diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-08 21:49:56 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-08 21:49:56 -0800 |
| commit | b5ffc7debc067e2b65aad1c661dab8515bcba9e8 (patch) | |
| tree | fa7808eb87a45f5e073055079f4e7af59c2e2690 | |
| parent | a251a2148ac7735b50342fb058047cefbb90782d (diff) | |
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547-0.txt | 396 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547-0.zip | bin | 202035 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547-8.txt | 11455 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547-8.zip | bin | 200102 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547-h.zip | bin | 547525 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547-h/40547-h.htm | 419 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547.txt | 11455 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 40547.zip | bin | 200080 -> 0 bytes |
8 files changed, 5 insertions, 23720 deletions
diff --git a/40547-0.txt b/40547-0.txt index 74c3168..fbdb2c2 100644 --- a/40547-0.txt +++ b/40547-0.txt @@ -1,40 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rival Campers Afloat, 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: The Rival Campers Afloat - or, The Prize Yacht Viking - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 20, 2012 [EBook #40547] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - - - - -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 40547 *** The Rival Campers Afloat @@ -11089,360 +11053,4 @@ one of delight. End of Project Gutenberg's The Rival Campers Afloat, by Ruel Perley Smith -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - -***** This file should be named 40547-0.txt or 40547-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/5/4/40547/ - -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. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -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 - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. 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. +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40547 *** diff --git a/40547-0.zip b/40547-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a754816..0000000 --- a/40547-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/40547-8.txt b/40547-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d18aaf7..0000000 --- a/40547-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11455 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rival Campers Afloat, 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: The Rival Campers Afloat - or, The Prize Yacht Viking - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 20, 2012 [EBook #40547] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - The - Rival Campers Afloat - Or, THE PRIZE YACHT VIKING - - - By - Ruel Perley Smith - Author of "The Rival Campers" - - ILLUSTRATED BY - LOUIS D. GOWING - - BOSTON - L. C. PAGE & COMPANY - 1906 - - - _Copyright_, _1906_ - By L. C. Page & Company - (INCORPORATED) - - _All rights reserved_ - - - First Impression, August, 1906 - - - _COLONIAL PRESS - Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. - Boston. U. S. A._ - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. Down the River 1 - II. The Collision 15 - III. A Rescue Unrewarded 28 - IV. Squire Brackett Discomfited 39 - V. Harvey Gets Bad News 56 - VI. Out to the Fishing-grounds 73 - VII. Near the Reefs 91 - VIII. Little Tim a Strategist 108 - IX. Harry Brackett Plays a Joke 126 - X. Mr. Carleton Arrives 143 - XI. Squire Brackett Is Puzzled 160 - XII. The Surprise Sets Sail Again 180 - XIII. Stormy Weather 192 - XIV. The Man in the Cabin 206 - XV. Mr. Carleton Goes Away 224 - XVI. Searching the Viking 239 - XVII. A Rainy Night 259 - XVIII. Two Secrets Discovered 278 - XIX. The Loss of the Viking 298 - XX. Fleeing in the Night 318 - XXI. A Timely Arrival 336 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - The Crew of the Viking Meet Skipper Martel (_Frontispiece_) 98 - "The boom brought up with a smashing blow against the Viking's - starboard quarter" 25 - "'Nonsense,' roared the infuriated Squire. 'He can sail a boat as - good as you can'" 54 - "'Here, that's our boat,' cried Joe. 'You've got no right to - touch it'" 112 - "'Just tell them that you heard me say I was going back to - Boston'" 236 - "'Get out of here,' exclaimed Mr. Carleton, sharply" 335 - - - - - THE RIVAL CAMPERS - AFLOAT - - - - - CHAPTER I. - DOWN THE RIVER - - -It was a pleasant afternoon in the early part of the month of June. The -Samoset River, winding down prettily through hills and sloping farm lands -to the bay of the same name, gleamed in the sunlight, now with a polished -surface like ebony in some sheltered inlet, or again sparkling with -innumerable points of light where its surface was whipped up into tiny -waves by a brisk moving wind. - -There had been rain for a few days before, and the weather was now -clearing, with a smart westerly breeze that had come up in the morning, -but was swinging in slightly to the southward. The great white -cloud-banks had mostly passed on, and these were succeeded at present by -swiftly moving clumps of smaller and lighter clouds, that drifted easily -across the sky, like the sails below them over the surface of the water. - -There were not a few of these sails upon the river, some set to the -breeze and some furled; some of the craft going up with the tide toward -the distant city of Benton, the head of vessel navigation; some breasting -the tide and working their way down toward Samoset Bay; other and larger -craft, with sails snugly furled, tagging along sluggishly at the heels of -blustering little tugs,--each evidently much impressed with the -importance of its mission,--and so going on and out to the open sea, -where they would sail down the coast with their own great wings spread. - -The river was, indeed, a picture of life and animation. It was a river -with work to do, but it did it cheerfully and with a good spirit. Far up -above the city of Benton, it had brought the great log rafts down through -miles of forest and farm land. Above and below the city, for miles, it -had run bravely through sluice and mill-race, and turned the great wheels -for the mills that sawed the forest stuff into lumber. And now, freed -from all bounds and the restraint of dams and sluiceways, and no longer -choked with its burden of logs, it was pleased to float the ships, loaded -deep with the sawed lumber, down and away to other cities. - -There was many a craft going down the river that afternoon. Here and -there along the way was a big three or four masted schooner, loaded with -ice or lumber, and bound for Baltimore or Savannah. Or, it might be, one -would take notice of a trim Italian bark, carrying box-shooks, to be -converted later into boxes for lemons and oranges. Then, farther -southward, a schooner that had brought its catch to the Benton market, -and was now working out again to the fishing-grounds among the islands of -the bay. - -Less frequently plied the river steamers that ran to and from the summer -resorts in Samoset Bay; or, once a day, coming or going, the larger -steamers that ran between Benton and Boston. - -Amid all these, at a point some twenty miles down the river from Benton, -there sailed a craft that was, clearly, not of this busy, hard-working -fraternity of ships. It was a handsome little vessel, of nearly forty -feet length, very shapely of hull and shining of spars; with a glint of -brass-work here and there; its clean, white sides presenting a polished -surface to the sunbeams; its rigging new and well set up, and a handsome -new pennant flung to the breeze from its topmast. - -The captain of many a coaster eyed her sharply as she passed; and, now -and then, one would let his own vessel veer half a point off its course, -while he took his pipe from his mouth and remarked, "There's a clean -craft. Looks like she might go some." And then, probably, as he brought -his own vessel back to its course, concluded with the usual salt-water -man's comment, "Amateur sailors, I reckon. Humph!" - -That remark, if made on this particular occasion, would have been -apparently justifiable. If one might judge by their age, the skippers of -this trim yacht should certainly have been classed as amateurs. There -were two of them. The larger, a youth of about sixteen or seventeen years -of age, held the wheel and tended the main-sheet. The other, evidently a -year or two younger, sat ready to tend the jib-sheets on either side as -they tacked, shifting his seat accordingly. The yacht was beating down -the river against the last of a flood-tide. - -"We're doing finely, Henry," said the elder boy, as he glanced admiringly -at the set of the mainsail, and then made a general proud survey of the -craft from stem to stern and from cabin to topmast. "She does walk along -like a lady and no mistake. She beats the _Surprise_--poor old boat! My, -but I often think of that good little yacht I owned, sunk down there in -the thoroughfare. We had lots of fun in her. But this one certainly more -than takes her place." - -"Who would ever have thought," he continued, "when we saw the strange men -sail into the harbour last year, with this yacht, that she would turn out -to be a stolen craft, and that she would one day be put up for sale, and -that old Mrs. Newcome would buy her for us? It's like a story in a book." - -"It's better than any story I ever read, Jack," responded the other boy. -"It's a story with a stroke of luck at the end of it--and that's better -than some of them turn out. But say, don't you think you better let me -take my trick at the wheel? You know you are going to teach me how to -sail her. I don't expect to make much of a fist of it, at the start; but -I've picked up quite a little bit of yacht seamanship from my sailing -with the Warren boys." - -"That's so," conceded the other. "You must have got a pretty good notion -of how to sail a boat, by watching them. Here, take the wheel. But you'll -find that practice in real sailing, and just having it in your head from -watching others, are two different things. However, you'll learn fast. I -never knew any one who had any sort of courage, and any natural liking -toward boat-sailing, but what he could pick it up fast, if he kept his -eyes open. - -"The first thing to do, to learn to sail a boat, is to take hold in -moderate weather and work her yourself. And the next thing, is to talk to -the fishermen and the yachtsmen, and listen when they get to spinning -yarns and arguing. You can get a lot of information in that way that you -can use, yourself, later on." - -The younger boy took the wheel, while the other sat up alongside, -directing his movements. But first he took the main-sheet and threw off -several turns, where he had had it belayed on the cleat back of the -wheel, and fastened it merely with a slip-knot, that could be loosed with -a single smart pull on the free end. - -"We won't sail with the sheet fast until you have had a few weeks at it, -Henry," he said. "There are more boats upset from sheets fast at the -wrong time, or from main-sheets with kinks in them, that won't run free -when a squall hits, than from almost any other cause. And the river is a -lot worse in that way than the open bay, for the flaws come quicker and -sharper off these high banks." - -Henry Bums, with the wheel in hand and an eye to the luff of the sail, as -of one not wholly inexperienced, made no reply to the other's somewhat -patronizing manner; but a quiet smile played about the corners of his -mouth. If he had any notion that the other's extreme care was not -altogether needed, he betrayed no sign of impatience, but took it in good -part. Perhaps he realized that common failing of every yachtsman, to -think that there is nobody else in all the world that can sail a boat -quite as well as himself. - -He knew, too, that Jack Harvey had, indeed, had by far a larger -experience in sailing than he, though he had spent much of his time upon -the water. - -In any event, his handling of the boat now evidently satisfied the -critical watchfulness of Jack Harvey; for that youth presently exclaimed, -"That's it. Oh, you are going to make a skipper, all right. You take hold -with confidence, too, and that's a good part of the trick." - -At this point in their sailing, however, the yacht _Viking_ seemed to -have attracted somewhat more than the casual attention of an observer -from shore. A little less than a quarter of a mile down the river, on a -wharf that jutted some distance out from the bank, so that the river as -it ran swerved swiftly by its spiling, a man stood waving to them. - -"Hello," said Henry Burns, espying the figure on the wharf, "there's a -tribute to the beauty of the _Viking_. Somebody probably thinks this is -the president's yacht and is saluting us." - -"Well, he means us, sure enough," replied Jack Harvey, "and no joke, -either. He's really waving. He wants to hail us." - -The man had his hat in hand and was, indeed, waving it to them -vigorously. - -They had been standing across the river in an opposite direction to the -wharf; but now, as Jack Harvey cast off the leeward jib-sheets, Henry -Burns put the helm over, and the yacht swung gracefully and swiftly up -into the wind and headed off on the tack inshore. Jack Harvey let the -jibs flutter for a moment, until the yacht had come about, and Henry -Burns had begun to check her from falling off the wind, by reversing the -wheel. Then he quickly trimmed in on the sheets, and the jibs began to -draw. - -"Most beginners," he said, "trim the jib in flat on the other side the -minute they cast off the leeward sheet. But that delays her in coming -about." - -Again the quiet smile on the face of Henry Burns, but he merely answered, -"That's so." - -They stood down abreast the wharf and brought her up, with sails -fluttering. Jack Harvey, looking up from the side to the figure above on -the wharf, called out, "Hello, were you waving to us?" - -"Why, yes," responded the man, "I was. Are you going down the river far?" - -"Bound down to Southport," said Harvey. - -"Good!" exclaimed the stranger, and added, confidently, "I'll go along -with you part way, if you don't mind. I'm on my way to Burton's Landing, -five miles below, and the steamboat doesn't come along for three hours -yet. I cannot get a carriage and I don't want to walk. You don't mind -giving me a lift, do you? That's a beautiful boat of yours, by the way." - -The man had an air of easy assurance; and, besides, the request was one -that any yachtsman would willingly grant. - -"Why, certainly," replied Harvey, "we'll take you, eh, Henry?" - -"Pleased to do it," responded Henry Burns. - -They worked the yacht up alongside the wharf, and the stranger, grasping -a stay, swung himself off and leaped down on to the deck. Then he pushed -the boat's head off with a vigorous shove and advanced, smilingly, with -hand extended, to greet the boys. The _Viking_ gathered headway and was -once more going down-stream. - -The stranger was a rather tall, well-built man, light on his feet, and -handled himself as though he were no novice aboard a boat. He descended -into the cockpit and shook hands with Jack Harvey and Henry Burns. - -His voice, as he bade them good afternoon, was singularly full and deep, -and seemed to issue almost oddly from behind a heavy, blond moustache. As -Henry Burns expressed it afterward, it reminded him of a ventriloquist he -had seen once with a travelling show, because the man's lips seemed -hardly to move, and the muscles of his face scarcely changed as he spoke. -His eyes, of a clear but cold blue, lighted up, however, in a pleasant -way, as he thanked them. - -He wore a suit of navy blue, and a yachting-cap on his head. - -"This is the greatest luck in the world for me," he said. "You see, I -want to catch the train that will take me down to Bellport, and I can get -it at the Landing below. This fine craft of yours will take me--" - -He stopped with strange abruptness. If the attention of Jack Harvey and -Henry Burns had, by chance, been directed more closely to him, and less -upon the handling of their yacht, they might have observed a surprised -and puzzled look come over his face. They might have observed him -half-start up from his seat, like a man that had suddenly come, all -unwittingly, upon a thing he had not expected to see. - -But the two boys, intent upon their sailing, noticed only that the man -had left a sentence half-finished. They turned upon him inquiringly. - -"What were you going to say?" asked Henry Burns. - -The man settled back in his seat, reached a hand calmly into an inner -coat-pocket, and drew forth a cigar-case. - -"I dare say you don't smoke," he said, offering it to them. "No, well, I -didn't think so. You're a little bit young for that. Let me see, what was -I saying?--oh, yes, I was about to remark that this boat would take me -down to the Landing on time. She does walk along prettily, and no -mistake." - -With which, he lighted the cigar and began puffing enjoyably. But his -eyes darted here and there, quickly, sharply, over the boat. Through a -cloud of cigar smoke, he was scrutinizing it from one end to the other. - -"You handle her well," he said. "Had her long?" - -"Why, no," replied Harvey. "The fact is, though we have had other -boats--that is, I have--and we have handled others, this is our first -sail in this one. You see, we got her in an odd way, last season--just at -the close of the season, in fact; and she was not in shape for sailing -then. So we had to lay her up for the winter. This is really the first -trying out we have given her." - -"Indeed, most interesting," replied the stranger, arising from his seat -and advancing toward the cabin bulkhead, where he stood, apparently -gazing off across the river. Then, as he returned to his seat again, he -added, "That's rather an elaborate ornamenting of brass around the -companionway." - -"Isn't it, though!" exclaimed Harvey, proudly. "You don't see them much -handsomer than that often, eh?" - -"Why, no, now you speak of it," replied the man. "You don't, and that's a -fact. - -"In fact," he added, stealing a sidelong glance at the two boys, "it's -the only one just like it that I ever saw. - -"Pretty shore along here, isn't it?" he remarked a few moments later, as -they stood in near to where the spruces came down close to the water's -edge, with the ledges showing below. "What's that you were saying about -coming by the boat oddly? She looks to me as though your folks must have -paid a good price for her." - -"Why, that's the odd part of it," answered Harvey. "The fact is, our -folks didn't pay for her at all. An old lady bought her for us. Made us a -present of her. Perhaps you'd like to hear about it." - -"Indeed I should," replied the stranger. "It will while away the time to -the Landing." - -"You tell it, Henry," said Harvey. - -So Henry Burns began, while the stranger stretched his legs out -comfortably and listened. - -"Well," said Henry Burns, "this yacht, the _Viking_, was named the -_Eagle_ when we first saw her." - -The stranger's cigar was almost blazing with the vigour of his smoking. - -"She came into the harbour of Southport--that's on Grand Island, below -here, where we are bound--one day last summer, to pick up a guest at the -hotel. There were two men aboard her, and it turned out that these two -men, and the man they were after at the hotel, had committed a robbery at -Benton. That's way up the river. - -"Well, it's a long story how they were discovered; but they were, and -some jewels they had hidden were recovered. I said they were -captured--but one, a man named Chambers, got away in this very yacht. But -he came back, later, and set fire to the hotel for revenge. - -"That was along toward the end of the summer. Then it happened that Jack, -here,--Jack Harvey,--captured the man, Chambers, in this yacht, down in a -thoroughfare below Grand Island. Jack's boat, the _Surprise_, was sunk -there, when the two yachts crashed together, bow on." - -"Poor old _Surprise_!" interrupted Jack Harvey. - -"Well, then," continued Henry Burns, "there is a man over at Southport, -Squire Brackett, that hates all us boys, just because he is mean. He told -Witham, the hotel proprietor, that he had seen us boys in the hotel -basement, shortly before the fire; and he and Witham had us accused of -setting it, although everybody in Southport was indignant about it. And -all this time, Jack was on the right track, because he had seen the man -running from the fire and had followed him over to the other shore of the -island, and recognized the boat he sailed away in. - -"So Jack sailed down the other side of the island, and captured the man, -Chambers, in the thoroughfare; that is, Jack and his crew did. And they -brought Chambers back just at the right time--and Squire Brackett and -Witham were so ashamed they wanted to go and hide away somewhere." - -The man they had taken aboard looked smilingly at Henry Burns. - -"That is certainly a remarkable story," he said, knocking the ashes -carelessly from the end of his cigar. - -"Yes, but the rest of it is the oddest part of it," responded Henry -Burns. "There was an old lady named Mrs. Newcome, whose life we saved at -the fire. She was furious at the squire and Witham for blaming us, and -thankful enough when Jack got us out of it. - -"Now, when Chambers was tried, he was so bitter against the other two who -had got him into trouble, he confessed the yacht did not belong to any -one of them. So the yacht was taken over by the sheriff, and -advertisements were sent out all around to try to find the rightful -owner. But they never did find him, and finally the yacht was condemned -and put up for sale. There is where old Mrs. Newcome came in. She has no -end of money, and no one to spend it on except herself and a cat. The -yacht went cheap, and what did she do but buy it in and give it to us." - -Henry Burns paused, and there was silence for a few moments aboard the -_Viking_. The stranger smoked without speaking, apparently lost in his -own thoughts. - -"That's all of the yarn," said Henry Burns, at length. - -The man started to his feet, tossed his cigar away, and walked forward, -with his hands in his pockets. - -"That's one of the oddest stories I ever heard," he said. "You're lucky -chaps, aren't you? Sounds like some novels I've read. By the way, isn't -that Burton's Landing just ahead there?" - -He seemed eager to get ashore. - -"Yes, that is the Landing," answered Harvey. - -A few moments more and they were up to it, and the stranger was stepping -ashore upon the pier. - -"Well," he said, shaking hands with them again, "I'm much obliged to both -of you--really more than I can begin to tell you. Perhaps I can return -the favour some day. My name is Charles Carleton. Live around at hotels -pretty much, but spend most of my time in Boston. Hope I meet you again -some day. Perhaps I may be down this way later, down the bay somewhere, -if I like the looks of it, and the hotels. Good day." - -"Good day; you're very welcome," called out Henry Burns and Jack Harvey. - -Again the yacht swung out into the river, gathering headway quickly and -skimming along, heeling very gently. - -The strange man stood watching her from the pier. - -"No," he said, softly, to himself, "I never saw but one boat just like -her before. But who would have thought I should run across them the first -thing? That was a stroke of luck." - - - - - CHAPTER II. - THE COLLISION - - -"Pleasant sort of a man, wasn't he?" commented Harvey, as the _Viking_ -left the pier astern, and the stranger could be seen walking briskly up -the road toward the town. - -"Why, yes, he was, in a way," responded Henry Burns. "Most persons manage -to make themselves agreeable while one is doing them a favour. Really, -though, he isn't one of the open, hearty kind, though he did try to be -pleasant. I don't know why I think so, but he seemed sort of -half-concealed behind that big moustache." - -Harvey laughed. - -"That's a funny notion," he said. - -"Well," responded Henry Burns, "of course it wasn't just that. But, at -any rate, he is the kind of a man that has his own way about things. Did -you notice, he didn't exactly ask us to take him into the boat. He said, -right out at the start, that he was going along with us--of course, if we -were willing. But he was bound to come aboard, just the same, whether we -were willing or not." - -"Hm!" said Harvey. "You do take notice of things, don't you? I didn't pay -any attention to what he said; but, now I think of it, he did have that -sort of way. However, we shall probably never set eyes on him again, so -what's the odds?" - -They were getting down near to the mouth of the river now, and already, a -mile ahead, the bay broadened out before their eyes. - -The wind was blowing brisk, almost from the south by this time, and the -first of the ebb-tide running down against it caused a meeting between -the two that was not peaceful. At the point where river and bay blended, -and for some distance back up the river, there was a heavy chop-sea -tumbling and breaking in short, foam-capped waves. Farther out in the bay -there was considerable of a sea running. - -Harvey, lounging lazily on the seat opposite Henry Burns, suddenly sprang -up and uttered an exclamation of surprise. Then he pointed on far ahead, -over the port bow, to a tiny object that bobbed in the troubled waters of -the river, low lying and indistinct. - -"What do you make of that, Henry?" he cried. - -"Why, it looks like a log from one of the mills up above," replied the -other, after he had observed it with some difficulty. "Oh, no, it isn't," -he exclaimed the next moment. "There is something alive on it--or in it. -Say, you don't suppose it can be Tom Harris and Bob White, do you? That -is a canoe, I believe." - -Without waiting to reply, Jack Harvey dodged quickly down the -companionway, and returned, a moment later, from the cabin, holding a -spy-glass in one hand. - -"Hooray! clap that to your eye, Henry," he cried, when he had taken a -hasty survey ahead with it. - -"That's it!" exclaimed Henry Burns, taking a long look through the glass, -while Harvey assumed his place at the wheel. "There they are, two of -them, paddling away for good old Southport as hard as ever they can. -There are two boys, as I make them out. Yes, it's Tom and Bob, sure as -you live. Won't it seem like old times, though, to overhaul them? You -keep the wheel, Jack. We can't catch up with them any too soon to suit -me." - -"Shall we give them a salute?" cried Harvey. - -"No, let's sail up on them and give them a surprise," suggested the -other. "They know we own the boat, but they haven't seen her under sail -since we have had her. They may not recognize us." - -While the yacht _Viking_ was parting the still moderate waves with its -clean-cut bows, and laying a course that would bring it up with the canoe -in less than a half-hour, the occupants of the tiny craft were bending -hard to their paddles, pushing head on into the outer edge of the -chop-sea. They were making good time, despite the sea and the head wind. - -"There go a couple of them Indians from away up the river yonder," sang -out a man forward on a stubby, broad-bowed coaster to the man at the -wheel, as the canoe passed a two-master beating across the river. The -boys in the canoe chuckled. - -"Guess we must be getting good and black, Bob," said the boy who wielded -the stern paddle to the other in the bow. "And our first week on the -water, at that, for the season." - -"Yes, we've laid the first coat on pretty deep," responded his companion, -glancing with no little pride and satisfaction at a pair of brown and -muscular arms and a pair of sunburned shoulders, revealed to good -advantage by a blue, sleeveless jersey that looked as though it had seen -more than one summer's outing. - -"What do you think of the bay, Tom?" he added, addressing the other boy. -This youth, similarly clad and similarly bronzed and reddened, was -handling his paddle like a practised steersman and was directing the -canoe's course straight down the bay, as though aiming fair at some point -far away on an island that showed vaguely fifteen miles distant. - -"Oh, it's all right," answered Tom. "It's all right for this evening. -Plenty of rough water from now until seven or eight o'clock to-night, but -it's just the usual sea that a southerly raises in the bay. We won't get -into any such scrape as we did last year, when we came down here, not -knowing the bay nor the coast of Grand Island, and let a storm catch us -and throw us out pell-mell on the shore. We'll not give our friends, the -Warren boys, another such a fright this year. We can get across all -right--that is, if you don't mind a bit of a splashing over the bows." - -"It won't be the first time,--nor the last, for that matter, I reckon," -responded Bob. - -"And I always get my share of it, in the end, too," said the other boy; -"because when it sprays aboard it runs down astern and I have to kneel in -it. Well, on we go, then. It's fifteen miles of rough water, but think -how we'll eat when we get there." - -"Won't we?" agreed Bob. "Say, now you speak of it, I'm hungry already. I -could eat as much as young Joe Warren used to every time he took dinner -at the hotel. He used to try to make old Witham lose money--do you -remember?