this isn't a business for school-boys and -counter-jumpers. I'd get ten dollars' worth of work out of him, and a -good many more ten dollars' worth that he's got out of me, or he'd know -the reason why." - -Thus relieving his mind of his own troubles, Captain Hamilton Haley, in a -state of highly virtuous indignation, watched with approval the actions -of the mate. The latter, seizing Tom Edwards, hurried him forward -unceremoniously and bade him take hold at the handle of the winch and -help raise the anchor. Tom Edwards weakly grasped the handle, as -directed, in company with one of the sailors. Jack Harvey and the other -seaman worked at the opposite handle. - -Two men could have done the job easily, and the four made quick work of -it. By the time the anchor chain was hove short, the mate and Haley had -got the main-sail up. One of the seamen left the windlass and set one of -the jibs; the anchor was brought aboard and stowed. The bug-eye, Brandt, -began to swing off from its mooring, as the wind caught the jib, which -was held up to windward. Easily the craft spun 'round, going before the -wind out of the harbour and running across the bay, headed for the -Eastern shore. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - THE WORKING OF THE LAW - - -"Shake out the reefs and get the foresail on her," called Haley. "Lively, -now, we've lost time." - -The mate repeated the order; the two available seamen began untying the -reef-points, which had been knotted when sail had been shortened in the -breeze of the previous day. It was simple enough work, merely the -loosening and untying of a series of square knots. Harvey had done the -like a hundred times aboard his own sloop. He hastened to assist, and did -his part as quickly as the other two. Jim Adams, somewhat surprised, eyed -him curiously. - -"You're a right smart youngster, ain't you?" he said, patronizingly. -"Reckon you'll be so mightily pleased you'll come again some time." - -There was something so insolent in the tone, so sheer and apparent an -exulting in his power to compel the youth to do his bidding, that the -blood mounted in Harvey's cheeks, and he felt his pulses beat quicker. -But he went on soberly with his work, and the mate said no more. - -Ignorant of all things aboard a vessel, and too weak to work if he had -been skilled at it, Tom Edwards stood helplessly by. The humiliation of -his repulse at the hands of the captain, and his dismay at the dismal -prospect, overwhelmed him. He gazed at the receding shore, and groaned. - -The foresail was run up, and with that and the mainsail winged out on -opposite sides, the bug-eye ran before the wind at an easy clip. She -responded at once to the increased spread of canvas. Her evident sailing -qualities appealed to Harvey, and lifted him for the moment out of his -apprehension and distress. - -"Now you get your breakfas'," said Jim Adams, and the two sailors -shuffled aft, followed by Harvey and Tom Edwards. Harvey was hungry, with -the keen appetite of youth and health, and he seated himself with a zest -at the table in the cabin. But the place would have blunted the appetite -of many a hungry man. - -It was a vile, stuffy hole, reeking, like the forecastle, with a stale -fishy odour, uncleanly and shabby. A greasy smell of cooking came in from -the galley. A tin plate and cup and a rusty knife and fork set for each -seemed never to have known the contact of soap and water. Jack Harvey -recalled the praise which his absent friend, Mr. Jenkins, had bestowed -upon the quarters of the schooner, and that young gentleman's -disparagement of the comparative accommodations of a bug-eye; and he -endorsed the sentiments fully. Compared with the cabin of the schooner, -the cabin of the Z. B. Brandt was, indeed, a kennel. - -There was little comfort, either, apparently, in the association of the -two sailors. The fellow directly opposite Harvey, whom the mate had -addressed once that morning as "Jeff," stared sullenly and dully at the -youth, with a look that was clearly devoid of interest. He was a heavy -set, sluggish man of about thirty-five years, for whom hard work and ill -usage had blunted whatever sensibilities he may have once possessed. -Evidently he was willing to bear with the treatment, and the poor food -aboard the vessel, for the small wages he would receive at the winter's -end. - -The other man was slightly more prepossessing, but clearly at present not -inclined to any sociability. He had a brighter eye and a face of more -expression than his companion; though he, too, under the grinding labour -aboard the oyster dredger, had come to toil day by day silently, in dumb -obedience to the captain and mate. He was one Sam Black, by name, -somewhat taller and larger than his comrade. - -These two paid little heed to the new arrivals. It is doubtful if they -really took notice of their being there, in the sense that they thought -anything about it. Life was a drudgery to them, in which it mattered -little whether others shared or not. They scarcely spoke to each other -during the meal, and not at all to Harvey or Tom Edwards. - -Presently there stepped out of the galley an uncouth, slovenly appearing -man, who might have passed as a smaller edition of Captain Hamilton -Haley, by his features. He was, in fact, of the same name, Haley, and -there was some relationship of a remote degree between them, which -accounted for his employment aboard the vessel. He was not so stout as -his kinsman, however, and more active in his movements. - -Whatever may have been the latent abilities of Mr. George Haley in the -art of cooking, they were not in evidence, nor required aboard the -bug-eye. Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards were now to behold the evidence of -that fact. - -The cook bore in his hands a greasy wooden box, that had once held smoked -fish, and set it down on the table. Just what its contents consisted of -was not at first apparent to Harvey. When, however, the two sailors -reached over with their forks, speared junks of something from the box -and conveyed them to their plates, Harvey followed their example. - -He looked at the food for a moment before he made out what it was. It -proved to be dough, kneaded and mixed with water, and a mild flavouring -of molasses, and fried in lard. Harvey gazed at the mess in dismay. If it -should prove to taste as bad as it looked, it must needs be hard fare. -But he observed that the sailors made away with it hungrily; so he cut -off a piece and tasted it. It was, indeed, wretched stuff, greasy and -unpalatable. There was nothing else of food forthcoming, however, and he -managed to swallow a few more mouthfuls. - -The cook came to his aid in slight measure. He reappeared, bringing a -pail of steaming, black liquid, the odour of which bore some slight -resemblance to coffee. It was what passed for coffee aboard the bug-eye, -a sorry composition of water boiled with several spoonfuls of an essence -of coffee--the flavour of which one might further disguise, if he chose, -with a spoonful of black molasses from a tin can set out by the cook. - -Harvey filled his cup with alacrity, hoping to wash down the mess of -fried bread with the hot coffee. He made a wry face after one swallow, -and looked with dismay at his companion in misery. - -"It's awful," he said, "but it's hot. You better drink some of it. It -will warm you up." - -Tom Edwards put out a shaky hand and conveyed a cup of the stuff to his -lips. He groaned as he took a swallow, and set the cup down. - -"Beastly!" he exclaimed; and added, "I never did like coffee without -cream, anyway." - -Harvey laughed, in spite of his own disgust. "The cream hasn't come -aboard yet, I guess," he said. "But you drink that down quick. You need -it." - -Like one obeying an older person, instead of a younger, Tom Edwards did -as Harvey urged. He drained the cup at a draught. Then he staggered to -his feet again. - -"I can't eat that mess," he said. "Oh, but I'm feeling sick. I think I'll -go out on deck. It's cold out there, though. I don't know what to do." - -He was not long in doubt, however; for, as Harvey emerged on deck, the -mate approached. - -"You tell that Mister Edwards," he said, "he can jes' lie down on one of -them parlour sofas in the fo'-castle till we gets across to Hoopers. Then -we'll need him." - -Harvey did the errand, and the unhappy Tom Edwards made his way forward -once more, and threw himself down in the hard bunk, pale and ill. Harvey -returned on deck. The morning was clear, and not cold for November, but -the wind sent a chill through his warm sweater, and he beat himself with -his arms, to warm up. - -"Didn't get you'self any slickers, did you, 'fore you came aboard?" -inquired the mate. - -"No, sir," replied Harvey, remembering how the man had cautioned him to -address him; "I didn't have a chance. They sailed off with me in the -night." - -The mate grinned. "That was sure enough too bad," he said, mockingly. -"Well, you see the old man 'bout that. He sells 'em very cheap, and a -sight better than they have ashore in Baltimore. Awful advantage they -take of poor sailors there. Mr. Haley, he'll fit you out, I reckon." - -They stepped aft, and the mate made known their errand. - -Haley nodded. "He'll need 'em sooner or later," he assented. "May as well -have 'em now, as any time. Take the wheel." - -The mate assumed the captain's seat on the wheel box, and Captain Haley -nodded to Harvey to follow him below. He fumbled about in a dark locker -and finally drew forth two garments--the trousers and jacket of an -oil-skin suit. They were black and frayed with previous wear, their -original hue of yellow being discoloured by smears and hard usage. - -"There," said Haley, holding up the slickers approvingly, "there's a suit -as has been worn once or twice, but isn't hurt any. As good as new, and -got the stiffness out of it. Cost you seven dollars to get that suit new -in Baltimore. You'll get it for five, and lucky you didn't buy any -ashore. There's a tarpaulin, too, that you can have for a dollar. I -oughtn't to let 'em go so cheap." - -Harvey hardly knew whether to be angry or amused. He had not shipped for -the money to be earned, to be sure, and the absurd prices for the almost -worthless stuff excited his derision. But the gross injustice of the -bargain made him indignant, too. He had bought oil-skins for himself, -before, and knew that a good suit, new, could be had for about three -dollars and a half, and a new tarpaulin for seventy-five cents. But he -realized that protest would be of no avail. So he assented. - -"There's a new pair of rubber boots, too," continued Haley, producing a -pair that were, indeed, much nearer new than the oil-skins. "Those will -cost you five dollars. They're extra reinforced; not much like that -slop-shop stuff." - -The boots thereupon became Harvey's property; likewise a thin and -threadbare old bed quilt, for the bunk in the forecastle, at an equally -extortionate price. Then a similar equipment was provided for Harvey's -friend, Tom Edwards, the captain assuring Harvey that they would surely -fit Edwards, and he could take them forward to him. - -Suddenly the captain paused and looked at Harvey shrewdly, out of his -cold gray eyes. - -"Of course I provide all this for a man, in advance of his wages," he -said, "when he comes aboard, like the most of 'em, without a cent; but -when he has some money, he has to pay. Suppose he gets drowned--it's all -dead loss to me. You got any money?" - -Harvey thanked his stars for Tom Edwards's precaution. - -"I've got some," he said, and began to feel in his pockets, as though he -were uncertain just how much he did have. "Here's five dollars--and let's -see, oh, yes, I've got some loose change, sixty-three cents." He brought -forth the bill and the coins. Haley pounced on the money greedily. He -eyed Harvey with some suspicion, however. - -"Turn your pockets out," he said. "I can't afford to take chances. Let's -see if you've been holding back any." - -Harvey did as he was ordered. - -"All right," muttered Haley. But he was clearly disappointed. - -"Can that fellow, Edwards, pay?" he asked. - -"He told me he hadn't a cent," answered Harvey, promptly. "He was robbed -after they got him drugged." - -Haley's face reddened angrily. - -"He wasn't drugged--nor robbed, either," he cried. "Don't you go talking -like that, or you'll get into trouble. Leastwise, I don't know nothin' -about it. If he was fixed with drugs, it was afore he came into my hands. -I won't stand for anything like that. Get out, now, and take that stuff -for'ard." - -Harvey went forward, carrying his enforced purchases. An unpleasant sight -confronted him as he neared the forecastle. - -The two men that had been brought aboard the bug-eye, stupefied, had been -dragged out on deck, where they lay, blinking and dazed, but evidently -coming once more to their senses. The mate gave an order to one of the -sailors. The latter caught up a canvas bucket, to which there was -attached a rope, threw it over the side and drew it back on deck filled -with water. - -"Let's have that," said the mate. - -He snatched it from the sailor's hand, swung it quickly, and dashed the -contents full in the face of one of the prostrate men. The fellow gasped -for breath, as the icy water choked and stung him; he half struggled to -his feet, opening his eyes wide and gazing about him with amazement. He -had hardly come to a vague appreciation of where he was, putting his -hands to his eyes and rubbing them, to free them of the salt water, -before he received a second bucket-full in the face. He cried out in -fright and, spurred on by that and the shock of the cold water, got upon -his feet and stood, trembling and shivering. Jim Adams laughed with -pleasure at the success of his treatment. - -"Awful bad stuff they give 'em in Baltimore, sometimes," he said, -chuckling, as though it were a huge joke; "but this fetches 'em out of it -just like doctor's medicine. You got 'nuff, I reckon. Now you trot 'long -down into the cabin, and get some of that nice coffee, an' you'll feel -pretty spry soon." - -The fellow shambled away, led by one of the crew. - -Jack Harvey, his blood boiling at the inhumanity of it, saw Jim Adams's -"treatment" applied with much the same success to the other helpless -prisoner; and this man, too, soon went the way of the other, for such -comfort and stimulus as the cabin and coffee afforded. Harvey deposited -his load of clothing in the forecastle, and returned to the deck. - -In the course of some seven miles of sailing, as Harvey reckoned it, they -approached a small island which he heard called out as Barren island. -Still farther to the eastward of this, there lay a narrow stretch of -land, some two or three miles long, lying lengthwise approximately north -and south. Off the shore of this, which bore the name of Upper Hooper -island, the dredging grounds now sought by the Brandt extended southward -for some ten miles, abreast of another island, known as Middle Hooper -island. - -Preparations were at once begun to work the dredges; and Harvey watched -with anxious interest. Here was the real labour, that he had by this time -come to look forward to with dread. He recalled the utterance of the -dismal sailor aboard the schooner, "You breaks yer back at a bloody -winder;" and he saw a prospect now of the fulfilment of the man's -description of the work. - -In the mid-section of the bug-eye, on either side, there were set up what -looked not unlike two huge spools. Wound around each one of these was -fathom upon fathom of dredge line. Each spool rested in a frame that was -shaped something like a carpenter's saw-horse, and, in the process of -winding, was revolved by means of a crank at either end, worked by men at -the handles. The frame was securely bolted to the deck at the four -supports. - -Connected with each dredge line, by an iron chain, was the dredge. This -consisted, first, of four iron rods, coming to a point at the chain, and -spread out from that in the form of a piece of cheese cut wedge-shaped, -and rounded in a loop at the broad end. Fastened to this was a great mesh -of iron links, made like a purse, or bag, This metal bag was a capacious -affair, made to hold more than a bushel of oysters. There were two larger -iron links in the mesh, by which it could be hooked and lifted aboard, -when it had been wound up to the surface of the water. - -There was a locking device on the end of the support, so that the spool -would hold, without unwinding, when the handles were released. - -The huge spools were set up lengthwise of the vessel. On either side of -the craft were rollers; one of these was horizontal, to drag the dredge -aboard on; one was perpendicular, for the dredge-line to run free on, as -it was paid out, or drawn in, while the vessel was in motion. - -Captain Haley, at the wheel, gave his orders sharply. The sailors and Jim -Adams, lifting the dredges, threw them overboard on either side, and the -work was begun. The bug-eye, with sheets started, took a zig-zag course, -laterally across the dredging ground. - -Obeying orders, Harvey took his place at one of the handles of a winder; -one of the sailors at the other. Presently appeared Jim Adams, followed -by the disconsolate Tom Edwards. The latter, pale and sea-sick, seemed -scarcely able to walk, much less work; but the mate led him along to the -handle of the other winder. Tom Edwards was not without making one more -feeble attempt as resistance, however. - -"See here," he said, addressing Adams, "you've got no right to force me -to work here. I'm a business man, and I was brought down here by a trick, -drugged. You'll pay dear for it. I warn you." - -Jim Adams grinned from ear to ear, his expansive mouth exhibiting a -shining row of white teeth. He put a big, bony hand on Tom Edwards's -shoulder. - -"Don't you go worrying 'bout what I'll get, mister," he answered; and -there was a gleam of fire in his eyes as he spoke. "I reckon you might as -well know, first as last, that I don't care where we get you fellows, nor -how we gets yer; nor I don't care whether you come aboard drugged or -sober; nor whether you've got clothes on, nor nothin' at all. All I cares -is that you's so as you can turn at this ere windlass. That's all there -is 'bout that. Now you jes' take a-hold of that handle, and do's you're -told, or you'll go overboard; and don't you forget that." - -Tom Edwards was silent. He stood, hand upon the windlass, shivering. - -"You'll be warm 'nuff soon, I reckon," was Jim Adams's consolation. - -They got the order to wind in, presently, and the men began to turn the -handles. It was hard work, sure enough. The huge iron bags, filled with -the oysters, torn from the reefs at the bed of the bay, were heavy of -themselves; and the strain of winding them in against the headway of the -bug-eye was no boys' play. - -Harvey and his companion at their winder were strong and active, and -presently the dredge was at the surface, whence it was seized and dragged -aboard. There it was emptied of its contents, a mass of shells, all -shapes and sizes. Then followed the work of "culling," or sorting and -throwing overboard the oysters that were under two inches and a half -long, which the law did not allow to be kept and sold. - -"You need a pair of mittens," volunteered Harvey's working comrade, as -Harvey started in to help, with bare hands. "You'll get cut and have sore -hands, if you don't," he added. "The cap'n sells mittens." - -The mittens, at a price that would have made the most hardened -shop-keeper blush, were provided, and Harvey resumed work. - -The seriousness of the situation had developed in earnest. It was -drudgery of the hardest and most bitter kind. - -"Just wait till the month is up," said Harvey, softly; "I'll cut out of -this pretty quick. A sea experience, eh? Well, I've got enough of it in -the first half hour." - -Spurred on by the harsh commands of the mate, Tom Edwards managed to hold -out for perhaps three quarters of an hour. Then he collapsed entirely; -and, seeing that nothing more could be gotten out of him for the rest of -the day, the mate suffered him to drag himself off to the forecastle. - -"But see that you're out sharp and early on deck here to-morrow morning," -said Jim Adams. "We don't have folks livin' high here for nothin'. You'll -jes' work your board and lodgin', I reckon." - -Thus the day wore on, drearily. The exciting sea experience that Jack -Harvey had pictured to himself was not at present forthcoming; only a -monotonous winding at the windlass--hard and tiring work--and the culling -of the oysters, and stowing them below in the hold from time to time. He -was sick of it by mid-day; and, as the shades of twilight fell, he was -well nigh exhausted. - -"And only to think of this for nearly four weeks more," he groaned. "Next -time--oh, hang it! What's the use of thinking of that? I'm in for it. -I've got to go through. But won't I scoot when the month is up!" - -Toward evening, they ran up under the lee of Barren island, in what the -mate said was Tar Bay, and anchored for the night. Almost too wearied to -eat, too wearied to listen to the commiseration of Tom Edwards, who lay -groaning in his bunk, Jack Harvey tumbled in with his clothes on, and was -asleep as soon as he had stretched himself out. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - DREDGING FLEET TACTICS - - -Jack Harvey was a strong, muscular youth, toughened and enured to rough -weather, and even hardship, by reason of summers spent in yachting and -his spare time in winter divided between open air sports and work in the -school gymnasium. But the steady, laborious work of the first day at -dredging had brought into action muscles comparatively little used -before, and moreover overtaxed them. So, when Harvey awoke, the following -morning, and rolled out of his bunk, he felt twinges of pain go through -him. His muscles were stiffened, and he ached from ankles to shoulders. - -He awoke Tom Edwards, knowing that if he did not, the mate soon would, -and in rougher fashion. The companionship in misfortune, that had thus -thrown the boy and the man intimately together, made the difference in -their ages seem less, and their friendship like that of long standing. So -it was the natural thing, and instinctive, for Harvey to address the -other familiarly. - -"Wake up, Tom," he said, shaking him gently; "it's time to get up." - -Tom Edwards opened his eyes, looked into the face of his new friend and -groaned. - -"Oh, I can't," he murmured. "I just can't get up. I'm done for. I'll -never get out of this alive. I'm going to die. Jack, old fellow, you tell -them what happened to me, if I never get ashore again. You'll come -through, but I can't." - -Harvey looked at the sorry figure, compassionately. - -"It's rough on you," he said, "because you're soft and not used to -exercise. But don't you go getting discouraged this way. You're not going -to die--not by a good deal. You're just sea-sick; and every one feels -like dying when they get that way. You've just got to get out, because -Adams will make you. So you better start in. Come on; we'll get some of -that beautiful coffee and that other stuff, and you'll feel better." - -By much urging, Harvey induced his companion to arise, and they went on -deck. - -It was a fine, clear morning, and the sight that met their eyes was -really a pretty one. In the waters of Tar Bay were scores of craft -belonging to the oyster fleet. They were for the most part lying at -anchor, now, with smoke curling up in friendly fashion from their little -iron stove funnels. There were vessels of many sorts and sizes; a few -large schooners, of the dredging class, bulky of build and homely; -punjies, broader of bow and sharper and deeper aft, giving them quickness -in tacking across the oyster reefs; bug-eyes, with their sharp prows, -bearing some fancied resemblance, by reason of the hawse-holes on either -bow, to a bug's eye, or a buck's eye--known also in some waters as -"buck-eyes"--clean-lined craft, sharp at either end; also little saucy -skip-jacks, and the famous craft of the Chesapeake, the canoes. - -These latter, known also as tonging-boats, were remarkably narrow craft, -made of plank, about four feet across the gunwales and averaging about -twenty feet long. Some of them were already under weigh, the larger ones -carrying two triangular sails and a jib. It seemed to Harvey as though -the sail they bore up under must inevitably capsize them; but they sailed -fast and stiff. - -A few of these craft were already engaged in tonging for oysters, in a -strip of the bay just south of Barren Island, where the water shoaled to -a depth of only one fathom. The two men aboard were alternately raising -and lowering, by means of a small crank, a pair of oyster tongs, the jaws -of which closed mechanically with the strain upon the rope to which it -was attached. - -To the southward, other vessels were beginning to come in upon the -dredging grounds, until it seemed as though all of Maryland's small craft -must be engaged in the business of oyster fishing. - -With an eye to the present usefulness of his men, more than from any -compassion upon their condition, Captain Hamilton Haley had ordered a -better breakfast to be served. There was fried bacon, and a broth of some -sort; and the coffee seemed a bit stronger and more satisfying. Harvey -urged his comrade to eat; and Tom Edwards, who had rallied a little from -his sea-sickness, with the vessel now steady under him, in the quiet -water, managed to make a fair breakfast. - -They made sail, shortly, and stood to the southward, following the line -of the island shores, but at some distance off the land. The hard, -monotonous labour of working the dredges began once more. Jack Harvey, -lame and stiff in his joints, found it more laborious than before. - -Tom Edwards, somewhat steadier than on the previous day, but in no fit -condition to work, was forced to the task. He made a most extraordinary, -and, indeed, ludicrous figure--like a scarecrow decked out in an -unusually good suit of clothes. He had no overcoat left him, but had -sought relief from the weather by the purchase of an extra woollen -undershirt from Captain Haley's second-hand wardrobe. His appearance was, -therefore, strikingly out of keeping with his surroundings. - -In him one would have beheld a tall, light complexioned man; with blond -moustache, that had once been trimly cut and slightly curled; clad in his -black suit, with cut-away coat; his one linen shirt sadly in need of -starching, but worn for whatever warmth it would give; even his one -crumbled linen collar worn for similar purpose; and, with this, a bulky -pair of woollen mittens, to protect his hands that were as yet unused to -manual labour. - -Watching him, as he toiled at the opposite winch, Harvey could not -restrain himself, once, from bursting into laughter; but, the next -moment, the pale face, with its expression of distress, turned his -laughter into pity. It was certainly no joke for poor Tom Edwards. - -Mate Adams brought on the other two recruits, after a time, and they took -their places at the winders. They were not strong enough to work -continuously, however, and the two and Tom Edwards "spelled" one another -by turns. - -The wind fell away for an hour about noon, and there was a respite for -all, save for the culling of the oysters that had been taken aboard; and -Jack Harvey found opportunity to speak with the two newcomers. - -Theirs was the old story--only too familiar to the history of the -dredging fleet. - -"My name is Wallace Brooks," said one of them, a thick-set, good-natured -looking youth of about twenty years. "I come from up Haverstraw way, on -the Hudson river--and I thought I was used to hard work, for I've worked -in the brick-yards there some; but that's just play compared to this. - -"Well, I went down to New York, to look for work, and I fell in with this -chap. His name's Willard Thompson. He's a New Yorker, and has knocked -around there all his life. I'm afraid he won't stand much of this work -here. He was a clerk in a store, but always wanted to take a sea voyage." - -Willard Thompson, standing wearily by the forecastle, did not, indeed, -present a robust appearance, calculated to endure the hardships of a -winter on Chesapeake Bay. He was rather tall and thin and sallow, dressed -more flashily than his friend, Brooks, and was of a weaker type. - -"We fell in with a man in South street, one day," continued Brooks, "and -he told us all about what a fine place this bay was; how it was warm here -all winter, and oyster dredging the easiest work there is--'nothing to do -but watch the boat sail, dragging a dredge after it,' was the way he put -it. He didn't say anything about this everlasting grind of winding at the -machines. Said the pay was twenty-five a month, and live like they do at -the Astor House. - -"He fooled us, all right, and we signed with him in New York, and he sent -us down to Baltimore. They put us into a big boarding-house there, with a -lot of men. Well, we found out more what it was going to be like, and we -were going to back out and get away; but they were too smart for -us--drugged our coffee one night--and, well, you know the rest. We've -waked up at last. Whew, but's tough! I wish I was back in the brick-yard, -with a mile of bricks to handle. Isn't old Haley a pirate?" - -They were ordered to work again, soon, and the conversation ended. - -Working that afternoon with the sailor, Sam Black, at the winch, Harvey -got a further insight to the devious ways and the shrewdness of the -dredgers, of the type of Hamilton Haley. - -There sailed up, after a time, a smaller bug-eye, which ran along for -some miles abreast of the Brandt, while the two captains exchanged -confidences. - -"Ahoy, Bill," called Haley; "what d'yer know?" - -"The Old Man's looking for you," returned the other. - -"What's he want of me?" - -"Wants to see your license." - -"Well, I've got it, all right." - -Haley glanced, as he spoke, at his license numbers, displayed on two of -the sails. - -"Where is he now?" - -"Down below Smith's Island." - -"Has he boarded you?" - -"Yes, looked us all over. We're all clear." - -"Then," continued Haley, "I'll run alongside at sundown; where'll you -be?" - -"Just around the foot of the island." - -"What does he mean?" inquired Harvey. "Who's the Old Man?" - -"Oh, he means the captain of the police tub," replied Sam Black, -grinning. "They'll look us over, by and by, just to see if everything's -straight. It's one of the state's oyster navy." - -Harvey's heart gave a jump. Might not here be a chance for liberty? But, -the next moment, his hopes were dashed. - -"Don't you go reckoning on it, though, youngster," continued Sam Black, -"for 'twon't do you a bit of good. There's no police as slick as Ham -Haley, nor the rest of his crowd. What's the good of two old police -steamers and a few schooners in goodness knows how many hundred square -miles of bay, with hundreds of harbours to run to and hide, and islands -to dodge 'round, and a score of pirates like Haley to help each other -dodge? And any captain in the fleet willing to tell where the police tub -is?" - -"I tell you, it ain't often they catch a captain napping, no matter what -he's done. Let 'em swear out a warrant, up in Baltimore, for a captain -that has been beating up his men. Well, I dunno how it does come, hardly; -but, all the same, the news gets down the bay and spreads all through the -fleet like a field of grass afire. Pshaw! By the time they gets him, that -cap'n has got half a new crew, and there isn't a man aboard as saw the -beating done, except the cap'n and his mate; and if they've done any -beating up, you bet they've clean forgotten it." - -Harvey's face looked blanker than before. "Then there isn't much hope in -the law, no matter what happens," he said. - -"Haley and the rest of 'em have got the law," responded Black. "Haley -showed that fellow, Edwards, the law. Don't you get in the way of it. -That's my advice." - -"All the captains alike?" asked Harvey. - -"About a score or so of 'em are downright pirates," replied Sam Black. -"They're the kind I've fell in with, mostly. There's good ones, too, I -suppose--or not so bad." - -For all the sailor said, Jack Harvey was not without some faint hope, as -the afternoon wore away and the bug-eye headed for the foot of lower -Hooper Island, that the expected visit of the police boat might afford -him and Tom Edwards the opportunity for escape. He gave the news to Tom -Edwards, at supper time, and that weary unfortunate beamed with renewed -hope. - -"It's our chance," he said. "Won't I fill that navy captain full of what -that brute Haley has done aboard here!" - -They rounded the foot of Hooper Island, after a time, and anchored in a -bight of the north shore. Presently the craft that had hailed the Brandt -bore up; and, shortly after, still another. The two came alongside, with -their sails fluttering--but they did not let them run. - -"There's two for each of you for the night, and till I get an overhauling -from the Old Man," called Haley to the captains of the other craft. - -A moment later, Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards found themselves hustled from -the deck of the Brandt aboard one of the strange bug-eyes. Likewise, the -men, Thompson and Brooks, found themselves similarly transferred. -Forewarned, Harvey and his companion made neither inquiry nor protest. -They knew it would be of no avail. But one of the others had ventured to -know the reason. - -"You jes' please shut up, and ask no questions," was the satisfaction -gained from Jim Adams. - -The two strange craft made sail again, and stood to the southeast, -through Hooper Strait. - -And so, when, next morning, Jack Harvey, looking from the deck of his new -prison, saw a small steamer go by, with the smoke pouring from its -funnel, he knew full well the significance of it; he realized the -opportunity for freedom that was so near, and yet beyond reach. He was no -coward, but a lump rose in his throat that half choked him. Tom Edwards -gazed, with eyes that were moistened. - -That day, toward noon, a steamer lay alongside the Brandt; and a captain, -eying Haley with stern disapproval, said, "Oh, yes, you've got your -license, all right, Haley, but you're short-handed as usual. I know--it's -the same old story. Looking for men, and can't get them. Now I know you -dredge with more, so you needn't lie. I suspect it's lucky for you that I -haven't time to follow you up. But I warn you, there have been -complaints, and some day you'll fetch up short, if you don't treat your -men right." - -"And ain't that just what I do?" demanded Haley, highly injured. "Don't I -treat 'em better'n half the captains down the bay? Good grub and easy -work--why, they're too fat to wind, half the time." - -The captain's face relaxed into a smile that was half amusement, half -contempt. - -"I just warn you; that's all," he repeated; and went aboard the steamer. -Haley watched his departure with a chuckle. - -"Get her under weigh again, Jim," he said. "We'll pick up our crew." - -By noon, the Brandt had run in to the small harbour where the two -bug-eyes were waiting; and, that afternoon, Harvey and the others were -back at work, under the abuse of Jim Adams, hounded on by him, to make up -for lost time. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - A NIGHT'S POACHING - - -The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging. There came in fog, -through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a -great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them. When the wind was -light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a -sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower -of icy water, drenching the crew at their work. But the mate drove them -on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope's end. - -To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing. Bad luck -seemed to be with the Brandt; and, though it was the beginning of the -season, and they should have been getting a cargo rapidly, the day's -clean-up was often less than twenty bushels; which brought a storm of -abuse from Haley, as though it were the fault of the men. - -He took his chances with the law, for several days, and ran down into -Tangier Sound, hidden in the fog, on that part of its great extent where -dredging was forbidden, and only smaller craft with scrapers allowed. But -the Brandt went aground, late one afternoon, on a bar off a dreary marsh -that extended for miles--the most lonesome and forbidding place that -Harvey had seen in all his life. - -They were half the night getting clear from here, having to wait for the -flood tide, and the Brandt springing a leak that kept them toiling at the -pump till they were well nigh exhausted. The upshot was, that, early one -morning, with the lifting of the fog, the Brandt, followed by the craft -that had taken Harvey and Tom Edwards aboard, stood off from the Eastern -shore, heading northwest for the mouth of the Patuxent. - -To Jack Harvey and his friend, sick and weary of the life they were -leading, every new move, every change of ground, keyed them up to renewed -hope. They watched eagerly the distant shore toward which they were -pointing, and rejoiced, in some small degree, that they were going back -to where they had started from. It seemed as though there must be greater -opportunity for relief in that river, with its more friendly appearing -banks, than amid the wilderness of the marshy Eastern shore, to which -winter gave a touch of indescribable dreariness. - -For a day or two, however, following their arrival at the entrance to the -river, there was little change from the life they had been leading, save -that the fog had been blown out to sea, and the bitter cold had abated. -They dredged southward from the lower entrance to the river, along an -inward sweep of the shore, returning to the river at night for anchorage. - -Then there came a day, overcast but yet favourable, during all of which, -to Harvey's surprise, they did no work, but lay at anchor in the river. -Also, the craft that had accompanied them likewise rested, alongside, and -the two captains visited and drank together in the cabin of the Brandt. - -What was coming? Haley was not the man to lie idle to no purpose. There -was mystery in the air, and in the manner of the men and the mate. Once, -Jim Adams had looked in at the forecastle, where the crew had been -suffered to remain at ease, and said, grinning broadly, "Youse gentlemen -of leisure, ain't you? Well, you get something to keep you busy bimeby. -So don't none of you please go ashore." - -"Go ashore!" It was no joke to them. Harvey and Tom Edwards had gazed -longingly at the banks, with their houses here and there--a tantalizing -sight, so near and yet so hopelessly far away. - -"What's the matter? What's up?" Harvey inquired once of Sam Black. - -The other winked an eye, knowingly. - -"I reckon the captain's going to try to change the luck," he said. -"There's easy dredging up yonder, if you don't get caught at it." - -"How's that?" continued Harvey. - -"Why, running the river, that's what I guess," replied the sailor. "It's -jail, if the law gets you; but he's done it before and got clear. Take it -easy while you can, that's my advice. There'll be no turning in to-night, -I reckon." - -Sam Black thereupon set the example, by stretching out in his bunk and -falling soundly to sleep. - -"Well, all I can say," exclaimed Tom Edwards to Harvey, "is that I hope -we get caught right quick and put into jail, or anywhere else out of this -infernal hole. I'd go to jail in a minute, if I could see Haley go, too. -Wouldn't you?" - -Harvey smiled. "I'd rather be outside the bars looking in at Haley," he -answered. - -Tom Edwards impulsively put out his hand. - -"Shake on that!" he cried. "Jack, my boy, we'll put him there yet. We'll -sell him a line of goods some day, eh?" - -The two shook hands with a will. - -That evening they fared better than ordinarily aboard the Brandt. There -were pork scraps, fried crisp, with junks of the bread browned in the -fat, and potatoes; and plenty of the coffee. They made a hearty meal, and -went on deck, at the call, feeling better and stronger than for days. - -The night was not clear, yet it was not foggy; the moon and stars were -nearly obscured by clouds. It was comparatively mild, too, and the wind -blowing from the East across the river did not chill them, as in the -preceding days. Opposite where they lay, the gleam of Drum Point -lighthouse shone upon the water; while, out to the Eastward, another, on -Cedar Point, twinkled, more obscured. An island of some considerable size -lay to the northwest, from which there came across the water the sound of -voices, and of dogs barking. There were sounds of life, too, from the -nearer shore, coming out from a lone farmhouse. - -The captain of the other vessel came aboard presently, and he and Haley -stood together, earnestly conversing. - -"She's up just the other side of Spencer's wharf, I tell you," said the -strange captain, once. "We can hug the other shore and slip past." - -Harvey turned inquiringly to the sailor, Sam Black, with whom, somehow, -he had struck up an intimacy that was almost friendly, despite the man's -evident contempt for the green hands. - -"He means the old Folly, the police boat," said the sailor, softly. -"She's just a big schooner. She's got no power in her. The Brandt can -beat her, on a pinch, I reckon." - -The captain returned to his vessel, shortly, and the order was given to -make sail. Harvey sprang to the halyards with a will. If it were a -poaching venture, it was not his fault--and the best that could happen -for him would be capture. The anchor was got aboard, and the Brandt ran -quickly across to the Eastern bank of the river followed by the other -vessel. - -They passed close to Solomon's Island and skirted as near the shores of -that and the land northward as they could go. The wind was almost -directly abeam, and they made fast way of it. Clearly, the course was as -plain as a man's door-yard to Hamilton Haley; for he passed at times so -close to land, that it seemed, in the darkness, to be near enough for one -to jump ashore. Jim Adams, in the bow, kept sharp watch, however; and now -and again, rather than run the risk of calling out, he ran back to the -wheel and pointed ahead, where the water shoaled. - -Just to the north of the wharf which they had termed Spencer's, the river -made a bend, and a thin peak of land jutted out. They followed the -curving of the shore, peering across the water toward Spencer's. - -"There she lies," said Adams, darting aft to where Haley stood. "Listen, -they're getting up anchor." - -Hamilton Haley, after one quick glance, put the helm down and brought the -bug-eye up into the wind. The other bug-eye drew abreast. Haley pointed -in toward the schooner, barely discernible, and showing a light in its -rigging. - -"They're coming out," he called softly. - -The two vessels headed off again and went on, rounding the point and -running up the river. Haley, picking his course, with accuracy, gazed -astern again and again, with an anxious eye. Presently he uttered an -exclamation of anger. The schooner Folly had, indeed, put forth from its -mooring and, with all sail spread, was taking a diagonal course across -the river, following in the wake of the two poachers. - -The shore of the river made a bend to the eastward, at this point, -however, and the river broadened to the width of something like a mile -and a half. So that, by following closely the inward curve of the shore, -instead of setting a straight course up stream, the two bug-eyes could -put the point of land between them and the schooner for a time. It would, -moreover, afford them proof, when the schooner should have passed the -point, whether or not they really were being followed. If the police boat -were merely proceeding on its patrol up river, it would not hug the -eastern bank, and might, indeed, go up on the other side. - -The vessels were not left long in doubt, however; for, as the two -skippers peered back through the night, they discerned, after a time, the -schooner heading in north by east, having turned the point. - -"Haul her a little closer by the wind, and give her a bit more -centre-board," ordered Haley, noting with a keen eye the more northerly -slant of the wind, as they sailed. "It's good for us; we can leave her, -if this holds. Curse the luck! There's no dredging to-night, with her on -our heels--at least, there can't but one of us work." - -The mate repeated the orders, and the bug-eye heeled a bit more as a flaw -struck her. She was flying fast, and Haley's face relaxed into a smirk of -satisfaction, as he perceived the schooner was dropping somewhat more -astern. - -For a distance of about four miles the chase proceeded, when the Brandt -suddenly swung into the wind again and waited a moment for its companion, -slightly less swift, to come up. There was a hurried conference, and then -the two went on again. The schooner, by this time, was only to be made -out with difficulty. - -The result of the conference was soon apparent; for, as they neared a -point on the eastern bank, a broad creek opened up; and into this the -Brandt steered, leaving the other craft to go on up the river alone. - -Proceeding only a little way within the confines of this creek, Haley -guided his vessel with consummate skill into one of its sheltering -harbours, ordered all sail dropped, and everything made snug. The bug-eye -was, indeed, completely hidden; with every appearance, moreover, of lying -by for the night, in case their course should be followed and, by any -chance, they were discovered. - -Launching the small boat, Haley ordered Harvey and the sailor, Jeff, into -it. He took his seat in the stern at the steering-oar, and was rowed by -them cautiously toward the mouth of the creek, skirting close to the -bank, not to be seen. Again the thought of escape flashed through the -mind of Jack Harvey; but, perhaps with the same contingency in view, -Hamilton Haley drew from his pocket a revolver and laid it before him on -a thwart. If the hint were intended for Harvey, it was sufficient. He -resigned himself once more to the situation and to the duty before him. - -It was soon evident that the manoeuvre had deceived the Folly, and had -been successful. Through the darkness, it had not been perceived by the -pursuer that the quarry had separated and taken different courses. -Resting on their oars, at a word from Haley, the three watched. The -schooner, almost ghost-like in the shades of night, swept along past the -creek, following the other vessel, which showed only a faint white blurr -far ahead. - -Hamilton Haley motioned for the two to turn back, while his small eyes -twinkled; and he said, smiling grimly, "She's got the right name, sure. -The Folly, eh? Well, she won't catch us, nor she won't catch Bill. Come, -shake it up there with those oars! Ain't yer learned to row yet?" - -Within a half hour, the Brandt was stealing out of the mouth of the creek -and heading for the opposite shore. The river was broad here, but the -wind was free and they were soon across. - -And now began the work for which they had come; for which they had risked -capture at the hands of the police boat; and for which they would now -risk the penalty of imprisonment, or, as it might appear, even death, -itself. - -It was very dark, the density of the clouds increasing as the night wore -on; and the shore showed a vague, dark smear as they turned and went up -the river. But it was all clear to Hamilton Haley. Born in a little -settlement farther up the river, it was an open book to him by night or -day. There was not an eddy, a cross-current, a deepening or a shoaling of -all its waters for fifty miles that he could not have told you, offhand. -A blur on the landscape defined itself to his eye as with the clearness -of sunlight, bred of familiarity and long experience. He knew when to -stand in close to shore; where to make a dtour to avoid the long wharves -that made out from the warehouses. He knew where seed oysters had been -planted, by the owners that planned to tong for them when they should -have grown to sufficient size. He knew when the beds had been planted, -and which to leave untouched, and which would afford fat dredging. - -There were no long waits between the winding here, as in many of the -places down the bay. When the dredge went down, it was filled almost -instantly. It was wind in and wind again, and the oysters, big and small, -went into the hold almost as fast as they came aboard. - -Harvey and his companions, drenched to the skin with perspiration, sore -and lame, toiled on, driven by the threats of Jim Adams. There was no -waiting for rest--only once in the night, when the cook brought out a -pail of coffee, to keep them up to their work. - -There was a ruthless, brutal disregard of the rights and precautions of -the owners of the beds. Stakes and branches of brush, that had been -carefully stuck down to mark the boundaries of this and that planter, -were over-ridden and torn away. The Brandt was reaping a rich harvest, -dodging in and out from shore here and there, making up for the time lost -in the reefs off Hooper Island. - -The hours passed, and a steamer, delayed by freight on its trip from -Baltimore, passed along up the river. To Harvey, toiling away at the -winch, in a sheltered sweep of the shore, this boat presented a strange -and mysterious picture. Its lights, gleaming through the mists and the -blackness, made a pretty spectacle. Its white wake looked like a scar on -the dusky bosom of the water. It seemed, with its life and noise aboard, -like a living thing. - -A little way up the river, the steamboat drew in to a pier at the end of -a long wharf. Harvey saw the doors of the warehouse on the shore and of -the one on the pier open, and emit a glow of light from several lanterns; -and, through the mingled lights and shadows, figures passed vaguely to -and fro. Wagons rattled up along the country road, and the cries of the -negro stevedores added to the noise. - -All work had been stopped aboard the Brandt, and Harvey stood and watched -the landing made by the steamer. The sounds told of business and of home -life; passengers going ashore; once, the voices of young folks in -laughter. Harvey gazed, with eyes that moistened. - -Hamilton Haley, also, gazed, but with an earnestness of a different -nature. He had not meant to be here, at the passing of the steamer. He -had planned differently, but the steamer had been late and--well, the -dredging at that moment when he had heard the distant whistle had been -particularly fruitful, and he had waited and taken the chance. Now he -wondered if that one sweep of the steamer's search-light, as it passed, -had found him out. Had he been espied by the watchful eye of the captain, -keen for river poachers? At all events, he would lose no time in getting -away from the place, once the steamer had gone. - -The steamer went on its way, and Haley pointed his vessel up river after -it. A mile above, he resumed his unlawful dredging. - -The captain of the river steamer, bound for the port of Benedict, some -fifty miles up from the mouth of the river, and already having lost much -time, had urged the engineer to force all speed between the landings. The -steamer's funnel belched forth clouds of black smoke and sparks, as the -craft churned its way noisily along. But the captain, eager as he was to -end his long run, had something else on his mind; and the search-light -now shot its shaft far ahead up river, now darted to the left or right, -lighting up the banks and hidden places, so that objects along shore -seemed to leap forth of a sudden as if surprised into life. - -Then, as they sailed, and the search-light pointed a long ray far up the -river, like a giant finger, the glare fell on a white object flitting -down stream like the ghost of a vessel. The rays of the light were thrown -full upon it, and the schooner Folly was revealed, returning from its -unsuccessful pursuit of the poacher. - -A single bell jingled in the engine-room, and the steamer slowed down; -then, as the schooner came close, another bell, and the steamer lay -motionless in the river. - -The captain leaned far out of the pilot-house, as the schooner came -within hailing distance. - -"There's a fellow poaching just below Forrest's," he called. "I saw him -with the light, as I came up. I'm sure he was dredging. You may pick him -up on the way down. I couldn't see who he was, though." - -The captain of the Folly uttered an exclamation of disgust. - -"It's one of the two I chased, coming up, I guess," he replied. "That's -the way they work it. The other fellow dodged me, too, up the river here, -somewhere. I suppose he's turned and gone down again by this time. I tell -you we can't do much with one vessel against that crowd. Much obliged, -captain; I'll have an eye out going down." - -Some time after midnight, the bug-eye Brandt, poaching near the mouth of -a small creek, was doing great harvesting. It was easy work; for the -oysters, planted with care, came up clean and fat, and free from waste -shells. The crew sweated at the winders. Jim Adams, alternating between -one and the other winch, kept the tired men up to their work. Hamilton -Haley, losing somewhat of caution with the richness of the yield, and -assisting in the stowing away of the ill-gotten harvest, had relaxed a -little of his usual vigilance. - -It was nearly fatal to him. Out of the blackness of the river bank, there -poured suddenly a thin stream of fire, and immediately another. A rifle -bullet passed so close to Haley's head that for an instant it dazed him. -The bullet chipped a piece out of the main boom and went, zing, across -the river. The other bullet struck the hull of the bug-eye and bedded -itself in the oysters, near the deck. At the same time, a volley of -imprecations came from the thicket on shore, from the angry owners of the -oyster bed. - -And now a strange coincidence added to the excitement and to the peril of -Haley and his craft. Almost immediately following the firing from shore, -there came another shot from the direction of up the river. Captain -Hamilton Haley, taken all by surprise, and giving one quick, frightened -glance to where the third shot had come from, beheld, to his -consternation, the vague outlines of the schooner Folly bearing down upon -him at full speed. - -Haley was all things bad; but he had his merits as a sailor, and he had -the qualities of command that should have won him success in better -employment. Now he showed what he was made of. Darting across the deck, -he seized Jack Harvey by the shoulder, spun him around and sent him -flying toward the wheel. - -"Grab that wheel," he cried. "Keep her straight down stream." - -Harvey sprang aft. - -"Jim," cried Haley, in the next breath, "get the boys on to the sheets, -there--quick, for your life, or we're good for doing time. Trim her! Trim -her! We've got to jump her, if we ever did. Curse that Folly!" - -The next moment, Haley was among the crew with a bound, knocking them -like ten-pins away from the winders, and bidding them jump for the fore -and main sheets, if they valued their lives. Snatching a sheath-knife -from his belt, Haley darted for the nearest dredge-line. With an -exclamation of rage at the loss he was inflicting upon himself, he cut it -with a single slash, leaving the dredge behind in two fathoms of water. -In a moment, he was at the other side. Another stroke of the keen knife -and the second dredge-line was severed. - -As the bug-eye, cleared of the weight of the heavy dredges, gathered -headway, the sheets were hauled in, under the command and with the -assistance of the mate. The craft heeled to the breeze and sped away. - -And for all this, but for the loyalty of Jack Harvey toward a friend, -Captain Hamilton Haley would have lost his vessel and his freedom. A bit -of heroism had been done that he knew naught of--never would know. - -When Tom Edwards, in the first excitement, had seen his friend, Harvey, -dart aft, he had slipped away in the confusion, and followed. With him, -the idea ever was that, come what would, they should stick together--and -so they had sworn. Jack Harvey found Tom Edwards by his side, as he -sprang to the wheel and, obeying orders, held the vessel on its course -down the river. - -The next instant, the thought of freedom flashed again into Harvey's -mind. - -"Tom," he said, "strip off that slicker as quick as ever you can. I'm -ready. I'll swing her into the wind when you say the word. Then we'll -jump and swim for it. That's the Folly. She'll pick us up, and catch -Haley, too. We've got to jump the second I swing her, though, or Haley'll -shoot us both. We've got only a minute. Say when you're ready." - -Tom Edwards, the vision of freedom opening before his eyes in one brief -instant, gave a groan of dismay and disappointment. - -"I can't do it, Jack, old boy," he said. "I can't swim ten strokes -without my heart hammering like a threshing-machine. You go, and I'll -stay. You can tell them what's doing aboard here, and they'll hunt Haley -down and get me." - -Harvey shook his head, while he ground his teeth with chagrin. - -"No, no," he said. "I won't go, if you can't. They'd kill you if I got -away, and they didn't get caught. We'll try it another time. Get out of -here, forward, now, quick. If Haley catches you up here, you'll get -hurt." - -Jack Harvey stood resolutely at the wheel, and held the bug-eye to her -course. He saw, with some hope, the Folly creep up through the night upon -the fleeing Brandt. He heard the commands for them to come to, and -surrender. Bullets whizzed past him, from the shore and from the pursuing -schooner. They went through the canvas of the bug-eye and did no other -harm. - -He saw, next, with a great sinking of heart, the fast craft upon whose -deck he stood gather headway rapidly and eat its way through the night, -gaining on its pursuer. The wind came sharp in flaws from the bank. The -Brandt heeled over till the deck was awash. Hamilton Haley, springing to -the wheel and displacing Harvey, uttered a cry of exultation. - -"Get along for'ard; you've done well, boy," was his way of bestowing -praise. - -The Folly fell astern, and the chase was lost. - -That was a night never to be forgotten by Jack Harvey; the sudden flush -of hope; its swift vanishing, amid the thin fire of rifles; the cries of -disappointed men, and the quick flaws of wind upon the sails. There was a -thrill--even if one laden with disappointed hopes--in the rapid flight of -the poacher, Brandt, and its wild course down the river, past the black, -shadowy shores. - -Dazed and disheartened, however, with the passing of the hours, Jack -Harvey and his comrade, by whom he had stuck manfully, turned in, at the -word, and laid their weary bodies down in the forecastle bunks. The -bug-eye, laden with its spoils, sailed away out of the Patuxent, heading -across the bay for the shelter of the Eastern Maryland shore. - -Doomed to disappointment, then. Doomed to disappointment even more -bitter, on a day soon succeeding. - -The Brandt was in luck at last. A few days of dredging along Hoopers, -and, by the early part of December, she was fully laden. There were a -thousand and more bushels of good oysters in her hold. The time for the -ending of the first trip was nigh. - -Jack Harvey slapped his friend, Edwards, on the shoulder. - -"We've stuck it out, old chap," he said, "and we're alive to tell the -tale, in spite of Haley. We'll get back inside of the month. There's one -thing that that scoundrel, Jenkins, didn't lie about. Hooray! Why, you're -a better man than when you came aboard, Tom Edwards. You're stronger, if -we have had awful grub." - -"All the same, I'll make it hot for old Haley, when I get ashore," -exclaimed Tom Edwards. "I'll have the law on him for this." - -Thus they talked and planned, but said naught to the others, lest word of -their contemplated revenge should get, by chance, to Haley's ears. And -then, one evening, another bug-eye hove in sight as they lay at anchor, -and came alongside. - -"All hands out, to unload," called Haley. - -"Look alive here," repeated Jim Adams; "'spects we've got an all night -job before us." - -Taken by surprise, Harvey and Tom Edwards obeyed the summons. The work -they were next called upon to do dumbfounded and appalled them. With a -tackle and fall attached to the mast, the work of unloading the cargo of -the Brandt and transferring it to the hold of the other vessel was begun. - -"What does this mean? What are they going to do? Aren't we going up to -Baltimore with our load?" inquired Harvey, falteringly, of Sam Black. - -"Why, you fool, of course not," was the reply. "Did you think you were -going to quit so soon as this? Think old man Haley lets a man go when he -once gets him, with men so hard to catch? Didn't you know you were booked -for all winter? Baltimore, eh? Well, when you see Baltimore, my boy, it -will be when the Brandt knocks off for the season. Don't worry, though, -you'll come through. You can stand it." - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards, gazing into each other's faces with the -blankness of despair, shook hands silently. They could not speak. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - FACES THROUGH THE TELESCOPE - - -It was after school hours in the little city of Benton, on a day near the -middle of December, and a party of youths, with skates under their arms, -were walking toward the bank of Mill stream. A huge fire, of pieces of -logs and brush-wood, blazed cheerily by the shore, and welcomed their -approach. The frozen surface of the stream, swept clean by high winds of -previous days, shone like polished ebony, and stretched away to the -northward for a mile before it became lost to view amid high banks, on -its winding course. - -The sun, a great red ball, nearing the western horizon, sent a -rose-tinged pathway across the black ice from shore to shore. A score or -more of skaters, some engaged in cutting fancy figures, others swinging -along on the outward roll, others having an impromptu race, made the air -ring with their shouts of hearty enjoyment. - -Seated on a log, by the fire, one of the party of boys addressed his -nearest comrade. - -"Say, Henry Burns," he asked, "have you heard anything from Harvey, yet?" - -Henry Burns, a rather slight but trimly built and active youth, -apparently a year or two younger than the boy who had spoken, paused in -the adjustment of the clamp of his skate, and looked puzzled. - -"No," he answered, "and, what's more, I don't expect to, now. Jack Harvey -rather take a licking than write a letter, anyway. And, another thing, -he's having too much fun, I suppose, to stop to write." - -"Still, it's queer," he continued. "I didn't think he'd go off the way he -did. He told me he wouldn't go, no matter how much his folks urged him. -Said he knew he'd have more fun here with us this winter than poking -'round Europe with his father and mother; said his mother wouldn't let -him wear his sweater in art galleries and in stores--rather skate, and -fish through the ice, than dress up and go around looking at things in -shop windows and museums." - -"Well, they must have got him to go, after all," said the first boy. - -"Too bad," commented Henry Burns, standing up on his skates. "He's -missing lots of fun. It scared my aunt, too, for a few days. She thought -he might have got lost. Just as though Jack couldn't take care of -himself. But she remembered they said if he didn't come back she could -know he'd gone on the steamer to Europe. So she's feeling all right now. -I'd like to know what they offered Jack, to get him to go, though." - -Henry Burns's companion, George Warren, having adjusted his skates, arose -and glided down the bank to the ice. - -"Come on, Arthur," he said, calling to a brother, a year or two younger, -who was still lingering by the fire; "we'll give Henry a race up to the -bend. He thinks he knows how to skate." - -The brothers started off, with Henry Burns soon in swift pursuit; the -three went rapidly up the stream, the keen edges of their skates cutting -the glare ice with a crisp, grinding hum. Henry Burns caught the two by -the time they had gone half a mile, for he was a youth whose wiry muscles -seemed never to tire; and the three linked arms and went on together. - -Presently a still younger boy came hurrying down to the shore, in a state -of activity that had left him short of breath. He was smaller, but -heavier of build than the others who had gone before, with a plumpness of -cheeks that told of evident enjoyment of good dinners; also, his was a -temperament, one would have guessed, that was more inclined to ease than -to any great exertion. But now he fastened on his skates hastily and -joined the party of skaters in mid-stream. - -"Seen George and Arthur?" he inquired of a group of boys. - -"Gone up-stream with Henry Burns," was the reply. - -The boy started off, bending forward and making his best time. Some -fifteen minutes later, the three, returning, saw him coming. - -"There's Joe," said George Warren. "Looks as though he was skating for a -dinner. He'll get thin if he doesn't take care. Let's give him a -surprise." - -The three quickly hid themselves behind some alder bushes and cedars that -fringed the bank. Young Joe Warren came on, unconscious of their -presence. He realized it presently as he came abreast. A snow-ball, -thrown with accuracy by Henry Burns, neatly lifted his cap from his head; -one from George Warren attached itself in fragments to his plump neck; -the third smashed against his shoulder. The combined effect of which, -with the surprise, so disturbed the equilibrium of the skater that his -feet suddenly flew out from under him, and he came down with a thump, -seated on the ice, and slid along in a sitting posture for nearly a rod. - -"Too bad, poor old Joey," said George Warren, sympathetically, gliding -out to his brother's assistance; "somebody threw a snow-ball and hit you, -I guess. Get up on your feet and we'll all go after him." - -Young Joe, angry at first, was not wholly unmindful of the humour of the -situation, as viewed from the position of the group that now tenderly -offered their assistance. Moreover, he had had a taste of this sort of -thing before. - -"That's all right," he said, "never you mind about helping me up. I don't -need any help. I'll pay that fellow off some other time." He reached a -hand in his coat pocket and drew forth an envelope, eagerly. - -"You don't deserve this, George," he said, "and like as not you wouldn't -get it until you got home, if I didn't want to see what's in it. Gee! -fellows, what do you think? It's a letter from Jack Harvey. Oh, I haven't -read it, George. It's for you. But I know it's from Jack, because it's -from Baltimore. That's the post-mark." - -"Baltimore!" exclaimed Henry Burns. "Then there's something the matter. -Why, he ought to have left Baltimore weeks ago. Whew! You don't suppose -he's got hurt, after all?" - -"And say," he added, wonderingly, "what's he writing to you for? Why -didn't he write to me or my aunt? Perhaps someone is writing for him." - -The boys, in a high state of excitement, gathered close to George Warren -while he tore open the envelope, which was, sure enough, stamped with the -Baltimore post-mark, and was addressed in a bold, plain hand to George -Warren. - -George Warren gave a whistle of surprise the next moment; Henry Burns, an -exclamation of mingled relief and disappointment. - -"It isn't from Jack, nor about him," they cried almost in the same -breath. And George Warren added, buoyantly, "Say, it's all right. -Fellows, Cousin Ed wants us to come down for the holidays and visit him. -My! But I'm glad there's nothing the matter with Jack. Here's what Ed -says: - - "Dear Cousin George:--Isn't it about time you youngsters made me that - visit you've been promising? You've never been here, and you ought to - see the place, though it isn't what it used to be in the old days. This - isn't just the time to see the country at its best, of course, but it's - a dull time with me, and I won't have anything to do but give you - youngsters a good time. - - "I'm all alone for the next two months, except Old Mammy Stevens to - keep house for me. She can cook a turkey so it will just jump right - down your throat; and corn fritters, the way she fries 'em, just melt - in your mouth--" - -Young Joe interrupted with a squeal of approval. "Let's go, George," he -exclaimed. - -"Shut up! Joe, and let George go on," admonished his brother, Arthur. -George Warren continued: - - "We've got plenty of room for you and Arthur, and if Joe should come, - why he could sleep out in the stable with the cattle--" - -A howl of indignation from Young Joe. - -"Let's see," he cried, reaching for the letter. "He doesn't say any such -thing, I'll bet." - -"Well, perhaps not," admitted George Warren. "Here's what it is." He -began again: - - "There's plenty of room in the old house for you three, and anybody - else you've a mind to bring. I'll be glad to see any friend of yours. - We'll shoot some rabbits and have a high old Christmas. Make Uncle - George let you chaps all come for the winter vacation. I'll look out - for you. I'm going back home from the city to-morrow. - - "Affectionately your cousin, - - "Edward Warren, - - "Address, Millstone Landing, - - "St. Mary County, Maryland." - -"Whee!" yelled Young Joe. "I'm going to put for home, and ask father. -Say, I wonder what kind of syrup they have on those corn fritters." - -"Tobacco syrup," replied George Warren, solemnly. "That's what they raise -on all the farms down there. It's awful bitter, too, at first, but you -get used to it, so they say." - -"You think you're funny, don't you?" said Joe. "It's corn syrup; that's -what it is. I want to go, don't you?" - -"Well, perhaps so," replied George Warren. And, turning to his companion, -asked, "What do you say, Henry?" - -"Why, I'm not invited," replied Henry Burns. - -"Oh, yes, you are, isn't he, fellows? Ed said bring anybody we wanted. -Well, we want you." - -The brothers chimed in, heartily. - -"Why, I'd like to go, first rate, if I can," said Henry Burns. - -"Then we'll do it," said George Warren--"that is, if the folks will let -us. You'll like Ed. He's older than we are--about twenty; but he likes -fun as much as we do. It's a big old farm house, with open fire-places -and things. We'll make the place hum. Come on, let's go home." - -There was little peace in the Warren household that night until the -matter had been duly discussed in all its phases, and the coveted -permission granted; whereupon, there was a departure in force for the -home of Miss Matilda Burns. There, however, the resistance was stronger. - -Henry Burns's aunt did not yield consent without reluctance nor without a -struggle. There was Jack Harvey, she said, who went to Baltimore and -never came back. Goodness knew where he might be. She didn't believe in -boys going off without someone to look after them. - -There was, in reply, positive assurance from all hands that Jack Harvey -was all right and having the finest time of his life, travelling about -Europe. - -It was an unequal contest, and the opposition was finally overcome. - -"See that you don't run off to Europe--or anywhere else, though, except -to Mr. Warren's," Miss Matilda added, smiling. "And, Henry, you've got to -write me twice a week." - -Henry Burns groaned, but promised. - -"She didn't say how much to write," he commented, inwardly, with a vision -of a sheet of paper bearing the words, "Dear Aunt, I'm all right," in his -mind. - -With which successful turn of affairs, the four let out such a series of -shrieks of triumph that poor Miss Matilda Burns nearly fell out of her -chair. - -Four days later, there arrived in Baltimore four smiling youths, vastly -elated at their freedom; vastly puffed up with the importance of being -travellers at large, without a guardian. - -It was a sharp, crisp winter morning, of the 15th of December, to be -precise; the old river boat of the Patuxent line lay in its berth at -Light street, making its own hearty breakfast off soft coal, and pouring -out clouds of black smoke from its funnel, with vigour and apparent -satisfaction. The cabins were warming up, and the last of a huge pile of -freight was being stowed away below. The four boys, shortly before half -past six--the early hour of departure--made their way aboard. - -There was a jingling of bells, the lines were cast off, the gang-planks -drawn in, and the steamer was on its way down Chesapeake Bay. - -The day passed pleasantly, for it was all new to them, and the bay, with -its peculiar craft, presented many attractions. They were hungry as -tigers, too, as they seated themselves at the cabin table for dinner. - -"You've got the wrong side of the cabin, young gentlemen," said the -coloured waiter, politely. "That other side's the one for white folks." - -They changed places, accordingly. - -"Wonder what would happen to us, if we sat over there?" remarked Arthur -Warren. - -"Perhaps we'd turn black," said Henry Burns. - -"Well, Joe always eats till he's black in the face when he gets a good -dinner," said George Warren. - -Young Joe sniffed, contemptuously. - -After dinner they strolled about the boat. There were not a great number -of passengers aboard, and the four kept their own company. The only -exception for the afternoon was in the case of a young man, who accosted -the party as they happened to pause for a moment in front of the open -door of his state-room. He was a youth of about nineteen years, but with -the manner of a man of the world. He sat, with his feet up on the foot of -the bed, smoking a cigar and filling the room with clouds of smoke. A -derby hat was perched rakishly on the back of his head. His dress was -smart in appearance, though not new, and his coat thrown back revealed a -waist-coat of brilliant hue and flaring design. - -"How'd do," he said, removing his cigar, and waving a hand rather -patronizingly to them. "Step in. Strangers down this way, I see. Have a -smoke?" - -He motioned to a table on which there was a box of the cigars. - -"No, thanks," replied George Warren. "Don't smoke." - -They would have passed on, but the young man was not to be wholly denied. -He had a free and easy flow of conversation, which would not be stopped -for the moment, and which culminated in the offer--indicating his design -from the first--of a game of cards with them, which, he assured them, -should not cost them but little, if anything, with the alluring -alternative that they might be fortunate enough to win his money. - -"Say," interrupted Henry Burns at this point, "why don't you fix your -neck-tie?" - -The youth, surprised at the interruption, paused and laid down his cigar -on the edge of the table. He put both hands to the tie, a gaudy one tied -sailor fashion, and turned to Henry Burns. - -"Why, what's the matter with it?" he asked, in a tone of wonderment. -"Isn't it all right?" - -"Why, yes, it looks so," replied Henry Burns, coolly and without changing -countenance; "but I thought perhaps you might like to untie it and tie it -over again. Come on, fellows." - -The consciousness that he had been made game of by the youth flashed upon -the stranger, as the boys moved on. He half arose from his seat, while a -flush of anger spread over his sallow face. A person on the threshold -accosted him at this moment. He looked into the face of a tall man, who -was smiling in at him. - -"Why, hello, Jenkins," said the man. "What's up? You look as though your -dinner didn't set right. What are you doing down this way?" - -Mr. Jenkins returned the man's smile with a scowl. - -"Nothing's the matter," he said, surlily. "Come in and have a smoke. I'm -going up the river for a week. I used to live up that way, you know. -Business is dull, and I'm going up to the old place for Christmas. Shut -that door, and we'll have a talk." - -The four boys from Benton had had their first meeting, brief and -fleeting, with Arthur Jenkins. - -It was still daylight when the steamer turned the Drum Point light-house -and headed into the Patuxent river. It was a picturesque sight that the -four boys looked upon. Scattered here and there over the water, and -coming into harbour for the night, was a fleet of dredging vessels. Some -of them, rivals in speed, were racing, with all sail set, heeling far -over and throwing up little spurts of water at their bows. The sight -captivated Henry Burns, and he gazed with interest. - -"My! but I'd like to be aboard that fellow," he cried, as a fleet bug-eye -crept up on a rival craft and swept proudly and gracefully past. - -"Not much you wouldn't," exclaimed a voice beside him. - -Henry Burns turned. The genial, kindly face of the steamboat captain met -his gaze. - -"It looks very pretty and all that, young man," said the captain; "but -it's a hard life they lead aboard the dredgers. It's knock-down and drag -out all winter long, with bad food and little to show for it in wages -when the winter's done--that is, for the most of them. It's not much like -what you think it is, I reckon. But they do look pretty coming in; that's -a fact." - -The dredger, Z. B. Brandt, coming in from down along shore, may have, -with others of its kind, presented a pretty sight as viewed from the deck -of the river steamer. Most assuredly, the steamer, viewed from the deck -of the dredger, looked good and inviting to the weary crew of the sailing -vessel. To them, watching its approach, it represented all that they -longed for--comfort, good food, freedom from abuse; and was a thing that -would transport them home--if they could only, some day, reach it. - -Hamilton Haley, eying the steamer from a distance, suddenly uttered an -exclamation of amazement. A figure that, in dim outline, suggested -someone whom he had seen before, stood out against the sky, as the person -leaned against the steamer's rail. - -"I'm blest if I wouldn't swear that ere was young Artie Jenkins!" -exclaimed Haley. "It's him or his ghost. I'll have a look at the chap. -Here you, Harvey, skip down into the locker, starboard, forward, and -fetch me up that glass. Lively now. I want it quick." - -Jack Harvey, who had long ere this learned the necessity of quick -obedience aboard the dredger, hastened to obey. He brought the telescope -and handed it to Captain Haley. - -The latter, adjusting it to suit his eye, gave one long, careful look -through the glass, then took it from his eye with another muttered -exclamation. - -"Well, I swear!" he said. "I knew it was him the minute I clapped my eye -on him. I'd know his rakish rig anywhere. I wonder what mischief he's up -to down here." - -And he added, as he looked angrily at the steamer, "Wouldn't I like to -have you aboard here, young feller! Wouldn't I have it out of you, for -some of the counter-jumpers you've made me pay high for." - -Jack Harvey, watching Haley with curiosity as the captain surveyed the -steamer and as his face wrinkled with anger, wondered what he had seen -aboard to excite his wrath. It could not be anybody that Harvey had ever -known, but still he had a curiosity, an over-mastering desire, to take a -look for himself. As the glass was returned to him by Haley, he paused a -moment and asked, "May I have a look, sir?" - -Haley nodded. - -"Handle that glass easily, though," he snarled. "Break that, and you'll -wish you'd never been born." - -Harvey raised the glass to his eye, and levelled it at the deck of the -steamer. He had never looked through a large telescope before, and it was -wonderful how clear it brought out the figures aboard. He seemed to be -looking into the very faces of men and women--all strangers to him. - -Strangers? Strangers? The telescope, as it was slowly moved in Harvey's -hand, so that his glance took in the row of faces from one end of the -boat to the other, rested once on a group of four boys standing close by -the rail. For a moment Jack Harvey stood, spell-bound. The next moment he -forgot where he was; forgot the presence of the wrathful Haley; forgot -all caution. Taking the glass from his eye, he brandished it in the air, -and yelled at the top of his voice: - -"Henry Burns! George Warren! Hello, it's--" - -The sentence was unfinished. Hamilton Haley, springing from the -wheel-box, was upon him in an instant. He snatched the telescope from -Harvey's hand and, stooping, laid it on the deck. The next instant he had -dealt Harvey a blow in the face that knocked him off his feet. Harvey -fell, rolled over, half slid off the deck into the water; but he clutched -at the inch of plank that was raised at the edge, held on, and Haley -dragged him aboard again. - -Holding him at the edge of the vessel, Haley shook him like a half -drowned dog. - -"Another cry out of you, and down you go!" he said. "I'd put you under -now, if you hadn't made good, up the river the other night. You get -below, and don't you let me hear a yip out of you. What's the matter with -you--crazy?" - -Jack Harvey, half out of his wits with amazement, dazed from the blow, -and chilled with the sting of the icy water that had wet him to the -shoulders, stumbled below, without reply. - -And aboard the steamer, Henry Burns turned to the captain, in dismay. -Neither he nor his companions had distinguished the cry sent forth to -them from the deck of the bug-eye, but they had seen a strange thing -happen aboard the vessel they were watching. - -"Captain," said Henry Burns, his face flushing with indignation, "I guess -what you said about rough treatment aboard those vessels is true. Why, I -just saw the man at the wheel strike some one and knock him down." - -"The brute!" exclaimed the steamer's captain. "I told you so. But it's -nothing new. It happens every day." - -"I'm sorry for the chap that got it," remarked Henry Burns. "I hope he -gets square with the captain, some day." - -And for half that night, Jack Harvey, tossing in his bunk, unable to -sleep, wondered if what he had seen could have been true; wondered if his -eyes had deceived him; wondered, even, if his brain was going wrong under -his hard treatment. - -Once he got up and roused Tom Edwards. - -"Tom," he said, "have you noticed anything queer about me lately?" - -Tom Edwards sat up and looked at his friend in astonishment. - -"Queer!" repeated Tom Edwards. "Of course I haven't. You've been just the -same as ever. Why, what's the matter, Jack? Are you sick?" - -"I guess perhaps I am," replied Harvey, dully. "I've heard about sailors -seeing mirages and things that didn't exist. I saw something on a -steamer, as we came in, that couldn't have been true. I thought I saw -some friends of mine that live way up in Benton in the state of Maine. -They can't be down here in winter--hold on, though. They might be, after -all. Yes, sir, perhaps they've come to look for me. I'll bet that's it!" - -"But," he added, ruefully, "I don't see how that can be, either. They'd -have come long before this, if they were looking for me. But I saw them. -I saw them, Tom Edwards, just as clear as I see you now." - -"Well, you don't see me very clear in this dark forecastle, Jack, old -chap," replied Tom Edwards. "Turn in and go to sleep, and see what you -can make out of it to-morrow." - - - - - CHAPTER X - FLIGHT AND DISASTER - - -When Jack Harvey awoke, the next morning, it was in a confused state of -mind that he turned out of his bunk. The reason for this was at once -apparent. A heavy south-easter was on, and a rough sea was tumbling in -between the two projections of land that marked the entrance to the river -from the bay--Drum Point and Hog Point. Lines of white breakers were -foaming and crashing about the light-house. - -The bug-eye, Brandt, lying well out in the river, and exposed to the sea, -had been tossing about violently, although Haley had given the -anchor-rode good scope, in order to ease the strain. The unconscious -sleepers in the forecastle had been thrown about against the hard wooden -sides of the bunks in which they lay; and Harvey found himself bruised -and lame. He put his head out of the companion-way just as a sea sprayed -over the vessel, wetting him. He rubbed the salt water from his eyes and -hair, and looked out into the bay beyond. - -It was certainly rough, outside. As far as he could see, the broad -expanse of water was rioting in high frolic. Seas leaped and tumbled in -wild confusion. The sharp flaws of the south-easter whipped the white -caps from the curling breakers and sent the scud and spindrift flying. - -Far out, a few stray vessels, close reefed and rolling heavily as they -ran, were making for the harbour; the ends of their lean booms, with -sails tied in, looked like bare poles. Jack Harvey noted one thing, with -especial satisfaction. Not a single craft in all the harbour fleet was -going out, or making any preparation therefor. Harvey gave a sigh of -relief, as he went below again. - -"Tom," he said, as he stepped to his comrade's bunk and roused him, "Tom, -we're in luck. It's blowing a gale outside. No dredging to-day. Hooray!" - -Tom Edwards sat up, and groaned. - -"Oh, but I'm lame," he said. "What with that tough day's work, yesterday, -and this confounded slatting about, I'm just about done for. Haley'll -kill us yet, if we don't get away." - -Tom Edwards, erstwhile travelling man and frequenter of good hotels, -stepped stiffly out on to the floor and proceeded to rub his arms and -joints, to limber them up. - -"Jack," he said, "I'm sorry now that you didn't take the chance up the -river, that night, and swim for it. You'd have got away, and they'd be -after us all by this time. Jack, I tell you, we've got to get out of here -pretty soon, or there'll be no Tom Edwards left to go anywhere. I can't -stand this much longer." - -Harvey stepped to the side of his friend, and whispered softly. - -"Neither can I, Tom," he answered, "and what's more, I don't intend to. -We'll get away. We'll escape." - -To their surprise, the conversation was interrupted by the sharp call of -the mate for them to hustle out and help get the bug-eye under weigh. -They looked at each other in astonishment, for one moment. Then Harvey -reassured his friend. - -"It's all right," he said. "We can't be going out. Haley wants a snugger -berth. We're getting too much of the sweep here." - -Harvey's conjecture proved correct. They were lying at a bad anchorage -for a south-easter, and Haley, to his chagrin, had observed the signs of -wind and sky and knew the weather was growing heavier instead of -clearing. - -The anchor was hove short and brought up to the bow, while a jib and the -main-sail, both reefed, were set. The Brandt, with Haley at the wheel, -stood in nearer to the southern shore of the river, within a quarter of a -mile of the bank. The anchor went down again, and sails were once more -made snug. - -They lay more comfortably here, in the bight of the southern river bank. -But it was a tantalizing sight to the prisoners on the Brandt--the near -and friendly looking shore, with an occasional house in the distance, the -smoke of hearths blown from the chimney tops, and now and then a -traveller going on up a country road. - -And to what mad act Jack Harvey might have been wrought, could he have -seen, in his mind's eye, the interior of one of these same houses, and a -certain one of these hearths, encircled by a certain group of boys, is -beyond all conjecture. But he only gazed longingly in ashore, and wished -he were there. - -There was more definiteness to his thoughts when, an hour or two later, -following the wretched breakfast served--all the meaner and more wretched -because there was no work to be gotten out of the crew for the day--he -saw Haley and the mate launch the small skiff, bring it alongside and get -in and row away. - -Not that there was any immediate purpose of escape in his mind. For, just -before his departure, Haley had designated where he was going--a small -shed just back from shore was his object, where a man kept some trifling -supplies that he wanted. - -"And I'll be in sight of this vessel from start to finish," Haley had -added, and winked significantly at Jim Adams. - -But the small boat and its possibilities was imprinted on Harvey's brain -as he watched it toss flimsily about, while the captain and mate sculled -ashore. He had thought of it before, but no good opportunity had offered. - -There had been chances, to be sure, down along the marshy intricacies of -the eastern shore. Once, when they had lain in Honga river over night, -inside Middle Hooper island, he had thought strongly of rousing Tom -Edwards and attempting flight to shore. But the country around had been -too forbidding. Wild salt marshes bordered the eastern coast of Hooper's, -and across on the land to the east it was so shelterless, with salt -marshes on shore and a great fresh water marsh inland, that he had given -over the project for the time. - -Occasionally, on a Saturday night, when the bug-eye lay in the Patuxent, -it was the habit of Haley and Jim Adams to take the skiff and go ashore. -Sometimes they spent the night, and were back again Sunday morning. -Sometimes they passed the greater part of Sunday back inland. There lay -Harvey's hope. Yet he hardly knew how to work out a plan of escape. To -attempt to make sail on the bug-eye and run her either to shore or up the -bay, would, he discovered, be useless. It would involve making a prisoner -of the cook and the man, Jeff, and, possibly, Sam Black, also; though -Harvey looked for no great interference from him. - -The cook and the sailor, Jeff, he found, had a certain dogged loyalty to -Haley. The former surely would stand by the vessel under all -circumstances; the latter, it was certain, would not compromise himself -with the authorities of the state by any attempt to take possession of -the craft in Haley's absence. - -But, with the mate and Haley away, there must be some means, surely, of -gaining one of the shores of the river. In milder weather, Harvey would -have thought nothing of swimming the distance, even of a mile, from the -middle of the wide part of the river; but the weather and the icy cold -water precluded that way of flight now. At least, Harvey did not care to -venture it, especially as, once on land, he would know not where to seek -shelter; for he knew that, bound by many mutual ties of interest, the -dredgers and the settlers along shore--unless the latter had oyster beds -to be robbed--worked for each other's interests. - -"Tom," said Harvey, quietly, indicating the skiff with a glance, "that's -the way you and I are going ashore one of these nights, and take our -chances when we get there. And," he added, eagerly, "isn't it lucky you -warned me to hide that money? That will help us out, when we do escape." - -Tom Edwards glanced at the bobbing skiff, that looked to his eyes about -as substantial as a child's toy boat, and shrugged his shoulders. - -"I'll try it, if we get the chance," he said, somewhat dubiously; "but I -don't like the looks of it." - -Harvey laughed. "You're a landsmen, sure enough," he said. "Why, that's -an able little boat as a man might want, in a river like this. Look how -nicely it rides the waves." - -"Oh, I'd go on a bunch of shingles, if it would only take me out of -this," exclaimed Tom Edwards--"that is, I think I would now. But you'll -have to run the thing. I'll confess, I don't know one end of a boat from -another, except what that brute, Jim Adams, has ground into me." - -Harvey's hopes, which had been raised by the shifting of the anchorage of -the vessel nearer land, were dashed late that afternoon, with the return -of Haley and the mate. Rain mixed with sleet poured down in torrents, and -drove laterally across the vessel. It was as much as one could do to keep -his footing on the slippery deck, even with one hand clutching a rope. -The sleet stung as it struck Harvey's face, and made it smart as though -from a volley of small pebbles. He was only glad to seek shelter below, -even in the dreary forecastle. He learned, that night, how all -circumstances are relatively good or harsh. From the boisterous night -outside, the forecastle of the Brandt was a refuge that seemed almost -cheery. - -The next morning, it was apparent that the strength of the storm was -wearing away. Moreover, there was a sudden peculiar change in the -weather. The wind had swung around more to the southward; and, with that, -there had come a decided moderation of the temperature. But the change -was of no immediate advantage to Haley, for there rolled in a heavy fog, -and a dense mist also rose up from the surface of the river. - -Again Haley gave the order to make sail and raise the anchor. Once more -the bug-eye got under weigh, stood out toward the middle of the river and -cast anchor again, just beyond the path of any passing steamer. Captain -Haley, ever watchful, ever suspicious, was taking no chances. His rule -was invariable, in any kind of smooth water--to lie for the night beyond -swimming distance from shore. At least, to offer little chance for that. -He had known desperate, venturesome men to attempt it, even then. - -He was in a bad humour, was Haley, that day. There was nothing to eat, -for the crew, but the bread, or dough, fried, and a few scraps of pork -mixed with it. It was Saturday, and, about the middle of the afternoon, -he and Jim Adams took the skiff again and went ashore. They were out of -sight in the fog before they had gone two rods, but the wind sufficed to -give them their direction for the distance they had to go. - -"Tom," said Jack Harvey that night, as they turned in, "keep your shoes -on, and don't go to sleep." - -Tom Edwards looked at his young companion, in surprise. - -"We've got a chance," explained Harvey, "as good as we'll ever get, -perhaps. We've got to break away from here some time. The sooner the -better." - -"In this beastly fog?" interrupted Tom Edwards. - -"Of course," replied Harvey. "It's just what we want. The wind's -southerly and will take us across to the Drum Point shore. We can't help -hitting that, or Solomon's Island. We'll have the chance, too. I heard -Jim Adams say we'd put out of here early to-morrow morning, if the fog -lifts. Haley's lost so much time, he won't stay ashore Sunday. They'll be -back with the skiff late to-night, or toward morning. We'll give them -just time to go off to sleep and then make a try for it." - -The crisis thus suddenly facing Tom Edwards, he pulled himself together. - -"Good for you!" he said. "I'll go, if we have to row across the -Chesapeake. Anybody with us?" - -"Not a soul," said Harvey. "The skiff will hold only us two. And we -can do it better alone. Now you sit up first, will you, and let me -get two hours sleep, and then you wake me and I'll keep watch, -because--because--" - -Tom Edwards laughed good-naturedly. - -"I know," he said. "You're afraid that I'd fall asleep later on, and we'd -miss the chance." - -"Well,--well," stammered Harvey, "you are an awful sound sleeper when you -get a-going, you know. I didn't mean anything--" - -"You're all right," exclaimed Tom Edwards, softly, but with heartiness. -"You turn in. Let me have your watch. I'll wake you, say, at eleven." - -Jack Harvey's nerves were good, and he was not one to worry over coming -events. He turned in, and, in ten minutes, was sound asleep. Tom Edwards, -sitting uncomfortably in his bunk, counted the minutes as they dragged -away, drearily. It was a lonesome vigil, with only the sleeping crew for -company. He started up now and again, as some sound in the night outside -seemed to his active fancy a warning of the returning skiff. - -Ten o'clock came, and then eleven; he arose and awakened Harvey. - -"Too bad, old chap," he said, "but it's your turn." - -Harvey roused and turned out, sleepily. - -"Tom," he said, "I had the queerest dream. I dreamed we were chasing that -fellow, Jenkins, through miles of swamps, and every time we'd get near -him, he'd turn into Henry Burns and laugh at us. Then we'd see him again -a little way ahead." - -"You're thinking of that chap you thought you saw through the telescope, -eh," suggested Tom Edwards. - -"He's on my mind sure enough," replied Harvey. "I can't quite make it -out, though, whether I saw him or not." - -Tom Edwards rolled into his bunk, and Harvey, stretching and yawning, -began his watch. He didn't dare tell Tom Edwards till long afterward; but -he went off soundly to sleep once, some time later, and woke with a -fearful start. What if he had been the one, after all, to upset their -plans by his carelessness! - -He stole cautiously out on deck, and tip-toed aft. He breathed a sigh of -relief when there was no sign of the skiff. He hurried back to the -forecastle and struck a match, to read the face of his watch. It was -half-past twelve o'clock. He dared not trust himself, then, to return to -his bunk, but crouched down at the foot of the companion ladder, with the -sting of the night air in his face. - -Suddenly a steady, creaking sound came to his ears. He started up and -crawled to the top of the ladder. It was the sound of an oar. Then his -heart gave a bound, as he heard voices through the fog. - -"There she lies," came the words in the voice of the mate. "I tells you, -Mister Haley, I's pretty extra good on findin' my way 'bout this river. -We're goin' to get a good day, all right, too. This wind be shiftin' -right; swingin' round with the sun to the west by mornin', sure's you -born." - -They came indistinctly into view of the boy, as he crouched in the -companion-way, just peering over so he could see across the deck. The -skiff scraped alongside. The two men sprang out, shaking the fog and wet -from their coats. Harvey, still as though frozen to the spot, noted with -joy that they did not fetch the skiff aboard, but made the painter fast -near the stern. They hurried below, and a light gleamed in the cabin. It -burned a few minutes, only. Then the vessel was in darkness again, save -for the lantern in the foremast shroud, to warn any chance craft where -they lay. - -Harvey waited. The minutes seemed like hours. Fifteen minutes were ticked -off by his silver time-piece; then fifteen more. It was a quarter past -one o'clock when he stole back, shivering, and awoke Tom Edwards. - -"Sh-h-h!" he warned. "Don't speak. They're here; turned in half an hour -ago. Come on." - -They had no belongings to gather up; only their coats to button about -them. They crept out on deck and stood for a moment, waiting and -listening. There was no sound aboard the bug-eye. They darted quickly -aft. Tom Edwards stepped nervously into the little skiff, Harvey -following. Harvey cast off, took his seat astern, pushed away and began -sculling. - -Two rods off from the bug-eye, they could discern the thin lines of its -masts and a dull blur that was its hull. Harvey gave a little murmur of -exultation, and paused in his sculling. But the next moment he uttered a -cry of surprise and alarm. He rose from his seat, and peered anxiously -through the fog. - -"What's the matter? What is it, Jack?" asked Tom Edwards, almost -breathless. - -"Something's coming!" exclaimed Harvey. "Don't you hear that rushing -sound? Oh, hang this fog! If it would only lift a little." - -Suddenly Harvey dropped to his seat and began plying the single oar in -the scull-hole, with desperation. Then he sprang up again and gave a -warning call as loud as he dared. - -It was too late. Out of the fog and mist there rushed a craft--so swiftly -that it was upon them before they had half seen it. It was a long, narrow -canoe, with full sail set, the wind on its quarter, flying for the mouth -of the river. Harvey had one fleeting glimpse of a man in the stern of -the craft, springing up and uttering an exclamation of rage and fright. -Then Harvey jumped from his own seat, literally tumbling over Tom -Edwards. - -The man at the stern of the fleeing canoe had jammed the helm hard down, -at his first sight of the little skiff. But he could not clear it wholly. -There was a crash and a splintering of wood; the skiff half upset, and -took in nearly half a barrel of water. The main boom of the canoe swept -across the skiff, knocking both its occupants into a heap. - -The next thing they knew, the man at the stern of the canoe and another -by the foremast were standing up, uttering maledictions upon the -unfortunate victims of the collision. - -"Help us! Don't leave us! We're sinking!" called Harvey, in desperation, -as the canoe kept on its course. The only answer was a wrathful shake of -his fist from the skipper of the canoe. Another moment, and it was gone. - -Harvey and his companion, ankle-deep in water, scrambled up, and Harvey -turned anxiously to the stern of the skiff. There was a hole there, and -the boat seemed to be sinking under them. They stripped off their outer -jackets, prepared to swim for their lives. But Harvey quickly reassured -his comrade. - -"It isn't coming in very fast," he said. "We can get back to the bug-eye, -if we work lively. You take your hat and bail. I'll jump her all I can." - -He gave a cry of dismay as he seized the oar, which was floating in the -bottom of the skiff. The blow from the canoe had broken half the blade -away. It was still of some use, but he could not make fast time with it. - -Heartbroken and fearful of what awaited them, they turned the skiff in -the direction whence the wind was blowing, and toiled with desperate -energy. The water leaked steadily into the little craft, but Tom Edwards -dashed it out by hat-fulls, as he had never worked in all his life--not -even at the dredges under the eye of Jim Adams. - -The bug-eye came more plainly into view. They neared it with quaking -hearts. Already they could seem to hear the torrent of imprecation that -awaited them from Haley and the mate, and could feel the hurt and pain of -"dredging fleet law." - -To their amazement, silence reigned aboard the vessel. That silence was -unbroken as they struggled up alongside. With not a sound aboard, they -grasped the foot of a shroud and Harvey sprang noiselessly to the deck. -Tom Edwards followed. Harvey took a quick turn with the painter. The half -submerged skiff was made fast, where it had been before. - -They fled along the deck, and down into the forecastle, on the wings of -fear. Wet and exhausted, they tumbled into their bunks. It was some -moments before either of them could find breath to speak. - -"Oh, the brutes!" murmured Tom Edwards, after a time. "How could any -human being do a thing like that? They left us to drown, Jack, and didn't -care." - -"Of course they did," answered Harvey, "and good reason. I know why. -Don't you? Did you see the load they had aboard? They'd been lifting an -oyster dump. Some fellow'll find his week's tonging of oysters gone, when -he looks for them. They were poachers. They'd have killed us in a minute -if we'd stood between them and getting away. Cheer up, old Tom. We're in -the greatest luck we've ever been in all our lives. Is your back cold? -Well, how would it feel, think, if Haley had caught us? Did you ever hear -Sam Black tell how he's seen men rope's-ended for trying to run away? -Wait till Haley sees that skiff in the morning. You'll be glad you're -alive. Never mind. We'll escape yet. I'm going to sleep when I get these -boots off." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, standing by the wheel, some hours later, when the -sun had risen and the fog was lifting over the river, was not a pleasing -object to behold. What he had to say about poachers and their ways and -habits and carelessness would have warmed the water under the bug-eye, if -it hadn't been in the dead of winter. To have heard his outburst of -indignation, over the evils of poaching and night sailing, would almost -have convinced a listener that he was the most averse to that habit of -any man in Chesapeake Bay. Also he berated Jim Adams, as much as he -thought that gentleman would stand, for not bringing the skiff aboard. - -Haley bargained for a new skiff that day, and gave Jim Adams another -dressing down,--and Jim Adams took it out of the crew, for which Harvey -and Tom Edwards were sorry--although they got their share. And so their -night adventure passed into the history of the cruise; and there even -came a time, long afterward, when the two laughed at it--that is, when -they thought of Haley. The remembrance of their own fright remained, to -dream of, for many a night. - -Two days afterward, there happened one of those sudden, mysterious -changes that told of the comradeship of a certain clique of the dredging -captains, and of their facility for dodging trouble. - -Down along the western shore a strange craft sailed up, and Haley took a -man aboard from it; though not without some warm words with the strange -captain. He seemed not to welcome the recruit. But he took him, and -exchanged one of his own crew, the sailor, Sam Black, for the man. This -latter recruit was a swarthy man, tall and muscular. His face was -discoloured, as though by blows; and a long scar, freshly made, showed on -the back of one hand and wrist. He obeyed Haley's and the mate's orders -sullenly. Why he was aboard, none knew except the mate and captain. But -it was plain enough, the captain of the other craft had wanted him out of -the way. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - HARVEY SENDS A MESSAGE TO SHORE - - -Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the -evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley's -telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them. He hailed them -with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its -landing. He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular -shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength. He had a -mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear -complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of -geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance. - -The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself -aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the -stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren -and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily. - -"And this is our friend, Henry Burns," said George Warren, introducing -his comrade. - -"I'm right glad to meet him, too," responded Edward Warren. "He's just as -welcome as you are--and that's saying all anybody could. Well, I'd know -you youngsters anywhere. You haven't changed much since I was up north, -four years ago--except you've grown some. There's Joe--my, but he's -growing like a corn-stalk! Don't it almost make your bones ache, to grow -so fast, Joey?" - -Edward Warren was, all the while, assisting them with their bags and -bundles of coats and luggage, and steering them across the gang-plank to -the wharf, like a drove of frisky young cattle. - -"Joe wants to know if you've brought any of those corn fritters down with -you, Cousin Ed?" said George Warren. - -"No," laughed Edward Warren, "but there's a stack of them up in the oven, -keeping hot, as high as your head, almost. Here, sling your stuff into -this wagon, and Jim will take it up. Anybody that wants to ride, too, can -jump aboard. But I'm going to walk. It's only about a mile, and I'd -rather walk a night like this, anyway." - -"Well, I'll ride up and be making the acquaintance of Mammy Stevens," -said Joe, grinning broadly, and springing up on the seat beside the -coloured driver. The others elected to walk, with Edward Warren. - -He set off at a brisk pace along the road that skirted the shore, -bordered much of its way by ponds extending some distance inland. He had -spoken of a mile walk as though it were the merest trifle, and the pace -he set for his younger companions indicated that he so regarded it. But -they were good for it, too, although he had them breathing hard by the -time they had gone half a mile; and the four made quick time of it up -from the landing. - -"You chaps are pretty good walkers," he said, laughing quietly and -slowing down a little. "Thought I'd see how city life agreed with your -wind and legs. You're sound in both wind and limb, as we farmers say of a -good horse. We'll take the rest of it a little easier." - -There yet lingered in the mind of Henry Burns an indignation born of the -act he had seen on the passing vessel. - -"Say, Mr. Warren," he began, as they walked along along-- - -"Don't call him 'Mr. Warren.' Call him 'Ed,'" interrupted George Warren. - -"Yes, that's right," responded Edward Warren, good-naturedly. - -"I saw a man knocked down on a vessel as we sailed into the harbour," -continued Henry Burns. "Isn't it a shame to treat men like that?" - -Edward Warren paused, and clenched a big, strong fist. He raised it and -gestured like a man striking someone a blow. - -"Shame!" he repeated. "It's downright wicked, the way those dredging -captains--or a good many of them--treat the men. Why, we get them on -shore here, through the winter, half starved, and half clad, begging -their way back to Baltimore. If a man is taken sick out aboard, and isn't -fit to work any more, why, the captain takes him ashore, to gather wood, -or something of that sort. Then he cuts and leaves him to starve or -freeze, or get back to town the best way he can. And sometimes, they -don't take even that trouble, if they're safe down the bay--just let a -man slump overboard--accidentally, of course,--and that's the last seen -of him." - -"Don't his friends ever get track of him?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Not often," replied Edward Warren. "They're almost always poor chaps, -without any friends that can do them any good; fellows that are reduced -to poverty in the cities, or men who have been dissipating and gone to -the bad. And those don't last long with the life they lead aboard the -dredgers." - -"Well, that poor chap that I saw knocked down would have one friend if I -could help him," exclaimed Henry Burns. - -"He needs it, I've no doubt," said Edward Warren. "And they make the men -do their underhand work for them, too--the captains that go poaching. -Why, I took a shot at a craft, just the other night, up above Forrests, -myself. I was up to Wilkes's place, over night, and we caught a fellow -poaching in on the beds. Gave him a close call, too. We had him between -us and the Folly for a few minutes; but he was smart and got away." - -The lights of the old farm house were gleaming by this time, and in a -moment or two they were within its hospitable walls. It was a pleasant, -old-style house, with some pillars at the front, and a broad verandah; -the main house of two stories in height, and a series of rambling -extensions, of a story and a half, extending in the rear; stables and two -barns not far away--in all, an air of comfort and prosperity, if not of -great means. The land on which the house stood overlooked the river, now -gleaming with the harbour lights of many vessels, and some small ponds -along shore. - -They entered at the big front door, stepping into a wide hall that ran -the entire length of the first floor of the main part. The hall ended in -a wall in which a huge open fireplace, built of the stones taken from the -land, now gave forth a blazing welcome. - -But they did not linger long before this inviting blaze, for old Mammy -Stevens had them all out in the dining-room before many minutes. This -room was equally cheery, with a hearth fire snapping and singing there, -also; and there sat young Joe, gloating in anticipation over an array of -good things, including the heaped up platter of corn fritters, with a -pitcher of syrup squatted agreeably close by. - -They fell to and ate till Mammy Stevens's face lighted up and shone like -a piece of polished ebony; and she laughed and chuckled till she was -almost white to see young Joe tuck away corn fritters and country -sausage. And all the while they were making merry and enjoying comfort -and warmth, Jack Harvey, not far away, on the bug-eye, Brandt, was -climbing into his bunk, wet from his drenching, and sore from the blow -Haley had given him. - -A vessel, seen from the old farmhouse, anchored in near shore the -following afternoon, but it had no special interest in the eyes of the -newcomers, nor had it as it sailed away again when the fog had lifted. - -"Cap'n," queried Jim Adams, removing his pipe from his mouth and pointing -the stem of it forward in the direction of the stranger who stood by the -foremast, "what's happened? What have we got him for?" - -Haley shrugged his shoulders and squinted one eye, significantly. "Bill's -in trouble again," he answered. "This fellow and a pardner tried to get -away. The pardner got it a bit hard--Bill had to put him ashore below in -St. Mary's. This one goes, too, when we get a good chance to land him -where he'll be a long time walking up to Baltimore. Oh, it's all right, -so long as the two don't get together. The pardner can't make any more -trouble by himself." - -Jim Adams, rightly construing Haley's remarks to mean that the "pardner" -had been badly hurt, perhaps crippled--or worse--and had been landed in -some convenient spot away from any town, resumed his pipe, and asked no -more questions. But he added, as he surveyed the muscular frame of the -man forward, "He's a sure enough good man at the winders, I reckon. I'll -make him earn his board and lodgin,' if he stays." - -Jim Adams grinned, and showed his fine, white teeth. - -"You're the boy to do it," commented Haley. - -It was afternoon, and the bug-eye, Brandt, was coming up to the Patuxent -for a night's harbour. Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards, eyeing the stranger, -who remained sullenly by himself, felt a depression of spirits as they -noted the appearance of the man. His bruises and the fresh scar, and -indeed the very fact of his being there, were evidence to them of the -cause that had brought him aboard. They had become familiar enough with -the ways of the dredging fleet to know what it meant. - -What the stranger thought of them, no one would ever know. But theirs was -perhaps not altogether a favourable appearance by this time. There was -less of incongruity in the dress of Tom Edwards now than when he had -begun work. Daily toil at the dredges, drenching in icy spray, the wear -and tear of the life aboard the Brandt, had wholly obliterated whatever -of newness and stylishness there had been to his clothing. He had taken -on the shabby, rough, wretched characteristics of the ordinary dredger. -His one collar had long ago been discarded. He looked the part into which -his ill fortune had cast him. - -Nor had Harvey fared better. His clothes were torn and worn and -discoloured by the salt water. His face, like that of Tom Edwards, was -reddened and roughened and weather-beaten. His hands were roughened and -scarred from hard work, with the broadening and flattening at the finger -tips acquired through handling the heavy iron dredges and through -knotting ropes. - -The two friends were still depressed with the disappointment of their -failure to make their escape, but they were not hopeless. They talked of -it whenever they dared, and planned for another attempt when opportunity -should offer. - -The bug-eye ran up into the mouth of the river, and came to anchor off -the northern shore, that being the lee with the wind from the northwest. -It lay about half a mile out from the Drum Point shore and about the same -distance to the eastward of Solomon's Island. There was little sign of -life or habitation on the land about the light-house, save that Harvey -noticed one large house which set up on the hill, overlooking the -surrounding country. But the many lights on Solomon's Island and the many -small craft at their moorings close to its shore indicated that there was -quite a settlement there. Later in the evening, there came out to him, -once or twice, with the wind, the sounds of jigging music, as from banjos -and fiddles; and once he thought he heard, faintly, the sound of a piano, -played noisily. - -These suggestions of freedom and of merriment, though borne to him all -indistinctly, filled Harvey's mind with the old longing to escape. He -could seem to see the interior of the town hall, perhaps, whence the -sounds came; the lamps about the sides of the room; the fishermen's -daughters waiting for partners for the dance; the fiddler at the end of -the hall, calling off the numbers. He had seen the like away up in -Samoset bay, and had taken part in the fun. - -He looked down at the side of the vessel, where the black water of the -bay tossed gently, and away off to shore, indistinct save where a light -gleamed here and there. There was the icy sting and nip of winter in the -air. The water looked forbidding. It was out of the question to think of -swimming--and, besides, there was Tom Edwards whom he could not desert. -But, for all that, Harvey turned in for the night with greater reluctance -than ever before; and he lay for a long time, uneasy, not able to sleep. - -It could not have been very late in the night, though he knew not the -time, when he roused up from a light slumber. Something had awakened him. -The picture he had fancied of the dance hall ashore leaped into his mind, -and something seemed to impel him to turn out and take another look. - -Then he thought he heard some slight sound over his head on deck. -Grumbling at himself at his seeming folly, he stepped out on to the -forecastle floor and went softly up the companion ladder to the deck. - -He was dressed, for he had turned in with his clothes on, as usual. But -the night air chilled him, and he shivered as he crept out and looked off -toward the land. He turned his collar up about his throat, and stepped -over to the side of the vessel. - -An instant, and he was conscious of someone near. He turned just as a -figure leaped out at him from the shadow of the forecastle. Harvey was -quick and strong. Realizing a sudden peril--he knew not what--he darted -to one side as the figure sprang toward him, and struck out at the same -moment with his left arm. - -He was not a second too soon. There was disclosed to him the tall, -swarthy stranger they had taken aboard that afternoon. The man, his arm -uplifted and holding an open knife in that hand, made a lunge at him. - -The blow missed Harvey, and his own blow, aimed at random, caught the -man's shoulder and stopped his rush. At the same moment, the man -recognized the boy and stood still and silent, peering at him, wondering -and surprised. - -Harvey, alert to the situation, thought quickly and spoke--in a half -whisper. - -"Don't strike me," he said. "If you want to escape, I'll help you. I'm -not to blame for your being here." - -The man did not reply, but he seemed to understand. Yet he was not taking -all for granted. He stepped to Harvey's side, holding the knife -threateningly. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder and peered into his -face. Then he put a finger to Harvey's lips and raised the knife again. - -Harvey nodded. "I'll keep quiet," he whispered. "What are you going to -do, swim?" - -The man clearly did not understand what Harvey had said, but he caught at -the one word. - -"Swim," he repeated, and nodded. "Swim. I swim." And he made a sweeping -gesture with one arm. - -Harvey nodded his head vigorously, as if to indicate his sympathy with -the attempt, and further emphasized it with a shake of his fist in the -direction of the captain's cabin. The man seemed assured. His lips parted -in a half smile, which changed to an expression of anger and fierceness -as he in turn shook the hand that clutched the knife in the direction of -Haley's quarters. Then he thrust the knife back into his belt. - -Another thought came swiftly to Harvey then. If he could only get a -message ashore by the man--that is, if the stranger should succeed in -what seemed an almost hopeless attempt. But how could he make the -foreigner understand? He stepped close to him, stretched out his left -hand and made the motions of writing upon the palm of it. Then he pointed -to himself, to the man and to the shore. - -"Take a letter for me," said Harvey. "A letter," and he again made the -motions of writing. - -To his surprise and delight, the man repeated the word "letter" plainly, -and himself made the motions of writing with his right fore-finger upon -the palm of his left hand. - -"Yes, that's it," said Harvey. "Take a letter ashore for me?" And he -pointed again toward shore. - -The man nodded. Harvey pointed to the forecastle, repeated the gesture of -writing and looked at the man inquiringly. The man nodded once more. But -again he drew forth the knife, put a finger to his lips and made a -significant gesture. Harvey understood. He stepped forward, put out his -right hand to the man, and the stranger grasped it. It was a compact he -understood. Harvey stole softly down into the forecastle. - -He roused Tom Edwards, who asked drowsily what was wanted. - -"Tom," said Harvey softly, "be quick. Find that little order-book with -the pencil in it that you had when you came aboard. You stuck it up in -the bunk somewhere, weeks ago. The man we took aboard this afternoon is -going to swim for shore. Hurry, Tom, he may be gone while I'm below -here." - -Tom Edwards fumbled about and produced the book--one of the few things -that had been left to him in the rifling of his pockets--left to him as a -thing of no value to the men who had trapped him. Harvey seized it -eagerly and ran up on deck again. The man was still there. - -There was no light to write by, but there was no time to be lost. Harvey -tore a page from the book, took the little pencil from its leather -socket, laid the paper down on top of the forecastle house and held his -face close down to it. The white patch was sufficiently discernible -against the wood to enable him to scrawl a few words. He wrote: - - "I am trapped out aboard the bug-eye Z. B. Brandt by Capt. Haley. Send - word to Benton, Maine. - - "Jack Harvey." - -He folded the scrap of paper and handed it to the swarthy stranger. The -man took it, held it for a moment as though deliberating, then removed -the cap he wore, tucked the paper within the lining and replaced the cap -on his head. He had taken off his heavy shoes, which he proceeded to tie -across his back, with a line passed across one shoulder and under the -other arm-pit. He had stripped off his coat and held it now in one hand, -doubtfully. - -He looked across to shore, shook his head as if to say that the distance -was too great to encumber himself with the weight of the garment, even -though tied across his shoulders. He threw it on the deck with a gesture -of disappointment, and stepped to the side of the vessel. - -Harvey followed, and again put out his hand. The man grasped it, and they -shook hands warmly. Harvey would have given half his store of hidden -money at that moment to have been able to wish him good luck in a tongue -that the man could understand. But he slapped him on the shoulder, and -the man understood that. He made a sweeping gesture of farewell, swung -himself off noiselessly into the icy water and began swimming away, with -long, powerful strokes. - -Instinctively, Harvey reached down and put his hand into the water. Its -coldness fairly stung him, hardened as he had become, with work at the -dredges. He stood, shivering, with the cold of the night intensified by -his excitement. It seemed as though no human being could live to get to -shore in that water. But the man kept on. - -"He must be a fish," muttered Harvey. "I hope he sticks it out, but how -can he?" - -The stars twinkling coldly overhead gave little light upon the water. But -the figure moving slowly away was discernible some distance. Harvey -watched it until the tiny black speck where the man's cap showed faded -away and was lost to view. Harvey's teeth was chattering. His eyes -smarted and watered with the strain of peering through the darkness. He -longed to call out, to know if the swimmer still lived. But he turned and -crept back to his bunk, giving the news to Tom Edwards, who shivered at -the very thought of it. - -"Poor chap, he'll never get to shore," he murmured. "But he'll die game." - -Up in the big house that overlooked the Drum Point lighthouse, in a -chamber room, a young man of about thirty sat reading before a fire. A -clock ticking in one corner indicated the time of night as half-past -eleven. The man paused in his reading, yawned and stretched comfortably, -arose and stepped to a window facing the harbour. - -"What a glorious night!" he said. - -He stepped back and sat down again. - -A strange thing, unseen by him, had happened down at the shore toward -which he had looked. Something moved, like a great fish, in the water, a -rod out from the land. It sank once almost out of sight, then thrashed -the water and struggled in desperately. A man, feeling the solid earth -under his feet, stepped out upon the shore and staggered as though about -to fall; caught himself; then fell; but arose and walked unsteadily in -the direction of the light from the window. - -The young man who was reading suddenly sprang up from his chair and -listened. There was a muffled rapping at the door below. The man threw up -the window and put his head out. - -"Who's that? What do you want?" he called. - -A reply, unintelligible, came up to him. He closed the window and turned -toward the door of the chamber. - -"It's the same old story," he said, with a touch of indignation in his -voice. "Some poor chap from the dredging fleet, I suppose--beaten up, -half starved, and trying to get back to Baltimore." - -He descended the stairs, lighted a lamp and went to the door. When the -lamp-light fell upon the figure that stood before him, he started back, -thunderstruck. A man, drenched to the skin, ghastly pale, shivering, -almost speechless, his tangled, dripping hair falling about his eyes, -stood there. He stretched forth an arm, appealingly, and almost fell. - -The man with the lamp caught him with one arm and assisted him within; -half dragged him out into an old-fashioned kitchen, where the man slumped -all in a heap before the fire. The man of the house, setting down the -lamp on a table, went to the closet and brought out a cup; filled it with -coffee from a pot that set back on the stove, knelt by the stranger's -side and, rousing him up, held the cup to his lips and made him drink. - -The man shivered, sat up a little and uttered the one word, "Swim." - -The other uttered an exclamation of anger. - -"It's a shame! A cruel shame to treat men so they'd rather die than lead -the life they do aboard the dredgers," he cried. "How far did you swim?" - -The man shook his head, indicating he did not understand. - -"Well, no matter," said the other, compassionately. "I'll fix you up. But -you've just come through, and that's all. You're pretty near being a dead -man." - -An hour later, the stranger, wrapped in warm blankets, his ragged -garments drying by the fire, dozed, while the man of the house stood, -watching him. - -"Well, he's all right now," he said. "I'll turn in and let him sleep -there for the night." - -But the man suddenly moved, sat up on one elbow and then struggled into a -sitting position. He fumbled at his head and said something in a foreign -tongue. He gesticulated, and pointed down toward the shore. - -The young man laughed. - -"Well, I declare if you aren't worrying about a cap," he cried. "I know -what you mean--lost your cap, eh? Well, you ought to thank your stars you -didn't lose your life. We'll get the cap to-morrow, if it's down by the -shore. To-morrow, see?" - -The man repeated the word "to-morrow," and shook his head as vigorously -as he could. "No to-morrow," he repeated. And he struggled to his feet. -Wrapping the blanket about him, he started doggedly toward the door. - -"Well, confound you for an obstinate mule!" exclaimed the young man. "I -don't wonder you got ashore, with all that stubbornness. Go lie down -again. Hang it, if you're so worried as all that about your old cap, I'll -go look for it." - -Half angry, half amused, he took down a lantern from a hook, lighted it, -and went out into the darkness. In a few minutes, he reappeared. In his -hand he held a bedraggled, shabby fur cap, that bore more resemblance to -a drowned cat than any article of wear. - -"There's your cap, you mule!" he exclaimed, and threw the wet object down -upon the floor. - -To his surprise, the man caught it up eagerly and, turning it inside out, -felt within the lining. He uttered a little cry of disappointment as he -drew forth a piece of wet, torn paper. He dropped it on the floor and -drew out two other pieces. Then he shrugged his shoulders and looked up -at his rescuer, helplessly. - -The young man stooped and picked up the pieces of paper. - -"Aha! I see," he said. "There was a method in your stubbornness after -all. Let's look." - -He held up the pieces of paper and turned them in his hand. He took them -to the table and placed them on an earthen platter, with the torn edges -joining. Then he whistled with surprise. The paper, wet and torn, still -bore, blurred and barely readable, written words. He made out the -message: - - "I am trapped aboard the bug-eye Z. B. Brandt by Capt. Haley. Send word - to Benton. - - "Jack Har--" - -The remainder of the last name had been torn away. They searched for it, -but it was not to be found. - -"Whew!" exclaimed the young man. "Another case of shanghaiing. Well, -there's enough to work on. I'll have to look into it, though I suppose -it's not much use. When a man gets out there, it's hard finding him. I'll -save the paper, though, and dry it out." - -And then he added, eying the stranger with a different expression, -"You're a good sort, after all. You're a true blue comrade to somebody. -Hang it! I wish you could talk the United States language." - - - - - CHAPTER XII - ESCAPE AT LAST - - -The old Warren homestead, alight with many lamps from parlour to kitchen, -presented a cheery and genial aspect to whoever might be passing by along -the road, on the night of December 24. The shades, half drawn in the -front room, revealed the glow of a big hearth fire, reddening the light -of the lamps, and adding its cheer and welcome to the general atmosphere -of comfort within. From the kitchen there came the sound of banjos -tinkling, and the laughter from a merry company of coloured servants, the -Christmas eve guests of Jim and Mammy Stevens. The whole house, in fact, -was keeping holiday. - -But if the appearance, viewed from the exterior, was one of brightness -and Christmas warmth, it was doubly so within. The large room, that -fronted on the bay and commanded a view from its windows of Drum Point -lighthouse and a sweep of the river, was a comfortably furnished, -old-fashioned affair; with quaint, polished furniture; mirrors that -reflected the dancing fire-light; a polished oak floor that shone almost -as bright as the mirrors; and, in one corner, a tall clock, that ticked -away in dignified and respectable fashion, as befitting a servant that -had belonged to the Warren family for a hundred years, and had descended, -as a precious heirloom, from father to son. - -From the upper panelling of the walls there hung, in festoons, some -trailing vines, ornamented with bright berries, gathered from the woods -back on the farm; and sprigs of holly also decorated the mirrors and a -few portraits of one-time members of the household. - -Edward Warren, stretched comfortably before the fire in a big chair, -gazed about the room approvingly, and then at his younger companions. - -"Well," he exclaimed, heartily, "you've saved me from spending a dull -Christmas, sure enough. What with the folks away, I don't know what I'd -have done without you. Say, can't you young fellows give us a song? We -don't want to let them make all the noise out in the kitchen." - -"Go ahead on Old Black Joe, Henry," said George Warren. "We'll all join -in." - -So Henry Burns led off on the plantation melody, and the brothers joined -in with a will. Edward Warren came in with a fine bass effect, and -altogether they did Old Black Joe in a way that almost made the faces in -the oil paintings on the wall smile. - -Then, on the second verse, the banjos in the kitchen, and a guitar that -had been added to the group, took up the refrain, and all the darkey -melody in that part of the house concentrated itself on the same tune. So -that the old house fairly rang from one end to the other with the -plantation music, and the sounds floated off on the crisp night air far -and around. - -In the midst of which, it was suddenly discovered by the others that -young Joe had disappeared from the front room, and a hurried search was -begun for the missing youth. It resulted in his discovery, in a pantry -off the dining-room, gloating over the contents of the Christmas box that -had been sent from home to the brothers. From this young Joe had -abstracted a generous slice of nut cake, which was rapidly disappearing -down his throat. - -Howls of wrath from George and Arthur Warren were united with yells of -dismay from Young Joe, as he was dragged from his hiding place, still -holding a piece of the cake in his hand, loth even then to part with the -evidence of his guilt. - -"Ow, wow!" yelled George Warren. "Pilfering from to-morrow's feast, are -you, Joey? Say, what'll we do with him, Arthur?" - -"Invite him out into the kitchen and make him eat some of those raw -oysters that Mammy Stevens has to stuff to-morrow's turkey," replied -Arthur Warren, who always had some original idea in a matter of this -kind. - -Young Joe gave another howl of dismay, and made a bolt for a side door -that led out into the yard. The mere thought of raw oysters caused him to -drop the slice of cake and consider nothing but flight. The brothers and -Henry Warren darted after him, but he slipped the catch of the door, -opened it--and, with head down, butted all unexpectedly into a thick, -short, burly man, who had been about to knock for admittance at the very -moment. - -The result was, that the stranger lost his balance and fell off the -stoop, rolling over and over on the ground. He was unhurt, for he sprang -up quickly, shook his fist at the surprised youth, and roared out in a -hoarse sea voice. - -"Confound you, for a clumsy, butting young lubber!" he cried, rubbing the -pit of his stomach, and glaring at Young Joe. "What kind of a way is that -to treat folks as comes to your door? Ain't you got eyes? If you has 'em, -why doesn't you use 'em, and not be a ramming heads into other folks's -stomachs?" - -The man, in his wrath and excitement, spoke as though there had been -several Young Joes and at least a half dozen of himself, engaged in a -most extraordinary encounter--all of which did not tend to abate the -mirth of Young Joe and his companions, who also had caught a glimpse of -the man rolling over on the lawn. - -"He has a habit of doing that," spoke up Henry Burns, in a quiet, serious -tone. "We haven't been able to break him of it ever since he was a kid. -We keep him chained up most of the time, but he just got loose." - -The man, flushing redder, turned an angry eye on Henry Burns. - -"Who asked you what was the matter?" he demanded. "You'd get chained up, -if I had you out aboard. You wouldn't be talking so smart to folks as has -their stomachs run into by a crazy, June-bug booby of a boy. I reckon the -end of a jib halliard would teach you some manners." - -The man's reply surprised Henry Burns, and interested him. He looked at -the squat, chunky figure, the big, round head with its shock of reddish -hair, and the dull gray eyes that glinted angrily at him. His retort was, -on its part, a surprise to the man. - -"Do you knock your crew down?" he asked, in a matter-of-fact way, as -though he had been merely inquiring the time of day. - -The stranger was too taken aback for a moment to reply. It was a new type -of boy to him--one who could put a query of that kind as calmly and -dispassionately as though he were a lawyer, trained to keep his temper. -Then the man advanced, with hand raised threateningly. - -"Get out of my way, you young rascals!" he said. "Where's the man as -lives in this ere house? His name's Warren, isn't it--where is he?" - -Edward Warren, who had remained in the background, amused at the unusual -situation, now stepped to the door and inquired what the man wanted. - -"I want to do some trade," replied the man. "At least, that's what I came -for, when that boy, he comes out at me like a crazy steer. I hear you -have some potatoes to sell. My name is Haley, and I'm lying off shore -there." - -He pointed with a jerk of his thumb out toward the river, evidently -intending to convey the idea--somewhat different from his words--that it -was his vessel, and not himself, that was "lying off shore." - -"Well," answered Edward Warren, "it's a time I don't usually do business, -on Christmas eve, but since you've come up, I guess you can have them. -I've got two or three barrels in the cellar. Come on out." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, muttering a retort that Christmas eve was as good -a time for buying potatoes as any other, so far as he knew, so long as he -had a chance to come and get them, followed Edward Warren away. A third -man, who had remained in the background, went along with them. It was Jim -Adams, the mate. - -The bargain was made, Haley saying that he would be back the day after -Christmas for the potatoes; whereupon he and the mate went on again up -the country road. Edward Warren returned to the house. - -"That's a rough customer, that man Haley," he remarked, as he resumed his -seat by the fire. "He's a specimen of the dredging captain that gives the -fleet a hard name." - -"The kind that knocks his men down," remarked Henry Burns. - -"That seems to have made a great impression on your mind," said Edward -Warren, turning to the boy. Henry Burns's face was serious, and he spoke -with unusual demonstrativeness for him, for he doubled up his fist and -struck the arm of his chair with it. - -"Ever since I saw that fellow knocked down," he replied, "I've wanted to -tell one of those captains what I think of it. I'd have done it to-night, -if he hadn't said he came to trade with you." - -Edward Warren laughed. "You could have told him anything you liked, for -all of me," he said. "But you chaps better turn in pretty soon. We're -going after rabbits, to-morrow forenoon, you know. Mammy Stevens makes a -rabbit saddle roast that beats turkey." - -"Great!" murmured Young Joe. - -The darkness that enveloped the old Warren homestead, when, one by one, -its lights went out and the household sank into stillness, was illumined -by brilliant starlight in the heavens. It was a glorious Christmas eve, -clear, frosty, cold--just the night a traveller on the road, warmly -dressed and well fed, might enjoy to the utmost. The wind had died down -and the night was very still. The vessels in the Patuxent swung lazily -with the tide. Now and then the sound of an untiring banjo, or guitar or -accordion, or a snatch of song, came across the black water to those that -lay nearer the Solomon's island shore. Across on the western shore, all -was still, save for the occasional barking of a dog in some farmyard. - -The bug-eye Brandt, for the convenience of its owner in going up country -after some supplies, lay nearer the latter bank of the river, though with -the usual discretion in the matter of distance--greater even than -customary, following the escape of the mulatto seaman. There was no other -craft near by. All aboard were apparently asleep, and not even a light -showed in the fore-rigging, to warn others where she lay. - -Down in the dingy forecastle, however, two persons were astir. They moved -about quietly, not to disturb the other sleepers, though the latter -slumbered heavily and would not be easily aroused. - -"Well, Jack," said the taller of the two, buttoning his coat and -proceeding to thrust his legs into a pair of oil-skin trousers, "this is -the night we celebrate, eh?" - -Jack Harvey turned a face, set with determination, toward his companion, -and answered, huskily, "Tom, old man, I'm going ashore to-night, if I -have to swim for it. Celebrate! You bet I'm going to celebrate--and so -are you. We can do it, too. I've watched and watched, and it's our -chance. Haley and Jim Adams both gone, and no one here to stop us." - -"Except the cook," interrupted Tom Edwards. - -"Let him try it!" exclaimed Jack Harvey, his face flushing angrily at the -mere suggestion. "Just let him try it! I tell you I'm going ashore -to-night, Tom Edwards, and there isn't any George Haley in Maryland that -can stop me." - -Tom Edwards slapped the boy on the shoulder. - -"That's the way to look at it, when we once start," he said. "My muscles -aren't so soft, either, as when I came aboard. I guess I could do -something on a pinch. But he's got a revolver, probably." - -Harvey shrugged his shoulders. - -"He can't stop us this time," he said. "I tell you it's Christmas eve, -and we're in luck. Haley's left us a Christmas present of that old float -and junks of fire-wood and odds and ends of stuff, in the hold; and we'll -sail ashore on it like sliding down hill. Come on." - -They went cautiously out on deck. - -"My! but it's chilly," muttered Tom Edwards, turning the collar of his -slicker up about his neck. "If we didn't have these oil-skins we'd pretty -nearly freeze to death." - -"We'll warm up when we get to work," replied Harvey. - -The two proceeded to the main hatch, through which the most of the -oysters were put into the hold, and lifted it a little. It was a huge -affair, and so heavy it took their united strength to stir it and drag it -away, so they could have access to the hold. - -"We've got to have that lantern," said Harvey, and he went and got the -one from the forecastle. Then he sprang down into the hold. - -"I'll pass the stuff up to you," he said, "and you set it down on the -deck. But look out and don't drop any." - -Hanging the lantern so he could see to work, Harvey presently passed a -piece of timber out to Tom Edwards. This was followed by several pieces -of planking, exceedingly heavy, bits of board and even some long sticks -of firewood--branches of oak that had been picked up by the crew down -along shore. It was all more or less soggy with the dampness of the hold; -some of it seemed to be completely soaked through. It nearly proved their -undoing. - -Tom Edwards, disregarding Harvey's admonition to wait till he could -assist in carrying the wood to the side of the vessel, started with a -stick of the timber. Of a sudden, a rotted edge of it crumbled and broke -away in his hands. The heavy stick slipped from his grasp and slammed -down upon the deck. The next moment Harvey leaped out on deck, in alarm. - -"Tom, that made an awful racket!" he said, anxiously. "Listen. By Jove! -we're in for it now. There's somebody stirring--it's in the cabin. Tom, -you get down into that hold quicker'n scat; and if Haley comes, you talk -to him, but don't let him see you. I'll take care of him." - -It was an odd situation, that the positions of man and boy should be -reversed at the crisis. But Tom Edwards was not the equal of Jack Harvey -in strength, and he knew it. Years of activity, at baseball, swimming, -yachting and the like, had developed Harvey into an athlete of no mean -proportions, as the muscles that played beneath his sweater denoted; Tom -Edwards had been flabby and easily winded when he came aboard the -dredger, and he had had little chance to gain strength with the bad food -that Haley provided. Now he obeyed Harvey, without a question. He sprang -into the hold, and Harvey darted back and hid behind the shadow of the -forecastle. - -They were not much too soon, nor had Harvey been deceived in the sounds -he had heard. The cook, awakened by the noise, and mindful of the parting -injunction of Hamilton Haley that the vessel and crew were in his -keeping, stepped out of the companion and looked forward. In his right -hand he held Haley's revolver. - -He started, as his eye fell upon the mass of wood heaped at the edge of -the hatchway. He advanced quickly, holding his weapon ready. At the edge -of the hatchway, he stopped and listened. Then he aimed the revolver into -the lantern light and called out, "Here you, who's down there? You're -caught. I'll shoot the first man that tries to escape." - -The answering voice of Tom Edwards came from the hold. - -"I'm down here--Tom Edwards. I'll come out, all right. Don't shoot. I'm -wedged in here, though. I can't be quick." - -"Well, the lubber!" exclaimed Haley, in surprise. "You're the last one -I'd have expected--" He broke off and stooped, to peer into the hold. - -The next moment, the cook felt himself thrown violently backwards on the -deck. The revolver was wrenched from his hand, and Jack Harvey stood over -him. - -"Don't you make any cry," muttered Harvey, "or you'll get hurt. Come on -out, Tom, I've got Mr. Haley." - -The cook, lifting himself to a sitting posture and gazing at the two in -astonishment, still sought to intimidate them. - -"Don't you go trying to escape," he said. "You'll get the worst of it. -Haley'll make trouble, and you'll be back here again inside of a week, -and you'll get it worse than ever. Besides, you can't get ashore on that -stuff." - -He changed his tone to a wheedling, mollifying one. - -"Just you go back now, like good fellows," he said, "and I'll promise -Haley I won't say a word about it. And I'll promise you the best grub you -ever tasted, all the rest of the season. There won't be anything too good -for you two." - -Harvey laughed softly. - -"It's no use," he replied. "You'll have to settle with Haley when he -finds us gone. I hope he takes it out of you, too, for the stuff you've -made us eat. Get up, now, and march aft." - -Haley, whimpering, threatening and begging by turns, obeyed orders. They -escorted him back to the cabin. In five minutes, Harvey had him tied up -as ship-shape and as securely as ever a captive was bound. They laid him -down on a bunk and left him. - -With the revolver in their possession, there was no longer need of -caution or quietness. Boldly they worked away, with the stuff from the -hold, hitching it with bits of rope and making a raft of it alongside the -vessel. They laid a flooring of the stuff and Harvey stepped on to it. To -his chagrin, the raft sank under his weight. - -"It's water-soaked!" he exclaimed to Tom Edwards, as he scrambled aboard -again. "Well, we'll lay a cross-flooring and see what that will do." - -They threw over the rest of the planks and wood, cross-wise, on the raft -they had made. Harvey again stepped on to it. - -It was, alas, little better than before. The wood, rotten and water -soaked, had scarce sufficient buoyancy to float itself, let alone support -two of them. Of its own weight, it sank so that the upper tier of wood -floated clear of the lower. - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards looked at each other, silently. Harvey's face -was drawn with disappointment. - -"Tom," he cried, desperately, "I'll take an axe and chop the old cabin of -the Brandt apart before I'll give up. Come on, we mustn't lost time." - -Tom Edwards, whose wits had been trained in years of successful business, -proved more resourceful. - -"What's the matter with using that hatch cover?" he said, pointing to it. - -Harvey stopped short and gave a roar of delight. "Tom Edwards," he cried, -"you're a daisy. I'm a simple-minded, brainless, wooden-headed, -thick-skulled land-lubber. I never thought of that hatch, and there it -was all ready to use. Here we've been working like dogs, and that old -hatch will float us ashore like a ship. Come on. In with it." - -It cost them some effort, for the hatch was a big one. But it floated -buoyantly when they had dragged it overboard; and it scarcely sank at all -under Harvey's weight; and it held him and Tom Edwards when the latter -had stepped cautiously off on to it. They made it fast alongside, with a -piece of rope cut from dredging gear. Then they ran joyously for the -cabin. - -The cook met them with a flood of protestations, but they shut him up in -short order. With the lantern light, they helped themselves to the meagre -stores of the Brandt, and stuffed their pockets with biscuit and corn -bread, baked for Haley and the mate. They also took matches, and they -exchanged their ragged oil-skins for better ones. They had earned them -ten times over, and they were leaving without a penny of wages for all -the hard labour they had done. - -"Say good-bye to Haley for me," said Tom Edwards, pausing a moment before -the helpless captive. "And tell him I hope to meet him again some day. -And if I do, he'll be sorry." - -They carried the cook into his galley, and shut him in. Then they found -an extra pair of oars, stepped aboard the inverted hatch, the finest -craft in all the world to them, and pushed for shore. - -It was not easy, sculling the clumsy hatch, but Harvey made fair work of -it, after he had cut a scull-hole in the combing, with his knife; and Tom -Edwards aided by paddling on either side, making up with energy what he -lacked in skill. The work warmed them, and they threw off their oil-skin -coats. - -The tide was running up the river and carried them some distance out of -the course they had tried to make; but they came in to land finally and -sprang out on shore. Harvey stooped and picked up a handful of the coarse -dirt and gravel, and handed it gravely to Tom Edwards. - -"Merry Christmas, Tom Edwards," he said. "It's the real thing--the -shore--the dry land once more. Isn't it bully?" - -Tom Edwards threw his arms about his stalwart companion and fairly hugged -him. - -"Harvey," he said, "you're a comrade worth having. You've stood by -through thick and thin, and you've lost chances to escape in order to -stand by me. I won't forget it." - -Harvey, freeing himself from his friend's grasp, offered his hand and -they shook heartily. They started off, but Harvey turned back once and, -seizing one of the oars, shoved the hatch out into the stream. Then he -threw the oars after it. - -"We owe Haley that much," he said--"and more. He'll have to follow the -tide up river some time before he finds that stuff. Now, Tom, what shall -we do? We're ashore--by Jove! there was one time I began to think we'd -never get here. And now we're here, I'm blest if I know what to do next." - -"Well, we'll stop and hold a council of war," said Tom Edwards. So they -paused at the top of the little bank they had ascended, adjusted their -oil-skins once more, and looked off on to the river and the vessel that -they had left behind. - -Harvey whistled a tune and looked at his comrade, jubilant in spite of -their perplexity. - -"It's a regular jim-dandy Christmas eve!" he exclaimed. - -"I'll remember it as long as ever I live," replied Tom Edwards. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - HENRY BURNS MAKES A DISCOVERY - - -It was after eleven o'clock when Harvey and Tom Edwards paused to rest -and consider what they should do. The night was very still and clear, -and, with the approach of Christmas day, there was already a perceptible -change in the temperature. It was growing milder. With that, and the -relief from their long oppression,--the sensation of being once more -free--they felt a great buoyancy of spirit. - -"I could sit right here all night," exclaimed Harvey, breathing deep and -looking off exultantly at the river. "There's the old Brandt--bad luck to -her! You can see the masts against the water, as she swings. Whew! But -we've had a time of it. I'd like to see Haley when he finds us gone, and -his hatch missing." - -"Well, you are young and tough and you may not want a place to sleep, -to-night," replied Tom Edwards; "but I don't mind saying that I do, and I -want it soon as I can get it. I'm dead tired, and I'm dead sleepy. I -wonder which one of these houses we'd better try." - -"That's what bothers me," answered Harvey. "Sam Black told me once that a -good many of these people along shore own shares in some of the dredgers, -and they'd give a sailor up, if he ran away." - -"I don't believe it," said Tom Edwards. - -"I'm not so sure he wasn't trying to keep me from trying to escape," -admitted Harvey. "I dare say some of these folks would be glad to see us -get away. Let's try that little house over there, through the trees." - -He pointed to a house a few rods up on a road that led from the shore, -and they proceeded towards it. It was all in darkness, and, indeed, -seemed almost deserted. They passed in through a half tumbling gateway, -with rotting posts on either hand, and Tom Edwards knocked at the door. - -There was no answer, and he knocked again. They heard some one stirring -within. Presently a chamber window was thrown up, and an old woman poked -her head cautiously out. - -"What do you want, this time of night?" she asked. - -"Madam, we want a night's lodging," replied Tom Edwards, removing his -tarpaulin, and making as polite an appearance as his fisherman's -oil-skins would permit. - -"Hey?" - -"A night's lodging, madam. We have left the vessel, and we haven't any -place to stop." - -"Oh, you be sailor men, eh--but you talk like a man as tried to sell me a -sewing machine once--sort of smooth like. Well, I'm a lone woman, and I -haven't any lodgings for anyone. You'll have to go along." - -"We can pay," ventured Harvey. - -The woman shook her head. - -"I've heard they do beat 'em dreadful on the dredgers, oftentimes," she -said, "and I don't know as I blame you for running off, if that's what -you've been doing. But you'll have to try somewhere's else. I guess you -couldn't pay much, by the looks of you." - -Harvey and Tom Edwards looked at each other. Tom Edwards shook his head. - -"It's no use, Jack," he said. "She won't let us in." Then he turned to -the window once more and made a sweeping bow, with his greasy tarpaulin -in hand. - -"Allow us to wish you a Merry Christmas, madam," he said. - -"Hey?" - -"A Merry Christmas, I say." - -The old woman suddenly withdrew her head from the window, and they -started to go away; but she reappeared and called to them. - -"Here," she said, "catch this." And she tossed something out of the -window. - -A coin fell at Harvey's feet, and he stooped and picked it up. It was a -quarter of a dollar. - -"If that will do you any good, you are welcome," she said. "It's all the -Christmas I can afford to give you." - -Then she shut the window. - -Harvey and Tom Edwards, amused and disappointed, passed out of the -gateway and went on. - -"Well, we're a quarter better off," laughed Harvey, untying his oil-skins -and stowing the coin away in a trousers' pocket. - -"Oh, hang the quarter!" exclaimed Tom Edwards, sleepily. "I'd give ten -dollars for a good night's lodging, a bath and a shave--that is, if I had -the ten," he added. "What shall we do, Jack?" - -"I know," replied Harvey, promptly. "I've seen a big old farmhouse, with -a lot of barns and hen-houses and cattle sheds and things, when we've -been lying off shore, and it looked mighty comfortable and home-like. -It's down the shore a piece. Let's go there. We won't ask for lodgings, -though. We'll get into one of the barns, and make ourselves comfortable. -They can't find us until morning, anyway." - -"Go ahead. I'm with you," said Tom Edwards. - -Harvey led the way, across the open country, through a series of little -hills and hollows, to the eastward of where they had landed. Tom Edwards, -wearied and burdened with the weight of the cumbersome oil-skins, -followed doggedly, nearly falling asleep as he walked. - -They came presently to the outskirts of a farm of some considerable size, -fenced in, and skirted with small trees and bushes. From the shelter of -these, they could look across some ploughed land, with the old stubble of -corn-stalks showing, to the farmhouse and out-buildings. There were, as -Harvey had noted, several of these. - -"I wonder if there are any dogs," muttered Harvey, as he surveyed the -prospect. "If there are, we're done for--unless we have better luck than -we did before." - -He gave a low whistle, not to be audible far, but which might carry in -the still night air to the buildings. Then they waited anxiously. There -was no answering bark. They stole quickly across the open fields and came -within the shadow of one of the barns. There they paused again, listening -intently for any sound that might come from the house. The place was -silent, save for the stirring of some cattle within the barn. - -This barn was one of the larger ones, evidently built for storing hay, -with a part of it used for cattle. It was nearest the farmhouse--only a -few rods distant. They made the round of three sides of it, keeping close -within the shadow of its walls, looking for a possible means of entrance. -To their disappointment, there were no windows large enough to admit of -the passage of even a boy--only some small ones, high up, that admitted -light and air for the cattle. - -At the farther end, however, they discovered two doors; the larger one on -the ground floor, used for teams and farm wagons, and, high above that, a -smaller door that opened on to the second floor, used for hoisting in -hay. The smaller door they perceived to be slightly ajar--evidently -through the oversight of some farm hand. - -Tom Edwards pointed to the door, half-heartedly. - -"Isn't that tantalizing?" he said. "Of course, it's the door that's out -of reach that's open." - -"We'll make it," replied Harvey. "Whoever heard of a farm without a -ladder of some sort?" - -They found one, after a cautious hunt, lying alongside another shed. In a -twinkling, they had raised it to the upper window, ascended, and were -inside. - -There was absolutely no way of telling where they were, save that they -were in some sort of a hay-loft, with a window at the farther end, -through which the stars gave scarcely any light at all. They ventured to -strike one match, but it gave them only a transient, shadowy view of -their surroundings; and they dared not repeat the experiment amid the dry -hay. - -There were cattle and perhaps other stock on the floor below, judging by -the sounds. There was hay scattered all about them, and a huge mow of it -on one side. There was a bucket filled with sand that Harvey discovered -by bumping his shins against it. A rope went up from this to the beam -above. Harvey knew the contrivance, for he had seen the like in barns at -home. The rope ran through a big block fastened to a beam overhead, and -passed down again from that pulley through a hole in the floor, to the -room below. There it connected, he knew, with a barred door, like a large -gate, that was used in summer nights, instead of the regular sliding -doors, to admit of a free supply of air into the barn. The rope connected -with it like a window cord, and the bucket of sand answered for the -weight. This much of their surroundings was apparent. All the rest was -hidden in darkness. - -Tom Edwards unbuttoned his oil-skin coat, removed it, and dropped upon a -little pile of hay, using the coat to cover him. - -"It's gorgeous! Jack, my boy," he exclaimed. "It beats any bed in the -Parker House in Boston. Turn in. There's room for two, and not a cent to -pay. My, but I'm tired!" - -"I'm with you," answered Harvey, "but I'll just close that door a bit -more. We haven't got much bed-clothing." - -He stepped to the door and shut it almost tight. Then he started back, -for where Tom Edwards lay. It was dark, and he could not see his way. He -took a few steps, when something impelled him to stop abruptly. The next -moment he discovered he was at the top of a pair of stairs leading down -to the lower floor. - -"Jimminy! Tom," he cried softly, "I came near taking a flying trip that -time. Here's a pair of stairs." - -He retraced his steps a little, and stumbled against a pitchfork, that -was leaning against the side of the barn. - -"Tom," he laughed, "where are you, anyway? This is the easiest place to -get lost in I ever saw." - -Before Tom Edwards had opportunity to reply, Harvey had taken a few more -steps in the darkness. Then Tom Edwards heard him utter a startled, -frightened, half-smothered cry. There was a queer, scraping sound, and a -heavy thud somewhere on the floor below. - -Tom Edwards sprang to his feet, in alarm. - -"Jack," he cried, "what's the matter? What's happened?" - -There was no answer. He groped his way across the floor. - -"Jack," he called again, anxiously, "where are you? What's happened? Are -you hurt?" - -He peered into the darkness, and listened. Then he heard the frightened -whinny of a horse, followed by a clatter of hoofs on the barn floor. Tom -Edwards made his way in the darkness to the top of the stairs. - -"Jack, Jack," he called. - -To his inexpressible relief, the voice of Harvey came up to him; then the -vague figure of Harvey, himself, ascending the stairway. He was limping, -but taking two stairs at a jump. - -Tom Edwards seized him by an arm as he arrived at the top. - -"Good gracious, my boy, what happened?" he asked. - -Harvey gasped. - -"I'm more scared than hurt, I guess," he said, panting for breath. -"Cracky! How I did go. Dropped down one of the chutes that they feed the -hay down into the stalls through. It was all over in a minute. I thought -I was going clear to China, and then I struck and landed in a manger. -Scared? You bet! But the horse in that stall was scared worse than I was. -He gave a snort and jumped to his feet, broke his halter and cleared out -of that stall quicker than scat. There he goes about the stable, making a -racket to wake the whole farm. I've done it, I expect. Say, Tom, we've -got to hide, and hide quick." - -"Where'll we go--down the ladder and make a run for it?" asked Tom -Edwards. - -"I can't do it," answered Harvey. "I've got a bad ankle. I know what. -Where's that pitchfork?" - -He groped his way cautiously to the side of the barn, and had the good -fortune to put his hand on the handle of the fork. - -"Lie down there again, Tom," he said. "I'll heap the hay over you. Here, -take my coat, too. I'll cover you, and then I'll go up the rope. I can -climb, if I can't run." - -Tom Edwards, confused by the sudden turn of affairs, obeyed instructions. -Harvey hurriedly pitched a quantity of the loose hay over the form of his -friend, pressed it down until Tom Edwards begged for mercy, vowing he -should smother, then tossed the pitchfork aside. Grasping the rope, -Harvey went rapidly up, hand-over-hand, until he could seize the beam. He -drew himself up, caught one leg over the beam and swung himself astride -of it. Then he stretched himself out at length upon the beam, holding to -the block for safety. It was an easy accomplishment for him. He had done -a similar feat in the gymnasium at home a hundred times; and the fear of -discovery now lent him strength which made little account of the extra -weight of clothing that encumbered him. It was dusty and uncomfortable on -the great beam, but he could stick. - -Sometime after midnight, Henry Burns and young Joe Warren, asleep in that -corner room of the old Warren house that was nearest the big barn, awoke -suddenly. Of one accord, the two sat bolt upright in bed and wondered if -the house were tumbling down about their heads. Then they realized that -the noise was outside the house--a most extraordinary racket, as of a -stampede of cattle, or a horse galloping through a covered bridge at full -speed. They sprang out of bed and ran to the window. - -Henry Burns laughed. - -"It's all right, Joey," he said. "It isn't an earthquake nor a cyclone. I -thought we were all going in a heap for a moment, though. It's out in the -barn--one of the horses got loose, I guess." - -They heard sounds of stirring in the room opposite, and presently Edward -Warren called out to them. - -"Don't be scared, boys," he said. "It's old Billy, got loose, somehow. -Funny, too, I hitched him all right last night. What on earth is the -matter with him? He's scared at something, sure. I reckon it isn't -thieves, for they don't steal horses around here. I'll have a look pretty -quick, though. There's something wrong." - -"Come on, Joe," said Henry Burns. "Let's see what's the matter." - -But Young Joe was not eager. He yawned and returned to bed. Henry Burns -dressed and hurried out into the hall. A few moments later, Edward -Warren, carrying a lantern, and George and Arthur Warren and Henry Burns -made their way out of the back door and entered the barn at the door -facing the house. - -As they threw open the sliding door and entered, with the lighted -lantern, the whinny of a horse greeted them. Then old Billy, recognizing -his master's voice, came ambling up and thrust his nose into Edward -Warren's hand. - -Edward Warren gave an exclamation of surprise. - -"That's queer," he said. "Look at that halter. If he hasn't broken it -short off. I never knew him to do that before. What's the matter, -Billy--had bad dreams?" - -"You don't think anybody has broken into the barn?" suggested George -Warren, peering into the dancing shadows cast by the lantern. - -"Oh, no," replied Edward Warren. "I never knew that to happen here. This -door was fastened, and so is the one at the farther end." He held the -lantern aloft and threw the light across the barn. "That's fastened up -tight," he said. - -"Come on, Billy," continued Edward Warren, "I'll hitch you up again. -Confound you, old scamp, what do you mean by acting this way?" - -The horse, led by his master, followed quietly; but at the entrance to -the stall he stopped and danced about, trembling. It was with difficulty -that he was dragged to the manger and hitched up. - -"That's queer, sure enough," said Edward Warren. "There's something about -that manger he acts afraid of. I'll just step up-stairs, pitch him down a -feed of hay, and quiet him." - -He took the lantern and ascended to the floor above, leaving the boys in -darkness. - -Jack Harvey, stretched at length on the beam, heard the footsteps, with -alarm. Peering down, he caught the gleam of the lantern. He clung rigidly -on his perch, till every bone and muscle in his body seemed to be aching. -He saw the man hunt for his pitchfork, heard him remark impatiently when -he did not see it in its place against the wall; saw him pick it up from -another part of the loft, on the floor. Then, to his dismay, he saw the -man turn toward the pile of hay that he had thrown over Tom Edwards. - -But the man stopped, gathered up a fork-full from the floor and thrust it -down the chute. - -"That will be enough to quiet the old boy," he muttered, and departed -down the stairs. Harvey felt a shiver of relief run through him. - -"Lucky I closed that door," he muttered. "If he'd gone to that and seen -the ladder, we'd have been done for." - -A few minutes later, the little party from the house had shut and locked -the barn door again and returned to their beds. Harvey, stiff in every -joint, managed to slide down the rope into the arms of Tom Edwards. A -moment more, and they were both snug in the hay, exhausted but thankful. - -Sleep soon overtook them, and they rested till the morning light came in -through the window. Then they aroused and scurried down the ladder, -setting off on as brisk a run as Harvey could manage with his lame ankle, -across the fields to the woods, without stopping to remove the ladder. - -"That was a close call, Tom," gasped Harvey, as they rested a half hour -later. "Supposing they had caught us? We'd be in the town lock-up, like -as not." - -Later that morning, a group of boys stood with Edward Warren, gazing at -the ladder raised to the upper barn door. - -"And only to think there was somebody in there all the time," said Henry -Burns. "Too bad you didn't catch them, Mr. Warren. What do you suppose -they wanted?" - -"Tramps," replied Edward Warren, "and old Billy didn't like 'em." - -Christmas day came in warm and genial. It was a wonderful day for winter, -even in Maryland. The party went into the woods and fields in the -morning, and returned with game for Mammy Stevens to roast. The Christmas -dinner followed. Young Joe dragged himself from the dinner table, fairly -groaning with his cargo of good things. The others were hardly better -off. They stood together on the Warren verandah. - -"Well, what shall it be?" inquired Edward Warren. "Anything you chaps -say, you know. Got enough gunning?" - -They demurred. - -"Couldn't walk half a mile after that dinner," said George Warren. - -Even Henry Burns declared himself unequal to so much activity, though he -was ever the last to tire or balk at exertion, being slight and wiry and -surprisingly strong. - -"How about a sail?" ventured Edward Warren. - -To his surprise, a shout of approval answered him. - -"Oh, I forgot you chaps were sailors," he said. "I didn't think you'd -venture it on a winter day. You sail up in your bay, summers, don't you?" - -"I should say we did," answered George Warren. "Jack Harvey and Henry -here own a fine yacht together. Jack Harvey's gone to Europe this winter. -And we fellows have a craft of our own, too. We keep them going lively in -summer. We'd just like to try that canoe of yours, Ed. Do you mean it?" - -"Why, certainly," said Edward Warren. "She's all ready; nothing to do but -get sail on, and go. I keep her moored in the cove, to run over to Drum -Point occasionally in, and to Solomon's Island. It's a fine afternoon for -a sail, if you get some oil-skins on. They keep the cold wind out." - -Edward Warren had made the proposal half in fun; but the opportunity for -a sail on a Christmas day such as this was not to be lost by the Warren -brothers and Henry Burns, who were, indeed, enthusiastic yachtsmen. The -novelty of a sail in winter, too, appealed to them. They lost no time in -equipping themselves with oil-skins and heavy jackets, provided by Edward -Warren, and soon the entire party was down by the shore. - -"She's no fancy yacht," said Edward Warren, pointing to the canoe drawn -in to the bank and moored with a line carried up and hitched to a tree, -"but she can go some. She's won many a touch-and-go race up and down this -river with different fleets of tong-men, if she hasn't got any silver -cups to show for it." - -The canoe, a craft of about twenty feet in length and narrow, after the -type of canoe common to Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, and carrying two -leg-o'-mutton sails and a jib, was not exactly a handsome boat, to be -sure. It was built of planking and finished up rather roughly, for use in -oystering; but it had, for all that, lines that denoted speed, and the -boys were eager to be off in it. They scrambled aboard, got up sails on -the slender, raking masts, and, with Edward Warren at the tiller, darted -across the river. - -It was remarkable, in the eyes of the youths accustomed to a type of -craft altogether different, how the narrow, crank looking canoe stood up -so stiffly, withstood the wind flaws and sailed so well. Some tongmen -came down the river presently, and Edward Warren joined their little -fleet, stood along with them, and drew ahead of them all. It was evident, -as he had said, that he had a fast canoe. - -"How would she behave out in the bay?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Fine as a ship," answered Edward Warren. "The men around here cross the -bay in them in pretty rough weather. We'll go out and take a few seas, -and let you see how cleverly she rides." - -They headed out toward the mouth of the river, passed beyond the -lighthouse, into the open waters of the bay. It was not rough, but there -was some sea running. The canoe weathered it all surprisingly. They -followed up the shore of the bay for a mile or two. - -Time passed quickly, and it was late in the afternoon when they left the -light on their starboard hand in running back again. Edward Warren looked -at his crew and laughed. - -"You stood it well," he said. "But you're a frozen looking lot, for all -that. Winter's a chilly time for yachting, at its best. I tell you what -we'll do. Do you see that house up on the hill? My old friend, Will -Adams, lives there all alone. He'll be pleased enough to see us. We'll -just stand in and land and make him a call, get some coffee and thaw out -by his fire before we run home." - -He turned the canoe in and ran up to a little landing not far from the -Drum Point lighthouse; they disembarked and walked briskly up the hill. A -young man of about thirty, standing in the doorway of the big house they -were approaching, hailed them as they drew near. - -"Hello, Ed," he called cheerily, "I saw you out on the river. Got a crew -with you, eh? Pretty cold yachting for a raw crew, isn't it? Come in, I'm -glad to see you. There's a good fire going. Cousins, you say, and Henry -Burns--all from Maine. I'm glad to meet you all. Take off your duds. -You'll stay to supper with me, you know. It's a dull life I lead here, -and I'm glad to have company." - -There was no doubt of the heartiness and sincerity of his welcome. There -was cordiality in his voice, and a genial smile on his face. He was a -large, powerfully built man, hearty and free in all his actions and -words. The boys threw off their outer garments, and gathered about the -open fire in the sitting-room. - -Edward Warren was for getting home before dark, but Will Adams wouldn't -hear of it. He started the two servants on an early supper, and his -guests sat down to table with him, an hour later, enjoying the best that -his house afforded. - -"I don't have much company, nowadays," he explained, as he sat offering -them his hospitality in the cheery dining-room. "I lead rather a lonely -life, in fact. About the only strangers that come to my door are a few -poor fellows from off the dredgers--got clear by hook or crook, and -coming begging, rousing me up at all hours of the night, asking a night's -shelter or a dollar to get up the bay with." - -Henry Burns listened eagerly. - -"Are there many that get away when they're beaten?" he asked. - -Will Adams paused a moment, while his face darkened. - -"There's some that get away," he answered, "who never come farther ashore -than just beyond the reach of the tide. Down on that shore yonder there's -eight of the poor chaps buried. They were washed ashore, and we found -them. Some of them had the marks that showed they had been knocked -overboard--beaten--abused shamefully. That's the way some of them escape. - -"Others do get away, with never a cent in their pockets, half starved and -half clad. I help a few of them along. - -"Sometimes in the still summer nights, I hear a man crying for mercy out -aboard a dredger. I know what's happening to him--tied up to the mast and -getting a lashing. Sometimes an entire vessel's crew is beaten up, by the -captains and mates of four or five vessels that work together. Hard life? -Well, it's about the hardest I know of. - -"You wouldn't think a man would swim ashore on a winter night, half a -mile or more, in water you could hardly bear your hand in? Well, I've -known them to do that. Had one come the other night. He was nearly dead -when he got here--say, that was the queerest of all. He brought a note -ashore, in his cap, and lost the cap down by the shore; and I had to go -out with a lantern and find the cap for him, to keep him from going back, -half dead as he was. I'm going to give that note to the authorities. I'll -show it to you, if you've any curiosity." - -Will Adams arose and went to a desk, took therefrom a sheet of paper on -which he had pasted three other torn pieces, and handed it to Edward -Warren. The latter took it, ran his eye over it hastily, then sat up and -read it again slowly. - -"Well, that's queer," he exclaimed. "What does that say? 'Send word to -Benton,'--Benton! Why, that's where these youngsters come from. What is -this--a joke? Look at that, Henry. Come around here, George. It's a joke, -or it's the oddest thing that ever happened." - -Henry Burns took the sheet and deciphered the message. He held it for a -moment, as though he could not believe what he read. Then he handed it to -George Warren and said, calmly and deliberately, "It's from Jack Harvey, -George. He hasn't gone to Europe. He's out on that man Haley's dredger." - -One unacquainted with Henry Burns might have thought, by his voice and -his deliberation, that he was strangely unmoved at his astounding -discovery. George Warren, who had known him for years, knew by that same -unusual deliberation, by the set look of his face, and by his eyes, that -something extraordinary had aroused him. - -George Warren gave one glance at the paper, and uttered a cry that rang -through the rooms:-- - -"Jack Harvey! Carried off on a dredger, Arthur. What do you think of -that? Why, he's our friend, Mr. Adams. He's from Benton, where we live. -We've got to hunt for him? What'll we do?" - -"Haley, Haley," repeated Edward Warren, "where have I seen him? Why, of -course, that fellow that came for the potatoes. You fellows remember him. -His vessel was off shore. Will, I think we can get that fellow to-night. -What do you say?" - -"No, you can't--not to-night," said Henry Burns, in a tone of deep -disappointment; "I saw him get under weigh from Solomon's Island just as -we came back into the river, not more than two hours ago. He's gone down -the bay somewhere. I know the craft. I took notice of it this morning, on -account of that trouble at the house the night before, when Joe ran into -him." - -"George," he added, "don't things happen queer, though? Jack out aboard a -dredger--and we close by, all the time he's been off there. And we -thought he was in Europe! And to think that he's been trapped by the very -man we fell in with--that brute, Haley." - -Henry Burns turned to Edward Warren and Will Adams. "What can you do?" he -asked. "We've got to get Jack off quick. How are we going to do it?" - -"Well, sit down here," answered Will Adams. "We'll talk it over." - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - HARVEY MEETS WITH A LOSS - - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards had made good their escape--escape from their -own friends. Alas, they knew not how near they had been to the end of all -their troubles. As it was, now that they were out of sight and sound of -the farmhouse, the whole adventure seemed amusing. Harvey leaned against -a tree and roared with laughter. - -"You're a sight!" he exclaimed to his companion. "I'd like to see you -walk into a store now and try to sell a man some goods. Oh, but I'm -winded. How we did scoot." - -Tom Edwards was, indeed, nearly used up, from the dash across the fields. -His shabby garments were covered with wisps of hay and straw; his very -hair was filled with it. His face was stained with the dust of the -hay-mow and the exertion of running. Altogether, he looked not unlike -some huge fowl, half plucked, with short feathers sticking out here and -there. His shoes, much worn and breaking through, were miry with the soil -of the corn field. He looked himself over, as Harvey spoke, and a grim -smile overspread his face. - -"I nearly died under all that hay," he said. "And when that chap came -into the mow and walked toward me, I had to hold in with might and main -to keep from letting out the biggest yell I ever gave in my life. I -expected that pitchfork to go into my leg every minute. If it had, -there'd have been one scared farmer in Maryland, I tell you." - -Harvey roared again. Then his face grew serious. - -"Poor old Tom!" he exclaimed. "You've had the hardest time of it right -along. I thought, one time, you wouldn't stand the winter at the dredges. -Well, we're through now, though. Lucky I saved that money. We'll get down -to the shore, and find out about the boat. Then, hooray for Baltimore!" - -"And after Haley!" added Tom Edwards, emphatically. "I'm going to put him -where he belongs." - -"And I'm going to put this where it belongs," remarked Harvey, drawing -forth a biscuit, from his pocket. "I'm hungry enough to eat some of that -hay, back in the barn. Here's a piece of corn bread, too. It's good, if -George Haley did cook it. It wasn't meant for the crew, that's why." - -Tom Edwards producing other of the food taken from the Brandt, they made -a breakfast in the open, without stopping to build a fire; and they -quenched their thirst from the water of a little stream that trickled -down through the wood. - -"This will do well enough for now," said Tom Edwards, as he bolted a -piece of biscuit, hungrily; "but just you wait till we get into -civilization once more, Jack, old fellow. I'm going to take you to Boston -with me, and we'll go to the best hotel there, and I'll order a big -sirloin steak as thick as your two hands, and we'll sit and eat till we -choke." - -"Hooray!" mumbled Harvey, biting into a piece of corn bread; "isn't it -good to be free?" - -When they had eaten, they started back into the country, on a long dtour -to avoid the farmhouse, to make their way to the shore in the -neighbourhood of the steamboat landing. They walked across a somewhat -uneven country, broken here and there by little streams that flowed down -into the creeks that cut into the shore line. Some of these were frozen -so as to bear their weight; others had open water, so they were forced to -walk some distance in order to find a crossing place. Once they ascended -a hill of perhaps a hundred feet, from which they could see the -surrounding country and the river, plainly. - -There were several smaller hills lying to the eastward of this, between -one of which a stream of some considerable size ran down into a large -creek above Millstone landing. They could see the farmhouse from this -hill; and, with the coming in of the morning, they saw a sight that -thrilled them--that made them burn with exultation--the bug-eye Brandt, -making sail and going across the harbour to Solomon's Island. They -watched the craft with satisfaction for a long time. Then they slowly -descended the hill in the direction of the landing. - -Crossing more uneven country, Harvey and Tom Edwards came finally into a -road that trended down toward the shore. They followed that for about -three quarters of a mile, till another road crossed it at right angles. -At this point, they espied, coming down the road that intersected the one -they were on, a man, carrying a gunny sack over one shoulder. They -halted, and waited for him to come up. - -The man was ill favoured, roughly dressed, stooping and almost stealthy -in his gait, looking about him from side to side. As he approached, he -eyed them slyly out of the corners of a pair of sharp, black eyes, -turning his head and giving them no direct glance. He would have passed -them without speaking, but Tom Edwards hailed him. - -"Can you tell us what time the boat will go up the river to-day, sir?" he -asked. - -The man stopped, lowered his sack to the ground, and stood, darting -glances at them, without replying for a moment. Then he answered, curtly, -"'Twon't go up at all to-day." - -Tom Edwards and Harvey looked at each other, with keenest disappointment -on their faces. - -"When will it go up?" continued Tom Edwards. - -"Day after to-morrow--it will, if the weather's right. If it isn't, it -won't. Where d'yer want to go?" - -"We want to go to Baltimore," replied Tom Edwards; and added, by way of -explanation, "we've come ashore from a vessel." - -"Hmph!" ejaculated the stranger. "Reckon you'll stay right here to-day." -He eyed them shrewdly for a moment, in silence. Then he said, "Off a -vessel, eh? You ain't flush with money, then. Couldn't pay for a night's -lodging, I suppose." - -"Yes, we can," answered Harvey, promptly. "We haven't got much money, but -we can pay for that, and for a dinner, too. Do you know where we can get -it?" - -The man's appearance bespoke poor hospitality that he might have to -offer; but they had met with ill success, in seeking shelter, and -anything would be better than a night in the fields. - -"Hm! What might you be willing to pay for keeping you over a night, with -meals?" inquired the man, casting doubtful glances at their shabby, -mud-stained clothing. - -Harvey looked at Tom Edwards. The latter made answer. - -"We'll give you a dollar for dinner, supper, night's lodging and a -breakfast to-morrow," he said. "Then we'll see about what we'll do." - -The man's eyes twinkled shrewdly. - -"Make it two, and it's a bargain," he said. - -"All right," said Harvey. - -"Well, I'm going down to the shore," said the man, "and I'll be back this -way. You can come along, or wait for me here. I won't be gone long." - -"We'll wait for you," replied Tom Edwards. - -The man shambled off down the road toward the landing. - -"It doesn't look very inviting," said Tom Edwards, as their new-found -host went on his way, "but we've got to take what we can get. We'll make -up for it when we get to Baltimore." - -The man's promise to be back soon was not fulfilled, for it was more than -an hour before they saw him returning. He was burdened, however, with the -weight of the sack, which he had evidently been to the warehouse to fill. -He set it down as he came up to them, and Harvey offered to carry it a -way for him--an offer which was accepted promptly. - -"I'm not so spry as I used to be," he remarked; "and you're young and -rugged." - -He started up along the road he had first come, and the two followed, -Harvey carrying the sack, which proved to be filled with potatoes. They -proceeded for about half a mile, when Harvey, wearied with his load, -inquired how much farther they had to go. - -"Oh, just a leetle piece," responded the man, cheerfully. He did not -offer to relieve Harvey of the sack, however. The "leetle piece" proved -to be fully a half mile more, when the man turned from the road and -followed a wheel track through the fields. They proceeded along that for -about a quarter of a mile. - -"I guess I'll stop and rest for a minute," said Harvey presently. "This -sack is pretty heavy." - -"Sho!" exclaimed the man. "You've been carrying it a long way, haven't -you? I'll take it the rest of the way." - -He gave a grin, as he spoke, the reason for which was soon apparent. They -had gone on for only a rod or two more when they espied, in a clump of -trees, a dingy, weather-beaten house. It was of one story in height, -leaning over at an angle that threatened its complete collapse at no -distant day. The hearts of Tom Edwards and Jack Harvey sank. It was not a -pleasant prospect for Christmas. - -Throwing open the door, the man invited them to enter. They found -themselves within a shabby room, bare of furnishing, save a wooden table, -some chairs, strengthened with pieces of board, and a horse hair sofa in -one corner, the springs of which had broken through and were touching the -floor. - -"You're welcome, misters," said the man, "to such as it is. It ain't -nothing to boast of, but it's a sight better than some dredgers I've -seen. Had breakfast?" - -Harvey nodded. The place left him little appetite. - -It was some time before the man spoke again. He seemed to be considering -something. Then he said, somewhat hesitatingly, "Misters, I know as how -you are all right, by the looks of you--sailors, eh, but not such as -would take advantage of a poor man. But bein' as you are strangers, why -it will have to be pay in advance--and no offence intended. Besides, I -don't keep much on hand, as I live alone; and I'll have to go along up -the road a piece, and buy a bit of meat." - -Harvey was prepared for it. In the absence of the man on his errand to -the warehouse, he had carefully withdrawn four one dollar bills from the -money pinned into his clothing, and now he had the two dollars ready. He -handed them over. - -The man snatched the money greedily, while his eyes twinkled. He took -down his slouch hat from a peg, and prepared to be off again. - -"Will you make yourselves at home, misters," he said, more deferentially -than before. "I'll be after a bit of meat for dinner. The old house isn't -much to look at, but it don't leak rain, and it's warm. You keep the fire -going, and I'll promise you'll have a dinner that beats dredgin' grub by -a long sight." - -He went out and left them alone. They sat for a moment in silence. Then -Harvey laughed, as he surveyed the dingy room. - -"Merry Christmas! Tom," he said. - -It was Tom Edwards's turn to smile now. - -"The same to you, Jack, old boy," he exclaimed, heartily. "I guess the -old cove is right, after all. It does beat Haley's dredger--but not by -such a big margin." - -They explored the ramshackle house, together. There was a room opening -off the one they were in, a sleeping room, with a rough cot in it that -might accommodate two, on a pinch. A wood-shed led off from the first -room, also. That was the extent of the cabin. They returned to the living -room, which, with a small cook-stove set up in it, answered for -dining-room, parlour, and kitchen in one. They replenished the fire-pot -with wood, from a box, and stretched themselves out at length on the -floor beside the fire. The room was at least warm, and they were still -weary from lack of sleep. - -The hours passed, and it was near noon when they heard the returning -footsteps of their host. He came in and busied himself with preparations -for dinner, setting out a coffee pot on top of the stove and cutting some -strips of bacon to fry in a pan. He took from a closet a few cold boiled -potatoes, and sliced these into the pan, with the bacon. - -That was their Christmas dinner; but they were hungry, and ate heartily. -Toward the end of the meal, their host eyed them slyly, but critically. -He noted their clothing, their shoes, even the wisps of hay still -clinging to their hair. He arose and pretended to be busy about the fire, -but cast sidelong glances at them. - -"I heard that there were tramps got into Warren's barn, over yonder, last -night," he said, in a matter-of-fact tone. "We don't have much of that -around here. Neighbour Darrell says Warren would give a dollar, and -perhaps more, to catch them. But I says, 'Probably the poor fellows -didn't have nowheres else to go, and I wouldn't tell on 'em, if I knew -where they were.'" - -Again the man stole a stealthy glance at his guests. - -"I wouldn't take money for that," he added, "though I reckon it would be -worth a dollar to the chaps, themselves, to keep out of the lock-up." - -Harvey, and Tom Edwards exchanged significant glances. It was only too -clear what their host was driving at. But Harvey waited for some time -before he yielded. It was half an hour later, when they had finished -dinner and were sitting by the fire, that he met the sly demand. - -"Look here," he said, suddenly, as though the thought had just struck -him, "you're giving us the best you can, and we haven't paid you enough. -Here's another dollar. I'd give more than that, if we could afford it." - -He held out the dollar. The man took it, eyed it avariciously and stuffed -it into a pocket. - -"I wouldn't take it if I wasn't as poor as poverty," he said. - -Late that afternoon, he took down his hat and said he would go "up the -road" again, and be back shortly. They watched him till he was out of -sight. Then Tom Edwards turned to Harvey, his face clouded with anger. - -"Jack," he said, "we've got to get out of here, and now's our chance. I -wouldn't trust that old rascal another minute. He may be lying about the -lock-up he spoke of--I don't believe there's one for miles around. But -he'd sell us to the first captain that came along. What do you think?" - -Jack Harvey nodded, wearily. - -"You're right," he said. "It's a beastly shame, though. I want a night's -sleep. But we can't get away from here any too soon, I'm thinking. Come -on. Let's bolt." - -They started off, running along the wheel track, and thence down the road -they had come before. It was already growing dark, and their hearts sank, -as they hurried on, wondering anxiously where they should spend the -night. - -They followed the road down to the landing, because they knew not where -else to go. They came finally to the wharf, with its warehouse at the -farther end. This was shut fast, and no sign of life about it. They sat -down for a moment, to rest. - -"Well?" queried Harvey, "what do you think?" - -"Try another farmhouse?" suggested Tom Edwards. - -"I'm scared to do it," replied Harvey. "There's an old barn, or factory -of some sort over yonder, however, that looks deserted. Anything will do -for a night. Let's go and see." - -They made their way over to the eastward of the wharf, for a distance of -several rods, and came up to an old canning factory, which had been some -time out of use and was closed. They forced the shutter of a window and -entered, finding themselves almost in darkness. - -What sort of a place they were in, what it consisted of, and whatever -accommodations it might afford them for a night's lodging, they had no -means of finding out. They had only a few matches, and these would serve -them but little. They feared to wander about, lest some rotten timbers -should let them through to the cellar, or whatever might be beneath. The -single match they lighted sufficed to show them all they needed. - -The little patch of light fell upon a litter of old straw, as though from -packing boxes of some sort. Tired and sleepy, they crept into this, -devoured the remaining biscuits they had in their pockets from the -Brandt's cabin, and fell sound asleep. - -Both awoke shivering, the following morning, for there had been scant -covering to their bed, and the building was cold. They hastened out into -the sunshine, going around to the southern exposure of the cannery, where -the warmth was greatest. Again, Harvey took the precaution of dividing -the money in his small and very private bank, drawing on the account -pinned to his undershirt, for three dollars, leaving fourteen thus -secured. - -He had hardly accomplished this transfer when they heard voices, and -three men came past the corner of the old cannery, going off to the right -in the direction of a great creek. Harvey halted them, with a call, and -they turned in surprise. They were negroes, and evidently oystermen of -some sort. - -"Hello, what be you two doing here?" inquired one of them, who seemed by -his manner to be the leader of the three. - -"We want to get to Baltimore," replied Harvey. - -The man shook his head. - -"Boat don't go to-day," he said. - -"We want something to eat," said Tom Edwards. "You fellows got anything -to sell?" - -"Mebbe a little bread, and sure enough some oysters," answered the man. -"They's down 'board the boat, though. You'll have to come and get 'em." - -The three negroes started on again, Tom Edwards and Harvey following. The -three apparently paid no more attention to Harvey and his companion--at -least, they did not arouse the suspicion of the two. Nevertheless, one by -one, as they walked along, the three turned and looked the strangers -over. Then they conversed together, softly, but with more than ordinary -interest. - -Arrived at the creek, there appeared a great canoe drawn up to shore, -with perhaps a bushel of oysters lying in a heap in the bottom. It was a -canoe of unusual size, at least twenty-four feet long, and broad of beam. -The man who had spoken handed over to Tom Edwards half a loaf of bread, -while another of the men began shucking some of the oysters. He passed -these to them, and they devoured them hungrily. - -"You want to go to Baltimore right away?" asked the negro, suddenly, -turning to Tom Edwards. - -"Quick as we can get there." - -"Jim," said the man, addressing one of his companions, "what time this -afternoon does that Potomac river steamer get 'round to Otter Point?" - -"About five o'clock," answered the man promptly. - -"You know Otter Point?" asked the first man, of Tom Edwards. - -The latter shook his head. - -"I know," said Harvey. "It's a long way down." - -"'Bout eighteen miles," said the negro. "Good offshore wind this fo'noon; -take you down in 'bout three hours, you catch the afternoon steamer, get -you into Baltimore to-morrow mo'ning." - -"How much will you charge?" - -"Guess it's worth 'bout a dollar." - -"What do you say, Tom?" asked Harvey. - -"I say, let's go," answered Tom Edwards. - -"All right," said Harvey. "When will you start?" - -"Jes' as soon as you get aboard," replied the negro. - -Harvey handed a dollar to the man, and they stepped into the canoe. The -men shoved off, the sails were set and the canoe glided out of the creek, -through a narrow opening, into the bay. There was a smart breeze coming -up, off the land; and the canoe, with the wind about abeam, headed down -along shore. It was fast, and they made good time. Some three hours -later, at about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, they ran between two -points of land, into a creek that spread out broadly for over a mile in -width, and extended northward for some three miles. - -They ran for something like a mile northwesterly, and turned into one of -the numberless coves, to where a small cabin stood, a little way back -from shore. The country round about was desolate. There was not another -sign of habitation in sight. - -They went up to the cabin, with the three negroes, and entered. It was a -mere fisherman's shack, with some bunks on two sides, filled with hay for -bedding. A cook stove warmed it. There was a table in the middle of the -floor, with some empty boxes to serve as seats. - -Despite the barrenness of it, however, Harvey and Tom Edwards made a good -dinner, about two hours later, of fried fish and bread and hot coffee. - -They were in good spirits, when they stood, at a quarter to five that -afternoon, at Otter Point, awaiting the steamer. - -But there was no wharf there--nothing but a rude framework of poles, at -which a small boat might moor. - -Harvey turned to their one companion, in surprise. - -"A steamer can't land here," he exclaimed. - -The leader of the three negroes, who had accompanied them from the cabin, -answered, with assurance. - -"The landing was over yonder," he said. "It was carried away, and they -just puts folks ashore and takes them on here. We has to send a boat -off." He took out a pipe and began smoking stolidly. - -Five o'clock came--and six--and there was no steamer. Night had settled -down. The negro answered their questions by asserting that "something -mus' have hap'nd; that boat was always on time befo'." - -They waited a little while longer, with fast dying hopes. It was all -guesswork to them. They could not know that, at six o'clock in the -evening, by its schedule, the Potomac river steamer bound for Baltimore -was twenty miles back on its course, coming out of St. Mary River, into -the Potomac; that it never did stop at the creek where they were -anxiously waiting, and that it would go by sometime in the night. At -half-past six o'clock they gave it up and rowed back with the negro, in a -skiff, to the cabin. - -"Jack," said Tom Edwards, as they turned in for the night, in bunks, one -above the other, "I'm afraid they've played a trick on us, though I don't -know what for. I don't like the looks of this place." - -"Nor I," said Harvey. "I'm going to keep awake for an hour or two, and -watch. I've got Haley's revolver." He took it from his pocket and hid it -in the straw under his head. "We'll be ready for them, anyway," he -muttered. - -But they had reckoned without their weariness. In less than an hour, they -were both fast asleep. - -Nothing evil befell throughout the night, however. The morning found them -undisturbed. The negroes were stirring, and the odour of cooking brought -them to their feet, hungry and refreshed. - -That day seemed endless. There would be no boat up river until -to-morrow, they were now assured. They could only wait. They were -suspicious--alarmed. The place was so out of the way, and so dreary. But -they decided to wait the one more day, and then, if no boat came, to -strike off across country for themselves. - -Harvey slept soundly that next night, for several hours. Then -something--he knew not what--roused him. He stirred sleepily, half awoke -and turned in his bunk. A figure stole away from him, in the darkness, -toward the door. It is probable that Harvey would have relapsed into -sound slumber once more had he not felt cold. He awoke, shivering, and -felt a draft of cold night air blowing in on him. Then he saw a patch of -moonlight streaming in through the half-opened door. - -Harvey, fully dressed, as he had turned in, rolled out of the bunk and -stepped to the door. Some distance away, two men were going down to the -shore. The next thing he saw sent the blood leaping through his veins. -Out in the creek, the moonlight was reflected on the sail of a bug-eye. -It was rounding to, coming up into the wind. Harvey darted back into the -cabin and awoke Tom Edwards, shaking him vigorously. - -"Tom, get up, quick!" he said; and dragged him from where he lay. - -"There's a vessel coming in, Tom," he cried, "and the men from here are -going down to meet it. They're after us--that's what. Tom, we'll be sold -again to a dredger if we don't get out of here. That's what they got us -down for." - -They had, fortunately, no clothing to put on, for they had turned in -dressed, even to their shoes. They waited only for a moment, snatching up -some pieces of dry bread that remained on the table from the supper. Then -they hurried out of the door. - -They were not a moment too soon. Perhaps the third man had been about the -cabin somewhere and had given the alarm. As they stepped outside, the -three negroes came plainly into sight, in the moonlight, armed with short -poles which they brandished as clubs, running back toward them and crying -out for them to halt. - -There was a sharp surprise for the three, however. Tom Edwards, made -desperate by the crisis, had drawn a fish knife that he had taken from -the cabin of the Brandt; Jack Harvey stood coolly in his tracks, holding -Haley's revolver. - -"Stand back there, or I'll shoot," he cried. - -The negroes stopped short and stood, holding their clubs in hand. They -were clearly taken all by surprise. The leader, balked of his prize money -for two able-bodied men for the dredger, was not to be beaten, off-hand, -however. His eyes flashed with anger, as he advanced a step. - -"That thing isn't loaded," he asserted. "You can't fool us. It won't -shoot." - -"Won't it?" said Harvey. "Let's see." He raised the weapon, aiming it -over the man's head, and pulled the trigger. The report of the weapon -sounded afar in the still night air, ringing out across the water. The -man sprang back, in terror, and, the next moment, the three started -running for the shore toward the vessel. - -"Tom," cried Jack Harvey, "get your wind for a run now. We've got to get -out of here before they bring the captain and mate and his men after us. -We'll have to run and trust to luck." - -They started off across country, away from the shore, as hard as they -could run. The moonlight, fortunately, showed them the ground over which -they ran--though they knew not whither they were travelling. - -All that night they proceeded, coming to a road, after a time, that went -northward. They followed along that. Not until daybreak did they pause to -rest. - -Poor Tom Edwards was groaning, and gasping like a fish out of water. - -"The luck's against us, Jack, old boy," he murmured. "Here we are, twenty -miles worse off than we were before--and, only to think, that other boat -goes up to-morrow from Millstone, and we won't be there in time." - -"Never mind," said Jack Harvey, stout-heartedly, "we'll get out of it -some way. We'll follow the road, and we won't starve. I've got the money -to pay for food along the way." - -He thrust his hand under his waistcoat, as he spoke--and uttered a cry as -he did so. - -"Tom," he shouted, "I haven't got the money. I've been robbed! It's -gone!" - -He felt through his clothing, feverishly. He drew forth from one pocket a -single dollar bill and a small amount of change. It was all he had left. -The money that had been pinned to his clothing had been taken, pin and -all, while he slept. The dollar left to him had been in the trousers -pocket, protected by his body. - -They were too poor now to pay their fare up the river. They were worse -off than before against the cold or any storm that might arise; for they -had left their oil-skins back in the cabin, in their flight. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - HENRY BURNS IN TROUBLE - - -Will Adams, stirring the coals in the fireplace of his cheery -dining-room, added two sticks of oak to the blaze, resumed his seat and -addressed his guests. - -"I've been wishing for years," he said, "that I could have a chance to -catch one of these dredging pirates that misuse their men so. Why, I've -lain in bed on summer nights and heard those poor fellows out aboard -begging for mercy--and I couldn't do anything to help them. It's hard to -catch a captain in the act of beating a man, and they have all kinds of -tricks to escape; the worst ones stand together and help one another out. -But we'll get this man, Haley, because he comes into the river, you say. -I don't remember him, at all, but I think I know the boat, as you -describe it." - -"We'll get a warrant for him, the first thing," said Edward Warren. - -"Well, that's what we'll have to depend on," replied Will Adams; "but -that's a slow process, and we may be able to do better, in the meantime, -ourselves. We want to get young Harvey, right off, before he has any more -of Haley's rough handling. - -"I'll tell you what we'll do, Ed. You take the boat, day after to-morrow, -for Baltimore, swear out the warrant, and get back here as quick as ever -you can. That will start the authorities after the fellow. But I warn -you, they're rather slow. They'll have to put a steamer on Haley's trail, -to make sure. - -"You see, news has a way of leaking out up in Baltimore. I don't know how -they do it--politics, I suppose. But as soon as a warrant is out, -somebody gets word of it on the water-front and then the news travels -down the bay like wildfire. One captain passes it along to another. Why, -the chances are, Haley might have young Harvey out of the way aboard some -other craft, or set ashore down in the Eastern shore swamps, before any -police captain came up with him. - -"That's why I say I hope we can get the boy off, ourselves, in the -meantime. Now I've got a sloop up in the creek back of Solomon's Island, -that I can fit out and have ready by to-morrow afternoon. She's a good -one, too, is the old Mollie. She's fast, and she can go across the bay in -anything that ever blew; thirty-seven feet long; a good, roomy cabin that -will sleep six of us easy, and seven on a pinch, by making up some beds -on the cabin floor. She'll carry sail, too, and if it comes to a brush -between us and Haley's craft, why the Mollie will show up surprisingly. -He'd have hard work to give us the slip, altogether, unless night came -on. - -"Yes, sir," exclaimed Will Adams, arising and squaring his broad -shoulders, "we'll fit out the Mollie like a regular sloop-of-war. I've -got three shot-guns and any number of revolvers, and you've got a good -rifle, Ed. Why, we could show enough force to capture a Malay pirate, let -alone Haley. We may get him easier than that, right here in the -river--and then again we may not. We'll be ready for anything. What do -you say?" - -"Well," said Edward Warren, "I'm for capturing the man wherever he shows -himself, if we can; but I'm not so sure that I ought to let these -youngsters run the risk of getting into a fight like that." - -Will Adams smiled. - -"Perhaps I put it a little bit strong," he said. "I don't really think -there would be very much fight about it. Haley is a coward, I'll venture -to say, if it comes to a pinch. Most bull-dozing men like that are. We -won't give him a chance to fight, if we can help it; just take him of a -sudden, and he'll give up." - -"Don't you worry about us, Cousin Ed," said George Warren. "We are old -enough to take care of ourselves. We don't mind running some risk, if we -can only get Jack out of his scrape." - -"Well," replied Edward Warren, "you fit up the Mollie, Will, and wait -till I get back from Baltimore before you start off anywhere. Then we'll -see." - -"I wish we could start to-night," said Henry Burns. - -It was surprising, the change that had come over this usually coolest and -most deliberate of the boys. He and Jack Harvey had not always been -friends; but now that circumstances had brought them together, and they -had cemented their friendship by a summer together and a partnership in a -fishing enterprise, they were loyal comrades. Henry Burns would have set -out on the moment, for Solomon's Island and the sloop Mollie, and have -worked all night to get her ready, if Will Adams had only said the word. - -But there was, plainly, nothing to be done until morning; and so, with a -hearty handshake all round, the boys and Edward Warren left the big house -on Drum Point and headed homeward across the river in the canoe. - -There was no time lost, on the following morning, however. They were up -and across the river at an early hour; and, taking Will Adams into the -canoe, they all went along by the shore into the creek where the Mollie -lay at her mooring. She was stripped of her sails and some of her -rigging, out of commission for the winter season. - -The young yachtsmen recognized her for what she was, a smart sea boat; -and they went to work with a will to assist in getting her ready for -cruising. From a loft on Solomon's Island they carried down the big -main-sail and the jibs and a single topsail. They lugged the big -anchor-rode and two anchors, including a spare one, carried for -emergency, down to the shore, and rowed the stuff out aboard. They -assisted in bending on the sails; lacing them to boom and gaff; in -reeving rigging; splicing a rope here and there; trying the pump and -putting on a fresh leather to the sucker rod; greasing the foot of the -mast, where the hoops chafed; putting aboard water jugs and spare -rigging--in short, the score and more things that went to make the craft -fit and safe for winter cruising. - -By early afternoon, the sloop, Mollie, was spick and clean and -ship-shape, with a brand new main-sheet and topping-lift, that would -stand a winter's squall; her ballast stowed in, as some of it had been -taken ashore. Everything was in readiness for the cruise, even to the -starboard and port lights, for use at night, and some charts of the bay -provided by Will Adams. They locked the cabin, and went back in the -canoe, first to Will Adams's landing and then across to the other shore. -George Warren held the tiller, in the absence of Edward Warren, who had -remained at home, preparing for his trip to Baltimore the following -morning. - -Through all that afternoon and until darkness settled over the river, -there was not a half hour that did not find Henry Burns either at a -window or out in the dooryard, gazing off through Edward Warren's -spy-glass. He looked longingly for the sight of a craft, the image of -which, with its exact lines and the cut of its sails, was clear and -distinct in his mind. - -George Warren pointed out at him, once, and called Edward Warren to look. - -"He's all cut up about poor Jack," he said. "I never saw him so worked up -about anything. You'd better hurry back from Baltimore, Cousin Ed, or -he'll be sailing off alone in the Mollie after Haley's bug-eye." - -Edward Warren laughed. - -"I'll risk that," he said. "Don't you boys worry; we'll get Haley, all -right. We'll have young Harvey ashore here before many days, or I miss my -guess." - -That very afternoon, the bug-eye, Z. B. Brandt, was coming slowly up the -coast, heading for Cedar Point, the lighthouse on which marked the -turning-point for vessels bound into the Patuxent. Hamilton Haley, -sitting gloomily at the wheel, turned a sour face upon the mate, as the -latter stepped near. - -"I never did see such all-fired mean luck since I took to dredging!" he -burst out, glowering at the mate, as though Jim Adams were in some way at -fault. "First it's that sneaking foreigner, that we took to help Bill -out, that gets away. Who'd have thought he'd ever swum for it, a night -like that, and all that way from shore? I hope he drowned! I hope he -drowned and the dog-fish ate him. That's what." - -"He'd make pow'ful bad eatin', I reckon," suggested Jim Adams. - -"Yes, but he could have turned a handle of the winch like a soldier," -said Haley. "And he's a dead loss, being as I'm bound by the law as we -make ourselves, and swear to, to leave Sam Black aboard Bill's boat, so -long as I've gone and lost Bill's man." - -"I didn't think that youngster, Harvey, and that business chap, Edwards, -had the nerve to do what they did," said Jim Adams. - -Hamilton Haley snorted. The subject was like a match to gun-powder. - -"'Twas that young rascal, Harvey, that did it!" he cried. "I didn't beat -him up enough. I wish as how I had him lashed up for'ard there now. -'Tother chap wouldn't have gone and done it. 'Twas the youngster's work. -And p'raps it didn't cost me a penny!" - -Haley pointed, with high indignation, to a new hatch which replaced the -one on which Harvey and Tom Edwards had floated to shore. - -"Seven dollars for that!" he exclaimed, "to say nothing of the time it -took to make it. And ten dollars apiece to Artie Jenkins for the two of -'em that's gone. And Sam Black worth as much more. I tell you it ain't -right for a poor dredger, as earns his money by hard work and tends to -business, to get such luck as that dealt out to him." - -Haley was half whining. From his view-point, the fates had, indeed, been -unkind. - -"There's someone coming down," remarked the mate. - -Haley took a long look ahead, at a craft visible nearly a mile away. - -"It's Tom Noyes's boat," he said, finally. "I'd know his masts anywhere." - -The other craft, a bug-eye somewhat smaller than the Brandt, came dead on -toward them. The distance between them rapidly diminished, and they came -presently within hailing distance. The other craft did not merely hail, -however. It came up into the wind and lowered a boat. Haley brought the -Brandt into the wind, also, and the small boat came alongside. A man -stepped aboard and said something to Haley. The latter jumped as though a -shot had been fired at him. A grin of satisfaction overspread his dull -face. - -"You don't mean it, Tom!" he cried. "Hooray! I'd rather get him than ten -bushels of oysters in one heap. Come below. Jim, you take the wheel." - -The two captains descended into the cabin, leaving Jim Adams to hold the -bug-eye into the wind. They remained below some minutes, conversing -earnestly; and when they reappeared Haley was in a good humour that made -Jim Adams stare. - -"Jim," he said, slapping the mate on the shoulder with a jocularity all -unusual to him, "you're a right good mate. We're going up the river -to-night--away up. We're going to ship a good man--a right good man, Jim. -You never saw such a rare fellow at a winder as he'll be. Ho! Ho! I -reckon the rest of 'em won't have to work at all with him aboard. -Good-bye, Cap'n Tom. I'll see you down on the Eastern shore. We're going -to quit around here. The reefs seem all played out. Good luck!" - -Haley, seeing his guest off, turned to Jim Adams and proceeded to impart -to him a piece of information that brought a broad smile to his features, -also. The two had emerged thus suddenly from the depths of gloom and -discouragement into a feeling almost of hilarity. The bug-eye was brought -by the wind once more, and they went on up the bay. - -The night falling, Henry Burns, up at the old farmhouse, gave over -looking for any sail and went in to supper. It was a serious looking -party at table that night. The next few days might mean much to them, or -little, according as fortune favoured. The boys urged upon Edward Warren -to lose no time in returning to them. - -"And you look out for yourselves, while I'm away," he cautioned. "If you -see anything of Haley, just take the canoe and scoot for Drum Point. Then -let Will Adams handle the thing. He's careful and he knows everybody -around here, and just what to do." - -"We will," replied George Warren. "We'll be all right. Don't you worry." - -They were off to bed in good season, though Henry Burns would have sat up -and gone down to the shore from time to time. He was persuaded by Edward -Warren that it were better to turn out at daybreak and look for the -vessel, before she should get under weigh, if she should happen to come -in during the night. - -Henry Burns was usually the soundest of sleepers. He had a way of -dismissing care for a night, when he knew there could be nothing affected -by lying awake. He could have slept at sea in the hardest of storms, once -satisfied that the vessel was staunch and weathering the gale. But -to-night it was different. He had at first suggested that they watch -through the night, by turns; but Edward Warren had not approved. His mind -was set on the warrant and the action by the authorities. - -Therefore, Henry Burns was restless. Once he arose and sat for a time by -the window, Young Joe slumbering peacefully in the bed. The moon was -beginning to show above the horizon, and it made a fine sight. But Henry -Burns thought of Jack Harvey out aboard Haley's bug-eye, and the night -had little of beauty in it for him. He turned in and slept, lightly, for -an hour or two. Then the impulse to arise again was too strong. He crept -out of bed, wrapped a blanket about him, and seated himself in a big -armchair by the window. - -Sleep overtook him as he sat there, with the picture of the moonlight, -lying across the river in a great flooding pathway, before his eyes as -they closed. - -Again he awoke. The picture was still there. The moon had risen higher, -however, and the pathway of silver light across the river was more -diffused. The river rippled and danced beneath the mellow flood. But the -picture was not just the same, either. There was something in it which he -had not seen before--the masts and rigging of a vessel, clearly outlined -in the moonlight. Henry Burns gave one look, rubbed his eyes to convince -himself that he was really awake, then sprang to his feet. - -"It's the Brandt," he said, softly. "I can't be mistaken. I'll just slip -down and make sure." - -It was, indeed, Haley's bug-eye, anchored for an hour, for Haley to pick -up some stuff he had left up on the bank--a bit of rigging and a small -anchor he had bought--for he would not stop on his way down the river, -but would make all sail for the Eastern shore. - -Henry Burns dressed himself hurriedly, but quietly, without waking Young -Joe. He would make sure, before arousing the household. If he should get -them up and then prove to be mistaken, he knew what Edward Warren would -think. He was warmly clad, but he found a short reefer, which was a -thick, warm overcoat, on the rack in the hall below, and he put that on, -for the night was sharp. - -Cautiously, he slipped the bolt of the front door and stole out of the -house, closing the door gently after him. Then he set off for the shore -at a rapid pace. - -He came to the bank overlooking the river, shortly, and crouched down by -some bushes, looking off at the vessel carefully. He was sure he could -not be mistaken in her. She lay not over quarter of a mile off shore, and -he could see her lines and rig sharply defined. - -"I'd stake my half of the Viking on its being the Brandt," he murmured. -"I'd like just one glimpse of her name, though, to make sure." - -As he spoke the words, there flashed into his mind the idea of going out -to see. It was easy. There was the skiff that went with the canoe, on -long trips. It lay at a stake, just a few feet from the canoe. He knew -where the sculling oar was hidden, under a log at the foot of the bank. -Henry Burns arose and stole quickly down to the shore, a short distance -up river from where he had been hiding. In a moment more, he was seated -in the skiff. - -He was no novice in small boat handling. It was the work of but a few -minutes for him to be close upon the bug-eye. He waited a moment, a few -rods away, listening intently. There was no sound aboard. There was no -light showing. He drew nearer, and drifted alongside. There was no -mistaking the craft now. There, in dull and worn lettering, but plainly -to be read, was the name on the bow, "Z. B. Brandt." - -It was an exciting moment for Henry Burns. Two ideas met in conflict in -his brain. One was, to hasten ashore and alarm the Warren household; the -other, to slip aboard the vessel and see if he could not arouse Harvey in -the forecastle, and carry him off triumphantly then and there. The second -idea overmastered him. It was too tempting to be resisted. Think of -appearing in one brief half-hour at the old house, presenting Jack Harvey -to their astonished gaze and saying, proudly, "Here he is--and without a -warrant." - -Henry Burns, cool enough at a crisis, made his skiff fast forward, and -climbed aboard. Another moment, and he had stepped to the companion-way -and slipped below. - -At the same moment, two figures on the shore, who had been watching his -manoeuvres, in astonishment and wrath, stepped into another skiff and one -of them sculled harder than he had ever sculled before, for the bug-eye. - -Henry Burns, groping down into the forecastle, called softly, "Jack, Jack -Harvey. Jack, old boy, where are you?" There was no response, only a stir -in one of the bunks and a murmur from some drowsy sleeper. The sailors of -the Brandt, worn out with work, were seizing the short stop on the way up -the river for a snatch of sleep, and were slumbering as only tired -sailors can. - -Henry Burns felt through his pockets and produced a match, which he -lighted and held to the faces of three of the sleepers in turn. No Jack -Harvey! The match burned out, and he lighted another, and yet one more. -When he had seen the last match flicker out on the face of the one -remaining man in the forecastle, and that one was not Jack Harvey, Henry -Burns felt his heart drop clear down till it seemed to leave his body. A -sense of disappointment and alarm overpowered him. His legs were weak. -There was no Jack Harvey in the forecastle! What had become of him? - -Henry Burns, his brain in a whirl, climbed the companion steps weakly. He -put his hand on the side of the hatch at the top and took one step on -deck. As he did so, a rough hand grasped his wrist; another seized upon -his throat so he could utter no sound, while the hoarse voice of Hamilton -Haley sounded in his ears, "You little thief! Stealing, eh? I know you -young shore-rats, always looking for a chance to run off with stuff. You -won't get away so easy this time. You'll get a bit of dredging for this. -Hang you! You can cull oysters, if you give out at the winders. Take -that, and stay below till you're called for." - -The heavy fist of Hamilton Haley shot out. Henry Burns, sent spinning -down the companion way by the blow, landed in a heap on the forecastle -floor, stunned, senseless. A moment more, and he was tossed into a bunk -like a sack of dunnage. There was a call for the crew to turn out. - -The bug-eye, Brandt, was going on up the river--not secretly this time, -under cover of fog, but boldly in the full moonlight, in the middle of -the river, getting the benefit of the flood tide, coming in with the -rising moon. - -Captain Hamilton Haley had nothing to hide--not now. He was merely going -after another recruit. And he had gained still another, all unexpectedly. -Luck seemed to be turning. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - ARTIE JENKINS COMES ABOARD - - -Early in the afternoon, on the day of the events just related, a bug-eye -had turned in at a little cove at a place some ten miles up the Patuxent -river called Sotterly. The sails were dropped and a boat was lowered. A -tall, sharp featured, keen-eyed man, who had been giving orders, called -out to one of the sailors. "Get into this skiff, Sam Black," he said; "I -want you to row me ashore." - -"Aye, aye, Cap'n Bill," responded the man. He shuffled to the side of the -vessel, stepped into the boat alongside, and took his seat at the oars. - -When the skiff had reached shore and had been drawn up on land, "Cap'n -Bill" tossed an empty gunny sack to the sailor. - -"Going back up to Hollywood," he remarked. "I reckon you won't cut and -run on me, eh?" - -"I reckon not, with the season's wages coming to me from Haley," -responded the sailor, and added, gruffly, "It's the third winter I've -been oystering with Haley. He and I get along. He don't bother me none. -When he growls at me, I give it back to him, I do. That's the way to get -along with him. There ain't many as dares do it, though." - -Captain Bill gave a chuckle. - -"You're shrewder than you look," he said. "But you're all right. Ham -Haley says you're the best man he's got aboard. When you get sick of the -Brandt, you come and sign with me. Good men are sure enough scarce." - -"I reckon we'd get along, too," assented Sam Black. - -With this somewhat unusual exchange of cordiality, captain and sailor -went on together up the road leading back inland from the shore. After -walking about a mile, they turned off on a cross-road that led more to -the southward, and proceeded along that for a distance of some three -miles. They passed a score of houses on either side of the road, and came -at length to a settlement comprising about twenty houses at the junction -of cross-roads. - -Fetching up at a building which, by its display of dusty boxes seen -through still more dusty windows, proclaimed itself to be a country -store, Captain Bill entered, followed by Sam Black. The latter, seating -himself on an up-ended cracker box at the farther end of the store, -proceeded to solace himself with a black, short-stemmed pipe, while -Captain Bill entered into conversation with the proprietor. - -Their negotiations were interrupted presently by the entrance of a young -man, who sauntered in, with an air of importance as befitting one who was -evidently from the city and impressed with his own superior worldliness. -His dress, though of a flashy character and glazed by wear at elbows and -knees, was yet distinctly of a city cut, and he displayed certain tawdry -jewelry to the most advantage. He nodded patronizingly to the keeper of -the store. - -"How'd do, Artie," said the storekeeper. "When are you going back?" - -"About as soon as I can get there now, Ben," replied the youth, yawning. -"I like to come up and see the folks, all right, but it's deadly dull -here. I want a little bit more of the electric lights and something going -on at night. Not much like Baltimore down here." - -"No, I guess not," admitted the other. "I hear you're doing pretty well -up there--let's see, what is it you're in?" - -The youth paused a moment, then replied, "Oh, I'm running things for a -contractor. Expect I'll go in with him some day, when I get a couple of -thousand more put away." - -Captain Bill, turning to observe the youth who was speaking, gave a start -of astonishment. He turned away again, but cast several sharp glances at -the young man from the corners of his eyes. - -"Well, I'm blest if it isn't Artie Jenkins," he muttered. "The measly -little crimp!" - -Which term, be it known, is that applied to those engaged in that -peculiar calling in which young Artie Jenkins was a bright and shining -light--the trapping of unfortunate victims and selling them to the -dredgers and such other craft as could make use of them. - -Some time later, Captain Bill followed the youth outside the store and -hailed him, as the latter was walking away. - -"Hello," he said, "wait a minute." - -The young man turned and stared at the stranger in surprise. - -"You don't know me, I reckon," ventured Captain Bill, extending a hand, -which the other took carelessly. - -"Can't say I do," was the reply. - -"Well, I know you, just the same," continued Captain Bill. "You're name's -Jenkins, if I'm not mistaken. The fact is, Jenkins, you may not remember -it, but you did a little business for me once in your line up in -Baltimore, and I may say, I never did see such good fellows as you -shipped down to me--every one of them good for dredging and willing -enough to work, when they got used to the business." - -Artie Jenkins's manner became more friendly. It was not his fortune to -meet, usually, with a captain who had a good word of this kind to say to -him. He smiled affably. - -"Well, I try to suit my clients, the captains, as best I can, and be fair -and square with them," he said. "But I can't say as I remember you." - -"It was some time ago that we did business," explained Captain Bill. He -made an inward comment, also, that it was a bargain he had never -forgotten, in which three men already ill had been shipped down to him by -the clever Mr. Jenkins, causing him a total loss of thirty dollars, -besides the trouble of getting rid of the men again, before they all died -aboard. - -"See here, Jenkins," he went on, "I'm right glad I fell in with you. -Here's a chance for you to turn a dollar down here. I need a man. Can you -get him for me?" - -Artie Jenkins's eyes lighted up with cunning; then an expression of doubt -overcast his face. - -"I sort of hate to do it down here," he said. "They all know me, and most -of 'em know what the dredgers are like. I might do something if a -stranger happened along, but that isn't very likely this time of year. -Still, I'll be on the lookout; something might turn up. You're down at -Sotterly, eh? Be there till to-morrow noon? All right, I'll look around, -anyway. If I do anything I'll be down. Will fix you, anyway, soon as I -get back to Baltimore. Good day." - -"Good day," responded Captain Bill. - -Watching until he saw Artie Jenkins turn off on the road and disappear, -Captain Bill returned to the store, and beckoned to Sam Black. The sailor -came forward. - -"Did you see that young chap I was talking to?" inquired Captain Bill. - -Sam Black nodded. "The little dude," he said, contemptuously. - -"Did he get a look at you, think?" asked Captain Bill. - -"Why, no, he didn't see me, I reckon," said the sailor, with surprise. - -"Good!" exclaimed Captain Black. "Pick up that sack and come on. I'll -tell you what I want, on the way." - -Sam Black shouldered the sack, and they started back in the direction of -the shore. - -"That little rascal, Artie Jenkins, is the meanest crimp in Baltimore!" -exclaimed Captain Bill. "Fools us, right along," he added, with virtuous -indignation. "What's the use of crimping a man as won't be any good when -he's down the bay? That's what I want to know. He does it right along. I -say as how it's a shame to knock a man out and use him like they do, -unless he's going to be some good to us, when we get him. That's why Ham -Haley and I have got it in for Artie Jenkins." - -"Now," continued Captain Bill, "I'm going to send you back there again, -to ship with him aboard my bug-eye. Do you understand? He'll come down -with you here to-night, and we'll attend to the rest. You don't know -anything about me nor my dredger--understand?" - -Sam Black grinned. - -"I'll fix him," he said. "I'm against all crimps." - -It was three o'clock when captain and man went aboard the dredger at -Sotterly. A half-hour later, there emerged from the cabin an individual -resembling Sam Black only in face and form; he was dressed in "shore" -clothes, furnished from the captain's own supply. Save for a bit of a -roll in his gait, he might have passed for a farmhand. He went rapidly, -with long strides, up the road he had come shortly before. - -At five o'clock that afternoon, Artie Jenkins stepped from a dooryard in -the town and walked slowly down the road in the direction of the store. -He toyed with a lighted cigarette, and seemed thinking, deeply. - -"I'm afraid I can't make it," he murmured. "My own town, too. Still -business is business--there's Tom Carver--no, I couldn't get him. Hang -the luck--" - -He was interrupted, unexpectedly. A man suddenly appeared from the side -of the road, and waited for him to come up. It was dusk, but Artie -Jenkins perceived that the man was a stranger in the town. He noted his -appearance. Could this be a stroke of luck? - -"What might the name of this place be?" inquired the stranger. - -"Hollywood," replied Artie Jenkins. "Never 'round these parts before?" - -"No," said the man. "I come from up yonder, Hillville. Lost my job on a -farm there. Nothing doing now. Know of anyone that would like a good man -to work around a place?" - -Artie Jenkins puffed at his cigarette, while his sallow cheeks, unhealthy -and pale, showed a tinge of colour. He turned to the man and put a hand -on his shoulder, patronizingly. - -"Well, if you're not in luck!" he cried. "You hit on the one man in all -Hollywood that can help you out. There isn't a job in town for a farm -hand now, but I can get you a nice, easy berth on an oysterman for the -rest of the season. Ever on one?" - -"Never was off land but once on a steamer," replied the man. "Always -thought as how I'd like to go a voyage, too. Kind of hard work, though, -isn't it?" - -"A sight easier than farming," answered Artie Jenkins. "Easiest in the -world, if you get the right captain. Funny how you happened along. Why, -it wasn't but a few hours ago that I met a captain I know, that wanted a -man. He'll pay twenty-five a month, and everyone says Captain Bill feeds -his men like aldermen. Fresh meats and vegetables and a bit extra on -Sundays and holidays." - -"He does that, eh, this ere Cap'n Bill you speaks of?" said the stranger. - -"That's his reputation," assured Artie Jenkins. - -The man turned his head away, to hide a grin. - -"I guess I'll try it," he said, "if you'll go along and fix it up for -me." - -"Sure," said Artie Jenkins. "I like to oblige a man when I see he's in -hard luck. You wait down there at the store for me, till I get my big -coat. I'll be along soon. By the way, what's your name?" - -"Sam Black," replied the stranger. - -Sam Black, seating himself discreetly outside the store, on a step, not -to be observed from within, allowed his grin to expand and give vent in a -hoarse guffaw, as Artie Jenkins was lost to view. - -"Reckon I'll like them extras on Sundays and holidays," he muttered, and -roared again. "And p'raps somebody else will like 'em too--if he gets -'em." - -Half an hour later, Artie Jenkins and his prize went along down the road -in the dark of early nightfall, in the direction of Sotterly landing. It -was nearly eight o'clock when they arrived at the shore of a cove some -distance across from the wharf, and made out the masts and hull of the -bug-eye. It lay a little off from shore, with a lantern in the -fore-shrouds. - -Artie Jenkins put his fingers to his lips and gave forth several shrill -whistles. The figure of a man presently appeared, in the light that -gleamed from the cabin, and stepped on deck. - -"Hello, hello, Captain Bill," called Artie Jenkins. - -The man replied; they saw him step into a small skiff alongside and row -toward them. He drew the skiff to shore, a few minutes later, and -approached. - -"Good evening, Mr. Jenkins," he said. "Who's this--somebody that wants to -ship?" - -"Yes, and a good man, too," replied Artie Jenkins. "He's been farming, -and thinks he'd like oystering with you better. I've known him two years; -he's been at work up in Hillville. His name is Sam Black." - -Captain Bill's chuckle was unheard by Artie Jenkins. - -"You'll know him a lot better," he said to himself; and added, aloud, -"All right. Kind of you to fetch him down. Come out aboard and have -something." - -The three got into the skiff, and Captain Bill rowed them out to the -bug-eye. - -"I'll see you in a minute or two," he said to Sam Black, motioning to him -to go forward. "Come on down, Mr. Jenkins;" and he whispered, "I've got -the ten dollars ready for you, and a drop of something for the cold." - -The two descended into the cabin. - -A moment later, Captain Bill's mate quietly drew the anchor off bottom, -took a turn with the rope about the bitts, then stepped to the halyards -and raised the foresail a little. The bug-eye drifted out into the -current, caught the tide and was carried a way up-stream. The foresail -was run up till it was all set. Sam Black had crept cautiously aft to the -wheel, and the craft now turned, under headway, and began creeping -downstream, slowly. - -"Here's the money," said Captain Bill, fumbling about in a wallet that he -had produced. "Sit down. Make yourself at home. You've had a long walk--" - -Artie Jenkins suddenly sprang to his feet. - -"You're drifting, aren't you, Captain Bill?" he said. "You're dragging -your anchor, I think." - -"No, I guess not," replied the other. "Sit down. I'll ask the mate, -anyway." - -He stepped to the companion and called out. - -"Give her a bit more scope, mate," he cried. "Guess she is dragging a -bit." - -"Aye, aye, sir," responded the mate, and went on cautiously and quietly -raising the foresail. The bug-eye was nearly in mid-stream. - -Artie Jenkins suddenly sprang from his seat again, and started for the -companion. A powerful hand on his shoulder restrained him. - -"Let me go!" he cried, fiercely. "What kind of a trick do you call this?" -He wrenched, to free himself from the other's grasp; but he was drawn -back. Captain Bill seized him by the throat and forced him down on one of -the bunks. - -"You're not going ashore this trip," he said, sharply. "Captain Ham Haley -and I have got a bone to pick with you." - -Trapped at last, Artie Jenkins fought with all his strength; but he was -no match for the stalwart captain. Exhausted, battered and thoroughly -terrified, he sank back on the bunk and begged for mercy. - -"It isn't right, Bill," he pleaded. "You ain't playing the game fair. How -are you going to get men, if you go and nab a man that's in the business -with you? Nobody ever did that before? Haven't I always used you right?" - -"No, you haven't," exclaimed Captain Bill; "and you're going down the -bay. Now you just keep below and stay quiet. You know what they get if -they holler." - -Captain Bill, with this parting injunction, went on deck. The bug-eye's -sails were all set and she was going down the river. - -Several hours later, a forlorn figure appeared at the companion-way, -cautiously, ready to dodge a blow from Captain Bill's boot. - -"Bill," said Artie Jenkins, plaintively, "Haley won't stand for this. He -knows it isn't the way to play the game." - -"No?" queried Captain Bill, contemptuously, "you can ask Haley, yourself. -Here he comes now." - -The bug-eye, Brandt, was indeed coming up the river, near at hand, -standing out from behind a point of land. The two vessels were soon side -by side, drifting for a moment up with the tide. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - ARTIE JENKINS AT THE DREDGES - - -Captain Hamilton Haley, stepping eagerly aboard the other bug-eye, -accosted Captain Bill. - -"Have you got him?" he asked. - -"Reckon I have," said Captain Bill; "and he's been squealing like a baby. -Just like those chaps as are always trapping other chaps; once they get -it, themselves, they go all to pieces. You met Tom Noyes, then, all -right? I sent word down by him. I thought I'd get Artie." - -"Yes, and I've got another one, too," said Haley. "He's stowed in -for'ard; I haven't got a good look at him yet. Caught him trying to rob -the men in the forecastle; he'd sneaked out from shore. I reckon he won't -be any great hand at the dredges, but I'll make him work his passage, all -right. Bill, you've done me more good catching that little crimp, Artie -Jenkins, than it would to find a brand new reef that no dredger had ever -touched before. Get 'em to fetch him aboard." - -Jim Adams escorting him, with a big, black hand at the scruff of his -collar, and Sam Black walking alongside, grinning at the success of his -part of the plot--admonishing the youth as to what would befall him -should he utter a cry--there appeared Artie Jenkins, his knees wabbling -under him, the drops of perspiration standing out on his forehead. They -marched him down into the cabin, where, a moment later, descended Captain -Hamilton Haley. The other bug-eye cast off, and the two vessels resumed -their course down the river at full speed. - -Hamilton Haley, standing with arms akimbo, his great round head thrust -forward, his gray eyes twinkling with a cruel light, surveyed the young -man before him, much as a spider might eye a fly that had become -entangled in its web. A look of intense satisfaction overspread his face. - -"Well," he said, hoarsely, "thought you'd come aboard, did you, Artie?" - -Artie Jenkins, the heart all taken out of him, trembling and weak-kneed, -essayed a feeble smile, which made his sallow face take on a more -unprepossessing expression than ever. - -"I say, Haley," he said in a shaking voice, "this is a beastly joke you -and Bill are playing--a joke I don't like. It's got on my nerves. You -wouldn't lug me off down the bay--you know you wouldn't, Haley. -'Twouldn't be the square thing. Nobody ever did a trick like that. Come -on, old man, say you're going to put me off down below. I'll stand for -the joke all right. Just say it's a joke, will you?" - -The tears were rolling down Artie Jenkins's cheeks, and he was begging -like a child. Hamilton Haley eyed him with a contempt that could not be -expressed in words. But there was no suggestion of relenting in his gaze. - -"Of course it's a joke, Artie," he said, sneeringly. "It's a joke, all -right, and it's what I call a downright good one. Ha! ha! A joke, eh? -Well, if it isn't a joke, I'd like to know what they call one." Then his -voice grew louder and more threatening as he continued. "It's a joke like -some of those jokes you've been a-playing on Bill and me for the last -eight years." - -Haley clenched his fist and shook it at the cowering youth. "That's the -sort of a joke it is," he continued; "it's like them ere jokes of yours -as have been costing me and Bill ten dollars apiece. Good, able-bodied, -rugged men for dredging that we've paid for in honest, hard-earned -money--and what have they turned out to be when we gets 'em down the bay? -A lot of counter-jumpers and boys that get sick on us with a week's work -at the winders. That's what! - -"Now you get up and quit snivelling and go for'ard; and don't you make -any fuss, or you'll never get back to Baltimore, as sure as my name's -Haley. Here, Jim, show him where he'll bunk." - -Jim Adams, seizing the shrinking form of Artie Jenkins by the convenient -collar, dragged him forth from the cabin. True to his method, Jim Adams -assumed his customary mock politeness. - -"Be jes' so kind as to walk for'ard, Mister Jenkins," he said, and turned -the young man toward the forecastle. A recklessness, inspired by -desperation, seized upon Artie Jenkins. He wrenched violently at the hand -that held him, and for a moment freed himself. - -"I won't go down into that dirty forecastle," he cried. "You can't make -me." - -Jim Adams's bony hand again grasped him and spun him around till his head -swam. At the same time, a short piece of rope swung by the mate sang in -the air, and Artie Jenkins felt the sharp sting of it across his -shoulders. A series of blows followed, mingled with the scoffing words of -the mate. - -"Won't you please 'blige me by stepping down into that fo'castle, Mister -Jenkins?" he said. "I's sorry to trouble you, but I wish you'd jes' step -down to 'blige me." - -Artie Jenkins, under the merciless lash of the mate, lost little time in -obeying. Cringing and crying, he darted down into the dark, damp -forecastle and stowed himself away in the first available bunk. The -taunting words of the mate sounded in his ears for a moment: "Thank you, -Mister Jenkins; I'm much 'bliged to you, sah. You saves me the trouble of -using force to carry out the orders of Cap'n Haley, sah." - -The bug-eye, Brandt, with its companion craft, skimmed down the Patuxent -like a bird. Captain Haley, with a huge satisfaction in his heart, turned -into his own bunk, leaving the wheel to Jim Adams, and slept the sleep of -the just. The night had been satisfactory. Life was not all one -disappointment. He could sleep well. - -The bug-eye, with its trim lines, its picturesque rake of masts, its -sails filled with the smart breeze that made the vessel heel gracefully, -and the now waning moonlight casting a faint gleam on its sails, made a -pretty picture as it glided down the river. One standing on the Drum -Point shore, as the vessel went by in the early hour before dawn, would -have admired the sight. Jim Adams hummed a jolly rag-time tune as the -Brandt passed out by the lighthouse, into the open bay, and headed for -Tangier Sound. - -Some time later, a shaft of sunlight streaming down the companion-way -awoke Henry Burns. Once asleep, he had slept soundly, the blow he had -received having only stunned him and done him no great harm. The bug-eye -was pitching in a heavy chop-sea, and a youth in the bunk near him was -groaning; but Henry Burns, accustomed at home to bay sailing, felt no ill -effects from the thrashing of the boat. - -For a moment he wondered what was the matter with the old Warren -farmhouse. Then the memory of the events of the night came back in a -flash. Henry Burns sprang up and darted out on deck. It was all too true. -He was a prisoner aboard the bug-eye; they were leaving Drum Point far -astern. - -Henry Burns shrugged his shoulders and seated himself on the forecastle -hatch. He was in for it--whatever might happen--and it was not in his -make-up to worry over what he could not help. - -A step on the deck, as a man emerged from the cabin, caused him to look -up. The figure that his eyes rested upon gave him a start of surprise. -Where had he seen the man before? Then he remembered. It was the man whom -Young Joe had butted in the stomach in darting out of the Warren -door--the Captain Haley, of whom he had an unpleasant recollection. Henry -Burns gave a low whistle of evident concern. - -Seeing the boy sitting, watching him, Hamilton Haley strode forward. When -he had approached near, he, too, stopped and eyed him with surprise. Then -his face darkened. - -"Well, I'm jiggered!" he exclaimed. "It's you, is it, Young Impertinence? -What sent you sneaking aboard here in the night? Confound you, if I'd -a-known it was you, I'd just have chucked your overboard neck and crop." - -For once, Hamilton Haley seemed perplexed. Here was someone he evidently -didn't want. He glanced back toward the harbour, as if estimating how far -they had come from land. Then he shook his head. To Henry Burns's -surprise, Captain Haley turned abruptly, without another word, and went -back to the wheel, where Jim Adams was seated, yawning. - -The two men talked together, earnestly. It was clear Haley did not wholly -favour the idea of carrying off a boy from the Patuxent harbour, from -people that would make trouble. It was risky business; there was bound to -be trouble. Jim Adams seemed not to encourage it, either; but the bug-eye -was miles out from the river now, and the breeze was favourable. After -further conversation with the mate, Haley went forward again. - -"See here, youngster," he said, "I'm a man as does an honest business of -dredging, and I don't kidnap boys for the work. But here you are, come -aboard, and it ain't my fault. You know that for yourself. Hang me, if I -didn't take you for one of them little rats as steal stuff when they gets -a chance. I'd have chucked you overboard quick, if I'd a known it was -you--what were you doing out here, anyway? That's what I'd like to know." - -Henry Burns thought quickly. To say that he had come to look for Jack -Harvey would be to reveal the fact that he was aware of Haley's -character; that he was a witness who would appear against Haley when the -time came; that his very existence was a danger and a menace to Haley, -who was now bound for the wilderness of the Eastern shore. - -"I was just looking around," he said. - -"You're a little, meddlesome fool!" cried Haley. "I don't want you here, -confound you! But you're here. You came aboard, yourself. I didn't carry -you off. You've got to stay now. I won't turn back, if I go to jail for -it. But I tell you what I will do; I'll fetch you back the first time I -come. You'll fare no worse than the rest of the crew. But you'll work -your passage, mind you. This is no free lodging house. Go on and get -something to eat." - -"Better set me back," said Henry Burns, calmly. - -"No, I'm busted if I will!" cried Haley. "You'll go the trip now, though -if I hadn't cut your skiff loose I'd set you adrift in it. It's your own -fault." - -Henry Burns saw it was useless to argue. He went aft, as indicated by -Haley, and ate his breakfast. It was sorry stuff, but he was hungry and -he ate what was set before him. - -Henry Burns was not a youth to remain inactive, although carried off -against his will. Having finished breakfast, he went on deck and walked -forward, to where Jim Adams was at work with a piece of rigging, -attempting, at the same time, to explain to two sailors what he was -doing. - -"You unlay that strand," he was saying, "and you lead him back, so -fashion. Then you picks up that ere strand, and you lays him up in the -place where t'other strand came from. See?" - -The two men looked on, blankly. It was evident the process was blind to -them. - -"Why, hello, sonny," remarked Jim Adams, as Henry Burns came up. The -mulatto, tireless and hardened to the life, after three hours' sleep on -relief from the wheel, happened to be in a good humour. He continued, -"Reckon you's the new boarder at our hotel, eh? Ha! ha! Specs you never -saw nothin' like that befo'?" He held up the work he was doing. - -"Oh, yes," replied Henry Burns, "you're putting a long splice in that -halyard so it will reeve through that block. You've parted your throat -halyard." - -Jim Adams dropped his work, put both hands on his knees and stared at -Henry Burns, while a broad grin overspread his face. - -"Sho now," he exclaimed, "I jes' wonder what Boss Haley he'll say when he -finds he's got another cap'n aboard here. I guess you'll get my job -pretty quick an' I won't be first mate no mo'. Where you larn all that, -sonny?" - -Henry Burns smiled. "I picked it up, yachting," he said. - -"That's a smart little kid," said the mulatto. "Reckon you might go and -finish up that splice, eh?" He held up the rope, half skeptically, to -Henry Burns. The youth took it, seated himself on the deck, removed a -pair of heavy gloves he wore, and took up the splicing where Jim Adams -had left off. He found it hard work, in the chilling winter air, and his -hands were nearly numbed before he had finished. But he beat them against -his body until they tingled, went on with the work, divided his strands -neatly at the finish, cut the ends and handed back the piece of rigging, -neatly spliced. - -Jim Adams burst into a roar of laughter. - -"That sho' is the funniest thing I ever saw," he said. "Why, youse -nothin' but a little kid." - -Henry Burns had at least found some favour in the mate's eyes. Some time -later, he was accosted by one of the men that had been standing by. - -"I wish you'd show me some of those tricks," said the fellow. "I'm having -it pretty rough aboard here. I can't understand when that mate shows us a -thing. He does it so quick, you can't see how it's done; and then he -curses us for not understanding. Maybe if I learned a few things like -that, I'd get treated better." - -Henry Burns looked at the speaker, and found him a young man of about -twenty years, thick set, a good-natured expression, somewhat dulled and -set by rough usage at Haley's and the mate's hands. - -"My name's Wallace Brooks," continued the young man. "I got carried off, -too, from Baltimore. I can stand the winter out, I guess, because I'm -tough; but it's the hardest work I ever did." - -"I'll show you anything I know," replied Henry Burns, "and I'll be glad -to do it. I guess I'll need a friend to stand by me. I don't know how -I'll last at this sort of work." - -They shook hands on the friendship. - -Henry Burns saw another side of the mate's nature, not long after. There -was a commotion in the forecastle, and there emerged Jim Adams dragging -Artie Jenkins by the scruff of the collar. He threw him sprawling on the -deck, caught up a canvas bucket, with a line attached, threw the bucket -overboard, drew it in half-filled with sea water, and dashed it in the -face of the prostrate youth. - -"You mustn't go gettin' balky, Mister Jenkins," he said. "Youse goin' to -work, like the rest of the folks. Won't you please jes' go down and get -you' breakfas' now, cause I want you pretty soon on deck, when we get off -Hooper's." - -Artie Jenkins, bellowing with rage and fright, scrambled to his feet and -fled as fast as his legs would carry him for the cabin. The mate gave a -grin of delight. - -"They sho' can't fool me," he said. "Reckon I knows when a man is seasick -and when he's shamming." - -They arrived at the dredging grounds within two hours, and the work -began. Henry Burns was not set at the winders at first. There seemed to -be some understanding between Haley and the mate that he should not be -treated too harshly. He was put at the work of culling the oysters that -were taken aboard--a dirty and disagreeable task, but not so laborious as -the winding. - -Artie Jenkins got his first taste of the work, however. He was driven to -it by the threats and blows of Jim Adams. He was a sorry sight. Clad in -oil-skins too big for his lank figure, a flaming red necktie showing -above the collar, and a derby hat out of keeping with the seaman's -clothes, he presented a picture that would have been ludicrous if it had -not been miserable. - -The mate suffered him not to lag; nor did he cease to taunt him. - -"Youse a sho' 'nuff born sailor, Mister Jenkins," he said, and repeated -it over several times, as the unwilling victim worked drearily. "You -looks jes' like one of them able-bodied seamen that you been sending down -from Baltimore." - -Artie Jenkins groaned, and toiled, hopelessly. He gave out, some time in -the afternoon, and Henry Burns was made to take his place. At dusk they -stowed away the gear and ran for harbour, in through Hooper strait. - -The next day, unusual in the winter season, there fell a dead calm. There -was no getting out to the grounds, and the day was spent in overhauling -the gear, wrapping parts that were worn with chafing, etc. It was some -time that forenoon that Henry Burns, getting a good look at Artie -Jenkins, recognized him. It was the young man he had seen on the river -steamer, and whose invitation he had resented. Something about the youth -repelled him more than before, and he made no attempt to renew that brief -acquaintanceship. Yet, observing the treatment Artie Jenkins was -receiving, he was sorry for him. - -"What makes them so hard on that chap, Jenkins, I wonder?" he asked of -Brooks, as they stood together, that afternoon. "It makes my blood boil, -but I don't dare say anything." - -"Hmph!" exclaimed Brooks. "Don't you let your blood boil for him. He's -getting what he deserves, all right. Didn't you hear what Jim Adams -called him? He's a crimp." - -"A what?" - -"A crimp. Don't you know what that is? It's a fellow that drugs men up in -Baltimore, and ships 'em down here for ten dollars apiece, when they -don't know it. They wake up aboard here. That happened to me, though this -chap didn't do it. He did the trick, though, for two men that got away -the other day. I heard them say it was a fellow named Artie Jenkins that -trapped them. One was named Edwards; he was a travelling man of some -sort. My, how he did hate the winders. T'other was a young chap; Harvey -was his name." - -Henry Burns gave a cry of astonishment. - -"Then Jack was aboard here--and he got away, do you say?" - -It was the other's turn to be surprised. - -"Why, yes, Jack Harvey was his name," he said. "Did you know him?" - -Henry Burns briefly told of his friendship and his hunt for his missing -friend. "I thought there must be some mistake," he said, "when I didn't -find him aboard here. But tell me, how did he get away?" - -Wallace Brooks related the circumstances of the escape, as George Haley, -the cook, had told of it; of the flight to shore on the hatch, and of -Haley's rage at losing both men and property. - -Henry Burns smiled at that part of the adventure, despite his chagrin. -Then he grew serious. - -"I'll bet it was poor old Jack and Edwards who slept in Edward Warren's -barn," he said. "There were two strangers seen about the landing the next -day. Where could Jack have gone to? Up river, I suppose, on a -steamer--and here I am in his place! Isn't that a mess?" - -That same afternoon, Artie Jenkins, in passing Henry Burns, remembered -that his face seemed familiar. He halted and stared for a moment. Then -his face lighted up with a certain satisfaction in the other's plight. - -"Hello," he said, "so you landed here, too, eh? I reckon you're not quite -so smart as you thought you were, coming down the river." - -"Yes, I'm here," answered Henry Burns, coolly; "too bad you didn't make -ten dollars out of it; now wasn't it?" - -"What's that to you?" snarled Artie Jenkins, angrily. "I don't know what -you mean, anyway." - -"Oh, yes, you do," replied Henry Burns. "I know what you are, and so do -the crew. It's almost worth while being here, to see a crimp work at the -dredges." - -Artie Jenkins, furious at the reply, and observing that the speaker was -younger and smaller than himself, darted at Henry Burns and struck out at -him. Henry Burns easily warded off the blow and, unruffled, returned one -that sent Artie Jenkins reeling back. The next moment Jim Adams rushed -between them. - -"What's all this about--fighting aboard here?" he cried. - -But Captain Hamilton from the other end of the vessel had likewise -observed the quarrel. He came forward now, blustering, but with a shrewd -twinkle in his eyes. - -"Let 'em fight, Jim," he said; "let 'em have it out. Peel off those -oil-skins, you young rascals. I'll teach you both to disturb the peace -and quiet aboard this ere respectable and law-abidin' craft. You'll fight -now, till one or t'other of you gets his licking. Rip 'em off, I say." - -But Artie Jenkins, having felt the force of Henry Burns's blow and noted -his skill in avoiding his own, was not so eager for the fray. - -"I don't care about fighting a boy smaller than I am," he stammered, -fumbling at the strings of his slicker. "I don't want to hurt him." - -Haley bawled in derision. "Oh, you don't, eh?" he cried. "Well, you look -out he don't hurt you. Do you see that piece of rope?" He dangled an end -of rigging in his hand. "Well, the first one of you that tries to quit, -gets a taste of that." - -Henry Burns had not expected to be drawn into a fight with Artie Jenkins, -but he had no fear of him. He had observed the youth's cheeks pale as he -returned his blow. He knew he was cowardly. He thought of Jack Harvey, -tricked into the slavery of dredging at Artie Jenkins's hands. He threw -off his oil-skins and waited for the word. He looked Haley squarely in -the eyes and remarked, calmly, "If you see me quitting, just lay it on -good and hard." - -"You bet I will!" blustered Haley; but he knew, full well, there would be -no need. - -Artie Jenkins was cornered and desperate. He dared not wait till his -courage should cool, but made a rush at Henry Burns the moment he had -divested himself of the heavy oil-skins. They struggled for a moment, -exchanging blows at short range. They were both hurt and stinging when -they broke away, to regain breath. The difference was, however, that -Henry Burns was smiling in the most aggravating way at his antagonist. -The blows meant little to him. He was avenging Jack Harvey--and he had a -most extraordinary control of his temper. Artie Jenkins was smarting and -furious. - -"Get to work there," bawled Haley, swinging the rope. - -They were at it again in earnest. But the advantage even now was with -Henry Burns. He was wiry and athletic; a strong runner, and a baseball -player; and he had boxed with George Warren and Tom Harris by the hour, -in the barn they used as a canoe club in Benton. Artie Jenkins's training -had consisted largely of loafing about the docks, smoking cigarettes. - -Seeing that his adversary was no longer strong enough to rush him, Henry -Burns tried tactics to tire him out. He darted in, delivering a quick -blow, and stepping back out of reach of the other's arm. He warded off -the other's wild blows, and left him panting and bewildered. Worse than -all, he continued to smile at him, provokingly. - -In an unfortunate moment, Artie Jenkins rushed in, clinched and tried to -throw his smaller adversary. It was the worst thing he could have -attempted. A moment more, and he lay, flat on his back, half stunned. - -Henry Burns waited for him to arise; but Artie Jenkins lay still. He had -had enough. - -"Get up there; you're quitting!" cried Haley, standing over him and -brandishing the rope's end. But Artie Jenkins only half sat up and -whined. "I can't go on," he whimpered; "I'm hurt." - -Haley swung the rope and brought it down across Artie Jenkins's -shoulders. The youth howled for mercy. - -"Get up and fight, or you'll get more of it!" cried Haley. - -Artie Jenkins suddenly scrambled to his feet. But he did not face Henry -Burns, who was waiting. Beaten and thoroughly humbled, Artie Jenkins -sought relief in flight. Dodging the uplifted arm of Haley, he darted for -the forecastle, tumbled down the companion and dived into a bunk. - -Hamilton Haley, undecided for a moment whether to follow or not, finally -turned and walked aft. There was a hard smile of satisfaction on his -face. - -The next day was as wild as the preceding had been calm and placid. The -wind came up from the east with a rush, in the early morning, and the bay -was tossing and white-capped as the crew of the dredger came on deck. -There would be no work that day, they thought. But they were -disappointed. Haley ordered sail made, and the bug-eye, with reefs in, -bore up under the lee of Hooper island. - -It was cruel work at the dredges that day. The men toiled by turns till -exhausted, when Haley allowed them a reluctant refuge, to thaw out, by -the cabin fire. Then he drove them to work again. The storm brought -mingled sleet and snow. It caught in the folds of the sails and came down -upon their heads in little torrents with the slatting of the canvas. -Sleet and snow drove hard in their faces. But the work went on. - -Artie Jenkins shivered at the winders, even as the perspiration was wrung -from him with the unusual exertion. He suffered so that Henry Burns and -the crew pitied him; but Haley and the mate showed no mercy. They had -seen men suffer before--men that they had paid ten dollars apiece to -Artie Jenkins for. He gave out by afternoon, however, and the mate had -fairly to drag him below. He moaned that he was sick, but they did not -believe him. - -That night he ran out of the forecastle on deck, delirious, and wakened -Haley out of sleep. Haley saw that he was really ill, and gave him -something to take, from a chest of patent stuff he had aboard. Artie -Jenkins fell in a heap on the cabin floor, and Haley let him lie there -the rest of the night. - -The next morning, Haley and the mate, standing over Artie Jenkins, looked -troubled. The sufferer lay moaning and feverish. Jim Adams bent over and -examined him. - -"He's bad--downright bad, boss," he said, looking up at Haley. The other -scowled, but with some anxiety in his face. "He'll come around all right, -won't he?" he asked. "Specs he may," replied the mate; "but I've seen 'em -like that, feverish, before, and it's a bad sign down here." - -"Hang him!" exclaimed Haley. "What'll we do with him?" - -"Well," replied Jim Adams, "if he was mine, I'd let him go, seeing as he -didn't cost any money. Tom's going across to t'other shore to-day. Why -not let him have him and leave him? We don't want to land him down here." - -Haley grumbled, but acquiesced. - -"Take him out," he said. "He's no good, anyway. I've got square. That's -what I wanted." - -Jim Adams lifted Artie Jenkins bodily and carried him out of the cabin. - -A bug-eye that ran across from the eastern shore that afternoon carried -the unfortunate Artie Jenkins as a passenger. He lay asleep in the cabin. -Toward dusk the bug-eye reached the other shore, and anchored near land. -A skiff left the side, with Artie Jenkins in the bottom of it. It landed, -and two men carried the youth up to an old deserted shanty by the shore -of a small creek in St. Mary County, some five or six miles above Otter -Point. They left him there, alone, threw some mouldy blankets over him, -and departed. - -Artie Jenkins's dredging experience was over. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - THE BATTLE OF NANTICOKE RIVER - - -The morning after Artie Jenkins was shipped away across the Chesapeake, -Haley's bug-eye lay in Hooper strait, discharging her cargo of oysters -into another craft alongside. Four other craft waited near by; and, when -the Brandt had finished, they, likewise, unloaded the oysters they had, -aboard the carrying vessel. - -"What's Haley unloading now for?" asked Wallace Brooks of the sailor, -Jeff, as they were swinging a basket of the oysters outboard. "He's got -only half a cargo, anyway." - -"How do I know?" was the somewhat gruff reply. "Reckon we'll see when the -time comes. There's something up, though, like as not," he added; "I -heard Haley ask Jim Adams how he thought the Brandt sailed best--with a -quarter of a cargo in her, or a little more. That's just so much more -ballast, you know. So I guess that when Haley wants to sail his best, he -expects someone to follow; and if someone follows, I reckon he'll want to -get away as slick as he can. Do you see?" - -Wallace Brooks nodded. - -"Going to dredge some more at night, eh?" he said. - -"Well, you know as much as I do about it," replied the sailor. "All I -wish is, that I was bullet-proof," and he shrugged his shoulders. - -The surmise of the seaman was perhaps correct; for, as soon as the last -bug-eye had cast loose from the carrying vessel, the four swung in -together, drifted along, and the four captains gathered in Haley's cabin. -There were, besides Haley, Tom Noyes, Captain Bill and another whom Haley -addressed as Captain Shute. The latter bore in one hand a chart which he -spread out on the cabin table before them. It was a large sheet, covering -a wide area of that part of the bay, much worn, and marked by many lines -where cross-bearings had been taken and partly erased. - -"There's Nanticoke," he said, laying a thick, stubby finger on the chart. -"It's buoyed out for some ten miles, and there's good water clear to -Vienna; that's twenty odd miles up." - -"Stow the chart, Shute," said Haley, impatiently. "I tell you Jim Adams -knows the river better than any figuring can cover it. He ran it for -three years, canoeing and tonging in the fog"--Haley winked -significantly. "He'll put us up there. The question is, will you go?" - -"I've said as how I would go, once, and I sticks by my word," answered -Captain Bill forcibly. "The others will go, too. I'd follow Jim Adams's -wake and be sure of good water, anywhere." - -"And we stick it out, steamer or no steamer," said Haley, looking at the -others, earnestly. The captains nodded. Haley leered, as though gratified -at the decision. "There's no police tub can hurt us, if we stick together -and fight," he exclaimed; "and like as not we'll get clear without it." - -There was some further conference, following which the three visiting -captains returned to their vessels and the lines that held them together -were cast off. - -The day passed easily for the crews. There was but little dredging, -though Haley and the others would not have them wholly idle. They worked -in desultory fashion along the foot of Hooper island throughout the day, -and toward evening sailed in slowly through the strait. - -There had been no definite orders given to anybody aboard the Brandt, yet -it was known to all that there was something on foot for the night. The -let-up in the work of the day indicated that; furthermore, there was an -air of mystery, of something impending, throughout the craft, that was -felt and understood. - -With the coming of night there rose up a mist from the surface of the -water that dimmed the vision, though the stars showed clear in the sky. A -thin fog gave an indefiniteness to the shore lines and made distant -lights here and there twinkle vaguely. - -The four vessels, the Brandt leading, sailed eastward as night fell, -passing through the strait across the head of Tangier Sound. Jim Adams -held the wheel and Haley gave orders to the crew, trimming the sails or -easing off as the course varied. - -Jim Adams, evidently glorying in the adventure, which defied the law that -he despised, noted the points along the course with a series of chuckles. - -"There's old Sharkfin," he called jubilantly, as the gleam from the -lighthouse on the shoal of that name showed ahead. "We just goes -east-no'th-east, sah, after we leave old Sharkfin Shoal a half mile to -the eastward, and then we goes up between Nanticoke Point Spit and Clay -Island Shoal like walkin' up a meetin' house aisle." - -Haley gazed ahead through the light mist. - -"I've only been up the Nanticoke twice," he said. "There's buoys, I know, -for some ten miles up, and then it takes a native born to find the rest -of the way." - -Jim Adams chuckled. "I don' need 'em," he said, "not 'round this river. I -can feel my way up; an' they can paint the spars all black and it -wouldn't fool me, not a bit." - -Passing the lighthouse and leaving it astern some miles, the four -bug-eyes took a more northerly course, entering the river. They carried -no lights, and the cabin and forecastle lamps had been put out, so that -no gleam showed from the ports. A fresh breeze from the west, blowing -almost directly across the river, carried them up at a fair clip. - -"There's land close aboard, off the starboard," said Haley, after they -had gone some three miles up. - -"Yessah," responded the mate; "that's Roaring Point, for shuah. You look -sharp, Mister Haley, and you'll see the buoy, a red spar when the sun -shines, but I reckon it's pretty black to-night. Couple of miles above -that, and I specs there's some pow'ful nice oysters a-sittin' up and -waitin' for us to call." - -Jim Adams pointed, as he spoke, to where there showed the low sand spit -of Roaring Point on the right as they sailed, with some trees growing, -back from the shore. A landing made out from the south bank of the point, -and a thin sprinkling of houses was scattered here and there in the -vicinity. The vessels sailed noiselessly and darkly past these, and went -up the river, turning the point. - -Not long after, the order given by Haley for all hands to make ready told -that the business of the night was about to be begun in earnest. On the -eastern bank of the river were extensive oyster beds, private property, -carefully planted and nursed, and rich in their yield. - -Hamilton Haley, engaged in his favourite pursuit of poaching, was in rare -good humour. Moreover, he had cause for self congratulation in that he -had regained his man, Sam Black, from Captain Bill's bug-eye, and yet -another man, Captain Bill having taken on two men from Hooper island. - -Soon the cry of the winch and the clank of the dredging chain broke the -stillness of the night, as the Brandt, with sheets started, drifted -slowly in a zig-zag course along the river bank. The other vessels worked -likewise. There was no rest for anyone then. They worked like galley -slaves under the whip. The dredge was hardly down before the command came -to wind. It came up heavy with the ill-gotten spoil from the beds. Henry -Burns found no favour in the eyes of Haley this night. He toiled with the -others, now turning wearily at the winch, now helping to drag aboard the -dredge, now sweating in the foul hold, stowing away the plunder. - -Some time in the night, as he turned, with back and arms aching, at the -handle of the winder, a strange humming, singing sound filled his ears. -It was like an angry wasp darting about his head. Then a sharp report -came from the neighbouring bank. It was followed by others. The sound as -of wasps filled the air as a dozen bullets passed harmlessly over the -heads of the crew of the Brandt. - -Haley gave a cry of surprise and anger. - -"They've found us," he said, and ran for the cabin. He reappeared -quickly, carrying a rifle in either hand. - -"Here, you, Sam Black," he called, "take this wheel, smart now. Let those -sheets run way off there--no skulking into the forecastle, you men, or -you'll get a shot from me. Jim, here's a gun; you're a good shot. Give -'em an answer. Let her go along easy, Sam. We'll show 'em we can play at -shooting as well as they." - -Haley, issuing his commands in short, angry sentences, and seeing the -vessel running as he wished, called to the crew to lie flat on the deck, -but to be ready to jump at his word. Then he and the mate, reinforced by -the cook, likewise armed with a rifle, proceeded to return the fire from -the shore from the shelter of the after-house. - -The other craft had swung into line of battle, similarly, and one of -them, Captain Bill's bug-eye, had already opened fire on the party -ashore. - -A running fight now ensued. The dredgers, emboldened by their numerical -strength, had no thought of quitting the reefs. The attacking party, on -the other hand, seemed to be constantly recruited in numbers, and the -fire from the river bank grew in volume. The dredgers, with booms far -out, kept barely under steerage way, following one another closely. - -Coming up under the lee of a promontory of the river bank called Ragged -Point, the leading vessel headed into the wind; the sheets were hauled -aft and the craft came about, heading down stream once more, to return -into better range of the enemy. The others followed, in turn. - -An unexpected thing happened, however, just as the Brandt was swinging -into the wind, with Haley hauling on the main sheet. A chance bullet, -whistling across the stern, clipped the sheet fairly in two; Haley, -straining at the rope as it parted, was sent sprawling on the deck, -rolling over and over. - -He sprang up in a great fury, but equal to the emergency. Still holding -the end of the sheet in one hand, he darted to the stern, untied the -painter of the skiff that was towing and drew the skiff alongside. - -"Here you, youngster," he called to Henry Burns, who happened to be -nearest, "jump in there! Take this sheet and make it fast around the end -of that boom. Lively now!" - -Henry Burns obeyed, in lively fashion, as ordered. Making the end of the -rope fast to the thwart in front of him, he sculled the skiff a few -strokes, seized hold of the swinging boom, loosed the sheet again, took a -clove hitch around the boom and was back on deck in a twinkling. Haley -growled an approval, as he hauled the boom aft and the bug-eye went off -the wind a little to make headway so as to come about. - -The accident, however, had caused the vessels to separate for the time, -the three other bug-eyes having already gone down stream some little -distance. With this a new peril confronted the Brandt. Seeing the craft -thus cut off from its allies, the party ashore had resolved on a bold -venture. A half-dozen small boats suddenly darted out from the shadow of -the bank, making straight for the Brandt, rowed by strong arms. - -The situation was one of danger to the Brandt. The leading row-boat, -propelled by two oarsmen, and with two other men crouched in the bottom, -armed with rifles, were already near. Yet the Brandt must keep on its -course for a minute longer, to enable it to come about, and not mis-stay. -To do so, brought it still nearer the approaching boat. - -Hamilton Haley, leaping down into the cabin and emerging with a horn in -one hand, gave several blasts with it. Then he sprang to the wheel and -took it from the hands of Sam Black. His eyes twinkled with cunning, as -he threw the bug-eye still further off the wind, directing it now full -against the approaching boat. The manoeuvre was all unexpected. The -rowers vainly tried to swing their boat out of the way. They were too -late. Striking the small craft with its sharp bow, the bug-eye smashed it -clean in two, riding over the halves and submerging the occupants. The -next moment, the Brandt had swung into the wind, come about and headed -down stream. - -The fleet of row-boats paused to rescue the struggling and half-drowned -men from the icy water; the other bug-eyes, alarmed by Haley's signal, -had turned and come up to meet the Brandt. The four vessels opened fire -on the row-boat fleet, even as they were engaged in the work of rescue. -Defeated in their plan to cut off the single bug-eye, the rowboats put -back to shore and the party scrambled into hiding. - -Warned by this attempt, however, the captains of the poaching fleet now -resolved to make sure against any similar boarding party. Taking a -position in the river where the fire was hottest, and the owners of the -oyster beds seemed to be gathered in greatest numbers, judging by the -fire, the bug-eyes drew close together, side by side; an anchor was -dropped from the one farthest down-stream, Captain Bill's vessel, and -lashings were passed to hold them together. This position, as the decks -were flush, would allow the united crews of the four to concentrate on -any single deck to resist boarders. - -Hitherto, the dredgers had escaped serious harm; but now a rifle bullet, -landing in a number of men bunched on the second dredger, wounded two of -them and they fell to the deck, uttering cries of pain. Another bullet -cut the cheek of Sam Black, who had resumed the wheel of the Brandt; but -he held to his post, with a handkerchief bound about his head. The party -on shore gave no evidence of the injuries they may have received. - -That the attacking owners were being driven from their position by the -concentrated fire from all four vessels was apparent, however. Gradually -the fire from shore grew less and less. The dredgers, after discharging a -few more volleys and waiting for a quarter of an hour, without being -fired on, cast loose once more and resumed their dredging. - -But they were not suffered to work unmolested for more than an hour. At -the end of about that time, the river bank was illumined again with a -line of flashes, and the crack of rifles smote upon the air. But now the -fight was even more uncertain and the firing still more a matter of -chance. For the wind was drawing around to the southward and a fog was -slowly drifting up the river, blown at first in detached patches which -blotted out the shore one moment, then left it partly cleared. - -The dredgers resumed their position, lashed together and at anchor, so as -not to lose sight of one another in the fog, and directed their fire more -by the sound of the enemy's firing than by sight. The weird, uncertain -battle made a strange picture, with the streams of rifle fire penetrating -the fog and the smoke of powder arising through the fog banks. - -And then, amid a momentary lull in the firing, there came suddenly out of -the fog in the direction of down the river, the unmistakable jingle of a -bell. They knew the sound. It came from an engine-room. Some steamer was -approaching. The captains waited apprehensively. There could be little -doubt of the nature of the craft. - -If doubt there was, however, it was soon dispelled. There came a flash in -the mist, a ball from a one-pounder hummed through the rigging and tore -away a main-mast shroud. The report of the piece, mounted in the bow of -the police steamer, followed. Then a voice came through a megaphone, -"Ahoy there! I'll give you captains just two minutes to launch your -skiffs and come aboard here, or I'll sink you." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, raising his rifle to his shoulder, aimed -deliberately and fired in the direction of the voice. The bullet must -have gone close to the captain of the steamer, for there came a sound as -of shattered glass. The shot had hit the window of the pilot-house. - -There ensued a silence of a moment, and then there came a heavy rifle -fire from the steamer, mingled with the heavier crash of the one-pounder. -The bug-eyes took up the firing; and the air was alive with bullets. -Moreover, the party ashore, jubilant at the reinforcement through the -strong arm of the navy, sent up an exultant shout and poured a volley -from their ambush. - -For a half-hour the battle waged, the steamer alternately drawing near -enough to be clearly seen through the fog, and then backing water as it -was met by a staggering fire from the four vessels. It seemed as though -the fight might even be won by the sailing captains, outnumbering as they -did the crew aboard the steamer. - -Hamilton Haley, aroused to fury by the desperate position in which he -found himself, no longer sought concealment behind house or mast. His -craft lay farthest up-stream in the line of vessels, but he had crossed -decks to that of the nearest bug-eye and stood boldly erect, firing -steadily whenever a flash from the fog gave indication of a possible -mark. - -Again, he was not unmindful of the fate of his own vessel; and, as the -fire slackened for a time, he returned to the deck of the Brandt. -Perceiving his advantage at the end of the line, he ordered the lashings -made ready for easy slipping. - -"Here, you youngsters," he said to Henry Burns and Wallace Brooks, who -were lying flat on the deck, "you get aft there, ready to give Sam Black -a hand if he needs it. He's hit, and may peter out. You jump on to that -wheel if I call, or I'll know why. And one of you be ready to tend -sheet." - -Haley brandished his rifle as he spoke, and the two youths made haste to -obey, taking up their positions aft. The captain returned to the side of -Jim Adams on the deck of the bug-eye of Captain Bill. - -Again the firing from the steamer ceased abruptly and the sound of the -engines was stilled. The captains and their mates ceased firing also, and -waited for action on the part of the steamer. They were wearied by the -strain of the conflict and were glad of the respite. They were making a -successful fight, however, it seemed, although they had had by this time -six men wounded in some way or another. - -"We're beating him off, I reckon," said Captain Bill, seating himself on -the deck, with his rifle laid beside him. "We're too many for him; but it -gravels me how we're going to get out of this ere river, with him below -us." - -"We'll get out," declared Haley, confidently. "Only wait till the wind -blows up a bit more. It's coming around square to the south'ard, and the -fog's getting thicker every minute. We'll slip past him by and by, when -he gets enough of trying to shoot holes through the sky--hello, there's a -bell. He's coming up again, I guess." - -A single bell in the engine-room of the police steamer had given the -signal for her to move ahead slowly. They knew the steamer was coming -toward them, although as yet she was not visible. Then, to their -astonishment, there came the jingle of another bell. - -Hamilton Haley and Captain Bill called to their men to be ready. - -"He means business sure enough this time," muttered Haley. "He's given -him the speed bell. He's coming on the run." - -The words were hardly uttered when the steamer rushed forth into view -from the fog. She was, indeed, coming on at full speed, without firing a -gun. Not until she was almost upon them did the bug-eye captains realize -what was intended. They had sent a volley at her, to which she paid no -heed, but was coming silently and swiftly on. - -Gathering speed as she came, the smoke pouring in black clouds from her -funnel, the steamer rushed directly at the nearest bug-eye which lay -broadside in her path. - -"Get back! Jump, boys! The rascal's going to ram us!" shouted Haley, -darting back across the decks to his own vessel. - -The crews scattered, and the deck of the bug-eye was cleared. They were -not a minute too soon. On came the steamer, tearing through the fog, with -the sparks flying from its stack, lighting up the black smoke. There was -a crash that could be heard far ashore as its iron bow splintered the -side of the bug-eye, buried itself in the yielding planks and cut the -craft half in two. - -The bug-eye reeled under the shock and groaned as if in mortal agony. The -steamer's bell jangled twice and the craft backed away, leaving a great -hole through which the water poured in a torrent. Another bell, and the -steamer was going astern at full speed. Some distance away she reversed -again, and once more came on. Into the same gap she steered; her iron bow -once more rent and tore the planking asunder. Again she backed away. - -The vessel, rapidly filling, broke from the lashings that held it to its -companion and sank to the bottom of the river. - -Thrown into the utmost confusion and dismay at this unexpected turn of -affairs, the captains now thought only of safety in flight. The seamen of -the foundered vessel scattered through the three remaining ones; there -was a frantic rush to lashings and halyards; knives were drawn and -lashings cut when that was easier and quicker. Sails were run up and -orders shouted hoarsely amid the confusion. The two anchors were slipped, -and left. There was no time to get them aboard. - -There seemed to be no escape, however, for at least one other of the -bug-eyes--the one that lay nearest the steamer. The latter craft was even -now manoeuvring to reach a point from which to ram the bug-eye, only the -sunken vessel that lay between preventing her from repeating her success -at once. Tom Noyes, in command of the imperiled vessel, was driving his -men to their utmost to get sail on before he should be cut down. - -But for the fog he would have had little chance. The steamer worked -cautiously out into the river and turned, heading for Tom Noyes's bug-eye -just as she began slowly to make headway, under foresail and jib. The -steamer gave the signal to go ahead, slowly, then another for full speed. -The bug-eye was standing slowly in toward the bank, endeavouring to put -the wreck once more between itself and its foe. - -At this critical moment, Hamilton Haley, whose craft was already under -weigh and standing across to the opposite shore, could not resist taking -a parting shot at his enemy, even though it might imperil his own -chances. He raised his rifle and fired in the direction of the steamer's -pilot-house. It was a chance shot, for he was even then losing sight of -the steamer in the fog. Yet, with the report, there came a cry of pain -from the steamer. Haley bawled exultantly. He knew not what he had done, -but the sound told him of some success of his shot. It had, indeed, -struck the arm of the pilot, inflicting a wound that caused him to drop -the wheel and fall back, fainting. - -The steamer, now at full speed, veered in its course. Before the captain -could signal for the engines to slow down or could right the steamer on -its course, the police boat had run afoul of the wreck and had become -entangled, its bottom resting on the after-house of the sunken bug-eye. - -The next moment, Haley passed exultantly down stream. Tom Noyes, rounding -the wreck inshore, went on his way; the other bug-eye slipped past the -steamer, and the fog hid them from view. - -Yet they were not to get off scot free. Even as he stood, chuckling at -their success, a bullet from the farther shore grazed the head of Jim -Adams; and, stunned, he lurched and went overboard. Henry Burns, seeing -him fall, and springing to the side as the negro's body was swept astern, -caught a hand in his clothing and held on. Haley, running to the rescue, -seized the mate's arm, and, together, they dragged him aboard. Jim Adams -had had a close call. The bullet had stunned him. An inch more and it had -gone through his head. He came to, a half-hour later as they went down -stream, groping their way in the fog; and, in half an hour more, was able -to "feel" the way, as he called it, out to the mouth of the river. - -The escape was made. They were free. But Captain Bill had lost a vessel. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - SURPRISES FOR JACK HARVEY - - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards, standing in the middle of the road that -extended drearily northward before them through St. Mary county, on the -cold winter morning of December 28, gazed at each other ruefully. They -were aching from the exertions of their escape and of the night spent -without sleep, wandering across country. They were lame, foot-sore, and -hungry, and the cold now began to penetrate their garments, unprotected, -as they were, for lack of oil-skins or heavy coats. The discovery that -they were also now almost penniless, and in an out-of-the-way and -sparsely settled section of Maryland, was well-nigh appalling. They cast -anxious glances over the fields and low rolling hills, to see if they -could discover shelter. - -Off to the left of the highway, there wound a thin ribbon of frozen -stream, going down to the southwest, through some irregular ridges; -twenty rods away, on the southern bank of this stream, the roof of a -small house showed, with a chimney sending up a light coil of smoke. -Harvey and his companion left the road and made their way toward the -house. - -The occupant of this dwelling, whoever he might be, would not be taken -unawares by their coming, surely, for there bounded out toward them three -dogs, barking. Harvey and Tom Edwards halted, then proceeded slowly. The -dogs did not offer to molest them, but ran close by their side, as a sort -of escort. - -A man appeared in the doorway, warned by the dogs, and called to the -three to come away. Then he gave a greeting to the two travellers. - -"Don't mind the dogs," he called; "they're not savage. We're not -accustomed to seeing travelers often, though, and it makes them excited." - -The speaker was a middle-aged, well-built man, of medium height, bronzed -by sun and wind, with an expression and bearing that told of a condition -in life above that of the poor settler. He spoke, too, in accents -different from what they had been accustomed of late to hear. He eyed -them shrewdly, as they came to the door. - -"Come inside," he said, holding the door ajar for them. "You're fishermen -by your dress--and you're not. Am I right? If I were to guess, I'd take -you to be northerners, though what you're doing away down in this -lonesome place is what puzzles me. You've been on the bay, perhaps, but -you don't look like bay men." - -All the while he spoke, his keen, brown eyes were bent critically upon -them, as if the two afforded him an interesting study. - -"You're right, sir," answered Tom Edwards, "we have been fishermen, but -we're not now; and what's more, I hope we never shall be again. We've -escaped from a dredger. And, sir, if you will allow me, you don't look -like a man that toils hard for a living. You've got a business hand." - -The man smiled and nodded. "You and I are regular Sherlock Holmeses," he -said. "Sit down by the fire. No, I'm not a resident here. I'm an invalid. -Do I look it?" - -He threw out his chest and laughed heartily. - -"You certainly do not," answered Tom Edwards. - -"Well, I was," continued the stranger. "My name is Phillips, and I live -in New York. I'm a lawyer, and I'm taking a year off for my health. I had -spent many vacations, shooting and fishing about the Chesapeake, and when -I had to give up work for a year, I came down here with my dogs and gun -and rod. I hired this old house and set up as monarch of all I -survey--including an old darkey servant who does my work and cooking. I'm -a pretty lusty invalid, I can tell you. Now where did you come from?" - -"It's a long story," said Tom Edwards, stretching out comfortably in his -armchair before the hearth fire, "but I'll make it brief." And he -sketched rapidly the adventures that had befallen himself and Harvey -since their captivity aboard the dredger. Their host listened intently. - -"That's a strange story, sure enough," he said, when Tom Edwards had -finished; "but I've heard of cases like it before. It's a bad state of -affairs. I'd like to help prosecute that man, Haley. What a rascal he -must be!" - -Mr. Phillips arose, stepped to a closet and produced from a shelf a -bottle and a glass. - -"Mr. Edwards," he said, "I won't offer this to your young companion, but -you look played out. I keep it on hand, for cases just like this." - -So saying, he poured the glass partly full and handed it to Tom Edwards. -The latter took it, arising from his chair as he did so, and started to -raise it to his lips. To his utter astonishment, and that of the host, -Jack Harvey stepped to the side of his elder companion, drew back his -right arm and planted a blow on Tom Edwards's shoulder that nearly sent -him off his feet, knocked the glass from his hand and sent it crashing to -the floor. - -Tom Edwards recovered his balance, flushed angrily and turned on Harvey, -who stood, chuckling at the effect of his unexpected blow. - -"Look here," cried Tom Edwards, confronting his friend, threateningly, -"what kind of tom-foolery do you call that? What's the matter with you? -Have you gone crazy?" - -Mr. Phillips, seeing the fate of his liquor and his glass, had also -flushed with resentment and stood glaring at Harvey. Harvey laughed. - -"You asked me to do it, Tom," he said. - -"What's that!" - -"I did it just to oblige you," insisted Harvey. "Don't you remember the -first night we met in that beastly old forecastle of the Brandt? You said -if I ever saw you try to take a drink again to punch you good and hard. -Well, I did the best I know how. Truly, though, Tom, I'm sorry if you're -angry. I just happened to remember it, and I did it for fun, right off -quick. Say you're not mad, will you?" - -Tom Edwards, thus confronted with his own words, stood, open-mouthed with -surprise. Then a smile overspread his face. He turned to his host, -somewhat embarrassed; the expression on his face became serious. - -"Mr. Phillips," he said, "the boy is right. I asked him to do it. And -what's more--though I owe you an apology, sir--I'm glad he did it." - -He turned to Harvey and extended his hand. - -"Jack, old chap," he said, "you did just right. Upon my word, I forgot. I -meant that, when I said it aboard the Brandt, and I did intend to stick -to it, upon my word. The fact is, Mr. Phillips, if it hadn't been for -that stuff, I never should have been caught in this plight. I swore I'd -never touch another drop; and if you'll excuse me, sir, I'll start all -over again. Jack, here's my hand on it. I'll stick to it this time, as -long as I live." - -Mr. Phillips, seating himself in his chair, doubled up with laughter. - -"Excuse you, why, of course," he roared. "Bless me, if that wasn't the -most effective temperance lesson I ever saw in my life. Young fellow, if -you can convert 'em as quick as that, you ought to go into the business." - -"I was only in fun," said Harvey, apologetically. "I thought it would -surprise Tom, to give it to him, just as he said." - -"Surprise!" roared Mr. Phillips, "I never saw such a surprised man in all -my life." And the lawyer leaned back in his chair and roared again. - -"Well," he said, finally. "I'll try you on the food question. You're both -hungry enough, I dare say. Just make yourself comfortable and I'll have -my man start breakfast." - -Harvey and Tom Edwards settled back in their chairs, warm and grateful. -It seemed too good to be true, to be comfortably housed and with the -prospect of a good breakfast, after the hardships they had gone through. -And when they sat down to the table some time later, with coffee and eggs -and bacon and hot rolls and crisp fried potatoes arrayed appetizingly -before them, they could hardly believe they were not dreaming. Hope and -courage grew anew within them, and already their troubles seemed at an -end. - -They were glad enough, when they had finished, to accept the proffered -hospitality of a bed; and they went off to sleep, wearied and worn but -vastly content in the consciousness that they were safe, and might rest -unmolested. They slept the most of that day, and roused up at evening -only, to partake of a bit of supper and then turn in again, for a long -night of sleep and rest. - -The next day, the easterly storm blew up that had made life miserable -aboard the dredger, Brandt, away across the bay on the eastern shore. How -far from their minds was the thought that, while they sat, comfortably -sheltered against the snow and sleet, the youth, Artie Jenkins, who had -brought all their troubles upon them, was, himself, toiling miserably and -wretched, at the winch aboard the Brandt. By no stretch of the -imagination could Harvey have pictured his friend, Henry Burns, under -bondage to Haley, as he himself had been. - -Harvey and Tom Edwards, urged to remain until they were fully refreshed, -and until the weather softened to admit of their travelling without -danger or great hardship, gladly accepted. They remained that day and the -next under the roof of their good host. He, on his part, was glad of -their company, and would have had them remain even longer. - -On the fourth day, however, the weather moderating and not enough snow -having fallen to make the road impassable, Harvey and his companion -determined to set out. They were in high spirits, for their generous host -had lent them money for their passage to Baltimore and to purchase what -they might need on the way. Moreover, he had given them the name of a man -at a small settlement called Trap, a mile or two up the road, who owned a -horse, and who, he thought, would drive them northward. In the forenoon, -then, they started, with a cordial farewell and wishes for good luck. - -Lawyer Phillips had been a generous and thoughtful friend. The shabby, -sea-worn clothing that the two had worn on their arrival at his home had -been replaced by garments from his own wardrobe--second-hand, to be sure, -but far better and warmer than what they had. Over his shoulder Harvey -carried a small sack which contained half a boiled ham, two loaves of -bread, some corn biscuit and a big bottle of coffee. They were rested and -had been well fed; and they went along the icy road in high spirits. - -In a little more than an hour they had reached the settlement to which -they had been directed, consisting of some three or four houses. They -went in to the door of one of these, and knocked. A man opened the door. - -"We are looking for Mr. Stanton," said Tom Edwards. - -"That's my name," responded the man; "what's wanted?" - -They told him Mr. Phillips had sent them, and informed him of their -errand. The man shook his head. - -"I'd do anything for Mr. Phillips," he said, "but my horse can't travel -clear to Millstone and back over this road, this time of year. But I tell -you what I will do; I'll take you by water. My canoe is down at the creek -yonder. We can run up in four hours, I guess; and I'll put you up with -friends of mine when we get there, and you can stay till the boat comes. -How will that suit you?" - -"Suit us!" exclaimed Tom Edwards, "nothing ever suited us half so well in -this world. When can you start?" - -"Right away, as soon as I throw a few things into a bag." - -Five minutes later, the three were going along a road that led off from -the highway to the right, diagonally toward the shore. Their guide and -new acquaintance, a small, undersized man, led the way at a brisk pace. -The entrance to the creek, a quite extensive sheet of water, bordered by -salt marshes, was about two miles distant. When they had come to within a -quarter of a mile of this, a small cabin could be seen, squatted down -among the reeds by the shore. - -Suddenly their guide stopped short, gazed off to the side of the road, -and uttered an exclamation of surprise. Then he pointed to an object a -short distance away, and ran toward it. Harvey and Tom Edwards followed. -What they saw was the figure of a man, or youth, lying on a little patch -of underbrush, where he had evidently fallen. - -The heavy breathing of the person told the three, as they bent over him, -that he still lived; but he seemed to be in a sort of stupor. Mr. Stanton -turned him over and looked at his face. - -"I knew it," he said. "He's a stranger; some poor chap from a dredger, -sure as you live. He's not the first one that's been put ashore down -here. We've got to get him into the cabin and give him something hot -pretty quick, or we won't save him." - -"Lift him up on my shoulders, and I'll carry him," said Harvey. "It isn't -far, and he doesn't weigh much." - -They lifted the youth up and Harvey started toward the cabin, carrying -him over his shoulder, while the others steadied the swaying figure. He -was, as Harvey had said, not heavy--a youth of about twenty, perhaps, -slender and sickly looking. His face seemed swollen, as though from blows -or from being frost-bitten. As Harvey, strong and athletic, carried him -over the uneven ground, he groaned and muttered something unintelligible. -The jolting had roused him partly from his stupor. - -The cabin proved to be a rough affair of boards--with wooden bunks on -either side, and a sheet-iron stove in one corner--used merely as an -occasional shelter by tong-men. Harvey laid his burden down and made -haste to start a fire. Tom Edwards produced the coffee from the bag, and -poured some into a tin can that he found in one corner of the cabin, in -order to heat it on the stove. The man, Stanton, began untying the shoes -and loosening the clothing of the unknown youth, who now stirred slightly -and half opened his eyes. There were two tattered blankets by the -doorway, and Mr. Stanton spread these by the stove, where Harvey soon had -a fire roaring, and they laid the youth down on them. - -"It's just as I thought," exclaimed Stanton, indignantly, turning down -the youth's coat and shirt, so that a part of his bare shoulder was -exposed; "he's been beaten with a rope's end. It's a disgrace, the way -they treat men." - -Harvey's face flushed, as he looked. - -"We know how to sympathize with the poor fellow," he said. "We know what -dredging is like, eh, Tom?" - -"Well, I rather think we do," responded Tom Edwards. "We've got some -scores of our own to settle with a few men, when we get back to -Baltimore." - -Tom Edwards advanced now with the coffee. - -"Hold him up, Jack," he said. "This will warm him." - -Harvey put his hand under the youth's head, raised him to a sitting -position, and Tom Edwards held the tin to his lips. The youth opened his -eyes and looked them in the face. As he did so, Harvey fairly gasped and -nearly let him fall back. - -"Tom," he exclaimed, "look! See who it is!" - -Tom Edwards set the tin down on the floor. - -"Why, I've seen him before," he cried. "He's the chap I met in Baltimore, -or his twin brother. How can that be, though? Jack, what do you say? Who -is he?" - -"Artie Jenkins!" exclaimed Harvey. "I'd know him, no matter where he was. -He's the chap that trapped me--and of all places to find him! Say, you're -Artie Jenkins, aren't you?" - -He looked the youth in the eyes and shook him. The youth nodded, feebly. - -"Yes," he whispered. - -"Well," said Tom Edwards, lifting the tin again, "you get the coffee, -just the same--but hang me if I ever thought I'd do that much for you. -Hold him up, Jack. Here, drink this." - -Artie Jenkins, choking and breathing hard between his efforts, drank the -tin-full of hot coffee, and they laid him down again. They rubbed his -legs and arms till they were warmed with renewed vitality. Then they -rolled him in the blankets and let him lie by the fire. - -"He's all right, I guess," said Stanton, "but he had a close call. -Another hour out there in the cold and he never would have waked up. It's -funny, though, that you know him; how did it happen?" - -"Yes, he's an old friend of ours," said Tom Edwards, smiling; "we're sort -of old Johns Hopkins chums, he and Harvey and I. We went to school with -him--on the Baltimore water front." And he narrated the story of their -acquaintance with Artie Jenkins. "Jack and I had a score to settle with -him," he said in conclusion; "but it looks to me as though someone had -settled it for us. Judging by the looks of our friend, I guess he's had -enough, eh, Jack?" - -Harvey nodded. - -"I guess we'll call it even," he replied. "But what puzzles me is, what -are we going to do with him?" Harvey looked at Mr. Stanton, inquiringly. -The latter did not answer, but started suddenly toward the door. - -"There's a sloop coming to anchor just outside," he said. "Perhaps they -know something about him. Just keep close, now. There's a skiff coming -in, with two in it. I'm a justice of the peace. I reckon this revolver -will be a good argument for them to stop. I'll hold them until that chap, -Jenkins, is able to sit up again. If he identifies them as the ones that -brought him in here, I'll put them under arrest. Have you got a weapon?" - -Harvey produced Haley's revolver. - -"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Stanton, "keep it handy and stand by. When I step -out, you follow." - -Peering through the doorway, they saw the skiff come in to shore and two -persons step out--one a large, powerfully built man, the other a youth of -about Harvey's age. The two came up a path leading from the shore, toward -the cabin. Their boots crunched the ice just outside the door when Mr. -Stanton, motioning to Harvey, stepped quickly outside. Harvey followed. - -"Hold up there," cried Mr. Stanton, "I put you two under arrest till I -find out--" - -He stopped abruptly and jumped with surprise when Jack Harvey, uttering a -whoop and a yell, darted past him. - -"George Warren!" bawled Harvey, rushing up to the astounded youth; "where -did you come from? How in the world did you ever get here? Any more of -the fellows with you? Is Henry Burns out aboard? I was right. I saw you -weeks ago through Haley's telescope. Tom, come on out. They've come for -us. Hooray!" - -Mr. Stanton, wide-eyed with wonder, lowered his weapon and bowed to the -man with George Warren. - -"The arrest is off," he said. "I apologize, sir. Come inside and I'll -explain." - -George Warren, embracing his friend Harvey, was almost too dumfounded to -speak. But Harvey continued to ply him with questions. - -"How did you happen to come to look for me?" he asked. - -"We didn't," replied George Warren, while an expression of anxiety -overspread his face; "we are looking for Henry Burns." - -"For Henry Burns!" repeated Harvey. "Why, what's become of him--you don't -mean he's been carried off, too? Say, it's making my head swim. Come in -and explain." - -The four entered the cabin where Artie Jenkins lay sleeping by the fire. -George Warren introduced his companion as Will Adams. Then he turned to -Harvey. - -"Who'll explain first, you or I?" he asked. - -"Why," replied Harvey, "you know about us, or you wouldn't be here--you -got the note I sent ashore, I suppose. It's a long story, all that's -happened. I want to know about Henry Burns. Is he lost?" - -George Warren recounted the events leading up to the disappearance of -their friend; and then, how they had discovered, on the morning of the -27th of December, that Henry Burns was missing; how they had found the -skiff adrift in the Patuxent; how they had learned, by questioning the -river men, that Haley's bug-eye had been seen that night in the Patuxent; -and how they had set out in the sloop, Mollie, to hunt for him, after -notifying the authorities. There were, out aboard the sloop, the other -two Warren boys and Edward Warren, their cousin. - -"And you'll have to make room for two more," cried Jack Harvey. "Tom -Edwards and I can tell Haley's old bug-eye a mile away. You won't find -him on this shore, though. He's on the Eastern shore, among the islands." - -"That's what we thought most likely," said Will Adams, "but we thought -we'd clean up this side first, to make sure. We saw your smoke and ran in -to inquire--" - -He stopped abruptly and turned to Tom Edwards. - -"Say, was it you two that slept in Warren's barn?" he asked. - -"I guess it was his barn, sure enough," replied Tom Edwards; "and wasn't -it a piece of hard luck that he didn't catch us? We'd all be home by this -time,--and they wouldn't have lost the other boy. What a shame!" - -"Things do happen queerly, sure enough," said Will Adams. "But who's this -man asleep here?" - -Tom Edwards turned and pointed to Artie Jenkins, shaking his finger at -the sleeping figure. - -"That chap," he said, "is the cause of it all. Isn't it a queer -situation, that he should be here too?" - -He told the story of their experience with Artie Jenkins. - -"And what are you going to do with him?" asked Will Adams. - -Tom Edwards knelt by the sleeper and turned down his shirt collar. - -"Take a look here," he said, pointing to the red marks upon the youth's -shoulder. "When I was out aboard Haley's bug-eye," he continued, "I used -to spend hours thinking what I'd like to do to this fellow, if I ever -found him. I had nine hundred and ninety-nine different ways all thought -out of making him pay for my troubles. But"--Tom Edwards arose and folded -his arms--"I think he's had his punishment. Somebody put him just where -he put us--aboard a dredger; and he must have struck a Tartar as bad as -Haley. I think we'll let him go. That is, if we can. Mr. Stanton, what do -you say? We shall not need your help now, to get to Millstone. We're -going with this sloop to the Eastern shore; but we can't leave this -fellow, Jenkins, here, deserted." - -"Leave him to me," replied Mr. Stanton. "He won't be the first one we've -had on our hands. I'll go back and hitch up the horse and take him to the -settlement, and we'll ship him up the bay the first chance we get. But -you ought to prosecute him. Ten to one, if he ever gets his health again, -he'll go back to the business." - -Tom Edwards shook his head vigorously. - -"No, he won't," he said; "I'd stake my last dollar that he's had enough -of it. He's been beaten, and he's had the heart all taken out of him. He -hasn't got the nerve left to try it again." - -And Tom Edwards was right. - -They shook hands with Mr. Stanton, took a last look at the unhappy object -by the fire, and went down the path to the landing. Soon the sloop -Mollie, with her new recruits aboard, was standing away from the creek, -tossing the spray as the search for Haley's bug-eye and for Henry Burns -was resumed. - - - - - CHAPTER XX - THE PURSUIT OF THE BRANDT - - -There was a warm welcome for Harvey aboard the sloop, although Arthur and -Joe Warren could hardly believe their eyes at first, when they saw him -step over the rail on deck. When they did recognize, in the -weather-beaten, bronzed and rough-looking figure, their comrade of -Benton, they fell upon him and dragged him below into the cabin, followed -by Tom Edwards and Will Adams. - -And as they sailed across the Chesapeake a little later, on their long -course, east by north in the direction of Hooper strait, Harvey recounted -his adventures--assisted by Tom Edwards, who filled in the parts which -Harvey omitted, recounting in glowing terms how Harvey had stood by him -through thick and thin, refusing to desert his friend when the -opportunity had offered for him to escape, alone. - -Edward Warren looked serious, as Harvey described the life aboard the -Brandt, and the treatment of the men at Haley's hands. - -"I wouldn't have had young Burns taken off on that craft for all the -money in Maryland," he said, gravely. "I feel somehow to blame for it, -too," he added, "though I hadn't the least idea he would attempt to leave -the house at night. Give her all the sail she'll stand, Will," he called -to Will Adams, who, with George Warren, had returned on deck; "let's get -across as quick as we can." - -"She's making good time," replied George Warren, hurrying down below -again, to hear the story; "we'll be in the strait by early afternoon." - -The old Mollie was, indeed, doing her prettiest, and carrying a "bone in -her teeth" under a fresh westerly breeze. - -George Warren vowed vengeance on Haley, for his hard treatment of Harvey -and Tom Edwards. Young Joe groaned in sympathy as Harvey told of the food -served to the crew of the Brandt. - -"There's a big chicken pie, over in that locker, Jack," he said, with a -longing look in the direction indicated. - -"No, thanks, Joe," laughed Harvey; "we had a good, square meal before we -set out this morning; and we've been making up for what we lost, these -last few days." - -"No use, Joe, you'll have to wait till dinner time before you get any -more of that pie," said Arthur Warren, slyly. - -Young Joe scowled in high indignation. - -"I didn't want any," he declared. - -"Well, I've done all I can," said Edward Warren. "I've put the -authorities on the track, and a police boat will pick up Haley, I expect, -before we do. We'll have some news as soon as we get over among the -dredging fleet." - -"I'm not so sure about Haley's being caught right off," returned Will -Adams. "It all depends upon whether he thinks he's being hunted or not. -This bay is a mighty big sheet of water, and there are a thousand and one -places to run to for hiding. And as I say, these fellows have a way of -warning one another. We may get word of him soon, or we may not. We'll -have to wait and see." - -They ran in through Hooper strait that afternoon, in company with quite a -fleet of oyster fishermen; a score of bug-eyes, picturesque and spirited -under full sail; several sharp-stern punjies; and, in Tangier Sound, -other smaller craft. Harvey, on deck, as lookout, watched eagerly, using -Will Adams's telescope now and then, for the familiar rig of the Brandt. -Will Adams, at the wheel, rejoiced in the acquisition of one who would -know the craft at a distance, instead of their having to trust to chance -report of the vessel from some passing skipper. - -But there was no Brandt to be seen that afternoon. They came to anchor in -Tangier Sound at dusk, and made ready for the night, impatient to resume -the search upon the morrow. - -"Not much like the Brandt, old fellow, is it?" remarked Harvey to Tom -Edwards, as they turned in on some blankets on the cabin floor. - -Tom Edwards gave a yawn and a murmur of satisfaction. - -"It's fine and comfortable," he said--"but I won't be sorry to be back in -old Boston once more--if we ever get there. I wasn't cut out for a -sailor." - -They started out again in good time, the following morning, following the -track of the dredging fleet, cruising in and out among the vessels. -Perhaps their appearance cruising thus, apparently idle, with no fishing -equipment, may have excited some suspicion. Certain it is, they got -little assistance from the captains they hailed, as Will Adams had -feared. - -"Hello, ahoy there!" Will Adams would call, through a big megaphone. - -"Ahoy, the Mollie!" - -"Seen anything of the Z. B. Brandt?" - -"No." - -The answer would come short and sharp. - -Sometimes they would sail along with a dredger, as it heaved and wound in -its dredges, making inquiries; but, despite the fact that someone in -these waters, of whom they asked, must, it would seem, have known a craft -that was a regular dredger thereabouts, no one could, or would, enlighten -them. - -That evening, however, as they sought a berth for the night, in company -with some dozen other craft, in a cove at the upper end of Bloodsworth -Island, they got a hint of what seemed like a clue. They had come to -anchor and night had fallen. Smoke was pouring out of the funnels of a -cluster of oystermen some few rods away, and light shone cheerily from -cabin companions. Will Adams lifted his megaphone to his lips and called -out his inquiry if anyone had seen the Brandt. The reply came "Who are -you?" Will Adams answered. The response to this was vague and -unintelligible, but the tone was one of contempt. Yet, amid a confusion -of voices, Will Adams caught this remark: - -"Reckon Haley's gone up the Nanticoke again, where it's easy dredging." - -This was followed by a chorus of rough laughter. - -By the light of the cabin lamp, that night, the yachtsmen aboard the -Mollie studied the Nanticoke river on their chart. Edward Warren and Will -Adams looked at Harvey, inquiringly. - -"We never went up there while I was aboard," said Harvey. "Haley did most -of his poaching in the Patuxent and Tangier Sound; but it's not an -unlikely place. We might get word of him there." - -They sailed northeast from Bloodsworth island next day, and started up -the Nanticoke river, running by the buoys half-way to Roaring Point. Some -tong-men in their canoes were at work in the chilling water, on the east -bank at a bend of the river, and the Mollie was swung into the wind for a -word with them. - -The occupant of one of the canoes straightened up, at their inquiry, and -eyed them shrewdly. - -"You needn't look fer no Brandt up this river," he replied, in a drawling -tone; "they do say as she was one of them as had the fight up above here, -with the patrol; but if she was, she got away, all right. At any rate, -she was going south, by Deal Island, the last I heard of her. If you're -after her, I hope you get her--and bad luck to the skipper that runs her, -being as he's a poacher by reputation in these parts." - -The Mollie headed back down the river, almost due south into Tangier -Sound. They had struck the trail at last. But the trail was a winding -one. It led some nine miles southward, and then through a great stretch -of bay off to the eastward, skirting countless acres of salt marshes, -whither they were directed by a passing vessel. The captain knew Hamilton -Haley, and added gratuitously that he knew no good of him; by which it -seemed Haley had his enemies in the bay, as well as friends. - -Then the trail led away in a great sweep, some ten miles to the -southwest, toward Smith Island, where the bug-eye had been seen heading. -They made this island on the forenoon of the next day. There they got -trace again of a bug-eye answering the description of the Brandt; but it -had made sail that morning to the eastward. They followed, in turn, -across six miles of Tangier Sound to the shore of another broad extent of -salt marsh, called Janes Island. They sailed southward along that, about -dusk. Below them, by the chart, lay a good anchorage for the night, -Somers Cove, at the mouth of a river. Already, in the gathering darkness, -a mile ahead, there gleamed the rays of Janes Island lighthouse, marking -the entrance to the harbour. - -A half-mile ahead of them, making for this same light, sailed a vessel. -They had had a glimpse of it before dusk set in, but not clear enough to -make it out. - -Then, as they sailed, the faint cry of someone in distress came to their -ears--a startling, puzzling cry, that seemed to come up from the very -depths of the dark waters. - - -Hamilton Haley, running his vessel out of the mouth of the Nanticoke, on -the night of the disastrous fight with the police steamer, was at first -about equally divided in mind between exultation and anger. He smiled -grimly as he thought of the battle that had been waged with the owners of -the oyster beds, and of the several score bushels of oysters plundered -before the arrival of the steamer. He chuckled as he pictured again the -escape in the fog, from the victorious steamer. But he muttered -maledictions on the head of the skipper that had sunk the bug-eye, and -who might have surmised, or might now be able to discover who the -confederates of the unfortunate captain had been. He crowded on sail, -once clear of the river, and went flying southward, in the early morning -hours, along the shores of Deal Island. - -The bug-eye turned the southern point of Deal Island and passed in -through a narrow stretch of water called the Lower Thoroughfare, which -ran between Deal Island and a smaller one, known as Little Island. -Threading this thoroughfare, Haley sailed east and then northward, into a -harbour called Fishing Creek. Here he dropped sail, came to anchor and -prepared to lie snug, to rest and reflect upon what course to take. - -In spite of his successful escape, Haley was worried--almost alarmed; -and, as he considered the situation, throughout the day, his anxiety -increased. There were several things that worried him; and, now that -troubles began to press, he thought of them all at once, as impending and -immediate dangers. Perhaps, unconsciously, he had lost nerve. He thought -of possible pursuit from the steamer. He thought of a hunt that might -have been set on foot for Henry Burns, the youth he had carried off from -the Patuxent. He thought of Harvey and his companion, safely ashore, and -perhaps long ere this having set on foot a search of reprisal. - -Several times during the day, as Haley encountered Henry Burns about the -deck, he stopped abruptly and seemed to be lost in thought. It would have -disturbed the calmness of even that youth, could he have read Haley's -mind; could he have known that, of all his troubles, Captain Hamilton -Haley regarded Henry Burns as the one that most menaced his safety. But -it was so. Other things might be denied. The evidence would be hard to -gather; but here was the stolen youth, evidence in himself of Haley's -act. - -What Haley decided as best for his safety was expressed by Haley, -himself, in answer to a question by Jim Adams, that afternoon. - -"I'm going south--farther south," he said, "down into Virginia waters, -across the line. The police tubs won't follow below that. We'll stay for -a while. I don't know how long--till the trouble has had time to blow -over, anyway." - -Nevertheless, when sail was made again, that afternoon on the bug-eye, -the course was not southward, but off to the east, following the shore -line of the great sweep of bay leading into a wide river; and Jim Adams, -mate, wondered. He was free with Haley, for he had come to be well-nigh -indispensable to him; and he made bold to ask the reason for Haley's -change of mind. Haley's eyes flashed with a hard light. - -"That's my business," he answered, shortly. - -Twilight came early; they had run in past St. Pierre island, rounded a -point on the eastern bank of the river, and come to, in a small cove. -Haley gave the wheel to Jim Adams. - -"Hold her where she is," he said. He went to the stem, and drew the skiff -down alongside. "Come here," he called to Henry Burns and the sailor -Jeff. They came aft, in surprise. - -"Get in there!" Haley commanded, roughly. "We're short of wood. I want -you two to come with me and get some." - -It was a strange hour for wood gathering; it was already beginning to -grow heavy with the dusk. Furthermore, there was no wood-land in sight. -The shore seemed lined with marshes, and barren. But the two started to -obey, and Haley prepared to enter the skiff with them. A most unexpected -thing happened, however. Jim Adams left the wheel and stepped to the side -of the bug-eye. - -"Come here, Mister Haley, if you please," he said, still simulating a -politeness of address and manner, but with an insolent expression on his -face. "Come back here, Mister Haley, I want to speak with you." - -Haley, glaring at him, ignored his words and started to cast off the -line. Jim Adams sprang and caught it. "You jes' got to come back here a -moment, Mister Haley," he said. - -With an exclamation of wrath, Haley sprang back on deck and advanced upon -Jim Adams. - -"What do you mean, interfering with me, you nigger?" he cried. - -Jim Adams, mysteriously beckoning him to follow, retreated across the -deck, to the side of the after-house. - -"Mister Haley," he said, softly, "I got something to say to you. I know -what you come in here for now. There don't no wood grow hereabouts. You -thinks this would be a mighty fine place to leave that youngster that -came from the Patuxent. But I ain't goin' to let you do it, Mister -Haley--leastways not yet. I reckon Jim Adams wouldn't be here now if it -wasn't for that youngster hauling him back aboard when he came out of the -Nanticoke." - -Haley, taken utterly by surprise, glared at the mate for one moment -without being able to find words to reply. Then he cried out that he -would knock him overboard, and raised his fist for a blow. The agile mate -caught his wrist and held it in a grip that Haley could not shake off. -They struggled for a moment, and then Haley, breaking loose, stood, -trembling with rage. - -"Jim Adams," he said, huskily, "what ails you--have you gone crazy? -You've always been a good mate. Don't be a fool now. Don't you know the -boy's a danger to us, here? Do you want to go to jail on account of him?" - -"Sho' no, I don't at all, Cap'n Haley," answered the mate, with -assurance. "See here,"--and he assumed a more civil, urgent tone,--"I -want to get clear of that young chap just as bad as you do, Mister Haley; -but I jes' don't like to see him go ashore now, cause there ain't nothin' -but ma'sh land hereabouts, and I know he'd starve to death, or drown. And -I reckon Jim Adams owes him that much, to see as he's put ashore where he -can get away, somehow. That's all I want. Wait till we get down into -Virginny, Mister Haley, and I won't make no trouble--but I guess you and -I will fight pretty bad if he has to go here." - -The mate's manner was both threatening and wheedling. Clearly, he had no -fear of Haley. It was man against man. Haley waited some moments, eying -the mate as if to read his mind. Evidently what he saw, in the snapping -eyes that returned his gaze, convinced him that Jim Adams was not to be -turned aside without a struggle. - -"All right," he said, "but I'll get square for it. Let your anchor go. -Come aboard here, you men. We'll get our wood down yonder. Drop those -sails and turn in." - -Sullenly, leaving the mate to make all snug, Haley went below. Jim Adams, -turning his eyes upon Henry Burns as the boy slipped down into the -forecastle, muttered softly to himself. He had a queer kind of -cold-blooded logic, had Jim Adams. - -"There," he said, "you and I am square, young fellow. You saved my life, -and now I've saved yours. That makes us even, I reckon. The next time, I -guess you'll have to go ashore." - -Into this bay and out again, the course of the Brandt now continued, as -the sloop Mollie traced it later. A vessel that passed here and there, -despite Haley's precautions, sufficed to give the clues he fain would -have hid. There is fate in all things, and it was Haley's now to leave an -open trail where he sought concealment. He ran to Smith Island, and the -Mollie got trace of him there. He sailed southward, and the Virginia line -was not so many miles away. Of an evening, as darkness was shutting down, -he perceived far astern a sloop coming in his wake. He noticed it, but -gave it little thought. He had one other idea in his mind, and that -overshadowed all else. The boy that was a peril to him must be gotten rid -of. - -The Brandt was running free, with the wind directly astern--a fresh -evening breeze that was sending her along at a fair clip. Hamilton Haley -had the wheel. Jim Adams was below. Sam Black was on deck, forward. Henry -Burns was on deck. Wallace Brooks was on deck. Haley watched and waited. -By and by, Brooks stepped to the companion and went below. Haley called -to Henry Burns. There was a tangle of gear near the after-house. - -"Here you, youngster, straighten out that line and coil it up neat," -ordered Haley. Henry Burns went to work. Haley stood silently by the -wheel. The minutes passed, and Henry Burns worked on. His back was toward -the captain. - -The booms were out on the starboard side. Watching the boy sharply, Haley -stooped and grasped the main-sheet, and drew it in a little. The -main-sail shivered, as the breeze caught it slightly aback. Cautiously, -Haley put the helm up a trifle; the bug-eye headed more to the starboard, -and the sail shivered still more. Henry Burns, intent upon his work, -however, failed to notice the manoeuvre. - -Then the main-sheet slackened suddenly in Haley's hand, as the boom -started to swing inboard. Haley dropped the sheet and put the helm hard -up. Swiftly the heavy boom jibed across the stern. Haley ducked his head -as it swung past. The change of motion in the vessel was now apparent to -Henry Burns. One glance, and he saw the shadow of the sail as the boom -crashed upon him, with a swiftness he could not evade. He had barely time -to dodge when the boom caught him, grazing the top of his head and -hurling him overboard into the icy water. He had saved his life, but he -was momentarily stunned--and the bug-eye, Brandt, was disappearing in the -darkness when he came to his senses, choking, and stinging with the slap -of the winter seas. - -The bug-eye swerved and laid over, with the jibing of the booms. But the -wind was not heavy; the sheets held, and Haley had her on her course in -another moment. - -Henry Burns's smothered cry was unheard save by Haley. It was not until -another hour, when the Brandt rounded to in Somers cove, that the boy's -loss was discovered. Jim Adams, hardened as he was, faced Haley solemnly. - -"Mister Haley," he said, "I've seen you pay two men the wages that was -due them, with that ere main-boom, since I've been aboard this craft, and -they was not much account; but sure I think we'll have bad luck now, -'cause we could have got rid of that youngster without that." - -For better or worse luck, however, the bug-eye Brandt made snug for the -night. There was a good berth to lie in; it was a quiet night, with only -a gentle breeze blowing. A lantern was set in the shrouds, and all hands -turned. - - -Henry Burns, knocked overboard by the blow of the boom, sank in the -chilling water, then rose again. He was not badly injured, but was -choking with the water he had swallowed. He had strength enough to cry -out only feebly. There was no salvation in that. He husbanded his -strength and struck out, to keep himself afloat. Fortunately, he was not -encumbered with oil skins, or he would have sunk. - -Terror seized him; there seemed to be no chance for life in the darkness. -Yet he struggled to keep afloat. Then the shadow of some object came -before his eyes. It was a small cask, rolled off the deck of the Brandt -as she had heeled with the jibing of the boom. Henry Burns grasped it, as -it floated close, and clasped his arms over it. It sufficed to float him, -with the most of his body under water. It was a forlorn hope, yet he -clung with desperation. - -Minutes that seemed like hours passed. His hold slipped, as his fingers -became numbed. He gave a cry of despair, struggled with all his strength -and regained his hold. Again he clung for what seemed to him hours. But -his strength was waning. The cold was robbing him of strength--of life. -In despair, he cried aloud again and again, over the waste of waters. He -could not hold out longer. - -Then, out of the blackness there came a rushing sound, as of some large -body moving through the waves--and then--an answering call. - -A cry from the blackness of the sea! Will Adams, at the wheel of the -Mollie, felt his hair rise on end. Jack Harvey, forward, on watch, felt -the cold perspiration stand out all over him. It seemed something -unearthly--impossible. - -But the cry came again, and again. The sloop headed in the direction of -the sound, and there came into view the vague figure, floating, clinging -to the cask. They drew the castaway aboard presently--and then Jack -Harvey set up a shout that almost reached to Haley's bug-eye. - -"Henry Burns!" - -They had him down in the warm cabin in a twinkling, and between blankets, -with hot drink to restore his strength. Edward Warren fairly wept for joy -and relief from anxiety. The Warrens and Jack Harvey tried hard to keep -the tears from their eyes, but didn't all succeed. Will Adams stood by -the wheel, but called for news every moment from the rescued one, and -fairly shouted with exultation when Henry Burns gave the tidings that the -Brandt was just ahead, making for Somers Cove. - -They turned the point and stood into the harbour. The sight that greeted -their eyes made their blood tingle. Under the lee of Long Point, there -lay a vessel at anchor, betrayed by its harbour light. - -"It's the Brandt," exclaimed Harvey, as they neared it. - -But, even as they spilled the wind from their sails, luffing, to consider -their plan of attack, there came voices from the Brandt, and two men -appeared on deck. So, to avoid suspicion, the Mollie ran in past the -Brandt for some rods, and came to anchor ahead of her. Quickly, sails -were made snug and lights doused in the cabin, a single small lantern -being set for a harbour light. Then the crew of the Mollie gathered for a -conference in the cabin. - -Jack Harvey, eager to be avenged for his wrongs, was for standing over -boldly and attacking the bug-eye then and there; but Will Adams and -Edward Warren, older and wiser, were for waiting. - -"We'll never let him sail away," said Will Adams, reassuringly; "depend -on that. But every minute we wait, saves a blow. They may be suspicious -for a while, but they'll not watch all night." - -"But how can we reach them without giving warning?" asked Tom Edwards. -"They'll hear us if we try to make sail, and one small skiff won't hold -us all." - -Will Adams pulled out his watch and noted the time. "In two hours it will -be easy," he answered. "In two hours the tide will begin to ebb out of -the river. We're above the Brandt. When the tide turns, we'll just start -the anchor off bottom and drop back on her. Get out the guns and make -ready--but be quiet." - -They worked silently, and watched the hands of Will Adams's watch move -slowly around the dial. It seemed as though an hour would never go. Sixty -more long minutes, and, as Will Adams had foretold, the vessels were -swinging. Now their bows were no longer pointing out of the cove, but -up-river. - -Will Adams, in stocking feet, crept cautiously out on deck and -extinguished the harbour light in the shrouds. - -"We'll see if they take notice of that," he whispered, as he crept back -again. - -There was no sound of life aboard the Brandt, which swung idly at its -mooring. - -Gathering his force now, Will Adams instructed them in the parts each -should play. He sent Jack Harvey astern to the wheel. - -"You know how to steer her when she's going astern?" he asked--"Just the -reverse of the usual way." - -"Sure, I know," replied Harvey, and crept to his post. - -Edward Warren, armed with a rifle, and the others, carrying the equipment -of shot-guns, took up their positions on the companion stairs, ready to -rush out at the word. At the top, a dangerous post, crouched George -Warren, holding a coil of rope, one end of which had been made fast to -the foremast. Will Adams stole forward and slowly hauled in on the -anchor-rode. The Mollie went ahead, leaving a greater distance between -herself and the Brandt. - -All at once, however, she began to drift slowly back again. Will Adams -had the anchor off bottom. Harvey turned the wheel slightly, this way and -that. The Mollie was dropping down upon the Brandt. - -Gently the stern of the sloop grazed along the side of the bug-eye. -George Warren leaped upon the deck of the Brandt and made fast the line -about its foremast. Will Adams, running aft, snatched up a boat-hook, -and, with that in his right hand and holding a revolver in his left, -stepped aboard the Brandt. The boys, under orders, ranged themselves -quickly on the deck of the sloop, crouching low, holding the shot-guns. - -Almost at the moment, there came darting from the cabin of the Brandt a -lithe, powerful figure, while the voice of Jim Adams called to Haley to -follow him. But he was a moment too late. Will Adams, swinging the -boat-hook, felled the negro with a single blow, stunning him. - -Capt. Hamilton Haley, tumbling up from the cabin, half dressed, found -himself staring into the muzzle of Edward Warren's rifle. He dropped the -weapon he carried, at the sharp command, seeing himself covered. - -The crew of the Brandt, not over-loyal to Haley at best, showed no -inclination to fight, under the range of fire from a battery of -shot-guns. They called out, in fear, that they would give up. - -They came forward, one by one, and submitted to being bound by Jack -Harvey, who performed that function in good sailor fashion. - -But when it came to Hamilton Haley, Harvey found himself pushed aside. -Tom Edwards stood before him. - -"Jack, old fellow," said Tom Edwards, blithely, "let me have the -satisfaction of tying up that brute that made me slave at the dredges." - -"But you don't know how," protested Harvey. - -"Don't I, though!" exclaimed Tom Edwards, smiling. "Why, I used to tie up -a hundred bundles a day when I worked in a dry-goods store in Boston. Put -out your wrist, captain, I'll show you what a counter-jumper can do." - -And Tom Edwards, with vast satisfaction, did up Hamilton Haley like a -package for the express. - -They had not fired a shot--and the bug-eye was theirs. The cruise of the -Brandt was at an end. - -Next day, with Henry Burns recovered sufficiently to be about and on -deck, the two craft started northward, keeping close in touch with each -other. The skipper of the Z. B. Brandt was Jack Harvey; and he had a -mixed crew, made up of one or two of the Brandt's men that could be -trusted, and Edward and George Warren. The Mollie still obeyed her helm -directed by stalwart Will Adams. Back they went over the waters they had -travelled, running by daylight only, until they reached the upper waters -of Tangier Sound. There a welcome police-boat relieved them alike of the -Brandt and her former skipper and mate and crew. - -A week later, there filed into a court-room in Baltimore a sun-burned, -weather-beaten looking party, conspicuous among which were Jack Harvey -and Henry Burns and Tom Edwards, and consisting otherwise of the Warrens -and Will Adams. They confronted two men there, long notorious for -wrong-doing among the dredging fleet. It was the beginning of the end for -Captain Haley and for Jim Adams, mate. They were held for trial. That -trial, months later, had its natural conclusion. The doors of the state -prison closed upon the pair for a long term of years. - -And, in the meantime, two days following the preliminary hearing in -court, a train rolled into Benton, bearing a party of youths at once -joyous and serious. One of these, Jack Harvey, had parted for the time -being from a friend whom he had met in adversity and whom he had come to -love as an elder brother. That friend was Tom Edwards, no longer clad in -oil-skins and weary of life, but well dressed and well fed, and eager to -be back to the world of business from which he had been so rudely -spirited away. And it may be truly said that there were tears in the eyes -of Tom Edwards, as Jack Harvey, grasping his hand to say good-bye, gave -it a grip as though he were turning the handle of Haley's winch. - -There was someone at the train to meet Henry Burns, as well as the -parents of the Warrens. It was a slender spinster, Miss Matilda Burns, -who had the care of the youth. She wiped her eyes with a lace-trimmed -handkerchief, as she tried to look sternly at her nephew. - -"Henry Burns," she said, "where on earth have you been all this time? You -haven't written me those two letters a week that you promised. I believe -you've been off somewhere, away from that farmhouse of Mr. Warren's, -where you were going." - -"Yes'm, I have," responded Henry Burns. - - - THE END. - - - - - BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - - THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS - (Trade Mark) - - By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON - - Each 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth, illustrated, per vol. $1.50 - -"The books are as satisfactory to the girls, who find them adorable, as -for the mothers and librarians, who delight in their -influence."--Christian Register. - - - The Little Colonel Stories. - (Trade Mark) - -Being three "Little Colonel" stories in the Cosy Corner Series, "The -Little Colonel," "Two Little Knights of Kentucky," and "The Giant -Scissors," put into a single volume. - - - The Little Colonel's House Party. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Holidays. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Hero. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel at Boarding School. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel in Arizona. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Christmas Vacation. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel, Maid of Honour. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Knight Comes Riding. - (Trade Mark) - - These nine volumes, boxed as a nine-volume set $3.50 - - - The Little Colonel. - (Trade Mark) - Two Little Knights of Kentucky. - The Giant Scissors. - Big Brother. - - - Special Holiday Editions - - Each one volume, cloth decorative, small quarto, $1.25. - -New plates, handsomely illustrated with eight full-page drawings in -color, and many marginal sketches. - - - In the Desert of Waiting: The Legend of Camelback Mountain. - The Three Weavers: A Fairy Tale for Fathers and Mothers as Well as for - Their Daughters. - Keeping Tryst. - The Legend of the Bleeding Heart. - The Rescue of Princess Winsome. A Fairy Play for Old and Young. - - Each one volume, tall 16mo, cloth decorative. $0.50 - Paper boards .35 - -There has been a constant demand for publication in separate form of -these five stories, which were originally included in five of the "Little -Colonel" books. - - - Joel: A Boy of Galilee. By Annie Fellows Johnston. Illustrated by L. J. - Bridgman. - -New illustrated edition, uniform with the Little Colonel Books, 1 vol., -large 12mo, cloth decorative. $1.50 - -A story of the time of Christ, which is one of the author's best-known -books. - - - Asa Holmes; or, At the Cross-Roads. A sketch of Country Life and - Country Humor. By Annie Fellows Johnston. With a frontispiece - by Ernest Fosbery. - - Large 16mo, cloth, gilt top $1.00 - -"'Asa Holmes; or, At the Cross-Roads' is the most delightful, most -sympathetic and wholesome book that has been published in a long -while."--Boston Times. - - - The Rival Campers; or, The Adventures of Henry Burns. By Ruel Perley - Smith. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -Here is a book which will grip and enthuse every boy reader. It is the -story of a party of typical American lads, courageous, alert, and -athletic, who spend a summer camping on an island off the Maine coast. - - - The Rival Campers Afloat; or, The Prize Yacht Viking. By Ruel Perley - Smith. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -This book is a continuation of the adventures of "The Rival Campers" on -their prize yacht Viking. An accidental collision results in a series of -exciting adventures. - - - The Rival Campers Ashore. By Ruel Perley Smith. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -"The Rival Campers Ashore" deals with the adventures of the campers and -their friends in and around the town of Benton. - - - Jack Harvey's Adventures; or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster - Pirates. By Ruel Perley Smith. - - Illustrated $1.50 - -In "Jack Harvey's Adventures," Mr. Smith has shifted the scene of his -story from the Maine coast to the shores of Chesapeake Bay; and has -chosen for its main theme the evil deeds of the notorious oyster pirates -of that region. - -How Jack Harvey is kidnapped by pirates, and how Henry Burns, the Ellison -Boys, "little Tim" and the others effect his rescue, furnishes plenty of -exciting adventure. - - - Prisoners of Fortune: A Tale of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. By Ruel - Perley Smith. - - Cloth decorative, with a colored frontispiece $1.50 - -"There is an atmosphere of old New England in the book, the humor of the -born raconteur about the hero, who tells his story with the gravity of a -preacher, but with a solemn humor that is irresistible. The austerity of -life under Cotton Mather is in sharp contrast to the brilliant details of -the pirates' habits and adventures."--Louisville Courier-Journal. - - - Famous Cavalry Leaders. A book for boys. By Charles H. L. Johnston. - - Large 12mo. With 24 illustrations $1.50 - -Biographical sketches, with interesting anecdotes and reminiscences of -the heroes of history who were leaders of cavalry. - -From the time of Attala the Hun to the exploits of Stuart, Wheeler, -Custer and Sheridan,--what thrilling stories are uncovered to the eager -eyes of the boy reader in these accounts of forced marches, dashing raids -and glorious charges. - - - Billy's Princess. By Helen Eggleston Haskell. - - Cloth decorative, illustrated by Helen McCormick Kennedy $1.25 - -Billy Lewis was a small boy of energy and ambition, so when he was left -alone and unprotected, he simply started out to take care of himself. - -"Boy and girl readers will find entertainment in the story which is -cleverly imagined and skilfully written."--Boston Transcript. - - - Tenants of the Trees. By Clarence Hawkes. - - Cloth decorative, illustrated in colors. $1.50 - -Mr. Hawkes has made a close study of animal and bird life since his -childhood. - -"A book which will appeal to all who care for the hearty, healthy, -outdoor life of the country. The illustrations are particularly -attractive."--Boston Herald. - - - - - Transcriber's Notes - - ---Silently corrected a few typos (but left nonstandard spelling and - dialect as is). - ---Rearranged front matter (and moved illustrations) to a more-logical - streaming order. - ---Replaced one reference to "Tom Adams" with "Tom Edwards" - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Jack Harvey's Adventures, by Ruel Perley Smith - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK HARVEY'S ADVENTURES *** - -***** This file should be named 40396-8.txt or 40396-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/3/9/40396/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Winfield</title> @@ -145,46 +145,7 @@ p.t15,div.t15,.t15 { margin-left:19em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-b </style> </head> <body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jack Harvey's Adventures, by Ruel Perley Smith - -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: Jack Harvey's Adventures - or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster Pirates - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. 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Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - -</pre> - +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40396 ***</div> </body> </html> diff --git a/40396.txt b/40396.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3f511c3..0000000 --- a/40396.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9447 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jack Harvey's Adventures, by Ruel Perley Smith - -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: Jack Harvey's Adventures - or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster Pirates - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 2, 2012 [EBook #40396] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK HARVEY'S ADVENTURES *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Jack Harvey's - Adventures - Or, The Rival Campers - Among the Oyster Pirates - - - By - Ruel Perley Smith - - Author of "The Rival Campers Series," "Prisoners - of Fortune," etc. - - ILLUSTRATED BY - Louis D. Gowing - - BOSTON - L. C. PAGE & COMPANY - 1908 - - RIVAL CAMPERS SERIES - BY - RUEL PERLEY SMITH - - Each 1 vol., large 12mo, illustrated, $1.50 - - - The Rival Campers - The Rival Campers Afloat - The Rival Campers Ashore - Jack Harvey's Adventures - Or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster Pirates - - L. C. PAGE & COMPANY - New England Building, Boston, Mass. - - Copyright, 1908 - By L. C. Page & Company - (INCORPORATED) - All rights reserved - - First Impression, September, 1908 - - Electrotyped and Printed at - THE COLONIAL PRESS: - C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, U.S.A. - - - TO - Lucy E. Cyr - With the Author's Love - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. Harvey Makes an Acquaintance 1 - II. The Cabin of the Schooner 12 - III. Down the Bay 25 - IV. Aboard the Bug-eye 40 - V. The Law of the Bay 52 - VI. The Working of the Law 62 - VII. Dredging Fleet Tactics 75 - VIII. A Night's Poaching 85 - IX. Faces through the Telescope 102 - X. Flight and Disaster 117 - XI. Harvey Sends a Message to Shore 132 - XII. Escape at Last 149 - XIII. Henry Burns Makes a Discovery 163 - XIV. Harvey Meets with a Loss 181 - XV. Henry Burns in Trouble 199 - XVI. Artie Jenkins Comes Aboard 212 - XVII. Artie Jenkins at the Dredges 223 - XVIII. The Battle of Nanticoke River 241 - XIX. Surprises for Jack Harvey 256 - XX. The Pursuit of the Brandt 271 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - "Dealt Harvey a blow in the face that knocked him off his feet" - (Frontispiece) 115 - "Up from the forecastle there burst three men" 28 - "Presented a pretty sight as viewed from the deck of the river - steamer" 113 - "'Stand back there, or I'll shoot,' he cried" 196 - "'Get up there; you're quitting!' cried Haley" 237 - "The speaker was a middle-aged, well-built man" 257 - - - - - JACK HARVEY'S - ADVENTURES - - - OR - - THE RIVAL CAMPERS AMONG THE - OYSTER PIRATES - - - - - CHAPTER I - HARVEY MAKES AN ACQUAINTANCE - - -An Atlantic Transport Line steamship lay at its pier in the city of -Baltimore, on a November day. There were indications, everywhere about, -that the hour of its departure for Europe was approaching. A hum of -excitement filled the air. Clouds of dark smoke, ascending skyward from -the steamer, threw a thin canopy here and there over little groups of -persons gathered upon the pier to bid farewell to friends. Clerks and -belated messengers darted to and fro among them. An occasional officer, -in ship's uniform, gave greeting to some acquaintance and spoke hopefully -of the voyage. - -Among all these, a big, tall, broad-shouldered man, whose face, florid -and smiling, gave evidence of abundant good spirits, stood, with one hand -resting upon a boy's shoulder. A woman accompanied them, who now and then -raised a handkerchief to her eyes and wiped away a tear. - -"There!" exclaimed the man, suddenly, "do you see that, Jack? You'd -better come along with us. It isn't too late. Ma doesn't want to leave -you behind. If there's anything I can't stand, it's to see a woman cry." - -The boy, in return, gave a somewhat contemptuous glance toward the -steamship. - -"I don't want to go," he said. "What's the fun going to sea in a thing -like that? Have to dress up and look nice all the time. If it was only a -ship--" - -He didn't have a chance to finish the sentence. - -"Jack Harvey!" exclaimed his mother, eying him with great disapproval -through her tears, "why did you wear that awful sweater down here, to see -us off? If you only knew how you look! I'm ashamed to have folks see -you." - -Harvey's father burst into a hearty roar of laughter. - -"Isn't that just like a woman?" he chuckled. "Crying about leaving Jack, -with one eye, and looking at his clothes with the other. Why, Martha, I -tell you he looks fine. None of your milk-sop lads for me!" And he gave -his son a slap of approval that made even that stalwart youth wince. - -"Why, when I was Jack's age," continued the elder Harvey, warming to the -subject and raising his voice accordingly, "I didn't know where the next -suit of clothes was coming from." - -Mrs. Harvey glanced apprehensively over her shoulder, to see who was -listening. - -"Guess I wasn't much older than Jack," went on the speaker, thrusting his -hands into his pockets and jingling the coins therein, "when I was -working in the mines out west and wherever I could pick up a job." - -"Now, William," interrupted Mrs. Harvey, "you know you've told us all -about that a hundred times--" - -She, herself, was interrupted. - -"You've got just a minute to go aboard, sir," said one of the pier -employees, addressing Mr. Harvey. "You'll be left, if you don't hurry." - -Jack Harvey's father gave him a vigorous handshake, and another slap -across the shoulder. Mrs. Harvey took him in her arms, despised sweater -and all, and kissed him good-bye. The next moment, the boy found himself -alone on the pier, waving to his parents, as the gang-plank was hauled -back. - -The liner slowly glided out into the harbour, a cloud of handkerchiefs -fluttering along its rail, in answer to a similar demonstration upon the -pier. - -Jack Harvey's father, gazing back approvingly at his son, strove to -comfort and cheer the spirits of his wife. - -"Jack's all right," said he. "Hang me, if I wasn't just such another when -I was his age. I didn't want anybody mollycoddling me. He'll take care of -himself, all right. Don't you worry. He'll be an inch taller in six -months. He knows what he wants, too, better than we do. He'll have more -fun up in Benton this winter than he'd have travelling around Europe. -There he goes. Take a last look at him, Martha. Confound the scamp! I -kind of wish he'd taken a notion to come along with us." - -If Jack Harvey had any such misgiving as to his decision to spend the -winter in Maine, with his boon companions, Henry Burns and the Warren -boys, and Tom Harris and Bob White and little Tim Reardon and all the -others, in preference to touring Europe with his father and mother, he -showed no sign of it. He whistled a tune as the liner went down the -harbour, watched the smoke pour in black clouds from its funnel, then -turned and walked away from the pier. - -A glance at the sturdy figure, as he went along, would have satisfied -anyone of the truth of the assertion of Harvey's father, that he was able -to take care of himself. The black sweater, albeit it rested under the -disapproval and scorn of Mrs. Harvey, covered a broad, deep chest that -indicated vigorous health; his thick winter jacket hung upon shoulders -that were rounded and muscular. He swung along with the ease and carriage -that told of athletic training. And the advantage of the sweater to one -of his active temperament was apparent, in that, although the air had a -somewhat icy tinge, he was unencumbered by any overcoat--an economy of -dress that afforded him freedom. - -Freedom! His was, indeed, freedom now in all things. It came over him -strongly, as he walked alone in the city in which he was a total -stranger, how free he was to act as he pleased. His parents, who -exercised little restraint over him at the most, were now being borne -swiftly down the bay toward the ocean, and he should not see them again -for six long months. He, himself, was due to arrive back in Benton as -fast as trains would carry him; but the thought of his absolute freedom -for the time being exhilarated him strangely. He felt like challenging -the first youth he met to box, or wrestle, or race--anything in which he -could exert his utmost strength and let loose his pent-up energies. - -Harvey's train was due to leave that evening. He spent the afternoon -vigorously, walking miles through streets, exploring here and there, -seeing the sights all new to him. He was growing just a bit weary, and -very hungry, and was thinking of returning to the hotel for supper, when -he emerged from a side street upon a street that ran along the water -front. - -A sight that made his pulses beat faster met his eyes. Almost at his -feet, a little more than the width of the street away, lay a fleet of -some thirty or forty fishermen, snuggled all in together, close to a -large float that intervened between them and the wharf. Himself a good -sailor of bay craft, and fond of the water, the picturesqueness of these -boats attracted Harvey greatly. - -They were of an odd type, for the most part, unlike anything he had ever -seen in Maine waters, or anywhere else. They were long, shallow, light -draft fellows, with no bulwarks; so that as they lay, broadside to the -float, one might walk across from one to another, without difficulty. -Most of them were sharp at bow and stern. The masts had a most -extraordinary rake to them; and in the two-masters, the rig was more like -that of a yawl than the schooners he was accustomed to seeing. In the -case of these, the after mast, or what would correspond to the ordinary -main-mast, was the smaller and shorter of the two; and it raked aft at an -angle that suggested to the eye of a stranger that it was about to give -way and go overboard by the stern. - -Jack Harvey had heard in the vaguest way of the Chesapeake Bay oystermen; -and he surmised at once that this was a part of that fleet. There was -little about them at the moment, however, to indicate occupation of any -sort. Their decks, which were built flush fore and aft, broken only by -the hatches, were swept clean, and their equipment for fishing, or -dredging, had been carefully packed away. And, as matter of fact, the -vessels Harvey now saw were probably for the most part the carriers for -the fishing fleet, that brought the oysters to market; and so carried no -dredging outfits. - -Moreover, there was a pleasing suggestion of indolence and coziness in -the smoke that curled out of many funnels from the cook stoves in the -cabins, telling of preparations for supper. A few men were idling about, -talking together, on this and that boat, in groups. There seemed to be no -one working. Not such a bad sort of existence, thought Harvey. - -The fishing boats made, indeed, a most attractive picture. Their lines, -though not as fine as yachts, were sweeping and graceful; their rigging, -simple and of few ropes, formed a network of sharp angles as they lay, a -score deep, by the float; their sloping masts, small and tapering, -inclined now all in one direction, like bare trees bending in a breeze. -The light that yet remained in the west brought them out in sharp relief -against water and sky. - -As Harvey stood, watching them, interestedly, a slight accident happened. -A screw steamer, docked just at the head of the float, began to revolve -its propeller rapidly, preparatory to moving in its berth. The swift -current of water excited by the propeller bore down strongly against the -bow of one of the fishermen; and, at that most inopportune moment, the -bow line by which the latter was moored, frayed with much wear, parted. -The bow swung with the current, and the vessel threatened to crash into -another lying just below. - -The veriest novice might almost have known what was needed; but Harvey -was no novice, and certainly did know. He was, moreover, prompt to act. A -coil of rope lay at hand upon the float. Snatching up one loose end of -this, Harvey quickly gathered a few loops in either hand, swung them and -threw the end aboard the vessel to a man that had run forward. Then he -took a few turns with the other end about a spiling, and held hard. The -vessel brought up, without harm. - -"Good for you!" said a voice just behind Harvey. "You saved 'em just in -time." - -Harvey turned quickly. - -The speaker was a thin, sallow youth, some years older, apparently, than -Harvey. His appearance, at first glance, was not wholly prepossessing. -His dress, which had a pretence of smartness, was faded and somewhat -shabby, but was set off with a gaudy waistcoat and a heavy gold chain -adorning its front. His collar was wilted and far from immaculate; but -its short-comings found possible compensation in a truly brilliant -necktie, tied sailor-fashion, with flying ends. A much worn derby hat was -tilted sidewise on the back of his head. - -This youth, who was perhaps eighteen or nineteen years of age, had a -smart and presuming manner. He laid a hand familiarly on Harvey's -shoulder, and addressed him as though he had known him a life-time. - -"You're all right," he continued. "You took a hitch there like an old -hand. Come on, we'll step aboard and look 'em over." - -Almost before he knew it, Harvey was being conducted across the float to -the deck of the first fisherman. He went willingly enough, for that -matter, for it was exactly what he had been wishing--that he might -inspect them closer. Yet he knew, without any definite reason forming -itself in his mind, that his chance acquaintance was not congenial to -him. - -"Will they let us go aboard?" he asked. - -"Why, of course," replied the stranger. "They don't care. I know a few of -them, anyway. I'll show you around." - -From the first boat, they stepped across to the deck of another, -alongside. - -"Stranger about here?" inquired the youth of Harvey, casually, giving him -a quick, sharp, sidelong glance, as he spoke. - -"Yes," replied Harvey; "I am here only for the day. My father and mother -just went off on that liner for Europe." - -"Is that so!" responded the other. At the same moment he fell behind -Harvey and gave him another sharp, scrutinizing glance from head to foot. -Then he added, "So that leaves you all alone, to do as you please, eh?" - -Harvey assented. It was his turn to question now. - -"You live about here?" he asked; and looked his companion in the face. It -was an uncertain glance that met his. The small, dark eyes of the -stranger gave him no direct, answering glance, but shifted evasively. - -"Oh, yes," he responded; "lived here all my life. We're one of the old -families here, but--" and he gave a slighting look at his well worn -clothing--"but we've had financial embarrassments lately. The fact is, -I've had to drop out of college for a year--" - -The youth was interrupted for a moment at this point. He and Harvey, -walking forward on the vessel, had come upon two men who were sitting on -the deck by the forecastle. One of them, looking up, burst into a laugh. -Harvey turned, quickly. - -Whatever it was that had amused the man was not apparent. As Harvey -turned and looked at him, he stopped abruptly and pointed off across the -water. Harvey, led by his companion, started aft again. - -As the two reversed their steps, the man who had laughed pointed slyly at -Harvey's escort. - -"He's a slick one, is Artie," he said. "Catches more of 'em, they say, -than any runner along the front." - -"Got him, do you think?" inquired the other man, nodding toward Harvey. - -"Looks promising." - -"My name is Jenkins," continued Harvey's companion; "and, as I was -saying, I'm out of college for a year, earning the money to keep on. -Don't know as that interests you any--but never mind. What did you say? -Queer rig, these boats have?" - -"Why, yes, it strikes me so," replied Harvey. "It looks odd to me to see -big vessels like these with no gaffs and these leg-o'-mutton sails." - -Again the youth gave Harvey one of those quick, shrewd glances, that -seemed to take in everything about him from cap to shoes. - -"Guess you know something about boats," he remarked. - -"Well, I own a sloop up in Samoset Bay, in Maine--that is, another fellow -and I own it together," replied Harvey, with a touch of pride. - -"I knew you were a sailor, the minute I saw you heave that line," -exclaimed the other. And Harvey felt just a bit flattered. Perhaps -Jenkins wasn't such a bad sort, despite his odd attire. - -"Do you see that schooner?" inquired young Mr. Jenkins, suddenly, -pointing to a craft with a distinctive schooner rig, the outermost of the -vessels that comprised the fleet. - -Harvey nodded. - -"Well," continued Jenkins, "that's Captain Scroop's boat. She's the best -one of them all, and he's the most obliging and gentlemanly captain that -sails into Baltimore. Come on, we'll go over her." - -They walked across the decks to the side of the schooner, and climbed -aboard, over the rail. The schooner seemed deserted, save the presence of -a boy of about twelve, who was engaged in chopping a block of stove-wood -into kindlings, near the afterhouse. - -"Hello, Joe," said Jenkins. - -The boy looked up and nodded, sullenly. He seemed, moreover, to eye Mr. -Jenkins with some disfavour. - -"Captain Scroop aboard?" - -The boy shook his head. - -"Well, we're going to look about a bit," said Mr. Jenkins, easily. - -He conducted Harvey about the deck, forward and aft, explaining one thing -and another; then showed the way to the companion that led to the cabin. -"Step down," he said to Harvey. "Nice quarters they have aboard here." -Then, as Harvey descended, he added, "Make yourself comfortable a moment. -I'll be right along." - -Seeing Harvey at the foot of the companion-ladder, he turned quickly, -stepped to the side of the boy and cuffed him smartly over one ear. - -"Here, you," he said, "brace up and say something! There's a dollar in it -for you if we land him. Come to life, now!" - -Then he darted after Harvey, down into the cabin. - - - - - CHAPTER II - THE CABIN OF THE SCHOONER - - -Jack Harvey stood at the foot of the companionway, for a moment, looking -into the cabin, before he entered. There was a lamp burning dimly, -fastened into a socket in a support that extended from the centre-board -box to the ceiling. Its light sufficed for Harvey to see but vaguely at -first, owing to a cloud of tobacco smoke that filled the stuffy cabin. It -was warm there, however, for the cook-stove in the galley threw its -comforting heat beyond the limits of that small place; and the warmth was -decidedly agreeable to one coming in from the evening air. - -Harvey entered and stood, waiting for his new acquaintance to join him. -He could see objects soon more plainly. He perceived that the person who -was emitting the volumes of smoke was a short, thick-set man, who was -occupying one of the two wooden chairs that the cabin afforded. He was -huddled all up in a heap, with his head submerged below the collar of his -thick overcoat, out of which rim the smoke ascended, as though from the -crater of a tiny volcano. - -He seemed to have fallen almost into sleep there; and it appeared to -Harvey that he must be very uncomfortable, bundled in his great coat, -with the cabin hot and smoky. Yet he was awake sufficiently to draw at -the stem of his pipe, and to glance up at Harvey as he entered. He even -made a jerky motion over one shoulder, with his thumb, indicating a bunk -that extended along the side of the cabin, and mumbled something that -sounded like, "Have a seat." - -Harvey, however, turned toward the companion-way, as young Mr. Jenkins -entered and rejoined him. - -"Now this is what I call comfortable for a vessel," said Mr. Jenkins, -briskly; "not much like some of those old bug-eyes, where they stuff you -into a hole and call it a cabin. We'll have a bit more air in here, and -then we'll sit down and have a bite with Joe. He wants us to. You're in -no great hurry, are you?" - -"No, I'm not," responded Harvey, congratulating himself that here was a -chance at last to see life aboard a real fisherman at close quarters. - -Mr. Jenkins opened one of the ports on either side, which cleared the -cabin in a measure of the dense cloud of smoke, and made it more -agreeable. Then, stooping, he lifted the leaf of a folding table, that -was hinged to the side of the centre-board box, turned the bracket that -supported it into place, and motioned to Harvey to draw up a chair. He -seated himself on a wooden box, close by. - -"Joe's got some steamed oysters ready, and a pot of coffee and some corn -bread," he said, cheerfully. "You don't mind taking pot luck for once, do -you, just to see how they live aboard? Here he is now. Come on, Joe, -we're hungry. Joe, this is Mr.--let's see, did I get your name?" - -Harvey informed him, wondering at the easy familiarity of his new -acquaintance aboard the vessel, but somewhat amused over it, and his -curiosity aroused. The boy nodded to Harvey. Stepping into the galley, he -returned directly, bringing two bowls filled with steamed oysters, which -he set before Harvey and Mr. Jenkins. The corn bread and coffee arrived -duly, and young Mr. Jenkins urged Harvey to fall to and eat heartily. - -Harvey needed no urging. His long walk about the city had made him -ravenously hungry. Moreover, although the coffee was not much like what -he had been accustomed to, the oysters and corn bread were certainly -delicious. Harvey and Mr. Jenkins ate by themselves, waited on by the -youth, who declared he would eat later, with "him," pointing to the -drowsy smoker, who had not stirred from his original position, and with -Captain Scroop, if the latter should return to supper. - -It was in the course of the meal that Harvey, to his surprise, discovered -that there was still another occupant of the cabin, of whose presence he -had not before been aware. In the forward, farther corner of the cabin, -what had appeared to be a tumbled heap of blankets, on one of the bunks, -suddenly gave forth a resounding snore; and the heap of blankets stirred -slightly. - -"Hello," exclaimed Harvey; "what's that?" - -Mr. Jenkins glanced sharply at the sleeper, sprang up and made a closer -inspection, and then, apparently satisfied with what he saw, resumed his -seat. - -"It's one of the mates," he said. "He's had a hard cold for a week; taken -something to sleep it off with, I guess." - -Harvey went on eating. He might not have had so keen a relish for his -food, however, had he known that the sleeper was not only not a mate, but -that, indeed, he had never been aboard a vessel before in all his life; -that he hadn't known when nor how he did come aboard; that he was utterly -oblivious to where he now was; and that he had been seized of an -overpowering drowsiness shortly after taking a single glass of grog with -the same young gentleman who now sat with Jack Harvey in the schooner's -cabin. That had taken place at a small saloon just across from the float. - -Perhaps the suggestion was a timely one for Mr. Jenkins; perhaps he did -not need it. At all events, he said guardedly, "Scroop sometimes opens -that bottle for visitors; do you want to warm up a bit against the night -air?" - -He pointed, as he spoke, to a half opened locker, in which some glassware -of a certain kind was visible. - -"No, thanks," replied Harvey, "never." - -"Nor I, either," rejoined Mr. Jenkins, emphatically. "A man's a fool that -does, in my opinion. But it's hospitality along here to offer it, so no -offence." - -One might, however, have noted a look of disappointment in his -countenance; and he seemed to be thinking, hard. - -"Joe's a good sort," he remarked, presently. "I don't know why I should -tell you, but it's odd how I come to know him. The fact is, when my folks -had money--plenty of it, too--Joe lived in a little house that belonged -to our estate, and I used to run away and play with him. What's more, now -I'm grown up, I'm going to run away with him again, eh, Joe?" - -The boy nodded. - -Harvey looked at Mr. Jenkins, inquiringly. The latter leaned nearer to -Harvey and assumed a more confidential air. - -"Why, the fact is," he said in a low tone, "you might not think it, -perhaps, but I'm a college man--Johns Hopkins--you've heard of that, eh?" - -Harvey recalled the name, though the mere fact that such an institution -existed was the extent of his information regarding it, and he nodded. - -"Well," continued Mr. Jenkins, "I'm working my way through, and my folks -are so proud they don't want it known. So I'm going a trip or two with -Joe and Captain Scroop, just as soon as they have a berth for me, because -it's out of the way, where no one will know me, it's easy work, and the -pay is high. Isn't that so, Joe?" - -One might have caught the suggestion of a fleeting desire to grin, on the -features of the boy addressed; but he lowered his gaze and nodded. - -"Why, how many more men do you have begging for chances to ship, every -voyage, than you have need of?" inquired young Mr. Jenkins, looking -sharply at the boy. - -"Dunno," answered Joe, doggedly. "Mebbe five or six; mebbe more." - -"That's it!" exclaimed Mr. Jenkins, "And the wages are twenty-five -dollars a month, and all the good food a fellow can eat, eh?" - -"More'n he can eat, mostly," responded the boy. "They gets too much to -eat." - -"And when are you going to find that place for me to go a voyage--and -berth aft here with you and the captain and mate, like a gentleman, and -get my twenty-five a month at easy work?" - -"We've got it now," said Joe. - -Young Mr. Jenkins sprang from his chair, with an exclamation of delight. -He stepped up to the boy and seized him by an arm. - -"Say!" he cried; "you're in earnest now--none of your tricks--do you mean -it, really?" - -The boy nodded. - -"We've got two chances," he said. - -Young Mr. Jenkins gave a whistle of amazement. - -"Two chances open on the same voyage!" he exclaimed. "I never knew of -that before, and just before sailing. How do you account for it--somebody -taken sick?" - -"That's it," said the boy. - -Young Mr. Jenkins walked slowly back to his seat, looked sharply at -Harvey from the comers of his eyes, and spoke earnestly. - -"Say, Mr. Harvey," he said, "I'm not sure, but I believe I could get that -chance for you. You played in great luck when I saw you throw that -heaving line to the vessel there, this afternoon. I'll swear to Captain -Scroop that you're all right, and I know you could make good. Do you know -I've taken a sort of liking to you; and I tell you what, you and I'll -ship for one month and I'll see you through. Why, they're all like -brothers here, the captain and his men. We'll have a gorgeous time, see -how the fishing is done, come back in a month and have twenty-five -dollars apiece to show for it. And then you'll have had a real sea -experience--something to talk about when you get home. It's the chance of -a life-time." - -Taken all by surprise by the offer, and withal against his better -judgment, Jack Harvey found a strange allurement in the suggestion. At no -time in all his life could it have been held forth so opportunely. He -thought of his father and mother, on the ocean, to be gone for six -months. He knew, too, what his father would say, when he should tell him -of it later; how the bluff, careless, elder Harvey would throw back his -head, and laugh, and vow he was the same sort when he was a youth. - -How strangely, too, events that had taken place in Benton coincided -favourably with his already half-formed intention to take the chance. He -recalled, in a flash, the hour of leaving there, with his father and -mother, for Baltimore; how Henry Burns's aunt, with whom he had been -boarding, had asked when he would return; how Harvey's mother had -answered that she hoped yet to persuade the boy to accompany them to -Europe; and how Miss Matilda Burns had said, then, she should expect him -when he arrived--no sooner--and had remarked, smiling, that if he didn't -come back at all she should know he had gone to Europe. - -"It's only for a month, you know," suggested young Mr. Jenkins, almost as -though he had been reading Harvey's thoughts. - -Harvey sat for a moment, thinking hard. - -"Isn't it pretty cold down there in the bay this time of year?" he asked. - -"Why, bless you, no," replied Mr. Jenkins, laughing at the suggestion. -"Don't you know you're in the South, now, my boy? This is the coldest -day, right now, that we'll have till January. And if we have a touch of -winter--which isn't likely--why, there's a good, comfortable cabin to -warm up in." - -"Are we sure to get back in a month?" - -"Joe, when are you due back here?" called Mr. Jenkins. - -"Middle of December," came the reply. - -"I'm most inclined to try it," said Harvey, hesitatingly. - -Mr. Jenkins slapped him on the back, then shook his hand warmly. - -"You're the right sort," he said. "We'll have a lark." - -And Harvey knew from that moment that, for better or worse, be it a -foolish venture or not, he was in for it. - -"What do I need to get for the trip?" he asked. "Guess I'd better step up -into the town and buy some boots and oil-skins." - -A look of determination came into the face of Mr. Jenkins. It was as if -he had made up his mind that Harvey should have no opportunity now of -backing out. - -"No, you don't need to," he said. "The captain's got all that stuff, and -he buys at wholesale, and you can get it cheaper of him. Wait till -to-morrow, anyway, and if he can't fit you, we'll go ashore." - -Harvey gave a start of surprise. He hadn't counted on spending this night -aboard the schooner. - -"Do you mean to stay here to-night?" he asked. - -"Why, sure," responded young Mr. Jenkins. "Good chance to try it on and -see how you like it. We'll just roll up here, and you'll swear you were -never more comfortable in all your life." - -"Well," answered Harvey, "I'll try it. You're sure the captain will ship -us, though?" - -"Oh, you can take what that boy Joe says for gospel," answered young Mr. -Jenkins. "He knows." - -"Then I'll step out on deck and bring down that little hand-bag of mine," -said Harvey. "I left it forward by the rail when I came aboard. It's got -a comb and brush and a tooth-brush and a change of underwear in it." - -Harvey ascended the ladder and walked out on deck. It was a glorious -night, the sky studded with thousands of stars. The air was chilly, but -Harvey was warmly dressed, and the crisp air was invigorating after his -stay in the cabin. He went forward, wondering, in his somewhat confused -state of mind, what his chums in Benton would think of it if they could -know where he was, and what he contemplated doing. - -"I only wish Henry Burns was going along," he thought. "Well, I'll have -something to tell him next time I see him." - -He little thought under what strange circumstances they would next meet. - -Hardly had Harvey left the cabin, when young Mr. Jenkins sprang into the -galley, leering at the boy Joe, and digging that stolid youngster -facetiously in the ribs. - -"Oh, that's rich!" he chuckled. "What do you say, Joey--a pretty -hair-brush and comb and a tooth-brush aboard an oyster dredger? You'll -have to tell old Haley to get a mirror--a French-plate, gold-leaf -mirror--for Mr. Harvey. Oh, he'd do it, all right. He'll--ah, ha, ha--oh -jimminy Christmas! Isn't that rich?" - -The boy, Joe, turned toward Mr. Jenkins, somewhat angrily. - -"You think you're smart," he muttered. "You'll get come up with, one of -these days. What did you get him for? He ain't the right sort. He's got -folks as will make trouble. I'll bet the old man won't stand for him." - -"Look here, you," exclaimed Mr. Jenkins, seizing the boy, roughly, "you -shut up! Who asked you to tell me what to do? Don't I know my business? -Don't I know old Scroop, too, as much as you do? Of course he'll stand -for him--when I tell him a few things. You leave that to me, and don't -you go interfering, or I'll hand you something you'll feel for a week." - -The boy shrank back, and relapsed into stolid silence. - -"Where's that pen and ink?" inquired Jenkins. - -The boy pointed to a locker. - -Taking a faded wallet from his pocket, Mr. Jenkins produced therefrom a -paper which he unfolded and spread upon the table. It seemed to be a -form, of some sort or other, partly type-written. He got the rusty pen -and a small bottle of ink, laid them beside it, and waited for Harvey's -return. Harvey soon reappeared. - -"We'll just sign this agreement," remarked Mr. Jenkins carelessly. -"Scroop had some aboard here. They don't mean much, with a good captain -like him, for he does better than he's bound to, anyway. I'll just run it -over, so you can get an idea of it." - -Talking glibly, Mr. Jenkins ran his finger along the lines, whereby -Harvey, by the dim light, got a somewhat hazy idea of them: to the effect -that he, Jack Harvey, twenty-one years of age, was bound to serve for one -month aboard the fisherman, Z. B. Brandt, whereof the master was Hamilton -Haley, on a dredging trip in Chesapeake bay and its tributaries. -Together, with divers conditions and provisions which Mr. Jenkins -dismissed briefly, as of no account. - -"But I'm not twenty-one years old," said Harvey. "That's wrong." - -"Oh, that don't amount to anything," responded Mr. Jenkins. "I knew you -weren't quite that, but it's near enough. It's all right. No one ever -looks at it. We'll sign, and it's all over. Then we'll turn in, and see -the captain in the morning. He's going to be late, by the looks." - -"But I thought you said the captain's name was Scroop," suggested Harvey, -puzzled. - -"So it is," replied Mr. Jenkins. "This is an old contract, but it's just -as good. Haley used to be captain, and they use the old forms. It don't -matter what the captain's name is, so long as he's all right, and he's -got a good boat." - -Harvey, following the example of his companion, put his name to the -paper. - -It might have been different had he had opportunity to take note, on -coming aboard, that the schooner, in the cabin of which he now sat, bore -no such name on bow and stern as the "Z. B. Brandt." It might have been -different had he seen, in his mind's eye, the real Z. B. Brandt, pitching -and tossing in the waters of Chesapeake Bay, seventy odd miles below -where the schooner lay in her snug berth. But he knew naught of that, nor -that the schooner in which he was about to take up his quarters for the -night was no more like the Z. B. Brandt than a Pullman is like a -cattle-car. - -It was with his mind filled with a picture of the voyage soon over and -done, and a proud return to Henry Burns and his cronies, that Harvey -turned in shortly, on one of the bunks, wrapped himself snugly in a good -warm blanket, and went off to sleep. The creaking of rigging, as some -craft moved with the current, the noise of some new arrival coming in -late to join the fleet at moorings, the tramp of an occasional sailor on -the deck of a neighbouring craft, and the swinging of the schooner, did -not disturb his sound slumbers. Wearied with the doings of a busy day, he -did not move, once his eyes had closed in sleep. - -Some time after eleven o'clock, Mr. Jenkins arose softly and stepped -cautiously over to where Harvey lay. There was no mistaking the soundness -of Harvey's slumbers. Mr. Jenkins slipped out of the cabin, upon deck. A -row-boat soon attracted his attention, coming toward the schooner from -somewhere below. There were three figures in it. As the boat came -alongside, Mr. Jenkins stepped to the rail and spoke to the man in the -stern. - -"Hello, Scroop," he said. "I've got another for you. He wouldn't drink, -but he's a sound sleeper." - -The captain nodded. With the assistance of his companion in the boat, -whom Mr. Jenkins called mate, and of Mr. Jenkins, himself, another man -was lifted from the small craft to the deck of the schooner. He seemed -half asleep, and walked between them like one that had been drugged. They -did not take him aft, but assisted him down into the forecastle, and -returned presently, without him. - -"All right, captain?" queried Mr. Jenkins. - -"Yes, cast us off." - -Mr. Jenkins sprang over the rail, to the deck of the craft alongside. He -cast off the lines, forward and aft, that had moored the schooner to the -other vessel. The captain and mate ran up one of the jibs. Mr. Jenkins -pushed vigorously, and the bow of the schooner slowly swung clear. The -current aided. The light night breeze caught the jib. The schooner -drifted away, with Captain Scroop at the wheel. - -Mr. Jenkins, standing on the deck of the vessel to which the schooner had -been moored, watched the latter glide away. After a little time the -foresail was run up. The schooner was leaving the harbour of Baltimore. - -Mr. Jenkins did a little shuffle, thrust his hands into his pockets, and -walked briskly across the decks to shore. - -"That's ten dollars easy money for me and Scroop," he muttered. Then he -stopped once and chuckled. "A comb and brush and a tooth-brush aboard old -Haley's bug-eye!" he said. "Oh, my! That's a good one." - - - - - CHAPTER III - DOWN THE BAY - - -Jack Harvey's father, awakening next morning in his comfortable -state-room aboard the liner, would have been not a little astounded had -he known how strangely the facts belied his remark to Mrs. Harvey that -Jack must, by this time, be well on his way north. By no possible stretch -of fancy could the vision of their son, lying asleep in the crazy cabin -of the old schooner, appear to the minds of Harvey's parents. In blissful -ignorance of his strange adventure, they sailed away. Miles and miles -behind, the schooner followed in the liner's wake. - -Jack Harvey was a good sleeper. The sun came up out of the bay and shed -its light far and wide upon hundreds of craft, borne lightly by the wind -and tide. It penetrated, even, the cabin of the dingy schooner, and it -lighted the way for the youthful sleeper to come back from dreams to -consciousness. - -For some moments, as Harvey lay with half opened eyes, he wondered where -he was. Then it all came back to him in a flash: the Baltimore -water-front; the picturesque fishermen; the strange young man--and then, -the remembrance that he had signed for a month aboard the schooner. For -an instant he almost regretted that act, and the thought brought him up -quickly on one elbow, to look about him. - -One resolve he made at the moment. He would not back out now. He might -find that impossible, anyway, since he had signed the paper. But he would -send a line to Miss Matilda Burns, letting her know what he was doing. It -was no more than fair to her. - -The next moment, Jack Harvey leaped to his feet. He was fully awake now. -Dressed, as he was,--for he had removed only his shoes and coat,--he -sprang to one of the ports. He had sailed too much not to know that the -vessel was under weigh, although, on a perfectly smooth sea and with no -swell, there was but slight perceptible motion to the schooner. - -One glance told him the truth. He waited no longer, but ran up the -companion-way on deck. Amazed, he looked about him. Far astern, some -fifteen miles, the outlines of the city showed. The nearest shore was a -mile away. The schooner, foresail and main-sail set, and winged out, was -slowly gliding before the wind down the bay. - -Jack Harvey gave a whistle of astonishment. Then a feeling of resentment -toward young Mr. Jenkins arose in his breast. - -"That's a cool trick!