--and I think he always won." - -"Hello!" he exclaimed, a moment later, as he looked back for an instant -toward the stem. "Just glance around, Tom, and take a look at that yacht -coming down the river. Isn't she a beauty? I wouldn't mind a summer's -cruise in her, myself." - -"Whew!" exclaimed the other, as he held his paddle hard against the -gunwale and glanced back. "She is a pretty one, and no mistake. She's -about as fine as we often see down this way. I don't recall seeing -anything handsomer in the shape of a yacht around the bay last summer, -unless it was the one Chambers had--you know, the man that set the hotel -afire. - -"I believe it is the very yacht," he continued. "There isn't another one -like it around here. You remember the boys wintered her down the river." - -"Yes, but wouldn't they hail us?" asked Bob. - -"Perhaps not," answered Tom. "Henry Burns likes to surprise people. They -are due down the bay about this time. At any rate, we shall have a chance -to see the yacht close aboard, for she is heading dead up for us." - -The yacht _Viking_ was indeed holding up into the wind on a course that -would bring her directly upon the canoemen, if she did not go about. She -kept on, and presently the boys in the canoe ceased their paddling and -watched her approach. - -"She won't run us down, will she, Tom?" - -"No, they see us, all right." - -There was evidence of this the next moment, for a small cannon, somewhere -forward on the deck of the yacht, gave a short, spiteful bark that made -the canoemen jump. There followed immediately the deep bellowing of a big -fog-horn and the clattering of a huge dinner-bell; while, at the same -time, two yachtsmen aboard the strange craft appeared at the rail, waving -and blowing and ringing alternately at the occupants of the canoe. A -moment later, the yacht rounded to a short distance up-wind from the -canoe, and the hail of familiar voices came across the water: - -"Ahoy, you chaps in that canoe, there! Come aboard here, lively now, if -you don't want that cockle-shell blown out of water. Hurry up before we -get the cannon trained on you! We know you, Tom Harris, and you, Bob -White, and you can't escape." - -"Well, what do you think!" exclaimed Tom Harris, raising himself up from -his knees in the stem of the canoe, with a hand on either gunwale, "if -there isn't that old Henry Burns and Jack Harvey. Say, where in the world -did you fellows steal that yacht, and where are you running off to with -it? Don't tell us you own it. You know you don't." - -"Just hurry up and come alongside here and we'll show you," cried Henry -Burns, joyfully. "Our ship's papers are all right, eh, Jack?" - -The boys in the canoe needed no urging. A few sharp thrusts with the -paddles brought them under the lee of the _Viking_; a line thrown aboard -by Bob White was caught by Harvey and made fast; and the next moment, Bob -White and Tom Harris were in the cockpit, mauling Henry Burns with mock -ferocity--a proceeding which was received by that young gentleman -serenely, but with interest well returned--and shaking hands with the -other stalwart young skipper, Jack Harvey. - -The bow-line of the canoe was carried astern by Harvey and tied, so that -the canoe would tow behind; and the yacht was put on her course again. - -"You don't mind taking a spin for a way in the good ship _Viking_, do -you?" asked Harvey. "I have hardly seen you since we got this yacht, you -know, as my folks moved up to Boston the last of the summer." - -"We will go along a little way till we strike the worst of the chop," -replied Tom Harris. "Our canoe will not tow safely through that. That is, -we will, if you allow Indians aboard." - -"Yes, and by the way, before anybody else has the chance to apply," said -Bob White, "you don't want to hire a couple of foremast hands, do you, -off and on during the summer? I'd be proud to swab the decks of this -boat, and wages of no account." - -"We'll engage both of you at eighteen sculpins a week," answered Henry -Burns. "But of course you know that the laws against flogging seamen -don't go, aboard here. Harvey there, he is my first mate; and I make it a -rule to beat him with a belaying-pin three or four times a day, regular, -to keep him up to his work. Of course you forecastle chaps will get it -worse." - -Harvey, surveying his more slender companion, saluted with great -deference. - -"How do you fellows happen to be up here?" he asked. "Haven't you gone to -camping yet?" - -"Yes," replied Bob. "The old tent is down there on the point. We have had -it set up for three days. We had an errand that brought us up here." - -"And the Warren boys?" inquired Henry Burns. - -"Oh, they are down there in the cottage, sort of camping out, too; that -is, the family hasn't arrived yet. George and Arthur are working like -slaves trying to keep young Joe fed." - -"_He's_ a whole famine in himself," remarked Henry Burns. - -"Say, how is old Mrs. Newcome's cat, Henry, the one you saved from the -fire?" asked Tom Harris. - -"Why, the cat hasn't written me lately," answered Henry Burns. "But I got -a letter from Mrs. Newcome a few weeks ago; said she hoped we would have -a good summer in the yacht, lots of fun, and all that." - -"My! but you are lucky," exclaimed Bob. "I have been as polite as mice to -every cat I've seen all winter, but I haven't received any presents for -it." - -Renewing old acquaintanceships in this manner, they were shortly in -rougher water. - -"Here!" cried Tom Harris at length, "we must be getting out of this. That -canoe will not stand towing in this chop much longer. We shall have to -leave you." - -"Pull it in aboard," said Jack Harvey. - -"No, it would be in the way," replied Tom Harris. "Just as much obliged -to you. We'll meet you at the camp. Say that you will come ashore and eat -supper with us, and Bob will have one of those fine chowders waiting for -you; won't you, Bob?" - -"Ay, ay, sir," replied Bob. - -"You mean that you will cook one while we sit by and watch you, don't -you?" asked Harvey. "We shall get there before you do." - -"Perhaps not," returned Bob. "You have got to beat down, while we push -right through. It is four o'clock now, and there's some fourteen miles to -go. We can do that in about three hours, because when we get across the -bay we can go close alongshore under the lee, in smooth water; while you -will have to stick to the rough part of the bay most of the time." - -"All right," said Harvey, "we will have a race to see who gets there -first. But we'll do it in half that time." - -So saying, he luffed the _Viking_ into the wind, while Bob White drew the -dancing canoe alongside. The canoeists and the yachtsmen parted company, -the _Viking's_ sails filling with the breeze, as she quickly gathered -headway, throwing the spray lightly from her bows; the canoe plunging -stubbornly into the rough water, and forcing its way slowly ahead, -propelled by the energy of strong young arms. - -The _Viking_ stood over on the starboard tack, while the canoe made a -direct course for the island; and the two craft were soon far apart. In -the course of a half-hour the canoe appeared from the deck of the -_Viking_ a mere dancing, foam-dashed object. But, in the meantime, -another boat had appeared, some way ahead, that attracted the attention -and interest of the yachtsmen. It was a small sailboat, carrying a -mainsail and single jib. The smaller yacht was coming up to them from the -direction of Grand Island, and was now running almost squarely before the -wind, with its jib flapping to little purpose, save that it now and then -filled for a moment on one side or the other, as the breeze happened to -catch it. - -"There's a boat that is being badly sailed," exclaimed Harvey, as the two -watched its progress. "Look at it pitch; and look at that boom, how near -it comes to hitting the waves every time it rolls. There's a chap that -doesn't know enough, evidently, to top up his boom when running in a -seaway. What does he think topping-lifts are made for, anyway, if not to -lift the boom out of the reach of a sea like this? - -"And let me tell you, running square before the wind in a heavy sea, with -a boat rolling like that, is reckless business, anyway. It is much better -to lay a course not quite so direct, and run with the wind not squarely -astern, with the sheet hauled in some. That's no fisherman sailing that -boat." - -"It may be some one caught out who doesn't know how to get back," said -Henry Burns. "See, there he is, waving to us. He is in some trouble or -other. Let's stand on up close to him and see what the matter is." - -"Well, I'll take the chance," replied Harvey. "There, he's doing better -now. He is pointing up a little bit. We'll keep on this tack and run -pretty close to him, and hail him. I'll just sing out to him about that -topping-lift, anyway; and if he doesn't like our interfering, why he can -come aboard and thrash us." - -As the sailboat drew nearer, there appeared to be a single occupant, a -youth of about Harvey's age, perhaps a year older, holding the tiller. -His hat was gone and he was standing up, with hair dishevelled, glaring -wildly ahead, in a confused sort of way. The boom of the sailboat was -well out on the starboard side. Harvey kept the _Viking_ on the starboard -tack, and near enough to have passed quite close to the other boat. - -A little too close, in fact, considering that the youth at the tiller of -the oncoming boat had, indeed, completely lost his head. Suddenly, -without warning, he put his tiller over so that the sailboat headed away -from the _Viking_ for an instant. Then, as the wind got back of his sail, -and the boat at the same time rolled heavily in the seas, the boom jibed -with terrific force. The sailboat swung in swiftly toward the starboard -beam of the _Viking_, and the wind and sea knocked it down so that the -water poured in over the side, threatening to swamp it. At the instant, -Jack Harvey had thrown the _Viking_ off the wind to avoid a crash with -the other boat. The boom of the sailboat swept around with amazing -swiftness, and then, as the boat careened, threatening to founder, the -end of the boom brought up with a smashing blow against the _Viking's_ -starboard quarter, breaking off several feet of the boom and tearing the -sail badly. - -The sailboat, half-filled with water, fell heavily into the trough of the -sea and rolled threateningly; while at every pitch the boom struck the -waves as though it would break again. - -The _Viking_, under Jack Harvey's guidance, stood away a short distance, -then came about and beat up in to the wind a rod or two above the wreck. - -"Get that mainsail down as quick as ever you can!" shouted Jack Harvey to -the strange youth, who had dropped the tiller, and who stood now at the -rail, dancing about frantically, as though he intended to jump overboard. - -"I can't," cried the youth, tremulously. "Oh, come aboard here quick, -won't you? I'm going to sink and drown. This boat's going down. I don't -know how to handle her." - -"We guessed that," remarked Henry Burns, and added, reassuringly, "Don't -lose your head now. You know where the halyards are. Go ahead and get -your sail down, and we'll stand by and help you." - -Henry Burns's calm manner seemed to instil a spark of courage into the -youth. He splashed his way up to the cabin bulkhead, where the halyards -were belayed on cleats on either side, and let them run. The sail dropped -a little way and then stuck. The youth turned to the other boys -appealingly. - -"Pull up on your peak-halyard a little," said Jack Harvey, "and let the -throat drop first a way. Then the throat won't stick." - -The youth made another attempt and the sail came nearly down, hanging in -bagging folds. - -"Lucky that's not a heavy sail nor a heavy boom," exclaimed Jack Harvey, -"or the boat would be over and sunk by this time. I think I could lift -the boom inboard if I could only get aboard there." - -"Here," cried Harvey, coiling up a light, strong line that he had darted -into the cabin after, "catch this and make it fast up forward--and mind -you tie a knot that will hold." - -He threw the line across, and it was clutched by the boy aboard the -smaller boat. The boy carried it forward and did as Harvey had directed. - -"Now," said Harvey to Henry Burns, as he made fast the line astern, "the -moment we get near enough so that I can jump aboard, you bring the -_Viking_ right on her course, with a good full, so she won't drift back -on to the wreck completely." - -He, himself, held the wheel of the _Viking_ long enough to allow the -yacht to come into the wind a little. Thus it lost headway sufficiently -so that the seas caused it to drift back, without its coming about or -losing all steerageway. Then, as the _Viking_ drifted within reach of the -smaller boat, he leaped quickly and landed safely on the deck. At the -same time, or an instant later, Henry Burns threw the wheel of the -_Viking_ over so that the yacht gathered headway again and tautened the -rope that connected the two boats. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - A RESCUE UNREWARDED - - -Harvey, having landed on the deck of the sailboat, steadied himself by -grasping the starboard stay, and took a quick, comprehensive glance over -the situation. A foot and a half or so of the boom had split off from the -end, and the mainsail was badly torn. The main-sheet had been snapped by -the jibing of the boom, but the break in the boom was beyond the point -where the sheet was fastened. The broken end of the sheet was trailing in -the water. The boat could be got in hand if that were regained. - -Seizing the end of the main-sheet that remained in the boat, and casting -it loose from the cleat, Harvey found he had still the use of a rope of -considerable length. Coiling this up, and hanging it over one arm, he -regained the deck, over the small cabin, and took up his position on the -port side of the boat. The stay on that side had been saved from carrying -away only because the quarter of the _Viking_ had arrested the force of -the boom. Having this stay, then, to hold fast to, Harvey leaned over the -side, as far as he was able, passed an end of the rope about the boom, -took a turn, and made it fast. - -Carrying the other end aft, Harvey handed it to the youth, who stood -gazing at his efforts stupidly, evidently knowing not in the least what -to do. - -"Now you hold on to that," said Harvey, "and when I tell you to, you haul -as hard as ever you can." - -The youth took the rope silently and sullenly. - -Harvey sprang again upon the deck, caught the flying ends of the halyards -and ran the mainsail up. It was slow work, for the sail was soaked with -water, and the tear in it began to rip more when the strain was brought -to bear. When Harvey had hoisted the sail sufficiently so that the -topping-lift would have lifted the boom, he started for that; but it had -parted, and was of no use. - -"Well," said Harvey, "we'll get the boom up a little more, with the sail, -no matter if it does tear. We can't help it." - -So he took another pull at the peak-halyard. The boom lifted a little. - -"That's enough," said Harvey. "Now haul in on that sheet lively, before -the sail tears any more. Get that boom in quick!" - -The youth, with no great spirit nor heartiness in his movements, did as -directed, and the boom came inboard. Then Harvey once more dropped the -sail. - -He was brim full of life, was Jack Harvey, and now that there was -something here worth doing, and necessary to be done quickly, he was -eager with the spirit of it. - -"Have you got anything aboard here to bail with?" he asked, hurriedly; -and, without waiting for the more sluggish movements of the other, he -darted forward, through the water in the cockpit, to where he had espied -a pail half-submerged under the seat. With this he began bailing -furiously, dipping up the pailfuls and dashing them out over the side, as -though the boat were sinking and he had but one chance for life in a -hundred. - -Harvey was working in this way, with never a thought of his companion, -when presently there came a hail from the _Viking_. He paused and looked -across the water to where Henry Burns was standing at the wheel of the -larger craft, with a look of amusement on his face. - -"I say, Jack," called Henry Burns, drawling very slightly, as was his -habit at times when other youths of more excitable temperament would -speak quickly, "that other chap aboard there is just dying to help bail -the boat. Why don't you let him do his share of it?" - -Harvey glanced back astern at his companion of the sailboat. What he saw -caused an angry flush to spread over his face. But the next moment the -cool effrontery of it made him laugh. - -The youth whom Harvey's surprised gaze rested upon was a rather tall, -thin, sallow chap, with an expression on his face that looked like a -perpetual sneer. He wore no yachting costume nor clothing of any sort fit -for roughing it. Instead, he was rather flashily dressed, in clothes more -often affected by men of sporting propensities than youths of any age. In -a scarf of brilliant and gaudy tint he wore a large pin in the form of a -horseshoe, with imitation brilliants in it. In fact, his dress and whole -demeanour were of one who had a far more intimate knowledge of certain -phases of life than he should. A telltale smear upon the fingers of his -right hand told of the smoking habit, which accounted for his thin and -sallow appearance--and which habit was now in evidence. - -It was this latter that particularly angered Harvey, as he paused, -perspiring, from his work. - -The youth had seated himself calmly on the edge of the after-rail, with -an elbow rested on one knee. In this comfortable attitude, and smoking a -cigarette, he was aimlessly watching Harvey work. - -Harvey glared for a moment in amazement. Then his face relaxed. - -"I say!" he exclaimed, throwing down the pail, wiping his brow, and -advancing aft toward the other youth, "this seems to be a sort of -afternoon tea, or reception, with cigarettes provided by the host." - -"No, thanks," he added, shortly, as the other reached a hand into his -pocket and proffered a box of them. "You're just too kind and generous -for anything. But I don't smoke them. Some of my crew used to. But I tell -little Tim Reardon that that's what keeps him from growing any. He's at -them all the time. Guess you are, too, by the looks of you." - -Harvey glanced rather contemptuously at the lean, attenuated arm that the -other displayed, where he had rolled his cuffs back. - -"Well, you don't have to smoke them if you don't want to," said the -other, surlily. "But don't preach. I'm as old as you are. My smoking is -my business." - -"Of course it is," said Harvey. "I don't care whether you smoke or not. -But what I object to is your doing the smoking and letting me do the -work. Your smoking is your business, and so is bailing out your own boat -your business--that is, your share of it is. Now, if you want any more -help from me, you just break up this smoking party and take that pail and -go to bailing. I've got enough to keep me busy while you are doing that." - -The youth glanced angrily at Harvey, but made no reply. Harvey's stalwart -figure forbade any unpleasant retort. Sullenly, he tossed away the -half-finished cigarette, slumped down once more into the cockpit, took up -the pail that Harvey had dropped, and went to work. - -"He looks like a real man now," called out Henry Burns. - -The youth, with eyes flashing, shot one glance at the smiling face of -Henry Burns, but deigned no reply. - -Harvey, without further notice of his companion, proceeded to hoist the -sail a little so that he could take two reefs in it. This brought the -sail down so small as to include the torn part in that tied in. The sail -would, therefore, answer for the continuation of the trip. - -"Say," asked Harvey finally, "why didn't you reef before, when it began -to blow up fresh and the sea got a bit nasty? You might have saved all -this." - -The youth hesitated, glanced at Harvey sheepishly, and mumbled something -that sounded like he didn't know why he hadn't. - -"Hm!" said Harvey, under his breath. "He didn't know enough. - -"Well," he continued, after a little time, "you're all right to start off -again, if you think you can get along. That sail is down so small it -won't give you any more trouble, and there is plenty of it to keep -headway on the boat; that is, if you are going on up the bay. Where are -you bound for, anyway?" - -"Up to Springton," replied the other. "Straight ahead." - -"All right," said Harvey, "you can get there if you will only be a little -more careful. Don't try to run straight for the town. Keep off either -way--do you see?" And Harvey designated how the other could run in -safety. - -"Run on one course a way," he said, continuing, "and then put her about -and run on the other. But look out and don't jibe her. Let her come about -into the wind. Now do you think you can get along?" - -"Yes," answered the youth, shortly. He had by this time finished his -bailing, and the cockpit floor was fairly free of water. - -"Well, then, I'll bid you an affectionate farewell," said Harvey, who had -taken mental note of the fact that the youth had not offered to thank him -for all his trouble. "Sorry to leave you, but the best of friends must -part, you know. Good day." - -"Good day," answered the youth, without offering even to shake hands. - -Harvey lost little time in regaining the deck of the _Viking_. Henry -Burns was still smiling as Harvey took the wheel from him. - -"We seem to have made a very pleasant acquaintance," he said. - -"Haven't we though!" exclaimed Harvey. "If we were only in some nice, -quiet harbour, where the water wasn't very deep, I'd just see whether -that young chap can swim or not. He'd get one ducking--" - -"Oh, by the way," called Henry Burns, as the two boats were separating, -"you're entirely welcome to our assistance, you know. You needn't write -us a letter thanking us. We know your feelings are just too deep for -thanks." - -"Little thanks I owe you," snarled the other boy. "'Twas all your fault, -anyway. If you had kept off, my boat wouldn't have gone over." - -Jack Harvey sprang from his seat and shook his fist in the direction of -the disappearing boat. - -"Hold on there, Jack," said Henry Burns, catching him by the arm. "Don't -get excited. Do you know the answer to what he just said? Well, there -isn't any. Just smile and wave your hand to him, as I do. He's really -funnier than Squire Brackett." - -"Oh, yes, it is funny," answered Jack Harvey, scowling off astern. "It's -so funny it makes me sick. But perhaps you'd think it was funnier still, -if you had gone at that bailing the way I did, and had looked up all of a -sudden and seen that chap sitting back there at his ease, smoking. I'll -just laugh about it for the rest of the week. That's what I will." - -Jack Harvey certainly did not appear to be laughing. - -"Above all things," he said at length, "what do you suppose he meant by -saying it was our fault? That's the last straw for me. We didn't jibe his -boat for him." - -"No," said Henry Burns, "but he probably owns the bay, and was mad to see -us sailing on it. He acted that way." - -"Well, it has cost us about an hour and a half good time," exclaimed -Harvey--"though I should not begrudge it if he hadn't acted the way he -did. We won't win that race in to Southport, by a long shot. It's about -half-past six o'clock, and we cannot make it in less than two hours and a -half, even if the wind holds." - -This latter condition expressed by Harvey was, indeed, to prove most -annoying. With the dropping of the sun behind the far-distant hills, the -wind perceptibly and rapidly diminished. They set their club-topsail to -catch the upper airs, but the last hour was sluggish sailing. It was a -few minutes to ten o'clock when the _Viking_ rounded the bluff that -guards the northeastern entrance to the snug harbour of Southport. - -"There's no show for that warm supper to-night, I'm afraid," said Harvey, -as they turned the bluff and stood slowly into the harbour. - -The immediate answer to this remark was an "Ahoy, there, on board the -_Viking_!" from across the water. The next moment, the familiar canoe -shot into sight and Tom Harris and Bob White were quickly on deck. - -"We beat you fellows by a few minutes," said Tom Harris, laughing at -Harvey. - -"Look out for Jack," said Henry Burns, with a wink at the other two. "He -has been having so much fun that he doesn't want any more. And, besides, -he's starving--and so am I; and we might eat little boys up if they -plague us." - -"Why, what's the matter?" asked Tom, observing that Harvey was -half-scowling as he smiled at Henry Burns's sally. - -"Oh, we have been entertaining a friend up the bay," answered Henry -Burns, "and he didn't appreciate what Jack did for him. Seriously now, I -don't blame Jack for being furious." And Henry Burns gave a graphic -account of the adventure. - -When he had finished, both Tom Harris and Bob White gave vent to whistles -of surprise. - -"Say," exclaimed Bob White, "you couldn't guess who that young chap is, -if you tried a hundred years." - -"Why, do you know him, then?" cried Jack Harvey. - -"Yes, and you will know him, too, before the summer is over," replied Bob -White. "That's Harry Brackett, Squire Brackett's son." - -"Didn't know he had any," exclaimed Harvey. - -"Neither did we till this summer," said Bob White. "He dropped in on us -one day, early, and wanted to borrow some money. That was up in Benton. -He said he must have it, to get right back to Southport; and Tom's father -let him have a little. But we saw him several days after that driving -about the streets with a hired rig. So that's where the money went, and I -think Mr. Harris will never see the money again. He's been off to school -for two years, so he says; but if he has learned anything except how to -smoke, he doesn't show it. - -"But, never mind that now," added Bob. "Let's get the _Viking_ in to -anchorage and made snug, for you know there's something waiting for you -over to the camp." - -"What! You don't mean you have kept supper waiting for us all this time?" -cried Henry Burns, joyfully. - -"Oh, but you are a pair of bricks!" exclaimed Harvey, as Bob White nodded -an affirmative. "I can smell that fish chowder that Bob makes clear out -here." - -A few minutes later, the four boys, weighting the canoe down almost to -the gunwales, were gliding in it across the water to a point of land -fronting the harbour, where, through the darkness, the vague outlines of -a tent were to be discerned. Soon the canoe grazed along a shelf of -ledge, upon which they stepped. Tom Harris sprang up the bank and -vanished inside the tent. Then the light of a lantern shone out, -illuminating the canvas, and Tom Harris, as host, stood in the doorway, -holding aside the flap for them to enter. - -Inside the tent, which had a floor of matched boards, freighted down from -up the river for the purpose, it was comfortable and cosy. Along either -side, a bunk was set up, made of spruce poles, with boards nailed across, -and hay mattresses spread over these. There were two roughly made chairs, -which, with the bunks, provided sufficient seats for all. At the farther -end of the tent, on a box, beside another big wooden box that served for -a locker, was an oil-stove, which was now lighted and upon which there -rested an enormous stew-pan. - -The cover being removed from this, there issued forth an aroma of fish -chowder that brought a broad grin even to the face of Jack Harvey. - -"Hooray!" he yelled, grasping Bob White about the waist, giving him a -bearlike embrace, and releasing him only to bestow an appreciative blow -upon his broad back. "It's the real thing. It's one of Bob's best. It is -a year since I had one, but I remember it like an old friend." - -"You get the first helping, for the compliment," said Bob White, ladle in -hand. - -"And only to think," said Henry Burns, some moments later, as he leaned -back comfortably, spoon in hand, "that that was Squire Brackett's son we -helped out of the scrape. He certainly has the squire's pleasing manner, -hasn't he, Jack?" - -"Henry," replied Jack Harvey, solemnly, "don't you mention that young -Brackett again to me to-night. If you do, I'll put sail on the _Viking_ -and go out after him." - -"Then I won't say another word," exclaimed Henry Burns. "For my part, I -hope never to set eyes on him again." - -Unfortunately, that wish was not to be gratified. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - SQUIRE BRACKETT DISCOMFITED - - -"But say," inquired Henry Burns, in a somewhat disappointed tone, as they -were about to begin, "where are the fellows? It doesn't seem natural to -me to arrive at Southport and not have them on hand. Didn't you tell them -we were coming?" - -"Didn't have a chance," replied Bob. "We went up to the cottage, but -there wasn't anybody there. Then we met Billy Cook, and he said he saw -all three of them away up the island this afternoon." - -Henry Burns went to the door of the tent and looked over the point of -land, up the sweep of the cove. - -"They have come back," he exclaimed. "There's a light in the cottage. -Come on, let's hurry up and eat, and get over there." - -But at that very moment the light went out. - -"Hello!" he said. "There they go, off to bed. Guess they must be tired. -Too bad, for I simply cannot stand it, not to go over to the cottage -to-night--just to look at the cottage, if nothing more. And I am afraid -if I do, I may make a little noise, accidentally, and wake one of them -up." - -Henry Burns said this most sympathizingly; but there was a twinkle in the -corners of his eyes. - -"Come on, Henry," cried Harvey, "you are missing the greatest chowder you -ever saw." - -"Looks as though I might miss a good deal of it, by the way you are -stowing it aboard," replied Henry Burns, reëntering the tent and -observing the manner in which Harvey was attacking his dish, while Tom -and Bob looked on admiringly. - -"Never mind, Henry," said Bob. "There's enough. And, besides, Harvey is a -delicate little chap. He needs nourishing food and plenty of it." - -Harvey squared his broad shoulders and smiled. - -"I'm beginning to get good-natured once more," he said. - -The campers' quarters were certainly comfortable enough to make most any -one feel good-natured. The tent was roomy; the stove warmed it gratefully -against the night air, which still had some chill in it; the warm supper -tasted good after the long, hard day's sailing; and Tom and Bob were -genial hosts. - - -Outside, the waves, fallen from their boisterousness of the afternoon to -gentle murmurings, were rippling in with a pleasing sound against the -point of land whereon the camp stood. The breeze was soft, though lacking -the mildness of the later summer, and the night was clear and starlit. - -It had passed the half-hour after ten o'clock when the boys had finished -eating. They arose and went out in front of the tent. - -"It is all dark over yonder at the Warren cottage," said Tom. "What do -you think--had we better go over? The fellows are surely asleep." - -"Yes, indeed," said Henry Burns. "Why, they would never forgive me if I -didn't go over the first night I arrived here. We can just go over and -leave our cards at the front door. Of course we don't have to wake them -up if they are asleep." - -"Oh, of course not," exclaimed Harvey. "But just wait a moment, and I'll -go out aboard and bring in that fog-horn and that dinner-bell." - -"We'll get them in the canoe, Jack," said Bob. He and Harvey departed, -and returned shortly, bringing with them a fog-horn that was not by any -means a toy affair, but for serious use, to give warning in the fog to -oncoming steamers; likewise, a gigantic dinner-bell, used for the same -purpose aboard the _Viking_. - -"We haven't anything in camp fit to make much of a noise with," said Tom, -almost apologetically. "We keep our tent anchored in a fog, you know." - -"Who said anything about making a noise?" inquired Henry Burns, -innocently; and then added, "Never mind, there's stuff enough up at the -cottage." - -They proceeded without more delay up through the little clump of -spruce-trees which shaded the camp on the side toward the village, and -struck into the road that led through the sleeping town. Sleepy by day, -even, the little village of Southport, which numbered only about a score -of houses, clustered about the harbour, was seized with still greater -drowsiness early of nights. Its inhabitants, early to rise, were likewise -early to bed; and the place, before the summer visitors arrived, was wont -to fall sound asleep by nine o'clock. - -It was very still, therefore, as the boys went on up the main street. -Presently they turned off on a road to the right that led along the shore -of the cove, and back of which was a line of summer cottages, now for the -most part unopened for the season. - -"There's Captain Sam's," remarked Henry Burns, as they passed a little -frame cottage just before they had come to the turn of the road. "I'd -like to give him one salute for old time's sake. He's the jolliest man in -Southport." - -"He is not at home," said Tom. "We asked about him to-day, when we got -in. He started up the bay this afternoon. Queer you did not see him out -there somewhere." - -"Why, we saw one or two boats off in the distance at the time of the -collision," said Harvey; "but we were pretty much occupied just about -that time, eh, Henry? I didn't notice what boats they were." - -They were approaching the Warren cottage by this time, and their -conversation ceased. The cottage was the last in the row that skirted the -cove, somewhat apart from all the others, occupying a piece of high -ground that overlooked the cove and the bay, and affording a view away -beyond to the off-lying islands. This view was obtained through a thin -grove of spruces, with which the island abounded, and which made a -picturesque foreground. - -The cottage itself was roomy and comfortable, with a broad piazza -extending around the front and one side. Upon this piazza the boys now -stepped, quietly--"so as not to disturb the sleepers," Henry Burns put -in. - -"Well, Henry, what's up? You are master of ceremonies, you know," said -Tom. - -"Why, we want to wake them very gently at first," replied Henry Burns. -"You know it is not good for any one to be frightened out of his sleep. -They might not grow any more; and it might take away young Joe's -appetite--No, it would take more than that to do it," he added. - -They stepped around cautiously to the front door. As they had surmised, -the peacefulness of Southport made locks and keys a matter more of form -than usage, and the Warren boys had not turned the key in the lock. They -entered softly. - -"Hark! what's that?" whispered Bob. - -They paused on tiptoe. A subdued, choky roar, or growl, was borne down -the front stairway from above. - -"You ought to know that sound by this time," said Henry Burns. "It's -young Joe, snoring. Don't you remember how the other boys used to declare -he would make the boat leak, by jarring it with that racket, when we had -to sleep aboard last summer? Why, he used to have black and blue spots up -and down his legs, where George and Arthur kicked him awake, so they -could go to sleep." - -The sound was, indeed, prodigious for one boy to make. - -"We may as well have some light on the subject," said Henry Burns, -striking a match and lighting the hanging-lamp in the sitting-room. It -shed a soft glow over the place and revealed a room prettily furnished; -the hardwood floor reflecting from its polished surface the rays from the -lamp; a generous fireplace in one corner; and, more to the purpose at -present, some big easy chairs, in which the boys made themselves at home. - -But first a peep into the Warren kitchen pantry rewarded Bob with a -mighty iron serving-tray, and Tom with a pair of tin pot-covers, which, -grasped by their handles and clashed together, would serve famously as -cymbals. - -"Now," said Henry Burns, when they were all assembled and comfortably -seated, "you remember how we used to imitate the village band when it -practised nights in the loft over the old fish-house? Well, I'll be the -cornet; Tom, you're the bass horn--" - -"He is when his voice doesn't break," remarked Bob, slyly. - -"That's all right," replied Henry Burns. "Every musician strikes a false -note once in awhile, you know." And he continued, "You are the -slide-trombone, Jack; and you, Bob, come in with that shrieking whistle -through your fingers for the flute." - -"Great!" exclaimed Bob. "What shall we try?" - -"Oh, we'll give them 'Old Black Joe' for a starter," said Henry Burns, -"just out of compliment to young black Joe up-stairs." - -Presently, there arose through the stillness of the house, and was wafted -up the stairway, an unmelodious, mournful discord, that may perhaps have -borne some grotesque resemblance to the old song they had chosen, but -was, indeed, a most atrocious and melancholy rendering of it. - -Then they paused to listen. - -There was no answering sound from above, save that the snoring of young -Joe was no longer deep and regular, but broken and short and sharp, like -snorts of protest. - -"Repeat!" ordered Henry Burns to his grinning band. - -Again the combined assault on "Old Black Joe" began. - -Then they paused again. - -The snoring of young Joe was broken off abruptly, with one particularly -loud outburst on his part. There was, also, the creaking of a bed in -another room, and a sound as of some one sitting bolt upright. - -"Here, you Joe! Quit that! What on earth are you doing?" called out the -voice of George Warren, in tones which denoted that he had awakened from -slumber, but not to full consciousness of what had waked him, except that -it was some weird sound. - -Then another voice, more sleepily than the other: "What's the matter, -George? Keep quiet, and let a fellow go to sleep." - -"Why, it's that young Joe's infernal nonsense, I suppose," exclaimed the -elder brother. "Now, that will be enough of that, Joe. It isn't funny, -you know." - -"That's it! always blaming me for something," came the answer from the -youngest boy's room. "You fellows are dreaming--gracious, no! I hear a -voice down-stairs." - -It was the voice of Henry Burns saying solemnly, "Repeat." - -"Old Black Joe," out of time, out of tune, turned inside out and scarcely -recognizable, again arose to the ears of the now fully aroused Warren -brothers. - -There was the sound of some one leaping out of bed upon the bare chamber -floor. - -"Now you get back into bed there, Joe!" came the voice of George Warren, -peremptorily. "Let those idiots, Tom and Bob, amuse themselves till they -get tired, if they think it's funny. We are not going to get up to-night, -and that's all there is about it. Say, you fellows go on now, and let us -alone. We're tired, and we are not going to get up." - -"Too dictatorial, altogether," commented Henry Burns, softly. "Give them -the full band now, good and lively." - -So saying, he seized the huge dinner-bell; Harvey took up the great -fog-horn; Tom and Bob, the pot-covers and serving-tray, respectively. A -hideous din, that was the combined blast of the deep horn, the clanging -reverberation of the tray beaten upon by Bob's stout fist, the bellowing -of the dinner-bell and the clash of cymbals, roared and stormed through -the walls of the Warren cottage, as though bedlam had broken loose. The -rafters fairly groaned with it. - -Down the stairway appeared a pair of bare legs. Then the form and face of -young Joe came into view. He stared for a moment wildly at the occupants -of the Warren easy chairs, and the next moment let out a whoop of -delight. - -"Oh, hooray!" he yelled. "Come on, George. Come on, Arthur. Hurry up! Oh, -my! but it's Henry Burns." - -A small avalanche of bare feet and bare legs poured down the stairs, -belonging in all to Joe, Arthur, and George Warren. Three sturdy figures, -clad in their night-clothes, leaped into the room, whooping and yelling, -and descended in one concerted swoop upon the luckless Henry Burns. That -young gentleman went down on the floor, where he afforded a seat for two -of the Warren boys, while young Joe, with pretended fury, proceeded to -pummel him, good-naturedly. - -The three remaining boys were quickly added to the heap, dragging the -Warrens from off their fallen leader; and the turmoil and confusion that -raged about the Warren sitting-room for a moment might have meant the -wreck and ruin of a city home, adorned with bric-à-brac, but resulted in -no more serious damage than a collection of bruises on the shins and -elbows of the participants. - -Out of the confusion of arms and legs, however, each individual boy at -length withdrew his own, more or less damaged. - -"You're a lot of villains!" exclaimed George Warren. "Wasn't I sound -asleep, though? But, oh! perhaps we are not glad to see you." - -"I tell you what we will do," cried young Joe. "We will hurry up and -dress and go out in the kitchen and cook up a big omelette--" - -The roar that greeted young Joe's words drowned out the rest of the -sentence. - -"Isn't he a wonder, though!" exclaimed George Warren. "Why, he had his -supper only three hours and a half ago, and here he is talking about -eating." - -"I don't care about anything to eat," declared young Joe. "I thought the -other fellows would like something." - -"He's so thoughtful," said Arthur. - -Young Joe looked longingly toward the kitchen. - -"Well, we are not going to keep you awake," said Henry Burns at length, -after they had talked over the day's adventures. "We thought you would -like to have us call. We'll be round in the morning, though." - -But the Warrens wouldn't hear of their going. There were beds enough in -the roomy old house for all, as the rest of the family had not arrived. -So up the stairs they scrambled. Twenty minutes later, the fact that -young Joe was sleeping soundly was audibly in evidence. - -"He can't keep me awake, though," exclaimed Harvey. "I have had enough -for one day to make me sleep, haven't you, Henry?" - -But Henry Burns was asleep already. - -The next afternoon, as the crowd of boys sat about the Warren -sitting-room, talking and planning, the tall figure of a man strode -briskly up the road leading to the cottage. He was dressed in a suit of -black, somewhat pretentious for the island population, with a white -shirt-front in evidence, and on his head he wore a large, broad-brimmed -soft hat. In his hand he carried a cane, which he swung with short, -snappy strokes, as a man might who was out of temper. - -George Warren, from a window, observed his approach. - -"Hello!" he exclaimed. "Here comes the squire. Doesn't look especially -pleasant, either. I wonder what's up." - -That something or other was "up" was apparent in the squire's manner and -expression, as he walked hastily across the piazza and hammered on the -door with the head of his cane. - -"Good morning, Captain Ken--" began young Joe. - -But he got no further. "Here, you stop that!" cried the squire, advancing -into the room and raising his cane threateningly. "Don't you ever call me -'Captain Kendrick' again as long as you live. It's no use for you to say -you mistake me for him, for you don't." - -Young Joe disappeared. - -"Confound that Joe!" said Arthur. "He always says the wrong thing." - -Captain Kendrick was the squire's bitterest enemy; and it was a constant -thorn in the squire's side that they really did resemble each other -slightly. - -"Good morning, squire," said George Warren, politely. "Won't you have a -seat?" - -"No, I won't!" said Squire Brackett, shortly. "I don't need any seat to -say what I want to say. I want to talk with those two young scamps over -there." - -Squire Brackett pointed angrily toward Jack Harvey and Henry Burns. - -"What can we do for you, squire?" inquired Henry Burns, quietly. - -"Do for me!" repeated the squire, his voice rising higher. "You have done -enough for me already, I should say. What do you mean by running down my -sailboat in the bay yesterday? Hadn't you done enough to annoy me -already, without smashing into the _Seagull_ and tearing a brand-new sail -and ripping things up generally? - -"What can you do for me, indeed! Well, I'll tell you what you can do: you -can pay me forty dollars for a new sail; and you can pay for a new boom -to replace the broken one. And there's some rigging that was carried -away. That is all I think of now." - -The squire paused for breath. - -"Yes, I guess that is about all," remarked Henry Burns. - -But Jack Harvey was on his feet and facing the angry squire. "See here," -he began, "do you mean to say that that young chap we helped out of his -scrape blames us for the wreck? Just bring him--" - -"Hold on, Jack," said Henry Burns. "Take it easy. We were not to blame, -so let's not get into a quarrel with the squire. Perhaps he has not heard -just how it did happen." - -"Haven't I?" roared the squire. "That's impudence added to injury. Didn't -my son, Harry, tell me all about it--how you ran him down; how you -steered in on to him when he was trying his best to keep clear of you? -Haven't I heard of it, indeed! I have heard all I want to about it. Now, -there is only one thing left for you two young men to do, and that is to -settle for the damages. That is all I want of you--and no impudence. - -"It won't do you any good to try to lie out of it," he added, as he -started for the door. "I've got no time to waste listening to denials. -You can just come down to Dakin's store and settle to-day or to-morrow, -or there will be a lawsuit begun against both of you, or whoever is -responsible for you. I guess my son Harry's word is good as a dozen of -yours. He's told me all about it. Good morning to you." - -The squire swung himself angrily out of the door and strode away down the -road, flipping off the grass-tops with his cane. - -Harvey and Henry Burns sat back in their chairs in amazement. - -"And to think that I helped that young cub bail out his boat!" groaned -Jack Harvey. - -Henry Burns snickered. - -"It's no joke, Jack," he said. "But I can't help thinking of that young -Brackett, sitting up there on the rail and watching you work. - -"It is a bad scrape, too," he added, more seriously. "It does mean a real -lawsuit. The squire is in the mood for it; and, the worst of it, there -weren't any witnesses. It is his word against ours. It's a bad start for -the summer, and no mistake." - -A half-hour later, a procession of sober-faced boys strolled down into -the village. Villagers, who had always liked Henry Burns, and had come to -like Jack Harvey since he had atoned for many past pranks by gallantry at -the end of the last season, greeted the new arrivals cordially. - -"See you boys got into a leetle trouble with the squire," remarked one of -them. "Well, that's too bad. He's a hard man when it comes to money -matters. What's that? You say young Brackett was the one to blame? Pshaw! -Well, I do declare. Hm!" - -Down in Rob Dakin's grocery store there was the usual gathering of the -villagers and fishermen, lounging about, with elbows on counters, -half-astride sugar and cracker barrels, and a few of the more early -comers occupying the choice seats about the sheet-iron stove. This -inevitable centre of attraction, having done its duty faithfully -throughout the winter, was, of course, now cold and not an object of -especial beauty; but it still possessed that magnetic quality that -pertains to a stove in a country store, to draw all loungers about it, -and make it the common meeting-place. - -There was Billy Cook, from over across the cove, who was always barefoot, -although a man of forty. There was Dave Benson, from the other side of -the island, who had deposited a molasses-jug on the floor in a corner, -and who now stood, apparently extracting some nourishment, and at least -comfort, from a straw held between his teeth. There was Old Slade, from -over on the bluff opposite, slyly cutting a sliver of salt fish from one -in the bale upon which he sat. Also a half-dozen or more others. - -To this assembled group of his townsfolk, the squire, accompanied now by -his hopeful son, Harry, was holding forth, as the party of boys entered -the door. - -"Here they be now, squire," remarked Dave Benson. "Hello, boys! Ketchin' -any lobsters lately?" - -"Yes, here they are, and here they shall pay!" cried the squire, turning -upon them. - -Jack Harvey advanced toward young Brackett. - -"Do you dare say we ran you down?" he inquired, angrily. - -"Yes, you did," answered young Brackett, sullenly, and sidling up close -to his father. - -"Why, of course they did!" exclaimed the squire. "And it won't do them -any good--" - -But at this point his remarks were interrupted. - -A strongly built, heavy-shouldered man entered the store, gave a loud, -good-natured "Haw! Haw!" for no apparent reason except that his natural -good spirits prompted him to, and bade everybody good evening in a voice -that could be heard a quarter of a mile away. - -"Why, hello, Cap'n Sam," said Dave Benson, hailing him as he entered the -doorway. "Haven't seen you much lately." - -Captain Sam Curtis roared out a salutation in return. If there was a -voice within a radius of twenty miles about Southport that could equal -that of Captain Sam Curtis, no one had ever heard of it. It had a -reputation all its own, far and wide. - -"Why, hello, squire," cried Captain Sam. He had failed to notice Harvey -and Henry Burns for the moment in the crowd. "Good evening, squire, good -evening. Guess you're glad to get that 'ere boy of yours back again, -ain't yer?" - -"Yes," answered the squire, irritably. - -"Well, I guess you better be!" exclaimed Captain Sam. "I thought he was a -goner there, yesterday, when I saw the _Seagull_ go kerflop." - -"What!" cried the squire. "You saw it? How is that? I thought you said -there weren't any other boats around, Harry." - -The squire turned to his son; but young Harry Brackett was vanishing out -the store door. - -"See it? I rather guess I did see it," bawled Captain Sam, warming up to -his subject, while the villagers sat up and paid attention. "Why, I had -the spy-glass on that 'ere youngster for twenty minutes before he did the -trick. He was a-sailing that 'ere boat like a codfish trying to play -'Home, Sweet Home' on the pianner." - -"Nonsense!" roared the now infuriated squire, who observed the audience -in the store snickering and nudging one another. "Nonsense, I say. He can -sail a boat just as good as you can. Why, he told me, only the other day, -before I let him have the _Seagull_ at all, how he won races last summer -in a yacht off Marblehead." - -"Mebbe so, squire," retorted Captain Sam. "But he was a-sailin' this 'ere -boat of yours like a mutton-head. Haw! Haw! That's what he was a-doin', -squire. - -"Why, sir, squire, he was a-standing up in that boat, with his hat blown -off, lookin' as scared as you was last summer when you and old Witham -took that sail down the bay with me. Haw! Haw! And that 'ere boom was -a-jumpin', and that 'ere sail was a-slattin' around like an old alpacker -dress out on a clothes-line. - -"'Gracious goodness!' says I to myself, 'that youngster is a-scared out -of his wits. He'll jibe her, as sure as a hen sets.' And he done it, too. -Bang! she went, and the boom slat up against that other boat that was -comin' down 'tother way--and I says, 'It's all up with poor Harry.' And -so it would have been if it hadn't been for the chaps in that other -boat-- - -"Why, hello, Henry Burns! And if there ain't young Harvey, too," cried -Captain Sam, interrupting himself, as he espied the two boys. "Why, that -was your boat, eh? Well, I guess the squire is mightily obliged to you, -both of yer. - -"Reckon you've thanked these young chaps, good and hearty, for saving -young Harry, eh?" cried Captain Sam, advancing to the squire. - -But, to the utter amazement of Captain Sam, the squire turned upon his -heel, with an exclamation of disgust, dashed out of the store, and -disappeared in the direction taken shortly before by his son, while a -roar of laughter from the assembled villagers followed after him. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - HARVEY GETS BAD NEWS - - -Harvey and Henry Burns left the store together in high spirits, -surrounded by their companions, loudly jubilant over the turn affairs had -taken. It was growing dusk, and Rob Dakin was preparing for the usual -illumination of his store with one oil-lamp. Harvey and Henry Burns -started for the shore, but were stopped by a hail from George Warren. - -"Come on over to the post-office with me," he said. "You're in no hurry -for supper. It's my turn to go for the mail, and we are expecting a -letter from father up in Benton." - -So the two boys retraced their steps, and the three friends went along up -the road together. - -"We haven't a very extensive correspondence to look after, eh, Jack?" -remarked Henry Burns; "but we'll go along for company's sake. My aunt -never writes to me, and I think I never received but two letters in my -life. They were from old Mrs. Newcome." - -"I never got any," declared Harvey. "My dad says to me at the beginning -of the summer, 'Where are you going?' and I say, 'Oh, down in the bay,' -or wherever it is I am going. Then he says, 'Well, take care of -yourself,' and forgets all about me, except he sends money down to me -regularly--and more when I ask him." - -The boy's remark was, in fact, an unconscious criticism of the elder -Harvey, and accounted, perhaps, for some of Harvey's past adventures -which were not altogether commendable. Harvey's father was of the rough -and ready sort. He had made money in the Western gold-fields, where he -had started out as a miner and prospector. Now he was enjoying it in -generous fashion, and denied his family nothing. He had a theory that a -boy that had the "right stuff in him," as he put it, would make his way -without any particular care taken of him; and he was content to allow his -son, Jack, to do whatever he pleased. A convenient arrangement, by the -way, which also left Mr. Harvey free to do whatever he pleased, without -the worry of family affairs. - -The boys walked through the fields, up a gentle incline of the land, -which led to the general higher level of the island, overlooking the bay -and the islands in the distance. They gazed back presently upon a -pleasing prospect. - -There was the cove, sweeping in to the left, along the bluff opposite, -which was high and rock-ribbed. At the head of the cove the shores were -of clean, fine sand, broken here and there at intervals by a few patches -of clam-flats, bared at low water. Out from where the boys stood, -straight ahead rolled the bay, with an unbroken view away across to the -cape, some five miles off. A thoroughfare, or reach, extended south and -eastward from the cape, formed by the mainland and a chain of islands. -Then, to the south, the bay extended far, broken only by some islands a -few miles away. - -At anchor in the cove lay the Warren boys' sailboat, the _Spray_, and the -larger yacht, the _Viking_. - -"Well, George," said Henry Burns, with his right arm over the other's -shoulder, "it looks like some fun, now that the trouble with Squire -Brackett is cleared away." - -"Great!" exclaimed George Warren. - -The post-office, called such by courtesy, the office consisting of the -spare room of whatsoever fisherman or farmer happened to be honoured with -Uncle Sam's appointment, was about a mile from the harbour of Southport. -It was, in this case, in the house of one Jerry Bryant, and was about a -quarter of a mile, or less, from the western shore of the island, where a -small cove made in from that bay. - -"Good evening, Mr. Bryant," said George Warren, as they arrived at the -post-office door. "Mail in yet?" - -"Be here right away," replied the postmaster. "I saw Jeff's packet coming -in a moment ago. There he comes now up the lane." - -Jeff Hackett, whose commission it was to fetch the mail across from the -mainland in a small sloop daily, now appeared with a mail-sack over his -shoulder. - -The formality of receiving the attenuated mail-sack and sorting its -somewhat meagre contents, being duly observed, Postmaster Bryant threw -open a small sliding door, poked his head out, and was ready for -inquiries. - -"Anything for the Warren cottage?" - -"Not a thing." - -"Anything for the neighbours, a few doors below?" - -"Nothing for them, either." - -"Looks as though we had come over for nothing," said George Warren. "Too -bad, but you fellows don't mind the walk, do you?" - -"Not a bit," answered Henry Burns. - -They were departing, when the postmaster hailed them. - -"Say," he called out, "who is Jack Harvey? He is the chap that caught -Chambers, isn't he? Doesn't he stop over near you, somewhere?" - -"Here I am," said Harvey, taken by surprise. "What do you want?" - -"Why, I've got a letter for you," said the postmaster. "It has been here -three days. I couldn't find out where you were." - -"Well, that's odd," exclaimed Harvey, stepping back and receiving the -envelope. "I never got one before. Say, we came over for something, after -all." - -He tore open the envelope and read the letter enclosed. - -"Whew!" he exclaimed as he finished. "That's tough." And he gave a -disconsolate whistle. - -"What's the matter? Nothing bad, I hope," asked Henry Burns. - -In reply, Harvey handed him the letter. It was dated from Boston, and -read as follows: - - "My dear Jack:--Sorry to have to write you bad news, but you are big - enough to stand it, I had to work hard when I was a boy, and perhaps - you may now, but you'll come out all right in the end. I don't know - just where I stand, myself. Investments have gone wrong, and Saunders - has brought suit in court, claiming title to the land where the mine - is. May beat him out. Don't know. He is a rascal, but may win. - - "Now I haven't got a dollar to send you, and don't see where I'll get - any all summer for you, as I shall need every cent to pay bills. I have - got to go out to borrow money to pay lawyers, too, to fight the case. - - "Too bad, but you will have to come home, or shift for yourself for the - summer. Let me know, and I'll send money for your fare, if you are - coming. - - "Affectionately, your dad, - "William Harvey." - -An hour later, Jack Harvey and Henry Burns sat in the comfortable cabin -of the _Viking_, talking matters over. The yacht swung lazily at anchor -in the still cove. A fire burned in the little stove, and the smoke -wreathed out of a funnel on the starboard side. The boys were -superintending the baking of a pan of muffins in a sheet-iron oven, while -two swinging-lanterns gave them light. - -"I declare I don't know what to do about it," said Harvey. "You see, I -never thought about getting along without money before. All I have had to -do is just ask for it. Now, you see, I'm behind on my allowance. We paid -Reed thirty-five dollars, you know, for wintering and painting the boat, -and something more for some new pieces of rigging. That, and what I've -spent for clothes, has cleaned me out." - -"Yes, but I owe you twelve dollars on the boat account, which I'm going -to pay as soon as I receive my own allowance from my aunt," said Henry -Burns. - -"Well, that won't go very far," responded Harvey, gloomily. "We owe--or -shall owe--for the freight on that box of provisions that's coming from -Benton; we have got to hire a tender to take the place of the old one I -sold last fall. We can't keep on borrowing this one all summer--" - -"Never mind," interrupted Henry Burns. "You know it costs us scarcely -anything to live down here. We can catch all the fish and lobsters we -want, dig clams, and all that sort of thing. All we need to buy is a -little meal and flour and coffee and sugar from time to time, and we'll -do that all right on my allowance." - -"That's kind in you, Henry," said Harvey, warmly, "but I don't quite like -the idea of living all summer on you." - -"Why not?" demanded Henry Burns, and added, quickly, "You used to provide -everything for all your crew last summer, didn't you?" - -"Why, yes, I did," replied Harvey. "Ha! ha! catch one of them buying -anything. But of course they couldn't buy much of anything, anyway. They -hadn't any money. But somehow this is different. You see,--well--the fact -is, I'm not quite used to being hard up. And I don't exactly like to take -it. Of course, I know just how you mean it, too." - -"Yes, but think how small our expenses need be if we are careful," urged -Henry Burns. "We live right aboard here all the time, you know." - -"Yes," answered Harvey, "but it all counts up more than you think, -especially when one is short of money. You can't run a big boat like this -all summer without expense. It's a rope here and a block there, and a -spare anchor we need, and a lot of little things all the time. I know how -it was on the _Surprise_." - -Their conversation was interrupted at this point by a voice close -alongside. The canoe had glided quietly up, and the next moment Tom and -Bob were descending into the cabin. - -"My, but you chaps have elegant quarters down here," exclaimed Tom. "We -envy you your summer aboard here, don't we, Bob?" - -Henry Burns and Harvey, somewhat taken aback, made no reply, and looked -embarrassed. - -"Why, what's up?" asked Tom, observing something was wrong. "No more -trouble, I hope." - -Harvey explained the situation. - -"That need not be so bad," said Tom. "It doesn't cost but little to live -here. We spend scarcely anything, do we, Bob? We can lend you something -to help you through. You don't want to think of giving up the summer." - -"I dare say I could stick it out all right," said Harvey, "if I was just -camping once more. That doesn't cost much. It is this boat that bothers -me. We can't run it for nothing." - -"Well, then," exclaimed Henry Burns, vigorously, with more -demonstrativeness than was usual with him, "I'll tell you what we will -do. We'll make the boat work. We will make it pay its own way, and pay us -something besides. We'll fit out and go down among the islands fishing, -and take our fish over to Stoneland and sell them, the same as the -fishermen do. There won't be a fortune in it, with a boat no bigger than -this, but it will support us, and more too, after paying all expenses." - -"Henry," cried Harvey, gratefully, "you're a brick! I thought of that -once, and I'd have proposed it if this had been the old _Surprise_; but I -didn't know as you would be willing to do it with this boat. It dirties a -craft up so." - -"That doesn't hurt a boat any," said Henry Burns. "The fishermen down -around Wilton's Harbour take out sailing parties all summer, and their -boats are always handsome and clean, and they don't smell fishy. And the -men always use them for fishing in the fall and spring, when the fishing -is at its best. It simply means that we have got to take out all the nice -fittings from the cabin, stow them away somewhere on shore, fit out with -some tackle, and go ahead. At the end of the summer we will overhaul the -_Viking_ from deck to keelson, take out every piece of ballast in her, -clean it and dry it and put it back, and paint the yacht over after we -wash everything inside and out. She will be just as fine as she was -before." - -"That's great!" exclaimed Tom Harris. "You can do it all right, too. I -wish we had a boat. We'd go along with you, wouldn't we, Bob?" - -"I'd like nothing better," answered Bob. - -"Then come along with us," said Harvey. "We really need two more to -handle this boat properly. You can fit yourselves out with -fishing-tackle, and we'll all share in the catch." - -"Hooray! we'll do it," cried Bob. "But we don't want a share of the -catch. We will be glad enough to go for the fun of it." - -"Yes, but this is part business," said Henry Burns. "You must have some -share in every trip you make with us. How will two-thirds for us and a -third for you do, as we own the boat?" - -"That is more than fair," replied Tom. - -"Then it's a bargain, eh, Jack?" said Henry; and, as the other gave -hearty assent, he added, "We'll go about it right away to-morrow, if the -weather is good." - -When George Warren heard of the plan the next day, however, he was not -equally elated. "It's the thing to do, I guess," he said, but added, -"It's going to keep you away from Southport; that is the only drawback." - -"No, only part of the time," said Henry Burns. "We are not going to try -to get rich, only to support ourselves. We shall be back and forth all -summer. We'll have some fun here, too." - -Then the boys went and hunted up Captain Sam Curtis. - -"Yes, you can do it all right," said Captain Sam, when he had heard of -the plan. "But it's rough work. You can count on that. You want to get -right out to big Loon Island--you know, with the little one, Duck Island, -alongside. There's where the cod are, out along them reefs; and you can -set a couple of short trawls for hake. May get some runs of mackerel, -too, later. I'll get you a couple of second-hand pieces of trawl cheap. -They'll do all right for one season. But it ain't just like bay-sailing -all the time, you know, though you may not get caught. When it's rough, -it's rough, though. - -"And there's one thing you've got to look out for," added Captain Sam. -"Of course the men around this coast will be fair to you and won't -bother. But there's a rough crowd that comes up from the eastward. They -may not take kindly to a pack of boys coming in on the fishing-grounds. -Just keep your weather eye out; that's all." - -The boys went about their preparations eagerly. Already they had begun -removing the fine fittings from the cabin of the _Viking_, carrying them -up to the Warren cottage, and putting the yacht in condition for rougher -usage. They worked hard all day. At night, however, an unexpected event -occurred, which delayed their fishing-trip until the next week. - -George Warren came down to the shore that evening with another letter for -Jack Harvey, much to the latter's amazement. - -"Hang it!" he exclaimed, as George Warren handed the letter over. "They -say troubles never come singly. I wonder if here's more. I hope things -are no worse at home--Hello, it isn't from Boston. It's from Benton. Who -can have written me from there?" - -He tore open the envelope hastily. The letter, badly written in an -uncouth scrawl, read thus: - - "Dear Jack:--You remember you told us fellows last year that we could - come down to the island again this year and live in the tent, the same - as we did before you got the boat, and you would see that we got along - all right. Me and George Baker have got the money to pay our fares on - the boat, and Tim and Allan will work part of their passage. Dan Davis, - who's on the boat, told us you was down there. So we'll be along pretty - soon if you don't write and stop us. - - "So long, - "Joe Hinman." - -"Well, here's a mess," said Harvey, ruefully, and looking sorely puzzled. -"I'd clean forgotten that promise I made to the crew last year, that they -could come down, and I'd take care of them. You see, I thought I was -going to have plenty of money; but I don't know just what to do now. -Would you write and tell them not to come?" - -"No, let them come," said Henry Burns. "They'll get along somehow. We -will help them out, and they'll have your tent to live in." - -"All right," said Harvey. "I hate to disappoint them. They don't get much -fun at home. I'll send them word to come, as long as you are willing." - -So it happened that a few days later there disembarked from the river -steamer a grinning quartette of boys. The youngest, Tim Reardon by name, -was barefoot; and the others, namely, Joe Hinman, George Baker, and Allan -Harding, were not vastly the better off in the matter of dress. This was -Harvey's "crew," who had sailed the bay with him for several years, in -the yacht _Surprise_, and had camped with him on a point that formed one -of the boundaries of a little cove, some three-quarters of a mile down -the island from where Tom and Bob were encamped. - -The united forces of the boys, including the Warrens, made things -comfortable for the new arrivals in short order. Harvey's old tent, which -had been stored away in Captain Sam's loft for the winter, was brought -out and loaded aboard the _Viking_; and the entire party sailed down -alongshore, and unloaded at Harvey's former camping-ground, where there -was a grove of trees and a good spring close by. The tent was quickly set -up, the bunks fashioned, a share of the _Viking's_ store of provisions -carried ashore, and everything made shipshape. - -"Now," said Harvey, addressing his crew, after he had confided the news -of his embarrassed circumstances, "I'll help you out all I can, and -you'll get along all right, with fishing and clamming. But, see here, no -more shines like we had before. I know I was in for it, too. But no more -hooking salmon out of the nets. And let other people's lobster-pots -alone, or I won't look out for you." - -"Oh, we'll be all right, Jack," cried the ragged campers, gleefully; -while little Tim Reardon, standing on his head and hands in an ecstasy of -delight, seemed to wave an acquiescence with his bare feet. - -"That's your doing," said Harvey, thoughtfully, turning to Tom and Bob. -"Since you saved my life the crew really have behaved themselves." - -Two days later, the bare feet of Tim Reardon bore him, breathless, to the -door of the other tent, where Harvey and Henry Burns sat chatting with -Tom and Bob. - -"Say, Jack," he gasped out, "you just want to hurry up quick and get down -into the Thoroughfare. They're going to raise the _Surprise_. I got a -ride on behind a wagon coming up the island this morning, and two men -were talking about it. One of them said he heard Squire Brackett say that -that yacht down in the Thoroughfare was anybody's property now, as it had -been abandoned, and he calculated it could be floated again, and he'd -bring it up some day and surprise you fellows. But he hasn't started to -do it yet, and so it's still yours, isn't it? If he can raise it, we can, -can't we?" - -Harvey sprang to his feet. - -"Raise it!" he exclaimed. "Why, I've thought all along of trying it some -day. Captain Sam said last fall he thought it might be done. But I had -this other boat to attend to, and then I was called home. We'll go after -it this very afternoon. What do you say, Henry?" - -"Yes, and I think I have a scheme to help float her," replied Henry -Burns. - -Acting on Henry Burns's suggestion then, the boys proceeded to the store, -where, in a spare room, Rob Dakin kept a stock of small empty casks which -he sold to the fishermen now and then for use as buoys. They hired the -whole supply, some twoscore, agreeing to pay for the use of them and -bring them back uninjured. These they loaded hastily aboard the _Viking_, -having sent word in the meantime to the Warren boys. They, joining in -heartily, soon had sail on their own boat, the _Spray_, and went on -ahead, down the coast of the island. - -Completing the loading of the _Viking_, and taking aboard an extra supply -of tackle, borrowed for the occasion, Henry Burns and Harvey got up sail -and set out after the _Spray_, stopping off the cove below to pick up the -others of Harvey's crew. They overhauled the _Spray_ some miles down the -coast, later in the afternoon, and thence led the way toward the -Thoroughfare. They had the wind almost abeam from the westward, and went -along at a good clip in a smooth sea. - -That evening at sundown they sailed into the Thoroughfare. This was a -stretch of water affording a somewhat involved and difficult passage -between the Eastern and Western Bays, the two bays being so designated -according to a partial division of these waters by Grand Island. The -island was some thirteen miles long, lying lengthwise with its head -pointing about northeast and the foot southwest. - -The waters of the Thoroughfare were winding, flowing amid a small chain -of islands at the foot of Grand Island. The channel was a crooked one, -the deeper water lying along this shore or that, and known only to local -fishermen and to the boys who had cruised there. - -Henry Burns, on the lookout forward, presently gave a shout of warning. - -"There she is, Jack," he cried, pointing ahead to where the mast of a -yacht protruded above water some three-fourths of its length. "There's -the ledge, too. Look out and not get aground." - -"Oh, I know this channel like a book," said Harvey, and demonstrated his -assertion by bringing the _Viking_ to, close up under the lee of the -submerged yacht, in deep water. - -The yacht _Surprise_, sunken where it had been in collision with the very -yacht that had now come to its rescue, lay hung upon a shelving reef, -with its bow nearer to the surface than its stern. The tide was at the -last of its ebb, and it was clear that by another hour there would be -only about two feet of water over the forward part of the boat and about -five feet over the stern. - -"We are in luck," cried Harvey. "She has worked up higher on the reef, -somehow, since last year, either by the tides, or perhaps some ice formed -here in the winter and forced her up. She was deep under water when I -last saw her." - -"But it's a wonder the mast did not go," he added. "The bobstay went when -we smashed into the _Viking_; and the mast wasn't any too firm when we -last saw it. It wouldn't have stood after we struck if we hadn't let the -mainsail go on the run." - -Evening was coming on, but the boys lost no time in going to work. -Getting into the dory that they had hired for the season as a tender, -Henry Burns and Harvey stepped out carefully on to the reef, and made -their way down its slippery sides to the bow of the _Surprise_. Then, -with trousers rolled up and divested of jackets and shirts, they -proceeded, as soon as the tide had fallen, to nail some strips of canvas -over the hole smashed in the bow. They fastened it with battens, putting -several layers on, one over another. - -"It isn't a handsome job," said Henry Burns, finally; "but the water will -not run in there as fast as we can pump it out. It's a fair start." - -The yacht _Spray_ came in now and brought up alongside the _Viking_. - -"What are you going to do?" inquired George Warren. - -"Why, everybody has got to go in for a swim," answered Henry Burns, -setting the example by throwing off his remaining garments. The others, -willing enough at all times for that, followed. - -Henry Burns next brought forth several coils of rope, which he had busied -himself with, on the voyage down, knotting it at regular intervals into -loops. - -"There," said he, "the _Surprise_ lies, luckily, on these irregular -rocks. We have got to duck under and pass these ropes underneath the -keel, wherever there is a chance. Then we'll bring the ends up on either -side and make them fast aboard, wherever there is a thing to hitch to. -Then we'll attach the kegs to the loops. See?" - -"Good for you, Henry!" cried Harvey, enthusiastically. "You always have -some scheme in your head, don't you?" - -"Wait and see if it works," said Henry Burns, modestly. - -"Ouch!" cried young Joe, as the boys splashed overboard. "This water is -like ice." - -"Oh, shut up, Joe!" said Arthur Warren. "Just think of that hot coffee we -are going to have for supper." - -The boys worked eagerly and hurriedly, for the waters of Samoset Bay had -not, indeed, fully recovered from their long winter's chill, and the sun -had sunk behind the distant hills. The ropes, passed beneath on one side, -were grasped by numbed but skilful hands on the other. In a quarter of an -hour they had some six or eight of these passed under and made fast, and -the empty casks, tightly stopped with cork bungs, tied into the -loopholes. This, in itself, was no easy task. The buoyant casks persisted -in bobbing up to the surface, escaping now and then from their hands. Two -of the boys would seize a cask by the lashings that had been passed about -it and fairly ride it below the surface with their united weight. Then, -holding their breath under water, they would make it fast to a loop. - -It was dark when they had finished; and a hungry, shivering crowd of boys -they were, as they danced about the decks and scrambled into their -clothes. But the cabins of the _Viking_ and the _Spray_ were soon made -inviting, with warmth and the odours of hot coffee and cooking food. They -were only too glad to go below and enjoy both. - -"Hello, Henry," called young Joe from the deck of the _Spray_, some time -later, as the boys were hanging their lanterns forward to warn any stray -fisherman that might sail through in the night; "the _Surprise_ doesn't -seem to come up very fast." - -"Well, wait till to-morrow and see," answered Henry Burns. - -They were soon sleeping soundly, weary with the day's hard work. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - OUT TO THE FISHING-GROUNDS - - -While the boys were thus concerned down in the Thoroughfare, at the foot -of Grand Island, certain events were happening away over across the -Western Bay that might perhaps affect them later. - -If a direct line were drawn across the middle of Grand Island, and -extended straight across the Western Bay to the neighbouring mainland, it -would touch that shore in about the locality of the town of Bellport. -This was a little community, dull in winter, and flourishing in summer -with the advent of cottagers and visitors from the little city of -Mayville, some miles up along the shore of the bay, and from the towns -farther north up the river. It was a favourite resort of yachtsmen in a -modest way. - -On the afternoon that young Harry Brackett had quietly withdrawn from the -crowd of villagers in the store at Southport, coincident with the -disclosures of Captain Sam regarding his adventure in the squire's -sailboat, he had not seen fit to return to the shelter of his father's -roof. Instead, he had taken the night boat over to Mayville, and thence, -the following morning, made his way to Bellport, where he had some bosom -friends after his own heart. - -What this meant was that, instead of entering into the healthful sports -that made the place of especial attraction, he and they were more often -to be found loitering about the office of the principal hotel, the -Bellport House, or playing at billiards in a room off the office, or -occupying the veranda chairs, with their feet upon the railing. - -Young Brackett had been engaged one afternoon, soon following his -arrival, in a game of billiards with a companion, when he was accosted by -another acquaintance. - -"Hello, Brackett," said the newcomer. "You're quite a stranger. How are -things over at Southport? Going to stay at home now for awhile?" - -This salutation, commonplace as it was, had, it seemed, an effect upon a -tall, light-complexioned man, who was seated in a corner of the room, -where he had been enjoying his cigar and idly watching the game. For he -looked up quickly toward the boy addressed, and, during the continuation -of the game, certainly paid more attention to Harry Brackett than to the -play itself. - -At the conclusion of the game, young Brackett's companions bade him good -day and departed. Thereupon the stranger arose and advanced toward Harry -Brackett, smiling pleasantly. Stroking a heavy blond moustache with the -fingers of his left hand and picking up one of the cues with the other, -he said: - -"You play a good game, don't you? Shall we have another? I'll be pleased -to pay for it, you know. Glad to have some one that plays as well as you -do for an opponent." - -It being inbred in young Brackett's nature never to decline to enjoy -himself at another's expense, he accepted the invitation at once. -Moreover, he was pleased at the compliment--which was, perhaps, more in -the nature of flattery, as he was but indifferently skilful at best. - -"Do you come from around this way?" asked the stranger, as they proceeded -to play. - -"Yes," answered young Brackett. "My home is at Southport. Harry Brackett -is my name. I'm Squire Brackett's son." - -"Indeed!" said the stranger, as though the answer was a matter of -information, whereas he had distinctly heard the boy's companion refer to -him as coming from Southport. "But you are not an islander. You've been -about some, I can see." - -Most persons would have said that it would have been better for the boy -if he had had more of the sturdy qualities of the islanders and less of -those manners to which the stranger referred. But young Brackett took the -remark as a compliment, as it was intended, and answered, "Oh, yes, I've -been about a good deal--up Boston way and that sort of thing--Benton and -different cities. But I live at Southport. My father owns a good deal of -the place, you see." - -"Well, I'm glad to know you, Mr. Brackett," said the stranger, with a -renewed show of cordiality. "My name is Carleton. I come from Boston, -too. I am just living around at any place I take a fancy to for the -summer. Oh, by the way, I came here to look at some boats. Do you know of -a good one over your way that a man might buy?" - -"Why, no, I don't know as I do," replied young Brackett. "That is, not -what you would want. There's only one elegant boat, and I guess she is -not for sale. She belongs to some boys. They'd better sell her, though, -if they get the chance. They think they are smart, but they can't sail -her a little bit." - -"Hm!" ejaculated Mr. Carleton, and made a mental note of the other's -evident antipathy to the boys he referred to. - -"You don't mean the _Viking_?" he inquired. "Somebody in the town here -was speaking about her the other day." - -"Yes, that's the one," replied young Brackett. "But I don't think you can -buy her." - -"Oh, most any one will sell a thing, if you only offer him enough," said -Mr. Carleton, carelessly. "Somehow I think she is about the boat I want. -I had a talk with a captain here the other day, and he said she was the -best sailer about here. - -"Oh, by the way," he added, apparently intent upon his game and studying -a shot with great care, "did you ever hear of anything queer about that -yacht--anything queer discovered about her?" - -"Why, no!" cried young Brackett, in a tone of surprise. "Is there -anything queer about her? Do you know about her? That is a funny -question." - -If Mr. Carleton, making his shot unmoved, had got exactly the information -he was after, he did not betray the least sign of it. Instead, he laughed -and said: - -"No, no. You don't understand. I mean any 'out' about the boat. Has she -any faults, I mean. Does she sail under? Run her counters under? Knock -down in a wind and heavy sea? Carry a bad weather helm--or still worse, a -lee helm? You know what I mean. When a man is buying a boat he wants to -know if she is all right." - -He said it easily, in his deep, full voice, that seemed to emerge from -behind his heavy moustache, without his lips moving. - -"Oh, I understand," said young Brackett. Then he added, mindful of his -anger at the owners of the _Viking_, "I guess the boat is good -enough--better than the crowd that owns her." - -"Well, I want you to do something for me," continued Mr. Carleton. "I -think I want her. When you return to Southport, I wish you would make -them an offer for me. Do you know what they paid for her?" - -"Why, I think she brought only about eight hundred dollars," said young -Brackett. "She's worth twice that, I guess. But there wasn't anybody to -buy her. She went cheap." - -"Tell them you know of a party that will give them fifteen hundred -dollars for the boat," said Mr. Carleton. "And if you buy her for me for -that price I will give you two hundred dollars. The boat is worth all of -that from what I hear." - -Young Brackett's eyes opened wide in surprise. - -"Oh, I am in earnest," said the man. "I can afford it. I'm out for a good -time this summer. I'll be much obliged if you will do the business for -me. Business is business, and I don't ask you to go to the trouble for -nothing. Here's something on account." - -He handed young Brackett a ten-dollar bill, which the boy pocketed -promptly. It seemed a queer transaction, but he was satisfied. - -"And, say, don't mention my name," said Mr. Carleton, carelessly. "You -see, if a man that has any money is known to be looking for a particular -boat, they always put the price up." - -"All right, I won't," replied Harry Brackett. - -"I hate to tackle that fellow, Harvey," he thought, as he turned the -matter over in his mind. "But it's worth trying for two hundred dollars." - -Then, in great elation, he proceeded to beat Mr. Carleton at the game; -though that person's intimate friends, wherever they might be, would have -laughed at his attempts to make poor shots instead of good ones. It pays -to be a loser sometimes, was his way of looking at it. At least, he and -Harry Brackett parted excellent friends. - -The day came in warm and pleasant down in the Thoroughfare, and the boys -were early astir. - -"Any more swimming to do to-day, Henry?" inquired George Warren, as the -fires were building in the cabin stoves, preparatory for breakfast. - -"Only a plunge for one of us," answered Henry. "I'll do that. And that -reminds me; I'd better do it before breakfast, for one doesn't want to -swim right after eating. Just throw us a line and trip your anchor, and -we will draw you up close astern of the _Surprise_, opposite us." - -The Warren boys did as he requested, and the two boats were soon almost -side by side, astern of the sunken yacht. Then Henry Burns, getting -George Warren to unhook the tackle from the throat of the mainsail of the -_Spray_, did likewise aboard the _Viking_. Taking the two pieces of -tackle in hand, while the boys let the halyards run free, he ducked down -at the stern of the sunken yacht and hooked in the tackle to one of the -stout ropes that had been passed under the boat's keel. - -"That will do till after breakfast," he said, coming to the surface and -clambering out aboard the _Viking_. - -"No, let's have a pull on the thing now," exclaimed Harvey. "I'm eager to -see the old _Surprise_ above water--that is, if she is going to float." - -"All right," said Henry Burns. "Come on, fellows." - -The boys on each yacht caught hold of the halyards with a will, and -hoisted as they would have done to raise the throat of the mainsail. The -tackle, hooked on to the stern of the sunken yacht, was at first as so -much dead weight on their hands. Then, of a sudden, it began to yield -ever so little, and the halyards began to come home. - -"She's coming up, boys!" cried Harvey, gleefully. "Pull now, good and -hard." - -But the next moment something seemed to have given way. The ropes ran -loose in their hands, and the boys that held the ends sprawled over on -the decks. - -"Oh, confound it! The rope must have slipped off the stern," exclaimed -Harvey. - -"No, it hasn't," cried Henry Burns, joyfully. "There she comes to the -surface. Look! Look! Quick, get in the slack of the ropes and make them -fast." - -The yacht buoyed by the numerous casks and lifted by the tackle, had, -indeed, hung on bottom only for a moment. Then, released by the strain -from the ledge and the seaweeds and slime that had gathered about it, it -had come to the surface with a rush. Loaded with ballast as it was, -however, and with the weight of water still within it, it could not rise -above the surface. Its rail showed just at the top of water, and the -cabin deck slightly above. - -"Hooray! that's great!" cried Harvey, slapping Henry Burns on the -shoulder. "That will do now. Let's have some breakfast." - -"It's about time," said young Joe. - -They spent little time at breakfast, however, for they were eager to -resume. With each yacht alongside the _Surprise_, they began bailing that -yacht out with pails tied to ropes, which they slung aboard. When they -had lightened her sufficiently, two of them sprang over into the cockpit -and bailed to better advantage there. - -Then, while they took turns at the pump, the others got up a part of the -floors, and began lifting out the pieces of pig-iron ballast, passing -them aboard the other two yachts. Finally they rigged the tackle on to -the mast of the _Surprise_ and, with great care so as not to wrench the -boat, lifted it clear and lowered it into the water alongside. - -Now it would be safe to beach the yacht; and this they did at high tide -that afternoon, towing it in on to a beach that made down in a thin strip -between the ledges, and drawing it up as far as it would float, where -they made it fast with a line passed ashore to a small spruce-tree. - -It had been a good job, and Henry Burns surveyed it proudly. But he -merely remarked to young Joe, "Well, she's up, isn't she?" - -The yacht _Surprise_ was at present a sorry-looking sight. The bottom was -very foul, covered with long streamers of slimy grass and encrusted with -barnacles. These had fastened, too, upon the mast and spars; and inside -the yacht was in the same condition. The sails were slime-covered and -rotten. Everything was snarled and tangled, twisted and broken about the -rigging. The bowsprit had been broken off short in the collision of the -fall before. This, with the carrying away of the bobstay, necessitated -the taking out of the mast now. Rust from the iron ballast had stained -much of the woodwork. - -"There's a job," said Harvey, eying the wreck. "There's a good week's -work, and more, in scraping and cleaning her, and cleaning that ballast. -We wanted to get to fishing, too." - -"Well, you go ahead and leave us to begin the work," said Joe Hinman, -speaking for himself and the crew. "It's no more than fair that we should -do it, seeing as we are to have the use of the yacht this summer. Just -leave us a little coffee and some cornmeal and some bread and a piece of -pork and one of the frying-pans. We'll catch fish, and live down here for -a week, till you come for us." - -"Where will you stay?" inquired Harvey. "The other yacht is going back to -Southport, you know." - -"Up in the old shack there," replied Joe, pointing back to where there -stood a tumble-down shelter that had been used at some time to store a -scant crop of hay that the island produced. "Give us a blanket apiece and -we'll get along. You've got to go back to the harbour before you go -fishing, and you can get ours down at the camp." - -"All right," said Harvey, "I guess we'll do it. You can run things, Joe, -and there won't anybody trouble you." - -So with this prophecy--which might or might not hold good--Harvey -proceeded to install his crew in temporary possession of the yacht -_Surprise_, and of the little island where they had dragged it ashore, -which was one of the chain of narrow islands that lay off Grand Island. - -Late that afternoon the two yachts sailed out of the Thoroughfare and -went on to Southport, leaving the crew masters of their island domain and -of the wreck. - -The next morning Henry Burns and Jack Harvey were up before the sun, for -Harvey had waked and found a light west wind blowing, and this was a fair -one for the trip down the bay. They roused the campers in the tent on the -point, and soon Tom and Bob, their canoe loaded with blankets and -provisions, were paddling out to the _Viking_. They made two trips, and -then, leaving the canoe up on shore alongside the tent, fastened that -good and snug. Henry Burns took them aboard the _Viking_ in the tender. - -The mooring which they had put down for the season was slipped, the sail -hoisted, a parting toot-toot sounded on the great horn in the direction -of the Warren cottage, and the _Viking's_ voyage in search of work had -begun. - -The course the _Viking_ was now shaping was about due south from the -harbour they had just left. Far away to the southward, some twenty-two -miles distant, lay the islands they were seeking, at the seaward entrance -to East Samoset Bay. Some six miles ahead on the course lay a group of -small islands, on one of which was erected a lighthouse. Beyond these, to -the southwest, a few miles away, lay two great islands, North Haven and -South Haven. Off to the eastward from the foot of these, across a bay of -some six miles' width, lay Loon Island, with little Duck Island close -adjacent. - -As the day advanced, the promise of wind did not, however, have -fulfilment. It died away with the burning of the sun, and when they had -come to within about a mile of the first group of islands, it threatened -to die away altogether. It sufficed, however, to waft them into a little -cove making into one of these islands at about two hours before noon. - -"Well, we've got to Clam Island, anyway," said Harvey. "We'll load up our -baskets, and be in time to catch the afternoon's southerly." - -Clam Island well merited its name. Its shores were long stretches of -mud-flats, corrugated everywhere with thousands of clam-holes. It would -not be high tide until three in the afternoon, and the flats were now -lying bare. - -Equipped with baskets and hoes, the boys set to work, with jackets off -and trousers rolled up. In two hours' time, each one of them had filled a -bushel basket to the brim, for the clams were thrown out by dozens at -every turn of a hoe. - -"That's enough bait for a start," said Harvey, wiping his forehead. "We -can buy more of the fishermen if we run short." - -"My!" exclaimed Henry Burns, straightening himself up with an effort. "My -back feels as though it had nails driven into it. I don't wonder so many -of these old fishermen stoop." - -The day was very hot, and the boys went in for a swim. Then, when they -had eaten, they stood out of the little harbour; but the wind had dropped -almost entirely away, and, with the tide against them, they scarce made -headway. - -"I'm afraid we won't make Loon Island to-day," said Tom. - -"Oh, perhaps so," said Harvey. "See, there's a line of breeze way down -below." - -A darkening of the water some miles distant showed that a southerly -breeze was coming in. They got the first puffs of it presently, and -trimmed their sails for a long beat down the bay. - -The _Viking_ was a good boat on the wind, the seas did not roll up to any -great size, as the wind had come up so late in the day, and it was easy, -pleasant sailing in the bright summer afternoon. Still, the breeze was -too light for any good progress, and they had only reached Hawk Island, -on which the lighthouse stood, and which was fifteen miles from Loon -Island, by two o'clock. - -They were going down a long reach of the bay now that rolled some six -miles wide, between North and South Haven on the one hand, to starboard, -and a great island on the other. Back and forth they tacked all the -afternoon, with the tide, turning to ebb just after three o'clock, to -help them. - -By six o'clock they were two miles off the southeastern shore of South -Haven, with great Loon Island, its high hills looming up against the sky, -four miles across the bay. - -"Well, shall we try for it?" asked Harvey, eagerly scanning the sky. - -It looked tempting, for there had come one of those little, deceptive -stirrings of the air that happen at times before sundown when the wind -makes a last dying flurry before quieting for the night. The sun, just -tipping the crests of the far-off western mountains across the bay, had -turned the western sky into flame. Loon Island looked close aboard. So -they kept on. - -Then by another hour the glow had faded from the sky and the waters -blackened and the shadows began to die away on the hills of Loon Island, -and all the landscape grew gray and indistinct. They were two miles above -the harbour, when the bluffs that marked it blended into the dark mass of -its surroundings and there was no guide left for them to follow. The wind -had fallen almost to nothing. - -"We can't miss it," said Harvey, stoutly. "I've been in there once -before." - -"No, we're all right," said Henry Burns. He went forward and stood -looking off eagerly for some sign of light on shore. The island grew -black in the twilight, and then was only a vague, indefinite object. - -They were in great spirits, though,--so they made out,--but it was just a -bit dreary for all that, almost drifting down with the tide, and only a -few puffs of wind now and then, with not even a light in a fisherman's -cabin showing on that shore. - -Then, too, the very calmness of the night made sounds more distinct. And -just a little to seaward, a mile or two below where the harbour should -be, there sounded the heaving of the ground-swell against the reefs that -lay about Loon Island so thickly. And the sound of the shattering of a -wave as it drops down upon a reef in the night, amid strange waters, is -not a cheerful thing to hear. - -Perhaps it was this doleful, ominous sound more than anything else that -somehow took the enthusiasm out of them. It was such an uncertain sound, -that subdued crashing upon the reefs. Was it a half-mile away? Was it a -mile? Was it near? It was hard to tell. - -Just how uncertain they did feel, and just how anxious they had grown in -the last half-hour of darkness, was best revealed by Henry Burns when, -from his watch forward, he said suddenly, but very quietly, "There are -the lights, Jack. We're close in." - -It was his manner of expression when he was most deeply affected--a calm, -modulated tone that had a world of meaning in it. - -"A-h-h!" exclaimed Harvey. There was no mistaking the relief in his -expression. "I knew they ought to be here, but they were a long time -showing." - -"Well, I don't mind saying they could have showed before and suited me -better," said Bob. "Say, those reefs have a creepy, shivery sound in the -night, don't they? I'd rather be in the harbour." - -There was a twinkling of lights to guide them now, for a little flotilla -of fishing-boats lay snug within, each with its harbour light set; and -the lamps in the fishermen's houses that were here and there straggling -along the shores of the large and small island facing the harbour gleamed -out from many a kitchen window. - -They drifted slowly in under the shadow of the hills of Loon Island and -entered the little thoroughfare that ran between the two islands, at a -quarter to nine o'clock. - -"We are in luck at the finish, at any rate," said Henry Burns, presently, -picking up the boat-hook. "Jack, there's a vacant buoy to make fast to." - -The buoy, a circular object painted white, showed a little way off the -windward bow, and Jack Harvey luffed up to it. Henry Burns caught the -mooring; Tom and Bob had the mainsail on the run in a twinkling; and a -moment more they were lying safe and snug at their voyage's end. - -Fifteen minutes later, the sound of heavy sweeps, labouring and grinding -in rowlocks, told them that another boat was coming into the harbour from -outside with the aid of an "ash breeze," the wind having died wholly -away. The boat came in close to where they were lying. From their cabin, -as they sat eating supper, they could hear a man's voice, rough and -heavy, complaining apparently of the bad luck he had had in getting -caught outside, deserted by the breeze. - -The next moment the young yachtsmen got a rude surprise. The dishes they -had set out on the upturned leaves of the centreboard table rattled, and -the yacht shook with the shock caused by the other boat clumsily bumping -into them astern. Then the rough voice sounded in their ears: - -"Git away from that mooring! Don't yer know I have the right ter that? -What are yer lyin' here for?" - -The yachtsmen rushed out on deck. The boat they saw just astern was a -dingy, odd-shaped little sailboat, about twenty-five feet long, sharp at -both ends, with the stern queerly perked up into a point like the tail of -a duck. A thickly bearded, swarthy man stood at her tiller, where he had -been directing, roughly, the efforts of two youths, who had worked the -boat in with the sweeps. - -"What's the matter with you?" cried Harvey, angrily. "What do you mean by -bumping into us? We've got our lights up." - -"You git off from that mooring, I tell you!" cried the man, fiercely. -"Ain't I had it all summer? What right have you got interfering?" - -The man's manner was so threatening and his voice so full of the fury -that told of a temper easily aroused, that a less aggressive youth than -Harvey might have been daunted. But Harvey had got his bearings and knew -where he was. - -"No, you don't!" he replied, sharply. "You can't bully us, so it won't do -you any good to try. This is a government buoy, and the first boat up to -it has the right to use it unless the revenue men complain. You can push -your old tub out of the way." - -"Better tell him we will give him a line astern if he wants it," -suggested Henry Burns. "That won't do any harm." - -"I won't," exclaimed Harvey. "He's taken enough paint off the _Viking_ -already, I dare say. But"--he added--"you can if you want to. I don't -care." - -So Henry Burns made the offer. - -The answer the man made was to order the two youths to work the "pinkey," -as the fishermen call his style of craft, up to the buoy, where he could -cut the yachtsmen adrift. - -Harvey sprang to the bow of the _Viking_, drew her up close to the buoy -by taking in on the slack of the rope, and held her there by a few turns. -Then he snatched up the boat hook. Henry Burns and Tom and Bob likewise -armed themselves with the sweeps of the _Viking_ and a piece of spar. -They stood ready to repel an attack. - -It looked serious. But at this point the two youths aboard the strange -boat failed to obey orders. There arose, thereupon, a furious dispute -aboard the other craft, the youths remonstrating in what seemed to be a -broken English, and the man railing at them fiercely in English that was -plain, but still had not just the Yankee accent; in the course of which -the man at the tiller rushed upon one of them, and would have struck him -had not the other youth interfered. - -It ended in the wrathful stranger taking his craft ahead, quite a -distance up the harbour, ignoring Henry Burns's offer to moor astern of -the _Viking_. - -"Just as well he didn't stay," commented Henry Burns. "I don't think he -would improve on longer acquaintance, do you, Jack?" - -"Well, hardly," said Harvey. "I guess he must be one of those chaps -Captain Sam spoke of." - -"I wonder if he will make us any more trouble to-night," remarked Bob. - -"No, he'll have to fight it out with his own crew first," said Harvey. -"But I'll just keep an eye out for a little while. You fellows can turn -in." - -And Harvey kept vigil till eleven o'clock, muffled in a greatcoat, -outside, until he nearly fell over asleep in the cockpit. Then he rolled -in below, and was sound asleep before he could get his boots off. - -The _Viking_ was not molested through the night, though so wearied were -the yachtsmen with their day's sailing that a man might have come aboard -blowing a fog-horn and not have aroused them from their deep slumber. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - NEAR THE REEFS - - -The sound of voices calling cheerily over the water and the creaking of -blocks awoke the boys a little after four o'clock the next morning. Henry -Burns dragged himself drowsily to one of the cabin ports and looked out. -It was a picturesque sight, for a small fleet of fishing-craft, of all -sorts and shapes and sizes, was passing out of the thoroughfare, on its -way to the fishing-grounds, with a light morning breeze that just filled -the sails. - -Back of the harbour the land went up gradually for a way, dotted here and -there with the snug, tidy homes of the fishermen, until it rose in the -centre of the island, forming hills of some considerable height--the -first landfall for ships coming in from sea at that point. Now the tops -of the hills glinted with the rays of the morning sun, which soon -streamed down the slopes and made the whole island glow with warmth and -brightness. - -The pleasing landscape had at that moment, however, no particular -attraction for Henry Burns. He gave a groan of self-commiseration, -tumbled back into his warm blanket, and remarked: - -"Oh, but these fishermen do begin the day early! Say, we don't have to, -do we, Jack? I vote for another hour's sleep." - -"Make it four," said Bob, who had been eying Henry Burns with -apprehension. - -Harvey and Tom muttered an assent that was not distinguishable. - -By five o'clock, however, the sounds of men and boats had them awake -again; and by another half-hour they were breakfasting on their way out -of the harbour, beating against a light southerly. - -"Do you know the fishing-grounds, Jack?" inquired Henry Burns. - -"Only in a general way," replied Harvey. "But we'll follow the others, -and get in somewhere near them." - -They stood out of the harbour and headed down the coast of the island, -which extended seaward thus for some four miles. Harvey, at the wheel, -was studying carefully a chart of the waters; Henry Burns and Tom and -Bob, arrayed in oilskins, were busily engaged in "shucking" clams into -some wooden buckets. - -Presently an unexpected hail came across the water to them from a -sailboat they had overhauled. - -"Why, hello," called Harvey, and added to his companions, "Here's luck. -It's Will Hackett, Jeff's brother. You know Jeff, who carries the mails -in his packet." - -"What are you chaps doing way down here? Aren't you lost?" asked the -other, a stalwart, red-faced youth, who, with a crew composed of one -small boy, was navigating a rough-looking sloop that looked as though it -had seen a score of hard summers. - -Harvey explained. - -"Well, you won't get rich," said Will Hackett, bringing his craft in to -head along with them. "But I'll show you where to fish. The depth of -water makes all the difference around here. They call me lucky, but -there's something in knowing where to drop a line. I'm down only for the -day, but you follow me around and you'll know where to go next time." - -When they had told him of the adventure of the night before, Will Hackett -slapped a heavy fist down upon his knee. - -"Good for you!" he cried. "So you've run foul of old Jim Martel, have -you? Why, I offered to thrash him and his two boys only three weeks ago, -for hanging around after dark where I had a trawl set. They come from -over eastward, and quarrel with everybody; and I wouldn't trust one of -them with a rotten rope. You'd better keep away from them, though. He's -got a hot temper, has Jim Martel." - -They were in the swell from the open sea now, and the _Viking_ and its -companion, the _Gracie_, were lifting and dipping amid the long, rolling -waves. About them, and ahead here and there, clouds of spray, cast like -chaff into the air, told of reefs; sometimes marked with a spindle, or a -cask set on the top of a pole, if it lay near the course; sometimes with -a thin point of the ledge rising a few feet above water. - -Some three miles down the coast of Loon Island a reef of several rods in -length broke the force of the waves from seaward; and as these dashed in -upon it they crashed into a thousand particles, which gleamed transiently -with the colours of the rainbow as the sun shone upon the drops. Close -under the lee of this reef went Will Hackett, and cast anchor a few rods -away, not far from another boat, already at anchor. The _Viking_ -followed, and likewise anchored at a little distance, and sails were -furled. - -Quickly the heavy cod-lines, equipped with two hooks each, and bulky -sinker, were dropped overboard; and the boys waited expectantly, their -baits close to bottom. - -"A prize to the one that gets the first cod," said Harvey. - -"What's the prize?" asked Bob. - -"Why, he can keep the cod's head," said Henry Burns. "Hello!" he -exclaimed a moment later. "I've hooked on bottom, I guess. No, it must be -seaweed." - -Henry Burns began hauling in with considerable effort. - -"Why, it's a fish!" he exclaimed the next moment. "There's something -moving on the end of the line. But he doesn't fight any. Comes up like so -much lead." - -"That's the way they act," said Harvey. "They don't make any fuss. But -you've got a big one." - -Henry Burns, hauling with all his might, hand over hand, presently -brought to the surface an enormous cod. - -"There's a whole dinner for a hotel in that fellow," said he. And, -indeed, the fish would weigh fully twenty pounds. - -"Not quite so lively sport as catching mackerel, is it?" he remarked, -looking at his hands, which were reddened with the chafing of the hard -line. - -"No, this is more like work," said Harvey. "But they won't all run -anywhere near as big as that. You've caught one of the old settlers." - -The fish were biting in earnest now, and the boys were bringing them in -over the rail almost as fast as they could bait and cast overboard. By -noon they had two great baskets full, stowed away in the cabin out of the -sun, and were glad enough to take a long hour for rest, feasting on one -of the smallest of their catch, rolled in meal and fried to a tempting -crispness. - -Then near sundown they were among the first to weigh anchor and run for -harbour, tired but elated over their first day's rough work. - -Will Hackett had advised them how to dispose of their catch. A trader at -the head of the harbour bought for salting down all that the fishermen -did not sell alive to the schooners that carried them in huge wells, deep -in their holds, to the Portland or Boston markets. - -So they ran in with the other craft, and took their catch in to his dock -in their dory. - -The trader, a small, wiry, bright-eyed Yankee, scrutinized Henry Burns -and Jack Harvey sharply, as they entered the little den which bore the -imposing word "_Office_" over its door. - -"So you're fishermen, eh?" he remarked. "Rather a fine craft you've -brought down for the work. Guess you might manage to keep alive somehow -if you didn't fish for a living." - -He was interested, though, when they told him their circumstances. - -"Good!" he exclaimed. "Well, I'm paying a dollar a hundredweight for cod -caught on hand-lines, and less for trawl-caught. But you don't calculate -to do trawl-fishing, I reckon." - -"Not just yet," answered Harvey. - -They hitched the tackle at the end of the pier on to the baskets of fish, -and the cod were hoisted up to the scales. - -"Three hundred and sixty pounds, I make it," said the trader. "That's -three dollars and sixty cents." - -The boys went away, clinking three big silver dollars, a fifty-cent -piece, and a dime, and passing the money from hand to hand, admiringly. - -"That never seemed like very much money to me before," said Harvey, -thoughtfully. "It makes a difference whether you earn it or not--and how, -doesn't it?" - -"It's all right for the first day," said Henry Burns. "We'll do better as -we get the hang of it. And then later, if we get a catch of mackerel on -the first run of the fish, why, we've got the boat to make a fast trip -over to Stoneland, and sell them to the hotel. There'll be money in -that." - -The next morning, beating out of the harbour early, they had an -unpleasant experience. - -They had anchored off the dock at the head of the harbour, and had just -begun to work their way out through the channel, which was there quite -narrow, against a light southwest breeze. Henry Burns had the wheel, with -Harvey tending sheet, and Tom and Bob working the single jib that they -had set. A little way ahead of them a boat was coming in, running free. - -"There's our friend," remarked Henry Burns, noting the pinkey's sharp, -queer stern. "It's old Martel coming in from under-running his -hake-trawls. We'll try to keep clear of him." - -But it seemed this was not wholly possible. - -The _Viking_ was standing up to clear a buoy a short distance ahead, -which marked the channel, and would just barely fetch by it if she was -not headed off any. It became apparent soon, however, that the skipper of -the pinkey was heading so that, if one or the other did not give way, -there would be a collision. - -"Better give him the horn," suggested Tom, as the boys watched the -oncoming boat. - -"No, I don't think we need to," said Henry Burns. "They see us. Look, -there they are pointing. Old Martel knows what he is doing. It's just a -case of bullying. We've got the right of way over a boat running free, -and he knows it." - -"That's right, Henry," exclaimed Harvey. "We might as well show him we -know our rights. Keep her on her course, and don't give way an inch." - -There was plenty of water on the pinkey's starboard hand, and the course -was free there; but for the _Viking_ to head off the wind meant failure -to clear the buoy, and another tack, with loss of time. It was all a mere -trifle, of course, but they knew the skipper of the pinkey was trying to -crowd them; and they were bound to stand on their rights. - -The pinkey came up perilously close; then, just barely in time, sheered -off so that its boom almost came aboard the _Viking_. Henry Burns, -unmoved, had held the _Viking_ close into the wind, without giving way an -inch even when it had looked as though the two boats must come together. - -"We might as well fight it out right now with old Martel," he said, -quietly. "Perhaps he will let us alone if he finds we're not afraid of -him." - -Captain Jim Martel's anger at being outmanoeuvred was not lessened by the -figure of Jack Harvey standing up astern and grinning at him derisively. -He glared back angrily at the young yachtsmen. - -But Harvey's blood was up, too. - -"Why don't you learn to sail that old tub of yours?" he called out, -sneeringly. - -Martel's answer was to put his helm hard down, bring his boat about, and -stand up on the track of the _Viking_. - -"Come on, we'll give you a tow out to sea again," cried Harvey. - -"Go easy, Jack," said Henry Burns. "He's the pepperiest skipper I've seen -in all Samoset Bay. Better let him alone. He's angry enough already." - -"Yes, but he's to blame," said Harvey. "When anybody hits me, I hit -back." And forthwith he made gestures toward the other boat, as of urging -it to hurry, by beckoning; and he coiled a bit of the free end of the -main-sheet and threw it back over the stern, indicating that it was for -the other craft to pick up, so as to be towed by the _Viking_. - -The effect on Skipper Martel was, indeed, amusing. He sprang up from his -seat, handed the tiller to one of his boys and rushed forward, where he -stood, shaking a fist at the crew of the _Viking_ and calling out -angrily. - -He made a comical figure, with his black, shaggy head wagging, and with -his angry sputtering and his pretence of pursuit, whereas the _Viking_ -was leaving the pinkey rapidly astern. Henry Burns joined in the -laughter, but he repeated his warning: "Better let him alone, Jack." - -Which warning, now that the skipper of the pinkey strode aft again, Jack -Harvey finally heeded. - -"Funny how that fellow gets furious over nothing," he said. "We'll have -to have some fun with him." - -"You like an exciting sort of fun, don't you, Jack?" said Henry Burns, -smiling. But it was plain he took it more seriously. - -They fished for four days more with varying success, and with a Sunday -intervening. They were getting toughened to the work; their hands growing -calloused with the hard cod-lines; their knowledge of working their boat -in rough water and heavy weather increasing daily; their muscles -strengthened with the exercise; and their appetites so keen that young -Joe might have envied them. - -One day it rained, but they went out just the same, equipped for it in -oilskins, rubber boots, and tarpaulins, and made a good haul. - -"Well, here's our last day for a week or so," said Henry Burns, as they -stood out one morning for the fishing-grounds. "It's back to Southport -to-morrow. We mustn't get too rich all at once." - -It was a day of uncertain flaws of wind, puffy and squally, after a day -of heavy clouds. They were sailing under reefed mainsail, for at one -moment the squalls would descend sharp and treacherous, though there -would succeed intervals when there was hardly wind enough to fill the -sails. They worked down to the fishing-grounds and tried several places, -but with no great success. Some of the boats put back to harbour early in -the afternoon, dissatisfied with the conditions, as it was evidently an -off day for cod. Others, including the _Viking_, held on, hoping for -better luck. - -Then, of a sudden, the wind fell away completely two hours before sunset, -and the sea was calm, save for the ground-swell, which heaved up into -waves that did not break, but in which the _Viking_ rolled and pitched -and tugged at anchor. - -"Perhaps we will get a sunset breeze and be able to run back," said -Harvey. - -But evidently the fishermen, more weather-wise, knew better; for some of -the lighter, open boats furled their sails snug, got out their sweeps, -and prepared to row laboriously back the three long miles. Others of the -big boats made ready to lie out for the night. - -"Well, we've got a good anchor and a new line," said Harvey. "There's -nothing rotten about the _Viking's_ gear. We'll lie as snug out here as -in the harbour." - -They tripped the anchor just off bottom, got out the sweeps, and worked -the _Viking_ back a dozen rods or so from the shallow water about the -reef. Then they dropped anchor again, with plenty of slack to the rope, -to let the yacht ride easy with less strain on the anchorage. There were -a half-dozen boats within hailing distance, similarly anchored, including -Skipper Martel and his pinkey. - -"We're in good company," said Henry Burns, laughing. "But I'm glad Jack -isn't near enough to stir him up." - -Evening came on, and the little fleet resembled a village afloat, with -the tiny wreaths of smoke curling up from the cabin-funnels. The night -was clear overhead and the hills of Loon Island shone purple in the -waning sunlight, streaked here and there with broad patches of black -shadow. The ground-swell broke upon the reef heavily, sending up a shower -of spray high in air, weird and grimly beautiful in the twilight. - -"That's good music to sleep by," said Bob, as the booming from the reef -came to their ears while they sat at supper. - -"Yes, it's all right on a night like this," assented Harvey. "You'll -sleep as sound as in the tent." - -It grew dark, and the little fleet set its lanterns, though it was mere -conformance to custom in this case, since no craft ever made a -thoroughfare where they lay. - -"What do you think?" asked Henry Burns two hours later, as he and Harvey -stood outside, taking a survey of the sea and sky, and making sure once -more that their anchor-rope was clear and well hitched--"What do you -think, Jack, do we need to keep watch?" - -He had quite a bump of caution for a youth who did not hesitate at times -to do things that others considered reckless. - -"Oh, it's still as a mill-pond," replied Harvey. "We've had the -clearing-off blow, and there are the clouds banking up off to southward, -where the breeze will come from in the morning. See, there isn't a man -out on any of the other boats. No, we'll just turn in and sleep like -kittens in a basket." - -So they went below. - -The roaring of the reef was, in truth, a not all unpleasant sound to -those who felt safe and snug in its lee, securely anchored. To be sure, -there was a grim suggestion in the crashing of the swell against its -hollows and angles at first, but the steady repetition of this became in -time almost monotonous. There was the heavy, roaring, thudding sound, as -the swell surged in against its firm base. Then this blended into a crisp -rushing, as the waters raced along its sides; and then a crash as of -shattered glass as the mass thrown up broke in mid-air and fell back in -countless fragments of white, frothing water upon the cold rocks. - -The boys went off to sleep with this ceaseless play of the waters in -their ears. - -The hours of the night passed one by one. And if any boy aboard the -_Viking_ roused up through their passing and heard the surf-play upon the -reef, there was no more menace in it than before. Just the same steady -hammering of water upon rock. - -Yet Harvey's prophecy of sound sleep was not wholly borne out--at least, -in the case of Henry Burns. He was a good sleeper under ordinary -conditions, but he roused up several times and listened to the wash of -the seas. - -"It may be grand music," he muttered once, drowsily, "but I can't say I -like it quite so near." - -Something awoke him again an hour later. His perception of it as he -half-sat up was that it sounded like something grating against the side -of the _Viking_. - -He sat still for a moment and listened. The sound was not repeated. - -"I thought I heard something alongside," he said aloud, but talking to -himself. "Did you hear anything, Jack?" he inquired in a louder tone, as -Harvey stirred uneasily. - -There was no reply. Harvey had not wakened. - -"Hm! guess I've got what my aunt calls the fidgets," muttered Henry -Burns, rolling up in his blanket once more. "It's that confounded reef. -No, it's no use. I don't like the sound of it at night. Pshaw! I'll go to -sleep, though, and forget it." - -Something just alongside the _Viking_ that looked surprisingly like a -dory, with some sort of a figure crouched down in it,--and which may or -may not have caused the sound that had awakened Henry Burns,--lay quiet -there for ten, fifteen, twenty minutes,--a good half-hour in all. Then it -moved away from the side of the boat, passed on ahead for a moment, and -stole softly away over the waves. - -The booming of the seas upon the reefs! How the hollow roar of it sounded -far over the waters. How the thin wisps of spray, like so much smoke, -shot up through the darkness, white and ghostlike! - -A strange phenomenon! But if by chance there had been some shipwrecked -man clinging to that reef, he might have fancied that the rocks to which -he clung were drifting in the sea--strangely shifting ground and drawing -up closer to a yacht at anchor. - -Or was it something different? Was the yacht really no longer lying -anchor-bound? And was it drifting, drifting slowly down upon the rocks, -soon to be lifted high upon a crest of the ground-swell--and then to be -dropped down heavily upon one of the streaming, foam-covered points of -ledge? - -Crash and crash again! Was it louder and heavier than before? - -Henry Burns's eyes opened wearily. - -The sound of the sea seemed stunning. What was it about the noise that -seemed more fearful, more terrifying, more dreadful than before? - -He sprang up now. Yes, there could be no doubt. Something was wrong. The -sea rising, perhaps. The wind blowing up. There it came, again and again. -It was louder--and louder still. A mind works slowly brought quickly from -sleep; but Henry Burns was wide awake now. - -The boys had turned in half-undressed, to be ready for an early start in -the morning. Henry Burns slipped on his trousers, scrambling about in the -darkness. - -"Jack, get up!" he cried, seizing his sleeping comrade and shaking him -roughly. "Wake up, fellows--quick! Something's the matter." - -He burst open the cabin doors and rushed out on deck. - -No, there was no delusion here. The reef lay close aboard. The din of the -beating, crashing waters seemed deafening. The _Viking_, dipping and -falling with the long swells, was going slowly but surely down upon it. - -Henry Burns reached for a short sheath-knife that he carried when aboard -the yacht, moved quickly along from the stern to the foot of the mast, -and cut the stops with which the sail had been furled. Then he dashed to -the bulkhead, and, without stopping to cast off the turns from the -cleats, seized the throat and peak halyards and began hauling -desperately. - -The next moment, Tom and Bob had tumbled forward and caught hold with -him; while Harvey, emerging half-awake from the companionway, seized the -wheel. - -Three athletic pairs of arms had the mainsail up quicker than it had ever -been set before. - -"Quick now with the jib!" cried Harvey. "That will head us off, if -there's any breeze to save us. Jump it for dear life, boys." - -They needed no urging. It was set almost before Harvey had finished -speaking. Tom, holding it off as far as he could reach to windward, stood -on the weather-bow, shivering in the cool night air and glaring fearfully -at the rocks close ahead. The white spray, writhing up half as high as -the mast, seemed to be coming nearer and nearer. - -Henry Burns, having seen the mainsail and jib set, and realizing there -was nothing left to do only to hope that there was wind enough stirring -to fill the sails, dashed down into the cabin. He brought up the spare -anchor, which he proceeded to bend on to a coil of rope. But the danger -had passed before he had it ready to cast astern. - -The yacht, like a living thing, seeming to feel its own peril, had caught -just the faintest of the wandering night airs in its great white sail. -The tide, ebbing, was urging it down to destruction. Then, as the wind -caught the sail, the boat responded slightly, but began to head up, -pointing fair at the black rocks. Harvey let the sheet run off. The jib, -held far out to windward, caught another faint puff of air and headed the -yacht slowly but surely off the wind. - -The yacht had saved itself. Gliding ever so slowly, it skirted along the -edge of the reef for a moment, till Harvey had brought it around fairly -before the wind. Then there was one final contest between breeze and -tide. The yacht hung upon the waves sluggishly, so close in upon the -reefs that the spray, dashing over, wetted the boys aboard. - -Then it moved slowly up against the tide, rising and falling heavily upon -the seas, but gaining a little, and then more. - -It was enough. The spare anchor went overboard, the yacht brought up and -held. They dropped the sails once more, unharmed, with the black, hungry -reef stretching out its white arms of foam and spray, vainly, balked of -their prey. - -"O-oh!" said Harvey, sinking down on a seat. "That was a close shave. But -what could have made that rope part? That's what I can't understand. It -was a brand-new one." - -They found out a half-hour later, after they had gone below and put on -their jackets and warmed themselves and had returned on deck. They drew -the end of the line aboard and examined it by a lantern in the cabin. - -It was not broken. The end was clean, without a frayed strand in it. It -had been severed with a single sweep of a fisherman's knife, sharp as a -razor-blade. - -"Ah!" ejaculated Harvey. "We might have guessed. It's old Martel's work. -We'll have the law on him for this." - -But when they peered across the water with the coming daylight there was -no pink-stern sloop to be seen, because it had gone out with the tide -long before, just as they went adrift, and was out upon the sea now, -standing off to the eastward. - -"Well, we have learned two lessons," said Henry Burns. "One is to have -the spare anchor where it can be got at quicker when it's needed. I'd -have gone for that first if I hadn't remembered that we had it buried -under that lot of stuff forward." - -"And what's the other lesson?" asked Bob. - -"It's to be never without a knife when you are sailing a boat," answered -Henry Burns. "I heard a fisherman say that once, and so I bought one to -wear in a belt aboard here. But I never thought just what it would mean -to be without one when every second counts." - -"I wish young Joe were here," remarked Tom. - -"Why's that?" asked Harvey. - -"He would have the coffee on by this time," replied Tom. "That night air -sent the shivers through me." - -"Something else sent the shivers through me," remarked Henry Burns. "I'll -go and start the fire." - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - LITTLE TIM A STRATEGIST - - -Joe Hinman, with his crew of three, composed of George Baker, Allan -Harding, and little Tim Reardon, did not intend to be idle during the -absence of the yacht _Viking_. The yacht _Surprise_, when it should be -patched up, cleaned, and once more floated, and equipped with a spare set -of sails that had been left in the _Viking_ when she came into the -possession of Harvey and Henry Burns, was to become the property for the -summer of Joe and the rest of the crew. The morning after the _Viking_ -had left the Thoroughfare, in company with the _Spray_, the boys set to -work in earnest upon the hull of the _Surprise_, with the tools that had -been left for them. - -It was hard work, for the barnacles and sea-grasses had covered the yacht -everywhere, not only below, but on deck and even in the cabin. They got -some pieces of joist that had been cast up ashore with a lot of other -riffraff and shored the yacht up on an even keel, so they could work to -better advantage, without getting in one another's way. - -They worked industriously to the noon hour, only Little Tim knocking off -work an hour before the others, in order to go down on the rocks and -catch a mess of cunners for their dinner. He had these cleaned and -cooking by the time the other three were ready, and they ate the meal -heartily, in sight of their labours. Then they were at it again shortly, -and worked hard till sundown. The yacht had begun to have a different -appearance. - -The next three days they made even better progress, and had the most of -the deck scraped down, so that it began to look bright again, as Harvey -and his crew had always kept it. - -"She'll be the fine old boat she was before," exclaimed Joe Hinman, -joyfully, as they stood that next evening eying their work approvingly. -"Jack won't know her when he gets back." - -But the following morning, when Joe had arisen and dressed and taken a -peep out of the old shed in which they had found shelter, he could scarce -believe his eyes. His first thought was, however, when he had begun to -think at all, that the yacht _Spray_ had returned, and that the Warren -boys had surprised them by coming to lend a hand, and that they had begun -work early. - -Then he saw that the yacht that lay anchored close in shore was not the -_Spray_, but a strange boat; and furthermore that the four persons who -were busily engaged at work upon the hull of the _Surprise_ were not the -Warren boys, but larger youths, and strangers. - -No, they were not all strangers, either. For there was one with whom they -had a slight and brief acquaintance. It was Harry Brackett. What had -happened was this: - -When Harry Brackett had ventured finally to return to his father's home, -he had not received that fond welcome that one might expect from an -indulgent parent. In fact, Squire Brackett was so incensed at having been -led to make the exhibition of himself in the store before his fellow -townsmen that he stormed roundly at his son, and he made some remarks -about having wasted his money for the last few years in sending young -Brackett to the city to school, an assertion which perhaps Harry Brackett -knew the full truth of even better than the squire. - -"Now," said the squire at length, "let's see if you can't make yourself -of some use, instead of just spending my money. You get Tom Dakin and Ed -Sanders and John Hart, and take the _Seagull_ and get down there in the -Thoroughfare and see if you can't raise up that yacht that those young -scamps wrecked there last fall. She's abandoned, and she belongs to -anybody that can get her. I'd just like to fetch her back here and rig -her up handsome, and let them see what they might have done. I'll show -them a thing or two. - -"Now you work smart," continued the squire, "and get that boat, and I'll -give her to you to use while you are at home; and I'll get John Hart to -teach you how to sail her. And see here, don't you go fooling around with -the _Seagull_ any. You let John Hart sail her. That was a pretty story -you told me about winning races around Marblehead! Now clear out and see -what you can do." - -It might be said that if young Harry Brackett had had any knowledge of -boat-sailing he could not have gained it from the squire, for, whereas -that gentleman had property interests in several sailing-craft, by way of -business, he knew nothing of seamanship himself, and was invariably -seasick when he went out in rough water. - -Harry Brackett was not wholly disinclined to the task imposed upon him, -although he had certain misgivings as to how it would coincide with the -commission imparted to him by the man, Carleton, whom he had met at -Bellport. He figured, however, that the _Surprise_, if she could be -floated, would be worth vastly more than the promised two hundred -dollars. So he went about the village hunting up the youths his father -had named. These three were rough fellows, whose worth the squire had -well in mind in selecting them. They were strong and able-bodied, older -by some years than Harvey and his companions; youths who went alternately -on short fishing-voyages and hung about the village at other times, ready -equally for work or mischief. - -The four accordingly embarked at evening and sailed down to the -Thoroughfare that night. Great was their surprise to find, on coming to -anchor, that the yacht they had expected to see deep under water lay out -on shore, with evidences of having been worked upon. - -Not to be defeated so easily, however, they resolved, on the spur of the -moment, to lay claim to the yacht, especially as they saw no boat of any -description anchored anywhere in the Thoroughfare. They would take -possession of the _Surprise_ and, if it should prove that a party of the -campers had raised her,--and not any of the villagers,--they would swear -that they themselves had found her in shoal water and had dragged her -out. - -As to the future possession of her, they would trust to the squire to -fight a lawsuit, if necessary, to retain her. It was a lonely place, down -there in the Thoroughfare, and there could be no outside witnesses. - -Therefore, before the sun was up, they had rowed ashore and begun work -upon the yacht. They began differently, however, than the boys had done. -They realized that the first thing for their purpose was to get the -_Surprise_ afloat. Once in possession of the yacht, afloat and towed back -to harbour, whoever should claim it then might have trouble in making -their claim good. - -John Hart was something of a shipwright in a small way, and they had -brought carpenter's and calking tools along. - -They, in turn, busily engaged at their work, were taken by surprise all -of a sudden at the appearance of Joe Hinman and his crew, tearing down -upon them, half-dressed, and their eyes wide with amazement and -indignation. - -"Here, that's our boat," cried Joe, rushing up to them, panting for -breath. "You've got no right to touch it. We raised it." - -John Hart, with sleeves rolled up, displaying a pair of brawny arms, -looked at the crew sneeringly. They were certainly not formidable as -against himself and his two comrades, to say nothing of young Harry -Brackett. - -"You raised it!" he exclaimed, roughly. "That's a likely story. What did -you raise her with--your hands? You're a fine wrecking-crew. Why, we had -this boat out on shore two days ago. What are you interfering with us -for?" - -"Now, see here," said Joe Hinman, "that won't work, so you better not try -it. There are too many on our side." And he narrated, rapidly, the -history of the raising of the _Surprise_ by the Warrens and Henry Burns -and Harvey and himself and crew. - -John Hart and his comrades seemed a bit nonplussed at this. It did put a -different phase upon the matter. They looked at one another inquiringly -for a moment. But they were rough fellows, not given to weighing evidence -critically. Might was right with them if it could be carried through. - -"That's a lie!" exclaimed John Hart, suddenly, advancing toward Joe -Hinman. "You think you can fool us with your city ways, but you'd better -look out. Where are all these fine youngsters that you say raised the -boat? This boat is ours, because we saved her. You get out and don't come -around bothering, because we won't stand any nonsense." - -There was no present hope for Joe and his crew. They were clearly -outmatched. They withdrew, therefore, to the shed, cooked their breakfast -and ate it with diminished appetites. - -"What will Jack say," remarked Little Tim, ruefully, "if he gets here and -finds the boat gone? We can't get away to give the alarm, either. We've -got to stay here till he comes back." - -"Never mind," exclaimed Joe, bitterly. "They can't keep it long. We'll -prove in the end that we saved her." - -"Yes, but that means half the summer wasted in fighting over it," said -George Baker, despondently. "You see, when one person gets hold of a -thing, that gives him some advantage. They will have that boat afloat, -and rigged, before they can be sued." - -The task of making the _Surprise_ tight enough to float was, however, not -to be so easy as it might appear at first glance. It was a nice and -particular job fitting in new planking where the hole had been stove. It -took a good part of the day, though John Hart and his comrades worked -industriously. - -Then it was apparent that the yacht had strained all along her bilge -badly and about the centreboard, so that it would require all of another -day to calk her and set the nails that had been wrenched loose. By -evening of the next day, however, she was ready for hauling off, in the -opinion of John Hart; and they would do that in the morning and tow her -back to Southport. - -But they had not reckoned wholly with Joe and his crew. Finding -themselves outmatched in strength, these youngsters had wandered -disconsolately about the little island for the last two days, fishing and -swimming and passing the time as best they could; watching eagerly out -through the Thoroughfare, in hopes that Harvey and Henry Burns and the -others might put in an appearance; and all the while keeping sharp watch -of the progress of work upon the _Surprise_. - -Hart and the other three, fearing no interruption from the boys, had -ignored them. At night they went out aboard the _Seagull_, where they had -provided temporary quarters for all four of them by stretching the -mainsail over the boom for a shelter, and tying it to the rail at the -edges. - -"They're all ready to haul her off in the morning, I think," said Joe -Hinman, as the boys sat gloomily by the door of the shed on the evening -of the second day after the arrival of the men. "I heard them singing and -laughing out aboard, and saying something about 'to-morrow' and -'Southport.' Oh, if there was only another day's work on her, the boys -might get here in time yet." - -"Then I'll keep her here another day," exclaimed Little Tim, "if they -beat me black and blue for it." - -"You can't do it," said Joe. - -"Can't I, though?" responded Tim. "Well, watch me and see. Will you -fellows help?" - -The boys assented, not to be outdone in courage by the smallest one of -them. - -"We can do it," said Little Tim. "They leave their tools aboard the cabin -of the _Surprise_ at night. I saw John Hart put the box in there before -he went out aboard. He said another hour's work would fix something or -other. I couldn't hear what. But we'll fix her so it will take longer -than that, I reckon." - -"O-o-oh!" exclaimed George Baker. "But we'll catch it, though, when they -find it out." - -"All right," said Tim. "I'll take my share if the rest will." - -Again the others assented somewhat dubiously. - -Toward midnight, the four lads stole cautiously down to the shore, and -climbed noiselessly aboard the _Surprise_. As Little Tim had described -it, there, tucked away in the cabin, was a box of carpenter's tools. - -"Here's what we want first," said Little