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't he tell me we were going -to sail so soon? He said we'd have time to get a few things in the shops -before we sailed. I'll tell him what I think of it." - -Without waiting to speak to anyone on deck, or scarce take notice of who -was there, Harvey darted down the companion-way and hastened to the bunk -where he had seen Mr. Jenkins turn in, the night before. - -It was empty. - -Strangely puzzled, Harvey made his way out on deck. A tall, keen-eyed -man, smooth-shaven save for a light blond moustache, sat astride the -wheel box, steering. Harvey turned to him, somewhat excitedly. - -"Where's that fellow Jenkins?" he asked. - -Coolly surveying Harvey, with a pair of steady, blue eyes, the man -replied, "You call me 'Mr. Blake,' young feller; I'm mate." - -Harvey's face flushed, angrily. A feeling that he had been somehow -tricked came over him. Ignoring the man's order, he stepped nearer to -him. - -"I want to see that chap, Jenkins," he repeated. "He didn't tell me we -were going to sail this way in the night. Where is he?" - -The lines about the mouth of Mr. Blake, mate, tightened as he looked the -boy over from head to foot. Later experience enlightened Harvey as to -what would have happened to him had they been well down the bay. But, as -it was, the man merely uttered something softly under his breath. "I'll -leave you for Haley to deal with," was what he said. And he added, in a -mollifying tone, addressing Harvey: - -"Why, it's too bad about that young feller, Jenkins. You see he got left. -He slipped up town for some stuff, early this morning--about three -o'clock, I guess, and didn't show up when the tide served for starting. -Scroop wouldn't wait, and you can't blame him. But he left word for -Jenkins to come down on that boat that lay alongside us. She starts -to-morrow. We'll pick him up down the bay. It'll be all right. You're the -young feller that Joe told about, eh--going a trip with us?" - -The man's manner, changing thus suddenly from sharp to kindly, was -surprising--and a bit comforting, too. Without a companion, even though -Jenkins were a chance acquaintance, the venture seemed to have taken on a -somewhat different and less pleasing aspect to Harvey. - -"Yes," he said, in answer to the mate's query, "I'm going one trip, just -for a month." - -"I see," said the mate, quietly. "Well, you'll like it. You're the right -sort. I can tell that. Ever shipped before?" - -Harvey shook his head, as he explained that he had done some bay sailing. -He was about to explain further under what circumstances, but something -made him pause. Under the same sudden impulse--he knew not the reason for -it, but obeyed it--he became reticent when Mr. Blake, mate, plied him -with questions concerning himself and where he was from. - -"I'm just knocking around a bit," he replied, and kept his own counsel. A -fortunate thing for him, perhaps, in the light of subsequent events. - -The conversation was abruptly broken off. Up from the forecastle there -burst three men, clinching in a confused, rough-and-tumble fashion, and -struggling together. Had Jack Harvey been on deck the night before, and -observed the man who had been carried, sleeping, from the cabin to the -forecastle, he might perhaps recognize him now as one of these three. - -Somewhat recovered from his condition of stupefaction was he; sufficient -to gaze about him wildly, wrestle with the two men who attacked him, -strike at them furiously, and cry out several times that he was up to -their tricks, that he couldn't be trapped like a dog and shanghaied down -the bay--and let them come on, if they dared. - -That they did dare was quite apparent; for they rushed him almost off his -feet the next moment. And then, to Harvey's surprise, he found himself -suddenly at service aboard the schooner. - -Leaping to his feet, the mate exclaimed, hastily, "Here, you, hold that -wheel a minute." - -Harvey obeyed. The mate made a few bounds across the deck, took advantage -of the opening that offered as the strange man's back was turned to him, -and dealt him a blow behind one ear that felled him, half stunned. The -next moment, Harvey saw the three lift the vanquished fighter by head and -heels and carry him below again. - -Harvey's heart sank a little. It was hardly an auspicious beginning of a -cruise on a strange craft. - -Mr. Blake was back again in a few minutes. He was as cool as though -nothing unusual had taken place. - -"No, you keep the wheel a moment, while I light my pipe," he said, as -Harvey started to relinquish the post. Then he laughed, drew forth his -pipe and a piece of tobacco, and proceeded to cut a pipeful with his -knife. - -"That's Tom Saunders," he said. "Gets foolish drunk the minute he steps -on shore; never's sober except when he's afloat. Comes aboard a-boilin' -every trip, fights, and makes a mess about being carried off against his -will. He'll straighten out tomorrow and be the best man in the crew." - -Harvey felt a bit easier. There had come over him, as he watched the -struggle, a feeling that perhaps he, too, had been trapped aboard here. -It was strange, certainly: the disappearance of Mr. Jenkins, and the -words the man had just uttered about being shanghaied. However, he was in -for the cruise; and come what would, Harvey resolved to make the best of -it. - -There came aft, presently, the man Scroop, captain of the schooner, whom -Harvey eyed curiously, when the mate addressed him. - -"Well?" inquired Mate Blake. - -Captain Scroop gave vent to a vigorous expletive. "We've fixed him!" he -said. "He'll shut up for a while. Hullo, who's this?" - -"A friend of Jenkins," replied the mate, giving a sly wink as he spoke. - -Captain Scroop looked at Harvey keenly. Harvey eyed him, eagerly, in -return. What he saw was not wholly favourable. Scroop, a hard-featured, -shifty-eyed man of middle stature, had not been rendered more -prepossessing by his recent encounter. A swelling under one eye showed -where the stranger's fist had landed heavily. His woollen shirt was torn -open at the neck, wherein the veins were distended from wrath and -excitement. He gave one quick, shifting glance at Harvey and said -abruptly, "All right. Get below now and tell Joe to give you breakfast." - -Harvey went below. - -Captain Scroop turned angrily upon the mate. - -"Who got him aboard?" he asked. - -"Jenkins--who do you suppose?" - -Captain Scroop's face darkened, and he shook a clenched fist in the -direction of Baltimore. - -"Won't he never tell the truth, nohow?" he exclaimed. "Lied to me last -night, up and down. Twenty-five years old, or near that, was what he -swore. Haven't I told him not to get these boys? That's a kid--if he's -seventeen he's doin' better'n I think. He's got to go, though. I'll put -him through, now. But wait till we get back. Won't I settle with -somebody? They'll have the law on us some day." - -"Pooh! You've said all that a million times," replied the mate, coolly. -"What's the odds? Aren't we taking chances, every trip we make? Haven't -we had boys before? Look at the lot of 'em we've had from New York. -What's it to us? Leave Haley to work it out. And don't you go to getting -down on Artie Jenkins. He knows his lay. He wouldn't have shipped this -fellow unless he knew it was all right. He's no fonder of trouble than we -are." - -Jack Harvey, the innocent subject of the foregoing remarks, was, in the -meantime, getting into a better frame of mind. There was no great fault, -surely, to be found with the grub aboard the schooner. Nothing that he -had ever cooked and eaten at his camp by the shore of Samoset Bay tasted -better than the corn flap-jacks handed out from the galley by the boy, -Joe. Smeared with a substance, greasy and yellow, but that never was nor -ever could be suspected of being butter, and sticky with a blackish -liquid that was sweet, like molasses, they were still appetizing to a -hungry youth who had never known the qualms of sea-sickness. A muddy -compound, called by extreme courtesy coffee, warmed Harvey to the marrow -and put heart in him. A few slices of fried bacon tasted better than the -best meal he could have had aboard the ocean liner. - -Eating heartily, despite his disappointment to find himself forsaken by -Mr. Jenkins, Harvey essayed to draw the boy, Joe, into conversation; but -the latter was sullen, and chary of his words. - -Would Jenkins surely be down by the next vessel? The boy nodded, somewhat -blankly. He guessed so. Where would they begin fishing, and how? Harvey -would see, later. And so on. There was clearly little to be gotten from -him. - -Once there came down into the cabin the same, odd individual who had sat, -huddled in the cabin, smoking, the afternoon before. He got a dish of the -flap-jacks and a pail of the coffee, and started out again. Harvey fired -a question at him, as the man waited a moment to receive his grub. - -"How do we fish, down the bay, anyway?" asked Harvey. - -The man turned a little, stared at Harvey in a surly manner for a moment, -and then--apparently not all in sympathy with methods aboard the schooner -and in the trade generally--answered, "Hmph! You breaks yer back at a -bloody winder." And with this somewhat enigmatical reply, went about his -business. - -"Say," said Harvey, turning to the boy, once more, "what's a winder?" - -"Why, it's a--a--winder," responded the boy. - -"That's just what I thought," said Harvey, smiling in spite of his -perplexity. "And what's it for?" - -"You get oysters with it," replied the boy. "You heaves the dredge -overboard, and you winds it in again." - -"Oh, I see," said Harvey, enlightened by this lucid explanation. "It's a -sort of windlass, eh?" - -Joe nodded. - -"Hard work?" continued Harvey. - -"Naw--easy." - -But Harvey had his misgivings. And again he comforted himself with the -thought, at worst, the cruise would be over and done in a month. - -"I guess I'm good for that," he muttered; and went out on deck again. - -The schooner's course had been changed a little, and they were now -sailing almost directly south, down Chesapeake bay. The schooner was no -longer winged out, but had both booms off to port, getting the wind on -the quarter. Fore-staysail and jib and main gaff top-sail, as well, were -set, and the old craft was swinging southward at a fair clip. The wind -had begun to increase. - -This was action after Harvey's own heart, and he walked forward, toward -the gruff sailor, who was stationed near the forecastle. He observed, as -he advanced, that there was still another man forward by the jibs; and -that these two sailors, the captain and mate and the boy, Joe, were -apparently the only ones aboard the vessel, besides himself. - -Harvey glanced at the man forward. He was almost dwarfish in stature, -thick-set, with unusually broad shoulders. Clearly, this was not the man -that Harvey had seen asleep, amid the bundle of blankets, in the cabin. -Harvey had not seen the face of the sleeper, but he had noted once, when -the man had stirred, that he was a tall man; that the figure stretched -out at length took up an unusual amount of room. - -It flashed over Harvey that the man he had seen asleep in the cabin, the -night before, was missing from there now. Harvey was certain he had not -seen him, as he sat eating. To make sure, he went back and looked. The -man was not there. - -"That's odd," said Harvey to himself, as he came on deck again. "I wonder -if they've lugged him down into the forecastle, too. They must have done -it in the night. By jimminy! I wonder how many they've got stowed away -down there, anyway." - -Somewhat startled at the idea that there might be other men held there, -and curious to see for himself, Harvey approached the companion. As he -did so, the surly seaman barred his way. - -"Keep out 'er there," he said, roughly. "You can't go below now. Them's -my orders." - -Harvey stepped back, in surprise. There was a mystery to the forecastle, -then, sure enough. He hazarded one question: - -"What's the matter? What's down there?" - -The man made no reply. - -Harvey went forward to where the other man stood. - -"Say, what's there to do aboard here?" he asked. - -The fellow turned and eyed Harvey for a moment, curiously. - -"Nothin' now," he replied, finally. "Nothin' till we get down the bay. We -all takes it easy like, till then." - -But further than this, he, too, became uncommunicative when Harvey -questioned him about the cruise. It was discouraging, and Harvey gave it -up. He seemed likely to have little companionship, if any, aboard the -schooner, and the thought was not pleasing. Again he wondered at the -strange disappearance of Mr. Jenkins, and hoped it might be true that the -young man would rejoin them down the bay. - -The day passed somewhat monotonously for the most part. The schooner was -holding an almost straight course down the bay, along the western shore. -Harvey, having an eye for safety, noted that the coast was almost -unbroken for miles and miles, affording no harbour in case of storm. He -spoke of it once to the sailor by the forecastle. - -"Plenty of harbours down below," replied the man. "We're goin' well; -reckon we'll lie in the Patuxent tonight. There's harbour enough for -you." - -It was a positive relief to Harvey when, some time in the afternoon, it -came on to blow very fresh, and the foresail and mainsail were both -reefed. He lent a hand at that, tieing in reef points with the other two. -They seemed surprised that he knew how to do it. - -But, with the freshening of the wind, it altered its direction and blew -up finally, towards evening, from the eastward; so that they made slower -progress, running now on the wind, close-hauled. Rain began falling at -twilight, and a bitter chill crept into the air. Harvey thought of the -oil-skins he had intended buying in Baltimore, and wished he had them. -There was nothing for him to do on deck now, however, and he gladly went -below. - -He ate his supper alone, for all hands were on deck. The schooner pitched -and thrashed about in the short, rough seas. It was gloomy in the dimly -lighted cabin, and the boy Joe, at work in the galley, positively -declined to enter into conversation. Jack Harvey, left to himself, -mindful of his strange situation, of the mysterious forecastle with its -imprisoned men, and depressed by the wretched night, didn't dare admit to -himself how much he wished himself ashore. The confinement of the cabin -made him drowsy, not long after he had eaten, and he was glad enough to -roll up in a blanket on one of the bunks and go off to sleep. - -While he slept, the schooner thrashed its way in past a light-house on a -point of land on the western shore, and headed up into the mouth of a -broad, deep river. They sailed into this for something like half a mile, -Scroop at the wheel, and the mate and two seamen forward, peering ahead -through the rain. - -Presently the mate rushed aft. - -"There she lies," he said, pointing, as he spoke, to where a lantern -gleamed in the fore-mast shrouds of a vessel at anchor. - -"I see her," responded Scroop. - -The old schooner, under the guiding hand of Scroop, rounded to and came -up into the wind a few rods astern of the other vessel. And now, lying -astern, the light from the other's cabin shone so that the forms of three -men could be distinguished vaguely, standing on the deck. The schooner's -anchor went down, the foresail was dropped, and, the jibs having already -been taken in, the craft was soon lying snug, with her mainsail hauled -flat aft, to steady her. A small boat was launched from the deck, and -made fast alongside. - -Mr. Blake, mate, pointing toward the cabin, inquired briefly, "Take him -first?" - -"No," said Scroop. "Clear out the forecastle. He'll make a fuss, I -reckon. When we drop him, I want to get out and leave him to Haley." - -Advancing hastily across the deck, the four men, captain and mate and the -two sailors, disappeared into the forecastle. They reappeared shortly, -bearing an unconscious burden between them, much as they would have -carried a sack of potatoes; which burden, however, showed some sign of -animation as the rain fell upon it, and muttered something -unintelligible. They deposited the burden in the bottom of the small -boat. - -Another disappearance into the forecastle, and a repetition of the -performance; another and similar burden being laid alongside the first in -the boat. - -Then five men emerged from the forecastle, the fifth man walking upright, -held fast by the others. It was the man that Harvey had seen struggling -with the two sailors that morning. But he went along quietly now, the -reason being apparent in the words of Scroop. - -"You go along or you go overboard," he said. "The first yip out of you -and you get that belayin' pin in the head." - -The boat, with its conscious and unconscious cargo, rowed by the two -sailors and guided by Scroop in the stem, put away from the schooner and -was soon alongside the other vessel. - -"Hello," said a voice. - -"Hello, Haley." - -"How many?" - -"Three here and one to come; good men, too--sailors, every one of 'em." - -A snort of incredulity from the man on deck. - -"Let you tell it!" he exclaimed. "I'm in luck if there's one of 'em that -hasn't been selling ribbon over a counter. Well, fetch 'em on." - -A hatch-way forward received the three men; a short, thick-necked, burly -individual--the same being Hamilton Haley of the bug-eye Brandt--eying -them with evident suspicion as they were taken below. After which, the -two worthy captains repaired together to the cabin of the bug-eye, and -partook of something in the way of refreshment, which was followed by the -transfer of forty dollars in greasy bills, from a chest in the cabin to -the wallet of Captain Scroop. - -"Dredging good?" inquires Scroop. - -"Not much. Lost a man day before yesterday--took sick and died. Went -overboard in the chop, down below, and I couldn't get him." - -"Wasn't near time for his paying off, eh?" suggests Scroop, leering -skeptically. - -"Never you mind what it was near. It couldn't be helped, and the mate -will swear to it." - -This asserted by Haley, red of face, wrathful of manner, and bringing a -heavy fist down hard on the chest. - -Some time later, Jack Harvey awoke suddenly from sound sleep. Someone was -shaking him. Dazed and hardly conscious of where he was, he recognized -the mate. - -"What's the matter?" he asked. - -The mate shook him again. - -"Get up!" he said. "Get up. We're going to row ashore. Hurry now, jump -into your boots and coat." - -Harvey, blinking and drowsy, did as he was ordered. Escorted by the mate, -he went out into the drizzle on deck. It was almost like an unpleasant -night-mare, the act of stumbling down into the boat, the short, pitching -ride in the rainy night. Then, all at once, the side of the other vessel -loomed up. Another moment, Harvey found himself lifted roughly aboard, -and, before he knew hardly what had happened, the rowboat was going away -and leaving him. - -"Here!" he cried, thoroughly frightened. "What are you doing? What are -you leaving me here for? This isn't ashore. Here, you, keep your hands -off me." - -But there was no hope for Jack Harvey. In the grasp of two stalwart -sailors, seeing in a flash the truth of what had befallen him, knowing, -all too late, that he had been tricked and trapped aboard a strange -vessel, he found himself dragged across the deck. He was half carried, -half thrown down the companion-way. He found himself in a stuffy, -ill-smelling forecastle, not much bigger than a good sized dog-kennel. It -was already crowded with men; but there, by lying at close quarters with -this forsaken lot of humanity, he might sleep out the rest of the night, -if he could. - -And thus Jack Harvey was to begin his adventures aboard Hamilton Haley's -bug-eye. Nor would it matter, as he should find, that the satchel -containing the articles which had occasioned so much hilarity on the part -of young Mr. Jenkins, had been left behind, in the confusion. Jack Harvey -surely would not need them aboard the Z. B. Brandt. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - ABOARD THE BUG-EYE - - -Jack Harvey stood at the foot of the short ladder leading down into the -forecastle, looking anxiously about him. A boat-lantern, wired for -protection in handling, hung by the bulkhead, affording a gloomy view of -the place. Harvey had, in the course of much roughing it, lived at times -in tents, in log cabins, and in odd sorts of shacks, and slept in the -cabins of the fishing boats of Samoset Bay in Maine. But never in all his -experience had he found himself in such dismal, cramped and forbidding -quarters as these. - -On either side of the forecastle nearest the ladder was a narrow, shallow -bunk, raised a little above the floor, sufficient to tuck a few odds and -ends of clothing under; directly above each was a similar bunk, of equal -dimensions. All four of these had scarcely any head-room at all--an -arrangement whereby one, springing quickly up into a sitting posture, -would give his head such a bump as would remind him unpleasantly of the -economy of space. - -In the lower of these bunks there now lay two men, at least asleep if not -resting. They breathed heavily, moaning as though in some unnatural -condition of slumber. It was evident to Harvey that they were under the -influence of something like a drug; and the recollection flashed through -his mind of the offer of young Mr. Jenkins in the cabin of the -schooner--which he had fortunately refused. If he were, indeed, a -captive, he was at least in no such senseless condition as these men. - -The upper bunks held two more occupants. These two slept quietly, even -through the disturbance that had been made so recently. Perhaps they were -not unused to such occurrences. It was apparent they were sailors, and -their sleep was natural. In all likelihood, the two lower bunks had been -left vacant for new recruits, the old seamen taking the upper ones. - -All this Jack Harvey took in with a few quick glances. What he saw next -gave him something of a start. - -Forward of the four bunks described were yet two others, the space in the -forecastle being arranged "to sleep" six men. These bunks were, if such a -thing could be possible, even less comfortable than the others. Curving -with the lines of the bows of the vessel, they had scarce length enough -for a good sized man to stretch out in. In part compensation for which, -however, there being no upper bunks, there was head-room enough so that -one could sit upright with some degree of comfort. - -In the starboard bunk there sat a man, huddled up, with one arm bracing -him from behind, and a hand, clutching one knee. He was staring at the -new-comer Harvey, with a look of abject despair. - -Harvey, surprised and startled to find himself thus confronting someone -who was clearly in his proper senses, returned the man's gaze, and the -two stared wonderingly at each other for a moment, in silence. - -With a groan, the man swung himself down to the floor and advanced a -step. - -"Hullo," he said, "how in the Dickens did they get you?" - -"Same to you," said Harvey, by way of reply. He had, at the sight of this -companion in misery, regained his composure a little. Unconsciously, the -fact that here was someone with whom he could share misfortune had raised -his courage. For Harvey had taken in the appearance of the man at once. -He was well dressed. His clothes were of fine material and of a stylish -cut--albeit they were wrinkled and dusty from his recent experiences. A -torn place in the sleeve of his coat told, too, of the rough handling he -had received. His collar was crumpled and wilted, his tie disarranged. A -derby hat that he had worn lay now on the floor, in one corner, with the -crown broken. On the little finger of his left hand he wore a ring. - -Instinctively, Jack Harvey and the stranger extended arms and grasped -hands, with the warmth of sudden friendship born of mutual sympathy. - -"Well, I'll be hanged, if they're not a lot of scoundrels!" exclaimed the -man, surveying Harvey with astonishment. "Why, you're only a boy. How on -earth did they get you? Didn't drug your drink, did they?" - -"No, I don't drink," said Harvey. "I signed for a cruise, all right, but -not on this craft. I signed to go a month on that schooner that brought -me down. Cracky, but it looks as though I'd made a mess of it. A chap -named Jenkins got me into this--" - -"Jenkins!" cried the man, bursting out in a fury. "Jenkins, was it? Slim, -oily chap, flashy waistcoat and sailor tie?" - -Harvey nodded. - -The man clenched his fist and raised it above his head. - -"Told you he was going to Johns Hopkins when he earned the money--nice -family but poor--and all that sort of rot?" - -"That's the chap," said Harvey. - -The man dropped his fist, put out a hand to Harvey, and they shook once -more. The man's face relaxed into a grim smile. - -"Well, I'm another Jenkins recruit," he said. "I'm an idiot, an ass, -anything you're a-mind to call me. There's some excuse for you--but me, a -man that's travelled from one end of this United States to the other, and -met every kind of a sharper between New York and San Francisco--to get -caught in a scrape like this!" - -"Why, then your name is not Tom Saunders," exclaimed Harvey, who now -recognized in his new acquaintance the man he had seen struggling with -the men of the schooner. "They said you were a sailor." The man made a -gesture of disgust. "I hate the very smell of the salt water!" he cried. - -There was a small sea chest next to the bulk-head at the forward end of -the forecastle, and Harvey and the stranger seated themselves on it. The -man relapsed for a moment into silence, his elbows on his knees, his face -buried in his hands. Then, all of a sudden, he sat erect, and beat his -fist down upon one knee. - -"This ends it!" he cried, earnestly. "Never again as long as I live and -breathe." - -Harvey stared at him in surprise. - -"I mean the drink," cried the man, excitedly. "Mind what I say, and I -mean it. Never another drink as long as I live. I've said, before, that -I'd stop it, but this ends it. Say, what's your name, anyway?" - -"Jack Harvey." - -"Well, my name's Edwards--Tom Edwards. Now look here, Harvey, I mean what -I say; if you ever see Tom Edwards try to take another drink, you just -walk up and hit him the hardest knock you can give him. See?" - -Harvey laughed, in spite of the other's earnestness. - -"I won't have any chance for some time, by the looks of things," he said. -"You won't need to sign any pledge this month. I reckon there's no saloon -aboard this vessel." - -"I'm glad of it," exclaimed Edwards. "I wouldn't walk into one now, if -they were giving the stuff away. Look what it's got me into. Say, how did -our Johns Hopkins friend catch you?" - -Harvey quickly narrated the events that had followed the departure of his -parents for Europe, and the meeting with young Mr. Jenkins. Mr. Edwards, -listening with astonishment, eyed him with keenest interest. - -"That's it," he exclaimed, as Harvey recounted the engaging manner in -which Jenkins had assured him he would return in one short month, with a -nautical experience that should make him the envy of his boy companions; -"put it in fancy style, didn't he? Regular Tom Bowline romance, and all -that sort of thing, eh?" - -Mr. Edwards's eyes twinkled, and he was half smiling, in spite of -himself. - -"Well," he continued, noting Harvey's athletic figure, "I guess you can -stand a month of it, all right, and no great hurt to you. And, what's -best, your folks won't worry. But I tell you, Harvey, it's going to be -tough on me, if I can't force this bandit to set me ashore again. I'm in -an awful scrape. My business house will think I've been murdered, or have -run away--I don't know what. And when it comes to work, if we have much -of that to do, I don't know how I'm going to stand it. You see, my firm -pays my expenses, and I'm used to putting up at the best hotels and -living high. So, I'm fat and lazy. Billiards is about my hardest -exercise, and my hands are as soft as a woman's. See here." - -Mr. Edwards stretched out two somewhat unsteady hands, palms upward; then -slapped them down upon his knees. As he did so, he uttered a cry of -dismay and sprang to his feet, sticking out his little finger and staring -at it ruefully. - -"The thieves!" he cried, angrily. "The cowardly thieves! See that ring? -They've got the diamond out of it. Worth two hundred dollars, if 'twas -worth a cent. They couldn't get the ring off, without cutting it, and I -suppose they couldn't do that easily; so they've just pried out the -stone." - -Harvey looked at the hand which Edwards extended. The setting of the -costly ring had, indeed, been roughly forced, and the stone it had -contained, extracted. - -"I wouldn't care so much," said Edwards, "if it hadn't been a gift from -the men in the store." Impulsively, he turned to Harvey and put a hand on -his shoulder. - -"Say, Harvey," he exclaimed, "when you and I get ashore again--if we ever -do--we'll go and hunt up this young Mr. Jenkins." - -"All right," replied Harvey; "but it may not be quite so bad as you -think. We'll get through some way, I guess." - -Oddly enough, either by reason of the lack of responsibility that weighed -on the spirits of the man, or because of a lingering eagerness for -adventure, in spite of the dubious prospects, the boy, Harvey, seemed the -more resolute of the two. - -"Well," responded Edwards, "I'm sorry you're in a scrape; but so long as -you're here, why, I'm glad you're the kind of a chap you are. We'll help -each other. We'll stand together." - -And they shook hands upon it again. - -"Now," said Edwards, "here's how I came here. I'm a travelling man, for a -jewelry house--Burton & Brooks, of Boston. I was on the road, got into -Washington the other night, and sold a lot of goods there. But one of my -trunks hadn't come on time, and I was hung up for a day with nothing to -do. Never had been in Baltimore, and thought I'd run down for a few -hours. - -"I got dinner at a restaurant and went out to look around. I went along, -hit or miss, and brought up down by the water-front. This chap, Jenkins, -bumped into me and apologized like a gentleman; we got to talking, and he -invited me into one of those saloons along the front. Beastly place, and -I knew it; but I was off my guard. He certainly was slick, talked about -his family and Johns Hopkins, and pumped me all the time--I can see it -now--till he found I wasn't stopping at any hotel, but had just run in to -town for the day. - -"That was all he wanted. Saw the game was safe, and then he and the -fellow that ran the place must have fixed it up together. I'll bet he -stands in with most of these places on the water-front. He apologized for -the place, I remember; said it was rough but clean, and the oysters the -best in Baltimore. Well, I don't remember much after that, until I woke -up in that hole on the schooner that brought us down here. I know we had -something to drink--and that, so help me, is the last that anyone ever -gets Tom Edwards to take. Shake on that, too." - -He had a hearty, bluff way of talking, and a frankness in declaring -himself to be the biggest simpleton that was ever caught with chaff, that -compelled friendship. - -Harvey again accepted the proffered hand, smiling a little to himself, -and wondering if it were a habit of the other's profession to seal all -compacts on the spot in that fashion. - -"So here I am," concluded Mr. Edwards, "in the vilest hole I ever was in; -sick from the nasty pitching of this infernal boat; the worst head-ache I -ever woke up with--thanks to Mr. Jenkins's drug--robbed of $150 in money, -that I had in a wallet, a diamond that I wouldn't have sold at any -price--and, worst of all, my house won't know what's become of me. You -see, I'm registered up in Washington at a hotel there. I disappear, they -find my trunk and goods all right, and my accounts are straight. Nobody -knows I came to Baltimore. I'm not registered at any hotel there. There's -a mystery for 'em. Isn't it a fix?" - -Harvey whistled expressively. - -"You're worse off than I am, a million times," he said. "Besides, I've -got a little money, if it will help us out any. It's twenty-five dollars -I had for fare back to Benton, and pocket-money." - -"Where's that--where'd you say you were going?" asked Mr. Edwards, -quickly. - -"Benton." - -"Benton, eh? Well, that's funny. I've been there; sold goods in Benton -lots of times. You don't happen to know a man by the name of Warren -there, do you? He's got three boys about your age, or a little -younger--nice man, too." - -Harvey gave an exclamation of surprise and delight. - -"Know him? I guess I do," he cried. "And the Warren fellows, well rather. -Hooray!" - -It was Harvey's turn to offer the hand of fellowship this time; and he -gave Mr. Edwards a squeeze that made that gentleman wince. - -"You've got a pretty good grip," said he, rubbing his right hand with the -other. "I guess you can stand some hard work." Then they reverted to the -subject of Benton, once more, and it brought them closer together. There -was Bob White's father, whom Mr. Edwards knew, and several others; and -Jack Harvey knew their sons; and so they might have shaken hands at least -a half dozen times more, if Mr. Edwards had been willing to risk the -experiment again. - -"Now, to get back to the money," said he, finally; "you've got to hide -that twenty-five dollars, or you'll lose it. Here, I can help you out." - -He drew forth from a pocket a rubber tobacco pouch, and emptied the -contents into an envelope in one of his inside coat pockets. - -"I don't see how they happened to leave me this," he said, "but they did, -and it's lucky, too. It's just what you need. We'll tuck the bills in -this, fold it over and over, wrap a handkerchief about it, and you can -fasten it inside your shirt with this big safety-pin. Trust a travelling -man on the road to have what's needed in the dressing line. It may save -you from being robbed. What are you going to do with that other five? -Don't you want to save that, too?" - -Harvey had taken from a wallet in his pocket twenty dollars in bills, -letting one five dollar bill remain. - -"I'm going to use that to save the rest with," replied Harvey. "Supposing -this brute of a captain asks me if I've got any money, to buy what I'll -need aboard here, or suppose I'm robbed; well, perhaps they'll think this -is all I've got, and leave me the twenty." - -"You're kind of sharp, too," responded Mr. Edwards, smiling. "You'd make -a good travelling man. We'll stow this secure, I hope." - -He enfolded the bills handed to him by Harvey in the rubber tobacco -pouch, wrapped the boy's handkerchief about that, and passed it, with the -pin thrust through, to Harvey. Harvey, loosening his clothing, pinned the -parcel of bills securely, next to his body. - -"That's the thing," said Mr. Edwards, approvingly. "That's better than -the captain's strong-box, I reckon. I'm afraid we've struck a pirate. -Whew, but I'd give five hundred--oh, hang it! What's the use of wishing? -We're in for it. We'll get out, I suppose some way. I'll tackle this -captain in the morning. I've sold goods to pretty hard customers before -now. If I can't sell him a line of talk that will make him set me ashore, -why, then my name isn't Tom Edwards. Guess we may as well turn in, though -I reckon I'll not sleep much in that confounded packing-box they call a -berth. Good night, Harvey, my boy. Here's good luck for to-morrow." - -Mr. Edwards put forth his hand, then drew it back quickly. - -"I guess that last hand-shake will do for to-night," he said. "Pretty -good grip you've got." - -Harvey watched him, curiously, as he prepared to turn in for the night. -Surely, an extraordinary looking figure for the forecastle of a dingy -bug-eye was Mr. Tom Edwards. He removed his crumpled collar and his -necktie, gazed at them regretfully, and tucked them beneath the edge of -the bunk. He removed his black cut-away coat, folded it carefully, and -stowed it away in one end of the same. He likewise removed a pair of -patent leather shoes. - -It was hardly the toggery for a seaman of an oyster-dredger; and Harvey, -eying the incongruous picture, would have laughed, in spite of his own -feeling of dismay and apprehension, but for the expression of utter -anguish and misery on the face of Tom Edwards, as he rolled in on to his -bunk. - -"Cheer up," said the latter, with an attempt at assurance, which the tone -of his voice did not fully endorse, "I'll fix that pirate of a captain in -the morning, or I'll never sell another bill of goods as long as I live." - -"I hope so," replied Harvey. - -But he had his doubts. - -They had made their preparations not any too soon. - -A voice from the deck called out roughly, "Douse that lantern down there! -Take this ere boat for an all-night dance-hall?" - -Harvey sprang from his bunk and extinguished the feeble flicker that had -given them light, then crept back again. He was young; he was weary; he -was hopeful. He was soon asleep, rocked by the uneasy swinging and -dipping of the vessel. Mr. Thomas Edwards, travelling man and gentleman -patron of the best hotels, envied him, as he, himself, lay for hours -awake, a prey to many and varied emotions. - -But he, too, was not without a straw to cling to. He had his plans for -the morrow; and, as tardy slumber at length came to his weary brain, he -might have been heard to mutter, "I'll sell that captain a line--a -line--a line of talk; I'll make him take it, or--or I'll--" - -His words ceased. Mr. Thomas Edwards had gone upon his travels into -dreamland. And, if he could have seen there the face and figure of -Captain Hamilton Haley of the bug-eye, Z. B. Brandt, and have listened to -that gentleman engaged in the pleasing art of conversation, he might not -have been so hopeful of selling him a "line of talk." - - - - - CHAPTER V - THE LAW OF THE BAY - - -The bug-eye, Z. B. Brandt, lay more easily at anchor as the night wore -away and morning began to come in. The wind that had brought the rain had -fallen flat, and, in its stead, there was blowing a gentle breeze -straight out the mouth of the river, from the west. The day bade fair to -be clear. Still, with the increasing warmth of the air upon the surface -of the water, a vapour was arising, which shut out the shore in some -degree. - -To one looking at it from a little distance, the vessel might have -presented a not unpleasing appearance. Its lines were certainly -graceful--almost handsome--after the manner of that type of bay craft. -The low free-board and sloping masts served to add grace to the outlines. -The Z. B. Brandt was a large one of its class, something over sixty feet -long, capable evidently of carrying a large cargo; and, at the same time, -a bay-man would have known at a glance that she was speedy. - -Built on no such lines of grace and speed, however, was her skipper, -Captain Hamilton Haley, who now emerged from the cabin, on deck, -stretched his short, muscular arms, and looked about and across the -water, with a glance of approval and satisfaction at the direction of the -wind. He was below the medium height, a lack of stature which was made -more noticeable by an unusual breadth of chest and burliness of -shoulders. - -Squat down between his shoulders, with so short and thick a neck that it -seemed as though nature had almost overlooked that proportion, was a -rounded, massive head, adorned with a crop of reddish hair. A thick, but -closely cut beard added to his shaggy appearance. His mouth was small and -expressionless; from under heavy eye-brows, small, grayish eyes twinkled -keenly and coldly. - -Smoke pouring out of a funnel that protruded from the top of the cabin on -the starboard side, and a noise of dishes rattling below in the galley, -indicated preparation for breakfast. Captain Haley, his inspection of -conditions of wind and weather finished, went below. - -A half hour later, there appeared from the same companion-way another -man, of a strikingly different type. He was tall and well proportioned, -powerfully built, alert and active in every movement. His complexion -showed him to be of negro blood, though of the lightest type of mulatto. -His face, smooth-shaven, betrayed lines that foreboded little good to the -crew of any craft that should come under his command. His eyes told of -intelligence, however, and it would have required but one glance of a -shrewd master of a vessel to pick him out for a smart seaman. Let -Hamilton Haley tell it, there wasn't a better mate in all the dredging -fleet than Jim Adams. Let certain men that had served aboard the Brandt -on previous voyages tell it, and there wasn't a worse one. It was a -matter of point of view. - -Captain Hamilton Haley having also come on deck, and it being now close -on to five o'clock of this November morning, it was high time for the -Brandt to get under way. Captain Haley motioned toward the forecastle. - -"Get 'em out," he said curtly. - -The mate walked briskly forward, and descended into the forecastle. The -two seamen in the upper bunks, sleeping in their clothes, tumbled hastily -out, at a word from the mate, and a shake of the shoulder. The men in the -two lower bunks did not respond. Angrily raising one foot, shod in a -heavy boot, Jim Adams administered several kicks to the slumberers. They -stirred and groaned, and half awoke. Surveying them contemptuously for a -moment, the mate passed them by. - -"I'll 'tend to you gentlemen later on, I reckon," he muttered. Jack -Harvey, aroused by the stirring in the forecastle, had scrambled hastily -out, and was on his feet when the mate approached. The latter grinned, -showing two rows of strong, white teeth. - -"Well done, sonny," he said. "Saved you'self gettin' invited, didn't you? -Just be lively, now, and scamper out on deck. Your mammy wants ter see -you." - -"All right," answered Harvey, and stooped for his shoes. To his surprise, -he felt himself seized by the powerful hand of the mate, and jerked -upright. The mate was still smiling, but there was a gleam in his eyes -that there was no mistaking. - -"See here, sonny," he said, "would you just mind bein' so kind as to call -me 'mister,' when you speaks to me? I'm Mister Adams, if you please. -Would you just as lieves remember that?" - -Jack Harvey was quick to perceive that this sneering politeness was no -joke. He answered readily, "Certainly, Mr. Adams; I will, sir." - -The mate grinned, approvingly. - -"Get along," he said. - -Pausing for a moment before the bunk in which Mr. Tom Edwards was still -sleeping, the mate espied the black tailor-made coat which the owner had -carefully folded and stowed in one corner before retiring. From that and -the general appearance of the sleeper, it was evident Jim Adams had -gathered an impression little favourable to the occupant of the bunk. - -"Hmph!" he muttered. "Reckon he won't last long. Scroop's rung in a -counter-jumper on Haley. Wait till Haley sees him." - -His contempt for the garment, carefully folded, did not however, prevent -his making a more critical inspection of it. Drawing it stealthily out of -the bunk, the mate quickly ran through the pockets. The search -disappointed him. There was a good linen handkerchief, which he -appropriated; an empty wallet, which he restored to a pocket; and some -papers, equally unprofitable. Tossing the coat back into the bunk, the -mate seized the legs of the sleeper and swung them around over the edge -of the bunk; which being accomplished, he unceremoniously spilled Mr. Tom -Edwards out on the floor. - -There was a gleam of triumph in his eyes as he did so; a consciousness -that here, in these waters of the Chesapeake, among the dredging fleet, -there existed a peculiar reversal of the general supremacy of the white -over the black race; a reversal growing out of the brutality of many of -the captains, and the method of shipping men and holding them prisoners, -to work or perish; in the course of which, captains so disposed had found -that there was none so eager to brow-beat and bully a crew of -recalcitrant whites as a certain type of coloured mates. - -Tom Edwards, awakened thus roughly, opened his eyes wide in astonishment; -then his face reddened with indignation as he saw the figure of the mate -bending over him. - -"Would you just as lieve 'blige me by gettin' your coat on an' stepping -out on deck?" asked the mate, with mock politeness. - -Tom Edwards arose to his feet, somewhat shaky, and glared at the -spokesman. - -"I want to see the captain of this vessel," he said. "You fellows have -made a mistake in your man, this time. You'd better be careful." - -"Yes, sir, I'm very, unusual careful, mister," responded the mate, -grinning at the picture presented by the unfortunate Mr. Tom Edwards, -unsteady on his legs with the slight rolling of the vessel, but striving -to assert his dignity. "Jes' please to hustle out on deck, now, an' -you'll see the cap'n all right. He's waiting for you to eat breakfas' -with him, in the cabin." - -Tom Edwards, burning with wrath, hurriedly adjusted his crumpled collar -and tie, put on his shoes and coat, and hastened on deck. Glancing -forward, he espied Harvey engaged at work with the crew. - -"Here, Harvey," he cried, "come on. I'll set you right, and myself, too, -at the same time. I'll see if there's any law in Maryland that will -punish an outrage like this." - -Somewhat doubtfully, Jack Harvey followed him. Jim Adams, leering as -though he knew what would be the result, did not stop him. The two -seamen, also, paused in their work, and stood watching the unusual event. -Captain Hamilton Haley, standing expectantly near the wheel, eyed the -approaching Mr. Edwards with cold unconcern. Perhaps he had met similar -situations before. - -Under certain conditions, and amid the proper surroundings, Mr. Thomas -Edwards might readily have made a convincing impression and commanded -respect; but the situation was unfavourable. His very respectable -garments, in their tumbled and tom disarrangement, his legs unsteady, -from recent experiences and from weakness, his face pale with the -evidence of approaching sea-sickness, all conspired to defeat his attempt -at dignity. Yet he was determined. - -"Captain," he said, stepping close to the stolid figure by the wheel, -"you have made a bad mistake in getting me aboard here. I was drugged and -shipped without my knowing it. I am a travelling man, and connected with -a big business house in Boston. If you don't set me ashore at once, -you'll get yourself into more kinds of trouble than you ever dreamed of. -I'm a man-of-the-world, and I can let this pass for a good joke among the -boys on the road, if it stops right here. But if you carry it any -farther, I warn you it will be at your peril. It's a serious thing, this -man-stealing." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, fortifying himself with a piece of tobacco, eyed -Mr. Thomas Edwards sullenly. Then he clenched a huge fist and replied. - -"I've seen 'em like you before," he said. "They was all real gentlemen, -same as you be, when they come aboard, and most of 'em owned up to bein' -pickpockets and tramps when they and I got acquainted. I guess you're no -great gentleman. When a man goes and signs a contract with me, I makes -him live up to it. You've gone and signed with me, and now you get -for'ard and bear a hand at that winch." - -"That's an outrageous lie!" cried Tom Edwards, shaking his fist in turn -at Captain Haley. "I never signed a paper in my life, to ship with you or -anybody else. If they've got my signature, it's forged." - -"Look here, you," answered Haley, advancing a step, "don't you go an' -tell me as how I lie, young feller. Ain't I seen the contract with my own -eyes? Didn't Scroop show it, along with the contract of that other young -chap there? Don't you go telling me I ain't doin' things legal like. I'll -show you some Chesapeake Bay law." - -"Well, Chesapeake Bay law is the same as the law for the rest of -Maryland, I reckon," exclaimed Tom Edwards hotly. "You've got no law on -your side. I've got the law with me, and I'll proceed against you. You'll -find Chesapeake Bay law and State law is much the same when you get into -court." - -For a moment something like a grin overspread the dull features of -Captain Hamilton Haley. Then he raised his arm, advanced another step -forward, and shook his fist in the other's face. - -"I reckon you ain't had no experience with Chesapeake Bay law," he cried -angrily. "But it's easy to larn, and it don't take no books to teach it. -Do you see that fist?" - -He brandished his huge, red bunch of knuckles in Tom Edwards's face. - -"Do you see that fist?" he cried again, his own face growing more fiery. -"That's the law of the Bay. That's the law of the dredging fleet. There -ain't no other. Any man that goes against that law, gets it laid down to -him good and hard. There it is, and you gets your first lesson." - -With a single blow of his arm, planting the aforesaid digest and epitome -of dredging law full in the face of Tom Edwards, he stretched him -sprawling on the deck, dazed and terrified. - -Captain Hamilton Haley, having thus successfully demonstrated the might -and majesty of dredging-fleet law, according to his own interpretation of -its terms, proceeded now to expound it further. His anger had increased -with his act of violence, and the veins in his neck and on his forehead -stood out, swollen. - -"See here you, young fellow," he cried, advancing toward Harvey, -threateningly, "don't you go starting out uppish, too. Don't you begin -sea-lawyerin' with me. I know the law. There it is, and I hand it out -when needed. There ain't no other law among the dredgers that I knows of, -from Plum Point down to the Rappahannock. Some of 'em larns it quick, and -some of 'em larns it slow; and them as larns it quickest gets it -lightest. Now what have you got to say?" - -Jack Harvey, thus hopelessly confronted, thought--and thought quickly. - -"I signed for a cruise, all right," he replied, returning the infuriated -captain's gaze steadily, "and I'm ready to go to work." - -"Then you get for'ard, lively now, and grab hold of that winch. You -loafers get back and yank that anchor up. This ain't a town meetin'. Get -them men to work again, mate. Take him along, too." - -The captain pointed, in turn, to Harvey, to the sailors who had edged -their way aft, to watch proceedings, and to the unfortunate Mr. Edwards, -who had arisen from the deck and stood, a sorry, woe-begone object, -unable physically to offer further resistance. - -"Shake things up now, Jim Adams, shake 'em up," urged Haley. "Here we are -losing good wind over a lot of tramps that costs ten dollars apiece to -get here, and little good after we've got 'em. How's a man goin' to make -his livin' dredging, when he pays high for men an' gets nothin' to show -for his money? I'd like to get that fellow, Jenkins, out here once, -himself. I'd show him this isn't a business for school-boys and -counter-jumpers. I'd get ten dollars' worth of work out of him, and a -good many more ten dollars' worth that he's got out of me, or he'd know -the reason why." - -Thus relieving his mind of his own troubles, Captain Hamilton Haley, in a -state of highly virtuous indignation, watched with approval the actions -of the mate. The latter, seizing Tom Edwards, hurried him forward -unceremoniously and bade him take hold at the handle of the winch and -help raise the anchor. Tom Edwards weakly grasped the handle, as -directed, in company with one of the sailors. Jack Harvey and the other -seaman worked at the opposite handle. - -Two men could have done the job easily, and the four made quick work of -it. By the time the anchor chain was hove short, the mate and Haley had -got the main-sail up. One of the seamen left the windlass and set one of -the jibs; the anchor was brought aboard and stowed. The bug-eye, Brandt, -began to swing off from its mooring, as the wind caught the jib, which -was held up to windward. Easily the craft spun 'round, going before the -wind out of the harbour and running across the bay, headed for the -Eastern shore. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - THE WORKING OF THE LAW - - -"Shake out the reefs and get the foresail on her," called Haley. "Lively, -now, we've lost time." - -The mate repeated the order; the two available seamen began untying the -reef-points, which had been knotted when sail had been shortened in the -breeze of the previous day. It was simple enough work, merely the -loosening and untying of a series of square knots. Harvey had done the -like a hundred times aboard his own sloop. He hastened to assist, and did -his part as quickly as the other two. Jim Adams, somewhat surprised, eyed -him curiously. - -"You're a right smart youngster, ain't you?" he said, patronizingly. -"Reckon you'll be so mightily pleased you'll come again some time." - -There was something so insolent in the tone, so sheer and apparent an -exulting in his power to compel the youth to do his bidding, that the -blood mounted in Harvey's cheeks, and he felt his pulses beat quicker. -But he went on soberly with his work, and the mate said no more. - -Ignorant of all things aboard a vessel, and too weak to work if he had -been skilled at it, Tom Edwards stood helplessly by. The humiliation of -his repulse at the hands of the captain, and his dismay at the dismal -prospect, overwhelmed him. He gazed at the receding shore, and groaned. - -The foresail was run up, and with that and the mainsail winged out on -opposite sides, the bug-eye ran before the wind at an easy clip. She -responded at once to the increased spread of canvas. Her evident sailing -qualities appealed to Harvey, and lifted him for the moment out of his -apprehension and distress. - -"Now you get your breakfas'," said Jim Adams, and the two sailors -shuffled aft, followed by Harvey and Tom Edwards. Harvey was hungry, with -the keen appetite of youth and health, and he seated himself with a zest -at the table in the cabin. But the place would have blunted the appetite -of many a hungry man. - -It was a vile, stuffy hole, reeking, like the forecastle, with a stale -fishy odour, uncleanly and shabby. A greasy smell of cooking came in from -the galley. A tin plate and cup and a rusty knife and fork set for each -seemed never to have known the contact of soap and water. Jack Harvey -recalled the praise which his absent friend, Mr. Jenkins, had bestowed -upon the quarters of the schooner, and that young gentleman's -disparagement of the comparative accommodations of a bug-eye; and he -endorsed the sentiments fully. Compared with the cabin of the schooner, -the cabin of the Z. B. Brandt was, indeed, a kennel. - -There was little comfort, either, apparently, in the association of the -two sailors. The fellow directly opposite Harvey, whom the mate had -addressed once that morning as "Jeff," stared sullenly and dully at the -youth, with a look that was clearly devoid of interest. He was a heavy -set, sluggish man of about thirty-five years, for whom hard work and ill -usage had blunted whatever sensibilities he may have once possessed. -Evidently he was willing to bear with the treatment, and the poor food -aboard the vessel, for the small wages he would receive at the winter's -end. - -The other man was slightly more prepossessing, but clearly at present not -inclined to any sociability. He had a brighter eye and a face of more -expression than his companion; though he, too, under the grinding labour -aboard the oyster dredger, had come to toil day by day silently, in dumb -obedience to the captain and mate. He was one Sam Black, by name, -somewhat taller and larger than his comrade. - -These two paid little heed to the new arrivals. It is doubtful if they -really took notice of their being there, in the sense that they thought -anything about it. Life was a drudgery to them, in which it mattered -little whether others shared or not. They scarcely spoke to each other -during the meal, and not at all to Harvey or Tom Edwards. - -Presently there stepped out of the galley an uncouth, slovenly appearing -man, who might have passed as a smaller edition of Captain Hamilton -Haley, by his features. He was, in fact, of the same name, Haley, and -there was some relationship of a remote degree between them, which -accounted for his employment aboard the vessel. He was not so stout as -his kinsman, however, and more active in his movements. - -Whatever may have been the latent abilities of Mr. George Haley in the -art of cooking, they were not in evidence, nor required aboard the -bug-eye. Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards were now to behold the evidence of -that fact. - -The cook bore in his hands a greasy wooden box, that had once held smoked -fish, and set it down on the table. Just what its contents consisted of -was not at first apparent to Harvey. When, however, the two sailors -reached over with their forks, speared junks of something from the box -and conveyed them to their plates, Harvey followed their example. - -He looked at the food for a moment before he made out what it was. It -proved to be dough, kneaded and mixed with water, and a mild flavouring -of molasses, and fried in lard. Harvey gazed at the mess in dismay. If it -should prove to taste as bad as it looked, it must needs be hard fare. -But he observed that the sailors made away with it hungrily; so he cut -off a piece and tasted it. It was, indeed, wretched stuff, greasy and -unpalatable. There was nothing else of food forthcoming, however, and he -managed to swallow a few more mouthfuls. - -The cook came to his aid in slight measure. He reappeared, bringing a -pail of steaming, black liquid, the odour of which bore some slight -resemblance to coffee. It was what passed for coffee aboard the bug-eye, -a sorry composition of water boiled with several spoonfuls of an essence -of coffee--the flavour of which one might further disguise, if he chose, -with a spoonful of black molasses from a tin can set out by the cook. - -Harvey filled his cup with alacrity, hoping to wash down the mess of -fried bread with the hot coffee. He made a wry face after one swallow, -and looked with dismay at his companion in misery. - -"It's awful," he said, "but it's hot. You better drink some of it. It -will warm you up." - -Tom Edwards put out a shaky hand and conveyed a cup of the stuff to his -lips. He groaned as he took a swallow, and set the cup down. - -"Beastly!" he exclaimed; and added, "I never did like coffee without -cream, anyway." - -Harvey laughed, in spite of his own disgust. "The cream hasn't come -aboard yet, I guess," he said. "But you drink that down quick. You need -it." - -Like one obeying an older person, instead of a younger, Tom Edwards did -as Harvey urged. He drained the cup at a draught. Then he staggered to -his feet again. - -"I can't eat that mess," he said. "Oh, but I'm feeling sick. I think I'll -go out on deck. It's cold out there, though. I don't know what to do." - -He was not long in doubt, however; for, as Harvey emerged on deck, the -mate approached. - -"You tell that Mister Edwards," he said, "he can jes' lie down on one of -them parlour sofas in the fo'-castle till we gets across to Hoopers. Then -we'll need him." - -Harvey did the errand, and the unhappy Tom Edwards made his way forward -once more, and threw himself down in the hard bunk, pale and ill. Harvey -returned on deck. The morning was clear, and not cold for November, but -the wind sent a chill through his warm sweater, and he beat himself with -his arms, to warm up. - -"Didn't get you'self any slickers, did you, 'fore you came aboard?" -inquired the mate. - -"No, sir," replied Harvey, remembering how the man had cautioned him to -address him; "I didn't have a chance. They sailed off with me in the -night." - -The mate grinned. "That was sure enough too bad," he said, mockingly. -"Well, you see the old man 'bout that. He sells 'em very cheap, and a -sight better than they have ashore in Baltimore. Awful advantage they -take of poor sailors there. Mr. Haley, he'll fit you out, I reckon." - -They stepped aft, and the mate made known their errand. - -Haley nodded. "He'll need 'em sooner or later," he assented. "May as well -have 'em now, as any time. Take the wheel." - -The mate assumed the captain's seat on the wheel box, and Captain Haley -nodded to Harvey to follow him below. He fumbled about in a dark locker -and finally drew forth two garments--the trousers and jacket of an -oil-skin suit. They were black and frayed with previous wear, their -original hue of yellow being discoloured by smears and hard usage. - -"There," said Haley, holding up the slickers approvingly, "there's a suit -as has been worn once or twice, but isn't hurt any. As good as new, and -got the stiffness out of it. Cost you seven dollars to get that suit new -in Baltimore. You'll get it for five, and lucky you didn't buy any -ashore. There's a tarpaulin, too, that you can have for a dollar. I -oughtn't to let 'em go so cheap." - -Harvey hardly knew whether to be angry or amused. He had not shipped for -the money to be earned, to be sure, and the absurd prices for the almost -worthless stuff excited his derision. But the gross injustice of the -bargain made him indignant, too. He had bought oil-skins for himself, -before, and knew that a good suit, new, could be had for about three -dollars and a half, and a new tarpaulin for seventy-five cents. But he -realized that protest would be of no avail. So he assented. - -"There's a new pair of rubber boots, too," continued Haley, producing a -pair that were, indeed, much nearer new than the oil-skins. "Those will -cost you five dollars. They're extra reinforced; not much like that -slop-shop stuff." - -The boots thereupon became Harvey's property; likewise a thin and -threadbare old bed quilt, for the bunk in the forecastle, at an equally -extortionate price. Then a similar equipment was provided for Harvey's -friend, Tom Edwards, the captain assuring Harvey that they would surely -fit Edwards, and he could take them forward to him. - -Suddenly the captain paused and looked at Harvey shrewdly, out of his -cold gray eyes. - -"Of course I provide all this for a man, in advance of his wages," he -said, "when he comes aboard, like the most of 'em, without a cent; but -when he has some money, he has to pay. Suppose he gets drowned--it's all -dead loss to me. You got any money?" - -Harvey thanked his stars for Tom Edwards's precaution. - -"I've got some," he said, and began to feel in his pockets, as though he -were uncertain just how much he did have. "Here's five dollars--and let's -see, oh, yes, I've got some loose change, sixty-three cents." He brought -forth the bill and the coins. Haley pounced on the money greedily. He -eyed Harvey with some suspicion, however. - -"Turn your pockets out," he said. "I can't afford to take chances. Let's -see if you've been holding back any." - -Harvey did as he was ordered. - -"All right," muttered Haley. But he was clearly disappointed. - -"Can that fellow, Edwards, pay?" he asked. - -"He told me he hadn't a cent," answered Harvey, promptly. "He was robbed -after they got him drugged." - -Haley's face reddened angrily. - -"He wasn't drugged--nor robbed, either," he cried. "Don't you go talking -like that, or you'll get into trouble. Leastwise, I don't know nothin' -about it. If he was fixed with drugs, it was afore he came into my hands. -I won't stand for anything like that. Get out, now, and take that stuff -for'ard." - -Harvey went forward, carrying his enforced purchases. An unpleasant sight -confronted him as he neared the forecastle. - -The two men that had been brought aboard the bug-eye, stupefied, had been -dragged out on deck, where they lay, blinking and dazed, but evidently -coming once more to their senses. The mate gave an order to one of the -sailors. The latter caught up a canvas bucket, to which there was -attached a rope, threw it over the side and drew it back on deck filled -with water. - -"Let's have that," said the mate. - -He snatched it from the sailor's hand, swung it quickly, and dashed the -contents full in the face of one of the prostrate men. The fellow gasped -for breath, as the icy water choked and stung him; he half struggled to -his feet, opening his eyes wide and gazing about him with amazement. He -had hardly come to a vague appreciation of where he was, putting his -hands to his eyes and rubbing them, to free them of the salt water, -before he received a second bucket-full in the face. He cried out in -fright and, spurred on by that and the shock of the cold water, got upon -his feet and stood, trembling and shivering. Jim Adams laughed with -pleasure at the success of his treatment. - -"Awful bad stuff they give 'em in Baltimore, sometimes," he said, -chuckling, as though it were a huge joke; "but this fetches 'em out of it -just like doctor's medicine. You got 'nuff, I reckon. Now you trot 'long -down into the cabin, and get some of that nice coffee, an' you'll feel -pretty spry soon." - -The fellow shambled away, led by one of the crew. - -Jack Harvey, his blood boiling at the inhumanity of it, saw Jim Adams's -"treatment" applied with much the same success to the other helpless -prisoner; and this man, too, soon went the way of the other, for such -comfort and stimulus as the cabin and coffee afforded. Harvey deposited -his load of clothing in the forecastle, and returned to the deck. - -In the course of some seven miles of sailing, as Harvey reckoned it, they -approached a small island which he heard called out as Barren island. -Still farther to the eastward of this, there lay a narrow stretch of -land, some two or three miles long, lying lengthwise approximately north -and south. Off the shore of this, which bore the name of Upper Hooper -island, the dredging grounds now sought by the Brandt extended southward -for some ten miles, abreast of another island, known as Middle Hooper -island. - -Preparations were at once begun to work the dredges; and Harvey watched -with anxious interest. Here was the real labour, that he had by this time -come to look forward to with dread. He recalled the utterance of the -dismal sailor aboard the schooner, "You breaks yer back at a bloody -winder;" and he saw a prospect now of the fulfilment of the man's -description of the work. - -In the mid-section of the bug-eye, on either side, there were set up what -looked not unlike two huge spools. Wound around each one of these was -fathom upon fathom of dredge line. Each spool rested in a frame that was -shaped something like a carpenter's saw-horse, and, in the process of -winding, was revolved by means of a crank at either end, worked by men at -the handles. The frame was securely bolted to the deck at the four -supports. - -Connected with each dredge line, by an iron chain, was the dredge. This -consisted, first, of four iron rods, coming to a point at the chain, and -spread out from that in the form of a piece of cheese cut wedge-shaped, -and rounded in a loop at the broad end. Fastened to this was a great mesh -of iron links, made like a purse, or bag, This metal bag was a capacious -affair, made to hold more than a bushel of oysters. There were two larger -iron links in the mesh, by which it could be hooked and lifted aboard, -when it had been wound up to the surface of the water. - -There was a locking device on the end of the support, so that the spool -would hold, without unwinding, when the handles were released. - -The huge spools were set up lengthwise of the vessel. On either side of -the craft were rollers; one of these was horizontal, to drag the dredge -aboard on; one was perpendicular, for the dredge-line to run free on, as -it was paid out, or drawn in, while the vessel was in motion. - -Captain Haley, at the wheel, gave his orders sharply. The sailors and Jim -Adams, lifting the dredges, threw them overboard on either side, and the -work was begun. The bug-eye, with sheets started, took a zig-zag course, -laterally across the dredging ground. - -Obeying orders, Harvey took his place at one of the handles of a winder; -one of the sailors at the other. Presently appeared Jim Adams, followed -by the disconsolate Tom Edwards. The latter, pale and sea-sick, seemed -scarcely able to walk, much less work; but the mate led him along to the -handle of the other winder. Tom Edwards was not without making one more -feeble attempt as resistance, however. - -"See here," he said, addressing Adams, "you've got no right to force me -to work here. I'm a business man, and I was brought down here by a trick, -drugged. You'll pay dear for it. I warn you." - -Jim Adams grinned from ear to ear, his expansive mouth exhibiting a -shining row of white teeth. He put a big, bony hand on Tom Edwards's -shoulder. - -"Don't you go worrying 'bout what I'll get, mister," he answered; and -there was a gleam of fire in his eyes as he spoke. "I reckon you might as -well know, first as last, that I don't care where we get you fellows, nor -how we gets yer; nor I don't care whether you come aboard drugged or -sober; nor whether you've got clothes on, nor nothin' at all. All I cares -is that you's so as you can turn at this ere windlass. That's all there -is 'bout that. Now you jes' take a-hold of that handle, and do's you're -told, or you'll go overboard; and don't you forget that." - -Tom Edwards was silent. He stood, hand upon the windlass, shivering. - -"You'll be warm 'nuff soon, I reckon," was Jim Adams's consolation. - -They got the order to wind in, presently, and the men began to turn the -handles. It was hard work, sure enough. The huge iron bags, filled with -the oysters, torn from the reefs at the bed of the bay, were heavy of -themselves; and the strain of winding them in against the headway of the -bug-eye was no boys' play. - -Harvey and his companion at their winder were strong and active, and -presently the dredge was at the surface, whence it was seized and dragged -aboard. There it was emptied of its contents, a mass of shells, all -shapes and sizes. Then followed the work of "culling," or sorting and -throwing overboard the oysters that were under two inches and a half -long, which the law did not allow to be kept and sold. - -"You need a pair of mittens," volunteered Harvey's working comrade, as -Harvey started in to help, with bare hands. "You'll get cut and have sore -hands, if you don't," he added. "The cap'n sells mittens." - -The mittens, at a price that would have made the most hardened -shop-keeper blush, were provided, and Harvey resumed work. - -The seriousness of the situation had developed in earnest. It was -drudgery of the hardest and most bitter kind. - -"Just wait till the month is up," said Harvey, softly; "I'll cut out of -this pretty quick. A sea experience, eh? Well, I've got enough of it in -the first half hour." - -Spurred on by the harsh commands of the mate, Tom Edwards managed to hold -out for perhaps three quarters of an hour. Then he collapsed entirely; -and, seeing that nothing more could be gotten out of him for the rest of -the day, the mate suffered him to drag himself off to the forecastle. - -"But see that you're out sharp and early on deck here to-morrow morning," -said Jim Adams. "We don't have folks livin' high here for nothin'. You'll -jes' work your board and lodgin', I reckon." - -Thus the day wore on, drearily. The exciting sea experience that Jack -Harvey had pictured to himself was not at present forthcoming; only a -monotonous winding at the windlass--hard and tiring work--and the culling -of the oysters, and stowing them below in the hold from time to time. He -was sick of it by mid-day; and, as the shades of twilight fell, he was -well nigh exhausted. - -"And only to think of this for nearly four weeks more," he groaned. "Next -time--oh, hang it! What's the use of thinking of that? I'm in for it. -I've got to go through. But won't I scoot when the month is up!" - -Toward evening, they ran up under the lee of Barren island, in what the -mate said was Tar Bay, and anchored for the night. Almost too wearied to -eat, too wearied to listen to the commiseration of Tom Edwards, who lay -groaning in his bunk, Jack Harvey tumbled in with his clothes on, and was -asleep as soon as he had stretched himself out. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - DREDGING FLEET TACTICS - - -Jack Harvey was a strong, muscular youth, toughened and enured to rough -weather, and even hardship, by reason of summers spent in yachting and -his spare time in winter divided between open air sports and work in the -school gymnasium. But the steady, laborious work of the first day at -dredging had brought into action muscles comparatively little used -before, and moreover overtaxed them. So, when Harvey awoke, the following -morning, and rolled out of his bunk, he felt twinges of pain go through -him. His muscles were stiffened, and he ached from ankles to shoulders. - -He awoke Tom Edwards, knowing that if he did not, the mate soon would, -and in rougher fashion. The companionship in misfortune, that had thus -thrown the boy and the man intimately together, made the difference in -their ages seem less, and their friendship like that of long standing. So -it was the natural thing, and instinctive, for Harvey to address the -other familiarly. - -"Wake up, Tom," he said, shaking him gently; "it's time to get up." - -Tom Edwards opened his eyes, looked into the face of his new friend and -groaned. - -"Oh, I can't," he murmured. "I just can't get up. I'm done for. I'll -never get out of this alive. I'm going to die. Jack, old fellow, you tell -them what happened to me, if I never get ashore again. You'll come -through, but I can't." - -Harvey looked at the sorry figure, compassionately. - -"It's rough on you," he said, "because you're soft and not used to -exercise. But don't you go getting discouraged this way. You're not going -to die--not by a good deal. You're just sea-sick; and every one feels -like dying when they get that way. You've just got to get out, because -Adams will make you. So you better start in. Come on; we'll get some of -that beautiful coffee and that other stuff, and you'll feel better." - -By much urging, Harvey induced his companion to arise, and they went on -deck. - -It was a fine, clear morning, and the sight that met their eyes was -really a pretty one. In the waters of Tar Bay were scores of craft -belonging to the oyster fleet. They were for the most part lying at -anchor, now, with smoke curling up in friendly fashion from their little -iron stove funnels. There were vessels of many sorts and sizes; a few -large schooners, of the dredging class, bulky of build and homely; -punjies, broader of bow and sharper and deeper aft, giving them quickness -in tacking across the oyster reefs; bug-eyes, with their sharp prows, -bearing some fancied resemblance, by reason of the hawse-holes on either -bow, to a bug's eye, or a buck's eye--known also in some waters as -"buck-eyes"--clean-lined craft, sharp at either end; also little saucy -skip-jacks, and the famous craft of the Chesapeake, the canoes. - -These latter, known also as tonging-boats, were remarkably narrow craft, -made of plank, about four feet across the gunwales and averaging about -twenty feet long. Some of them were already under weigh, the larger ones -carrying two triangular sails and a jib. It seemed to Harvey as though -the sail they bore up under must inevitably capsize them; but they sailed -fast and stiff. - -A few of these craft were already engaged in tonging for oysters, in a -strip of the bay just south of Barren Island, where the water shoaled to -a depth of only one fathom. The two men aboard were alternately raising -and lowering, by means of a small crank, a pair of oyster tongs, the jaws -of which closed mechanically with the strain upon the rope to which it -was attached. - -To the southward, other vessels were beginning to come in upon the -dredging grounds, until it seemed as though all of Maryland's small craft -must be engaged in the business of oyster fishing. - -With an eye to the present usefulness of his men, more than from any -compassion upon their condition, Captain Hamilton Haley had ordered a -better breakfast to be served. There was fried bacon, and a broth of some -sort; and the coffee seemed a bit stronger and more satisfying. Harvey -urged his comrade to eat; and Tom Edwards, who had rallied a little from -his sea-sickness, with the vessel now steady under him, in the quiet -water, managed to make a fair breakfast. - -They made sail, shortly, and stood to the southward, following the line -of the island shores, but at some distance off the land. The hard, -monotonous labour of working the dredges began once more. Jack Harvey, -lame and stiff in his joints, found it more laborious than before. - -Tom Edwards, somewhat steadier than on the previous day, but in no fit -condition to work, was forced to the task. He made a most extraordinary, -and, indeed, ludicrous figure--like a scarecrow decked out in an -unusually good suit of clothes. He had no overcoat left him, but had -sought relief from the weather by the purchase of an extra woollen -undershirt from Captain Haley's second-hand wardrobe. His appearance was, -therefore, strikingly out of keeping with his surroundings. - -In him one would have beheld a tall, light complexioned man; with blond -moustache, that had once been trimly cut and slightly curled; clad in his -black suit, with cut-away coat; his one linen shirt sadly in need of -starching, but worn for whatever warmth it would give; even his one -crumbled linen collar worn for similar purpose; and, with this, a bulky -pair of woollen mittens, to protect his hands that were as yet unused to -manual labour. - -Watching him, as he toiled at the opposite winch, Harvey could not -restrain himself, once, from bursting into laughter; but, the next -moment, the pale face, with its expression of distress, turned his -laughter into pity. It was certainly no joke for poor Tom Edwards. - -Mate Adams brought on the other two recruits, after a time, and they took -their places at the winders. They were not strong enough to work -continuously, however, and the two and Tom Edwards "spelled" one another -by turns. - -The wind fell away for an hour about noon, and there was a respite for -all, save for the culling of the oysters that had been taken aboard; and -Jack Harvey found opportunity to speak with the two newcomers. - -Theirs was the old story--only too familiar to the history of the -dredging fleet. - -"My name is Wallace Brooks," said one of them, a thick-set, good-natured -looking youth of about twenty years. "I come from up Haverstraw way, on -the Hudson river--and I thought I was used to hard work, for I've worked -in the brick-yards there some; but that's just play compared to this. - -"Well, I went down to New York, to look for work, and I fell in with this -chap. His name's Willard Thompson. He's a New Yorker, and has knocked -around there all his life. I'm afraid he won't stand much of this work -here. He was a clerk in a store, but always wanted to take a sea voyage." - -Willard Thompson, standing wearily by the forecastle, did not, indeed, -present a robust appearance, calculated to endure the hardships of a -winter on Chesapeake Bay. He was rather tall and thin and sallow, dressed -more flashily than his friend, Brooks, and was of a weaker type. - -"We fell in with a man in South street, one day," continued Brooks, "and -he told us all about what a fine place this bay was; how it was warm here -all winter, and oyster dredging the easiest work there is--'nothing to do -but watch the boat sail, dragging a dredge after it,' was the way he put -it. He didn't say anything about this everlasting grind of winding at the -machines. Said the pay was twenty-five a month, and live like they do at -the Astor House. - -"He fooled us, all right, and we signed with him in New York, and he sent -us down to Baltimore. They put us into a big boarding-house there, with a -lot of men. Well, we found out more what it was going to be like, and we -were going to back out and get away; but they were too smart for -us--drugged our coffee one night--and, well, you know the rest. We've -waked up at last. Whew, but's tough! I wish I was back in the brick-yard, -with a mile of bricks to handle. Isn't old Haley a pirate?" - -They were ordered to work again, soon, and the conversation ended. - -Working that afternoon with the sailor, Sam Black, at the winch, Harvey -got a further insight to the devious ways and the shrewdness of the -dredgers, of the type of Hamilton Haley. - -There sailed up, after a time, a smaller bug-eye, which ran along for -some miles abreast of the Brandt, while the two captains exchanged -confidences. - -"Ahoy, Bill," called Haley; "what d'yer know?" - -"The Old Man's looking for you," returned the other. - -"What's he want of me?" - -"Wants to see your license." - -"Well, I've got it, all right." - -Haley glanced, as he spoke, at his license numbers, displayed on two of -the sails. - -"Where is he now?" - -"Down below Smith's Island." - -"Has he boarded you?" - -"Yes, looked us all over. We're all clear." - -"Then," continued Haley, "I'll run alongside at sundown; where'll you -be?" - -"Just around the foot of the island." - -"What does he mean?" inquired Harvey. "Who's the Old Man?" - -"Oh, he means the captain of the police tub," replied Sam Black, -grinning. "They'll look us over, by and by, just to see if everything's -straight. It's one of the state's oyster navy." - -Harvey's heart gave a jump. Might not here be a chance for liberty? But, -the next moment, his hopes were dashed. - -"Don't you go reckoning on it, though, youngster," continued Sam Black, -"for 'twon't do you a bit of good. There's no police as slick as Ham -Haley, nor the rest of his crowd. What's the good of two old police -steamers and a few schooners in goodness knows how many hundred square -miles of bay, with hundreds of harbours to run to and hide, and islands -to dodge 'round, and a score of pirates like Haley to help each other -dodge? And any captain in the fleet willing to tell where the police tub -is?" - -"I tell you, it ain't often they catch a captain napping, no matter what -he's done. Let 'em swear out a warrant, up in Baltimore, for a captain -that has been beating up his men. Well, I dunno how it does come, hardly; -but, all the same, the news gets down the bay and spreads all through the -fleet like a field of grass afire. Pshaw! By the time they gets him, that -cap'n has got half a new crew, and there isn't a man aboard as saw the -beating done, except the cap'n and his mate; and if they've done any -beating up, you bet they've clean forgotten it." - -Harvey's face looked blanker than before. "Then there isn't much hope in -the law, no matter what happens," he said. - -"Haley and the rest of 'em have got the law," responded Black. "Haley -showed that fellow, Edwards, the law. Don't you get in the way of it. -That's my advice." - -"All the captains alike?" asked Harvey. - -"About a score or so of 'em are downright pirates," replied Sam Black. -"They're the kind I've fell in with, mostly. There's good ones, too, I -suppose--or not so bad." - -For all the sailor said, Jack Harvey was not without some faint hope, as -the afternoon wore away and the bug-eye headed for the foot of lower -Hooper Island, that the expected visit of the police boat might afford -him and Tom Edwards the opportunity for escape. He gave the news to Tom -Edwards, at supper time, and that weary unfortunate beamed with renewed -hope. - -"It's our chance," he said. "Won't I fill that navy captain full of what -that brute Haley has done aboard here!" - -They rounded the foot of Hooper Island, after a time, and anchored in a -bight of the north shore. Presently the craft that had hailed the Brandt -bore up; and, shortly after, still another. The two came alongside, with -their sails fluttering--but they did not let them run. - -"There's two for each of you for the night, and till I get an overhauling -from the Old Man," called Haley to the captains of the other craft. - -A moment later, Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards found themselves hustled from -the deck of the Brandt aboard one of the strange bug-eyes. Likewise, the -men, Thompson and Brooks, found themselves similarly transferred. -Forewarned, Harvey and his companion made neither inquiry nor protest. -They knew it would be of no avail. But one of the others had ventured to -know the reason. - -"You jes' please shut up, and ask no questions," was the satisfaction -gained from Jim Adams. - -The two strange craft made sail again, and stood to the southeast, -through Hooper Strait. - -And so, when, next morning, Jack Harvey, looking from the deck of his new -prison, saw a small steamer go by, with the smoke pouring from its -funnel, he knew full well the significance of it; he realized the -opportunity for freedom that was so near, and yet beyond reach. He was no -coward, but a lump rose in his throat that half choked him. Tom Edwards -gazed, with eyes that were moistened. - -That day, toward noon, a steamer lay alongside the Brandt; and a captain, -eying Haley with stern disapproval, said, "Oh, yes, you've got your -license, all right, Haley, but you're short-handed as usual. I know--it's -the same old story. Looking for men, and can't get them. Now I know you -dredge with more, so you needn't lie. I suspect it's lucky for you that I -haven't time to follow you up. But I warn you, there have been -complaints, and some day you'll fetch up short, if you don't treat your -men right." - -"And ain't that just what I do?" demanded Haley, highly injured. "Don't I -treat 'em better'n half the captains down the bay? Good grub and easy -work--why, they're too fat to wind, half the time." - -The captain's face relaxed into a smile that was half amusement, half -contempt. - -"I just warn you; that's all," he repeated; and went aboard the steamer. -Haley watched his departure with a chuckle. - -"Get her under weigh again, Jim," he said. "We'll pick up our crew." - -By noon, the Brandt had run in to the small harbour where the two -bug-eyes were waiting; and, that afternoon, Harvey and the others were -back at work, under the abuse of Jim Adams, hounded on by him, to make up -for lost time. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - A NIGHT'S POACHING - - -The days that followed were bitter ones for dredging. There came in fog, -through which they drifted, slowly, while it wrapped them about like a -great, frosty blanket, chilling and numbing them. When the wind was -light, the fog would collect for a moment in the wrinkle at the top of a -sail; then, with a slat, the sail would fill out, sending down a shower -of icy water, drenching the crew at their work. But the mate drove them -on, with threats and the brandishing of a rope's end. - -To make matters worse, the yield of the reefs was disappointing. Bad luck -seemed to be with the Brandt; and, though it was the beginning of the -season, and they should have been getting a cargo rapidly, the day's -clean-up was often less than twenty bushels; which brought a storm of -abuse from Haley, as though it were the fault of the men. - -He took his chances with the law, for several days, and ran down into -Tangier Sound, hidden in the fog, on that part of its great extent where -dredging was forbidden, and only smaller craft with scrapers allowed. But -the Brandt went aground, late one afternoon, on a bar off a dreary marsh -that extended for miles--the most lonesome and forbidding place that -Harvey had seen in all his life. - -They were half the night getting clear from here, having to wait for the -flood tide, and the Brandt springing a leak that kept them toiling at the -pump till they were well nigh exhausted. The upshot was, that, early one -morning, with the lifting of the fog, the Brandt, followed by the craft -that had taken Harvey and Tom Edwards aboard, stood off from the Eastern -shore, heading northwest for the mouth of the Patuxent. - -To Jack Harvey and his friend, sick and weary of the life they were -leading, every new move, every change of ground, keyed them up to renewed -hope. They watched eagerly the distant shore toward which they were -pointing, and rejoiced, in some small degree, that they were going back -to where they had started from. It seemed as though there must be greater -opportunity for relief in that river, with its more friendly appearing -banks, than amid the wilderness of the marshy Eastern shore, to which -winter gave a touch of indescribable dreariness. - -For a day or two, however, following their arrival at the entrance to the -river, there was little change from the life they had been leading, save -that the fog had been blown out to sea, and the bitter cold had abated. -They dredged southward from the lower entrance to the river, along an -inward sweep of the shore, returning to the river at night for anchorage. - -Then there came a day, overcast but yet favourable, during all of which, -to Harvey's surprise, they did no work, but lay at anchor in the river. -Also, the craft that had accompanied them likewise rested, alongside, and -the two captains visited and drank together in the cabin of the Brandt. - -What was coming? Haley was not the man to lie idle to no purpose. There -was mystery in the air, and in the manner of the men and the mate. Once, -Jim Adams had looked in at the forecastle, where the crew had been -suffered to remain at ease, and said, grinning broadly, "Youse gentlemen -of leisure, ain't you? Well, you get something to keep you busy bimeby. -So don't none of you please go ashore." - -"Go ashore!" It was no joke to them. Harvey and Tom Edwards had gazed -longingly at the banks, with their houses here and there--a tantalizing -sight, so near and yet so hopelessly far away. - -"What's the matter? What's up?" Harvey inquired once of Sam Black. - -The other winked an eye, knowingly. - -"I reckon the captain's going to try to change the luck," he said. -"There's easy dredging up yonder, if you don't get caught at it." - -"How's that?" continued Harvey. - -"Why, running the river, that's what I guess," replied the sailor. "It's -jail, if the law gets you; but he's done it before and got clear. Take it -easy while you can, that's my advice. There'll be no turning in to-night, -I reckon." - -Sam Black thereupon set the example, by stretching out in his bunk and -falling soundly to sleep. - -"Well, all I can say," exclaimed Tom Edwards to Harvey, "is that I hope -we get caught right quick and put into jail, or anywhere else out of this -infernal hole. I'd go to jail in a minute, if I could see Haley go, too. -Wouldn't you?" - -Harvey smiled. "I'd rather be outside the bars looking in at Haley," he -answered. - -Tom Edwards impulsively put out his hand. - -"Shake on that!" he cried. "Jack, my boy, we'll put him there yet. We'll -sell him a line of goods some day, eh?" - -The two shook hands with a will. - -That evening they fared better than ordinarily aboard the Brandt. There -were pork scraps, fried crisp, with junks of the bread browned in the -fat, and potatoes; and plenty of the coffee. They made a hearty meal, and -went on deck, at the call, feeling better and stronger than for days. - -The night was not clear, yet it was not foggy; the moon and stars were -nearly obscured by clouds. It was comparatively mild, too, and the wind -blowing from the East across the river did not chill them, as in the -preceding days. Opposite where they lay, the gleam of Drum Point -lighthouse shone upon the water; while, out to the Eastward, another, on -Cedar Point, twinkled, more obscured. An island of some considerable size -lay to the northwest, from which there came across the water the sound of -voices, and of dogs barking. There were sounds of life, too, from the -nearer shore, coming out from a lone farmhouse. - -The captain of the other vessel came aboard presently, and he and Haley -stood together, earnestly conversing. - -"She's up just the other side of Spencer's wharf, I tell you," said the -strange captain, once. "We can hug the other shore and slip past." - -Harvey turned inquiringly to the sailor, Sam Black, with whom, somehow, -he had struck up an intimacy that was almost friendly, despite the man's -evident contempt for the green hands. - -"He means the old Folly, the police boat," said the sailor, softly. -"She's just a big schooner. She's got no power in her. The Brandt can -beat her, on a pinch, I reckon." - -The captain returned to his vessel, shortly, and the order was given to -make sail. Harvey sprang to the halyards with a will. If it were a -poaching venture, it was not his fault--and the best that could happen -for him would be capture. The anchor was got aboard, and the Brandt ran -quickly across to the Eastern bank of the river followed by the other -vessel. - -They passed close to Solomon's Island and skirted as near the shores of -that and the land northward as they could go. The wind was almost -directly abeam, and they made fast way of it. Clearly, the course was as -plain as a man's door-yard to Hamilton Haley; for he passed at times so -close to land, that it seemed, in the darkness, to be near enough for one -to jump ashore. Jim Adams, in the bow, kept sharp watch, however; and now -and again, rather than run the risk of calling out, he ran back to the -wheel and pointed ahead, where the water shoaled. - -Just to the north of the wharf which they had termed Spencer's, the river -made a bend, and a thin peak of land jutted out. They followed the -curving of the shore, peering across the water toward Spencer's. - -"There she lies," said Adams, darting aft to where Haley stood. "Listen, -they're getting up anchor." - -Hamilton Haley, after one quick glance, put the helm down and brought the -bug-eye up into the wind. The other bug-eye drew abreast. Haley pointed -in toward the schooner, barely discernible, and showing a light in its -rigging. - -"They're coming out," he called softly. - -The two vessels headed off again and went on, rounding the point and -running up the river. Haley, picking his course, with accuracy, gazed -astern again and again, with an anxious eye. Presently he uttered an -exclamation of anger. The schooner Folly had, indeed, put forth from its -mooring and, with all sail spread, was taking a diagonal course across -the river, following in the wake of the two poachers. - -The shore of the river made a bend to the eastward, at this point, -however, and the river broadened to the width of something like a mile -and a half. So that, by following closely the inward curve of the shore, -instead of setting a straight course up stream, the two bug-eyes could -put the point of land between them and the schooner for a time. It would, -moreover, afford them proof, when the schooner should have passed the -point, whether or not they really were being followed. If the police boat -were merely proceeding on its patrol up river, it would not hug the -eastern bank, and might, indeed, go up on the other side. - -The vessels were not left long in doubt, however; for, as the two -skippers peered back through the night, they discerned, after a time, the -schooner heading in north by east, having turned the point. - -"Haul her a little closer by the wind, and give her a bit more -centre-board," ordered Haley, noting with a keen eye the more northerly -slant of the wind, as they sailed. "It's good for us; we can leave her, -if this holds. Curse the luck! There's no dredging to-night, with her on -our heels--at least, there can't but one of us work." - -The mate repeated the orders, and the bug-eye heeled a bit more as a flaw -struck her. She was flying fast, and Haley's face relaxed into a smirk of -satisfaction, as he perceived the schooner was dropping somewhat more -astern. - -For a distance of about four miles the chase proceeded, when the Brandt -suddenly swung into the wind again and waited a moment for its companion, -slightly less swift, to come up. There was a hurried conference, and then -the two went on again. The schooner, by this time, was only to be made -out with difficulty. - -The result of the conference was soon apparent; for, as they neared a -point on the eastern bank, a broad creek opened up; and into this the -Brandt steered, leaving the other craft to go on up the river alone. - -Proceeding only a little way within the confines of this creek, Haley -guided his vessel with consummate skill into one of its sheltering -harbours, ordered all sail dropped, and everything made snug. The bug-eye -was, indeed, completely hidden; with every appearance, moreover, of lying -by for the night, in case their course should be followed and, by any -chance, they were discovered. - -Launching the small boat, Haley ordered Harvey and the sailor, Jeff, into -it. He took his seat in the stern at the steering-oar, and was rowed by -them cautiously toward the mouth of the creek, skirting close to the -bank, not to be seen. Again the thought of escape flashed through the -mind of Jack Harvey; but, perhaps with the same contingency in view, -Hamilton Haley drew from his pocket a revolver and laid it before him on -a thwart. If the hint were intended for Harvey, it was sufficient. He -resigned himself once more to the situation and to the duty before him. - -It was soon evident that the manoeuvre had deceived the Folly, and had -been successful. Through the darkness, it had not been perceived by the -pursuer that the quarry had separated and taken different courses. -Resting on their oars, at a word from Haley, the three watched. The -schooner, almost ghost-like in the shades of night, swept along past the -creek, following the other vessel, which showed only a faint white blurr -far ahead. - -Hamilton Haley motioned for the two to turn back, while his small eyes -twinkled; and he said, smiling grimly, "She's got the right name, sure. -The Folly, eh? Well, she won't catch us, nor she won't catch Bill. Come, -shake it up there with those oars! Ain't yer learned to row yet?" - -Within a half hour, the Brandt was stealing out of the mouth of the creek -and heading for the opposite shore. The river was broad here, but the -wind was free and they were soon across. - -And now began the work for which they had come; for which they had risked -capture at the hands of the police boat; and for which they would now -risk the penalty of imprisonment, or, as it might appear, even death, -itself. - -It was very dark, the density of the clouds increasing as the night wore -on; and the shore showed a vague, dark smear as they turned and went up -the river. But it was all clear to Hamilton Haley. Born in a little -settlement farther up the river, it was an open book to him by night or -day. There was not an eddy, a cross-current, a deepening or a shoaling of -all its waters for fifty miles that he could not have told you, offhand. -A blur on the landscape defined itself to his eye as with the clearness -of sunlight, bred of familiarity and long experience. He knew when to -stand in close to shore; where to make a detour to avoid the long wharves -that made out from the warehouses. He knew where seed oysters had been -planted, by the owners that planned to tong for them when they should -have grown to sufficient size. He knew when the beds had been planted, -and which to leave untouched, and which would afford fat dredging. - -There were no long waits between the winding here, as in many of the -places down the bay. When the dredge went down, it was filled almost -instantly. It was wind in and wind again, and the oysters, big and small, -went into the hold almost as fast as they came aboard. - -Harvey and his companions, drenched to the skin with perspiration, sore -and lame, toiled on, driven by the threats of Jim Adams. There was no -waiting for rest--only once in the night, when the cook brought out a -pail of coffee, to keep them up to their work. - -There was a ruthless, brutal disregard of the rights and precautions of -the owners of the beds. Stakes and branches of brush, that had been -carefully stuck down to mark the boundaries of this and that planter, -were over-ridden and torn away. The Brandt was reaping a rich harvest, -dodging in and out from shore here and there, making up for the time lost -in the reefs off Hooper Island. - -The hours passed, and a steamer, delayed by freight on its trip from -Baltimore, passed along up the river. To Harvey, toiling away at the -winch, in a sheltered sweep of the shore, this boat presented a strange -and mysterious picture. Its lights, gleaming through the mists and the -blackness, made a pretty spectacle. Its white wake looked like a scar on -the dusky bosom of the water. It seemed, with its life and noise aboard, -like a living thing. - -A little way up the river, the steamboat drew in to a pier at the end of -a long wharf. Harvey saw the doors of the warehouse on the shore and of -the one on the pier open, and emit a glow of light from several lanterns; -and, through the mingled lights and shadows, figures passed vaguely to -and fro. Wagons rattled up along the country road, and the cries of the -negro stevedores added to the noise. - -All work had been stopped aboard the Brandt, and Harvey stood and watched -the landing made by the steamer. The sounds told of business and of home -life; passengers going ashore; once, the voices of young folks in -laughter. Harvey gazed, with eyes that moistened. - -Hamilton Haley, also, gazed, but with an earnestness of a different -nature. He had not meant to be here, at the passing of the steamer. He -had planned differently, but the steamer had been late and--well, the -dredging at that moment when he had heard the distant whistle had been -particularly fruitful, and he had waited and taken the chance. Now he -wondered if that one sweep of the steamer's search-light, as it passed, -had found him out. Had he been espied by the watchful eye of the captain, -keen for river poachers? At all events, he would lose no time in getting -away from the place, once the steamer had gone. - -The steamer went on its way, and Haley pointed his vessel up river after -it. A mile above, he resumed his unlawful dredging. - -The captain of the river steamer, bound for the port of Benedict, some -fifty miles up from the mouth of the river, and already having lost much -time, had urged the engineer to force all speed between the landings. The -steamer's funnel belched forth clouds of black smoke and sparks, as the -craft churned its way noisily along. But the captain, eager as he was to -end his long run, had something else on his mind; and the search-light -now shot its shaft far ahead up river, now darted to the left or right, -lighting up the banks and hidden places, so that objects along shore -seemed to leap forth of a sudden as if surprised into life. - -Then, as they sailed, and the search-light pointed a long ray far up the -river, like a giant finger, the glare fell on a white object flitting -down stream like the ghost of a vessel. The rays of the light were thrown -full upon it, and the schooner Folly was revealed, returning from its -unsuccessful pursuit of the poacher. - -A single bell jingled in the engine-room, and the steamer slowed down; -then, as the schooner came close, another bell, and the steamer lay -motionless in the river. - -The captain leaned far out of the pilot-house, as the schooner came -within hailing distance. - -"There's a fellow poaching just below Forrest's," he called. "I saw him -with the light, as I came up. I'm sure he was dredging. You may pick him -up on the way down. I couldn't see who he was, though." - -The captain of the Folly uttered an exclamation of disgust. - -"It's one of the two I chased, coming up, I guess," he replied. "That's -the way they work it. The other fellow dodged me, too, up the river here, -somewhere. I suppose he's turned and gone down again by this time. I tell -you we can't do much with one vessel against that crowd. Much obliged, -captain; I'll have an eye out going down." - -Some time after midnight, the bug-eye Brandt, poaching near the mouth of -a small creek, was doing great harvesting. It was easy work; for the -oysters, planted with care, came up clean and fat, and free from waste -shells. The crew sweated at the winders. Jim Adams, alternating between -one and the other winch, kept the tired men up to their work. Hamilton -Haley, losing somewhat of caution with the richness of the yield, and -assisting in the stowing away of the ill-gotten harvest, had relaxed a -little of his usual vigilance. - -It was nearly fatal to him. Out of the blackness of the river bank, there -poured suddenly a thin stream of fire, and immediately another. A rifle -bullet passed so close to Haley's head that for an instant it dazed him. -The bullet chipped a piece out of the main boom and went, zing, across -the river. The other bullet struck the hull of the bug-eye and bedded -itself in the oysters, near the deck. At the same time, a volley of -imprecations came from the thicket on shore, from the angry owners of the -oyster bed. - -And now a strange coincidence added to the excitement and to the peril of -Haley and his craft. Almost immediately following the firing from shore, -there came another shot from the direction of up the river. Captain -Hamilton Haley, taken all by surprise, and giving one quick, frightened -glance to where the third shot had come from, beheld, to his -consternation, the vague outlines of the schooner Folly bearing down upon -him at full speed. - -Haley was all things bad; but he had his merits as a sailor, and he had -the qualities of command that should have won him success in better -employment. Now he showed what he was made of. Darting across the deck, -he seized Jack Harvey by the shoulder, spun him around and sent him -flying toward the wheel. - -"Grab that wheel," he cried. "Keep her straight down stream." - -Harvey sprang aft. - -"Jim," cried Haley, in the next breath, "get the boys on to the sheets, -there--quick, for your life, or we're good for doing time. Trim her! Trim -her! We've got to jump her, if we ever did. Curse that Folly!" - -The next moment, Haley was among the crew with a bound, knocking them -like ten-pins away from the winders, and bidding them jump for the fore -and main sheets, if they valued their lives. Snatching a sheath-knife -from his belt, Haley darted for the nearest dredge-line. With an -exclamation of rage at the loss he was inflicting upon himself, he cut it -with a single slash, leaving the dredge behind in two fathoms of water. -In a moment, he was at the other side. Another stroke of the keen knife -and the second dredge-line was severed. - -As the bug-eye, cleared of the weight of the heavy dredges, gathered -headway, the sheets were hauled in, under the command and with the -assistance of the mate. The craft heeled to the breeze and sped away. - -And for all this, but for the loyalty of Jack Harvey toward a friend, -Captain Hamilton Haley would have lost his vessel and his freedom. A bit -of heroism had been done that he knew naught of--never would know. - -When Tom Edwards, in the first excitement, had seen his friend, Harvey, -dart aft, he had slipped away in the confusion, and followed. With him, -the idea ever was that, come what would, they should stick together--and -so they had sworn. Jack Harvey found Tom Edwards by his side, as he -sprang to the wheel and, obeying orders, held the vessel on its course -down the river. - -The next instant, the thought of freedom flashed again into Harvey's -mind. - -"Tom," he said, "strip off that slicker as quick as ever you can. I'm -ready. I'll swing her into the wind when you say the word. Then we'll -jump and swim for it. That's the Folly. She'll pick us up, and catch -Haley, too. We've got to jump the second I swing her, though, or Haley'll -shoot us both. We've got only a minute. Say when you're ready." - -Tom Edwards, the vision of freedom opening before his eyes in one brief -instant, gave a groan of dismay and disappointment. - -"I can't do it, Jack, old boy," he said. "I can't swim ten strokes -without my heart hammering like a threshing-machine. You go, and I'll -stay. You can tell them what's doing aboard here, and they'll hunt Haley -down and get me." - -Harvey shook his head, while he ground his teeth with chagrin. - -"No, no," he said. "I won't go, if you can't. They'd kill you if I got -away, and they didn't get caught. We'll try it another time. Get out of -here, forward, now, quick. If Haley catches you up here, you'll get -hurt." - -Jack Harvey stood resolutely at the wheel, and held the bug-eye to her -course. He saw, with some hope, the Folly creep up through the night upon -the fleeing Brandt. He heard the commands for them to come to, and -surrender. Bullets whizzed past him, from the shore and from the pursuing -schooner. They went through the canvas of the bug-eye and did no other -harm. - -He saw, next, with a great sinking of heart, the fast craft upon whose -deck he stood gather headway rapidly and eat its way through the night, -gaining on its pursuer. The wind came sharp in flaws from the bank. The -Brandt heeled over till the deck was awash. Hamilton Haley, springing to -the wheel and displacing Harvey, uttered a cry of exultation. - -"Get along for'ard; you've done well, boy," was his way of bestowing -praise. - -The Folly fell astern, and the chase was lost. - -That was a night never to be forgotten by Jack Harvey; the sudden flush -of hope; its swift vanishing, amid the thin fire of rifles; the cries of -disappointed men, and the quick flaws of wind upon the sails. There was a -thrill--even if one laden with disappointed hopes--in the rapid flight of -the poacher, Brandt, and its wild course down the river, past the black, -shadowy shores. - -Dazed and disheartened, however, with the passing of the hours, Jack -Harvey and his comrade, by whom he had stuck manfully, turned in, at the -word, and laid their weary bodies down in the forecastle bunks. The -bug-eye, laden with its spoils, sailed away out of the Patuxent, heading -across the bay for the shelter of the Eastern Maryland shore. - -Doomed to disappointment, then. Doomed to disappointment even more -bitter, on a day soon succeeding. - -The Brandt was in luck at last. A few days of dredging along Hoopers, -and, by the early part of December, she was fully laden. There were a -thousand and more bushels of good oysters in her hold. The time for the -ending of the first trip was nigh. - -Jack Harvey slapped his friend, Edwards, on the shoulder. - -"We've stuck it out, old chap," he said, "and we're alive to tell the -tale, in spite of Haley. We'll get back inside of the month. There's one -thing that that scoundrel, Jenkins, didn't lie about. Hooray! Why, you're -a better man than when you came aboard, Tom Edwards. You're stronger, if -we have had awful grub." - -"All the same, I'll make it hot for old Haley, when I get ashore," -exclaimed Tom Edwards. "I'll have the law on him for this." - -Thus they talked and planned, but said naught to the others, lest word of -their contemplated revenge should get, by chance, to Haley's ears. And -then, one evening, another bug-eye hove in sight as they lay at anchor, -and came alongside. - -"All hands out, to unload," called Haley. - -"Look alive here," repeated Jim Adams; "'spects we've got an all night -job before us." - -Taken by surprise, Harvey and Tom Edwards obeyed the summons. The work -they were next called upon to do dumbfounded and appalled them. With a -tackle and fall attached to the mast, the work of unloading the cargo of -the Brandt and transferring it to the hold of the other vessel was begun. - -"What does this mean? What are they going to do? Aren't we going up to -Baltimore with our load?" inquired Harvey, falteringly, of Sam Black. - -"Why, you fool, of course not," was the reply. "Did you think you were -going to quit so soon as this? Think old man Haley lets a man go when he -once gets him, with men so hard to catch? Didn't you know you were booked -for all winter? Baltimore, eh? Well, when you see Baltimore, my boy, it -will be when the Brandt knocks off for the season. Don't worry, though, -you'll come through. You can stand it." - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards, gazing into each other's faces with the -blankness of despair, shook hands silently. They could not speak. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - FACES THROUGH THE TELESCOPE - - -It was after school hours in the little city of Benton, on a day near the -middle of December, and a party of youths, with skates under their arms, -were walking toward the bank of Mill stream. A huge fire, of pieces of -logs and brush-wood, blazed cheerily by the shore, and welcomed their -approach. The frozen surface of the stream, swept clean by high winds of -previous days, shone like polished ebony, and stretched away to the -northward for a mile before it became lost to view amid high banks, on -its winding course. - -The sun, a great red ball, nearing the western horizon, sent a -rose-tinged pathway across the black ice from shore to shore. A score or -more of skaters, some engaged in cutting fancy figures, others swinging -along on the outward roll, others having an impromptu race, made the air -ring with their shouts of hearty enjoyment. - -Seated on a log, by the fire, one of the party of boys addressed his -nearest comrade. - -"Say, Henry Burns," he asked, "have you heard anything from Harvey, yet?" - -Henry Burns, a rather slight but trimly built and active youth, -apparently a year or two younger than the boy who had spoken, paused in -the adjustment of the clamp of his skate, and looked puzzled. - -"No," he answered, "and, what's more, I don't expect to, now. Jack Harvey -rather take a licking than write a letter, anyway. And, another thing, -he's having too much fun, I suppose, to stop to write." - -"Still, it's queer," he continued. "I didn't think he'd go off the way he -did. He told me he wouldn't go, no matter how much his folks urged him. -Said he knew he'd have more fun here with us this winter than poking -'round Europe with his father and mother; said his mother wouldn't let -him wear his sweater in art galleries and in stores--rather skate, and -fish through the ice, than dress up and go around looking at things in -shop windows and museums." - -"Well, they must have got him to go, after all," said the first boy. - -"Too bad," commented Henry Burns, standing up on his skates. "He's -missing lots of fun. It scared my aunt, too, for a few days. She thought -he might have got lost. Just as though Jack couldn't take care of -himself. But she remembered they said if he didn't come back she could -know he'd gone on the steamer to Europe. So she's feeling all right now. -I'd like to know what they offered Jack, to get him to go, though." - -Henry Burns's companion, George Warren, having adjusted his skates, arose -and glided down the bank to the ice. - -"Come on, Arthur," he said, calling to a brother, a year or two younger, -who was still lingering by the fire; "we'll give Henry a race up to the -bend. He thinks he knows how to skate." - -The brothers started off, with Henry Burns soon in swift pursuit; the -three went rapidly up the stream, the keen edges of their skates cutting -the glare ice with a crisp, grinding hum. Henry Burns caught the two by -the time they had gone half a mile, for he was a youth whose wiry muscles -seemed never to tire; and the three linked arms and went on together. - -Presently a still younger boy came hurrying down to the shore, in a state -of activity that had left him short of breath. He was smaller, but -heavier of build than the others who had gone before, with a plumpness of -cheeks that told of evident enjoyment of good dinners; also, his was a -temperament, one would have guessed, that was more inclined to ease than -to any great exertion. But now he fastened on his skates hastily and -joined the party of skaters in mid-stream. - -"Seen George and Arthur?" he inquired of a group of boys. - -"Gone up-stream with Henry Burns," was the reply. - -The boy started off, bending forward and making his best time. Some -fifteen minutes later, the three, returning, saw him coming. - -"There's Joe," said George Warren. "Looks as though he was skating for a -dinner. He'll get thin if he doesn't take care. Let's give him a -surprise." - -The three quickly hid themselves behind some alder bushes and cedars that -fringed the bank. Young Joe Warren came on, unconscious of their -presence. He realized it presently as he came abreast. A snow-ball, -thrown with accuracy by Henry Burns, neatly lifted his cap from his head; -one from George Warren attached itself in fragments to his plump neck; -the third smashed against his shoulder. The combined effect of which, -with the surprise, so disturbed the equilibrium of the skater that his -feet suddenly flew out from under him, and he came down with a thump, -seated on the ice, and slid along in a sitting posture for nearly a rod. - -"Too bad, poor old Joey," said George Warren, sympathetically, gliding -out to his brother's assistance; "somebody threw a snow-ball and hit you, -I guess. Get up on your feet and we'll all go after him." - -Young Joe, angry at first, was not wholly unmindful of the humour of the -situation, as viewed from the position of the group that now tenderly -offered their assistance. Moreover, he had had a taste of this sort of -thing before. - -"That's all right," he said, "never you mind about helping me up. I don't -need any help. I'll pay that fellow off some other time." He reached a -hand in his coat pocket and drew forth an envelope, eagerly. - -"You don't deserve this, George," he said, "and like as not you wouldn't -get it until you got home, if I didn't want to see what's in it. Gee! -fellows, what do you think? It's a letter from Jack Harvey. Oh, I haven't -read it, George. It's for you. But I know it's from Jack, because it's -from Baltimore. That's the post-mark." - -"Baltimore!" exclaimed Henry Burns. "Then there's something the matter. -Why, he ought to have left Baltimore weeks ago. Whew! You don't suppose -he's got hurt, after all?" - -"And say," he added, wonderingly, "what's he writing to you for? Why -didn't he write to me or my aunt? Perhaps someone is writing for him." - -The boys, in a high state of excitement, gathered close to George Warren -while he tore open the envelope, which was, sure enough, stamped with the -Baltimore post-mark, and was addressed in a bold, plain hand to George -Warren. - -George Warren gave a whistle of surprise the next moment; Henry Burns, an -exclamation of mingled relief and disappointment. - -"It isn't from Jack, nor about him," they cried almost in the same -breath. And George Warren added, buoyantly, "Say, it's all right. -Fellows, Cousin Ed wants us to come down for the holidays and visit him. -My! But I'm glad there's nothing the matter with Jack. Here's what Ed -says: - - "Dear Cousin George:--Isn't it about time you youngsters made me that - visit you've been promising? You've never been here, and you ought to - see the place, though it isn't what it used to be in the old days. This - isn't just the time to see the country at its best, of course, but it's - a dull time with me, and I won't have anything to do but give you - youngsters a good time. - - "I'm all alone for the next two months, except Old Mammy Stevens to - keep house for me. She can cook a turkey so it will just jump right - down your throat; and corn fritters, the way she fries 'em, just melt - in your mouth--" - -Young Joe interrupted with a squeal of approval. "Let's go, George," he -exclaimed. - -"Shut up! Joe, and let George go on," admonished his brother, Arthur. -George Warren continued: - - "We've got plenty of room for you and Arthur, and if Joe should come, - why he could sleep out in the stable with the cattle--" - -A howl of indignation from Young Joe. - -"Let's see," he cried, reaching for the letter. "He doesn't say any such -thing, I'll bet." - -"Well, perhaps not," admitted George Warren. "Here's what it is." He -began again: - - "There's plenty of room in the old house for you three, and anybody - else you've a mind to bring. I'll be glad to see any friend of yours. - We'll shoot some rabbits and have a high old Christmas. Make Uncle - George let you chaps all come for the winter vacation. I'll look out - for you. I'm going back home from the city to-morrow. - - "Affectionately your cousin, - - "Edward Warren, - - "Address, Millstone Landing, - - "St. Mary County, Maryland." - -"Whee!" yelled Young Joe. "I'm going to put for home, and ask father. -Say, I wonder what kind of syrup they have on those corn fritters." - -"Tobacco syrup," replied George Warren, solemnly. "That's what they raise -on all the farms down there. It's awful bitter, too, at first, but you -get used to it, so they say." - -"You think you're funny, don't you?" said Joe. "It's corn syrup; that's -what it is. I want to go, don't you?" - -"Well, perhaps so," replied George Warren. And, turning to his companion, -asked, "What do you say, Henry?" - -"Why, I'm not invited," replied Henry Burns. - -"Oh, yes, you are, isn't he, fellows? Ed said bring anybody we wanted. -Well, we want you." - -The brothers chimed in, heartily. - -"Why, I'd like to go, first rate, if I can," said Henry Burns. - -"Then we'll do it," said George Warren--"that is, if the folks will let -us. You'll like Ed. He's older than we are--about twenty; but he likes -fun as much as we do. It's a big old farm house, with open fire-places -and things. We'll make the place hum. Come on, let's go home." - -There was little peace in the Warren household that night until the -matter had been duly discussed in all its phases, and the coveted -permission granted; whereupon, there was a departure in force for the -home of Miss Matilda Burns. There, however, the resistance was stronger. - -Henry Burns's aunt did not yield consent without reluctance nor without a -struggle. There was Jack Harvey, she said, who went to Baltimore and -never came back. Goodness knew where he might be. She didn't believe in -boys going off without someone to look after them. - -There was, in reply, positive assurance from all hands that Jack Harvey -was all right and having the finest time of his life, travelling about -Europe. - -It was an unequal contest, and the opposition was finally overcome. - -"See that you don't run off to Europe--or anywhere else, though, except -to Mr. Warren's," Miss Matilda added, smiling. "And, Henry, you've got to -write me twice a week." - -Henry Burns groaned, but promised. - -"She didn't say how much to write," he commented, inwardly, with a vision -of a sheet of paper bearing the words, "Dear Aunt, I'm all right," in his -mind. - -With which successful turn of affairs, the four let out such a series of -shrieks of triumph that poor Miss Matilda Burns nearly fell out of her -chair. - -Four days later, there arrived in Baltimore four smiling youths, vastly -elated at their freedom; vastly puffed up with the importance of being -travellers at large, without a guardian. - -It was a sharp, crisp winter morning, of the 15th of December, to be -precise; the old river boat of the Patuxent line lay in its berth at -Light street, making its own hearty breakfast off soft coal, and pouring -out clouds of black smoke from its funnel, with vigour and apparent -satisfaction. The cabins were warming up, and the last of a huge pile of -freight was being stowed away below. The four boys, shortly before half -past six--the early hour of departure--made their way aboard. - -There was a jingling of bells, the lines were cast off, the gang-planks -drawn in, and the steamer was on its way down Chesapeake Bay. - -The day passed pleasantly, for it was all new to them, and the bay, with -its peculiar craft, presented many attractions. They were hungry as -tigers, too, as they seated themselves at the cabin table for dinner. - -"You've got the wrong side of the cabin, young gentlemen," said the -coloured waiter, politely. "That other side's the one for white folks." - -They changed places, accordingly. - -"Wonder what would happen to us, if we sat over there?" remarked Arthur -Warren. - -"Perhaps we'd turn black," said Henry Burns. - -"Well, Joe always eats till he's black in the face when he gets a good -dinner," said George Warren. - -Young Joe sniffed, contemptuously. - -After dinner they strolled about the boat. There were not a great number -of passengers aboard, and the four kept their own company. The only -exception for the afternoon was in the case of a young man, who accosted -the party as they happened to pause for a moment in front of the open -door of his state-room. He was a youth of about nineteen years, but with -the manner of a man of the world. He sat, with his feet up on the foot of -the bed, smoking a cigar and filling the room with clouds of smoke. A -derby hat was perched rakishly on the back of his head. His dress was -smart in appearance, though not new, and his coat thrown back revealed a -waist-coat of brilliant hue and flaring design. - -"How'd do," he said, removing his cigar, and waving a hand rather -patronizingly to them. "Step in. Strangers down this way, I see. Have a -smoke?" - -He motioned to a table on which there was a box of the cigars. - -"No, thanks," replied George Warren. "Don't smoke." - -They would have passed on, but the young man was not to be wholly denied. -He had a free and easy flow of conversation, which would not be stopped -for the moment, and which culminated in the offer--indicating his design -from the first--of a game of cards with them, which, he assured them, -should not cost them but little, if anything, with the alluring -alternative that they might be fortunate enough to win his money. - -"Say," interrupted Henry Burns at this point, "why don't you fix your -neck-tie?" - -The youth, surprised at the interruption, paused and laid down his cigar -on the edge of the table. He put both hands to the tie, a gaudy one tied -sailor fashion, and turned to Henry Burns. - -"Why, what's the matter with it?" he asked, in a tone of wonderment. -"Isn't it all right?" - -"Why, yes, it looks so," replied Henry Burns, coolly and without changing -countenance; "but I thought perhaps you might like to untie it and tie it -over again. Come on, fellows." - -The consciousness that he had been made game of by the youth flashed upon -the stranger, as the boys moved on. He half arose from his seat, while a -flush of anger spread over his sallow face. A person on the threshold -accosted him at this moment. He looked into the face of a tall man, who -was smiling in at him. - -"Why, hello, Jenkins," said the man. "What's up? You look as though your -dinner didn't set right. What are you doing down this way?" - -Mr. Jenkins returned the man's smile with a scowl. - -"Nothing's the matter," he said, surlily. "Come in and have a smoke. I'm -going up the river for a week. I used to live up that way, you know. -Business is dull, and I'm going up to the old place for Christmas. Shut -that door, and we'll have a talk." - -The four boys from Benton had had their first meeting, brief and -fleeting, with Arthur Jenkins. - -It was still daylight when the steamer turned the Drum Point light-house -and headed into the Patuxent river. It was a picturesque sight that the -four boys looked upon. Scattered here and there over the water, and -coming into harbour for the night, was a fleet of dredging vessels. Some -of them, rivals in speed, were racing, with all sail set, heeling far -over and throwing up little spurts of water at their bows. The sight -captivated Henry Burns, and he gazed with interest. - -"My! but I'd like to be aboard that fellow," he cried, as a fleet bug-eye -crept up on a rival craft and swept proudly and gracefully past. - -"Not much you wouldn't," exclaimed a voice beside him. - -Henry Burns turned. The genial, kindly face of the steamboat captain met -his gaze. - -"It looks very pretty and all that, young man," said the captain; "but -it's a hard life they lead aboard the dredgers. It's knock-down and drag -out all winter long, with bad food and little to show for it in wages -when the winter's done--that is, for the most of them. It's not much like -what you think it is, I reckon. But they do look pretty coming in; that's -a fact." - -The dredger, Z. B. Brandt, coming in from down along shore, may have, -with others of its kind, presented a pretty sight as viewed from the deck -of the river steamer. Most assuredly, the steamer, viewed from the deck -of the dredger, looked good and inviting to the weary crew of the sailing -vessel. To them, watching its approach, it represented all that they -longed for--comfort, good food, freedom from abuse; and was a thing that -would transport them home--if they could only, some day, reach it. - -Hamilton Haley, eying the steamer from a distance, suddenly uttered an -exclamation of amazement. A figure that, in dim outline, suggested -someone whom he had seen before, stood out against the sky, as the person -leaned against the steamer's rail. - -"I'm blest if I wouldn't swear that ere was young Artie Jenkins!" -exclaimed Haley. "It's him or his ghost. I'll have a look at the chap. -Here you, Harvey, skip down into the locker, starboard, forward, and -fetch me up that glass. Lively now. I want it quick." - -Jack Harvey, who had long ere this learned the necessity of quick -obedience aboard the dredger, hastened to obey. He brought the telescope -and handed it to Captain Haley. - -The latter, adjusting it to suit his eye, gave one long, careful look -through the glass, then took it from his eye with another muttered -exclamation. - -"Well, I swear!" he said. "I knew it was him the minute I clapped my eye -on him. I'd know his rakish rig anywhere. I wonder what mischief he's up -to down here." - -And he added, as he looked angrily at the steamer, "Wouldn't I like to -have you aboard here, young feller! Wouldn't I have it out of you, for -some of the counter-jumpers you've made me pay high for." - -Jack Harvey, watching Haley with curiosity as the captain surveyed the -steamer and as his face wrinkled with anger, wondered what he had seen -aboard to excite his wrath. It could not be anybody that Harvey had ever -known, but still he had a curiosity, an over-mastering desire, to take a -look for himself. As the glass was returned to him by Haley, he paused a -moment and asked, "May I have a look, sir?" - -Haley nodded. - -"Handle that glass easily, though," he snarled. "Break that, and you'll -wish you'd never been born." - -Harvey raised the glass to his eye, and levelled it at the deck of the -steamer. He had never looked through a large telescope before, and it was -wonderful how clear it brought out the figures aboard. He seemed to be -looking into the very faces of men and women--all strangers to him. - -Strangers? Strangers? The telescope, as it was slowly moved in Harvey's -hand, so that his glance took in the row of faces from one end of the -boat to the other, rested once on a group of four boys standing close by -the rail. For a moment Jack Harvey stood, spell-bound. The next moment he -forgot where he was; forgot the presence of the wrathful Haley; forgot -all caution. Taking the glass from his eye, he brandished it in the air, -and yelled at the top of his voice: - -"Henry Burns! George Warren! Hello, it's--" - -The sentence was unfinished. Hamilton Haley, springing from the -wheel-box, was upon him in an instant. He snatched the telescope from -Harvey's hand and, stooping, laid it on the deck. The next instant he had -dealt Harvey a blow in the face that knocked him off his feet. Harvey -fell, rolled over, half slid off the deck into the water; but he clutched -at the inch of plank that was raised at the edge, held on, and Haley -dragged him aboard again. - -Holding him at the edge of the vessel, Haley shook him like a half -drowned dog. - -"Another cry out of you, and down you go!" he said. "I'd put you under -now, if you hadn't made good, up the river the other night. You get -below, and don't you let me hear a yip out of you. What's the matter with -you--crazy?" - -Jack Harvey, half out of his wits with amazement, dazed from the blow, -and chilled with the sting of the icy water that had wet him to the -shoulders, stumbled below, without reply. - -And aboard the steamer, Henry Burns turned to the captain, in dismay. -Neither he nor his companions had distinguished the cry sent forth to -them from the deck of the bug-eye, but they had seen a strange thing -happen aboard the vessel they were watching. - -"Captain," said Henry Burns, his face flushing with indignation, "I guess -what you said about rough treatment aboard those vessels is true. Why, I -just saw the man at the wheel strike some one and knock him down." - -"The brute!" exclaimed the steamer's captain. "I told you so. But it's -nothing new. It happens every day." - -"I'm sorry for the chap that got it," remarked Henry Burns. "I hope he -gets square with the captain, some day." - -And for half that night, Jack Harvey, tossing in his bunk, unable to -sleep, wondered if what he had seen could have been true; wondered if his -eyes had deceived him; wondered, even, if his brain was going wrong under -his hard treatment. - -Once he got up and roused Tom Edwards. - -"Tom," he said, "have you noticed anything queer about me lately?" - -Tom Edwards sat up and looked at his friend in astonishment. - -"Queer!" repeated Tom Edwards. "Of course I haven't. You've been just the -same as ever. Why, what's the matter, Jack? Are you sick?" - -"I guess perhaps I am," replied Harvey, dully. "I've heard about sailors -seeing mirages and things that didn't exist. I saw something on a -steamer, as we came in, that couldn't have been true. I thought I saw -some friends of mine that live way up in Benton in the state of Maine. -They can't be down here in winter--hold on, though. They might be, after -all. Yes, sir, perhaps they've come to look for me. I'll bet that's it!" - -"But," he added, ruefully, "I don't see how that can be, either. They'd -have come long before this, if they were looking for me. But I saw them. -I saw them, Tom Edwards, just as clear as I see you now." - -"Well, you don't see me very clear in this dark forecastle, Jack, old -chap," replied Tom Edwards. "Turn in and go to sleep, and see what you -can make out of it to-morrow." - - - - - CHAPTER X - FLIGHT AND DISASTER - - -When Jack Harvey awoke, the next morning, it was in a confused state of -mind that he turned out of his bunk. The reason for this was at once -apparent. A heavy south-easter was on, and a rough sea was tumbling in -between the two projections of land that marked the entrance to the river -from the bay--Drum Point and Hog Point. Lines of white breakers were -foaming and crashing about the light-house. - -The bug-eye, Brandt, lying well out in the river, and exposed to the sea, -had been tossing about violently, although Haley had given the -anchor-rode good scope, in order to ease the strain. The unconscious -sleepers in the forecastle had been thrown about against the hard wooden -sides of the bunks in which they lay; and Harvey found himself bruised -and lame. He put his head out of the companion-way just as a sea sprayed -over the vessel, wetting him. He rubbed the salt water from his eyes and -hair, and looked out into the bay beyond. - -It was certainly rough, outside. As far as he could see, the broad -expanse of water was rioting in high frolic. Seas leaped and tumbled in -wild confusion. The sharp flaws of the south-easter whipped the white -caps from the curling breakers and sent the scud and spindrift flying. - -Far out, a few stray vessels, close reefed and rolling heavily as they -ran, were making for the harbour; the ends of their lean booms, with -sails tied in, looked like bare poles. Jack Harvey noted one thing, with -especial satisfaction. Not a single craft in all the harbour fleet was -going out, or making any preparation therefor. Harvey gave a sigh of -relief, as he went below again. - -"Tom," he said, as he stepped to his comrade's bunk and roused him, "Tom, -we're in luck. It's blowing a gale outside. No dredging to-day. Hooray!" - -Tom Edwards sat up, and groaned. - -"Oh, but I'm lame," he said. "What with that tough day's work, yesterday, -and this confounded slatting about, I'm just about done for. Haley'll -kill us yet, if we don't get away." - -Tom Edwards, erstwhile travelling man and frequenter of good hotels, -stepped stiffly out on to the floor and proceeded to rub his arms and -joints, to limber them up. - -"Jack," he said, "I'm sorry now that you didn't take the chance up the -river, that night, and swim for it. You'd have got away, and they'd be -after us all by this time. Jack, I tell you, we've got to get out of here -pretty soon, or there'll be no Tom Edwards left to go anywhere. I can't -stand this much longer." - -Harvey stepped to the side of his friend, and whispered softly. - -"Neither can I, Tom," he answered, "and what's more, I don't intend to. -We'll get away. We'll escape." - -To their surprise, the conversation was interrupted by the sharp call of -the mate for them to hustle out and help get the bug-eye under weigh. -They looked at each other in astonishment, for one moment. Then Harvey -reassured his friend. - -"It's all right," he said. "We can't be going out. Haley wants a snugger -berth. We're getting too much of the sweep here." - -Harvey's conjecture proved correct. They were lying at a bad anchorage -for a south-easter, and Haley, to his chagrin, had observed the signs of -wind and sky and knew the weather was growing heavier instead of -clearing. - -The anchor was hove short and brought up to the bow, while a jib and the -main-sail, both reefed, were set. The Brandt, with Haley at the wheel, -stood in nearer to the southern shore of the river, within a quarter of a -mile of the bank. The anchor went down again, and sails were once more -made snug. - -They lay more comfortably here, in the bight of the southern river bank. -But it was a tantalizing sight to the prisoners on the Brandt--the near -and friendly looking shore, with an occasional house in the distance, the -smoke of hearths blown from the chimney tops, and now and then a -traveller going on up a country road. - -And to what mad act Jack Harvey might have been wrought, could he have -seen, in his mind's eye, the interior of one of these same houses, and a -certain one of these hearths, encircled by a certain group of boys, is -beyond all conjecture. But he only gazed longingly in ashore, and wished -he were there. - -There was more definiteness to his thoughts when, an hour or two later, -following the wretched breakfast served--all the meaner and more wretched -because there was no work to be gotten out of the crew for the day--he -saw Haley and the mate launch the small skiff, bring it alongside and get -in and row away. - -Not that there was any immediate purpose of escape in his mind. For, just -before his departure, Haley had designated where he was going--a small -shed just back from shore was his object, where a man kept some trifling -supplies that he wanted. - -"And I'll be in sight of this vessel from start to finish," Haley had -added, and winked significantly at Jim Adams. - -But the small boat and its possibilities was imprinted on Harvey's brain -as he watched it toss flimsily about, while the captain and mate sculled -ashore. He had thought of it before, but no good opportunity had offered. - -There had been chances, to be sure, down along the marshy intricacies of -the eastern shore. Once, when they had lain in Honga river over night, -inside Middle Hooper island, he had thought strongly of rousing Tom -Edwards and attempting flight to shore. But the country around had been -too forbidding. Wild salt marshes bordered the eastern coast of Hooper's, -and across on the land to the east it was so shelterless, with salt -marshes on shore and a great fresh water marsh inland, that he had given -over the project for the time. - -Occasionally, on a Saturday night, when the bug-eye lay in the Patuxent, -it was the habit of Haley and Jim Adams to take the skiff and go ashore. -Sometimes they spent the night, and were back again Sunday morning. -Sometimes they passed the greater part of Sunday back inland. There lay -Harvey's hope. Yet he hardly knew how to work out a plan of escape. To -attempt to make sail on the bug-eye and run her either to shore or up the -bay, would, he discovered, be useless. It would involve making a prisoner -of the cook and the man, Jeff, and, possibly, Sam Black, also; though -Harvey looked for no great interference from him. - -The cook and the sailor, Jeff, he found, had a certain dogged loyalty to -Haley. The former surely would stand by the vessel under all -circumstances; the latter, it was certain, would not compromise himself -with the authorities of the state by any attempt to take possession of -the craft in Haley's absence. - -But, with the mate and Haley away, there must be some means, surely, of -gaining one of the shores of the river. In milder weather, Harvey would -have thought nothing of swimming the distance, even of a mile, from the -middle of the wide part of the river; but the weather and the icy cold -water precluded that way of flight now. At least, Harvey did not care to -venture it, especially as, once on land, he would know not where to seek -shelter; for he knew that, bound by many mutual ties of interest, the -dredgers and the settlers along shore--unless the latter had oyster beds -to be robbed--worked for each other's interests. - -"Tom," said Harvey, quietly, indicating the skiff with a glance, "that's -the way you and I are going ashore one of these nights, and take our -chances when we get there. And," he added, eagerly, "isn't it lucky you -warned me to hide that money? That will help us out, when we do escape." - -Tom Edwards glanced at the bobbing skiff, that looked to his eyes about -as substantial as a child's toy boat, and shrugged his shoulders. - -"I'll try it, if we get the chance," he said, somewhat dubiously; "but I -don't like the looks of it." - -Harvey laughed. "You're a landsmen, sure enough," he said. "Why, that's -an able little boat as a man might want, in a river like this. Look how -nicely it rides the waves." - -"Oh, I'd go on a bunch of shingles, if it would only take me out of -this," exclaimed Tom Edwards--"that is, I think I would now. But you'll -have to run the thing. I'll confess, I don't know one end of a boat from -another, except what that brute, Jim Adams, has ground into me." - -Harvey's hopes, which had been raised by the shifting of the anchorage of -the vessel nearer land, were dashed late that afternoon, with the return -of Haley and the mate. Rain mixed with sleet poured down in torrents, and -drove laterally across the vessel. It was as much as one could do to keep -his footing on the slippery deck, even with one hand clutching a rope. -The sleet stung as it struck Harvey's face, and made it smart as though -from a volley of small pebbles. He was only glad to seek shelter below, -even in the dreary forecastle. He learned, that night, how all -circumstances are relatively good or harsh. From the boisterous night -outside, the forecastle of the Brandt was a refuge that seemed almost -cheery. - -The next morning, it was apparent that the strength of the storm was -wearing away. Moreover, there was a sudden peculiar change in the -weather. The wind had swung around more to the southward; and, with that, -there had come a decided moderation of the temperature. But the change -was of no immediate advantage to Haley, for there rolled in a heavy fog, -and a dense mist also rose up from the surface of the river. - -Again Haley gave the order to make sail and raise the anchor. Once more -the bug-eye got under weigh, stood out toward the middle of the river and -cast anchor again, just beyond the path of any passing steamer. Captain -Haley, ever watchful, ever suspicious, was taking no chances. His rule -was invariable, in any kind of smooth water--to lie for the night beyond -swimming distance from shore. At least, to offer little chance for that. -He had known desperate, venturesome men to attempt it, even then. - -He was in a bad humour, was Haley, that day. There was nothing to eat, -for the crew, but the bread, or dough, fried, and a few scraps of pork -mixed with it. It was Saturday, and, about the middle of the afternoon, -he and Jim Adams took the skiff again and went ashore. They were out of -sight in the fog before they had gone two rods, but the wind sufficed to -give them their direction for the distance they had to go. - -"Tom," said Jack Harvey that night, as they turned in, "keep your shoes -on, and don't go to sleep." - -Tom Edwards looked at his young companion, in surprise. - -"We've got a chance," explained Harvey, "as good as we'll ever get, -perhaps. We've got to break away from here some time. The sooner the -better." - -"In this beastly fog?" interrupted Tom Edwards. - -"Of course," replied Harvey. "It's just what we want. The wind's -southerly and will take us across to the Drum Point shore. We can't help -hitting that, or Solomon's Island. We'll have the chance, too. I heard -Jim Adams say we'd put out of here early to-morrow morning, if the fog -lifts. Haley's lost so much time, he won't stay ashore Sunday. They'll be -back with the skiff late to-night, or toward morning. We'll give them -just time to go off to sleep and then make a try for it." - -The crisis thus suddenly facing Tom Edwards, he pulled himself together. - -"Good for you!" he said. "I'll go, if we have to row across the -Chesapeake. Anybody with us?" - -"Not a soul," said Harvey. "The skiff will hold only us two. And we -can do it better alone. Now you sit up first, will you, and let me -get two hours sleep, and then you wake me and I'll keep watch, -because--because--" - -Tom Edwards laughed good-naturedly. - -"I know," he said. "You're afraid that I'd fall asleep later on, and we'd -miss the chance." - -"Well,--well," stammered Harvey, "you are an awful sound sleeper when you -get a-going, you know. I didn't mean anything--" - -"You're all right," exclaimed Tom Edwards, softly, but with heartiness. -"You turn in. Let me have your watch. I'll wake you, say, at eleven." - -Jack Harvey's nerves were good, and he was not one to worry over coming -events. He turned in, and, in ten minutes, was sound asleep. Tom Edwards, -sitting uncomfortably in his bunk, counted the minutes as they dragged -away, drearily. It was a lonesome vigil, with only the sleeping crew for -company. He started up now and again, as some sound in the night outside -seemed to his active fancy a warning of the returning skiff. - -Ten o'clock came, and then eleven; he arose and awakened Harvey. - -"Too bad, old chap," he said, "but it's your turn." - -Harvey roused and turned out, sleepily. - -"Tom," he said, "I had the queerest dream. I dreamed we were chasing that -fellow, Jenkins, through miles of swamps, and every time we'd get near -him, he'd turn into Henry Burns and laugh at us. Then we'd see him again -a little way ahead." - -"You're thinking of that chap you thought you saw through the telescope, -eh," suggested Tom Edwards. - -"He's on my mind sure enough," replied Harvey. "I can't quite make it -out, though, whether I saw him or not." - -Tom Edwards rolled into his bunk, and Harvey, stretching and yawning, -began his watch. He didn't dare tell Tom Edwards till long afterward; but -he went off soundly to sleep once, some time later, and woke with a -fearful start. What if he had been the one, after all, to upset their -plans by his carelessness! - -He stole cautiously out on deck, and tip-toed aft. He breathed a sigh of -relief when there was no sign of the skiff. He hurried back to the -forecastle and struck a match, to read the face of his watch. It was -half-past twelve o'clock. He dared not trust himself, then, to return to -his bunk, but crouched down at the foot of the companion ladder, with the -sting of the night air in his face. - -Suddenly a steady, creaking sound came to his ears. He started up and -crawled to the top of the ladder. It was the sound of an oar. Then his -heart gave a bound, as he heard voices through the fog. - -"There she lies," came the words in the voice of the mate. "I tells you, -Mister Haley, I's pretty extra good on findin' my way 'bout this river. -We're goin' to get a good day, all right, too. This wind be shiftin' -right; swingin' round with the sun to the west by mornin', sure's you -born." - -They came indistinctly into view of the boy, as he crouched in the -companion-way, just peering over so he could see across the deck. The -skiff scraped alongside. The two men sprang out, shaking the fog and wet -from their coats. Harvey, still as though frozen to the spot, noted with -joy that they did not fetch the skiff aboard, but made the painter fast -near the stern. They hurried below, and a light gleamed in the cabin. It -burned a few minutes, only. Then the vessel was in darkness again, save -for the lantern in the foremast shroud, to warn any chance craft where -they lay. - -Harvey waited. The minutes seemed like hours. Fifteen minutes were ticked -off by his silver time-piece; then fifteen more. It was a quarter past -one o'clock when he stole back, shivering, and awoke Tom Edwards. - -"Sh-h-h!" he warned. "Don't speak. They're here; turned in half an hour -ago. Come on." - -They had no belongings to gather up; only their coats to button about -them. They crept out on deck and stood for a moment, waiting and -listening. There was no sound aboard the bug-eye. They darted quickly -aft. Tom Edwards stepped nervously into the little skiff, Harvey -following. Harvey cast off, took his seat astern, pushed away and began -sculling. - -Two rods off from the bug-eye, they could discern the thin lines of its -masts and a dull blur that was its hull. Harvey gave a little murmur of -exultation, and paused in his sculling. But the next moment he uttered a -cry of surprise and alarm. He rose from his seat, and peered anxiously -through the fog. - -"What's the matter? What is it, Jack?" asked Tom Edwards, almost -breathless. - -"Something's coming!" exclaimed Harvey. "Don't you hear that rushing -sound? Oh, hang this fog! If it would only lift a little." - -Suddenly Harvey dropped to his seat and began plying the single oar in -the scull-hole, with desperation. Then he sprang up again and gave a -warning call as loud as he dared. - -It was too late. Out of the fog and mist there rushed a craft--so swiftly -that it was upon them before they had half seen it. It was a long, narrow -canoe, with full sail set, the wind on its quarter, flying for the mouth -of the river. Harvey had one fleeting glimpse of a man in the stern of -the craft, springing up and uttering an exclamation of rage and fright. -Then Harvey jumped from his own seat, literally tumbling over Tom -Edwards. - -The man at the stern of the fleeing canoe had jammed the helm hard down, -at his first sight of the little skiff. But he could not clear it wholly. -There was a crash and a splintering of wood; the skiff half upset, and -took in nearly half a barrel of water. The main boom of the canoe swept -across the skiff, knocking both its occupants into a heap. - -The next thing they knew, the man at the stern of the canoe and another -by the foremast were standing up, uttering maledictions upon the -unfortunate victims of the collision. - -"Help us! Don't leave us! We're sinking!" called Harvey, in desperation, -as the canoe kept on its course. The only answer was a wrathful shake of -his fist from the skipper of the canoe. Another moment, and it was gone. - -Harvey and his companion, ankle-deep in water, scrambled up, and Harvey -turned anxiously to the stern of the skiff. There was a hole there, and -the boat seemed to be sinking under them. They stripped off their outer -jackets, prepared to swim for their lives. But Harvey quickly reassured -his comrade. - -"It isn't coming in very fast," he said. "We can get back to the bug-eye, -if we work lively. You take your hat and bail. I'll jump her all I can." - -He gave a cry of dismay as he seized the oar, which was floating in the -bottom of the skiff. The blow from the canoe had broken half the blade -away. It was still of some use, but he could not make fast time with it. - -Heartbroken and fearful of what awaited them, they turned the skiff in -the direction whence the wind was blowing, and toiled with desperate -energy. The water leaked steadily into the little craft, but Tom Edwards -dashed it out by hat-fulls, as he had never worked in all his life--not -even at the dredges under the eye of Jim Adams. - -The bug-eye came more plainly into view. They neared it with quaking -hearts. Already they could seem to hear the torrent of imprecation that -awaited them from Haley and the mate, and could feel the hurt and pain of -"dredging fleet law." - -To their amazement, silence reigned aboard the vessel. That silence was -unbroken as they struggled up alongside. With not a sound aboard, they -grasped the foot of a shroud and Harvey sprang noiselessly to the deck. -Tom Edwards followed. Harvey took a quick turn with the painter. The half -submerged skiff was made fast, where it had been before. - -They fled along the deck, and down into the forecastle, on the wings of -fear. Wet and exhausted, they tumbled into their bunks. It was some -moments before either of them could find breath to speak. - -"Oh, the brutes!" murmured Tom Edwards, after a time. "How could any -human being do a thing like that? They left us to drown, Jack, and didn't -care." - -"Of course they did," answered Harvey, "and good reason. I know why. -Don't you? Did you see the load they had aboard? They'd been lifting an -oyster dump. Some fellow'll find his week's tonging of oysters gone, when -he looks for them. They were poachers. They'd have killed us in a minute -if we'd stood between them and getting away. Cheer up, old Tom. We're in -the greatest luck we've ever been in all our lives. Is your back cold? -Well, how would it feel, think, if Haley had caught us? Did you ever hear -Sam Black tell how he's seen men rope's-ended for trying to run away? -Wait till Haley sees that skiff in the morning. You'll be glad you're -alive. Never mind. We'll escape yet. I'm going to sleep when I get these -boots off." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, standing by the wheel, some hours later, when the -sun had risen and the fog was lifting over the river, was not a pleasing -object to behold. What he had to say about poachers and their ways and -habits and carelessness would have warmed the water under the bug-eye, if -it hadn't been in the dead of winter. To have heard his outburst of -indignation, over the evils of poaching and night sailing, would almost -have convinced a listener that he was the most averse to that habit of -any man in Chesapeake Bay. Also he berated Jim Adams, as much as he -thought that gentleman would stand, for not bringing the skiff aboard. - -Haley bargained for a new skiff that day, and gave Jim Adams another -dressing down,--and Jim Adams took it out of the crew, for which Harvey -and Tom Edwards were sorry--although they got their share. And so their -night adventure passed into the history of the cruise; and there even -came a time, long afterward, when the two laughed at it--that is, when -they thought of Haley. The remembrance of their own fright remained, to -dream of, for many a night. - -Two days afterward, there happened one of those sudden, mysterious -changes that told of the comradeship of a certain clique of the dredging -captains, and of their facility for dodging trouble. - -Down along the western shore a strange craft sailed up, and Haley took a -man aboard from it; though not without some warm words with the strange -captain. He seemed not to welcome the recruit. But he took him, and -exchanged one of his own crew, the sailor, Sam Black, for the man. This -latter recruit was a swarthy man, tall and muscular. His face was -discoloured, as though by blows; and a long scar, freshly made, showed on -the back of one hand and wrist. He obeyed Haley's and the mate's orders -sullenly. Why he was aboard, none knew except the mate and captain. But -it was plain enough, the captain of the other craft had wanted him out of -the way. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - HARVEY SENDS A MESSAGE TO SHORE - - -Henry Burns and the Warren brothers, arriving at Millstone Landing on the -evening when Jack Harvey had seen a strange vision through Haley's -telescope, found a young man on the wharf awaiting them. He hailed them -with a hearty shout of welcome the moment the steamer came to its -landing. He was a tall, somewhat spare man, but with broad, muscular -shoulders, and a general build that told of unusual strength. He had a -mop of short, almost curly hair, under a soft felt hat, a dark, clear -complexion, brown eyes that twinkled with fun, and an expression of -geniality that won the heart of Henry Burns at first glance. - -The young man nodded smilingly to the river captain, and swung himself -aboard before the steamer had its gang-plank out; and he was up the -stairs and in the cabin in a twinkling, where he grasped George Warren -and the brothers, one after another, and welcomed them heartily. - -"And this is our friend, Henry Burns," said George Warren, introducing -his comrade. - -"I'm right glad to meet him, too," responded Edward Warren. "He's just as -welcome as you are--and that's saying all anybody could. Well, I'd know -you youngsters anywhere. You haven't changed much since I was up north, -four years ago--except you've grown some. There's Joe--my, but he's -growing like a corn-stalk! Don't it almost make your bones ache, to grow -so fast, Joey?" - -Edward Warren was, all the while, assisting them with their bags and -bundles of coats and luggage, and steering them across the gang-plank to -the wharf, like a drove of frisky young cattle. - -"Joe wants to know if you've brought any of those corn fritters down with -you, Cousin Ed?" said George Warren. - -"No," laughed Edward Warren, "but there's a stack of them up in the oven, -keeping hot, as high as your head, almost. Here, sling your stuff into -this wagon, and Jim will take it up. Anybody that wants to ride, too, can -jump aboard. But I'm going to walk. It's only about a mile, and I'd -rather walk a night like this, anyway." - -"Well, I'll ride up and be making the acquaintance of Mammy Stevens," -said Joe, grinning broadly, and springing up on the seat beside the -coloured driver. The others elected to walk, with Edward Warren. - -He set off at a brisk pace along the road that skirted the shore, -bordered much of its way by ponds extending some distance inland. He had -spoken of a mile walk as though it were the merest trifle, and the pace -he set for his younger companions indicated that he so regarded it. But -they were good for it, too, although he had them breathing hard by the -time they had gone half a mile; and the four made quick time of it up -from the landing. - -"You chaps are pretty good walkers," he said, laughing quietly and -slowing down a little. "Thought I'd see how city life agreed with your -wind and legs. You're sound in both wind and limb, as we farmers say of a -good horse. We'll take the rest of it a little easier." - -There yet lingered in the mind of Henry Burns an indignation born of the -act he had seen on the passing vessel. - -"Say, Mr. Warren," he began, as they walked along along-- - -"Don't call him 'Mr. Warren.' Call him 'Ed,'" interrupted George Warren. - -"Yes, that's right," responded Edward Warren, good-naturedly. - -"I saw a man knocked down on a vessel as we sailed into the harbour," -continued Henry Burns. "Isn't it a shame to treat men like that?" - -Edward Warren paused, and clenched a big, strong fist. He raised it and -gestured like a man striking someone a blow. - -"Shame!" he repeated. "It's downright wicked, the way those dredging -captains--or a good many of them--treat the men. Why, we get them on -shore here, through the winter, half starved, and half clad, begging -their way back to Baltimore. If a man is taken sick out aboard, and isn't -fit to work any more, why, the captain takes him ashore, to gather wood, -or something of that sort. Then he cuts and leaves him to starve or -freeze, or get back to town the best way he can. And sometimes, they -don't take even that trouble, if they're safe down the bay--just let a -man slump overboard--accidentally, of course,--and that's the last seen -of him." - -"Don't his friends ever get track of him?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Not often," replied Edward Warren. "They're almost always poor chaps, -without any friends that can do them any good; fellows that are reduced -to poverty in the cities, or men who have been dissipating and gone to -the bad. And those don't last long with the life they lead aboard the -dredgers." - -"Well, that poor chap that I saw knocked down would have one friend if I -could help him," exclaimed Henry Burns. - -"He needs it, I've no doubt," said Edward Warren. "And they make the men -do their underhand work for them, too--the captains that go poaching. -Why, I took a shot at a craft, just the other night, up above Forrests, -myself. I was up to Wilkes's place, over night, and we caught a fellow -poaching in on the beds. Gave him a close call, too. We had him between -us and the Folly for a few minutes; but he was smart and got away." - -The lights of the old farm house were gleaming by this time, and in a -moment or two they were within its hospitable walls. It was a pleasant, -old-style house, with some pillars at the front, and a broad verandah; -the main house of two stories in height, and a series of rambling -extensions, of a story and a half, extending in the rear; stables and two -barns not far away--in all, an air of comfort and prosperity, if not of -great means. The land on which the house stood overlooked the river, now -gleaming with the harbour lights of many vessels, and some small ponds -along shore. - -They entered at the big front door, stepping into a wide hall that ran -the entire length of the first floor of the main part. The hall ended in -a wall in which a huge open fireplace, built of the stones taken from the -land, now gave forth a blazing welcome. - -But they did not linger long before this inviting blaze, for old Mammy -Stevens had them all out in the dining-room before many minutes. This -room was equally cheery, with a hearth fire snapping and singing there, -also; and there sat young Joe, gloating in anticipation over an array of -good things, including the heaped up platter of corn fritters, with a -pitcher of syrup squatted agreeably close by. - -They fell to and ate till Mammy Stevens's face lighted up and shone like -a piece of polished ebony; and she laughed and chuckled till she was -almost white to see young Joe tuck away corn fritters and country -sausage. And all the while they were making merry and enjoying comfort -and warmth, Jack Harvey, not far away, on the bug-eye, Brandt, was -climbing into his bunk, wet from his drenching, and sore from the blow -Haley had given him. - -A vessel, seen from the old farmhouse, anchored in near shore the -following afternoon, but it had no special interest in the eyes of the -newcomers, nor had it as it sailed away again when the fog had lifted. - -"Cap'n," queried Jim Adams, removing his pipe from his mouth and pointing -the stem of it forward in the direction of the stranger who stood by the -foremast, "what's happened? What have we got him for?" - -Haley shrugged his shoulders and squinted one eye, significantly. "Bill's -in trouble again," he answered. "This fellow and a pardner tried to get -away. The pardner got it a bit hard--Bill had to put him ashore below in -St. Mary's. This one goes, too, when we get a good chance to land him -where he'll be a long time walking up to Baltimore. Oh, it's all right, -so long as the two don't get together. The pardner can't make any more -trouble by himself." - -Jim Adams, rightly construing Haley's remarks to mean that the "pardner" -had been badly hurt, perhaps crippled--or worse--and had been landed in -some convenient spot away from any town, resumed his pipe, and asked no -more questions. But he added, as he surveyed the muscular frame of the -man forward, "He's a sure enough good man at the winders, I reckon. I'll -make him earn his board and lodgin,' if he stays." - -Jim Adams grinned, and showed his fine, white teeth. - -"You're the boy to do it," commented Haley. - -It was afternoon, and the bug-eye, Brandt, was coming up to the Patuxent -for a night's harbour. Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards, eyeing the stranger, -who remained sullenly by himself, felt a depression of spirits as they -noted the appearance of the man. His bruises and the fresh scar, and -indeed the very fact of his being there, were evidence to them of the -cause that had brought him aboard. They had become familiar enough with -the ways of the dredging fleet to know what it meant. - -What the stranger thought of them, no one would ever know. But theirs was -perhaps not altogether a favourable appearance by this time. There was -less of incongruity in the dress of Tom Edwards now than when he had -begun work. Daily toil at the dredges, drenching in icy spray, the wear -and tear of the life aboard the Brandt, had wholly obliterated whatever -of newness and stylishness there had been to his clothing. He had taken -on the shabby, rough, wretched characteristics of the ordinary dredger. -His one collar had long ago been discarded. He looked the part into which -his ill fortune had cast him. - -Nor had Harvey fared better. His clothes were torn and worn and -discoloured by the salt water. His face, like that of Tom Edwards, was -reddened and roughened and weather-beaten. His hands were roughened and -scarred from hard work, with the broadening and flattening at the finger -tips acquired through handling the heavy iron dredges and through -knotting ropes. - -The two friends were still depressed with the disappointment of their -failure to make their escape, but they were not hopeless. They talked of -it whenever they dared, and planned for another attempt when opportunity -should offer. - -The bug-eye ran up into the mouth of the river, and came to anchor off -the northern shore, that being the lee with the wind from the northwest. -It lay about half a mile out from the Drum Point shore and about the same -distance to the eastward of Solomon's Island. There was little sign of -life or habitation on the land about the light-house, save that Harvey -noticed one large house which set up on the hill, overlooking the -surrounding country. But the many lights on Solomon's Island and the many -small craft at their moorings close to its shore indicated that there was -quite a settlement there. Later in the evening, there came out to him, -once or twice, with the wind, the sounds of jigging music, as from banjos -and fiddles; and once he thought he heard, faintly, the sound of a piano, -played noisily. - -These suggestions of freedom and of merriment, though borne to him all -indistinctly, filled Harvey's mind with the old longing to escape. He -could seem to see the interior of the town hall, perhaps, whence the -sounds came; the lamps about the sides of the room; the fishermen's -daughters waiting for partners for the dance; the fiddler at the end of -the hall, calling off the numbers. He had seen the like away up in -Samoset bay, and had taken part in the fun. - -He looked down at the side of the vessel, where the black water of the -bay tossed gently, and away off to shore, indistinct save where a light -gleamed here and there. There was the icy sting and nip of winter in the -air. The water looked forbidding. It was out of the question to think of -swimming--and, besides, there was Tom Edwards whom he could not desert. -But, for all that, Harvey turned in for the night with greater reluctance -than ever before; and he lay for a long time, uneasy, not able to sleep. - -It could not have been very late in the night, though he knew not the -time, when he roused up from a light slumber. Something had awakened him. -The picture he had fancied of the dance hall ashore leaped into his mind, -and something seemed to impel him to turn out and take another look. - -Then he thought he heard some slight sound over his head on deck. -Grumbling at himself at his seeming folly, he stepped out on to the -forecastle floor and went softly up the companion ladder to the deck. - -He was dressed, for he had turned in with his clothes on, as usual. But -the night air chilled him, and he shivered as he crept out and looked off -toward the land. He turned his collar up about his throat, and stepped -over to the side of the vessel. - -An instant, and he was conscious of someone near. He turned just as a -figure leaped out at him from the shadow of the forecastle. Harvey was -quick and strong. Realizing a sudden peril--he knew not what--he darted -to one side as the figure sprang toward him, and struck out at the same -moment with his left arm. - -He was not a second too soon. There was disclosed to him the tall, -swarthy stranger they had taken aboard that afternoon. The man, his arm -uplifted and holding an open knife in that hand, made a lunge at him. - -The blow missed Harvey, and his own blow, aimed at random, caught the -man's shoulder and stopped his rush. At the same moment, the man -recognized the boy and stood still and silent, peering at him, wondering -and surprised. - -Harvey, alert to the situation, thought quickly and spoke--in a half -whisper. - -"Don't strike me," he said. "If you want to escape, I'll help you. I'm -not to blame for your being here." - -The man did not reply, but he seemed to understand. Yet he was not taking -all for granted. He stepped to Harvey's side, holding the knife -threateningly. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder and peered into his -face. Then he put a finger to Harvey's lips and raised the knife again. - -Harvey nodded. "I'll keep quiet," he whispered. "What are you going to -do, swim?" - -The man clearly did not understand what Harvey had said, but he caught at -the one word. - -"Swim," he repeated, and nodded. "Swim. I swim." And he made a sweeping -gesture with one arm. - -Harvey nodded his head vigorously, as if to indicate his sympathy with -the attempt, and further emphasized it with a shake of his fist in the -direction of the captain's cabin. The man seemed assured. His lips parted -in a half smile, which changed to an expression of anger and fierceness -as he in turn shook the hand that clutched the knife in the direction of -Haley's quarters. Then he thrust the knife back into his belt. - -Another thought came swiftly to Harvey then. If he could only get a -message ashore by the man--that is, if the stranger should succeed in -what seemed an almost hopeless attempt. But how could he make the -foreigner understand? He stepped close to him, stretched out his left -hand and made the motions of writing upon the palm of it. Then he pointed -to himself, to the man and to the shore. - -"Take a letter for me," said Harvey. "A letter," and he again made the -motions of writing. - -To his surprise and delight, the man repeated the word "letter" plainly, -and himself made the motions of writing with his right fore-finger upon -the palm of his left hand. - -"Yes, that's it," said Harvey. "Take a letter ashore for me?" And he -pointed again toward shore. - -The man nodded. Harvey pointed to the forecastle, repeated the gesture of -writing and looked at the man inquiringly. The man nodded once more. But -again he drew forth the knife, put a finger to his lips and made a -significant gesture. Harvey understood. He stepped forward, put out his -right hand to the man, and the stranger grasped it. It was a compact he -understood. Harvey stole softly down into the forecastle. - -He roused Tom Edwards, who asked drowsily what was wanted. - -"Tom," said Harvey softly, "be quick. Find that little order-book with -the pencil in it that you had when you came aboard. You stuck it up in -the bunk somewhere, weeks ago. The man we took aboard this afternoon is -going to swim for shore. Hurry, Tom, he may be gone while I'm below -here." - -Tom Edwards fumbled about and produced the book--one of the few things -that had been left to him in the rifling of his pockets--left to him as a -thing of no value to the men who had trapped him. Harvey seized it -eagerly and ran up on deck again. The man was still there. - -There was no light to write by, but there was no time to be lost. Harvey -tore a page from the book, took the little pencil from its leather -socket, laid the paper down on top of the forecastle house and held his -face close down to it. The white patch was sufficiently discernible -against the wood to enable him to scrawl a few words. He wrote: - - "I am trapped out aboard the bug-eye Z. B. Brandt by Capt. Haley. Send - word to Benton, Maine. - - "Jack Harvey." - -He folded the scrap of paper and handed it to the swarthy stranger. The -man took it, held it for a moment as though deliberating, then removed -the cap he wore, tucked the paper within the lining and replaced the cap -on his head. He had taken off his heavy shoes, which he proceeded to tie -across his back, with a line passed across one shoulder and under the -other arm-pit. He had stripped off his coat and held it now in one hand, -doubtfully. - -He looked across to shore, shook his head as if to say that the distance -was too great to encumber himself with the weight of the garment, even -though tied across his shoulders. He threw it on the deck with a gesture -of disappointment, and stepped to the side of the vessel. - -Harvey followed, and again put out his hand. The man grasped it, and they -shook hands warmly. Harvey would have given half his store of hidden -money at that moment to have been able to wish him good luck in a tongue -that the man could understand. But he slapped him on the shoulder, and -the man understood that. He made a sweeping gesture of farewell, swung -himself off noiselessly into the icy water and began swimming away, with -long, powerful strokes. - -Instinctively, Harvey reached down and put his hand into the water. Its -coldness fairly stung him, hardened as he had become, with work at the -dredges. He stood, shivering, with the cold of the night intensified by -his excitement. It seemed as though no human being could live to get to -shore in that water. But the man kept on. - -"He must be a fish," muttered Harvey. "I hope he sticks it out, but how -can he?" - -The stars twinkling coldly overhead gave little light upon the water. But -the figure moving slowly away was discernible some distance. Harvey -watched it until the tiny black speck where the man's cap showed faded -away and was lost to view. Harvey's teeth was chattering. His eyes -smarted and watered with the strain of peering through the darkness. He -longed to call out, to know if the swimmer still lived. But he turned and -crept back to his bunk, giving the news to Tom Edwards, who shivered at -the very thought of it. - -"Poor chap, he'll never get to shore," he murmured. "But he'll die game." - -Up in the big house that overlooked the Drum Point lighthouse, in a -chamber room, a young man of about thirty sat reading before a fire. A -clock ticking in one corner indicated the time of night as half-past -eleven. The man paused in his reading, yawned and stretched comfortably, -arose and stepped to a window facing the harbour. - -"What a glorious night!" he said. - -He stepped back and sat down again. - -A strange thing, unseen by him, had happened down at the shore toward -which he had looked. Something moved, like a great fish, in the water, a -rod out from the land. It sank once almost out of sight, then thrashed -the water and struggled in desperately. A man, feeling the solid earth -under his feet, stepped out upon the shore and staggered as though about -to fall; caught himself; then fell; but arose and walked unsteadily in -the direction of the light from the window. - -The young man who was reading suddenly sprang up from his chair and -listened. There was a muffled rapping at the door below. The man threw up -the window and put his head out. - -"Who's that? What do you want?" he called. - -A reply, unintelligible, came up to him. He closed the window and turned -toward the door of the chamber. - -"It's the same old story," he said, with a touch of indignation in his -voice. "Some poor chap from the dredging fleet, I suppose--beaten up, -half starved, and trying to get back to Baltimore." - -He descended the stairs, lighted a lamp and went to the door. When the -lamp-light fell upon the figure that stood before him, he started back, -thunderstruck. A man, drenched to the skin, ghastly pale, shivering, -almost speechless, his tangled, dripping hair falling about his eyes, -stood there. He stretched forth an arm, appealingly, and almost fell. - -The man with the lamp caught him with one arm and assisted him within; -half dragged him out into an old-fashioned kitchen, where the man slumped -all in a heap before the fire. The man of the house, setting down the -lamp on a table, went to the closet and brought out a cup; filled it with -coffee from a pot that set back on the stove, knelt by the stranger's -side and, rousing him up, held the cup to his lips and made him drink. - -The man shivered, sat up a little and uttered the one word, "Swim." - -The other uttered an exclamation of anger. - -"It's a shame! A cruel shame to treat men so they'd rather die than lead -the life they do aboard the dredgers," he cried. "How far did you swim?" - -The man shook his head, indicating he did not understand. - -"Well, no matter," said the other, compassionately. "I'll fix you up. But -you've just come through, and that's all. You're pretty near being a dead -man." - -An hour later, the stranger, wrapped in warm blankets, his ragged -garments drying by the fire, dozed, while the man of the house stood, -watching him. - -"Well, he's all right now," he said. "I'll turn in and let him sleep -there for the night." - -But the man suddenly moved, sat up on one elbow and then struggled into a -sitting position. He fumbled at his head and said something in a foreign -tongue. He gesticulated, and pointed down toward the shore. - -The young man laughed. - -"Well, I declare if you aren't worrying about a cap," he cried. "I know -what you mean--lost your cap, eh? Well, you ought to thank your stars you -didn't lose your life. We'll get the cap to-morrow, if it's down by the -shore. To-morrow, see?" - -The man repeated the word "to-morrow," and shook his head as vigorously -as he could. "No to-morrow," he repeated. And he struggled to his feet. -Wrapping the blanket about him, he started doggedly toward the door. - -"Well, confound you for an obstinate mule!" exclaimed the young man. "I -don't wonder you got ashore, with all that stubbornness. Go lie down -again. Hang it, if you're so worried as all that about your old cap, I'll -go look for it." - -Half angry, half amused, he took down a lantern from a hook, lighted it, -and went out into the darkness. In a few minutes, he reappeared. In his -hand he held a bedraggled, shabby fur cap, that bore more resemblance to -a drowned cat than any article of wear. - -"There's your cap, you mule!" he exclaimed, and threw the wet object down -upon the floor. - -To his surprise, the man caught it up eagerly and, turning it inside out, -felt within the lining. He uttered a little cry of disappointment as he -drew forth a piece of wet, torn paper. He dropped it on the floor and -drew out two other pieces. Then he shrugged his shoulders and looked up -at his rescuer, helplessly. - -The young man stooped and picked up the pieces of paper. - -"Aha! I see," he said. "There was a method in your stubbornness after -all. Let's look." - -He held up the pieces of paper and turned them in his hand. He took them -to the table and placed them on an earthen platter, with the torn edges -joining. Then he whistled with surprise. The paper, wet and torn, still -bore, blurred and barely readable, written words. He made out the -message: - - "I am trapped aboard the bug-eye Z. B. Brandt by Capt. Haley. Send word - to Benton. - - "Jack Har--" - -The remainder of the last name had been torn away. They searched for it, -but it was not to be found. - -"Whew!" exclaimed the young man. "Another case of shanghaiing. Well, -there's enough to work on. I'll have to look into it, though I suppose -it's not much use. When a man gets out there, it's hard finding him. I'll -save the paper, though, and dry it out." - -And then he added, eying the stranger with a different expression, -"You're a good sort, after all. You're a true blue comrade to somebody. -Hang it! I wish you could talk the United States language." - - - - - CHAPTER XII - ESCAPE AT LAST - - -The old Warren homestead, alight with many lamps from parlour to kitchen, -presented a cheery and genial aspect to whoever might be passing by along -the road, on the night of December 24. The shades, half drawn in the -front room, revealed the glow of a big hearth fire, reddening the light -of the lamps, and adding its cheer and welcome to the general atmosphere -of comfort within. From the kitchen there came the sound of banjos -tinkling, and the laughter from a merry company of coloured servants, the -Christmas eve guests of Jim and Mammy Stevens. The whole house, in fact, -was keeping holiday. - -But if the appearance, viewed from the exterior, was one of brightness -and Christmas warmth, it was doubly so within. The large room, that -fronted on the bay and commanded a view from its windows of Drum Point -lighthouse and a sweep of the river, was a comfortably furnished, -old-fashioned affair; with quaint, polished furniture; mirrors that -reflected the dancing fire-light; a polished oak floor that shone almost -as bright as the mirrors; and, in one corner, a tall clock, that ticked -away in dignified and respectable fashion, as befitting a servant that -had belonged to the Warren family for a hundred years, and had descended, -as a precious heirloom, from father to son. - -From the upper panelling of the walls there hung, in festoons, some -trailing vines, ornamented with bright berries, gathered from the woods -back on the farm; and sprigs of holly also decorated the mirrors and a -few portraits of one-time members of the household. - -Edward Warren, stretched comfortably before the fire in a big chair, -gazed about the room approvingly, and then at his younger companions. - -"Well," he exclaimed, heartily, "you've saved me from spending a dull -Christmas, sure enough. What with the folks away, I don't know what I'd -have done without you. Say, can't you young fellows give us a song? We -don't want to let them make all the noise out in the kitchen." - -"Go ahead on Old Black Joe, Henry," said George Warren. "We'll all join -in." - -So Henry Burns led off on the plantation melody, and the brothers joined -in with a will. Edward Warren came in with a fine bass effect, and -altogether they did Old Black Joe in a way that almost made the faces in -the oil paintings on the wall smile. - -Then, on the second verse, the banjos in the kitchen, and a guitar that -had been added to the group, took up the refrain, and all the darkey -melody in that part of the house concentrated itself on the same tune. So -that the old house fairly rang from one end to the other with the -plantation music, and the sounds floated off on the crisp night air far -and around. - -In the midst of which, it was suddenly discovered by the others that -young Joe had disappeared from the front room, and a hurried search was -begun for the missing youth. It resulted in his discovery, in a pantry -off the dining-room, gloating over the contents of the Christmas box that -had been sent from home to the brothers. From this young Joe had -abstracted a generous slice of nut cake, which was rapidly disappearing -down his throat. - -Howls of wrath from George and Arthur Warren were united with yells of -dismay from Young Joe, as he was dragged from his hiding place, still -holding a piece of the cake in his hand, loth even then to part with the -evidence of his guilt. - -"Ow, wow!" yelled George Warren. "Pilfering from to-morrow's feast, are -you, Joey? Say, what'll we do with him, Arthur?" - -"Invite him out into the kitchen and make him eat some of those raw -oysters that Mammy Stevens has to stuff to-morrow's turkey," replied -Arthur Warren, who always had some original idea in a matter of this -kind. - -Young Joe gave another howl of dismay, and made a bolt for a side door -that led out into the yard. The mere thought of raw oysters caused him to -drop the slice of cake and consider nothing but flight. The brothers and -Henry Warren darted after him, but he slipped the catch of the door, -opened it--and, with head down, butted all unexpectedly into a thick, -short, burly man, who had been about to knock for admittance at the very -moment. - -The result was, that the stranger lost his balance and fell off the -stoop, rolling over and over on the ground. He was unhurt, for he sprang -up quickly, shook his fist at the surprised youth, and roared out in a -hoarse sea voice. - -"Confound you, for a clumsy, butting young lubber!" he cried, rubbing the -pit of his stomach, and glaring at Young Joe. "What kind of a way is that -to treat folks as comes to your door? Ain't you got eyes? If you has 'em, -why doesn't you use 'em, and not be a ramming heads into other folks's -stomachs?" - -The man, in his wrath and excitement, spoke as though there had been -several Young Joes and at least a half dozen of himself, engaged in a -most extraordinary encounter--all of which did not tend to abate the -mirth of Young Joe and his companions, who also had caught a glimpse of -the man rolling over on the lawn. - -"He has a habit of doing that," spoke up Henry Burns, in a quiet, serious -tone. "We haven't been able to break him of it ever since he was a kid. -We keep him chained up most of the time, but he just got loose." - -The man, flushing redder, turned an angry eye on Henry Burns. - -"Who asked you what was the matter?" he demanded. "You'd get chained up, -if I had you out aboard. You wouldn't be talking so smart to folks as has -their stomachs run into by a crazy, June-bug booby of a boy. I reckon the -end of a jib halliard would teach you some manners." - -The man's reply surprised Henry Burns, and interested him. He looked at -the squat, chunky figure, the big, round head with its shock of reddish -hair, and the dull gray eyes that glinted angrily at him. His retort was, -on its part, a surprise to the man. - -"Do you knock your crew down?" he asked, in a matter-of-fact way, as -though he had been merely inquiring the time of day. - -The stranger was too taken aback for a moment to reply. It was a new type -of boy to him--one who could put a query of that kind as calmly and -dispassionately as though he were a lawyer, trained to keep his temper. -Then the man advanced, with hand raised threateningly. - -"Get out of my way, you young rascals!" he said. "Where's the man as -lives in this ere house? His name's Warren, isn't it--where is he?" - -Edward Warren, who had remained in the background, amused at the unusual -situation, now stepped to the door and inquired what the man wanted. - -"I want to do some trade," replied the man. "At least, that's what I came -for, when that boy, he comes out at me like a crazy steer. I hear you -have some potatoes to sell. My name is Haley, and I'm lying off shore -there." - -He pointed with a jerk of his thumb out toward the river, evidently -intending to convey the idea--somewhat different from his words--that it -was his vessel, and not himself, that was "lying off shore." - -"Well," answered Edward Warren, "it's a time I don't usually do business, -on Christmas eve, but since you've come up, I guess you can have them. -I've got two or three barrels in the cellar. Come on out." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, muttering a retort that Christmas eve was as good -a time for buying potatoes as any other, so far as he knew, so long as he -had a chance to come and get them, followed Edward Warren away. A third -man, who had remained in the background, went along with them. It was Jim -Adams, the mate. - -The bargain was made, Haley saying that he would be back the day after -Christmas for the potatoes; whereupon he and the mate went on again up -the country road. Edward Warren returned to the house. - -"That's a rough customer, that man Haley," he remarked, as he resumed his -seat by the fire. "He's a specimen of the dredging captain that gives the -fleet a hard name." - -"The kind that knocks his men down," remarked Henry Burns. - -"That seems to have made a great impression on your mind," said Edward -Warren, turning to the boy. Henry Burns's face was serious, and he spoke -with unusual demonstrativeness for him, for he doubled up his fist and -struck the arm of his chair with it. - -"Ever since I saw that fellow knocked down," he replied, "I've wanted to -tell one of those captains what I think of it. I'd have done it to-night, -if he hadn't said he came to trade with you." - -Edward Warren laughed. "You could have told him anything you liked, for -all of me," he said. "But you chaps better turn in pretty soon. We're -going after rabbits, to-morrow forenoon, you know. Mammy Stevens makes a -rabbit saddle roast that beats turkey." - -"Great!" murmured Young Joe. - -The darkness that enveloped the old Warren homestead, when, one by one, -its lights went out and the household sank into stillness, was illumined -by brilliant starlight in the heavens. It was a glorious Christmas eve, -clear, frosty, cold--just the night a traveller on the road, warmly -dressed and well fed, might enjoy to the utmost. The wind had died down -and the night was very still. The vessels in the Patuxent swung lazily -with the tide. Now and then the sound of an untiring banjo, or guitar or -accordion, or a snatch of song, came across the black water to those that -lay nearer the Solomon's island shore. Across on the western shore, all -was still, save for the occasional barking of a dog in some farmyard. - -The bug-eye Brandt, for the convenience of its owner in going up country -after some supplies, lay nearer the latter bank of the river, though with -the usual discretion in the matter of distance--greater even than -customary, following the escape of the mulatto seaman. There was no other -craft near by. All aboard were apparently asleep, and not even a light -showed in the fore-rigging, to warn others where she lay. - -Down in the dingy forecastle, however, two persons were astir. They moved -about quietly, not to disturb the other sleepers, though the latter -slumbered heavily and would not be easily aroused. - -"Well, Jack," said the taller of the two, buttoning his coat and -proceeding to thrust his legs into a pair of oil-skin trousers, "this is -the night we celebrate, eh?" - -Jack Harvey turned a face, set with determination, toward his companion, -and answered, huskily, "Tom, old man, I'm going ashore to-night, if I -have to swim for it. Celebrate! You bet I'm going to celebrate--and so -are you. We can do it, too. I've watched and watched, and it's our -chance. Haley and Jim Adams both gone, and no one here to stop us." - -"Except the cook," interrupted Tom Edwards. - -"Let him try it!" exclaimed Jack Harvey, his face flushing angrily at the -mere suggestion. "Just let him try it! I tell you I'm going ashore -to-night, Tom Edwards, and there isn't any George Haley in Maryland that -can stop me." - -Tom Edwards slapped the boy on the shoulder. - -"That's the way to look at it, when we once start," he said. "My muscles -aren't so soft, either, as when I came aboard. I guess I could do -something on a pinch. But he's got a revolver, probably." - -Harvey shrugged his shoulders. - -"He can't stop us this time," he said. "I tell you it's Christmas eve, -and we're in luck. Haley's left us a Christmas present of that old float -and junks of fire-wood and odds and ends of stuff, in the hold; and we'll -sail ashore on it like sliding down hill. Come on." - -They went cautiously out on deck. - -"My! but it's chilly," muttered Tom Edwards, turning the collar of his -slicker up about his neck. "If we didn't have these oil-skins we'd pretty -nearly freeze to death." - -"We'll warm up when we get to work," replied Harvey. - -The two proceeded to the main hatch, through which the most of the -oysters were put into the hold, and lifted it a little. It was a huge -affair, and so heavy it took their united strength to stir it and drag it -away, so they could have access to the hold. - -"We've got to have that lantern," said Harvey, and he went and got the -one from the forecastle. Then he sprang down into the hold. - -"I'll pass the stuff up to you," he said, "and you set it down on the -deck. But look out and don't drop any." - -Hanging the lantern so he could see to work, Harvey presently passed a -piece of timber out to Tom Edwards. This was followed by several pieces -of planking, exceedingly heavy, bits of board and even some long sticks -of firewood--branches of oak that had been picked up by the crew down -along shore. It was all more or less soggy with the dampness of the hold; -some of it seemed to be completely soaked through. It nearly proved their -undoing. - -Tom Edwards, disregarding Harvey's admonition to wait till he could -assist in carrying the wood to the side of the vessel, started with a -stick of the timber. Of a sudden, a rotted edge of it crumbled and broke -away in his hands. The heavy stick slipped from his grasp and slammed -down upon the deck. The next moment Harvey leaped out on deck, in alarm. - -"Tom, that made an awful racket!" he said, anxiously. "Listen. By Jove! -we're in for it now. There's somebody stirring--it's in the cabin. Tom, -you get down into that hold quicker'n scat; and if Haley comes, you talk -to him, but don't let him see you. I'll take care of him." - -It was an odd situation, that the positions of man and boy should be -reversed at the crisis. But Tom Edwards was not the equal of Jack Harvey -in strength, and he knew it. Years of activity, at baseball, swimming, -yachting and the like, had developed Harvey into an athlete of no mean -proportions, as the muscles that played beneath his sweater denoted; Tom -Edwards had been flabby and easily winded when he came aboard the -dredger, and he had had little chance to gain strength with the bad food -that Haley provided. Now he obeyed Harvey, without a question. He sprang -into the hold, and Harvey darted back and hid behind the shadow of the -forecastle. - -They were not much too soon, nor had Harvey been deceived in the sounds -he had heard. The cook, awakened by the noise, and mindful of the parting -injunction of Hamilton Haley that the vessel and crew were in his -keeping, stepped out of the companion and looked forward. In his right -hand he held Haley's revolver. - -He started, as his eye fell upon the mass of wood heaped at the edge of -the hatchway. He advanced quickly, holding his weapon ready. At the edge -of the hatchway, he stopped and listened. Then he aimed the revolver into -the lantern light and called out, "Here you, who's down there? You're -caught. I'll shoot the first man that tries to escape." - -The answering voice of Tom Edwards came from the hold. - -"I'm down here--Tom Edwards. I'll come out, all right. Don't shoot. I'm -wedged in here, though. I can't be quick." - -"Well, the lubber!" exclaimed Haley, in surprise. "You're the last one -I'd have expected--" He broke off and stooped, to peer into the hold. - -The next moment, the cook felt himself thrown violently backwards on the -deck. The revolver was wrenched from his hand, and Jack Harvey stood over -him. - -"Don't you make any cry," muttered Harvey, "or you'll get hurt. Come on -out, Tom, I've got Mr. Haley." - -The cook, lifting himself to a sitting posture and gazing at the two in -astonishment, still sought to intimidate them. - -"Don't you go trying to escape," he said. "You'll get the worst of it. -Haley'll make trouble, and you'll be back here again inside of a week, -and you'll get it worse than ever. Besides, you can't get ashore on that -stuff." - -He changed his tone to a wheedling, mollifying one. - -"Just you go back now, like good fellows," he said, "and I'll promise -Haley I won't say a word about it. And I'll promise you the best grub you -ever tasted, all the rest of the season. There won't be anything too good -for you two." - -Harvey laughed softly. - -"It's no use," he replied. "You'll have to settle with Haley when he -finds us gone. I hope he takes it out of you, too, for the stuff you've -made us eat. Get up, now, and march aft." - -Haley, whimpering, threatening and begging by turns, obeyed orders. They -escorted him back to the cabin. In five minutes, Harvey had him tied up -as ship-shape and as securely as ever a captive was bound. They laid him -down on a bunk and left him. - -With the revolver in their possession, there was no longer need of -caution or quietness. Boldly they worked away, with the stuff from the -hold, hitching it with bits of rope and making a raft of it alongside the -vessel. They laid a flooring of the stuff and Harvey stepped on to it. To -his chagrin, the raft sank under his weight. - -"It's water-soaked!" he exclaimed to Tom Edwards, as he scrambled aboard -again. "Well, we'll lay a cross-flooring and see what that will do." - -They threw over the rest of the planks and wood, cross-wise, on the raft -they had made. Harvey again stepped on to it. - -It was, alas, little better than before. The wood, rotten and water -soaked, had scarce sufficient buoyancy to float itself, let alone support -two of them. Of its own weight, it sank so that the upper tier of wood -floated clear of the lower. - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards looked at each other, silently. Harvey's face -was drawn with disappointment. - -"Tom," he cried, desperately, "I'll take an axe and chop the old cabin of -the Brandt apart before I'll give up. Come on, we mustn't lost time." - -Tom Edwards, whose wits had been trained in years of successful business, -proved more resourceful. - -"What's the matter with using that hatch cover?" he said, pointing to it. - -Harvey stopped short and gave a roar of delight. "Tom Edwards," he cried, -"you're a daisy. I'm a simple-minded, brainless, wooden-headed, -thick-skulled land-lubber. I never thought of that hatch, and there it -was all ready to use. Here we've been working like dogs, and that old -hatch will float us ashore like a ship. Come on. In with it." - -It cost them some effort, for the hatch was a big one. But it floated -buoyantly when they had dragged it overboard; and it scarcely sank at all -under Harvey's weight; and it held him and Tom Edwards when the latter -had stepped cautiously off on to it. They made it fast alongside, with a -piece of rope cut from dredging gear. Then they ran joyously for the -cabin. - -The cook met them with a flood of protestations, but they shut him up in -short order. With the lantern light, they helped themselves to the meagre -stores of the Brandt, and stuffed their pockets with biscuit and corn -bread, baked for Haley and the mate. They also took matches, and they -exchanged their ragged oil-skins for better ones. They had earned them -ten times over, and they were leaving without a penny of wages for all -the hard labour they had done. - -"Say good-bye to Haley for me," said Tom Edwards, pausing a moment before -the helpless captive. "And tell him I hope to meet him again some day. -And if I do, he'll be sorry." - -They carried the cook into his galley, and shut him in. Then they found -an extra pair of oars, stepped aboard the inverted hatch, the finest -craft in all the world to them, and pushed for shore. - -It was not easy, sculling the clumsy hatch, but Harvey made fair work of -it, after he had cut a scull-hole in the combing, with his knife; and Tom -Edwards aided by paddling on either side, making up with energy what he -lacked in skill. The work warmed them, and they threw off their oil-skin -coats. - -The tide was running up the river and carried them some distance out of -the course they had tried to make; but they came in to land finally and -sprang out on shore. Harvey stooped and picked up a handful of the coarse -dirt and gravel, and handed it gravely to Tom Edwards. - -"Merry Christmas, Tom Edwards," he said. "It's the real thing--the -shore--the dry land once more. Isn't it bully?" - -Tom Edwards threw his arms about his stalwart companion and fairly hugged -him. - -"Harvey," he said, "you're a comrade worth having. You've stood by -through thick and thin, and you've lost chances to escape in order to -stand by me. I won't forget it." - -Harvey, freeing himself from his friend's grasp, offered his hand and -they shook heartily. They started off, but Harvey turned back once and, -seizing one of the oars, shoved the hatch out into the stream. Then he -threw the oars after it. - -"We owe Haley that much," he said--"and more. He'll have to follow the -tide up river some time before he finds that stuff. Now, Tom, what shall -we do? We're ashore--by Jove! there was one time I began to think we'd -never get here. And now we're here, I'm blest if I know what to do next." - -"Well, we'll stop and hold a council of war," said Tom Edwards. So they -paused at the top of the little bank they had ascended, adjusted their -oil-skins once more, and looked off on to the river and the vessel that -they had left behind. - -Harvey whistled a tune and looked at his comrade, jubilant in spite of -their perplexity. - -"It's a regular jim-dandy Christmas eve!" he exclaimed. - -"I'll remember it as long as ever I live," replied Tom Edwards. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - HENRY BURNS MAKES A DISCOVERY - - -It was after eleven o'clock when Harvey and Tom Edwards paused to rest -and consider what they should do. The night was very still and clear, -and, with the approach of Christmas day, there was already a perceptible -change in the temperature. It was growing milder. With that, and the -relief from their long oppression,--the sensation of being once more -free--they felt a great buoyancy of spirit. - -"I could sit right here all night," exclaimed Harvey, breathing deep and -looking off exultantly at the river. "There's the old Brandt--bad luck to -her! You can see the masts against the water, as she swings. Whew! But -we've had a time of it. I'd like to see Haley when he finds us gone, and -his hatch missing." - -"Well, you are young and tough and you may not want a place to sleep, -to-night," replied Tom Edwards; "but I don't mind saying that I do, and I -want it soon as I can get it. I'm dead tired, and I'm dead sleepy. I -wonder which one of these houses we'd better try." - -"That's what bothers me," answered Harvey. "Sam Black told me once that a -good many of these people along shore own shares in some of the dredgers, -and they'd give a sailor up, if he ran away." - -"I don't believe it," said Tom Edwards. - -"I'm not so sure he wasn't trying to keep me from trying to escape," -admitted Harvey. "I dare say some of these folks would be glad to see us -get away. Let's try that little house over there, through the trees." - -He pointed to a house a few rods up on a road that led from the shore, -and they proceeded towards it. It was all in darkness, and, indeed, -seemed almost deserted. They passed in through a half tumbling gateway, -with rotting posts on either hand, and Tom Edwards knocked at the door. - -There was no answer, and he knocked again. They heard some one stirring -within. Presently a chamber window was thrown up, and an old woman poked -her head cautiously out. - -"What do you want, this time of night?" she asked. - -"Madam, we want a night's lodging," replied Tom Edwards, removing his -tarpaulin, and making as polite an appearance as his fisherman's -oil-skins would permit. - -"Hey?" - -"A night's lodging, madam. We have left the vessel, and we haven't any -place to stop." - -"Oh, you be sailor men, eh--but you talk like a man as tried to sell me a -sewing machine once--sort of smooth like. Well, I'm a lone woman, and I -haven't any lodgings for anyone. You'll have to go along." - -"We can pay," ventured Harvey. - -The woman shook her head. - -"I've heard they do beat 'em dreadful on the dredgers, oftentimes," she -said, "and I don't know as I blame you for running off, if that's what -you've been doing. But you'll have to try somewhere's else. I guess you -couldn't pay much, by the looks of you." - -Harvey and Tom Edwards looked at each other. Tom Edwards shook his head. - -"It's no use, Jack," he said. "She won't let us in." Then he turned to -the window once more and made a sweeping bow, with his greasy tarpaulin -in hand. - -"Allow us to wish you a Merry Christmas, madam," he said. - -"Hey?" - -"A Merry Christmas, I say." - -The old woman suddenly withdrew her head from the window, and they -started to go away; but she reappeared and called to them. - -"Here," she said, "catch this." And she tossed something out of the -window. - -A coin fell at Harvey's feet, and he stooped and picked it up. It was a -quarter of a dollar. - -"If that will do you any good, you are welcome," she said. "It's all the -Christmas I can afford to give you." - -Then she shut the window. - -Harvey and Tom Edwards, amused and disappointed, passed out of the -gateway and went on. - -"Well, we're a quarter better off," laughed Harvey, untying his oil-skins -and stowing the coin away in a trousers' pocket. - -"Oh, hang the quarter!" exclaimed Tom Edwards, sleepily. "I'd give ten -dollars for a good night's lodging, a bath and a shave--that is, if I had -the ten," he added. "What shall we do, Jack?" - -"I know," replied Harvey, promptly. "I've seen a big old farmhouse, with -a lot of barns and hen-houses and cattle sheds and things, when we've -been lying off shore, and it looked mighty comfortable and home-like. -It's down the shore a piece. Let's go there. We won't ask for lodgings, -though. We'll get into one of the barns, and make ourselves comfortable. -They can't find us until morning, anyway." - -"Go ahead. I'm with you," said Tom Edwards. - -Harvey led the way, across the open country, through a series of little -hills and hollows, to the eastward of where they had landed. Tom Edwards, -wearied and burdened with the weight of the cumbersome oil-skins, -followed doggedly, nearly falling asleep as he walked. - -They came presently to the outskirts of a farm of some considerable size, -fenced in, and skirted with small trees and bushes. From the shelter of -these, they could look across some ploughed land, with the old stubble of -corn-stalks showing, to the farmhouse and out-buildings. There were, as -Harvey had noted, several of these. - -"I wonder if there are any dogs," muttered Harvey, as he surveyed the -prospect. "If there are, we're done for--unless we have better luck than -we did before." - -He gave a low whistle, not to be audible far, but which might carry in -the still night air to the buildings. Then they waited anxiously. There -was no answering bark. They stole quickly across the open fields and came -within the shadow of one of the barns. There they paused again, listening -intently for any sound that might come from the house. The place was -silent, save for the stirring of some cattle within the barn. - -This barn was one of the larger ones, evidently built for storing hay, -with a part of it used for cattle. It was nearest the farmhouse--only a -few rods distant. They made the round of three sides of it, keeping close -within the shadow of its walls, looking for a possible means of entrance. -To their disappointment, there were no windows large enough to admit of -the passage of even a boy--only some small ones, high up, that admitted -light and air for the cattle. - -At the farther end, however, they discovered two doors; the larger one on -the ground floor, used for teams and farm wagons, and, high above that, a -smaller door that opened on to the second floor, used for hoisting in -hay. The smaller door they perceived to be slightly ajar--evidently -through the oversight of some farm hand. - -Tom Edwards pointed to the door, half-heartedly. - -"Isn't that tantalizing?" he said. "Of course, it's the door that's out -of reach that's open." - -"We'll make it," replied Harvey. "Whoever heard of a farm without a -ladder of some sort?" - -They found one, after a cautious hunt, lying alongside another shed. In a -twinkling, they had raised it to the upper window, ascended, and were -inside. - -There was absolutely no way of telling where they were, save that they -were in some sort of a hay-loft, with a window at the farther end, -through which the stars gave scarcely any light at all. They ventured to -strike one match, but it gave them only a transient, shadowy view of -their surroundings; and they dared not repeat the experiment amid the dry -hay. - -There were cattle and perhaps other stock on the floor below, judging by -the sounds. There was hay scattered all about them, and a huge mow of it -on one side. There was a bucket filled with sand that Harvey discovered -by bumping his shins against it. A rope went up from this to the beam -above. Harvey knew the contrivance, for he had seen the like in barns at -home. The rope ran through a big block fastened to a beam overhead, and -passed down again from that pulley through a hole in the floor, to the -room below. There it connected, he knew, with a barred door, like a large -gate, that was used in summer nights, instead of the regular sliding -doors, to admit of a free supply of air into the barn. The rope connected -with it like a window cord, and the bucket of sand answered for the -weight. This much of their surroundings was apparent. All the rest was -hidden in darkness. - -Tom Edwards unbuttoned his oil-skin coat, removed it, and dropped upon a -little pile of hay, using the coat to cover him. - -"It's gorgeous! Jack, my boy," he exclaimed. "It beats any bed in the -Parker House in Boston. Turn in. There's room for two, and not a cent to -pay. My, but I'm tired!" - -"I'm with you," answered Harvey, "but I'll just close that door a bit -more. We haven't got much bed-clothing." - -He stepped to the door and shut it almost tight. Then he started back, -for where Tom Edwards lay. It was dark, and he could not see his way. He -took a few steps, when something impelled him to stop abruptly. The next -moment he discovered he was at the top of a pair of stairs leading down -to the lower floor. - -"Jimminy! Tom," he cried softly, "I came near taking a flying trip that -time. Here's a pair of stairs." - -He retraced his steps a little, and stumbled against a pitchfork, that -was leaning against the side of the barn. - -"Tom," he laughed, "where are you, anyway? This is the easiest place to -get lost in I ever saw." - -Before Tom Edwards had opportunity to reply, Harvey had taken a few more -steps in the darkness. Then Tom Edwards heard him utter a startled, -frightened, half-smothered cry. There was a queer, scraping sound, and a -heavy thud somewhere on the floor below. - -Tom Edwards sprang to his feet, in alarm. - -"Jack," he cried, "what's the matter? What's happened?" - -There was no answer. He groped his way across the floor. - -"Jack," he called again, anxiously, "where are you? What's happened? Are -you hurt?" - -He peered into the darkness, and listened. Then he heard the frightened -whinny of a horse, followed by a clatter of hoofs on the barn floor. Tom -Edwards made his way in the darkness to the top of the stairs. - -"Jack, Jack," he called. - -To his inexpressible relief, the voice of Harvey came up to him; then the -vague figure of Harvey, himself, ascending the stairway. He was limping, -but taking two stairs at a jump. - -Tom Edwards seized him by an arm as he arrived at the top. - -"Good gracious, my boy, what happened?" he asked. - -Harvey gasped. - -"I'm more scared than hurt, I guess," he said, panting for breath. -"Cracky! How I did go. Dropped down one of the chutes that they feed the -hay down into the stalls through. It was all over in a minute. I thought -I was going clear to China, and then I struck and landed in a manger. -Scared? You bet! But the horse in that stall was scared worse than I was. -He gave a snort and jumped to his feet, broke his halter and cleared out -of that stall quicker than scat. There he goes about the stable, making a -racket to wake the whole farm. I've done it, I expect. Say, Tom, we've -got to hide, and hide quick." - -"Where'll we go--down the ladder and make a run for it?" asked Tom -Edwards. - -"I can't do it," answered Harvey. "I've got a bad ankle. I know what. -Where's that pitchfork?" - -He groped his way cautiously to the side of the barn, and had the good -fortune to put his hand on the handle of the fork. - -"Lie down there again, Tom," he said. "I'll heap the hay over you. Here, -take my coat, too. I'll cover you, and then I'll go up the rope. I can -climb, if I can't run." - -Tom Edwards, confused by the sudden turn of affairs, obeyed instructions. -Harvey hurriedly pitched a quantity of the loose hay over the form of his -friend, pressed it down until Tom Edwards begged for mercy, vowing he -should smother, then tossed the pitchfork aside. Grasping the rope, -Harvey went rapidly up, hand-over-hand, until he could seize the beam. He -drew himself up, caught one leg over the beam and swung himself astride -of it. Then he stretched himself out at length upon the beam, holding to -the block for safety. It was an easy accomplishment for him. He had done -a similar feat in the gymnasium at home a hundred times; and the fear of -discovery now lent him strength which made little account of the extra -weight of clothing that encumbered him. It was dusty and uncomfortable on -the great beam, but he could stick. - -Sometime after midnight, Henry Burns and young Joe Warren, asleep in that -corner room of the old Warren house that was nearest the big barn, awoke -suddenly. Of one accord, the two sat bolt upright in bed and wondered if -the house were tumbling down about their heads. Then they realized that -the noise was outside the house--a most extraordinary racket, as of a -stampede of cattle, or a horse galloping through a covered bridge at full -speed. They sprang out of bed and ran to the window. - -Henry Burns laughed. - -"It's all right, Joey," he said. "It isn't an earthquake nor a cyclone. I -thought we were all going in a heap for a moment, though. It's out in the -barn--one of the horses got loose, I guess." - -They heard sounds of stirring in the room opposite, and presently Edward -Warren called out to them. - -"Don't be scared, boys," he said. "It's old Billy, got loose, somehow. -Funny, too, I hitched him all right last night. What on earth is the -matter with him? He's scared at something, sure. I reckon it isn't -thieves, for they don't steal horses around here. I'll have a look pretty -quick, though. There's something wrong." - -"Come on, Joe," said Henry Burns. "Let's see what's the matter." - -But Young Joe was not eager. He yawned and returned to bed. Henry Burns -dressed and hurried out into the hall. A few moments later, Edward -Warren, carrying a lantern, and George and Arthur Warren and Henry Burns -made their way out of the back door and entered the barn at the door -facing the house. - -As they threw open the sliding door and entered, with the lighted -lantern, the whinny of a horse greeted them. Then old Billy, recognizing -his master's voice, came ambling up and thrust his nose into Edward -Warren's hand. - -Edward Warren gave an exclamation of surprise. - -"That's queer," he said. "Look at that halter. If he hasn't broken it -short off. I never knew him to do that before. What's the matter, -Billy--had bad dreams?" - -"You don't think anybody has broken into the barn?" suggested George -Warren, peering into the dancing shadows cast by the lantern. - -"Oh, no," replied Edward Warren. "I never knew that to happen here. This -door was fastened, and so is the one at the farther end." He held the -lantern aloft and threw the light across the barn. "That's fastened up -tight," he said. - -"Come on, Billy," continued Edward Warren, "I'll hitch you up again. -Confound you, old scamp, what do you mean by acting this way?" - -The horse, led by his master, followed quietly; but at the entrance to -the stall he stopped and danced about, trembling. It was with difficulty -that he was dragged to the manger and hitched up. - -"That's queer, sure enough," said Edward Warren. "There's something about -that manger he acts afraid of. I'll just step up-stairs, pitch him down a -feed of hay, and quiet him." - -He took the lantern and ascended to the floor above, leaving the boys in -darkness. - -Jack Harvey, stretched at length on the beam, heard the footsteps, with -alarm. Peering down, he caught the gleam of the lantern. He clung rigidly -on his perch, till every bone and muscle in his body seemed to be aching. -He saw the man hunt for his pitchfork, heard him remark impatiently when -he did not see it in its place against the wall; saw him pick it up from -another part of the loft, on the floor. Then, to his dismay, he saw the -man turn toward the pile of hay that he had thrown over Tom Edwards. - -But the man stopped, gathered up a fork-full from the floor and thrust it -down the chute. - -"That will be enough to quiet the old boy," he muttered, and departed -down the stairs. Harvey felt a shiver of relief run through him. - -"Lucky I closed that door," he muttered. "If he'd gone to that and seen -the ladder, we'd have been done for." - -A few minutes later, the little party from the house had shut and locked -the barn door again and returned to their beds. Harvey, stiff in every -joint, managed to slide down the rope into the arms of Tom Edwards. A -moment more, and they were both snug in the hay, exhausted but thankful. - -Sleep soon overtook them, and they rested till the morning light came in -through the window. Then they aroused and scurried down the ladder, -setting off on as brisk a run as Harvey could manage with his lame ankle, -across the fields to the woods, without stopping to remove the ladder. - -"That was a close call, Tom," gasped Harvey, as they rested a half hour -later. "Supposing they had caught us? We'd be in the town lock-up, like -as not." - -Later that morning, a group of boys stood with Edward Warren, gazing at -the ladder raised to the upper barn door. - -"And only to think there was somebody in there all the time," said Henry -Burns. "Too bad you didn't catch them, Mr. Warren. What do you suppose -they wanted?" - -"Tramps," replied Edward Warren, "and old Billy didn't like 'em." - -Christmas day came in warm and genial. It was a wonderful day for winter, -even in Maryland. The party went into the woods and fields in the -morning, and returned with game for Mammy Stevens to roast. The Christmas -dinner followed. Young Joe dragged himself from the dinner table, fairly -groaning with his cargo of good things. The others were hardly better -off. They stood together on the Warren verandah. - -"Well, what shall it be?" inquired Edward Warren. "Anything you chaps -say, you know. Got enough gunning?" - -They demurred. - -"Couldn't walk half a mile after that dinner," said George Warren. - -Even Henry Burns declared himself unequal to so much activity, though he -was ever the last to tire or balk at exertion, being slight and wiry and -surprisingly strong. - -"How about a sail?" ventured Edward Warren. - -To his surprise, a shout of approval answered him. - -"Oh, I forgot you chaps were sailors," he said. "I didn't think you'd -venture it on a winter day. You sail up in your bay, summers, don't you?" - -"I should say we did," answered George Warren. "Jack Harvey and Henry -here own a fine yacht together. Jack Harvey's gone to Europe this winter. -And we fellows have a craft of our own, too. We keep them going lively in -summer. We'd just like to try that canoe of yours, Ed. Do you mean it?" - -"Why, certainly," said Edward Warren. "She's all ready; nothing to do but -get sail on, and go. I keep her moored in the cove, to run over to Drum -Point occasionally in, and to Solomon's Island. It's a fine afternoon for -a sail, if you get some oil-skins on. They keep the cold wind out." - -Edward Warren had made the proposal half in fun; but the opportunity for -a sail on a Christmas day such as this was not to be lost by the Warren -brothers and Henry Burns, who were, indeed, enthusiastic yachtsmen. The -novelty of a sail in winter, too, appealed to them. They lost no time in -equipping themselves with oil-skins and heavy jackets, provided by Edward -Warren, and soon the entire party was down by the shore. - -"She's no fancy yacht," said Edward Warren, pointing to the canoe drawn -in to the bank and moored with a line carried up and hitched to a tree, -"but she can go some. She's won many a touch-and-go race up and down this -river with different fleets of tong-men, if she hasn't got any silver -cups to show for it." - -The canoe, a craft of about twenty feet in length and narrow, after the -type of canoe common to Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, and carrying two -leg-o'-mutton sails and a jib, was not exactly a handsome boat, to be -sure. It was built of planking and finished up rather roughly, for use in -oystering; but it had, for all that, lines that denoted speed, and the -boys were eager to be off in it. They scrambled aboard, got up sails on -the slender, raking masts, and, with Edward Warren at the tiller, darted -across the river. - -It was remarkable, in the eyes of the youths accustomed to a type of -craft altogether different, how the narrow, crank looking canoe stood up -so stiffly, withstood the wind flaws and sailed so well. Some tongmen -came down the river presently, and Edward Warren joined their little -fleet, stood along with them, and drew ahead of them all. It was evident, -as he had said, that he had a fast canoe. - -"How would she behave out in the bay?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Fine as a ship," answered Edward Warren. "The men around here cross the -bay in them in pretty rough weather. We'll go out and take a few seas, -and let you see how cleverly she rides." - -They headed out toward the mouth of the river, passed beyond the -lighthouse, into the open waters of the bay. It was not rough, but there -was some sea running. The canoe weathered it all surprisingly. They -followed up the shore of the bay for a mile or two. - -Time passed quickly, and it was late in the afternoon when they left the -light on their starboard hand in running back again. Edward Warren looked -at his crew and laughed. - -"You stood it well," he said. "But you're a frozen looking lot, for all -that. Winter's a chilly time for yachting, at its best. I tell you what -we'll do. Do you see that house up on the hill? My old friend, Will -Adams, lives there all alone. He'll be pleased enough to see us. We'll -just stand in and land and make him a call, get some coffee and thaw out -by his fire before we run home." - -He turned the canoe in and ran up to a little landing not far from the -Drum Point lighthouse; they disembarked and walked briskly up the hill. A -young man of about thirty, standing in the doorway of the big house they -were approaching, hailed them as they drew near. - -"Hello, Ed," he called cheerily, "I saw you out on the river. Got a crew -with you, eh? Pretty cold yachting for a raw crew, isn't it? Come in, I'm -glad to see you. There's a good fire going. Cousins, you say, and Henry -Burns--all from Maine. I'm glad to meet you all. Take off your duds. -You'll stay to supper with me, you know. It's a dull life I lead here, -and I'm glad to have company." - -There was no doubt of the heartiness and sincerity of his welcome. There -was cordiality in his voice, and a genial smile on his face. He was a -large, powerfully built man, hearty and free in all his actions and -words. The boys threw off their outer garments, and gathered about the -open fire in the sitting-room. - -Edward Warren was for getting home before dark, but Will Adams wouldn't -hear of it. He started the two servants on an early supper, and his -guests sat down to table with him, an hour later, enjoying the best that -his house afforded. - -"I don't have much company, nowadays," he explained, as he sat offering -them his hospitality in the cheery dining-room. "I lead rather a lonely -life, in fact. About the only strangers that come to my door are a few -poor fellows from off the dredgers--got clear by hook or crook, and -coming begging, rousing me up at all hours of the night, asking a night's -shelter or a dollar to get up the bay with." - -Henry Burns listened eagerly. - -"Are there many that get away when they're beaten?" he asked. - -Will Adams paused a moment, while his face darkened. - -"There's some that get away," he answered, "who never come farther ashore -than just beyond the reach of the tide. Down on that shore yonder there's -eight of the poor chaps buried. They were washed ashore, and we found -them. Some of them had the marks that showed they had been knocked -overboard--beaten--abused shamefully. That's the way some of them escape. - -"Others do get away, with never a cent in their pockets, half starved and -half clad. I help a few of them along. - -"Sometimes in the still summer nights, I hear a man crying for mercy out -aboard a dredger. I know what's happening to him--tied up to the mast and -getting a lashing. Sometimes an entire vessel's crew is beaten up, by the -captains and mates of four or five vessels that work together. Hard life? -Well, it's about the hardest I know of. - -"You wouldn't think a man would swim ashore on a winter night, half a -mile or more, in water you could hardly bear your hand in? Well, I've -known them to do that. Had one come the other night. He was nearly dead -when he got here--say, that was the queerest of all. He brought a note -ashore, in his cap, and lost the cap down by the shore; and I had to go -out with a lantern and find the cap for him, to keep him from going back, -half dead as he was. I'm going to give that note to the authorities. I'll -show it to you, if you've any curiosity." - -Will Adams arose and went to a desk, took therefrom a sheet of paper on -which he had pasted three other torn pieces, and handed it to Edward -Warren. The latter took it, ran his eye over it hastily, then sat up and -read it again slowly. - -"Well, that's queer," he exclaimed. "What does that say? 'Send word to -Benton,'--Benton! Why, that's where these youngsters come from. What is -this--a joke? Look at that, Henry. Come around here, George. It's a joke, -or it's the oddest thing that ever happened." - -Henry Burns took the sheet and deciphered the message. He held it for a -moment, as though he could not believe what he read. Then he handed it to -George Warren and said, calmly and deliberately, "It's from Jack Harvey, -George. He hasn't gone to Europe. He's out on that man Haley's dredger." - -One unacquainted with Henry Burns might have thought, by his voice and -his deliberation, that he was strangely unmoved at his astounding -discovery. George Warren, who had known him for years, knew by that same -unusual deliberation, by the set look of his face, and by his eyes, that -something extraordinary had aroused him. - -George Warren gave one glance at the paper, and uttered a cry that rang -through the rooms:-- - -"Jack Harvey! Carried off on a dredger, Arthur. What do you think of -that? Why, he's our friend, Mr. Adams. He's from Benton, where we live. -We've got to hunt for him? What'll we do?" - -"Haley, Haley," repeated Edward Warren, "where have I seen him? Why, of -course, that fellow that came for the potatoes. You fellows remember him. -His vessel was off shore. Will, I think we can get that fellow to-night. -What do you say?" - -"No, you can't--not to-night," said Henry Burns, in a tone of deep -disappointment; "I saw him get under weigh from Solomon's Island just as -we came back into the river, not more than two hours ago. He's gone down -the bay somewhere. I know the craft. I took notice of it this morning, on -account of that trouble at the house the night before, when Joe ran into -him." - -"George," he added, "don't things happen queer, though? Jack out aboard a -dredger--and we close by, all the time he's been off there. And we -thought he was in Europe! And to think that he's been trapped by the very -man we fell in with--that brute, Haley." - -Henry Burns turned to Edward Warren and Will Adams. "What can you do?" he -asked. "We've got to get Jack off quick. How are we going to do it?" - -"Well, sit down here," answered Will Adams. "We'll talk it over." - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - HARVEY MEETS WITH A LOSS - - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards had made good their escape--escape from their -own friends. Alas, they knew not how near they had been to the end of all -their troubles. As it was, now that they were out of sight and sound of -the farmhouse, the whole adventure seemed amusing. Harvey leaned against -a tree and roared with laughter. - -"You're a sight!" he exclaimed to his companion. "I'd like to see you -walk into a store now and try to sell a man some goods. Oh, but I'm -winded. How we did scoot." - -Tom Edwards was, indeed, nearly used up, from the dash across the fields. -His shabby garments were covered with wisps of hay and straw; his very -hair was filled with it. His face was stained with the dust of the -hay-mow and the exertion of running. Altogether, he looked not unlike -some huge fowl, half plucked, with short feathers sticking out here and -there. His shoes, much worn and breaking through, were miry with the soil -of the corn field. He looked himself over, as Harvey spoke, and a grim -smile overspread his face. - -"I nearly died under all that hay," he said. "And when that chap came -into the mow and walked toward me, I had to hold in with might and main -to keep from letting out the biggest yell I ever gave in my life. I -expected that pitchfork to go into my leg every minute. If it had, -there'd have been one scared farmer in Maryland, I tell you." - -Harvey roared again. Then his face grew serious. - -"Poor old Tom!" he exclaimed. "You've had the hardest time of it right -along. I thought, one time, you wouldn't stand the winter at the dredges. -Well, we're through now, though. Lucky I saved that money. We'll get down -to the shore, and find out about the boat. Then, hooray for Baltimore!" - -"And after Haley!" added Tom Edwards, emphatically. "I'm going to put him -where he belongs." - -"And I'm going to put this where it belongs," remarked Harvey, drawing -forth a biscuit, from his pocket. "I'm hungry enough to eat some of that -hay, back in the barn. Here's a piece of corn bread, too. It's good, if -George Haley did cook it. It wasn't meant for the crew, that's why." - -Tom Edwards producing other of the food taken from the Brandt, they made -a breakfast in the open, without stopping to build a fire; and they -quenched their thirst from the water of a little stream that trickled -down through the wood. - -"This will do well enough for now," said Tom Edwards, as he bolted a -piece of biscuit, hungrily; "but just you wait till we get into -civilization once more, Jack, old fellow. I'm going to take you to Boston -with me, and we'll go to the best hotel there, and I'll order a big -sirloin steak as thick as your two hands, and we'll sit and eat till we -choke." - -"Hooray!" mumbled Harvey, biting into a piece of corn bread; "isn't it -good to be free?" - -When they had eaten, they started back into the country, on a long detour -to avoid the farmhouse, to make their way to the shore in the -neighbourhood of the steamboat landing. They walked across a somewhat -uneven country, broken here and there by little streams that flowed down -into the creeks that cut into the shore line. Some of these were frozen -so as to bear their weight; others had open water, so they were forced to -walk some distance in order to find a crossing place. Once they ascended -a hill of perhaps a hundred feet, from which they could see the -surrounding country and the river, plainly. - -There were several smaller hills lying to the eastward of this, between -one of which a stream of some considerable size ran down into a large -creek above Millstone landing. They could see the farmhouse from this -hill; and, with the coming in of the morning, they saw a sight that -thrilled them--that made them burn with exultation--the bug-eye Brandt, -making sail and going across the harbour to Solomon's Island. They -watched the craft with satisfaction for a long time. Then they slowly -descended the hill in the direction of the landing. - -Crossing more uneven country, Harvey and Tom Edwards came finally into a -road that trended down toward the shore. They followed that for about -three quarters of a mile, till another road crossed it at right angles. -At this point, they espied, coming down the road that intersected the one -they were on, a man, carrying a gunny sack over one shoulder. They -halted, and waited for him to come up. - -The man was ill favoured, roughly dressed, stooping and almost stealthy -in his gait, looking about him from side to side. As he approached, he -eyed them slyly out of the corners of a pair of sharp, black eyes, -turning his head and giving them no direct glance. He would have passed -them without speaking, but Tom Edwards hailed him. - -"Can you tell us what time the boat will go up the river to-day, sir?" he -asked. - -The man stopped, lowered his sack to the ground, and stood, darting -glances at them, without replying for a moment. Then he answered, curtly, -"'Twon't go up at all to-day." - -Tom Edwards and Harvey looked at each other, with keenest disappointment -on their faces. - -"When will it go up?" continued Tom Edwards. - -"Day after to-morrow--it will, if the weather's right. If it isn't, it -won't. Where d'yer want to go?" - -"We want to go to Baltimore," replied Tom Edwards; and added, by way of -explanation, "we've come ashore from a vessel." - -"Hmph!" ejaculated the stranger. "Reckon you'll stay right here to-day." -He eyed them shrewdly for a moment, in silence. Then he said, "Off a -vessel, eh? You ain't flush with money, then. Couldn't pay for a night's -lodging, I suppose." - -"Yes, we can," answered Harvey, promptly. "We haven't got much money, but -we can pay for that, and for a dinner, too. Do you know where we can get -it?" - -The man's appearance bespoke poor hospitality that he might have to -offer; but they had met with ill success, in seeking shelter, and -anything would be better than a night in the fields. - -"Hm! What might you be willing to pay for keeping you over a night, with -meals?" inquired the man, casting doubtful glances at their shabby, -mud-stained clothing. - -Harvey looked at Tom Edwards. The latter made answer. - -"We'll give you a dollar for dinner, supper, night's lodging and a -breakfast to-morrow," he said. "Then we'll see about what we'll do." - -The man's eyes twinkled shrewdly. - -"Make it two, and it's a bargain," he said. - -"All right," said Harvey. - -"Well, I'm going down to the shore," said the man, "and I'll be back this -way. You can come along, or wait for me here. I won't be gone long." - -"We'll wait for you," replied Tom Edwards. - -The man shambled off down the road toward the landing. - -"It doesn't look very inviting," said Tom Edwards, as their new-found -host went on his way, "but we've got to take what we can get. We'll make -up for it when we get to Baltimore." - -The man's promise to be back soon was not fulfilled, for it was more than -an hour before they saw him returning. He was burdened, however, with the -weight of the sack, which he had evidently been to the warehouse to fill. -He set it down as he came up to them, and Harvey offered to carry it a -way for him--an offer which was accepted promptly. - -"I'm not so spry as I used to be," he remarked; "and you're young and -rugged." - -He started up along the road he had first come, and the two followed, -Harvey carrying the sack, which proved to be filled with potatoes. They -proceeded for about half a mile, when Harvey, wearied with his load, -inquired how much farther they had to go. - -"Oh, just a leetle piece," responded the man, cheerfully. He did not -offer to relieve Harvey of the sack, however. The "leetle piece" proved -to be fully a half mile more, when the man turned from the road and -followed a wheel track through the fields. They proceeded along that for -about a quarter of a mile. - -"I guess I'll stop and rest for a minute," said Harvey presently. "This -sack is pretty heavy." - -"Sho!" exclaimed the man. "You've been carrying it a long way, haven't -you? I'll take it the rest of the way." - -He gave a grin, as he spoke, the reason for which was soon apparent. They -had gone on for only a rod or two more when they espied, in a clump of -trees, a dingy, weather-beaten house. It was of one story in height, -leaning over at an angle that threatened its complete collapse at no -distant day. The hearts of Tom Edwards and Jack Harvey sank. It was not a -pleasant prospect for Christmas. - -Throwing open the door, the man invited them to enter. They found -themselves within a shabby room, bare of furnishing, save a wooden table, -some chairs, strengthened with pieces of board, and a horse hair sofa in -one corner, the springs of which had broken through and were touching the -floor. - -"You're welcome, misters," said the man, "to such as it is. It ain't -nothing to boast of, but it's a sight better than some dredgers I've -seen. Had breakfast?" - -Harvey nodded. The place left him little appetite. - -It was some time before the man spoke again. He seemed to be considering -something. Then he said, somewhat hesitatingly, "Misters, I know as how -you are all right, by the looks of you--sailors, eh, but not such as -would take advantage of a poor man. But bein' as you are strangers, why -it will have to be pay in advance--and no offence intended. Besides, I -don't keep much on hand, as I live alone; and I'll have to go along up -the road a piece, and buy a bit of meat." - -Harvey was prepared for it. In the absence of the man on his errand to -the warehouse, he had carefully withdrawn four one dollar bills from the -money pinned into his clothing, and now he had the two dollars ready. He -handed them over. - -The man snatched the money greedily, while his eyes twinkled. He took -down his slouch hat from a peg, and prepared to be off again. - -"Will you make yourselves at home, misters," he said, more deferentially -than before. "I'll be after a bit of meat for dinner. The old house isn't -much to look at, but it don't leak rain, and it's warm. You keep the fire -going, and I'll promise you'll have a dinner that beats dredgin' grub by -a long sight." - -He went out and left them alone. They sat for a moment in silence. Then -Harvey laughed, as he surveyed the dingy room. - -"Merry Christmas! Tom," he said. - -It was Tom Edwards's turn to smile now. - -"The same to you, Jack, old boy," he exclaimed, heartily. "I guess the -old cove is right, after all. It does beat Haley's dredger--but not by -such a big margin." - -They explored the ramshackle house, together. There was a room opening -off the one they were in, a sleeping room, with a rough cot in it that -might accommodate two, on a pinch. A wood-shed led off from the first -room, also. That was the extent of the cabin. They returned to the living -room, which, with a small cook-stove set up in it, answered for -dining-room, parlour, and kitchen in one. They replenished the fire-pot -with wood, from a box, and stretched themselves out at length on the -floor beside the fire. The room was at least warm, and they were still -weary from lack of sleep. - -The hours passed, and it was near noon when they heard the returning -footsteps of their host. He came in and busied himself with preparations -for dinner, setting out a coffee pot on top of the stove and cutting some -strips of bacon to fry in a pan. He took from a closet a few cold boiled -potatoes, and sliced these into the pan, with the bacon. - -That was their Christmas dinner; but they were hungry, and ate heartily. -Toward the end of the meal, their host eyed them slyly, but critically. -He noted their clothing, their shoes, even the wisps of hay still -clinging to their hair. He arose and pretended to be busy about the fire, -but cast sidelong glances at them. - -"I heard that there were tramps got into Warren's barn, over yonder, last -night," he said, in a matter-of-fact tone. "We don't have much of that -around here. Neighbour Darrell says Warren would give a dollar, and -perhaps more, to catch them. But I says, 'Probably the poor fellows -didn't have nowheres else to go, and I wouldn't tell on 'em, if I knew -where they were.'" - -Again the man stole a stealthy glance at his guests. - -"I wouldn't take money for that," he added, "though I reckon it would be -worth a dollar to the chaps, themselves, to keep out of the lock-up." - -Harvey, and Tom Edwards exchanged significant glances. It was only too -clear what their host was driving at. But Harvey waited for some time -before he yielded. It was half an hour later, when they had finished -dinner and were sitting by the fire, that he met the sly demand. - -"Look here," he said, suddenly, as though the thought had just struck -him, "you're giving us the best you can, and we haven't paid you enough. -Here's another dollar. I'd give more than that, if we could afford it." - -He held out the dollar. The man took it, eyed it avariciously and stuffed -it into a pocket. - -"I wouldn't take it if I wasn't as poor as poverty," he said. - -Late that afternoon, he took down his hat and said he would go "up the -road" again, and be back shortly. They watched him till he was out of -sight. Then Tom Edwards turned to Harvey, his face clouded with anger. - -"Jack," he said, "we've got to get out of here, and now's our chance. I -wouldn't trust that old rascal another minute. He may be lying about the -lock-up he spoke of--I don't believe there's one for miles around. But -he'd sell us to the first captain that came along. What do you think?" - -Jack Harvey nodded, wearily. - -"You're right," he said. "It's a beastly shame, though. I want a night's -sleep. But we can't get away from here any too soon, I'm thinking. Come -on. Let's bolt." - -They started off, running along the wheel track, and thence down the road -they had come before. It was already growing dark, and their hearts sank, -as they hurried on, wondering anxiously where they should spend the -night. - -They followed the road down to the landing, because they knew not where -else to go. They came finally to the wharf, with its warehouse at the -farther end. This was shut fast, and no sign of life about it. They sat -down for a moment, to rest. - -"Well?" queried Harvey, "what do you think?" - -"Try another farmhouse?" suggested Tom Edwards. - -"I'm scared to do it," replied Harvey. "There's an old barn, or factory -of some sort over yonder, however, that looks deserted. Anything will do -for a night. Let's go and see." - -They made their way over to the eastward of the wharf, for a distance of -several rods, and came up to an old canning factory, which had been some -time out of use and was closed. They forced the shutter of a window and -entered, finding themselves almost in darkness. - -What sort of a place they were in, what it consisted of, and whatever -accommodations it might afford them for a night's lodging, they had no -means of finding out. They had only a few matches, and these would serve -them but little. They feared to wander about, lest some rotten timbers -should let them through to the cellar, or whatever might be beneath. The -single match they lighted sufficed to show them all they needed. - -The little patch of light fell upon a litter of old straw, as though from -packing boxes of some sort. Tired and sleepy, they crept into this, -devoured the remaining biscuits they had in their pockets from the -Brandt's cabin, and fell sound asleep. - -Both awoke shivering, the following morning, for there had been scant -covering to their bed, and the building was cold. They hastened out into -the sunshine, going around to the southern exposure of the cannery, where -the warmth was greatest. Again, Harvey took the precaution of dividing -the money in his small and very private bank, drawing on the account -pinned to his undershirt, for three dollars, leaving fourteen thus -secured. - -He had hardly accomplished this transfer when they heard voices, and -three men came past the corner of the old cannery, going off to the right -in the direction of a great creek. Harvey halted them, with a call, and -they turned in surprise. They were negroes, and evidently oystermen of -some sort. - -"Hello, what be you two doing here?" inquired one of them, who seemed by -his manner to be the leader of the three. - -"We want to get to Baltimore," replied Harvey. - -The man shook his head. - -"Boat don't go to-day," he said. - -"We want something to eat," said Tom Edwards. "You fellows got anything -to sell?" - -"Mebbe a little bread, and sure enough some oysters," answered the man. -"They's down 'board the boat, though. You'll have to come and get 'em." - -The three negroes started on again, Tom Edwards and Harvey following. The -three apparently paid no more attention to Harvey and his companion--at -least, they did not arouse the suspicion of the two. Nevertheless, one by -one, as they walked along, the three turned and looked the strangers -over. Then they conversed together, softly, but with more than ordinary -interest. - -Arrived at the creek, there appeared a great canoe drawn up to shore, -with perhaps a bushel of oysters lying in a heap in the bottom. It was a -canoe of unusual size, at least twenty-four feet long, and broad of beam. -The man who had spoken handed over to Tom Edwards half a loaf of bread, -while another of the men began shucking some of the oysters. He passed -these to them, and they devoured them hungrily. - -"You want to go to Baltimore right away?" asked the negro, suddenly, -turning to Tom Edwards. - -"Quick as we can get there." - -"Jim," said the man, addressing one of his companions, "what time this -afternoon does that Potomac river steamer get 'round to Otter Point?" - -"About five o'clock," answered the man promptly. - -"You know Otter Point?" asked the first man, of Tom Edwards. - -The latter shook his head. - -"I know," said Harvey. "It's a long way down." - -"'Bout eighteen miles," said the negro. "Good offshore wind this fo'noon; -take you down in 'bout three hours, you catch the afternoon steamer, get -you into Baltimore to-morrow mo'ning." - -"How much will you charge?" - -"Guess it's worth 'bout a dollar." - -"What do you say, Tom?" asked Harvey. - -"I say, let's go," answered Tom Edwards. - -"All right," said Harvey. "When will you start?" - -"Jes' as soon as you get aboard," replied the negro. - -Harvey handed a dollar to the man, and they stepped into the canoe. The -men shoved off, the sails were set and the canoe glided out of the creek, -through a narrow opening, into the bay. There was a smart breeze coming -up, off the land; and the canoe, with the wind about abeam, headed down -along shore. It was fast, and they made good time. Some three hours -later, at about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, they ran between two -points of land, into a creek that spread out broadly for over a mile in -width, and extended northward for some three miles. - -They ran for something like a mile northwesterly, and turned into one of -the numberless coves, to where a small cabin stood, a little way back -from shore. The country round about was desolate. There was not another -sign of habitation in sight. - -They went up to the cabin, with the three negroes, and entered. It was a -mere fisherman's shack, with some bunks on two sides, filled with hay for -bedding. A cook stove warmed it. There was a table in the middle of the -floor, with some empty boxes to serve as seats. - -Despite the barrenness of it, however, Harvey and Tom Edwards made a good -dinner, about two hours later, of fried fish and bread and hot coffee. - -They were in good spirits, when they stood, at a quarter to five that -afternoon, at Otter Point, awaiting the steamer. - -But there was no wharf there--nothing but a rude framework of poles, at -which a small boat might moor. - -Harvey turned to their one companion, in surprise. - -"A steamer can't land here," he exclaimed. - -The leader of the three negroes, who had accompanied them from the cabin, -answered, with assurance. - -"The landing was over yonder," he said. "It was carried away, and they -just puts folks ashore and takes them on here. We has to send a boat -off." He took out a pipe and began smoking stolidly. - -Five o'clock came--and six--and there was no steamer. Night had settled -down. The negro answered their questions by asserting that "something -mus' have hap'nd; that boat was always on time befo'." - -They waited a little while longer, with fast dying hopes. It was all -guesswork to them. They could not know that, at six o'clock in the -evening, by its schedule, the Potomac river steamer bound for Baltimore -was twenty miles back on its course, coming out of St. Mary River, into -the Potomac; that it never did stop at the creek where they were -anxiously waiting, and that it would go by sometime in the night. At -half-past six o'clock they gave it up and rowed back with the negro, in a -skiff, to the cabin. - -"Jack," said Tom Edwards, as they turned in for the night, in bunks, one -above the other, "I'm afraid they've played a trick on us, though I don't -know what for. I don't like the looks of this place." - -"Nor I," said Harvey. "I'm going to keep awake for an hour or two, and -watch. I've got Haley's revolver." He took it from his pocket and hid it -in the straw under his head. "We'll be ready for them, anyway," he -muttered. - -But they had reckoned without their weariness. In less than an hour, they -were both fast asleep. - -Nothing evil befell throughout the night, however. The morning found them -undisturbed. The negroes were stirring, and the odour of cooking brought -them to their feet, hungry and refreshed. - -That day seemed endless. There would be no boat up river until -to-morrow, they were now assured. They could only wait. They were -suspicious--alarmed. The place was so out of the way, and so dreary. But -they decided to wait the one more day, and then, if no boat came, to -strike off across country for themselves. - -Harvey slept soundly that next night, for several hours. Then -something--he knew not what--roused him. He stirred sleepily, half awoke -and turned in his bunk. A figure stole away from him, in the darkness, -toward the door. It is probable that Harvey would have relapsed into -sound slumber once more had he not felt cold. He awoke, shivering, and -felt a draft of cold night air blowing in on him. Then he saw a patch of -moonlight streaming in through the half-opened door. - -Harvey, fully dressed, as he had turned in, rolled out of the bunk and -stepped to the door. Some distance away, two men were going down to the -shore. The next thing he saw sent the blood leaping through his veins. -Out in the creek, the moonlight was reflected on the sail of a bug-eye. -It was rounding to, coming up into the wind. Harvey darted back into the -cabin and awoke Tom Edwards, shaking him vigorously. - -"Tom, get up, quick!" he said; and dragged him from where he lay. - -"There's a vessel coming in, Tom," he cried, "and the men from here are -going down to meet it. They're after us--that's what. Tom, we'll be sold -again to a dredger if we don't get out of here. That's what they got us -down for." - -They had, fortunately, no clothing to put on, for they had turned in -dressed, even to their shoes. They waited only for a moment, snatching up -some pieces of dry bread that remained on the table from the supper. Then -they hurried out of the door. - -They were not a moment too soon. Perhaps the third man had been about the -cabin somewhere and had given the alarm. As they stepped outside, the -three negroes came plainly into sight, in the moonlight, armed with short -poles which they brandished as clubs, running back toward them and crying -out for them to halt. - -There was a sharp surprise for the three, however. Tom Edwards, made -desperate by the crisis, had drawn a fish knife that he had taken from -the cabin of the Brandt; Jack Harvey stood coolly in his tracks, holding -Haley's revolver. - -"Stand back there, or I'll shoot," he cried. - -The negroes stopped short and stood, holding their clubs in hand. They -were clearly taken all by surprise. The leader, balked of his prize money -for two able-bodied men for the dredger, was not to be beaten, off-hand, -however. His eyes flashed with anger, as he advanced a step. - -"That thing isn't loaded," he asserted. "You can't fool us. It won't -shoot." - -"Won't it?" said Harvey. "Let's see." He raised the weapon, aiming it -over the man's head, and pulled the trigger. The report of the weapon -sounded afar in the still night air, ringing out across the water. The -man sprang back, in terror, and, the next moment, the three started -running for the shore toward the vessel. - -"Tom," cried Jack Harvey, "get your wind for a run now. We've got to get -out of here before they bring the captain and mate and his men after us. -We'll have to run and trust to luck." - -They started off across country, away from the shore, as hard as they -could run. The moonlight, fortunately, showed them the ground over which -they ran--though they knew not whither they were travelling. - -All that night they proceeded, coming to a road, after a time, that went -northward. They followed along that. Not until daybreak did they pause to -rest. - -Poor Tom Edwards was groaning, and gasping like a fish out of water. - -"The luck's against us, Jack, old boy," he murmured. "Here we are, twenty -miles worse off than we were before--and, only to think, that other boat -goes up to-morrow from Millstone, and we won't be there in time." - -"Never mind," said Jack Harvey, stout-heartedly, "we'll get out of it -some way. We'll follow the road, and we won't starve. I've got the money -to pay for food along the way." - -He thrust his hand under his waistcoat, as he spoke--and uttered a cry as -he did so. - -"Tom," he shouted, "I haven't got the money. I've been robbed! It's -gone!" - -He felt through his clothing, feverishly. He drew forth from one pocket a -single dollar bill and a small amount of change. It was all he had left. -The money that had been pinned to his clothing had been taken, pin and -all, while he slept. The dollar left to him had been in the trousers -pocket, protected by his body. - -They were too poor now to pay their fare up the river. They were worse -off than before against the cold or any storm that might arise; for they -had left their oil-skins back in the cabin, in their flight. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - HENRY BURNS IN TROUBLE - - -Will Adams, stirring the coals in the fireplace of his cheery -dining-room, added two sticks of oak to the blaze, resumed his seat and -addressed his guests. - -"I've been wishing for years," he said, "that I could have a chance to -catch one of these dredging pirates that misuse their men so. Why, I've -lain in bed on summer nights and heard those poor fellows out aboard -begging for mercy--and I couldn't do anything to help them. It's hard to -catch a captain in the act of beating a man, and they have all kinds of -tricks to escape; the worst ones stand together and help one another out. -But we'll get this man, Haley, because he comes into the river, you say. -I don't remember him, at all, but I think I know the boat, as you -describe it." - -"We'll get a warrant for him, the first thing," said Edward Warren. - -"Well, that's what we'll have to depend on," replied Will Adams; "but -that's a slow process, and we may be able to do better, in the meantime, -ourselves. We want to get young Harvey, right off, before he has any more -of Haley's rough handling. - -"I'll tell you what we'll do, Ed. You take the boat, day after to-morrow, -for Baltimore, swear out the warrant, and get back here as quick as ever -you can. That will start the authorities after the fellow. But I warn -you, they're rather slow. They'll have to put a steamer on Haley's trail, -to make sure. - -"You see, news has a way of leaking out up in Baltimore. I don't know how -they do it--politics, I suppose. But as soon as a warrant is out, -somebody gets word of it on the water-front and then the news travels -down the bay like wildfire. One captain passes it along to another. Why, -the chances are, Haley might have young Harvey out of the way aboard some -other craft, or set ashore down in the Eastern shore swamps, before any -police captain came up with him. - -"That's why I say I hope we can get the boy off, ourselves, in the -meantime. Now I've got a sloop up in the creek back of Solomon's Island, -that I can fit out and have ready by to-morrow afternoon. She's a good -one, too, is the old Mollie. She's fast, and she can go across the bay in -anything that ever blew; thirty-seven feet long; a good, roomy cabin that -will sleep six of us easy, and seven on a pinch, by making up some beds -on the cabin floor. She'll carry sail, too, and if it comes to a brush -between us and Haley's craft, why the Mollie will show up surprisingly. -He'd have hard work to give us the slip, altogether, unless night came -on. - -"Yes, sir," exclaimed Will Adams, arising and squaring his broad -shoulders, "we'll fit out the Mollie like a regular sloop-of-war. I've -got three shot-guns and any number of revolvers, and you've got a good -rifle, Ed. Why, we could show enough force to capture a Malay pirate, let -alone Haley. We may get him easier than that, right here in the -river--and then again we may not. We'll be ready for anything. What do -you say?" - -"Well," said Edward Warren, "I'm for capturing the man wherever he shows -himself, if we can; but I'm not so sure that I ought to let these -youngsters run the risk of getting into a fight like that." - -Will Adams smiled. - -"Perhaps I put it a little bit strong," he said. "I don't really think -there would be very much fight about it. Haley is a coward, I'll venture -to say, if it comes to a pinch. Most bull-dozing men like that are. We -won't give him a chance to fight, if we can help it; just take him of a -sudden, and he'll give up." - -"Don't you worry about us, Cousin Ed," said George Warren. "We are old -enough to take care of ourselves. We don't mind running some risk, if we -can only get Jack out of his scrape." - -"Well," replied Edward Warren, "you fit up the Mollie, Will, and wait -till I get back from Baltimore before you start off anywhere. Then we'll -see." - -"I wish we could start to-night," said Henry Burns. - -It was surprising, the change that had come over this usually coolest and -most deliberate of the boys. He and Jack Harvey had not always been -friends; but now that circumstances had brought them together, and they -had cemented their friendship by a summer together and a partnership in a -fishing enterprise, they were loyal comrades. Henry Burns would have set -out on the moment, for Solomon's Island and the sloop Mollie, and have -worked all night to get her ready, if Will Adams had only said the word. - -But there was, plainly, nothing to be done until morning; and so, with a -hearty handshake all round, the boys and Edward Warren left the big house -on Drum Point and headed homeward across the river in the canoe. - -There was no time lost, on the following morning, however. They were up -and across the river at an early hour; and, taking Will Adams into the -canoe, they all went along by the shore into the creek where the Mollie -lay at her mooring. She was stripped of her sails and some of her -rigging, out of commission for the winter season. - -The young yachtsmen recognized her for what she was, a smart sea boat; -and they went to work with a will to assist in getting her ready for -cruising. From a loft on Solomon's Island they carried down the big -main-sail and the jibs and a single topsail. They lugged the big -anchor-rode and two anchors, including a spare one, carried for -emergency, down to the shore, and rowed the stuff out aboard. They -assisted in bending on the sails; lacing them to boom and gaff; in -reeving rigging; splicing a rope here and there; trying the pump and -putting on a fresh leather to the sucker rod; greasing the foot of the -mast, where the hoops chafed; putting aboard water jugs and spare -rigging--in short, the score and more things that went to make the craft -fit and safe for winter cruising. - -By early afternoon, the sloop, Mollie, was spick and clean and -ship-shape, with a brand new main-sheet and topping-lift, that would -stand a winter's squall; her ballast stowed in, as some of it had been -taken ashore. Everything was in readiness for the cruise, even to the -starboard and port lights, for use at night, and some charts of the bay -provided by Will Adams. They locked the cabin, and went back in the -canoe, first to Will Adams's landing and then across to the other shore. -George Warren held the tiller, in the absence of Edward Warren, who had -remained at home, preparing for his trip to Baltimore the following -morning. - -Through all that afternoon and until darkness settled over the river, -there was not a half hour that did not find Henry Burns either at a -window or out in the dooryard, gazing off through Edward Warren's -spy-glass. He looked longingly for the sight of a craft, the image of -which, with its exact lines and the cut of its sails, was clear and -distinct in his mind. - -George Warren pointed out at him, once, and called Edward Warren to look. - -"He's all cut up about poor Jack," he said. "I never saw him so worked up -about anything. You'd better hurry back from Baltimore, Cousin Ed, or -he'll be sailing off alone in the Mollie after Haley's bug-eye." - -Edward Warren laughed. - -"I'll risk that," he said. "Don't you boys worry; we'll get Haley, all -right. We'll have young Harvey ashore here before many days, or I miss my -guess." - -That very afternoon, the bug-eye, Z. B. Brandt, was coming slowly up the -coast, heading for Cedar Point, the lighthouse on which marked the -turning-point for vessels bound into the Patuxent. Hamilton Haley, -sitting gloomily at the wheel, turned a sour face upon the mate, as the -latter stepped near. - -"I never did see such all-fired mean luck since I took to dredging!" he -burst out, glowering at the mate, as though Jim Adams were in some way at -fault. "First it's that sneaking foreigner, that we took to help Bill -out, that gets away. Who'd have thought he'd ever swum for it, a night -like that, and all that way from shore? I hope he drowned! I hope he -drowned and the dog-fish ate him. That's what." - -"He'd make pow'ful bad eatin', I reckon," suggested Jim Adams. - -"Yes, but he could have turned a handle of the winch like a soldier," -said Haley. "And he's a dead loss, being as I'm bound by the law as we -make ourselves, and swear to, to leave Sam Black aboard Bill's boat, so -long as I've gone and lost Bill's man." - -"I didn't think that youngster, Harvey, and that business chap, Edwards, -had the nerve to do what they did," said Jim Adams. - -Hamilton Haley snorted. The subject was like a match to gun-powder. - -"'Twas that young rascal, Harvey, that did it!" he cried. "I didn't beat -him up enough. I wish as how I had him lashed up for'ard there now. -'Tother chap wouldn't have gone and done it. 'Twas the youngster's work. -And p'raps it didn't cost me a penny!" - -Haley pointed, with high indignation, to a new hatch which replaced the -one on which Harvey and Tom Edwards had floated to shore. - -"Seven dollars for that!" he exclaimed, "to say nothing of the time it -took to make it. And ten dollars apiece to Artie Jenkins for the two of -'em that's gone. And Sam Black worth as much more. I tell you it ain't -right for a poor dredger, as earns his money by hard work and tends to -business, to get such luck as that dealt out to him." - -Haley was half whining. From his view-point, the fates had, indeed, been -unkind. - -"There's someone coming down," remarked the mate. - -Haley took a long look ahead, at a craft visible nearly a mile away. - -"It's Tom Noyes's boat," he said, finally. "I'd know his masts anywhere." - -The other craft, a bug-eye somewhat smaller than the Brandt, came dead on -toward them. The distance between them rapidly diminished, and they came -presently within hailing distance. The other craft did not merely hail, -however. It came up into the wind and lowered a boat. Haley brought the -Brandt into the wind, also, and the small boat came alongside. A man -stepped aboard and said something to Haley. The latter jumped as though a -shot had been fired at him. A grin of satisfaction overspread his dull -face. - -"You don't mean it, Tom!" he cried. "Hooray! I'd rather get him than ten -bushels of oysters in one heap. Come below. Jim, you take the wheel." - -The two captains descended into the cabin, leaving Jim Adams to hold the -bug-eye into the wind. They remained below some minutes, conversing -earnestly; and when they reappeared Haley was in a good humour that made -Jim Adams stare. - -"Jim," he said, slapping the mate on the shoulder with a jocularity all -unusual to him, "you're a right good mate. We're going up the river -to-night--away up. We're going to ship a good man--a right good man, Jim. -You never saw such a rare fellow at a winder as he'll be. Ho! Ho! I -reckon the rest of 'em won't have to work at all with him aboard. -Good-bye, Cap'n Tom. I'll see you down on the Eastern shore. We're going -to quit around here. The reefs seem all played out. Good luck!" - -Haley, seeing his guest off, turned to Jim Adams and proceeded to impart -to him a piece of information that brought a broad smile to his features, -also. The two had emerged thus suddenly from the depths of gloom and -discouragement into a feeling almost of hilarity. The bug-eye was brought -by the wind once more, and they went on up the bay. - -The night falling, Henry Burns, up at the old farmhouse, gave over -looking for any sail and went in to supper. It was a serious looking -party at table that night. The next few days might mean much to them, or -little, according as fortune favoured. The boys urged upon Edward Warren -to lose no time in returning to them. - -"And you look out for yourselves, while I'm away," he cautioned. "If you -see anything of Haley, just take the canoe and scoot for Drum Point. Then -let Will Adams handle the thing. He's careful and he knows everybody -around here, and just what to do." - -"We will," replied George Warren. "We'll be all right. Don't you worry." - -They were off to bed in good season, though Henry Burns would have sat up -and gone down to the shore from time to time. He was persuaded by Edward -Warren that it were better to turn out at daybreak and look for the -vessel, before she should get under weigh, if she should happen to come -in during the night. - -Henry Burns was usually the soundest of sleepers. He had a way of -dismissing care for a night, when he knew there could be nothing affected -by lying awake. He could have slept at sea in the hardest of storms, once -satisfied that the vessel was staunch and weathering the gale. But -to-night it was different. He had at first suggested that they watch -through the night, by turns; but Edward Warren had not approved. His mind -was set on the warrant and the action by the authorities. - -Therefore, Henry Burns was restless. Once he arose and sat for a time by -the window, Young Joe slumbering peacefully in the bed. The moon was -beginning to show above the horizon, and it made a fine sight. But Henry -Burns thought of Jack Harvey out aboard Haley's bug-eye, and the night -had little of beauty in it for him. He turned in and slept, lightly, for -an hour or two. Then the impulse to arise again was too strong. He crept -out of bed, wrapped a blanket about him, and seated himself in a big -armchair by the window. - -Sleep overtook him as he sat there, with the picture of the moonlight, -lying across the river in a great flooding pathway, before his eyes as -they closed. - -Again he awoke. The picture was still there. The moon had risen higher, -however, and the pathway of silver light across the river was more -diffused. The river rippled and danced beneath the mellow flood. But the -picture was not just the same, either. There was something in it which he -had not seen before--the masts and rigging of a vessel, clearly outlined -in the moonlight. Henry Burns gave one look, rubbed his eyes to convince -himself that he was really awake, then sprang to his feet. - -"It's the Brandt," he said, softly. "I can't be mistaken. I'll just slip -down and make sure." - -It was, indeed, Haley's bug-eye, anchored for an hour, for Haley to pick -up some stuff he had left up on the bank--a bit of rigging and a small -anchor he had bought--for he would not stop on his way down the river, -but would make all sail for the Eastern shore. - -Henry Burns dressed himself hurriedly, but quietly, without waking Young -Joe. He would make sure, before arousing the household. If he should get -them up and then prove to be mistaken, he knew what Edward Warren would -think. He was warmly clad, but he found a short reefer, which was a -thick, warm overcoat, on the rack in the hall below, and he put that on, -for the night was sharp. - -Cautiously, he slipped the bolt of the front door and stole out of the -house, closing the door gently after him. Then he set off for the shore -at a rapid pace. - -He came to the bank overlooking the river, shortly, and crouched down by -some bushes, looking off at the vessel carefully. He was sure he could -not be mistaken in her. She lay not over quarter of a mile off shore, and -he could see her lines and rig sharply defined. - -"I'd stake my half of the Viking on its being the Brandt," he murmured. -"I'd like just one glimpse of her name, though, to make sure." - -As he spoke the words, there flashed into his mind the idea of going out -to see. It was easy. There was the skiff that went with the canoe, on -long trips. It lay at a stake, just a few feet from the canoe. He knew -where the sculling oar was hidden, under a log at the foot of the bank. -Henry Burns arose and stole quickly down to the shore, a short distance -up river from where he had been hiding. In a moment more, he was seated -in the skiff. - -He was no novice in small boat handling. It was the work of but a few -minutes for him to be close upon the bug-eye. He waited a moment, a few -rods away, listening intently. There was no sound aboard. There was no -light showing. He drew nearer, and drifted alongside. There was no -mistaking the craft now. There, in dull and worn lettering, but plainly -to be read, was the name on the bow, "Z. B. Brandt." - -It was an exciting moment for Henry Burns. Two ideas met in conflict in -his brain. One was, to hasten ashore and alarm the Warren household; the -other, to slip aboard the vessel and see if he could not arouse Harvey in -the forecastle, and carry him off triumphantly then and there. The second -idea overmastered him. It was too tempting to be resisted. Think of -appearing in one brief half-hour at the old house, presenting Jack Harvey -to their astonished gaze and saying, proudly, "Here he is--and without a -warrant." - -Henry Burns, cool enough at a crisis, made his skiff fast forward, and -climbed aboard. Another moment, and he had stepped to the companion-way -and slipped below. - -At the same moment, two figures on the shore, who had been watching his -manoeuvres, in astonishment and wrath, stepped into another skiff and one -of them sculled harder than he had ever sculled before, for the bug-eye. - -Henry Burns, groping down into the forecastle, called softly, "Jack, Jack -Harvey. Jack, old boy, where are you?" There was no response, only a stir -in one of the bunks and a murmur from some drowsy sleeper. The sailors of -the Brandt, worn out with work, were seizing the short stop on the way up -the river for a snatch of sleep, and were slumbering as only tired -sailors can. - -Henry Burns felt through his pockets and produced a match, which he -lighted and held to the faces of three of the sleepers in turn. No Jack -Harvey! The match burned out, and he lighted another, and yet one more. -When he had seen the last match flicker out on the face of the one -remaining man in the forecastle, and that one was not Jack Harvey, Henry -Burns felt his heart drop clear down till it seemed to leave his body. A -sense of disappointment and alarm overpowered him. His legs were weak. -There was no Jack Harvey in the forecastle! What had become of him? - -Henry Burns, his brain in a whirl, climbed the companion steps weakly. He -put his hand on the side of the hatch at the top and took one step on -deck. As he did so, a rough hand grasped his wrist; another seized upon -his throat so he could utter no sound, while the hoarse voice of Hamilton -Haley sounded in his ears, "You little thief! Stealing, eh? I know you -young shore-rats, always looking for a chance to run off with stuff. You -won't get away so easy this time. You'll get a bit of dredging for this. -Hang you! You can cull oysters, if you give out at the winders. Take -that, and stay below till you're called for." - -The heavy fist of Hamilton Haley shot out. Henry Burns, sent spinning -down the companion way by the blow, landed in a heap on the forecastle -floor, stunned, senseless. A moment more, and he was tossed into a bunk -like a sack of dunnage. There was a call for the crew to turn out. - -The bug-eye, Brandt, was going on up the river--not secretly this time, -under cover of fog, but boldly in the full moonlight, in the middle of -the river, getting the benefit of the flood tide, coming in with the -rising moon. - -Captain Hamilton Haley had nothing to hide--not now. He was merely going -after another recruit. And he had gained still another, all unexpectedly. -Luck seemed to be turning. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - ARTIE JENKINS COMES ABOARD - - -Early in the afternoon, on the day of the events just related, a bug-eye -had turned in at a little cove at a place some ten miles up the Patuxent -river called Sotterly. The sails were dropped and a boat was lowered. A -tall, sharp featured, keen-eyed man, who had been giving orders, called -out to one of the sailors. "Get into this skiff, Sam Black," he said; "I -want you to row me ashore." - -"Aye, aye, Cap'n Bill," responded the man. He shuffled to the side of the -vessel, stepped into the boat alongside, and took his seat at the oars. - -When the skiff had reached shore and had been drawn up on land, "Cap'n -Bill" tossed an empty gunny sack to the sailor. - -"Going back up to Hollywood," he remarked. "I reckon you won't cut and -run on me, eh?" - -"I reckon not, with the season's wages coming to me from Haley," -responded the sailor, and added, gruffly, "It's the third winter I've -been oystering with Haley. He and I get along. He don't bother me none. -When he growls at me, I give it back to him, I do. That's the way to get -along with him. There ain't many as dares do it, though." - -Captain Bill gave a chuckle. - -"You're shrewder than you look," he said. "But you're all right. Ham -Haley says you're the best man he's got aboard. When you get sick of the -Brandt, you come and sign with me. Good men are sure enough scarce." - -"I reckon we'd get along, too," assented Sam Black. - -With this somewhat unusual exchange of cordiality, captain and sailor -went on together up the road leading back inland from the shore. After -walking about a mile, they turned off on a cross-road that led more to -the southward, and proceeded along that for a distance of some three -miles. They passed a score of houses on either side of the road, and came -at length to a settlement comprising about twenty houses at the junction -of cross-roads. - -Fetching up at a building which, by its display of dusty boxes seen -through still more dusty windows, proclaimed itself to be a country -store, Captain Bill entered, followed by Sam Black. The latter, seating -himself on an up-ended cracker box at the farther end of the store, -proceeded to solace himself with a black, short-stemmed pipe, while -Captain Bill entered into conversation with the proprietor. - -Their negotiations were interrupted presently by the entrance of a young -man, who sauntered in, with an air of importance as befitting one who was -evidently from the city and impressed with his own superior worldliness. -His dress, though of a flashy character and glazed by wear at elbows and -knees, was yet distinctly of a city cut, and he displayed certain tawdry -jewelry to the most advantage. He nodded patronizingly to the keeper of -the store. - -"How'd do, Artie," said the storekeeper. "When are you going back?" - -"About as soon as I can get there now, Ben," replied the youth, yawning. -"I like to come up and see the folks, all right, but it's deadly dull -here. I want a little bit more of the electric lights and something going -on at night. Not much like Baltimore down here." - -"No, I guess not," admitted the other. "I hear you're doing pretty well -up there--let's see, what is it you're in?" - -The youth paused a moment, then replied, "Oh, I'm running things for a -contractor. Expect I'll go in with him some day, when I get a couple of -thousand more put away." - -Captain Bill, turning to observe the youth who was speaking, gave a start -of astonishment. He turned away again, but cast several sharp glances at -the young man from the corners of his eyes. - -"Well, I'm blest if it isn't Artie Jenkins," he muttered. "The measly -little crimp!" - -Which term, be it known, is that applied to those engaged in that -peculiar calling in which young Artie Jenkins was a bright and shining -light--the trapping of unfortunate victims and selling them to the -dredgers and such other craft as could make use of them. - -Some time later, Captain Bill followed the youth outside the store and -hailed him, as the latter was walking away. - -"Hello," he said, "wait a minute." - -The young man turned and stared at the stranger in surprise. - -"You don't know me, I reckon," ventured Captain Bill, extending a hand, -which the other took carelessly. - -"Can't say I do," was the reply. - -"Well, I know you, just the same," continued Captain Bill. "You're name's -Jenkins, if I'm not mistaken. The fact is, Jenkins, you may not remember -it, but you did a little business for me once in your line up in -Baltimore, and I may say, I never did see such good fellows as you -shipped down to me--every one of them good for dredging and willing -enough to work, when they got used to the business." - -Artie Jenkins's manner became more friendly. It was not his fortune to -meet, usually, with a captain who had a good word of this kind to say to -him. He smiled affably. - -"Well, I try to suit my clients, the captains, as best I can, and be fair -and square with them," he said. "But I can't say as I remember you." - -"It was some time ago that we did business," explained Captain Bill. He -made an inward comment, also, that it was a bargain he had never -forgotten, in which three men already ill had been shipped down to him by -the clever Mr. Jenkins, causing him a total loss of thirty dollars, -besides the trouble of getting rid of the men again, before they all died -aboard. - -"See here, Jenkins," he went on, "I'm right glad I fell in with you. -Here's a chance for you to turn a dollar down here. I need a man. Can you -get him for me?" - -Artie Jenkins's eyes lighted up with cunning; then an expression of doubt -overcast his face. - -"I sort of hate to do it down here," he said. "They all know me, and most -of 'em know what the dredgers are like. I might do something if a -stranger happened along, but that isn't very likely this time of year. -Still, I'll be on the lookout; something might turn up. You're down at -Sotterly, eh? Be there till to-morrow noon? All right, I'll look around, -anyway. If I do anything I'll be down. Will fix you, anyway, soon as I -get back to Baltimore. Good day." - -"Good day," responded Captain Bill. - -Watching until he saw Artie Jenkins turn off on the road and disappear, -Captain Bill returned to the store, and beckoned to Sam Black. The sailor -came forward. - -"Did you see that young chap I was talking to?" inquired Captain Bill. - -Sam Black nodded. "The little dude," he said, contemptuously. - -"Did he get a look at you, think?" asked Captain Bill. - -"Why, no, he didn't see me, I reckon," said the sailor, with surprise. - -"Good!" exclaimed Captain Black. "Pick up that sack and come on. I'll -tell you what I want, on the way." - -Sam Black shouldered the sack, and they started back in the direction of -the shore. - -"That little rascal, Artie Jenkins, is the meanest crimp in Baltimore!" -exclaimed Captain Bill. "Fools us, right along," he added, with virtuous -indignation. "What's the use of crimping a man as won't be any good when -he's down the bay? That's what I want to know. He does it right along. I -say as how it's a shame to knock a man out and use him like they do, -unless he's going to be some good to us, when we get him. That's why Ham -Haley and I have got it in for Artie Jenkins." - -"Now," continued Captain Bill, "I'm going to send you back there again, -to ship with him aboard my bug-eye. Do you understand? He'll come down -with you here to-night, and we'll attend to the rest. You don't know -anything about me nor my dredger--understand?" - -Sam Black grinned. - -"I'll fix him," he said. "I'm against all crimps." - -It was three o'clock when captain and man went aboard the dredger at -Sotterly. A half-hour later, there emerged from the cabin an individual -resembling Sam Black only in face and form; he was dressed in "shore" -clothes, furnished from the captain's own supply. Save for a bit of a -roll in his gait, he might have passed for a farmhand. He went rapidly, -with long strides, up the road he had come shortly before. - -At five o'clock that afternoon, Artie Jenkins stepped from a dooryard in -the town and walked slowly down the road in the direction of the store. -He toyed with a lighted cigarette, and seemed thinking, deeply. - -"I'm afraid I can't make it," he murmured. "My own town, too. Still -business is business--there's Tom Carver--no, I couldn't get him. Hang -the luck--" - -He was interrupted, unexpectedly. A man suddenly appeared from the side -of the road, and waited for him to come up. It was dusk, but Artie -Jenkins perceived that the man was a stranger in the town. He noted his -appearance. Could this be a stroke of luck? - -"What might the name of this place be?" inquired the stranger. - -"Hollywood," replied Artie Jenkins. "Never 'round these parts before?" - -"No," said the man. "I come from up yonder, Hillville. Lost my job on a -farm there. Nothing doing now. Know of anyone that would like a good man -to work around a place?" - -Artie Jenkins puffed at his cigarette, while his sallow cheeks, unhealthy -and pale, showed a tinge of colour. He turned to the man and put a hand -on his shoulder, patronizingly. - -"Well, if you're not in luck!" he cried. "You hit on the one man in all -Hollywood that can help you out. There isn't a job in town for a farm -hand now, but I can get you a nice, easy berth on an oysterman for the -rest of the season. Ever on one?" - -"Never was off land but once on a steamer," replied the man. "Always -thought as how I'd like to go a voyage, too. Kind of hard work, though, -isn't it?" - -"A sight easier than farming," answered Artie Jenkins. "Easiest in the -world, if you get the right captain. Funny how you happened along. Why, -it wasn't but a few hours ago that I met a captain I know, that wanted a -man. He'll pay twenty-five a month, and everyone says Captain Bill feeds -his men like aldermen. Fresh meats and vegetables and a bit extra on -Sundays and holidays." - -"He does that, eh, this ere Cap'n Bill you speaks of?" said the stranger. - -"That's his reputation," assured Artie Jenkins. - -The man turned his head away, to hide a grin. - -"I guess I'll try it," he said, "if you'll go along and fix it up for -me." - -"Sure," said Artie Jenkins. "I like to oblige a man when I see he's in -hard luck. You wait down there at the store for me, till I get my big -coat. I'll be along soon. By the way, what's your name?" - -"Sam Black," replied the stranger. - -Sam Black, seating himself discreetly outside the store, on a step, not -to be observed from within, allowed his grin to expand and give vent in a -hoarse guffaw, as Artie Jenkins was lost to view. - -"Reckon I'll like them extras on Sundays and holidays," he muttered, and -roared again. "And p'raps somebody else will like 'em too--if he gets -'em." - -Half an hour later, Artie Jenkins and his prize went along down the road -in the dark of early nightfall, in the direction of Sotterly landing. It -was nearly eight o'clock when they arrived at the shore of a cove some -distance across from the wharf, and made out the masts and hull of the -bug-eye. It lay a little off from shore, with a lantern in the -fore-shrouds. - -Artie Jenkins put his fingers to his lips and gave forth several shrill -whistles. The figure of a man presently appeared, in the light that -gleamed from the cabin, and stepped on deck. - -"Hello, hello, Captain Bill," called Artie Jenkins. - -The man replied; they saw him step into a small skiff alongside and row -toward them. He drew the skiff to shore, a few minutes later, and -approached. - -"Good evening, Mr. Jenkins," he said. "Who's this--somebody that wants to -ship?" - -"Yes, and a good man, too," replied Artie Jenkins. "He's been farming, -and thinks he'd like oystering with you better. I've known him two years; -he's been at work up in Hillville. His name is Sam Black." - -Captain Bill's chuckle was unheard by Artie Jenkins. - -"You'll know him a lot better," he said to himself; and added, aloud, -"All right. Kind of you to fetch him down. Come out aboard and have -something." - -The three got into the skiff, and Captain Bill rowed them out to the -bug-eye. - -"I'll see you in a minute or two," he said to Sam Black, motioning to him -to go forward. "Come on down, Mr. Jenkins;" and he whispered, "I've got -the ten dollars ready for you, and a drop of something for the cold." - -The two descended into the cabin. - -A moment later, Captain Bill's mate quietly drew the anchor off bottom, -took a turn with the rope about the bitts, then stepped to the halyards -and raised the foresail a little. The bug-eye drifted out into the -current, caught the tide and was carried a way up-stream. The foresail -was run up till it was all set. Sam Black had crept cautiously aft to the -wheel, and the craft now turned, under headway, and began creeping -downstream, slowly. - -"Here's the money," said Captain Bill, fumbling about in a wallet that he -had produced. "Sit down. Make yourself at home. You've had a long walk--" - -Artie Jenkins suddenly sprang to his feet. - -"You're drifting, aren't you, Captain Bill?" he said. "You're dragging -your anchor, I think." - -"No, I guess not," replied the other. "Sit down. I'll ask the mate, -anyway." - -He stepped to the companion and called out. - -"Give her a bit more scope, mate," he cried. "Guess she is dragging a -bit." - -"Aye, aye, sir," responded the mate, and went on cautiously and quietly -raising the foresail. The bug-eye was nearly in mid-stream. - -Artie Jenkins suddenly sprang from his seat again, and started for the -companion. A powerful hand on his shoulder restrained him. - -"Let me go!" he cried, fiercely. "What kind of a trick do you call this?" -He wrenched, to free himself from the other's grasp; but he was drawn -back. Captain Bill seized him by the throat and forced him down on one of -the bunks. - -"You're not going ashore this trip," he said, sharply. "Captain Ham Haley -and I have got a bone to pick with you." - -Trapped at last, Artie Jenkins fought with all his strength; but he was -no match for the stalwart captain. Exhausted, battered and thoroughly -terrified, he sank back on the bunk and begged for mercy. - -"It isn't right, Bill," he pleaded. "You ain't playing the game fair. How -are you going to get men, if you go and nab a man that's in the business -with you? Nobody ever did that before? Haven't I always used you right?" - -"No, you haven't," exclaimed Captain Bill; "and you're going down the -bay. Now you just keep below and stay quiet. You know what they get if -they holler." - -Captain Bill, with this parting injunction, went on deck. The bug-eye's -sails were all set and she was going down the river. - -Several hours later, a forlorn figure appeared at the companion-way, -cautiously, ready to dodge a blow from Captain Bill's boot. - -"Bill," said Artie Jenkins, plaintively, "Haley won't stand for this. He -knows it isn't the way to play the game." - -"No?" queried Captain Bill, contemptuously, "you can ask Haley, yourself. -Here he comes now." - -The bug-eye, Brandt, was indeed coming up the river, near at hand, -standing out from behind a point of land. The two vessels were soon side -by side, drifting for a moment up with the tide. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - ARTIE JENKINS AT THE DREDGES - - -Captain Hamilton Haley, stepping eagerly aboard the other bug-eye, -accosted Captain Bill. - -"Have you got him?" he asked. - -"Reckon I have," said Captain Bill; "and he's been squealing like a baby. -Just like those chaps as are always trapping other chaps; once they get -it, themselves, they go all to pieces. You met Tom Noyes, then, all -right? I sent word down by him. I thought I'd get Artie." - -"Yes, and I've got another one, too," said Haley. "He's stowed in -for'ard; I haven't got a good look at him yet. Caught him trying to rob -the men in the forecastle; he'd sneaked out from shore. I reckon he won't -be any great hand at the dredges, but I'll make him work his passage, all -right. Bill, you've done me more good catching that little crimp, Artie -Jenkins, than it would to find a brand new reef that no dredger had ever -touched before. Get 'em to fetch him aboard." - -Jim Adams escorting him, with a big, black hand at the scruff of his -collar, and Sam Black walking alongside, grinning at the success of his -part of the plot--admonishing the youth as to what would befall him -should he utter a cry--there appeared Artie Jenkins, his knees wabbling -under him, the drops of perspiration standing out on his forehead. They -marched him down into the cabin, where, a moment later, descended Captain -Hamilton Haley. The other bug-eye cast off, and the two vessels resumed -their course down the river at full speed. - -Hamilton Haley, standing with arms akimbo, his great round head thrust -forward, his gray eyes twinkling with a cruel light, surveyed the young -man before him, much as a spider might eye a fly that had become -entangled in its web. A look of intense satisfaction overspread his face. - -"Well," he said, hoarsely, "thought you'd come aboard, did you, Artie?" - -Artie Jenkins, the heart all taken out of him, trembling and weak-kneed, -essayed a feeble smile, which made his sallow face take on a more -unprepossessing expression than ever. - -"I say, Haley," he said in a shaking voice, "this is a beastly joke you -and Bill are playing--a joke I don't like. It's got on my nerves. You -wouldn't lug me off down the bay--you know you wouldn't, Haley. -'Twouldn't be the square thing. Nobody ever did a trick like that. Come -on, old man, say you're going to put me off down below. I'll stand for -the joke all right. Just say it's a joke, will you?" - -The tears were rolling down Artie Jenkins's cheeks, and he was begging -like a child. Hamilton Haley eyed him with a contempt that could not be -expressed in words. But there was no suggestion of relenting in his gaze. - -"Of course it's a joke, Artie," he said, sneeringly. "It's a joke, all -right, and it's what I call a downright good one. Ha! ha! A joke, eh? -Well, if it isn't a joke, I'd like to know what they call one." Then his -voice grew louder and more threatening as he continued. "It's a joke like -some of those jokes you've been a-playing on Bill and me for the last -eight years." - -Haley clenched his fist and shook it at the cowering youth. "That's the -sort of a joke it is," he continued; "it's like them ere jokes of yours -as have been costing me and Bill ten dollars apiece. Good, able-bodied, -rugged men for dredging that we've paid for in honest, hard-earned -money--and what have they turned out to be when we gets 'em down the bay? -A lot of counter-jumpers and boys that get sick on us with a week's work -at the winders. That's what! - -"Now you get up and quit snivelling and go for'ard; and don't you make -any fuss, or you'll never get back to Baltimore, as sure as my name's -Haley. Here, Jim, show him where he'll bunk." - -Jim Adams, seizing the shrinking form of Artie Jenkins by the convenient -collar, dragged him forth from the cabin. True to his method, Jim Adams -assumed his customary mock politeness. - -"Be jes' so kind as to walk for'ard, Mister Jenkins," he said, and turned -the young man toward the forecastle. A recklessness, inspired by -desperation, seized upon Artie Jenkins. He wrenched violently at the hand -that held him, and for a moment freed himself. - -"I won't go down into that dirty forecastle," he cried. "You can't make -me." - -Jim Adams's bony hand again grasped him and spun him around till his head -swam. At the same time, a short piece of rope swung by the mate sang in -the air, and Artie Jenkins felt the sharp sting of it across his -shoulders. A series of blows followed, mingled with the scoffing words of -the mate. - -"Won't you please 'blige me by stepping down into that fo'castle, Mister -Jenkins?" he said. "I's sorry to trouble you, but I wish you'd jes' step -down to 'blige me." - -Artie Jenkins, under the merciless lash of the mate, lost little time in -obeying. Cringing and crying, he darted down into the dark, damp -forecastle and stowed himself away in the first available bunk. The -taunting words of the mate sounded in his ears for a moment: "Thank you, -Mister Jenkins; I'm much 'bliged to you, sah. You saves me the trouble of -using force to carry out the orders of Cap'n Haley, sah." - -The bug-eye, Brandt, with its companion craft, skimmed down the Patuxent -like a bird. Captain Haley, with a huge satisfaction in his heart, turned -into his own bunk, leaving the wheel to Jim Adams, and slept the sleep of -the just. The night had been satisfactory. Life was not all one -disappointment. He could sleep well. - -The bug-eye, with its trim lines, its picturesque rake of masts, its -sails filled with the smart breeze that made the vessel heel gracefully, -and the now waning moonlight casting a faint gleam on its sails, made a -pretty picture as it glided down the river. One standing on the Drum -Point shore, as the vessel went by in the early hour before dawn, would -have admired the sight. Jim Adams hummed a jolly rag-time tune as the -Brandt passed out by the lighthouse, into the open bay, and headed for -Tangier Sound. - -Some time later, a shaft of sunlight streaming down the companion-way -awoke Henry Burns. Once asleep, he had slept soundly, the blow he had -received having only stunned him and done him no great harm. The bug-eye -was pitching in a heavy chop-sea, and a youth in the bunk near him was -groaning; but Henry Burns, accustomed at home to bay sailing, felt no ill -effects from the thrashing of the boat. - -For a moment he wondered what was the matter with the old Warren -farmhouse. Then the memory of the events of the night came back in a -flash. Henry Burns sprang up and darted out on deck. It was all too true. -He was a prisoner aboard the bug-eye; they were leaving Drum Point far -astern. - -Henry Burns shrugged his shoulders and seated himself on the forecastle -hatch. He was in for it--whatever might happen--and it was not in his -make-up to worry over what he could not help. - -A step on the deck, as a man emerged from the cabin, caused him to look -up. The figure that his eyes rested upon gave him a start of surprise. -Where had he seen the man before? Then he remembered. It was the man whom -Young Joe had butted in the stomach in darting out of the Warren -door--the Captain Haley, of whom he had an unpleasant recollection. Henry -Burns gave a low whistle of evident concern. - -Seeing the boy sitting, watching him, Hamilton Haley strode forward. When -he had approached near, he, too, stopped and eyed him with surprise. Then -his face darkened. - -"Well, I'm jiggered!" he exclaimed. "It's you, is it, Young Impertinence? -What sent you sneaking aboard here in the night? Confound you, if I'd -a-known it was you, I'd just have chucked your overboard neck and crop." - -For once, Hamilton Haley seemed perplexed. Here was someone he evidently -didn't want. He glanced back toward the harbour, as if estimating how far -they had come from land. Then he shook his head. To Henry Burns's -surprise, Captain Haley turned abruptly, without another word, and went -back to the wheel, where Jim Adams was seated, yawning. - -The two men talked together, earnestly. It was clear Haley did not wholly -favour the idea of carrying off a boy from the Patuxent harbour, from -people that would make trouble. It was risky business; there was bound to -be trouble. Jim Adams seemed not to encourage it, either; but the bug-eye -was miles out from the river now, and the breeze was favourable. After -further conversation with the mate, Haley went forward again. - -"See here, youngster," he said, "I'm a man as does an honest business of -dredging, and I don't kidnap boys for the work. But here you are, come -aboard, and it ain't my fault. You know that for yourself. Hang me, if I -didn't take you for one of them little rats as steal stuff when they gets -a chance. I'd have chucked you overboard quick, if I'd a known it was -you--what were you doing out here, anyway? That's what I'd like to know." - -Henry Burns thought quickly. To say that he had come to look for Jack -Harvey would be to reveal the fact that he was aware of Haley's -character; that he was a witness who would appear against Haley when the -time came; that his very existence was a danger and a menace to Haley, -who was now bound for the wilderness of the Eastern shore. - -"I was just looking around," he said. - -"You're a little, meddlesome fool!" cried Haley. "I don't want you here, -confound you! But you're here. You came aboard, yourself. I didn't carry -you off. You've got to stay now. I won't turn back, if I go to jail for -it. But I tell you what I will do; I'll fetch you back the first time I -come. You'll fare no worse than the rest of the crew. But you'll work -your passage, mind you. This is no free lodging house. Go on and get -something to eat." - -"Better set me back," said Henry Burns, calmly. - -"No, I'm busted if I will!" cried Haley. "You'll go the trip now, though -if I hadn't cut your skiff loose I'd set you adrift in it. It's your own -fault." - -Henry Burns saw it was useless to argue. He went aft, as indicated by -Haley, and ate his breakfast. It was sorry stuff, but he was hungry and -he ate what was set before him. - -Henry Burns was not a youth to remain inactive, although carried off -against his will. Having finished breakfast, he went on deck and walked -forward, to where Jim Adams was at work with a piece of rigging, -attempting, at the same time, to explain to two sailors what he was -doing. - -"You unlay that strand," he was saying, "and you lead him back, so -fashion. Then you picks up that ere strand, and you lays him up in the -place where t'other strand came from. See?" - -The two men looked on, blankly. It was evident the process was blind to -them. - -"Why, hello, sonny," remarked Jim Adams, as Henry Burns came up. The -mulatto, tireless and hardened to the life, after three hours' sleep on -relief from the wheel, happened to be in a good humour. He continued, -"Reckon you's the new boarder at our hotel, eh? Ha! ha! Specs you never -saw nothin' like that befo'?" He held up the work he was doing. - -"Oh, yes," replied Henry Burns, "you're putting a long splice in that -halyard so it will reeve through that block. You've parted your throat -halyard." - -Jim Adams dropped his work, put both hands on his knees and stared at -Henry Burns, while a broad grin overspread his face. - -"Sho now," he exclaimed, "I jes' wonder what Boss Haley he'll say when he -finds he's got another cap'n aboard here. I guess you'll get my job -pretty quick an' I won't be first mate no mo'. Where you larn all that, -sonny?" - -Henry Burns smiled. "I picked it up, yachting," he said. - -"That's a smart little kid," said the mulatto. "Reckon you might go and -finish up that splice, eh?" He held up the rope, half skeptically, to -Henry Burns. The youth took it, seated himself on the deck, removed a -pair of heavy gloves he wore, and took up the splicing where Jim Adams -had left off. He found it hard work, in the chilling winter air, and his -hands were nearly numbed before he had finished. But he beat them against -his body until they tingled, went on with the work, divided his strands -neatly at the finish, cut the ends and handed back the piece of rigging, -neatly spliced. - -Jim Adams burst into a roar of laughter. - -"That sho' is the funniest thing I ever saw," he said. "Why, youse -nothin' but a little kid." - -Henry Burns had at least found some favour in the mate's eyes. Some time -later, he was accosted by one of the men that had been standing by. - -"I wish you'd show me some of those tricks," said the fellow. "I'm having -it pretty rough aboard here. I can't understand when that mate shows us a -thing. He does it so quick, you can't see how it's done; and then he -curses us for not understanding. Maybe if I learned a few things like -that, I'd get treated better." - -Henry Burns looked at the speaker, and found him a young man of about -twenty years, thick set, a good-natured expression, somewhat dulled and -set by rough usage at Haley's and the mate's hands. - -"My name's Wallace Brooks," continued the young man. "I got carried off, -too, from Baltimore. I can stand the winter out, I guess, because I'm -tough; but it's the hardest work I ever did." - -"I'll show you anything I know," replied Henry Burns, "and I'll be glad -to do it. I guess I'll need a friend to stand by me. I don't know how -I'll last at this sort of work." - -They shook hands on the friendship. - -Henry Burns saw another side of the mate's nature, not long after. There -was a commotion in the forecastle, and there emerged Jim Adams dragging -Artie Jenkins by the scruff of the collar. He threw him sprawling on the -deck, caught up a canvas bucket, with a line attached, threw the bucket -overboard, drew it in half-filled with sea water, and dashed it in the -face of the prostrate youth. - -"You mustn't go gettin' balky, Mister Jenkins," he said. "Youse goin' to -work, like the rest of the folks. Won't you please jes' go down and get -you' breakfas' now, cause I want you pretty soon on deck, when we get off -Hooper's." - -Artie Jenkins, bellowing with rage and fright, scrambled to his feet and -fled as fast as his legs would carry him for the cabin. The mate gave a -grin of delight. - -"They sho' can't fool me," he said. "Reckon I knows when a man is seasick -and when he's shamming." - -They arrived at the dredging grounds within two hours, and the work -began. Henry Burns was not set at the winders at first. There seemed to -be some understanding between Haley and the mate that he should not be -treated too harshly. He was put at the work of culling the oysters that -were taken aboard--a dirty and disagreeable task, but not so laborious as -the winding. - -Artie Jenkins got his first taste of the work, however. He was driven to -it by the threats and blows of Jim Adams. He was a sorry sight. Clad in -oil-skins too big for his lank figure, a flaming red necktie showing -above the collar, and a derby hat out of keeping with the seaman's -clothes, he presented a picture that would have been ludicrous if it had -not been miserable. - -The mate suffered him not to lag; nor did he cease to taunt him. - -"Youse a sho' 'nuff born sailor, Mister Jenkins," he said, and repeated -it over several times, as the unwilling victim worked drearily. "You -looks jes' like one of them able-bodied seamen that you been sending down -from Baltimore." - -Artie Jenkins groaned, and toiled, hopelessly. He gave out, some time in -the afternoon, and Henry Burns was made to take his place. At dusk they -stowed away the gear and ran for harbour, in through Hooper strait. - -The next day, unusual in the winter season, there fell a dead calm. There -was no getting out to the grounds, and the day was spent in overhauling -the gear, wrapping parts that were worn with chafing, etc. It was some -time that forenoon that Henry Burns, getting a good look at Artie -Jenkins, recognized him. It was the young man he had seen on the river -steamer, and whose invitation he had resented. Something about the youth -repelled him more than before, and he made no attempt to renew that brief -acquaintanceship. Yet, observing the treatment Artie Jenkins was -receiving, he was sorry for him. - -"What makes them so hard on that chap, Jenkins, I wonder?" he asked of -Brooks, as they stood together, that afternoon. "It makes my blood boil, -but I don't dare say anything." - -"Hmph!" exclaimed Brooks. "Don't you let your blood boil for him. He's -getting what he deserves, all right. Didn't you hear what Jim Adams -called him? He's a crimp." - -"A what?" - -"A crimp. Don't you know what that is? It's a fellow that drugs men up in -Baltimore, and ships 'em down here for ten dollars apiece, when they -don't know it. They wake up aboard here. That happened to me, though this -chap didn't do it. He did the trick, though, for two men that got away -the other day. I heard them say it was a fellow named Artie Jenkins that -trapped them. One was named Edwards; he was a travelling man of some -sort. My, how he did hate the winders. T'other was a young chap; Harvey -was his name." - -Henry Burns gave a cry of astonishment. - -"Then Jack was aboard here--and he got away, do you say?" - -It was the other's turn to be surprised. - -"Why, yes, Jack Harvey was his name," he said. "Did you know him?" - -Henry Burns briefly told of his friendship and his hunt for his missing -friend. "I thought there must be some mistake," he said, "when I didn't -find him aboard here. But tell me, how did he get away?" - -Wallace Brooks related the circumstances of the escape, as George Haley, -the cook, had told of it; of the flight to shore on the hatch, and of -Haley's rage at losing both men and property. - -Henry Burns smiled at that part of the adventure, despite his chagrin. -Then he grew serious. - -"I'll bet it was poor old Jack and Edwards who slept in Edward Warren's -barn," he said. "There were two strangers seen about the landing the next -day. Where could Jack have gone to? Up river, I suppose, on a -steamer--and here I am in his place! Isn't that a mess?" - -That same afternoon, Artie Jenkins, in passing Henry Burns, remembered -that his face seemed familiar. He halted and stared for a moment. Then -his face lighted up with a certain satisfaction in the other's plight. - -"Hello," he said, "so you landed here, too, eh? I reckon you're not quite -so smart as you thought you were, coming down the river." - -"Yes, I'm here," answered Henry Burns, coolly; "too bad you didn't make -ten dollars out of it; now wasn't it?" - -"What's that to you?" snarled Artie Jenkins, angrily. "I don't know what -you mean, anyway." - -"Oh, yes, you do," replied Henry Burns. "I know what you are, and so do -the crew. It's almost worth while being here, to see a crimp work at the -dredges." - -Artie Jenkins, furious at the reply, and observing that the speaker was -younger and smaller than himself, darted at Henry Burns and struck out at -him. Henry Burns easily warded off the blow and, unruffled, returned one -that sent Artie Jenkins reeling back. The next moment Jim Adams rushed -between them. - -"What's all this about--fighting aboard here?" he cried. - -But Captain Hamilton from the other end of the vessel had likewise -observed the quarrel. He came forward now, blustering, but with a shrewd -twinkle in his eyes. - -"Let 'em fight, Jim," he said; "let 'em have it out. Peel off those -oil-skins, you young rascals. I'll teach you both to disturb the peace -and quiet aboard this ere respectable and law-abidin' craft. You'll fight -now, till one or t'other of you gets his licking. Rip 'em off, I say." - -But Artie Jenkins, having felt the force of Henry Burns's blow and noted -his skill in avoiding his own, was not so eager for the fray. - -"I don't care about fighting a boy smaller than I am," he stammered, -fumbling at the strings of his slicker. "I don't want to hurt him." - -Haley bawled in derision. "Oh, you don't, eh?" he cried. "Well, you look -out he don't hurt you. Do you see that piece of rope?" He dangled an end -of rigging in his hand. "Well, the first one of you that tries to quit, -gets a taste of that." - -Henry Burns had not expected to be drawn into a fight with Artie Jenkins, -but he had no fear of him. He had observed the youth's cheeks pale as he -returned his blow. He knew he was cowardly. He thought of Jack Harvey, -tricked into the slavery of dredging at Artie Jenkins's hands. He threw -off his oil-skins and waited for the word. He looked Haley squarely in -the eyes and remarked, calmly, "If you see me quitting, just lay it on -good and hard." - -"You bet I will!" blustered Haley; but he knew, full well, there would be -no need. - -Artie Jenkins was cornered and desperate. He dared not wait till his -courage should cool, but made a rush at Henry Burns the moment he had -divested himself of the heavy oil-skins. They struggled for a moment, -exchanging blows at short range. They were both hurt and stinging when -they broke away, to regain breath. The difference was, however, that -Henry Burns was smiling in the most aggravating way at his antagonist. -The blows meant little to him. He was avenging Jack Harvey--and he had a -most extraordinary control of his temper. Artie Jenkins was smarting and -furious. - -"Get to work there," bawled Haley, swinging the rope. - -They were at it again in earnest. But the advantage even now was with -Henry Burns. He was wiry and athletic; a strong runner, and a baseball -player; and he had boxed with George Warren and Tom Harris by the hour, -in the barn they used as a canoe club in Benton. Artie Jenkins's training -had consisted largely of loafing about the docks, smoking cigarettes. - -Seeing that his adversary was no longer strong enough to rush him, Henry -Burns tried tactics to tire him out. He darted in, delivering a quick -blow, and stepping back out of reach of the other's arm. He warded off -the other's wild blows, and left him panting and bewildered. Worse than -all, he continued to smile at him, provokingly. - -In an unfortunate moment, Artie Jenkins rushed in, clinched and tried to -throw his smaller adversary. It was the worst thing he could have -attempted. A moment more, and he lay, flat on his back, half stunned. - -Henry Burns waited for him to arise; but Artie Jenkins lay still. He had -had enough. - -"Get up there; you're quitting!" cried Haley, standing over him and -brandishing the rope's end. But Artie Jenkins only half sat up and -whined. "I can't go on," he whimpered; "I'm hurt." - -Haley swung the rope and brought it down across Artie Jenkins's -shoulders. The youth howled for mercy. - -"Get up and fight, or you'll get more of it!" cried Haley. - -Artie Jenkins suddenly scrambled to his feet. But he did not face Henry -Burns, who was waiting. Beaten and thoroughly humbled, Artie Jenkins -sought relief in flight. Dodging the uplifted arm of Haley, he darted for -the forecastle, tumbled down the companion and dived into a bunk. - -Hamilton Haley, undecided for a moment whether to follow or not, finally -turned and walked aft. There was a hard smile of satisfaction on his -face. - -The next day was as wild as the preceding had been calm and placid. The -wind came up from the east with a rush, in the early morning, and the bay -was tossing and white-capped as the crew of the dredger came on deck. -There would be no work that day, they thought. But they were -disappointed. Haley ordered sail made, and the bug-eye, with reefs in, -bore up under the lee of Hooper island. - -It was cruel work at the dredges that day. The men toiled by turns till -exhausted, when Haley allowed them a reluctant refuge, to thaw out, by -the cabin fire. Then he drove them to work again. The storm brought -mingled sleet and snow. It caught in the folds of the sails and came down -upon their heads in little torrents with the slatting of the canvas. -Sleet and snow drove hard in their faces. But the work went on. - -Artie Jenkins shivered at the winders, even as the perspiration was wrung -from him with the unusual exertion. He suffered so that Henry Burns and -the crew pitied him; but Haley and the mate showed no mercy. They had -seen men suffer before--men that they had paid ten dollars apiece to -Artie Jenkins for. He gave out by afternoon, however, and the mate had -fairly to drag him below. He moaned that he was sick, but they did not -believe him. - -That night he ran out of the forecastle on deck, delirious, and wakened -Haley out of sleep. Haley saw that he was really ill, and gave him -something to take, from a chest of patent stuff he had aboard. Artie -Jenkins fell in a heap on the cabin floor, and Haley let him lie there -the rest of the night. - -The next morning, Haley and the mate, standing over Artie Jenkins, looked -troubled. The sufferer lay moaning and feverish. Jim Adams bent over and -examined him. - -"He's bad--downright bad, boss," he said, looking up at Haley. The other -scowled, but with some anxiety in his face. "He'll come around all right, -won't he?" he asked. "Specs he may," replied the mate; "but I've seen 'em -like that, feverish, before, and it's a bad sign down here." - -"Hang him!" exclaimed Haley. "What'll we do with him?" - -"Well," replied Jim Adams, "if he was mine, I'd let him go, seeing as he -didn't cost any money. Tom's going across to t'other shore to-day. Why -not let him have him and leave him? We don't want to land him down here." - -Haley grumbled, but acquiesced. - -"Take him out," he said. "He's no good, anyway. I've got square. That's -what I wanted." - -Jim Adams lifted Artie Jenkins bodily and carried him out of the cabin. - -A bug-eye that ran across from the eastern shore that afternoon carried -the unfortunate Artie Jenkins as a passenger. He lay asleep in the cabin. -Toward dusk the bug-eye reached the other shore, and anchored near land. -A skiff left the side, with Artie Jenkins in the bottom of it. It landed, -and two men carried the youth up to an old deserted shanty by the shore -of a small creek in St. Mary County, some five or six miles above Otter -Point. They left him there, alone, threw some mouldy blankets over him, -and departed. - -Artie Jenkins's dredging experience was over. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - THE BATTLE OF NANTICOKE RIVER - - -The morning after Artie Jenkins was shipped away across the Chesapeake, -Haley's bug-eye lay in Hooper strait, discharging her cargo of oysters -into another craft alongside. Four other craft waited near by; and, when -the Brandt had finished, they, likewise, unloaded the oysters they had, -aboard the carrying vessel. - -"What's Haley unloading now for?" asked Wallace Brooks of the sailor, -Jeff, as they were swinging a basket of the oysters outboard. "He's got -only half a cargo, anyway." - -"How do I know?" was the somewhat gruff reply. "Reckon we'll see when the -time comes. There's something up, though, like as not," he added; "I -heard Haley ask Jim Adams how he thought the Brandt sailed best--with a -quarter of a cargo in her, or a little more. That's just so much more -ballast, you know. So I guess that when Haley wants to sail his best, he -expects someone to follow; and if someone follows, I reckon he'll want to -get away as slick as he can. Do you see?" - -Wallace Brooks nodded. - -"Going to dredge some more at night, eh?" he said. - -"Well, you know as much as I do about it," replied the sailor. "All I -wish is, that I was bullet-proof," and he shrugged his shoulders. - -The surmise of the seaman was perhaps correct; for, as soon as the last -bug-eye had cast loose from the carrying vessel, the four swung in -together, drifted along, and the four captains gathered in Haley's cabin. -There were, besides Haley, Tom Noyes, Captain Bill and another whom Haley -addressed as Captain Shute. The latter bore in one hand a chart which he -spread out on the cabin table before them. It was a large sheet, covering -a wide area of that part of the bay, much worn, and marked by many lines -where cross-bearings had been taken and partly erased. - -"There's Nanticoke," he said, laying a thick, stubby finger on the chart. -"It's buoyed out for some ten miles, and there's good water clear to -Vienna; that's twenty odd miles up." - -"Stow the chart, Shute," said Haley, impatiently. "I tell you Jim Adams -knows the river better than any figuring can cover it. He ran it for -three years, canoeing and tonging in the fog"--Haley winked -significantly. "He'll put us up there. The question is, will you go?" - -"I've said as how I would go, once, and I sticks by my word," answered -Captain Bill forcibly. "The others will go, too. I'd follow Jim Adams's -wake and be sure of good water, anywhere." - -"And we stick it out, steamer or no steamer," said Haley, looking at the -others, earnestly. The captains nodded. Haley leered, as though gratified -at the decision. "There's no police tub can hurt us, if we stick together -and fight," he exclaimed; "and like as not we'll get clear without it." - -There was some further conference, following which the three visiting -captains returned to their vessels and the lines that held them together -were cast off. - -The day passed easily for the crews. There was but little dredging, -though Haley and the others would not have them wholly idle. They worked -in desultory fashion along the foot of Hooper island throughout the day, -and toward evening sailed in slowly through the strait. - -There had been no definite orders given to anybody aboard the Brandt, yet -it was known to all that there was something on foot for the night. The -let-up in the work of the day indicated that; furthermore, there was an -air of mystery, of something impending, throughout the craft, that was -felt and understood. - -With the coming of night there rose up a mist from the surface of the -water that dimmed the vision, though the stars showed clear in the sky. A -thin fog gave an indefiniteness to the shore lines and made distant -lights here and there twinkle vaguely. - -The four vessels, the Brandt leading, sailed eastward as night fell, -passing through the strait across the head of Tangier Sound. Jim Adams -held the wheel and Haley gave orders to the crew, trimming the sails or -easing off as the course varied. - -Jim Adams, evidently glorying in the adventure, which defied the law that -he despised, noted the points along the course with a series of chuckles. - -"There's old Sharkfin," he called jubilantly, as the gleam from the -lighthouse on the shoal of that name showed ahead. "We just goes -east-no'th-east, sah, after we leave old Sharkfin Shoal a half mile to -the eastward, and then we goes up between Nanticoke Point Spit and Clay -Island Shoal like walkin' up a meetin' house aisle." - -Haley gazed ahead through the light mist. - -"I've only been up the Nanticoke twice," he said. "There's buoys, I know, -for some ten miles up, and then it takes a native born to find the rest -of the way." - -Jim Adams chuckled. "I don' need 'em," he said, "not 'round this river. I -can feel my way up; an' they can paint the spars all black and it -wouldn't fool me, not a bit." - -Passing the lighthouse and leaving it astern some miles, the four -bug-eyes took a more northerly course, entering the river. They carried -no lights, and the cabin and forecastle lamps had been put out, so that -no gleam showed from the ports. A fresh breeze from the west, blowing -almost directly across the river, carried them up at a fair clip. - -"There's land close aboard, off the starboard," said Haley, after they -had gone some three miles up. - -"Yessah," responded the mate; "that's Roaring Point, for shuah. You look -sharp, Mister Haley, and you'll see the buoy, a red spar when the sun -shines, but I reckon it's pretty black to-night. Couple of miles above -that, and I specs there's some pow'ful nice oysters a-sittin' up and -waitin' for us to call." - -Jim Adams pointed, as he spoke, to where there showed the low sand spit -of Roaring Point on the right as they sailed, with some trees growing, -back from the shore. A landing made out from the south bank of the point, -and a thin sprinkling of houses was scattered here and there in the -vicinity. The vessels sailed noiselessly and darkly past these, and went -up the river, turning the point. - -Not long after, the order given by Haley for all hands to make ready told -that the business of the night was about to be begun in earnest. On the -eastern bank of the river were extensive oyster beds, private property, -carefully planted and nursed, and rich in their yield. - -Hamilton Haley, engaged in his favourite pursuit of poaching, was in rare -good humour. Moreover, he had cause for self congratulation in that he -had regained his man, Sam Black, from Captain Bill's bug-eye, and yet -another man, Captain Bill having taken on two men from Hooper island. - -Soon the cry of the winch and the clank of the dredging chain broke the -stillness of the night, as the Brandt, with sheets started, drifted -slowly in a zig-zag course along the river bank. The other vessels worked -likewise. There was no rest for anyone then. They worked like galley -slaves under the whip. The dredge was hardly down before the command came -to wind. It came up heavy with the ill-gotten spoil from the beds. Henry -Burns found no favour in the eyes of Haley this night. He toiled with the -others, now turning wearily at the winch, now helping to drag aboard the -dredge, now sweating in the foul hold, stowing away the plunder. - -Some time in the night, as he turned, with back and arms aching, at the -handle of the winder, a strange humming, singing sound filled his ears. -It was like an angry wasp darting about his head. Then a sharp report -came from the neighbouring bank. It was followed by others. The sound as -of wasps filled the air as a dozen bullets passed harmlessly over the -heads of the crew of the Brandt. - -Haley gave a cry of surprise and anger. - -"They've found us," he said, and ran for the cabin. He reappeared -quickly, carrying a rifle in either hand. - -"Here, you, Sam Black," he called, "take this wheel, smart now. Let those -sheets run way off there--no skulking into the forecastle, you men, or -you'll get a shot from me. Jim, here's a gun; you're a good shot. Give -'em an answer. Let her go along easy, Sam. We'll show 'em we can play at -shooting as well as they." - -Haley, issuing his commands in short, angry sentences, and seeing the -vessel running as he wished, called to the crew to lie flat on the deck, -but to be ready to jump at his word. Then he and the mate, reinforced by -the cook, likewise armed with a rifle, proceeded to return the fire from -the shore from the shelter of the after-house. - -The other craft had swung into line of battle, similarly, and one of -them, Captain Bill's bug-eye, had already opened fire on the party -ashore. - -A running fight now ensued. The dredgers, emboldened by their numerical -strength, had no thought of quitting the reefs. The attacking party, on -the other hand, seemed to be constantly recruited in numbers, and the -fire from the river bank grew in volume. The dredgers, with booms far -out, kept barely under steerage way, following one another closely. - -Coming up under the lee of a promontory of the river bank called Ragged -Point, the leading vessel headed into the wind; the sheets were hauled -aft and the craft came about, heading down stream once more, to return -into better range of the enemy. The others followed, in turn. - -An unexpected thing happened, however, just as the Brandt was swinging -into the wind, with Haley hauling on the main sheet. A chance bullet, -whistling across the stern, clipped the sheet fairly in two; Haley, -straining at the rope as it parted, was sent sprawling on the deck, -rolling over and over. - -He sprang up in a great fury, but equal to the emergency. Still holding -the end of the sheet in one hand, he darted to the stern, untied the -painter of the skiff that was towing and drew the skiff alongside. - -"Here you, youngster," he called to Henry Burns, who happened to be -nearest, "jump in there! Take this sheet and make it fast around the end -of that boom. Lively now!" - -Henry Burns obeyed, in lively fashion, as ordered. Making the end of the -rope fast to the thwart in front of him, he sculled the skiff a few -strokes, seized hold of the swinging boom, loosed the sheet again, took a -clove hitch around the boom and was back on deck in a twinkling. Haley -growled an approval, as he hauled the boom aft and the bug-eye went off -the wind a little to make headway so as to come about. - -The accident, however, had caused the vessels to separate for the time, -the three other bug-eyes having already gone down stream some little -distance. With this a new peril confronted the Brandt. Seeing the craft -thus cut off from its allies, the party ashore had resolved on a bold -venture. A half-dozen small boats suddenly darted out from the shadow of -the bank, making straight for the Brandt, rowed by strong arms. - -The situation was one of danger to the Brandt. The leading row-boat, -propelled by two oarsmen, and with two other men crouched in the bottom, -armed with rifles, were already near. Yet the Brandt must keep on its -course for a minute longer, to enable it to come about, and not mis-stay. -To do so, brought it still nearer the approaching boat. - -Hamilton Haley, leaping down into the cabin and emerging with a horn in -one hand, gave several blasts with it. Then he sprang to the wheel and -took it from the hands of Sam Black. His eyes twinkled with cunning, as -he threw the bug-eye still further off the wind, directing it now full -against the approaching boat. The manoeuvre was all unexpected. The -rowers vainly tried to swing their boat out of the way. They were too -late. Striking the small craft with its sharp bow, the bug-eye smashed it -clean in two, riding over the halves and submerging the occupants. The -next moment, the Brandt had swung into the wind, come about and headed -down stream. - -The fleet of row-boats paused to rescue the struggling and half-drowned -men from the icy water; the other bug-eyes, alarmed by Haley's signal, -had turned and come up to meet the Brandt. The four vessels opened fire -on the row-boat fleet, even as they were engaged in the work of rescue. -Defeated in their plan to cut off the single bug-eye, the rowboats put -back to shore and the party scrambled into hiding. - -Warned by this attempt, however, the captains of the poaching fleet now -resolved to make sure against any similar boarding party. Taking a -position in the river where the fire was hottest, and the owners of the -oyster beds seemed to be gathered in greatest numbers, judging by the -fire, the bug-eyes drew close together, side by side; an anchor was -dropped from the one farthest down-stream, Captain Bill's vessel, and -lashings were passed to hold them together. This position, as the decks -were flush, would allow the united crews of the four to concentrate on -any single deck to resist boarders. - -Hitherto, the dredgers had escaped serious harm; but now a rifle bullet, -landing in a number of men bunched on the second dredger, wounded two of -them and they fell to the deck, uttering cries of pain. Another bullet -cut the cheek of Sam Black, who had resumed the wheel of the Brandt; but -he held to his post, with a handkerchief bound about his head. The party -on shore gave no evidence of the injuries they may have received. - -That the attacking owners were being driven from their position by the -concentrated fire from all four vessels was apparent, however. Gradually -the fire from shore grew less and less. The dredgers, after discharging a -few more volleys and waiting for a quarter of an hour, without being -fired on, cast loose once more and resumed their dredging. - -But they were not suffered to work unmolested for more than an hour. At -the end of about that time, the river bank was illumined again with a -line of flashes, and the crack of rifles smote upon the air. But now the -fight was even more uncertain and the firing still more a matter of -chance. For the wind was drawing around to the southward and a fog was -slowly drifting up the river, blown at first in detached patches which -blotted out the shore one moment, then left it partly cleared. - -The dredgers resumed their position, lashed together and at anchor, so as -not to lose sight of one another in the fog, and directed their fire more -by the sound of the enemy's firing than by sight. The weird, uncertain -battle made a strange picture, with the streams of rifle fire penetrating -the fog and the smoke of powder arising through the fog banks. - -And then, amid a momentary lull in the firing, there came suddenly out of -the fog in the direction of down the river, the unmistakable jingle of a -bell. They knew the sound. It came from an engine-room. Some steamer was -approaching. The captains waited apprehensively. There could be little -doubt of the nature of the craft. - -If doubt there was, however, it was soon dispelled. There came a flash in -the mist, a ball from a one-pounder hummed through the rigging and tore -away a main-mast shroud. The report of the piece, mounted in the bow of -the police steamer, followed. Then a voice came through a megaphone, -"Ahoy there! I'll give you captains just two minutes to launch your -skiffs and come aboard here, or I'll sink you." - -Captain Hamilton Haley, raising his rifle to his shoulder, aimed -deliberately and fired in the direction of the voice. The bullet must -have gone close to the captain of the steamer, for there came a sound as -of shattered glass. The shot had hit the window of the pilot-house. - -There ensued a silence of a moment, and then there came a heavy rifle -fire from the steamer, mingled with the heavier crash of the one-pounder. -The bug-eyes took up the firing; and the air was alive with bullets. -Moreover, the party ashore, jubilant at the reinforcement through the -strong arm of the navy, sent up an exultant shout and poured a volley -from their ambush. - -For a half-hour the battle waged, the steamer alternately drawing near -enough to be clearly seen through the fog, and then backing water as it -was met by a staggering fire from the four vessels. It seemed as though -the fight might even be won by the sailing captains, outnumbering as they -did the crew aboard the steamer. - -Hamilton Haley, aroused to fury by the desperate position in which he -found himself, no longer sought concealment behind house or mast. His -craft lay farthest up-stream in the line of vessels, but he had crossed -decks to that of the nearest bug-eye and stood boldly erect, firing -steadily whenever a flash from the fog gave indication of a possible -mark. - -Again, he was not unmindful of the fate of his own vessel; and, as the -fire slackened for a time, he returned to the deck of the Brandt. -Perceiving his advantage at the end of the line, he ordered the lashings -made ready for easy slipping. - -"Here, you youngsters," he said to Henry Burns and Wallace Brooks, who -were lying flat on the deck, "you get aft there, ready to give Sam Black -a hand if he needs it. He's hit, and may peter out. You jump on to that -wheel if I call, or I'll know why. And one of you be ready to tend -sheet." - -Haley brandished his rifle as he spoke, and the two youths made haste to -obey, taking up their positions aft. The captain returned to the side of -Jim Adams on the deck of the bug-eye of Captain Bill. - -Again the firing from the steamer ceased abruptly and the sound of the -engines was stilled. The captains and their mates ceased firing also, and -waited for action on the part of the steamer. They were wearied by the -strain of the conflict and were glad of the respite. They were making a -successful fight, however, it seemed, although they had had by this time -six men wounded in some way or another. - -"We're beating him off, I reckon," said Captain Bill, seating himself on -the deck, with his rifle laid beside him. "We're too many for him; but it -gravels me how we're going to get out of this ere river, with him below -us." - -"We'll get out," declared Haley, confidently. "Only wait till the wind -blows up a bit more. It's coming around square to the south'ard, and the -fog's getting thicker every minute. We'll slip past him by and by, when -he gets enough of trying to shoot holes through the sky--hello, there's a -bell. He's coming up again, I guess." - -A single bell in the engine-room of the police steamer had given the -signal for her to move ahead slowly. They knew the steamer was coming -toward them, although as yet she was not visible. Then, to their -astonishment, there came the jingle of another bell. - -Hamilton Haley and Captain Bill called to their men to be ready. - -"He means business sure enough this time," muttered Haley. "He's given -him the speed bell. He's coming on the run." - -The words were hardly uttered when the steamer rushed forth into view -from the fog. She was, indeed, coming on at full speed, without firing a -gun. Not until she was almost upon them did the bug-eye captains realize -what was intended. They had sent a volley at her, to which she paid no -heed, but was coming silently and swiftly on. - -Gathering speed as she came, the smoke pouring in black clouds from her -funnel, the steamer rushed directly at the nearest bug-eye which lay -broadside in her path. - -"Get back! Jump, boys! The rascal's going to ram us!" shouted Haley, -darting back across the decks to his own vessel. - -The crews scattered, and the deck of the bug-eye was cleared. They were -not a minute too soon. On came the steamer, tearing through the fog, with -the sparks flying from its stack, lighting up the black smoke. There was -a crash that could be heard far ashore as its iron bow splintered the -side of the bug-eye, buried itself in the yielding planks and cut the -craft half in two. - -The bug-eye reeled under the shock and groaned as if in mortal agony. The -steamer's bell jangled twice and the craft backed away, leaving a great -hole through which the water poured in a torrent. Another bell, and the -steamer was going astern at full speed. Some distance away she reversed -again, and once more came on. Into the same gap she steered; her iron bow -once more rent and tore the planking asunder. Again she backed away. - -The vessel, rapidly filling, broke from the lashings that held it to its -companion and sank to the bottom of the river. - -Thrown into the utmost confusion and dismay at this unexpected turn of -affairs, the captains now thought only of safety in flight. The seamen of -the foundered vessel scattered through the three remaining ones; there -was a frantic rush to lashings and halyards; knives were drawn and -lashings cut when that was easier and quicker. Sails were run up and -orders shouted hoarsely amid the confusion. The two anchors were slipped, -and left. There was no time to get them aboard. - -There seemed to be no escape, however, for at least one other of the -bug-eyes--the one that lay nearest the steamer. The latter craft was even -now manoeuvring to reach a point from which to ram the bug-eye, only the -sunken vessel that lay between preventing her from repeating her success -at once. Tom Noyes, in command of the imperiled vessel, was driving his -men to their utmost to get sail on before he should be cut down. - -But for the fog he would have had little chance. The steamer worked -cautiously out into the river and turned, heading for Tom Noyes's bug-eye -just as she began slowly to make headway, under foresail and jib. The -steamer gave the signal to go ahead, slowly, then another for full speed. -The bug-eye was standing slowly in toward the bank, endeavouring to put -the wreck once more between itself and its foe. - -At this critical moment, Hamilton Haley, whose craft was already under -weigh and standing across to the opposite shore, could not resist taking -a parting shot at his enemy, even though it might imperil his own -chances. He raised his rifle and fired in the direction of the steamer's -pilot-house. It was a chance shot, for he was even then losing sight of -the steamer in the fog. Yet, with the report, there came a cry of pain -from the steamer. Haley bawled exultantly. He knew not what he had done, -but the sound told him of some success of his shot. It had, indeed, -struck the arm of the pilot, inflicting a wound that caused him to drop -the wheel and fall back, fainting. - -The steamer, now at full speed, veered in its course. Before the captain -could signal for the engines to slow down or could right the steamer on -its course, the police boat had run afoul of the wreck and had become -entangled, its bottom resting on the after-house of the sunken bug-eye. - -The next moment, Haley passed exultantly down stream. Tom Noyes, rounding -the wreck inshore, went on his way; the other bug-eye slipped past the -steamer, and the fog hid them from view. - -Yet they were not to get off scot free. Even as he stood, chuckling at -their success, a bullet from the farther shore grazed the head of Jim -Adams; and, stunned, he lurched and went overboard. Henry Burns, seeing -him fall, and springing to the side as the negro's body was swept astern, -caught a hand in his clothing and held on. Haley, running to the rescue, -seized the mate's arm, and, together, they dragged him aboard. Jim Adams -had had a close call. The bullet had stunned him. An inch more and it had -gone through his head. He came to, a half-hour later as they went down -stream, groping their way in the fog; and, in half an hour more, was able -to "feel" the way, as he called it, out to the mouth of the river. - -The escape was made. They were free. But Captain Bill had lost a vessel. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - SURPRISES FOR JACK HARVEY - - -Jack Harvey and Tom Edwards, standing in the middle of the road that -extended drearily northward before them through St. Mary county, on the -cold winter morning of December 28, gazed at each other ruefully. They -were aching from the exertions of their escape and of the night spent -without sleep, wandering across country. They were lame, foot-sore, and -hungry, and the cold now began to penetrate their garments, unprotected, -as they were, for lack of oil-skins or heavy coats. The discovery that -they were also now almost penniless, and in an out-of-the-way and -sparsely settled section of Maryland, was well-nigh appalling. They cast -anxious glances over the fields and low rolling hills, to see if they -could discover shelter. - -Off to the left of the highway, there wound a thin ribbon of frozen -stream, going down to the southwest, through some irregular ridges; -twenty rods away, on the southern bank of this stream, the roof of a -small house showed, with a chimney sending up a light coil of smoke. -Harvey and his companion left the road and made their way toward the -house. - -The occupant of this dwelling, whoever he might be, would not be taken -unawares by their coming, surely, for there bounded out toward them three -dogs, barking. Harvey and Tom Edwards halted, then proceeded slowly. The -dogs did not offer to molest them, but ran close by their side, as a sort -of escort. - -A man appeared in the doorway, warned by the dogs, and called to the -three to come away. Then he gave a greeting to the two travellers. - -"Don't mind the dogs," he called; "they're not savage. We're not -accustomed to seeing travelers often, though, and it makes them excited." - -The speaker was a middle-aged, well-built man, of medium height, bronzed -by sun and wind, with an expression and bearing that told of a condition -in life above that of the poor settler. He spoke, too, in accents -different from what they had been accustomed of late to hear. He eyed -them shrewdly, as they came to the door. - -"Come inside," he said, holding the door ajar for them. "You're fishermen -by your dress--and you're not. Am I right? If I were to guess, I'd take -you to be northerners, though what you're doing away down in this -lonesome place is what puzzles me. You've been on the bay, perhaps, but -you don't look like bay men." - -All the while he spoke, his keen, brown eyes were bent critically upon -them, as if the two afforded him an interesting study. - -"You're right, sir," answered Tom Edwards, "we have been fishermen, but -we're not now; and what's more, I hope we never shall be again. We've -escaped from a dredger. And, sir, if you will allow me, you don't look -like a man that toils hard for a living. You've got a business hand." - -The man smiled and nodded. "You and I are regular Sherlock Holmeses," he -said. "Sit down by the fire. No, I'm not a resident here. I'm an invalid. -Do I look it?" - -He threw out his chest and laughed heartily. - -"You certainly do not," answered Tom Edwards. - -"Well, I was," continued the stranger. "My name is Phillips, and I live -in New York. I'm a lawyer, and I'm taking a year off for my health. I had -spent many vacations, shooting and fishing about the Chesapeake, and when -I had to give up work for a year, I came down here with my dogs and gun -and rod. I hired this old house and set up as monarch of all I -survey--including an old darkey servant who does my work and cooking. I'm -a pretty lusty invalid, I can tell you. Now where did you come from?" - -"It's a long story," said Tom Edwards, stretching out comfortably in his -armchair before the hearth fire, "but I'll make it brief." And he -sketched rapidly the adventures that had befallen himself and Harvey -since their captivity aboard the dredger. Their host listened intently. - -"That's a strange story, sure enough," he said, when Tom Edwards had -finished; "but I've heard of cases like it before. It's a bad state of -affairs. I'd like to help prosecute that man, Haley. What a rascal he -must be!" - -Mr. Phillips arose, stepped to a closet and produced from a shelf a -bottle and a glass. - -"Mr. Edwards," he said, "I won't offer this to your young companion, but -you look played out. I keep it on hand, for cases just like this." - -So saying, he poured the glass partly full and handed it to Tom Edwards. -The latter took it, arising from his chair as he did so, and started to -raise it to his lips. To his utter astonishment, and that of the host, -Jack Harvey stepped to the side of his elder companion, drew back his -right arm and planted a blow on Tom Edwards's shoulder that nearly sent -him off his feet, knocked the glass from his hand and sent it crashing to -the floor. - -Tom Edwards recovered his balance, flushed angrily and turned on Harvey, -who stood, chuckling at the effect of his unexpected blow. - -"Look here," cried Tom Edwards, confronting his friend, threateningly, -"what kind of tom-foolery do you call that? What's the matter with you? -Have you gone crazy?" - -Mr. Phillips, seeing the fate of his liquor and his glass, had also -flushed with resentment and stood glaring at Harvey. Harvey laughed. - -"You asked me to do it, Tom," he said. - -"What's that!" - -"I did it just to oblige you," insisted Harvey. "Don't you remember the -first night we met in that beastly old forecastle of the Brandt? You said -if I ever saw you try to take a drink again to punch you good and hard. -Well, I did the best I know how. Truly, though, Tom, I'm sorry if you're -angry. I just happened to remember it, and I did it for fun, right off -quick. Say you're not mad, will you?" - -Tom Edwards, thus confronted with his own words, stood, open-mouthed with -surprise. Then a smile overspread his face. He turned to his host, -somewhat embarrassed; the expression on his face became serious. - -"Mr. Phillips," he said, "the boy is right. I asked him to do it. And -what's more--though I owe you an apology, sir--I'm glad he did it." - -He turned to Harvey and extended his hand. - -"Jack, old chap," he said, "you did just right. Upon my word, I forgot. I -meant that, when I said it aboard the Brandt, and I did intend to stick -to it, upon my word. The fact is, Mr. Phillips, if it hadn't been for -that stuff, I never should have been caught in this plight. I swore I'd -never touch another drop; and if you'll excuse me, sir, I'll start all -over again. Jack, here's my hand on it. I'll stick to it this time, as -long as I live." - -Mr. Phillips, seating himself in his chair, doubled up with laughter. - -"Excuse you, why, of course," he roared. "Bless me, if that wasn't the -most effective temperance lesson I ever saw in my life. Young fellow, if -you can convert 'em as quick as that, you ought to go into the business." - -"I was only in fun," said Harvey, apologetically. "I thought it would -surprise Tom, to give it to him, just as he said." - -"Surprise!" roared Mr. Phillips, "I never saw such a surprised man in all -my life." And the lawyer leaned back in his chair and roared again. - -"Well," he said, finally. "I'll try you on the food question. You're both -hungry enough, I dare say. Just make yourself comfortable and I'll have -my man start breakfast." - -Harvey and Tom Edwards settled back in their chairs, warm and grateful. -It seemed too good to be true, to be comfortably housed and with the -prospect of a good breakfast, after the hardships they had gone through. -And when they sat down to the table some time later, with coffee and eggs -and bacon and hot rolls and crisp fried potatoes arrayed appetizingly -before them, they could hardly believe they were not dreaming. Hope and -courage grew anew within them, and already their troubles seemed at an -end. - -They were glad enough, when they had finished, to accept the proffered -hospitality of a bed; and they went off to sleep, wearied and worn but -vastly content in the consciousness that they were safe, and might rest -unmolested. They slept the most of that day, and roused up at evening -only, to partake of a bit of supper and then turn in again, for a long -night of sleep and rest. - -The next day, the easterly storm blew up that had made life miserable -aboard the dredger, Brandt, away across the bay on the eastern shore. How -far from their minds was the thought that, while they sat, comfortably -sheltered against the snow and sleet, the youth, Artie Jenkins, who had -brought all their troubles upon them, was, himself, toiling miserably and -wretched, at the winch aboard the Brandt. By no stretch of the -imagination could Harvey have pictured his friend, Henry Burns, under -bondage to Haley, as he himself had been. - -Harvey and Tom Edwards, urged to remain until they were fully refreshed, -and until the weather softened to admit of their travelling without -danger or great hardship, gladly accepted. They remained that day and the -next under the roof of their good host. He, on his part, was glad of -their company, and would have had them remain even longer. - -On the fourth day, however, the weather moderating and not enough snow -having fallen to make the road impassable, Harvey and his companion -determined to set out. They were in high spirits, for their generous host -had lent them money for their passage to Baltimore and to purchase what -they might need on the way. Moreover, he had given them the name of a man -at a small settlement called Trap, a mile or two up the road, who owned a -horse, and who, he thought, would drive them northward. In the forenoon, -then, they started, with a cordial farewell and wishes for good luck. - -Lawyer Phillips had been a generous and thoughtful friend. The shabby, -sea-worn clothing that the two had worn on their arrival at his home had -been replaced by garments from his own wardrobe--second-hand, to be sure, -but far better and warmer than what they had. Over his shoulder Harvey -carried a small sack which contained half a boiled ham, two loaves of -bread, some corn biscuit and a big bottle of coffee. They were rested and -had been well fed; and they went along the icy road in high spirits. - -In a little more than an hour they had reached the settlement to which -they had been directed, consisting of some three or four houses. They -went in to the door of one of these, and knocked. A man opened the door. - -"We are looking for Mr. Stanton," said Tom Edwards. - -"That's my name," responded the man; "what's wanted?" - -They told him Mr. Phillips had sent them, and informed him of their -errand. The man shook his head. - -"I'd do anything for Mr. Phillips," he said, "but my horse can't travel -clear to Millstone and back over this road, this time of year. But I tell -you what I will do; I'll take you by water. My canoe is down at the creek -yonder. We can run up in four hours, I guess; and I'll put you up with -friends of mine when we get there, and you can stay till the boat comes. -How will that suit you?" - -"Suit us!" exclaimed Tom Edwards, "nothing ever suited us half so well in -this world. When can you start?" - -"Right away, as soon as I throw a few things into a bag." - -Five minutes later, the three were going along a road that led off from -the highway to the right, diagonally toward the shore. Their guide and -new acquaintance, a small, undersized man, led the way at a brisk pace. -The entrance to the creek, a quite extensive sheet of water, bordered by -salt marshes, was about two miles distant. When they had come to within a -quarter of a mile of this, a small cabin could be seen, squatted down -among the reeds by the shore. - -Suddenly their guide stopped short, gazed off to the side of the road, -and uttered an exclamation of surprise. Then he pointed to an object a -short distance away, and ran toward it. Harvey and Tom Edwards followed. -What they saw was the figure of a man, or youth, lying on a little patch -of underbrush, where he had evidently fallen. - -The heavy breathing of the person told the three, as they bent over him, -that he still lived; but he seemed to be in a sort of stupor. Mr. Stanton -turned him over and looked at his face. - -"I knew it," he said. "He's a stranger; some poor chap from a dredger, -sure as you live. He's not the first one that's been put ashore down -here. We've got to get him into the cabin and give him something hot -pretty quick, or we won't save him." - -"Lift him up on my shoulders, and I'll carry him," said Harvey. "It isn't -far, and he doesn't weigh much." - -They lifted the youth up and Harvey started toward the cabin, carrying -him over his shoulder, while the others steadied the swaying figure. He -was, as Harvey had said, not heavy--a youth of about twenty, perhaps, -slender and sickly looking. His face seemed swollen, as though from blows -or from being frost-bitten. As Harvey, strong and athletic, carried him -over the uneven ground, he groaned and muttered something unintelligible. -The jolting had roused him partly from his stupor. - -The cabin proved to be a rough affair of boards--with wooden bunks on -either side, and a sheet-iron stove in one corner--used merely as an -occasional shelter by tong-men. Harvey laid his burden down and made -haste to start a fire. Tom Edwards produced the coffee from the bag, and -poured some into a tin can that he found in one corner of the cabin, in -order to heat it on the stove. The man, Stanton, began untying the shoes -and loosening the clothing of the unknown youth, who now stirred slightly -and half opened his eyes. There were two tattered blankets by the -doorway, and Mr. Stanton spread these by the stove, where Harvey soon had -a fire roaring, and they laid the youth down on them. - -"It's just as I thought," exclaimed Stanton, indignantly, turning down -the youth's coat and shirt, so that a part of his bare shoulder was -exposed; "he's been beaten with a rope's end. It's a disgrace, the way -they treat men." - -Harvey's face flushed, as he looked. - -"We know how to sympathize with the poor fellow," he said. "We know what -dredging is like, eh, Tom?" - -"Well, I rather think we do," responded Tom Edwards. "We've got some -scores of our own to settle with a few men, when we get back to -Baltimore." - -Tom Edwards advanced now with the coffee. - -"Hold him up, Jack," he said. "This will warm him." - -Harvey put his hand under the youth's head, raised him to a sitting -position, and Tom Edwards held the tin to his lips. The youth opened his -eyes and looked them in the face. As he did so, Harvey fairly gasped and -nearly let him fall back. - -"Tom," he exclaimed, "look! See who it is!" - -Tom Edwards set the tin down on the floor. - -"Why, I've seen him before," he cried. "He's the chap I met in Baltimore, -or his twin brother. How can that be, though? Jack, what do you say? Who -is he?" - -"Artie Jenkins!" exclaimed Harvey. "I'd know him, no matter where he was. -He's the chap that trapped me--and of all places to find him! Say, you're -Artie Jenkins, aren't you?" - -He looked the youth in the eyes and shook him. The youth nodded, feebly. - -"Yes," he whispered. - -"Well," said Tom Edwards, lifting the tin again, "you get the coffee, -just the same--but hang me if I ever thought I'd do that much for you. -Hold him up, Jack. Here, drink this." - -Artie Jenkins, choking and breathing hard between his efforts, drank the -tin-full of hot coffee, and they laid him down again. They rubbed his -legs and arms till they were warmed with renewed vitality. Then they -rolled him in the blankets and let him lie by the fire. - -"He's all right, I guess," said Stanton, "but he had a close call. -Another hour out there in the cold and he never would have waked up. It's -funny, though, that you know him; how did it happen?" - -"Yes, he's an old friend of ours," said Tom Edwards, smiling; "we're sort -of old Johns Hopkins chums, he and Harvey and I. We went to school with -him--on the Baltimore water front." And he narrated the story of their -acquaintance with Artie Jenkins. "Jack and I had a score to settle with -him," he said in conclusion; "but it looks to me as though someone had -settled it for us. Judging by the looks of our friend, I guess he's had -enough, eh, Jack?" - -Harvey nodded. - -"I guess we'll call it even," he replied. "But what puzzles me is, what -are we going to do with him?" Harvey looked at Mr. Stanton, inquiringly. -The latter did not answer, but started suddenly toward the door. - -"There's a sloop coming to anchor just outside," he said. "Perhaps they -know something about him. Just keep close, now. There's a skiff coming -in, with two in it. I'm a justice of the peace. I reckon this revolver -will be a good argument for them to stop. I'll hold them until that chap, -Jenkins, is able to sit up again. If he identifies them as the ones that -brought him in here, I'll put them under arrest. Have you got a weapon?" - -Harvey produced Haley's revolver. - -"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Stanton, "keep it handy and stand by. When I step -out, you follow." - -Peering through the doorway, they saw the skiff come in to shore and two -persons step out--one a large, powerfully built man, the other a youth of -about Harvey's age. The two came up a path leading from the shore, toward -the cabin. Their boots crunched the ice just outside the door when Mr. -Stanton, motioning to Harvey, stepped quickly outside. Harvey followed. - -"Hold up there," cried Mr. Stanton, "I put you two under arrest till I -find out--" - -He stopped abruptly and jumped with surprise when Jack Harvey, uttering a -whoop and a yell, darted past him. - -"George Warren!" bawled Harvey, rushing up to the astounded youth; "where -did you come from? How in the world did you ever get here? Any more of -the fellows with you? Is Henry Burns out aboard? I was right. I saw you -weeks ago through Haley's telescope. Tom, come on out. They've come for -us. Hooray!" - -Mr. Stanton, wide-eyed with wonder, lowered his weapon and bowed to the -man with George Warren. - -"The arrest is off," he said. "I apologize, sir. Come inside and I'll -explain." - -George Warren, embracing his friend Harvey, was almost too dumfounded to -speak. But Harvey continued to ply him with questions. - -"How did you happen to come to look for me?" he asked. - -"We didn't," replied George Warren, while an expression of anxiety -overspread his face; "we are looking for Henry Burns." - -"For Henry Burns!" repeated Harvey. "Why, what's become of him--you don't -mean he's been carried off, too? Say, it's making my head swim. Come in -and explain." - -The four entered the cabin where Artie Jenkins lay sleeping by the fire. -George Warren introduced his companion as Will Adams. Then he turned to -Harvey. - -"Who'll explain first, you or I?" he asked. - -"Why," replied Harvey, "you know about us, or you wouldn't be here--you -got the note I sent ashore, I suppose. It's a long story, all that's -happened. I want to know about Henry Burns. Is he lost?" - -George Warren recounted the events leading up to the disappearance of -their friend; and then, how they had discovered, on the morning of the -27th of December, that Henry Burns was missing; how they had found the -skiff adrift in the Patuxent; how they had learned, by questioning the -river men, that Haley's bug-eye had been seen that night in the Patuxent; -and how they had set out in the sloop, Mollie, to hunt for him, after -notifying the authorities. There were, out aboard the sloop, the other -two Warren boys and Edward Warren, their cousin. - -"And you'll have to make room for two more," cried Jack Harvey. "Tom -Edwards and I can tell Haley's old bug-eye a mile away. You won't find -him on this shore, though. He's on the Eastern shore, among the islands." - -"That's what we thought most likely," said Will Adams, "but we thought -we'd clean up this side first, to make sure. We saw your smoke and ran in -to inquire--" - -He stopped abruptly and turned to Tom Edwards. - -"Say, was it you two that slept in Warren's barn?" he asked. - -"I guess it was his barn, sure enough," replied Tom Edwards; "and wasn't -it a piece of hard luck that he didn't catch us? We'd all be home by this -time,--and they wouldn't have lost the other boy. What a shame!" - -"Things do happen queerly, sure enough," said Will Adams. "But who's this -man asleep here?" - -Tom Edwards turned and pointed to Artie Jenkins, shaking his finger at -the sleeping figure. - -"That chap," he said, "is the cause of it all. Isn't it a queer -situation, that he should be here too?" - -He told the story of their experience with Artie Jenkins. - -"And what are you going to do with him?" asked Will Adams. - -Tom Edwards knelt by the sleeper and turned down his shirt collar. - -"Take a look here," he said, pointing to the red marks upon the youth's -shoulder. "When I was out aboard Haley's bug-eye," he continued, "I used -to spend hours thinking what I'd like to do to this fellow, if I ever -found him. I had nine hundred and ninety-nine different ways all thought -out of making him pay for my troubles. But"--Tom Edwards arose and folded -his arms--"I think he's had his punishment. Somebody put him just where -he put us--aboard a dredger; and he must have struck a Tartar as bad as -Haley. I think we'll let him go. That is, if we can. Mr. Stanton, what do -you say? We shall not need your help now, to get to Millstone. We're -going with this sloop to the Eastern shore; but we can't leave this -fellow, Jenkins, here, deserted." - -"Leave him to me," replied Mr. Stanton. "He won't be the first one we've -had on our hands. I'll go back and hitch up the horse and take him to the -settlement, and we'll ship him up the bay the first chance we get. But -you ought to prosecute him. Ten to one, if he ever gets his health again, -he'll go back to the business." - -Tom Edwards shook his head vigorously. - -"No, he won't," he said; "I'd stake my last dollar that he's had enough -of it. He's been beaten, and he's had the heart all taken out of him. He -hasn't got the nerve left to try it again." - -And Tom Edwards was right. - -They shook hands with Mr. Stanton, took a last look at the unhappy object -by the fire, and went down the path to the landing. Soon the sloop -Mollie, with her new recruits aboard, was standing away from the creek, -tossing the spray as the search for Haley's bug-eye and for Henry Burns -was resumed. - - - - - CHAPTER XX - THE PURSUIT OF THE BRANDT - - -There was a warm welcome for Harvey aboard the sloop, although Arthur and -Joe Warren could hardly believe their eyes at first, when they saw him -step over the rail on deck. When they did recognize, in the -weather-beaten, bronzed and rough-looking figure, their comrade of -Benton, they fell upon him and dragged him below into the cabin, followed -by Tom Edwards and Will Adams. - -And as they sailed across the Chesapeake a little later, on their long -course, east by north in the direction of Hooper strait, Harvey recounted -his adventures--assisted by Tom Edwards, who filled in the parts which -Harvey omitted, recounting in glowing terms how Harvey had stood by him -through thick and thin, refusing to desert his friend when the -opportunity had offered for him to escape, alone. - -Edward Warren looked serious, as Harvey described the life aboard the -Brandt, and the treatment of the men at Haley's hands. - -"I wouldn't have had young Burns taken off on that craft for all the -money in Maryland," he said, gravely. "I feel somehow to blame for it, -too," he added, "though I hadn't the least idea he would attempt to leave -the house at night. Give her all the sail she'll stand, Will," he called -to Will Adams, who, with George Warren, had returned on deck; "let's get -across as quick as we can." - -"She's making good time," replied George Warren, hurrying down below -again, to hear the story; "we'll be in the strait by early afternoon." - -The old Mollie was, indeed, doing her prettiest, and carrying a "bone in -her teeth" under a fresh westerly breeze. - -George Warren vowed vengeance on Haley, for his hard treatment of Harvey -and Tom Edwards. Young Joe groaned in sympathy as Harvey told of the food -served to the crew of the Brandt. - -"There's a big chicken pie, over in that locker, Jack," he said, with a -longing look in the direction indicated. - -"No, thanks, Joe," laughed Harvey; "we had a good, square meal before we -set out this morning; and we've been making up for what we lost, these -last few days." - -"No use, Joe, you'll have to wait till dinner time before you get any -more of that pie," said Arthur Warren, slyly. - -Young Joe scowled in high indignation. - -"I didn't want any," he declared. - -"Well, I've done all I can," said Edward Warren. "I've put the -authorities on the track, and a police boat will pick up Haley, I expect, -before we do. We'll have some news as soon as we get over among the -dredging fleet." - -"I'm not so sure about Haley's being caught right off," returned Will -Adams. "It all depends upon whether he thinks he's being hunted or not. -This bay is a mighty big sheet of water, and there are a thousand and one -places to run to for hiding. And as I say, these fellows have a way of -warning one another. We may get word of him soon, or we may not. We'll -have to wait and see." - -They ran in through Hooper strait that afternoon, in company with quite a -fleet of oyster fishermen; a score of bug-eyes, picturesque and spirited -under full sail; several sharp-stern punjies; and, in Tangier Sound, -other smaller craft. Harvey, on deck, as lookout, watched eagerly, using -Will Adams's telescope now and then, for the familiar rig of the Brandt. -Will Adams, at the wheel, rejoiced in the acquisition of one who would -know the craft at a distance, instead of their having to trust to chance -report of the vessel from some passing skipper. - -But there was no Brandt to be seen that afternoon. They came to anchor in -Tangier Sound at dusk, and made ready for the night, impatient to resume -the search upon the morrow. - -"Not much like the Brandt, old fellow, is it?" remarked Harvey to Tom -Edwards, as they turned in on some blankets on the cabin floor. - -Tom Edwards gave a yawn and a murmur of satisfaction. - -"It's fine and comfortable," he said--"but I won't be sorry to be back in -old Boston once more--if we ever get there. I wasn't cut out for a -sailor." - -They started out again in good time, the following morning, following the -track of the dredging fleet, cruising in and out among the vessels. -Perhaps their appearance cruising thus, apparently idle, with no fishing -equipment, may have excited some suspicion. Certain it is, they got -little assistance from the captains they hailed, as Will Adams had -feared. - -"Hello, ahoy there!" Will Adams would call, through a big megaphone. - -"Ahoy, the Mollie!" - -"Seen anything of the Z. B. Brandt?" - -"No." - -The answer would come short and sharp. - -Sometimes they would sail along with a dredger, as it heaved and wound in -its dredges, making inquiries; but, despite the fact that someone in -these waters, of whom they asked, must, it would seem, have known a craft -that was a regular dredger thereabouts, no one could, or would, enlighten -them. - -That evening, however, as they sought a berth for the night, in company -with some dozen other craft, in a cove at the upper end of Bloodsworth -Island, they got a hint of what seemed like a clue. They had come to -anchor and night had fallen. Smoke was pouring out of the funnels of a -cluster of oystermen some few rods away, and light shone cheerily from -cabin companions. Will Adams lifted his megaphone to his lips and called -out his inquiry if anyone had seen the Brandt. The reply came "Who are -you?" Will Adams answered. The response to this was vague and -unintelligible, but the tone was one of contempt. Yet, amid a confusion -of voices, Will Adams caught this remark: - -"Reckon Haley's gone up the Nanticoke again, where it's easy dredging." - -This was followed by a chorus of rough laughter. - -By the light of the cabin lamp, that night, the yachtsmen aboard the -Mollie studied the Nanticoke river on their chart. Edward Warren and Will -Adams looked at Harvey, inquiringly. - -"We never went up there while I was aboard," said Harvey. "Haley did most -of his poaching in the Patuxent and Tangier Sound; but it's not an -unlikely place. We might get word of him there." - -They sailed northeast from Bloodsworth island next day, and started up -the Nanticoke river, running by the buoys half-way to Roaring Point. Some -tong-men in their canoes were at work in the chilling water, on the east -bank at a bend of the river, and the Mollie was swung into the wind for a -word with them. - -The occupant of one of the canoes straightened up, at their inquiry, and -eyed them shrewdly. - -"You needn't look fer no Brandt up this river," he replied, in a drawling -tone; "they do say as she was one of them as had the fight up above here, -with the patrol; but if she was, she got away, all right. At any rate, -she was going south, by Deal Island, the last I heard of her. If you're -after her, I hope you get her--and bad luck to the skipper that runs her, -being as he's a poacher by reputation in these parts." - -The Mollie headed back down the river, almost due south into Tangier -Sound. They had struck the trail at last. But the trail was a winding -one. It led some nine miles southward, and then through a great stretch -of bay off to the eastward, skirting countless acres of salt marshes, -whither they were directed by a passing vessel. The captain knew Hamilton -Haley, and added gratuitously that he knew no good of him; by which it -seemed Haley had his enemies in the bay, as well as friends. - -Then the trail led away in a great sweep, some ten miles to the -southwest, toward Smith Island, where the bug-eye had been seen heading. -They made this island on the forenoon of the next day. There they got -trace again of a bug-eye answering the description of the Brandt; but it -had made sail that morning to the eastward. They followed, in turn, -across six miles of Tangier Sound to the shore of another broad extent of -salt marsh, called Janes Island. They sailed southward along that, about -dusk. Below them, by the chart, lay a good anchorage for the night, -Somers Cove, at the mouth of a river. Already, in the gathering darkness, -a mile ahead, there gleamed the rays of Janes Island lighthouse, marking -the entrance to the harbour. - -A half-mile ahead of them, making for this same light, sailed a vessel. -They had had a glimpse of it before dusk set in, but not clear enough to -make it out. - -Then, as they sailed, the faint cry of someone in distress came to their -ears--a startling, puzzling cry, that seemed to come up from the very -depths of the dark waters. - - -Hamilton Haley, running his vessel out of the mouth of the Nanticoke, on -the night of the disastrous fight with the police steamer, was at first -about equally divided in mind between exultation and anger. He smiled -grimly as he thought of the battle that had been waged with the owners of -the oyster beds, and of the several score bushels of oysters plundered -before the arrival of the steamer. He chuckled as he pictured again the -escape in the fog, from the victorious steamer. But he muttered -maledictions on the head of the skipper that had sunk the bug-eye, and -who might have surmised, or might now be able to discover who the -confederates of the unfortunate captain had been. He crowded on sail, -once clear of the river, and went flying southward, in the early morning -hours, along the shores of Deal Island. - -The bug-eye turned the southern point of Deal Island and passed in -through a narrow stretch of water called the Lower Thoroughfare, which -ran between Deal Island and a smaller one, known as Little Island. -Threading this thoroughfare, Haley sailed east and then northward, into a -harbour called Fishing Creek. Here he dropped sail, came to anchor and -prepared to lie snug, to rest and reflect upon what course to take. - -In spite of his successful escape, Haley was worried--almost alarmed; -and, as he considered the situation, throughout the day, his anxiety -increased. There were several things that worried him; and, now that -troubles began to press, he thought of them all at once, as impending and -immediate dangers. Perhaps, unconsciously, he had lost nerve. He thought -of possible pursuit from the steamer. He thought of a hunt that might -have been set on foot for Henry Burns, the youth he had carried off from -the Patuxent. He thought of Harvey and his companion, safely ashore, and -perhaps long ere this having set on foot a search of reprisal. - -Several times during the day, as Haley encountered Henry Burns about the -deck, he stopped abruptly and seemed to be lost in thought. It would have -disturbed the calmness of even that youth, could he have read Haley's -mind; could he have known that, of all his troubles, Captain Hamilton -Haley regarded Henry Burns as the one that most menaced his safety. But -it was so. Other things might be denied. The evidence would be hard to -gather; but here was the stolen youth, evidence in himself of Haley's -act. - -What Haley decided as best for his safety was expressed by Haley, -himself, in answer to a question by Jim Adams, that afternoon. - -"I'm going south--farther south," he said, "down into Virginia waters, -across the line. The police tubs won't follow below that. We'll stay for -a while. I don't know how long--till the trouble has had time to blow -over, anyway." - -Nevertheless, when sail was made again, that afternoon on the bug-eye, -the course was not southward, but off to the east, following the shore -line of the great sweep of bay leading into a wide river; and Jim Adams, -mate, wondered. He was free with Haley, for he had come to be well-nigh -indispensable to him; and he made bold to ask the reason for Haley's -change of mind. Haley's eyes flashed with a hard light. - -"That's my business," he answered, shortly. - -Twilight came early; they had run in past St. Pierre island, rounded a -point on the eastern bank of the river, and come to, in a small cove. -Haley gave the wheel to Jim Adams. - -"Hold her where she is," he said. He went to the stem, and drew the skiff -down alongside. "Come here," he called to Henry Burns and the sailor -Jeff. They came aft, in surprise. - -"Get in there!" Haley commanded, roughly. "We're short of wood. I want -you two to come with me and get some." - -It was a strange hour for wood gathering; it was already beginning to -grow heavy with the dusk. Furthermore, there was no wood-land in sight. -The shore seemed lined with marshes, and barren. But the two started to -obey, and Haley prepared to enter the skiff with them. A most unexpected -thing happened, however. Jim Adams left the wheel and stepped to the side -of the bug-eye. - -"Come here, Mister Haley, if you please," he said, still simulating a -politeness of address and manner, but with an insolent expression on his -face. "Come back here, Mister Haley, I want to speak with you." - -Haley, glaring at him, ignored his words and started to cast off the -line. Jim Adams sprang and caught it. "You jes' got to come back here a -moment, Mister Haley," he said. - -With an exclamation of wrath, Haley sprang back on deck and advanced upon -Jim Adams. - -"What do you mean, interfering with me, you nigger?" he cried. - -Jim Adams, mysteriously beckoning him to follow, retreated across the -deck, to the side of the after-house. - -"Mister Haley," he said, softly, "I got something to say to you. I know -what you come in here for now. There don't no wood grow hereabouts. You -thinks this would be a mighty fine place to leave that youngster that -came from the Patuxent. But I ain't goin' to let you do it, Mister -Haley--leastways not yet. I reckon Jim Adams wouldn't be here now if it -wasn't for that youngster hauling him back aboard when he came out of the -Nanticoke." - -Haley, taken utterly by surprise, glared at the mate for one moment -without being able to find words to reply. Then he cried out that he -would knock him overboard, and raised his fist for a blow. The agile mate -caught his wrist and held it in a grip that Haley could not shake off. -They struggled for a moment, and then Haley, breaking loose, stood, -trembling with rage. - -"Jim Adams," he said, huskily, "what ails you--have you gone crazy? -You've always been a good mate. Don't be a fool now. Don't you know the -boy's a danger to us, here? Do you want to go to jail on account of him?" - -"Sho' no, I don't at all, Cap'n Haley," answered the mate, with -assurance. "See here,"--and he assumed a more civil, urgent tone,--"I -want to get clear of that young chap just as bad as you do, Mister Haley; -but I jes' don't like to see him go ashore now, cause there ain't nothin' -but ma'sh land hereabouts, and I know he'd starve to death, or drown. And -I reckon Jim Adams owes him that much, to see as he's put ashore where he -can get away, somehow. That's all I want. Wait till we get down into -Virginny, Mister Haley, and I won't make no trouble--but I guess you and -I will fight pretty bad if he has to go here." - -The mate's manner was both threatening and wheedling. Clearly, he had no -fear of Haley. It was man against man. Haley waited some moments, eying -the mate as if to read his mind. Evidently what he saw, in the snapping -eyes that returned his gaze, convinced him that Jim Adams was not to be -turned aside without a struggle. - -"All right," he said, "but I'll get square for it. Let your anchor go. -Come aboard here, you men. We'll get our wood down yonder. Drop those -sails and turn in." - -Sullenly, leaving the mate to make all snug, Haley went below. Jim Adams, -turning his eyes upon Henry Burns as the boy slipped down into the -forecastle, muttered softly to himself. He had a queer kind of -cold-blooded logic, had Jim Adams. - -"There," he said, "you and I am square, young fellow. You saved my life, -and now I've saved yours. That makes us even, I reckon. The next time, I -guess you'll have to go ashore." - -Into this bay and out again, the course of the Brandt now continued, as -the sloop Mollie traced it later. A vessel that passed here and there, -despite Haley's precautions, sufficed to give the clues he fain would -have hid. There is fate in all things, and it was Haley's now to leave an -open trail where he sought concealment. He ran to Smith Island, and the -Mollie got trace of him there. He sailed southward, and the Virginia line -was not so many miles away. Of an evening, as darkness was shutting down, -he perceived far astern a sloop coming in his wake. He noticed it, but -gave it little thought. He had one other idea in his mind, and that -overshadowed all else. The boy that was a peril to him must be gotten rid -of. - -The Brandt was running free, with the wind directly astern--a fresh -evening breeze that was sending her along at a fair clip. Hamilton Haley -had the wheel. Jim Adams was below. Sam Black was on deck, forward. Henry -Burns was on deck. Wallace Brooks was on deck. Haley watched and waited. -By and by, Brooks stepped to the companion and went below. Haley called -to Henry Burns. There was a tangle of gear near the after-house. - -"Here you, youngster, straighten out that line and coil it up neat," -ordered Haley. Henry Burns went to work. Haley stood silently by the -wheel. The minutes passed, and Henry Burns worked on. His back was toward -the captain. - -The booms were out on the starboard side. Watching the boy sharply, Haley -stooped and grasped the main-sheet, and drew it in a little. The -main-sail shivered, as the breeze caught it slightly aback. Cautiously, -Haley put the helm up a trifle; the bug-eye headed more to the starboard, -and the sail shivered still more. Henry Burns, intent upon his work, -however, failed to notice the manoeuvre. - -Then the main-sheet slackened suddenly in Haley's hand, as the boom -started to swing inboard. Haley dropped the sheet and put the helm hard -up. Swiftly the heavy boom jibed across the stern. Haley ducked his head -as it swung past. The change of motion in the vessel was now apparent to -Henry Burns. One glance, and he saw the shadow of the sail as the boom -crashed upon him, with a swiftness he could not evade. He had barely time -to dodge when the boom caught him, grazing the top of his head and -hurling him overboard into the icy water. He had saved his life, but he -was momentarily stunned--and the bug-eye, Brandt, was disappearing in the -darkness when he came to his senses, choking, and stinging with the slap -of the winter seas. - -The bug-eye swerved and laid over, with the jibing of the booms. But the -wind was not heavy; the sheets held, and Haley had her on her course in -another moment. - -Henry Burns's smothered cry was unheard save by Haley. It was not until -another hour, when the Brandt rounded to in Somers cove, that the boy's -loss was discovered. Jim Adams, hardened as he was, faced Haley solemnly. - -"Mister Haley," he said, "I've seen you pay two men the wages that was -due them, with that ere main-boom, since I've been aboard this craft, and -they was not much account; but sure I think we'll have bad luck now, -'cause we could have got rid of that youngster without that." - -For better or worse luck, however, the bug-eye Brandt made snug for the -night. There was a good berth to lie in; it was a quiet night, with only -a gentle breeze blowing. A lantern was set in the shrouds, and all hands -turned. - - -Henry Burns, knocked overboard by the blow of the boom, sank in the -chilling water, then rose again. He was not badly injured, but was -choking with the water he had swallowed. He had strength enough to cry -out only feebly. There was no salvation in that. He husbanded his -strength and struck out, to keep himself afloat. Fortunately, he was not -encumbered with oil skins, or he would have sunk. - -Terror seized him; there seemed to be no chance for life in the darkness. -Yet he struggled to keep afloat. Then the shadow of some object came -before his eyes. It was a small cask, rolled off the deck of the Brandt -as she had heeled with the jibing of the boom. Henry Burns grasped it, as -it floated close, and clasped his arms over it. It sufficed to float him, -with the most of his body under water. It was a forlorn hope, yet he -clung with desperation. - -Minutes that seemed like hours passed. His hold slipped, as his fingers -became numbed. He gave a cry of despair, struggled with all his strength -and regained his hold. Again he clung for what seemed to him hours. But -his strength was waning. The cold was robbing him of strength--of life. -In despair, he cried aloud again and again, over the waste of waters. He -could not hold out longer. - -Then, out of the blackness there came a rushing sound, as of some large -body moving through the waves--and then--an answering call. - -A cry from the blackness of the sea! Will Adams, at the wheel of the -Mollie, felt his hair rise on end. Jack Harvey, forward, on watch, felt -the cold perspiration stand out all over him. It seemed something -unearthly--impossible. - -But the cry came again, and again. The sloop headed in the direction of -the sound, and there came into view the vague figure, floating, clinging -to the cask. They drew the castaway aboard presently--and then Jack -Harvey set up a shout that almost reached to Haley's bug-eye. - -"Henry Burns!" - -They had him down in the warm cabin in a twinkling, and between blankets, -with hot drink to restore his strength. Edward Warren fairly wept for joy -and relief from anxiety. The Warrens and Jack Harvey tried hard to keep -the tears from their eyes, but didn't all succeed. Will Adams stood by -the wheel, but called for news every moment from the rescued one, and -fairly shouted with exultation when Henry Burns gave the tidings that the -Brandt was just ahead, making for Somers Cove. - -They turned the point and stood into the harbour. The sight that greeted -their eyes made their blood tingle. Under the lee of Long Point, there -lay a vessel at anchor, betrayed by its harbour light. - -"It's the Brandt," exclaimed Harvey, as they neared it. - -But, even as they spilled the wind from their sails, luffing, to consider -their plan of attack, there came voices from the Brandt, and two men -appeared on deck. So, to avoid suspicion, the Mollie ran in past the -Brandt for some rods, and came to anchor ahead of her. Quickly, sails -were made snug and lights doused in the cabin, a single small lantern -being set for a harbour light. Then the crew of the Mollie gathered for a -conference in the cabin. - -Jack Harvey, eager to be avenged for his wrongs, was for standing over -boldly and attacking the bug-eye then and there; but Will Adams and -Edward Warren, older and wiser, were for waiting. - -"We'll never let him sail away," said Will Adams, reassuringly; "depend -on that. But every minute we wait, saves a blow. They may be suspicious -for a while, but they'll not watch all night." - -"But how can we reach them without giving warning?" asked Tom Edwards. -"They'll hear us if we try to make sail, and one small skiff won't hold -us all." - -Will Adams pulled out his watch and noted the time. "In two hours it will -be easy," he answered. "In two hours the tide will begin to ebb out of -the river. We're above the Brandt. When the tide turns, we'll just start -the anchor off bottom and drop back on her. Get out the guns and make -ready--but be quiet." - -They worked silently, and watched the hands of Will Adams's watch move -slowly around the dial. It seemed as though an hour would never go. Sixty -more long minutes, and, as Will Adams had foretold, the vessels were -swinging. Now their bows were no longer pointing out of the cove, but -up-river. - -Will Adams, in stocking feet, crept cautiously out on deck and -extinguished the harbour light in the shrouds. - -"We'll see if they take notice of that," he whispered, as he crept back -again. - -There was no sound of life aboard the Brandt, which swung idly at its -mooring. - -Gathering his force now, Will Adams instructed them in the parts each -should play. He sent Jack Harvey astern to the wheel. - -"You know how to steer her when she's going astern?" he asked--"Just the -reverse of the usual way." - -"Sure, I know," replied Harvey, and crept to his post. - -Edward Warren, armed with a rifle, and the others, carrying the equipment -of shot-guns, took up their positions on the companion stairs, ready to -rush out at the word. At the top, a dangerous post, crouched George -Warren, holding a coil of rope, one end of which had been made fast to -the foremast. Will Adams stole forward and slowly hauled in on the -anchor-rode. The Mollie went ahead, leaving a greater distance between -herself and the Brandt. - -All at once, however, she began to drift slowly back again. Will Adams -had the anchor off bottom. Harvey turned the wheel slightly, this way and -that. The Mollie was dropping down upon the Brandt. - -Gently the stern of the sloop grazed along the side of the bug-eye. -George Warren leaped upon the deck of the Brandt and made fast the line -about its foremast. Will Adams, running aft, snatched up a boat-hook, -and, with that in his right hand and holding a revolver in his left, -stepped aboard the Brandt. The boys, under orders, ranged themselves -quickly on the deck of the sloop, crouching low, holding the shot-guns. - -Almost at the moment, there came darting from the cabin of the Brandt a -lithe, powerful figure, while the voice of Jim Adams called to Haley to -follow him. But he was a moment too late. Will Adams, swinging the -boat-hook, felled the negro with a single blow, stunning him. - -Capt. Hamilton Haley, tumbling up from the cabin, half dressed, found -himself staring into the muzzle of Edward Warren's rifle. He dropped the -weapon he carried, at the sharp command, seeing himself covered. - -The crew of the Brandt, not over-loyal to Haley at best, showed no -inclination to fight, under the range of fire from a battery of -shot-guns. They called out, in fear, that they would give up. - -They came forward, one by one, and submitted to being bound by Jack -Harvey, who performed that function in good sailor fashion. - -But when it came to Hamilton Haley, Harvey found himself pushed aside. -Tom Edwards stood before him. - -"Jack, old fellow," said Tom Edwards, blithely, "let me have the -satisfaction of tying up that brute that made me slave at the dredges." - -"But you don't know how," protested Harvey. - -"Don't I, though!" exclaimed Tom Edwards, smiling. "Why, I used to tie up -a hundred bundles a day when I worked in a dry-goods store in Boston. Put -out your wrist, captain, I'll show you what a counter-jumper can do." - -And Tom Edwards, with vast satisfaction, did up Hamilton Haley like a -package for the express. - -They had not fired a shot--and the bug-eye was theirs. The cruise of the -Brandt was at an end. - -Next day, with Henry Burns recovered sufficiently to be about and on -deck, the two craft started northward, keeping close in touch with each -other. The skipper of the Z. B. Brandt was Jack Harvey; and he had a -mixed crew, made up of one or two of the Brandt's men that could be -trusted, and Edward and George Warren. The Mollie still obeyed her helm -directed by stalwart Will Adams. Back they went over the waters they had -travelled, running by daylight only, until they reached the upper waters -of Tangier Sound. There a welcome police-boat relieved them alike of the -Brandt and her former skipper and mate and crew. - -A week later, there filed into a court-room in Baltimore a sun-burned, -weather-beaten looking party, conspicuous among which were Jack Harvey -and Henry Burns and Tom Edwards, and consisting otherwise of the Warrens -and Will Adams. They confronted two men there, long notorious for -wrong-doing among the dredging fleet. It was the beginning of the end for -Captain Haley and for Jim Adams, mate. They were held for trial. That -trial, months later, had its natural conclusion. The doors of the state -prison closed upon the pair for a long term of years. - -And, in the meantime, two days following the preliminary hearing in -court, a train rolled into Benton, bearing a party of youths at once -joyous and serious. One of these, Jack Harvey, had parted for the time -being from a friend whom he had met in adversity and whom he had come to -love as an elder brother. That friend was Tom Edwards, no longer clad in -oil-skins and weary of life, but well dressed and well fed, and eager to -be back to the world of business from which he had been so rudely -spirited away. And it may be truly said that there were tears in the eyes -of Tom Edwards, as Jack Harvey, grasping his hand to say good-bye, gave -it a grip as though he were turning the handle of Haley's winch. - -There was someone at the train to meet Henry Burns, as well as the -parents of the Warrens. It was a slender spinster, Miss Matilda Burns, -who had the care of the youth. She wiped her eyes with a lace-trimmed -handkerchief, as she tried to look sternly at her nephew. - -"Henry Burns," she said, "where on earth have you been all this time? You -haven't written me those two letters a week that you promised. I believe -you've been off somewhere, away from that farmhouse of Mr. Warren's, -where you were going." - -"Yes'm, I have," responded Henry Burns. - - - THE END. - - - - - BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - - THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS - (Trade Mark) - - By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON - - Each 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth, illustrated, per vol. $1.50 - -"The books are as satisfactory to the girls, who find them adorable, as -for the mothers and librarians, who delight in their -influence."--Christian Register. - - - The Little Colonel Stories. - (Trade Mark) - -Being three "Little Colonel" stories in the Cosy Corner Series, "The -Little Colonel," "Two Little Knights of Kentucky," and "The Giant -Scissors," put into a single volume. - - - The Little Colonel's House Party. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Holidays. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Hero. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel at Boarding School. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel in Arizona. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Christmas Vacation. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel, Maid of Honour. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel's Knight Comes Riding. - (Trade Mark) - - These nine volumes, boxed as a nine-volume set $3.50 - - - The Little Colonel. - (Trade Mark) - Two Little Knights of Kentucky. - The Giant Scissors. - Big Brother. - - - Special Holiday Editions - - Each one volume, cloth decorative, small quarto, $1.25. - -New plates, handsomely illustrated with eight full-page drawings in -color, and many marginal sketches. - - - In the Desert of Waiting: The Legend of Camelback Mountain. - The Three Weavers: A Fairy Tale for Fathers and Mothers as Well as for - Their Daughters. - Keeping Tryst. - The Legend of the Bleeding Heart. - The Rescue of Princess Winsome. A Fairy Play for Old and Young. - - Each one volume, tall 16mo, cloth decorative. $0.50 - Paper boards .35 - -There has been a constant demand for publication in separate form of -these five stories, which were originally included in five of the "Little -Colonel" books. - - - Joel: A Boy of Galilee. By Annie Fellows Johnston. Illustrated by L. J. - Bridgman. - -New illustrated edition, uniform with the Little Colonel Books, 1 vol., -large 12mo, cloth decorative. $1.50 - -A story of the time of Christ, which is one of the author's best-known -books. - - - Asa Holmes; or, At the Cross-Roads. A sketch of Country Life and - Country Humor. By Annie Fellows Johnston. With a frontispiece - by Ernest Fosbery. - - Large 16mo, cloth, gilt top $1.00 - -"'Asa Holmes; or, At the Cross-Roads' is the most delightful, most -sympathetic and wholesome book that has been published in a long -while."--Boston Times. - - - The Rival Campers; or, The Adventures of Henry Burns. By Ruel Perley - Smith. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -Here is a book which will grip and enthuse every boy reader. It is the -story of a party of typical American lads, courageous, alert, and -athletic, who spend a summer camping on an island off the Maine coast. - - - The Rival Campers Afloat; or, The Prize Yacht Viking. By Ruel Perley - Smith. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -This book is a continuation of the adventures of "The Rival Campers" on -their prize yacht Viking. An accidental collision results in a series of -exciting adventures. - - - The Rival Campers Ashore. By Ruel Perley Smith. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -"The Rival Campers Ashore" deals with the adventures of the campers and -their friends in and around the town of Benton. - - - Jack Harvey's Adventures; or, The Rival Campers Among the Oyster - Pirates. By Ruel Perley Smith. - - Illustrated $1.50 - -In "Jack Harvey's Adventures," Mr. Smith has shifted the scene of his -story from the Maine coast to the shores of Chesapeake Bay; and has -chosen for its main theme the evil deeds of the notorious oyster pirates -of that region. - -How Jack Harvey is kidnapped by pirates, and how Henry Burns, the Ellison -Boys, "little Tim" and the others effect his rescue, furnishes plenty of -exciting adventure. - - - Prisoners of Fortune: A Tale of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. By Ruel - Perley Smith. - - Cloth decorative, with a colored frontispiece $1.50 - -"There is an atmosphere of old New England in the book, the humor of the -born raconteur about the hero, who tells his story with the gravity of a -preacher, but with a solemn humor that is irresistible. The austerity of -life under Cotton Mather is in sharp contrast to the brilliant details of -the pirates' habits and adventures."--Louisville Courier-Journal. - - - Famous Cavalry Leaders. A book for boys. By Charles H. L. Johnston. - - Large 12mo. With 24 illustrations $1.50 - -Biographical sketches, with interesting anecdotes and reminiscences of -the heroes of history who were leaders of cavalry. - -From the time of Attala the Hun to the exploits of Stuart, Wheeler, -Custer and Sheridan,--what thrilling stories are uncovered to the eager -eyes of the boy reader in these accounts of forced marches, dashing raids -and glorious charges. - - - Billy's Princess. By Helen Eggleston Haskell. - - Cloth decorative, illustrated by Helen McCormick Kennedy $1.25 - -Billy Lewis was a small boy of energy and ambition, so when he was left -alone and unprotected, he simply started out to take care of himself. - -"Boy and girl readers will find entertainment in the story which is -cleverly imagined and skilfully written."--Boston Transcript. - - - Tenants of the Trees. By Clarence Hawkes. - - Cloth decorative, illustrated in colors. $1.50 - -Mr. Hawkes has made a close study of animal and bird life since his -childhood. - -"A book which will appeal to all who care for the hearty, healthy, -outdoor life of the country. The illustrations are particularly -attractive."--Boston Herald. - - - - - Transcriber's Notes - - ---Silently corrected a few typos (but left nonstandard spelling and - dialect as is). - ---Rearranged front matter (and moved illustrations) to a more-logical - streaming order. - ---Replaced one reference to "Tom Adams" with "Tom Edwards" - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Jack Harvey's Adventures, by Ruel Perley Smith - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK HARVEY'S ADVENTURES *** - -***** This file should be named 40396.txt or 40396.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/3/9/40396/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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