Tim, softly, producing a big -auger from the box. "We'll use this for awhile, because it doesn't make -any noise." - -"Great!" exclaimed Joe Hinman, whose imagination was now fired with the -idea of mischief. "Let me have the first turn at it." - -Little Tim yielded him the precedence. - -Climbing out of the yacht again, Joe Hinman proceeded to bore into the -planking of the _Surprise_, on the opposite side from the shore. This -served to hide their operations and also to deaden what little sound it -made. He went laboriously along the length of one plank, and then turned -the auger over to Little Tim, who went to work with a subdued squeal of -delight. - -"Keep to the same plank," said Joe. "We don't want to ruin the whole -bottom of the boat." - -They bored the holes in turn, close together, all around one plank, and -then began on another. It was tiresome work, but they served three long -pieces of planking the same way. - -Then they brought out a great chisel and pried off the planking, fearful -of the noise it made. But they had done their work well, and the sound of -the tearing wood was not sharp. No one stirred out aboard the yacht. - -"That's enough," said Joe, as the third plank came away. "They'll have -hard work to match that up in two days. They're short of wood now, by the -way they patched the other place." - -"We'll take away the pieces of planking we've cut out, to make sure, and -bury them in the sand up alongshore," suggested George Baker. - -"Why not take the box of tools, too?" said Little Tim, whose blood was -fired, and who would have stopped at nothing. - -"Not much!" exclaimed Joe. "We're in for it enough as it is. Tim, I -didn't know you had so much pluck." - -"I wish it was over with," said Tim, looking apprehensively toward the -_Seagull_. - -They stole softly away again, back to the shanty. But it was long before -they dropped off to sleep. - -When Tim Reardon awoke, the next morning, he was dreaming that he had -jumped up suddenly in the cabin of the _Surprise_ and had bumped his head -against the roof of the cabin. It was a hard bump, too. Then it seemed as -if the boat was turning upside down, and jumping out of water, and the -floor rising up and hitting him. The next moment, however, he realized -that he was in the shanty, where he had gone to sleep, but that a strong -hand held him fast, and was shaking him roughly, while another hand was -cuffing him over the head and ears. - -He let out a lusty yell for mercy, and the others jumped up, fearful of -what was coming. - -Little Tim, in the grasp of John Hart, was receiving the soundest cuffing -and mauling that had ever fallen to his lot in a somewhat varied -experience with the world. It had been his misfortune, lying nearest the -entrance, to be the one on whom John Hart's heavy hand had fallen, as he -entered, followed by the other three, Harry Brackett bringing up the -rear. - -"Oh, I'll larn ye to scuttle other people's boats!" cried John Hart, -wrathfully. And he cuffed young Tim again, whereat that youngster howled -for mercy. - -"You're a coward!" cried Joe Hinman, hotly. "Licking a boy half your -size." - -"Well, you're nearer my size," exclaimed John Hart, dropping Little Tim -and making a rush for Joe. They clinched, but the younger boy was no -match for Hart, who was, too, reinforced by his three companions. Though -it was noticeable that Harry Brackett discreetly held aloof until one of -his companions had overpowered an adversary, when he essayed to put in a -blow or two. - -There was no help for them. The boys got what they had expected--and -worse. They were soundly thrashed when John Hart and his companions had -satisfied their vengeance. - -"Now, see here," said John Hart, wrathfully, shaking a rough fist at the -boys. "What you have just got is like a fly lighting on you compared to -what you'll get the next time, if you lay another hand on that boat." - -"We won't," blubbered Little Tim. - -And he meant it. - -"Ouch!" groaned Allan Harding, as he tried to rub a dozen places at once -with only one pair of hands. "You got us into a nice mess; that's what -you did, Tim." - -"Yes," wailed Little Tim. "But, o-o-h, it's over now. And," he added, -sniffling and chuckling at the same time, "the boat stays, doesn't it? -You knew we'd catch it, so what's the use blaming me?" - -"I didn't think it would be such a dose," said Joe Hinman. "But I'll -stand it all right, if Jack only gets here in time. Let's have something -to eat. We'll feel better." - -The yacht _Surprise_ did, sure enough, stay. They had done their part -well. Try as best they could, the workers could not fasten her up again -before sundown. They finished the job, however, by the aid of a -lantern-light, and, taking no more chances, got some pieces of old spars -for rollers and dragged the yacht down into the water, where they moored -her close to land, a few rods away from the _Seagull_. - -There was no sleep for the boys that night. They were stiff and sore, for -one thing. But it was the last chance for rescue. It was the seventh day -since the _Viking_ had sailed away. They took turns watching, away down -on the point of the little island, an eighth of a mile below where the -_Seagull_ and the _Surprise_ lay. Nor did they watch in vain. Along about -eleven o'clock, Little Tim saw the moonlight shining on a familiar sail -away down the Thoroughfare. - -With the return of daylight, following their narrow escape, Henry Burns -and his friends, wide awake, had begun fishing early. It proved a record -morning for them. They filled their baskets with cod, and piled the -cockpit deep with them, and only hauled in their lines finally, about the -middle of the forenoon, when they had exhausted the supply of herring -which they had purchased for bait of the trader. They had about six -dollars' worth of fish when they weighed in their catch at the trader's -dock. - -It had been a satisfactory trip, on the whole, and had showed them what -they could do. Deducting the money they had paid out for bait and for -some provisions, they had netted nearly eighteen dollars, having fished a -part of five days. The division of this gave six dollars to Tom and Bob -and left twelve dollars to the two owners of the _Viking_. True, they -would have a new anchor and some new line to buy out of this; but that -was, in a way, an incidental of yachting, and might have happened in some -other manner. - -There was a southwesterly blowing, with some prospect of its holding on -late. So, after clearing up accounts with Mr. Hollis, the trader, and -having an early supper in the harbour, where they were free from the -pitching of the sea outside, they got under way and stood up once more -for Grand Island, running free before a good breeze. It was about five -o'clock in the afternoon, and, if the wind held, they would make the foot -of Grand Island by nine o'clock. They were impatient to be back at -Southport, and were willing to sail at night if need be. - -And yet it was a mere chance that should bring them in to the -Thoroughfare on time; for, just north of North Haven, and before they had -come to the group of islands beyond, some one suggested that they stand -on for Southport and go down to the Thoroughfare the next morning. Harvey -half-assented, and then, with a fondness that still lingered for his old -boat, was doubtful. - -"What do you say, Henry?" he had asked of Henry Burns. "I'll do as you -think about it." - -"Oh, better go down to-night and relieve the crew," said Henry Burns. -"They're probably sick of staying there by this time, all alone. At any -rate, we'll leave them a new supply of food." - -But Henry Burns himself would rather have gone to Southport. - -The wind held on for all of the eighteen miles they had to run; but it -dropped away to a very light breeze just at sundown, then freshened a -little soon after. It was not until near eleven o'clock, however, instead -of nine, as they had expected, that they entered and sailed up the -Thoroughfare. - -Tom Harris, as lookout forward to watch the shoaling of the channel, saw, -all at once, something that made his flesh creep. A stout, wholesome lad -was Tom Harris, too, with no superstition about him. Yet he had heard -sailors' yarns of ghostly things in the sea--and he might almost have -been warranted in thinking he now beheld something of that sort. - -There, off the port bow, about an eighth of a mile from shore, was -something that did look strangely like a human head bobbing along; and if -there wasn't an arm lifted again and again from the water, as of some one -swimming a side-stroke, why, then Tom Harris was dreaming, or seeing some -seaman's phantom. He had to believe his own eyes, though; and yet how -could it be, away down at this end of the island, where there were no -cabins of any sort--and the crew up beyond? - -"Jack, Henry, Bob," he whispered, excitedly, "there's a queer thing -swimming just ahead there. It may be a big fish or a seal, but it looks -different to me." - -"That's no fish," cried Harvey, springing to his feet. "It's some one -swimming. I'll bet it's one of the crew. Little Tim Reardon, most likely. -Just like the little chap to try to surprise us. He's the best swimmer I -ever saw. Learned it around the docks up the river before he was seven -years old." - -If there was any doubt in their minds it was dispelled by a faint halloo -from the swimmer, accompanied by a warning cry for them to make no noise. - -"That's queer," said Harvey. "Something's up when Tim doesn't want a -noise. I wonder if anything has gone wrong." - -Little Tim, climbing aboard a few moments later, and telling his story in -excited tones, quickly apprised them that things were decidedly wrong up -the Thoroughfare. Wrong indeed! The yachtsmen were thunderstruck. - -Jack Harvey brought the _Viking_ into the wind as near shore as he dared. - -"Bully for you, Tim!" he exclaimed. "Now take the dory and get ashore -quick, and bring the rest of the crew down here." - -Tim was away for shore in a twinkling. A few minutes later the four could -be seen coming down on the run. They piled aboard the _Viking_ in a heap, -and the yacht stood along up the Thoroughfare once more. - -"Well, what are we going to do, Jack?" inquired Henry Burns, as they -turned a bend of the shore and came in sight of the mast of the -_Seagull_. - -"I'm going to fight for that boat!" cried Harvey, angrily. "I'll die for -it, but they sha'n't get it away from me." - -"Of course we'll fight for it if we need to," said Henry Burns, calmly. -"We will all stand by you, eh, fellows?" - -"Yes, sir," exclaimed Tom and Bob together, feeling of their muscles, -developed by canoeing and gymnastics. - -The crew also assented, less warmly. They had had their taste of it -already. - -"All the same," said Henry Burns, "it would be a huge joke on them, after -they have gone to work and patched her up and floated her for us, to sail -in and tow her out without their knowing it. Just imagine them waking up -in the morning and finding the boat and the crew both gone." - -"Yes, and we'll catch it for that, too, I suppose," groaned George Baker. - -"No, we'll stand by you," said Henry Burns. And he added, "Let's try the -easiest way first, Jack. We'll run in as quietly as we can, come up -alongside the _Surprise_ and take her in tow. If they wake, we'll stand -by you and fight for the boat. But I think we may get away with her. -They're bound to be sound sleepers." - -Carefully stowing away every pail or oar or stick that could be in the -way at the wrong time and make a noise, the yachtsmen brought the Viking -close in upon the dismasted _Surprise_. Then, as Harvey made a wide sweep -to bring the _Viking_ about into the wind, Henry Burns and Tom Harris -dropped astern in the dory and picked up the line with which the -_Surprise_ had been moored. They were ready for Harvey when he had come -about. Throwing the line aboard as the _Viking_ rounded to, close in, -they rowed quickly alongside and sprang over the rail. The line had been -caught by Bob, who made it fast astern. - -The _Viking_ had not even lost headway, so skilfully had the manoeuvre -been carried out. Standing away on the starboard tack, the _Viking's_ -sails filled and the line brought up. The wind was fairly fresh and the -weight of the unballasted _Surprise_ did not stop the _Viking_. The -_Surprise_, its long, lonely stay down in the Thoroughfare ended, had at -last begun its homeward journey toward Southport. - -"I don't see but what your friends on the _Seagull_ did us a good turn in -trying to rob you of the _Surprise_," said Henry Burns, smiling. "They -seem to have made the old boat pretty fairly tight. They've saved us -time." - -"Oh, yes, we owe 'em something for that," exclaimed Little Tim, feeling -around for a sore spot, "but I hope they don't try to collect any more of -the debt from me." - -"Tim, you were a brick to do what you did!" cried Harvey. "And the rest -of you, too. You had the real pluck. But Tim suggested it, and he's first -mate of the _Surprise_ after this, and next to Skipper Joe. That's fair, -isn't it?" - -George Baker and Allan Harding agreed. - -"What do you think," asked Harvey, as they sailed on up the bay, "will -they keep up the fight for the boat? Will the squire take it to court, or -will they quit, now they find themselves outwitted?" - -"They'll give it up," said Henry Burns. "They would have tried to lie it -through if they could have got the boat away from here. But now that we -have it, they will look at it differently. They'll find, when they get -back to the village, too, that the Warren boys were down here, and that -will settle it." Henry Burns was right. - -John Hart and his comrades, astounded, on awakening, to find the -_Surprise_ nowhere to be seen, had jumped to the conclusion that the crew -had stolen down and cut her loose. - -"We'll take it out of them!" he had cried, fiercely; and, followed by his -no less irate comrades, had dashed up to the old cabin. Another -disappointment. And still another, when they had searched all the shores -of the Thoroughfare and examined its waters, and realized that the boat -was gone. - -"Well, we'll get it yet, if they have carried it off," young Brackett -ventured to suggest. - -"We'll do nothing of the kind," cried John Hart, angrily. "You idiot! -Can't you see we're beaten? Some one has been down in the night and -helped them. That must have been true, what they said about the other -chaps. The best thing we can do is to keep quiet about what we have done, -or we'll have the whole town laughing at us for working on their boat." - -Young Harry Brackett looked pained. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - HARRY BRACKETT PLAYS A JOKE - - -Southport, albeit not a place of great hilarity, took a night off once a -fortnight or so, and enjoyed itself in rollicking fashion. Up the island, -about a mile and a half from the harbour, there was a small settlement, -consisting of a half-dozen houses clustered together, overlooking a -pretty cove that made in from the western shore. They were a part of the -town of Southport, though separated from the rest. It had been, in fact, -the original place of settlement, and there was a church and town hall -there. - -This town hall, bare and uninviting in appearance for the most of its -existence, brightened up smartly on these fortnightly occasions, putting -on usually some vestments of running pine and other festoons of trailing -vines, and adorned with wild flowers in their season. - -A glittering array of lamps, some loaned for the occasion, made the hall -brilliant; while a smooth birch floor, polished and waxed as shining as -any man-o'warsman's deck, reflected the illumination and offered an -inviting surface for dancing. - -Overhead, on the floor above, it was often customary to serve a baked -bean supper before the dancing, with its inevitable accompaniment of pie -of many varieties. - -Everybody took part in the dances, from Benny Jones, who had one wooden -leg, but who could hop through the Boston Fancy with amazing nimbleness, -to old Billy Cook, who arrayed his feet, usually bare, in a pair of heavy -boots that reached to his knees, and in which he clattered about the hall -with a noise like a flock of sheep. Even the squire consented to unbend -from his dignity on some of these occasions, stalking through a few -dances stiffly, as a man carved out of wood. - -As for young Harry Brackett, he would have been welcomed, also, and -indeed had formerly taken part in the festivities. But, since his return -from Boston and from some of the livelier summer resorts, he had referred -to the island dances contemptuously as "slow." - -The campers usually went up to see the fun; and Henry Burns, who was a -favourite about the island, and George Warren were usually to be seen -among the dancers. - -By far the most important functionary of all, however, was a quaint, -little, grizzled old man, who was not a resident of the island, but lived -six miles away, over across on the cape. "Uncle Bill" Peters, with his -squeaking fiddle and well-resined bow, was, in fact, the whole orchestra. -He was the one indispensable man of all. He had a tireless arm that had -been known to scrape the wailing fiddle-strings from twilight to early -morning on more than one occasion, inspiring the muse now and then with a -little tobacco, which did not hinder him from calling off the numbers in -a singsong, penetrating voice. - -Early in the day, when a dance was arranged, it was the duty of some one -to sail across to the cape and fetch "Uncle Billy" over, his arrival -being the occasion for an ovation on the part of a selected committee. - -"You're goin' up to the dance, I see," remarked Rob Dakin to Billy Cook, -one evening shortly following the adventures down in the Thoroughfare, -just narrated. - -"Well, I reckon," answered Billy, reaching into a cracker-barrel and -abstracting some odds and ends of hardtack. - -It was easy enough for anybody to see, for Billy's boots occupied a large -part of the store doorway, as he seated himself in a chair, and crossed -one leg over the other. - -"I just saw Uncle Bill Peters go by," continued Billy Cook. "I should -think he'd be scared to fetch that 'ere fiddle clear across the bay here. -Jeff Hackett says it's one of the best fiddles this side er Portland. -Cost seven dollars, I hear." - -Just then a crowd of boys, including Henry Burns and Harvey, Tom and Bob -and the Warrens, went by the door, coming up from shore, where they had -been at work on the hull of the yacht _Surprise_. - -"Hello, Billy!" cried young Joe, spying the biggest pair of boots of -which the island boasted, filling up the doorway. "Are you going up to -the dance, Billy?" - -"Yes, I be," responded Billy, rather abruptly. - -"Hooray!" cried young Joe. "So am I." - -"Well, I don't know as I'm so overpowering anxious to have yer go," -asserted Billy; "at least, unless you mend your ways. You boys have got -ter quit your cutting up dance nights, or there'll be trouble." - -Young Joe grinned. - -"I didn't fill up your boots, Billy," he said. "Honour bright, I didn't." - -He might have added that the reason why was because somebody else thought -of it first. - -Billy Cook's memory of the preceding dance was clouded by one sad -incident. It seems that, by reason of his habit of going barefoot at -other times except funerals and dances, and of dispensing with the -conventionality of socks when he did wear boots, it was a relief to Billy -to step out-of-doors, once or twice during the evening, remove the -cumbersome boots, and walk about for a few moments barefoot. - -It fell out that, at the previous dance, after one of these moments of -respite, Billy had returned to find his boots filled with water, and that -young Joe's deep sympathy had directed suspicion against him. - -"No, sirree," said young Joe now, in response to Billy's rejoinder. "We -didn't have anything to do with that. And we didn't put the lobster in -the squire's tall hat, either. 'Twas some chaps from down the island that -did that. You know how they like the squire down there, Billy." - -"Guess I know how some folks up here like him, too," muttered Billy. - -Early that evening, the lights glimmering from the well-cleaned windows -of the town hall shone out as so many beacons to guide the islanders from -far and near. They came from up and down the island, rattling along the -stony road in wagons that must have been built at some time or -other--though nobody could remember when they were new. Moreover, whereas -a boat must be painted often to keep it sound and at its best, the same -does not apply to farm wagons. Hence, the conveyances that came bumping -along up to the town hall shed were certainly not things of beauty. - -But each carried, nevertheless, its load of human happiness and -merriment. There sprang out rosy-cheeked, buxom island girls and sturdy -young fishermen, healthy, hearty, and full of life, eager for the first -weird strains of Uncle Billy's seven-dollar fiddle. - -He was soon in action, too. Seated on a high platform at the end of the -hall, resining his bow, was Uncle Billy, smiling like a new moon upon the -company. For the hall was used, likewise, by troupes of wandering -theatrical companies; and, on this very stage where Uncle Billy was now -seated, the villagers had gazed upon the woes of Little Eva and Uncle -Tom, and had beheld Eliza Harris flee in terror, with a lumbering mastiff -(supposed to be a bloodhound) tagging after her, crossing the little -stage at two heavy bounds, and yelping behind the scenes, either from -innate ferocity or at the sight of a long-withheld bone. - -Uncle Billy was off now in earnest, with a squeaking and a shrieking of -the catgut. Captain Sam Curtis, his hair nicely "slicked," and wearing a -gorgeous new blue and red necktie, led the grand march as master of -ceremonies, with Rob Dakin's wife on his arm. Rob Dakin, escorting Mrs. -Curtis, followed next. The squire was somewhere in line, leading a -stately maiden sister of his wife. Billy Cook clattered along, with a -laughing damsel from down the island. Henry Burns and George Warren, with -comely partners, were also to be seen, entering heartily in the fun. - -At the end of the hall nearest the doorway stood a group of islanders who -didn't dance, or hadn't partners at present. Included in these were the -other two Warren boys and the most of the campers. Included, also, was -young Harry Brackett, scowling enviously at a youth from the foot of the -island, who led to the dance a certain black-haired, bright-eyed, trim -little miss, who smiled at her escort sweetly as they promenaded past the -entrance where Harry Brackett stood. - -It had happened that this same young lady had been invited by Harry -Brackett to accompany him to the dance as his partner; but that she had -coolly snubbed him, with the remark that he was "stuck-up,"--an -unpardonable offence in the eyes of a resident of Southport, as -elsewhere. - -So it came about that Harry Brackett, after glaring malevolently upon the -general merriment for a few minutes, took his departure. - -If any one had followed this young man, they would have observed him -footing it up the main road of the island for about half a mile, at a -surprising pace for one no more energetically inclined than he. Then, at -a certain point, Harry Brackett left the road, crawled through some bars -that led into a pasture, and made his way by a winding cow-path into a -clump of bushes and small trees, some distance farther. - -Harry Brackett evidently was not travelling at random, but had some fixed -destination. This destination, shortly arrived at, proved to be a large, -cone-shaped, grayish object, hanging from the branch of a tree, near to -the ground. The boy approached it cautiously, pulled a cap that he wore -down about his ears, tied a handkerchief about his neck, turned up his -coat-collar, and put on a pair of thick gloves. - -If any one had been near, they might have heard a subdued humming, or -droning sound coming from the object on the branch. It was a wasp's nest -of enormous size. - -Harry Brackett next proceeded to take from his pocket a small scrap of -cotton cloth and a bottle, from which, as he uncorked and inverted it, -there issued a thick stream of tar and pitch, used for boat calking. -Having smeared the cloth with this, he was ready for business. - -He stole quietly up to the nest, clapped the sticky cloth over the -orifice at the base of it, dodged back, and awaited results. - -A sound as of a tiny windmill arose within the nest--an angry sound, -which indicated that the fiery-tempered inmates were aware of their -imprisonment and were prepared for warfare. But Harry Brackett had -accomplished his design, unscathed. A few tiny objects, darting angrily -about in the vicinity, showed that some of the insects still remained -without the nest, and were surprised and indignant at finding their -doorway thus unexpectedly barred. - -Somewhat uncertain as to how these might receive him, Harry Brackett -screwed up his courage and dashed up to the nest, which he severed from -the tree by cutting off the branch with his clasp-knife. His venture -proved successful, and, swinging his hat about his head to ward off any -chance wasp that might come to close quarters with him, he emerged -triumphantly from the thicket, bearing his prize, and without paying the -penalty of a single sting. - -"My! but that's a mad crowd inside there," he exclaimed. "Sounds like the -buzz-saw over at Lem Barton's tide-mill. Guess they'll liven things up a -bit at the dance. Perhaps some other folks will be stuck-up to-morrow." - -The furious buzzing quieted, however, after he had gone about a quarter -of a mile, and he reflected that perhaps the wasps, cut off from a fresh -supply of air, might die on the way. So he took out his knife again and -stabbed several holes in the nest, with the thick blade; whereupon the -angry remonstrances of the prisoners was resumed, to his satisfaction. - -This time, however, he did not venture along the highway, but made his -way slowly back to the town hall through the woods and pastures. After a -time he came to where the lights of the hall gleamed through the bushes, -and the thin but vigorous scraping of Uncle Billy's fiddle sounded from -the stage. He put down his burden and made a stealthy reconnaissance as -far as the rear sheds of the hall. Some men were about there, so he -waited for a favourable opportunity. - -This opportunity did not present itself for some time, as now and again -some one would come out to see if his horse was standing all right, and -possibly suspicious that some prank might be played with the wagons; for -the young fishermen of Southport were not above playing practical jokes -of their own on these occasions. So it was not until Harry Brackett had -waited fully a half-hour that he fancied the coast clear. - -It was then half-past nine o'clock, or when the dancing had been in -progress about an hour, that Harry Brackett, bearing his burden of -pent-up mischief, stole slyly up to the rear of the hall, where a window, -opened to give a circulation of air through the place, afforded him an -entrance back of the stage. - -It happened, not all opportunely for the young man, however, that some of -the islanders came to these dances, not for the dancing itself, but -because of the opportunity it offered to meet socially and discuss -matters. Of this number, long Dave Benson, who lived on the western -shore, and Eben Slade, commonly called Old Slade, who lived across from -the harbour settlement on the bluff, had withdrawn from the hall to talk -over a dicker about a boat. - -After a friendly proffer of tobacco on Dave Benson's part, the two had -adjourned to one of the sheds at the rear of the hall, to get away from -the noise of the music and the dancers, and had seated themselves in an -old covered carryall, from which the horse had been unharnessed. - -From this point of vantage, they presently espied a solitary figure -emerge from the dark background and go cautiously on to the rear window. - -"S-h-h!" whispered Dave Benson to his companion, "what's going on there? -Some more skylarking, I reckon. Well, there won't be any wheels taken off -from my wagon to-night." - -"Why, it looks like that 'ere young good-for-nothing of the squire's," -said Old Slade. "Thinks he's a leetle too good for dancing, perhaps, but -don't mind takin' a peek at the fun from the outside. Seems to be -carrying something or other, though. What do you make that out to be?" - -"Looks like a big bunch of paper to me," replied Dave Benson. "But I -allow I can't see in the dark like I used to--however, it don't matter, I -guess. Now as to that 'ere boat of mine, she's a bit old, I'll allow, but -you can't do better for the money." - -Harry Brackett, all unconscious of his observers, vanished through the -open window. When he reappeared, a few moments later, he was minus the -object he had carried. Moreover, that object no longer bore upon its base -the piece of tarred cloth. Harry Brackett had snatched that away as he -made his hasty departure, after depositing the nest among the faded -scenery stored behind the stage. Then, from a side window, he watched the -effect of his plan. - -The dancing was in full swing. Uncle Billy, warmed to his task, and -keeping time with his foot, was calling off the numbers. - -"Balance your partners! Gentlemen swing! All hands around!" sang out -Uncle Billy. - -The dancers were in great fettle. Billy Cook, boots and all, was doing -gallantly. Captain Sam's laugh could be heard clear to the woods beyond -the pasture. Squire Brackett was actually breaking out in a smile. Henry -Burns and his friends were gathered near the doorway, watching the -surprising play of Billy Cook's boots. - -But at this happy moment something happened to Uncle Billy Peters. His -fiddle-bow, scraping across the strings in one wild, discordant shriek, -dropped from his hand. His half-articulated call for a position of the -dance blended into a startled yell, that brought the dancing to an abrupt -stop; while Uncle Billy, his fiddle discarded, had leaped from his seat -and was now dancing about the stage and describing the most extraordinary -gyrations, waving his arms in the air and slapping at his face and the -back of his neck, as though his own music had driven him stark, staring -mad. - -"What on earth!"--ejaculated Billy Cook. He got no further. Something -that felt like a fish-hook, half-way down his boot-leg, occupied his -attention; and the next moment a dozen or more of the same animated -fish-hooks were buzzing about his head. - -Billy Cook made one frantic clutch at his boot-leg; and, failing to find -relief, yanked the boot off. Swinging this wildly about his head, one -foot bared and the other clattering, poor Billy fled from the hall. - -The squire's expansive smile faded away in an expression of anguish and -wrathful indignation. Slapping madly at the bald patch at the crown of -his head, and uttering fierce denunciations upon the author of the -mischief, he ignominiously deserted his partner of the dance and likewise -fled precipitately. - -The campers had already scuttled before the storm, and in a twinkling the -hall was cleared. The angry, buzzing swarm was in complete and undisputed -possession. - -"I'll give five dollars to any one that will discover who did this -outrage!" cried Squire Brackett, dashing across the road to where a group -of dancers had gathered. "Where's that Burns boy and that Harvey--and -that little Warren imp? He had a hand in it, I'll take my oath. Whoever -they are, they'll get one horsewhipping that they'll remember for the -rest of their lives. Get those horsewhips out of the wagons! We'll teach -the young rascals a lesson." - -The squire had not observed that still another group of stalwart -fishermen had had a word with Dave Benson and Old Slade and had already, -of their own accord, provided themselves with horsewhips. - -The squire only knew, at this time, that a party of the men were off down -the road, with a hue and cry. He did not know that his own son was -fleeing before them on the wings of fear, and being fast overtaken by his -pursuers, themselves borne onward on the wings of pain and wrath. - -What the campers, joining in the pursuit, saw shortly, was the figure of -young Harry Brackett, fleeing down the highway toward the harbour, -bawling loudly for mercy, as first one whip-lash and then another cut -about his legs; and receiving no mercy, but, instead, as sound and -thorough a horsewhipping as the squire himself had recommended for the -guilty wretch. - -Some time later, there limped into Southport village a sadder, if not -wiser youth, stinging as though the whole nest of wasps had broken loose -and settled upon him. - -On the following morning, this same saddened youth, walking painfully, -and somewhat dejected in mind, resulting from an interview with the elder -Brackett, turned the corner where the main street was intersected by the -road leading up to the Warrens' cottage, and came most unexpectedly upon -Jack Harvey. It was his first face-to-face meeting with Harvey since the -episode out in the bay, and the subsequent accusation he had made against -Harvey and Henry Burns. - -It was disconcerting, but Harry Brackett resolved to put on a bold face. - -"Hello there, Harvey," he said, eying the other somewhat sheepishly -despite his resolution. - -"Hello, yourself," replied Harvey, grinning at the doleful appearance -presented by the other. Secretly, Jack Harvey had promised himself that -he would thrash him at the first opportunity; but he had seen that done -so effectively, only the night previous, that he was fully satisfied. He -couldn't have done it half so well himself. - -"Say, you had a lot of fun last night, didn't you?" said Harvey. "You did -that in fine style. But say, what did you want to keep all the fun to -yourself for? Why didn't you let us in on it?" - -Harry Brackett flushed angrily at the bantering, but, realizing he could -not resent it, made no reply. - -"How'd the squire like it?" continued Harvey. - -"Look here, you wouldn't think it any fun if you got what I did," -exclaimed Harry Brackett. - -"No, but I think it good fun that you got it," said Harvey; "and I'll -tell you right now that it saved you one from me." - -Harry Brackett eyed Harvey maliciously; but he had a mission to perform, -and he was bound to go through with it. - -"Say, I know it wasn't the square thing to lay that upset out there in -the bay to you fellows," he said, with an effort. "But, you see, I knew -father would be furious about the boat--and, well, I told him the first -thing that came into my head about it. I didn't think he would try to -make trouble for you, though." - -"No?" replied Harvey, skeptically. "Probably you don't know him as well -as some of the rest of us do." - -"Well, here, don't go yet," said Harry Brackett, as Harvey started to -brush past him. "I've got something I want to talk to you about." - -Harvey paused in surprise. - -"It's about the boat," explained Harry Brackett. "You fellows don't need -two boats--and two such good ones as the _Viking_ and the _Surprise_--" - -Harvey's wrath broke forth again at the mention of the _Surprise_. - -"That was a fine trick you tried to play on us, stealing the _Surprise_ -after we had her up," he said. - -"I didn't want to do it," said Harry Brackett. "I told John Hart you -fellows must have floated her in there, but he wouldn't believe it." - -"Any more than I believe you," sneered Harvey. - -Harry Brackett twisted uneasily. He was making poor progress. - -"Say, Harvey," he said, abruptly, "I want to buy that new yacht of yours, -the _Viking_." - -"You mean you want to steal her if you get a chance, don't you?" retorted -Harvey. - -"No, I don't," cried Harry Brackett, the perspiration standing out on his -forehead. "I mean just what I say. I want to buy her, in dead earnest. -You've got the _Surprise_ back, and you don't need the other one. I'll -pay you fifteen hundred dollars for the _Viking_. Come, will you sell -her?" - -"Who wants to buy her?" asked Harvey. - -"I do, myself," replied Harry Brackett. "I tell you I'll pay you fifteen -hundred dollars in cash for her." - -Harvey winked an eye, incredulously. - -"You must be a millionaire," he said. - -"Well, I can afford to pay that much for a good boat," said Harry -Brackett, with a well-feigned air of indifference as to money matters. - -"And have you talked it over with the squire since last night?" inquired -Harvey, whose curiosity was now aroused. - -"I haven't talked it over with anybody," replied Harry Brackett, -impatiently. "I don't have to. It's my money." - -Harvey gave a whistle denoting surprise. "Well," he said, "the _Viking_ -is not for sale. Besides, Henry Burns owns half of her. You'll have to -talk with him. He won't sell, though, I know, because the boat was a gift -to us." - -"Perhaps he would, if you urged him to," suggested young Brackett. - -"Well, I won't urge him," said Harvey, abruptly. "But I tell you what I -will do," he added, "I'll sell you the _Surprise_. She's a grand good -boat, too; and she'll be as good as ever when she is put in shape.--No, I -won't do that, either," he exclaimed, after a moment's thought. "That is, -not this summer. I've promised her to the crew, and I won't go back on -it. No, I won't sell you the _Surprise_, either." - -"Would you let me hire either of them for the season?" ventured Harry -Brackett. - -Harvey hesitated for a moment, with visions of the money it would bring -temptingly before his mind's eye. But the remembrance of the loyalty of -his crew was still fresh in his mind. - -"No," he said, determinedly. "I won't do it." - -Which was a lucky determination, if he had but known it. - -"See here," said young Harry Brackett, lowering his tone, and making one -final desperate effort to shake Harvey's resolution, "I'll make you a -better offer than that. I'll pay you and Henry fifteen hundred dollars -for the boat between you. You can get him to do it if you only try. And -I'll give you seventy-five dollars for yourself, and you needn't say -anything about it." - -A moment later, Harry Brackett was picking himself up off the ground and -rubbing one more sore spot. - -"Hang it all!" exclaimed Jack Harvey, as he strode away, "I needn't have -hit him--but he made me mad clear through. I owed it to him, anyway." - -And so Harry Brackett, eying the other angrily, swore a new resolve of -revenge on Harvey and all the crowd of campers and cottagers. - -"Why, Jack," said Henry Burns later that day, when he and Harvey were -talking it over, "don't you suppose it was some kind of a queer joke on -Harry Brackett's part? What does he want of the _Viking_? He couldn't -sail her if he had her, and in the second place, I don't believe he ever -had so much money in all his life." - -"That's just the queerest thing about it," replied Harvey. "He wasn't -joking and he was in dead earnest. He either wants the boat, or knows -somebody else who does. It is queer, but he meant it." - -"Well, I can't guess it," said Henry Burns. "Let's go and catch a mess of -flounders for supper." - - - - - CHAPTER X. - MR. CARLETON ARRIVES - - -"How d'ye do, squire," bawled Captain Sam Curtis to Squire Brackett, a -morning or two later, as the squire stopped for a moment at the door of -the captain's shop, where he was busily engaged sewing on a sail which he -was refitting for the yacht _Surprise_, for the boys. - -"Good morning, Captain Sam," replied the squire. "You're busy as usual, I -see." - -"Yes," said Captain Sam, "just helping the boys out a little. Smart -chaps, those youngsters. Why, they went to work and raised that 'ere -yacht down there in the Thoroughfare, and they're cleaning her up in -great shape; and I vow, when they get her painted and these good sails on -her, she'll be every bit as good as new. And she was always a right smart -boat." - -The squire scowled at Captain Sam, who kept on with his work; but the -squire made no reply. - -"I should er thought some of you vessel-owners that have got the rigging -handy would have dragged her out for yourselves," continued Captain Sam. -"I had a mind to do it myself this spring, but I was too busy." - -The squire sniffed as though exasperated at something. But Captain Sam, -stitching away, with an enormous sailmaker's needle strapped to his palm, -was apparently unmindful. No one would have thought, to look at his -serious face, that he had heard the whole history of the squire's venture -down in the Thoroughfare, through the expedition of Harry Brackett, and -that he was indulging in a little quiet fun at the squire's expense. - -"Why, what on earth should I do with another boat?" inquired the squire. -"The one I own is one too many for me now. I'd like to sell her if I got -a good offer." - -"Would yer?" queried Captain Sam. "Well, you'll get a good boat in her -place if you get the _Viking_. I hear you are trying to buy her." - -"Nonsense!" exclaimed the squire. "Who told you that?" - -"Why, Jack Harvey; he was in here a little while ago. He said as how your -son, Harry, offered him fifteen hundred dollars for the boat." - -"Fifteen hundred fiddlesticks!" roared the squire. "If he's got fifteen -hundred cents left out of his allowance, he's got more than I think he -has. That's a likely story. Well, you can just put it down in black and -white that I don't pay any fifteen hundred dollars for a boat for a lot -of boys to play monkey-shines with. I'll see about that." - -"Perhaps it's one of Harry's little jokes, squire," suggested Captain -Sam. "Boys will have their fun, you know." - -Captain Sam threw his head back and gave a loud haw-haw. His recollection -of Harry Brackett's most recent fun was of seeing that youth tearing -along the highway at night, with a dozen fishermen after him, armed with -horsewhips. - -The squire's conception of it was not so pleasant, however, and he took -his departure. - -"Harry," he said, at the dinner-table that day, "what's this I hear about -your trying to buy that boat of Jack Harvey?" - -Harry Brackett, taken somewhat by surprise, hesitated for a moment. -"Why--why--that was a sort of a joke," he answered, finally, forcing -himself to smile, as though he thought it funny. - -"A joke, eh?" retorted the squire, sharply. "Well, don't you think you -have had joking enough to last you one spell? Here it is getting so I -can't go down the road without folks looking at me and grinning. Haven't -you any respect for your father's dignity? Don't you know I'm of some -consequence in this town?" - -"Yes, sir," replied the son, dutifully. "But I didn't bring your name -into it. I didn't say you wanted it." - -"Well, what did you do it for?" repeated the squire. - -"Just for fun," insisted Harry Brackett. - -"May be so," said the squire, eying his son with some suspicion; "but I'm -not so sure of that, either. Now don't you go getting into any mischief. -You've had just about fun enough lately." - -"All right, sir," answered Harry Brackett. - -Nevertheless, it was not exactly all right, from the squire's standpoint. -Not altogether above taking an unfair advantage of others, he was -naturally suspicious of everybody else; and this lack of faith in -humanity extended to his son. So he said no more, but kept his eyes open. - -Chance favoured him the very day following, when young Harry Brackett, -having some work to do about the garden, threw off his jacket and -waistcoat and left them carelessly over the back of a chair in the -kitchen. The squire, passing through the room, espied a letter exposed -from an inner pocket of the waistcoat. With no compunctions, he took it -out, opened it and read it. The letter was addressed to "Mr. Harry -Brackett, Southport, Grand Island, Me.," and read as follows: - - "If you have not already made the offer for the _Viking_, don't bother - about it; for I am planning a visit to Southport, myself. Much obliged - to you for your trouble, in any case. Please don't mention the matter, - however. - - "Hoping I may be of service to you at some time, - - "Very truly yours, - "Charles Carleton." - -"So, ho!" exclaimed the squire, softly. "Been lying to me again, has he? -I am not so surprised at that. But what did he do it for?" - -The squire's first impulse was to call Harry into the house and demand an -explanation. Then his curiosity led him to alter that determination. Who -was this Mr. Carleton? Why was he trying to buy a boat through his son? -Why didn't he want the matter mentioned? What were the relations between -this Mr. Carleton and his son? Well, Mr. Carleton, whoever he was, was -coming to Southport. The squire would wait and see him for himself. - -He did not have long to wait, either, for the very next day he met Mr. -Carleton face to face. The squire was waiting in the post-office for the -evening mail when there came in with Jeff Hackett, in whose packet he had -sailed across from Bellport, a tall, gentlemanly appearing man, dressed -in a natty yachting-suit of blue, his face chiefly characterized by a -pair of cold, penetrating blue eyes and a heavy blond moustache. - -"Good evening, sir," he said, with the easy air of a man of the world, -and, withal the least deference to the pompous individual whom he -addressed, which was not lost on a man of the squire's vanity. "Beautiful -place, this island. You should be proud of it, sir." - -"Good evening," replied the squire, formally, but warming a little. "Yes, -sir, we are proud of Southport." - -"True," he continued, swelling out his waistband, "it does not afford all -the opportunities for a man of capital to exert his activities; but it -has its advantages." - -"Which I judge you have made some use of, sir," remarked the stranger, in -an offhand, easy way, smiling. - -The squire beamed affably. - -"Are you going over to the harbour?" he inquired. "If so, I should be -pleased to take you over in my carriage." - -"Why, you are very kind; I should like to ride," responded the stranger. -"I'll just leave word to have my valises sent over, and I'll go along -with you." - -He presently reappeared, sprang lightly into the wagon, and the squire -drove down the road. - -The stranger proved most agreeable to Squire Brackett. He was an easy, -fluent talker, though, to one of finer discernment than the squire, it -might have been apparent that he was not a man of education, but rather -of quick observation and who had seen something of the world. He pleased -the squire by an apparent recognition of him as the great man of the -place, without ever saying so bluntly. He spoke of business matters as of -one who was possessed of some means, and finally, intimating that the -squire should know the name of one to whom he was showing a courtesy, -handed him his card. - -To say that the squire was surprised, would be putting it mildly, for he -had not thought of Mr. Carleton arriving by other than the boat from -Mayville. Yet, so it was engraved upon the card, "Mr. Charles Carleton," -with the address below of a Boston hotel. - -The squire was, however, somewhat relieved. It flashed through his mind -now, quickly, just what it all meant. Harry had met this man at Bellport -and had been commissioned by him to purchase the boat. He had seen fit to -pose as the real purchaser to create an impression on the minds of the -other boys that he had that amount of money. As for this gentleman, Mr. -Carleton, he evidently had the means to buy as good a boat as the -_Viking_ if he chose. - -"I wish you would tell me the best boarding-house in the village," said -Mr. Carleton. "I hear the hotel is burned down." - -"Indeed it is!" cried the squire, warmly. "And a plague on the rascal -that set it, and all his kind! It's a terrible loss to the place; and I -say it, though I opposed its being built." - -"What a shame!" responded Mr. Carleton from behind his heavy moustache. -But his eyes were coldly unsympathetic. - -"There isn't any regular out-and-out boarding-place this summer," said -the squire; "but I guess Captain Sam Curtis will put you up. He takes a -boarder occasionally, and feeds 'em right well, too, I'm told." - -So, at length, arriving at the harbour and alighting at the house of -Captain Sam, Mr. Carleton bade the squire good evening. He went in at -once, engaged a room, cultivated the captain and his wife studiously for -a time, and was soon at home, after the manner he had of getting on -familiar terms with whomsoever he desired. A curious trait in Mr. -Carleton, too; for, at first approach to strangers, he seemed cold and -almost reserved, whom one might set down as a man of nerve, that would -not be likely to lose his head under any conditions. - -If Mr. Carleton had made up his mind to put himself on friendly terms -with the youngsters of Southport, despite his natural inclinations, he -certainly knew how to go about it. Witness his appearance, the following -day, in the course of the forenoon, at the camp of Joe Hinman and the -rest of Harvey's crew, as they were making their preparations for dinner. - -"Well, you boys certainly have it nice and comfortable down here," he -said, cheerily, advancing to where Joe Hinman was stirring a bed of -coals, ready for the fry-pan, while two of the boys were finishing the -cleaning of a mess of fish down by the water's edge. "I've done this sort -of thing myself, and I declare I believe I'd like a week of it now better -than living at a hotel or a boarding-house. Good camp you've got there. - -"That makes me hungrier than I've been for a long time," he added, as Joe -proceeded to cut several slivers of fat pork and put them into the -fry-pan, where they sizzled appetizingly. - -"Better stop and take dinner with us," suggested Joe. "We've got plenty -to eat, such as it is. We'll give you some of the best fish you ever -tasted, and a good cup of coffee, and a mess of fritters." - -"Fine!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "You're lads after my own heart. I'll -watch you do the work and then I'll help you eat up the food." And Mr. -Carleton, smiling, seated himself on the ground, with his back against a -tree, lighted a cigar, and watched operations comfortably. - -He proved very good company, too, at dinner. For he had a fund of stories -to amuse the campers; and he was heartily interested in their own -exploits--and particularly in their account of recent adventures down in -the Thoroughfare, where Harry Brackett and his companions had been -defeated. - -"Now I'll tell you what we'll do," he exclaimed, enthusiastically, as -they were finishing their camp-fire meal, "I'm in for some fun, just as -much as you are. If you will go ahead and dig some clams this afternoon, -I'll go up to the store and order a lot of fruit and nuts and that sort -of stuff, and anything else that I see that looks good. - -"I saw some chickens hanging up there, too, that will do to broil. I'll -get enough for a crowd. You tell the fellows up above in that camp -there,--you know them, I suppose,--well, you get them and anybody else -you like. And we'll build a big fire down here this evening and have the -time of our lives." - -"Hooray!" cried young Tim Reardon. "Joe Warren and the others would like -to come in on that. How about two more, besides--two fellows that own -that yacht, the _Viking_?" - -"Just the thing," replied Mr. Carleton. "As many as you like." - -There was no more work on the _Surprise_ for the rest of that day. A man -who was willing to buy good things for the boys with that recklessness -didn't come to town every day, nor once in a summer. - -"He says his name is Carleton," explained young Tim to Henry Burns and -Jack Harvey, some time later. "He says he's in for a good time, and I -guess he is by the looks of things." - -"We know him," replied Harvey. "He's an old friend of ours, eh, Henry?" - -"Yes, indeed," said Henry Burns; "he was the _Viking's_ first -invited--no, uninvited--guest." - -Mr. Carleton was as good as his word, and more. The canoe, manned by Tom -and Bob, went down alongshore that afternoon loaded with a conglomerate -mixture of oranges, bananas, bottled soda, pies, other sweet stuff, and -extra dishes from the campers' stores. And Mr. Carleton, arriving on the -scene in the course of the afternoon, brought a lot more. He paid for -everything. - -"My!" exclaimed young Joe, eying the stuff as the Warren boys put in an -appearance about five o'clock. "I hope he stays all summer, don't you, -Arthur?" - -"Hello, I'm glad to meet you once more," cried Mr. Carleton, heartily, -advancing to greet Henry Burns and Harvey as their dory landed at the -shore. "I thought I might get down this way. How's that fine boat of -yours?" - -"Fine as ever," answered Harvey. - -"Good! I'll go out for a sail with you to-morrow," cried Mr. Carleton, -clapping a hand on Harvey's shoulder. "Say the word, and I'll have the -soda and ginger ale and a new pail for some lemonade. We've got to make -the time pass somehow, eh?" - -"Suits me all right," assented Harvey. "What do you say, Henry?" - -"Bully!" said Henry Burns. - -The fire of driftwood, which was plentiful everywhere along the shores of -Grand Island, roared up cheerily against the evening sky. When it had -burned for an hour or more, Jack Harvey deftly raked an enormous bed of -the coals out from it, on which to set fry-pans and broilers and -coffee-pot, still keeping the great fire going at a little distance, for -the sake of its cheer. - -They feasted, then, by the light of blazing timbers and junks of logs, -borne down from the river, as only hungry campers can. Young Joe ceased -laughing uproariously at Mr. Carleton's stories only when his sixth -banana and fourth piece of pie precluded loud utterance. And when it was -over, and they went their several ways by woods and alongshore, they -voted Mr. Carleton a generous provider. - -He was ready again, was Mr. Carleton, the following afternoon, with the -promised luxuries, alongside the _Viking_; and he was as much a boy as -any of them when he and the owners of the yacht and Tom and Bob set out -on a sail up the bay. - -The wind was fresh and fair from the southward, the bay furrowed -everywhere with billows breaking white, with just enough sea running to -make it good sport. The _Viking_, with sheets well off, made a fine run -to Springton, and bowled into that harbour with the spray flying. - -They cast anchor and went up into the old town, which was quite a little -settlement clustered on a steep bank overhanging the harbour, and which -boasted of a fine summer hotel and several smaller ones. And when it got -to be late afternoon, Mr. Carleton wouldn't hear of their departing; but -they should all stay to supper at the hotel. If the wind died down with -the sun, why, they could stay all night. What did it matter, when they -were out for a good time? - -So they ate supper in style in the big hotel dining-room, and came forth -from there an hour later to see the waters calm and the wind fallen. - -"Never mind, we'll sleep aboard the _Viking_," said Henry Burns. "There's -room enough, though we have taken out some of the mattresses so as to put -in the fishing-truck." - -But Mr. Carleton would not hear of this. Not for a moment. He liked -roughing it, to be sure, as well as any of them. But they were his guests -now for the night. They must remain right there at the hotel, and he -would see about the rooms. And they should breakfast at the hotel and -then sail back the next day at their ease. - -They were not unwilling. It was an unusual sort of a lark, but so long as -Mr. Carleton was enjoying it and was ready to pay the bills, they were -satisfied. - -So they sat on the veranda for several hours, enjoying the music of the -orchestra in the parlour and watching the dancing through the windows. -Then, when Mr. Carleton had bade them good night and had gone up to his -room, they followed shortly, Tom and Bob occupying one room together and -Harvey and Henry Burns, likewise, one adjoining. - -"Jack," said Henry Burns, suddenly, pausing in the act of divesting -himself of his blue yachting-shirt, "hang it! but I've forgotten to lock -the cabin." - -"Oh, let it go," said Harvey, who was already in bed and was drowsy with -the sea air and good feeding. - -"No, I don't like to," said Henry Burns. "There's a lot of boats lying -close by; and you know how easy it is for one of those fishermen to slip -aboard, and sail out at four o'clock in the morning, with one of our new -lines and that compass that cost more than we could afford to pay just -now; and there's a lot of things that we couldn't afford to lose just at -this time. No, I'm going to run down and lock up." - -"It's a good half-mile," muttered Harvey. "Better take the chance and let -it go." - -"Yes, but you wouldn't say so if you had forgotten it," said Henry Burns. -"I'm to blame. And if you don't see me again, why, you'll know I've -stayed aboard." - -Henry Burns said this last half in fun, as he departed. As for Harvey, it -mattered naught to him whether Henry Burns returned or stayed away. He -was asleep before his comrade had closed the hotel door behind him. - -If it had chanced that Mr. Carleton, too, being a man of shrewd -observation, had noticed the omission on the part of Henry Burns, who was -the last one overboard, to slip the padlock that made the hatch and doors -of the companionway fast, he had not seen fit to mention the fact. -Instead, he had been most talkative as they rowed away, pointing out -various objects of interest up in the town. - -And now that the yachtsmen had retired for the night and Mr. Carleton had -withdrawn to his room, it is just barely possible that he may have -recalled that fact. At all events, he did not make ready to retire, but -sat for a half-hour smoking. Then he arose, turned down the light, and -went quietly down the stairs. - -It was about eleven o'clock, and the hotel was beginning to grow quiet. -Few guests remained in the parlour, and most of the lights were out about -the hotel and the grounds. Down in the town, as Mr. Carleton strolled -leisurely along the streets, there were few persons stirring. Yachtsmen -aboard their craft in the harbour had ceased bawling out across the water -to one another, and no songs issued forth from any cabin. Only the -harbour lights for the most part gleamed from the little fleet. - -The yacht _Viking_ lay some half-mile down below the village, toward the -entrance to the harbour, and was hidden now from Mr. Carleton's view by a -little strip of land that made out in one place, and on which some -tumble-down sheds stood leaning toward the water. - -Mr. Carleton went down confidently to the shore; but when he had arrived -at the place where they had drawn the dory out, he met with a surprise, -for there was no dory there. - -He looked about him, thinking he might have happened upon the wrong -place; but there could be no mistaking it. There were the same sheds, -with nets hung out, and the same boats in different stages of repair that -he had observed with a careful eye when they had come ashore. - -He went along the beach for a little distance, to where a lamp gleamed in -one of the sheds, and knocked at the door. - -"Some one seems to have taken our tender," he said to a man that opened -to his knock. "Do you know where I can borrow one or hire one for an hour -so I can go out aboard? My yacht lies down there below that point. -Anything you say for pay, you know." - -"I've got a skiff you're welcome to use, if you only fetch it back before -morning," replied the man, good-naturedly. "I don't want pay for it, -though. Just drag it up out of the reach of the tide when you come in." - -He pointed to the boat, and Mr. Carleton, dragging it into the water, -stepped in and sculled away. - -He was alert enough now, and he worked the little boat with a skilled -stroke and a practised arm. There were a pair of oars aboard, but it -sufficed him to use the scull-hole at the stern, with a single oar, which -gave him the advantage of being able to look ahead. He put his strength -into it, and the skiff worked its way rapidly through the fleet of -yachts. The evening was warm, and Mr. Carleton threw off jacket and -waistcoat and unbuttoned his collar. He was a strong, athletic figure as -he stood up to his work, peering eagerly ahead. - -Something gave him a sudden start, however, just as he cleared the point -that had lain between him and the _Viking_. Watching out for a glimpse of -the yacht, there seemed to be--or was it a trick of the eyes, or some -reflection from across the water--there seemed to be a momentary flash of -light from the cabin windows. Just a gleam, or an apparent gleam, and -then all was dark. - -Mr. Carleton had stopped abruptly, straining his eyes at the yacht ahead. - -"Strange," he muttered softly, resuming his sculling and watching the -yacht more eagerly, "I could have sworn that was a light in the cabin. If -'twas a light, though, it must have been in one of the other boats." - -He proceeded vigorously on his way. - -At this very moment, however, there came another surprise to Mr. -Carleton, greater than the other. - -Henry Burns, going down to the shore and sculling out to the _Viking_, -had found the cabin unlocked, as he had recalled; but everything was -safe. It was comfortable aboard the yacht, and he decided to remain, -planning to go ashore early in the morning in time for breakfast at the -hotel. He sat up for some little time, however, and it was, indeed, his -cabin light that Mr. Carleton had seen, the moment before he had -extinguished it, to turn in for the night. - -Mr. Carleton, sculling on now cautiously toward the _Viking_, suddenly -heard a noise aboard the yacht. He paused again, then seated himself -quickly at the stern of the skiff, as a boyish figure emerged from the -companionway of the _Viking_ and came out on deck. It was Henry Burns, -taking one last look at the anchor-line, and a general look around, -before he went off to sleep. - -There was nothing within sight to excite Henry Burns's interest. -Everything was all right aboard the _Viking_. There were the few lights -still left, up in the village streets. There were a few yachts anchored -at a little distance. There was the dark shore-line, with its tumbling -sheds huddled together here and there. And, also, there was the lone -figure of a man, seated at the stern of a small skiff, sculling slowly -down past, some distance away. It was all clear and serene in Henry -Burns's eyes, and he went below, rolled in on his berth, and went to -sleep. - -The lone figure that Henry Burns had seen in the skiff had ceased -sculling now. He seemed to have no destination in view. The oar was drawn -aboard and the skiff drifted with the tide. What the man in the skiff was -thinking of--what he contemplated--no one could know but he. - -But he resumed his sculling, very softly and slowly, after the lapse of a -full half-hour. Noiselessly he described a circle about the yacht, -drawing in nearer and nearer. Then he paused irresolutely, once more, and -waited. Only he could know what would happen next. Perhaps he, too, was -racked with uncertainty and irresolution. For once he seized the oar and -worked the skiff up to within twenty feet of the gently swinging yacht. -Then he paused again and waited. - -Henry Burns's sleep might, perchance, have been troubled could he have -dreamed of the man now, waiting and watching just off the starboard bow -of the _Viking_, while he slept within. But no dreams disturbed his sound -slumbers. - -Nor did aught else disturb them. For, presently, there came out from -shore another boat, a rowboat with three men in it. They were laughing -and joking about something that had happened ashore. - -Mr. Carleton, resuming his oar, sculled gently away from the _Viking_, -worked his way back again through the fleet of yachts whence he had come, -drew the skiff out of water where he had embarked, dragged it up on the -beach, and cast it from him roughly. Then he strode away up the bank to -the hotel, muttering under his breath, and looking back out over the -water once or twice as he ascended the hill, like a man that has suffered -an unexpected defeat. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - SQUIRE BRACKETT IS PUZZLED - - -Henry Burns was up early the next morning, as he had planned. He rowed -the dory quickly in to the landing-place, and was in Harvey's room before -that young gentleman was out of bed. - -"Why, I didn't hear you get up," said Harvey. - -"That's not so surprising," replied Henry Burns, "seeing as I got up -aboard the _Viking_. I slept there." - -"Is that so?" exclaimed Harvey. "I wonder how Mr. Carleton would like -that if he knew it. He needn't have hired so big a room just for me. Say, -but he's a jolly good fellow, though, isn't he?" - -"He is certainly a generous one," answered Henry Burns. - -Harvey smiled at his companion. - -"What is it you don't like about him, Henry?" he asked. - -"Why, nothing," replied Henry Burns. "Who said I didn't like him? I never -did." - -"No, you didn't," admitted Harvey. "But I know you well enough by this -time to tell when you really like a person. Now, if I asked you if you -like George Warren, you'd come out plump and flat and swear he is a fine -chap, and all that. But you don't seem quite sure about Mr. Carleton. I -think he's the best man that ever came down here. He likes to have a good -time with us boys--which is more than most men do; he enters into things; -he buys everything, and he tells good stories. What fault do you find -with him?" - -"Not any," laughed Henry Burns. "He's everything you say he is, and I -think he is one of the most generous men I ever met. There, don't that -satisfy you? But I'll tell you one thing, Jack. I was just thinking I -shouldn't want to be in Mr. Carleton's way if he had made up his mind to -do a certain thing. He's the kind of a man that wouldn't be interfered -with when once he was decided." - -"How do you make that out?" asked Harvey. - -"Oh, just by a lot of little things," answered Henry Burns, "not any of -them of any particular consequence of themselves. By the way, do you -remember inviting him to sail down the river?" - -"Why, not exactly," replied Harvey, somewhat puzzled. - -"Well, you didn't," said Henry Burns, laughing quietly. "He invited -himself. He said, 'I'll sail down with you,' or 'I'll go along with you,' -or something of that sort. - -"And do you remember inviting him to go out sailing on this trip?" -continued Henry Burns. - -"No," replied Harvey, a little impatiently. - -"That's because he invited himself," said Henry Burns, still smiling. "I -remember that he said, 'I'll go out sailing with you to-morrow.' That -settled it in his mind." - -"Well, what of it?" asked Harvey. - -"Nothing," replied Henry Burns. "I'm just as glad as you are that he -proposed it. I've enjoyed his company and his generosity. I only say he -is a man that I'd rather have for a friend than an enemy." - -Jack Harvey laughed. - -"Well, you may be right," he said. "I never think of looking at anybody -as deep as that. If a man comes along and wants a sail and wants some -fun, and is willing to do his share, why, that's enough for me. And if -he's up to any tricks, why, he and I'll fight and have it over with. I -don't worry about what might happen." - -"Did you ever see me worry about anything?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Why, no," said Harvey, emphatically, "I never did. I meant that I don't -think about things just as you do." - -Which was certainly true. - -If Mr. Carleton had any notion in his head that he had, as Harvey had -suggested, hired a larger room for him and Henry Burns than was really -needed--or if he had any notion in his head that he had wasted his money -in hiring any rooms at all at the hotel--he showed no sign of it when he -appeared in the office and they went into the dining-room. Indeed, he -thought it a good joke on Henry Burns that he should have had to go off -to the yacht for the night, and he laughed very heartily over it, behind -his big moustache. - -The wind was blowing fresh from the south as the party went out on the -hotel piazza. It had started up early in the morning, along with the -beginning of the flood-tide, which meant, in all likelihood, that it -would blow fresher from now on until sundown. There were already -whitecaps to be seen over all the bay, and the yachts that were out under -sail were lying over to it and throwing the spray smartly. It was a good -morning to show the fine sailing qualities of a boat, and they were eager -to be off. - -They went down through the town, then, to where the dory was tied. - -As they took hold to drag it down the beach, a fisherman, weather-beaten, -and smoking a short stub of a clay pipe, approached them. Addressing Mr. -Carleton, he said, good-naturedly, "Well, you got out and back safe, I -see. Found your own boat again all right, eh?" - -Mr. Carleton, glancing coolly at the man that had accommodated him the -night before, said, carelessly, "Guess you've got the advantage of me, -captain. I'm afraid I haven't the pleasure of your acquaintance." - -The man slowly removed his pipe and stared at Mr. Carleton in amazement. - -"Wall, I swear!" he ejaculated. "D'yer mean to say it wasn't you that -borrowed my skiff last night to go out to your yacht?" - -Mr. Carleton laughed heartily. - -"Well," he replied, "seeing as I haven't any yacht to go out to, in the -first place, and seeing as I was up at the hotel all last night, I think -you must indeed have me mixed up in your mind with somebody else. -However, if anybody has been using my name around here to hire a boat, -I'm willing to pay, if you're a loser." - -"Oh, no, sir," said the man, apologetically. "I don't want no pay. I just -accommodated somebody, and it looked surprisingly like you. Excuse me. -Guess I must have made a mistake." - -"Ho! that's all right, no excuse needed," said Mr. Carleton, lightly. -"You're going to row us out, are you, Harvey? Well, I'll push her off and -sit down astern. I'm the heaviest." - -They rowed out to where the _Viking_ was tossing uneasily at her line, as -though eager to be free and away from the lee of the land, amid the -tumbling waves. - -It was quite rough outside, and the wind increasing every minute; so they -put a reef in the mainsail and set only the forestaysail and a single -jib. Then, with anchor fished, they were quickly in the midst of rough -weather, with the spume flying aboard in a way that sent them scuttling -below for their oilskins. - -The harbour out of which they were now beating made inland for a mile or -two. The waters ran back thence in a salt river for several miles more, -before they grew brackish, and then were merged into a stream of fresh -water that had its origin in a pond back in the country. It followed, -that the waters of the harbour flowed in and out with much swiftness and -strength; and now, the flood-tide and the south wind being coincident, -coming in together strongly, it was slow working out, even with as good a -boat as the _Viking_. There was a heavy sea running, too, which served to -beat them back. They tacked to and fro, but they drew ahead of the -landmarks ashore very slowly. - -"I say, my lad," cried Mr. Carleton all at once, stepping aft to where -Harvey held the wheel, "let me take her a few minutes and see what I can -do, will you? Oh, you needn't be afraid that I'll upset you," he added, -as Harvey somewhat reluctantly complied. "I've owned boats and sailed -them, too,--as good as this one, if I do say it." - -It was clearly evident, as he seated himself astride the helmsman's seat, -that he was no novice. He held the yacht with a practised hand, and, -moreover, asserted himself with the rights of skipper. - -"Haul in on that main-sheet a little more," he said to Harvey. - -"She won't do as well with the boom so close aft in a heavy sea," replied -Harvey. - -"Oh, yes, she will," answered Mr. Carleton, coolly. "You are right as a -general proposition, but I'll show you something. I've been watching the -run of the tide." - -Harvey, not agreeing, still acquiesced in the order, and hauled the boom -aft. - -"A little more," insisted Mr. Carleton. "There, that will do. Now you -will see us fetch out of the harbour." - -To Harvey's surprise, and that of the other boys, the yacht certainly was -doing better. Mr. Carleton held her so close into the wind that the sail -almost shook. Every now and then it quivered slightly. But they surely -were making better progress. - -"Well," admitted Harvey at length, "that goes against what I've been -taught about sailing. The sheet a little off in a heavy sea and keep her -under good headway is Captain Sam's rule." - -"Quite correct," said Mr. Carleton, smiling. "But, if you notice, the -tide sets swift around that point ahead and we get the full force of it. -Now, with the boat heading off as you had it, don't you see we were -getting the head wind and head tide both on the same side--both hitting -the port bow and throwing her back? Now, do you see what we are doing? -She's heading up into the wind so far that the force of the tide hits the -starboard bow. So we've got the wind on one side and the tide on the -other; and, between the two forces, we go ahead." - -Harvey's respect rose for Mr. Carleton. - -"That's right," he said. "I've heard something of that kind, too. But I -never thought much about it." - -"Well, the tide is three-fourths of sailing," responded Mr. Carleton. -"Now as we clear this point we'll start the sheet off once more a little. -It's rougher, and we'll need all the headway we can make." - -It was evident Mr. Carleton was no hotel piazza sailor. He was as happy -as a boy out of school, as he held the wheel with a firm, strong hand, -heading up for the deep rollers and pointing off again quickly, keeping -the yacht under good headway, and watching the water ahead, and the -drawing of the jib, with a practised eye. They had never seen him so -enthusiastic. - -He was, somehow, a picture of particular interest to Henry Burns, who had -a way of observing how persons did things, and who conceived some -impression of them accordingly, beyond a mere surface one. - -It being a fact, to a degree, that a boat has as many peculiarities--one -might almost say individualities--all its own as a human being, or a -horse, it was interesting to see how quickly Mr. Carleton took note of -them and handled his boat accordingly. He seemed to realize at once just -how she would take the wind; how stiffly she would stand up in a flaw; -just how much the jib and forestaysail needed trimming to be at their -best; just how to humour the boat in several little ways to get the most -out of her. And he did it all very confidently. - -That he was a man of sharp discernment, and quick to learn things, was -the impression he made on Henry Burns. And if there should come a time -when Henry Burns, remembering many things which he now observed, but -attached no particular importance to, should put them all together and -form a conclusion regarding them and of Mr. Carleton, why certainly there -was nought of that in his mind now. - -He did observe one thing, however, in particular, and it was in accord -with what he had told Harvey concerning Mr. Carleton. The man had -aggressiveness and determination. Mr. Carleton surely believed in holding -a boat down to its work. There was no timidity, even to a point that -bordered on recklessness, in the way he met the heavier buffetings of the -wind. Where a more cautious man would have luffed and spilled a little of -the wind, Mr. Carleton held the wheel firm and let the _Viking_ heel over -and take it, seeming to know she would go through all right; as though he -should say, "You can stand it. Now let's see you do it. I'll not indulge -you. I know what you can stand. You can't fool me." - -Henry Burns rather liked him for this. There was something that he -admired in his skill and courage. - -The yacht _Viking_ was weathering the seas grandly. She was a boat that -did not bury deep in a smother, and flounder about and pound hard and -lose headway, but rode the waves lightly and went easily to windward. - -"Works well, doesn't she?" cried Harvey, enthusiastically. - -"Splendid, better than ever--better than she did coming down the river, -and yesterday," responded Mr. Carleton. "She'd almost stand a -gaff-topsail even with this breeze. That's a good clean stick, that -topmast. However, I guess we're doing well enough. We won't set it, eh?" - -"Here, you take the wheel," he said the next moment to Henry Burns, whom -he had observed eying him sharply. "Let's see what kind of a sailor you -are." - -One might have thought it was Mr. Carleton's own boat. He said it with -such an air. - -Henry Burns acquiesced calmly and with that confidence he had when he -knew he could do a thing right. Here was another individual who could -learn things quickly, too; and if Harvey had had more experience than he -in actual sailing and handling a boat, Henry Burns more than matched him -in coolness and resource. - -"You'll do," said Mr. Carleton at length. "I'll risk my life with you and -Harvey any day. How's the crew--are they pretty good sailors, too?" - -"First class," said Henry Burns. "We'll show you there isn't a lubber -aboard." And he turned the wheel over first to Tom and then to Bob, who -acquitted themselves very creditably, showing they had picked up the -knowledge of sailing wonderfully well. - -"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "That's the way to run a boat. Give every -man a chance to get the hang of it. One never knows what's going to -happen to a sailboat and who's going overboard, or get tangled up in a -sheet, or something the matter; and then it pays to have a crew any one -of whom can take hold at a moment's notice and lend a hand." - -So, having established himself in their confidence, and with mutual good -feeling aboard, Mr. Carleton declared himself well pleased with their -trip, as they beat up to Southport harbour. He hadn't enjoyed himself so -much in years, he said. And he thanked them cordially for his good time, -as they rowed him ashore. - -"We're much obliged to you, too," replied Harvey, "for the fun you've -given us." - -"Oh, that don't amount to anything," said Mr. Carleton. - -Mr. Carleton, oddly enough, had occasion to make Henry Burns and Jack -Harvey an apology not many hours afterward. - -The afternoon and evening had passed, and the two yachtsmen, leaving -Tom and Bob to spend the night ashore in their tent, had gone out -aboard the _Viking_. They had sat up reading until about half-past ten -o'clock,--rather later than usual,--when a most unexpected visitor -appeared. It was none other than Mr. Carleton, rowing alongside in a -small rowboat belonging to Captain Sam. He made this fast now and climbed -aboard. - -"Really this is imposing on your hospitality," he said, appearing at the -companionway. "But the fact is, I'm in a bit of a scrape. I've left my -key in another pair of trousers in Captain Curtis's house, and the door -is locked there, and they're evidently all fast asleep, as it's getting -on to eleven. I hated to wake them up, so I came down on the point and -looked in at your friends' tent. They were sleeping like good fellows, -too, and I couldn't see any extra blanket to roll up in. Then I spied -your light out aboard here. Do you think you can spare me a bunk and a -blanket for a night?" - -"We'll be only too glad to return your favour of last night," replied -Henry Burns. - -"Though you didn't make use of it yourself, eh," said Mr. Carleton, -smiling. - -They were off to sleep then in short order, Henry Burns and Harvey -occupying the cushioned berths amidships, and their guest one of the same -just forward, where Tom or Bob usually slept. - -There was really nothing of consequence occurring in the night, to be -recorded, except a slight incident that showed Mr. Carleton to be a bad -sleeper. - -Perhaps it was the strange quarters he was in that made him restless, so -that he lay for an hour or two listening to the deep breathing of the -boys, himself wide awake. Yet he was considerate, was Mr. Carleton, and -made no move to arouse them. - -Even when he sat up, after a time, and threw the blanket off, and lit a -match under the cover of the blanket to read the face of his watch by, he -did it very softly. Perhaps, even then, he was solicitous lest their -sleep be disturbed; for he stole quietly along to where they lay, and -made sure he had not aroused them. - -By and by, Mr. Carleton made another move. Taking the blanket that had -covered him, he pinned it up so that it hung from the roof of the cabin -as a sort of curtain. Then he lighted one of the cabin lamps, turning it -down so that it shone only very dimly. - -"Hang it, I don't know what makes me so wakeful," he said, in a low -voice. "That light doesn't disturb either of you boys, does it?" - -There was no answer. But Mr. Carleton, apparently to make certain, -repeated the question two or three times, very softly, so as not to -arouse them if they were sleeping, but to be overheard in case one of -them should be awake. And he repeated also the remark several times about -his sleeplessness. - -And also did he mutter to himself, so that none other could by any -possibility have overheard, "Perhaps a light will show. I couldn't make -anything out by daylight." - -A moment or two after that, Henry Burns, opening one sleepy eye to an -unusual though faint ray of light, escaping from behind the blanket, -beheld the figure of Mr. Carleton moving about the forward part of the -cabin. He lay still for a moment wondering, drowsily, what was the -matter. Perhaps he might have observed the figure for some time in -silence, but of a sudden he was seized of an overpowering impulse to -sneeze, and did so lustily. - -The figure with the lantern jumped as though it had received a blow. -Then, by the light of the lantern, the blanket being whisked aside, Mr. -Carleton was revealed, with a paper-covered novel in one hand, seating -himself in the attitude of one reading. - -"That's too bad," he said, softly. "I thought the blanket would hide my -light. I got restless, you see, and have been reading a bit. I'm all -right now though, I think. I'll douse the light and try again. Sorry I -disturbed you." - -The light went out. Hence neither Henry Burns nor any one else could by -any possibility have seen the look of anger and disappointment on the -face of Mr. Carleton as he turned in and lay down to sleep--this time in -earnest. - -While thus living his boyhood over again with his new youthful -acquaintances, Mr. Carleton did not neglect to establish friendly -relations with older persons. Squire Brackett admired him greatly. As -matter of fact, to a designing person, the squire was the easiest man in -the world to win admiration from. - -He had an inordinate vanity and love of flattery, which, united with a -pompous manner, made him unbearable to those of discrimination; and this -entrance to his good graces was quickly espied by Mr. Carleton. The -squire liked that quiet, but perceptible, deference that came to him from -a person of such apparent means. - -There was, however, another reason that appealed even more strongly to -the squire why he should cultivate Mr. Carleton, and that was a hint the -squire had gained that his new acquaintance might prove profitable to -him. - -"Squire Brackett," said Mr. Carleton, seated for the evening on the -squire's front porch, "that's a pretty little island just below here, -close to shore, between here and where those four boys are camping. Do -you know, I'd like to own that. I have an idea a man could throw out a -neat, rustic bridge from shore, just big enough to take a horse and -carriage across, build a cottage out there, and have the most beautiful -place about here." - -"Well, why don't you buy it?" replied the squire. "It would, indeed, be a -rare cottage site--prettiest spot around here, I say." - -"I think perhaps I will," said Mr. Carleton; "that is, if it is for sale. -Do you know anything about that?" - -"Why," answered the squire, "I guess I come about as near as anybody to -owning it. You see, I hold a mortgage on it." - -"How much do you value it at?" asked Mr. Carleton. - -"Why, let me see," said the squire; "about twenty-five hundred dollars, I -should say." - -"Cheap enough!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "I'll just write up to my lawyers -and see how some investments I have are turning-out. I think we can make -a trade later on." - -He said it as though it was a trifling matter, and the squire, who had -named an exorbitant figure, was sorry he had not put it higher. He also -had neglected to explain that his hold on the land was of the slightest, -consisting, as it did, of a mortgage of eight hundred dollars against -Billy Cook, the owner, who had paid off all but two hundred dollars of -the incumbrance. However, he had no doubt he could easily buy it of Billy -Cook--indeed, he had had it offered to him for only four hundred dollars -above the entire mortgage the year before. - -"You ought to have a good boat to cruise around here with," said the -squire. "You're fond of sailing, I see. Reckon you know how to handle a -boat pretty well yourself." - -The squire knew he hadn't any boat to sell that would suit Mr. Carleton, -calling to mind his son's letter from him about the _Viking_; but he had -a purpose in suggesting the buying of one. He considered that if Mr. -Carleton should make such a purchase, and become fascinated with the -sailing about Southport, he would be more likely to want the land to -build a cottage on. - -"Yes, I am very fond of sailing," responded Mr. Carleton, "but I haven't -got so far as to think about buying a boat just yet." - -"Oh, ho! you haven't, eh?" said the squire to himself. "Reckon I know -something about that." - -The squire was vastly tickled. Here was a position that just suited his -crafty nature. It didn't signify anything, to be sure, Mr. Carleton's -dissembling,--probably that he might get a better bargain by keeping -quiet and not seeming anxious to buy,--but it pleased the squire to have -this little advantage in the situation. - -"I think you might buy the _Viking_," he suggested. - -Mr. Carleton had his own doubts about this, having been informed by Harry -Brackett of the failure of his attempt, but he merely said, "That so? -Well, she might do. Ever hear of anything queer about her--any outs about -her?" - -"No," replied the squire, "nothing queer about her, except the way they -got her. I don't know of any faults that she has." - -"Well, I might buy her if they didn't hold her too high," said Mr. -Carleton, meditatively. "I suppose she's worth fifteen hundred dollars -easy enough." - -"Yes, and more if you had her up Boston way," answered the squire. "You -haven't had any idea of buying her, then?" - -"No," responded Mr. Carleton. "Still, I might like to. But please don't -say anything about it." - -"Oh, no," replied the squire, chuckling to himself. Mr. Carleton, bidding -him good night and taking his departure, was more than ever an object of -interest to the squire. Here was a man that spoke in the most casual and -nonchalant way of investing twenty-five hundred dollars in a piece of -land that he liked, and of buying a fifteen-hundred-dollar boat. The -squire's curiosity, always keen in other persons' affairs, was aroused. -He wondered--in the usual trend of such personal curiosity--how the other -man had made his money. - -This curiosity was not abated, to say the least, by a comparatively -trifling incident that occurred a day or two following. The squire had, -in the cupola of his house, which he used as a vantage-point for -surveying the bay far out to sea, and the surrounding country up and down -the island, a large telescope. It was a powerful glass, with which he -could "pick up" a vessel away down among the islands, and read the name -on the stern of one a mile away. The squire had some interests in several -small schooners plying between the coast cities and Benton, and was in -the habit of going up to his lookout two or three times each day. - -On this particular occasion, the squire, after sweeping the bay with the -glass, turned it inland and took a look down the island. He could -distinguish several familiar wagons passing along the main road, but -nothing unusual. But, when he happened to turn the glass almost directly -back inland from the direction of the town, he caught an object in its -sweep that arrested his attention. It was the figure of his new -acquaintance, Mr. Carleton, leaning against some pasture bars about a -quarter of a mile away, intently reading a letter. - -There was surely nothing unusual nor exciting about this, and yet the -squire was interested. Perhaps it was due just to the novelty of -observing a man a quarter of a mile away, reading a letter, when he could -by no possibility be aware that he was being observed. - -But if the squire's attention was drawn to Mr. Carleton in the act of -reading the letter, it was certainly doubled and trebled when the latter, -having finished his perusal of it, waved the letter in a seemingly -triumphant manner about his head and then tore it into many little pieces -and dropped the pieces at his feet. Squire Brackett, through the -spy-glass, watched Mr. Carleton come down through the fields toward the -village. - -He knew the exact spot to the inch where Mr. Carleton had stood. It was -at the bars that divided a pasture belonging to the postmaster and a -piece of town property. The squire shut the sliding glass windows that -protected his lookout, hurried out-of-doors, walked briskly up through -the fields, making a detour to avoid meeting Mr. Carleton, and arrived, -somewhat short of breath, at the bars. He gathered up the pieces of the -letter carefully. He put them into his coat-pocket, and walked briskly -back to his house. - -He hadn't got them all, for the wind had carried some away. But the -letter had evidently been a brief one. When the squire took the pieces -out that afternoon at his desk in a little room that he called his -office, there were only eleven scraps that he could assemble. Mr. -Carleton had torn the letter into small bits. - -The squire was disappointed. He had hoped to gratify his curiosity and be -able to pry into Mr. Carleton's private affairs a little. And withal, -there were two words that interested him greatly and made his -disappointment all the more keen. These were two words that followed, one -the other, in the sequence in which they had been written. They were the -words, "aboard yacht." All the others had been so separated in the -destruction of the letter that the squire despaired of ever being able to -make anything out of them, or to restore them to anything like their -original consecutive form. - -However, he arranged the words and scraps of words by pasting them on a -sheet of paper, as follows: - - lock - ey - must be - sound - mbers - aboard yacht - starboa - still - under - ays - third - -"Well, there's a puzzle for you!" he exclaimed, dubiously. "How in the -world shall I ever be able to make anything out of that?" But the next -moment he gave a chuckle of exultation. "I've got part of it already!" he -cried. "Lucky I happened to set them down just this way. Those letters, -'mbers' must have been part of the word 'timbers.' So that, after the -first three scraps that I have put down, it reads, 'sound timbers aboard -yacht.' I'll get something out of this yet. There's 'starboa,' too. -That's 'starboard,' of course. And 'ays' below may be 'stays.' That might -make 'starboard stays.'" - -A look of perplexity came over the squire's face the next moment. - -"The queer thing about this," he said, reflectively, "is that somebody -away from here is writing him about this yacht. Perhaps they don't mean -the _Viking_. However, I believe that is the boat referred to. Well, he -may be only getting advice from some one as to how to examine the -yacht--how to look her over. The remark about 'sound timbers' sounds like -that, anyway. So ho! he isn't thinking about buying a yacht, eh?" - -The squire chuckled. - -"I'll study this over at my leisure," he said, as he placed the paper -with the letters pasted on it carefully away in a drawer. "I'll figure it -out." - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - THE SURPRISE SETS SAIL AGAIN - - -The work on the _Surprise_ had gone on famously, though it had been a -hard task. The labour of cleaning her, inside and out, had been well -begun down in the Thoroughfare, but there remained still much to be done -after she had been floated up into the harbour of Southport. - -First, the boys had brought her in on the beach, at a point a little way -up the cove from the Warren cottage, where there was a break in the rocky -shore, and a clean strip of sand extended back from the water's edge. -There they had raised her on blocks and shored her up so they could work -to advantage. - -They swarmed over and in and out of her then like ants in an ant-hill, -every boy lending a hand, from the Warren brothers to the campers down -below. They scrubbed and scraped her, inside and out, and washed her -insides with soap and hot water. - -Then, following Captain Sam's advice, they built a fire on the shore and -melted a kettle full of pitch and tar. When they had gone over the entire -planking of the boat, setting up the nails that had slackened with the -straining it had undergone, and had driven many new ones in between, -Harvey, equipped with an enormous brush, and having taken up the cabin -flooring, smeared the inner part of the boat's planking with the tar and -pitch, filling all the seams with it. - -Then they went over the entire hull on the exterior, tightening it up, -scraping, sandpapering, and rubbing until their hands were blistered and -their arms ached. Then came the painting of the cabin and outer hull, and -the scraping and varnishing of the decks. The mast and ballast they had -brought up from the Thoroughfare. The latter, cleansed of its rust and -given a coating of hot coal-tar, was ready to be stowed aboard. The mast, -scraped and varnished till it glistened once more, had been carefully -stepped and fastened above and below. The yacht _Surprise_, with clean, -shining spars, with polished, glistening decks, and with hull spotless -white, was ready once more for the water. Long before they had tested -their work with innumerable buckets of water thrown aboard, and had found -her tight and not a leak remaining. - -Jack Harvey eyed the yacht admiringly, as he paused, half-way up the bank -from where she stood. His companions in the day's work had gone on ahead. - -"She's a fine old boat," he said, "and she's just as good as new. I've -had a lot of fun in her, too. I'll never have any more fun in the -_Viking_ than I've had in her, though the _Viking_ is bigger and -handsomer. I'd be satisfied with the _Surprise_ if I hadn't got the other -one." - -The moment seemed almost opportune for the offer that followed. - -"That's a fine craft there," cried a voice so close in Harvey's ear that -it made him jump, for he had been so lost in the admiration of the -_Surprise_ that he had not heard the sound of any one approaching. He -turned quickly, and there was Mr. Carleton. - -"Doesn't look much as though she had been under water all winter, does -she?" asked Harvey. - -"I should say not," replied Mr. Carleton. "Looks as though she was just -out of the shipyard. I don't see what you need of the _Viking_ when -you've got such a boat as this. You'd better let me hire the _Viking_ -from you for the rest of the summer." - -"Sorry," replied Harvey, "but I can't do it. You see, I've promised to -let the crew have this boat, and they have set their hearts on it. I -wouldn't disappoint them now for a hundred dollars." - -"How about two hundred dollars?" suggested Mr. Carleton. - -Harvey hesitated for a moment. - -"No!" he cried, determinedly, "not for a thousand dollars. There! I've -said it, and I mean it. I want the money bad enough, too. But the crew -are going to have this boat. We've made all the arrangements, and we are -using the _Viking_ for fishing, and we've got to be off for another trip, -too, for we have been about here, earning nothing, for quite awhile now." - -"I'll give you eighteen hundred dollars if you will sell the _Viking_," -said Mr. Carleton. - -Harvey shook his head stubbornly. - -"No use," he said. "But," he added, "you can arrange with the crew to -take you sailing easy enough when we aren't around here. They'll be glad -to have you go." - -"Hm!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "Well, all right; but if you change your -mind, let me know. - -"When are you going to launch this one?" he added. - -"Why, I think we'll put her into the water this evening," replied Harvey. -"That is, if we don't get a shower. The moon will be up and the tide -right. That's why we are coming away so early now. We're going up to the -Warren cottage to get out some Japanese lanterns, and get the cannon -ready. When we launch her, we are going to run a line from the masthead -to the stern, and hang a chain of the lanterns, light them, and tow the -_Surprise_ around to the wharf in style, and fire a salute. Then she'll -be ready for Captain Sam to fit the sails in the morning. Better come -around and see the fun." - -"Will you all be over here?" inquired Mr. Carleton. - -"The whole crowd," answered Harvey. - -"Then I'll be on hand sure," said Mr. Carleton--but added to himself, "if -I don't have something else to do." - -There seemed to be no prospect of anybody taking part in a launching on -this particular evening, however, for the dark clouds that had warned -Harvey spread over the sky, and a quickly gathering summer shower was -soon upon them. Harvey hurried up to the Warren cottage for shelter, and -Mr. Carleton started back on the run toward Captain Sam's. - -A rowboat or two out in the harbour put hurriedly in to shore. The -occupant of one of these latter craft, scurrying in and dashing homeward, -had, it seems, been noticed by Squire Brackett through his glass from his -observation-tower. - -"Harry," he said, as that young man came into the house, somewhat red in -the face and out of breath, "what were you doing just now out around the -_Viking_? I saw you row out behind her, and it took you at least three -minutes or more to come in sight again. You didn't go aboard her, did -you?" - -"No, I didn't go aboard," replied Harry Brackett, sulkily. - -"Well, see that you don't," said Squire Brackett, emphatically. "You -might not mean any harm by it, but you've had some trouble with those -boys already this summer, and they wouldn't like having you aboard unless -they invited you." - -"Hm! well, if I wait for that I'll never step aboard that boat," -exclaimed Harry Brackett. "And what's more, I don't want to go aboard. I -wouldn't go if they asked me." - -Having thus declared himself, Harry Brackett bolted his supper and -vanished. - -The shower, of rapid approach, was of equally brief duration. It had -begun raining big, splashing drops about half-past four o'clock. Now, an -hour later, it was brightening again, the sun darting its rays forth from -the breaking cloud-banks, and the rain-drops dripping only from eaves and -tree-branches. - -Henry Burns and Harvey were vastly elated. The launching need not be put -off, for the evening would be fair. They left the Warren cottage and -hurried down alongshore to where they had left their tender, rowed out to -the _Viking_, and began their preparations for supper. - -"Henry," said Harvey, "there's some sunlight left yet, and just enough -breeze to dry the sails nicely before we leave. The sooner they are dried -the less likely they are to mildew. Shall we run them up?" - -"Yes, let's be quick about it," replied Henry Burns. "The fire's ready -for the biscuit." - -They seized the halyards, one the throat and the other the peak, and -began hauling. The sail went up smartly--when, all at once, there was an -ominous, ripping sound. - -"Hold on!" cried Harvey, "something is caught." - -"Well, I should say there was!" exclaimed Henry Burns, when he had made -his halyard fast, and started to examine. "Cracky! but there are two big -tears in the sail." - -"I don't see how that can be," said Harvey, joining him. "It's a stout, -new mainsail." - -"Why, I see what did the mischief," he exclaimed, the next moment. "The -reefing-points are caught in two places. That's funny. We shook all the -reefs out the last time we brought her in." - -"Look and see if it's funny," said Henry Burns, quietly. "I suppose -somebody thought it was funny. Those knots didn't tie themselves." - -Harvey examined them, while his face reddened with anger. - -"I'll bet I could guess who did that!" he cried. - -"We'll attend to his case if you guess right," responded Henry Burns. - -The knots certainly could not have caught themselves. There had been -design in the act. In two places along the sail, one of the points for -the fourth reef had been tied with one of the first. The consequence of -this was, that when the united strength of the boys had come to bear -directly on these two places, instead of being exerted evenly along the -entire sail, the canvas had given away. - -Harvey clinched his fist for a moment, opened his lips, as though about -to give vent to his anger, and then suddenly subsided, with an expression -on his face that half-amused Henry Burns. - -"Say, Henry," he said, "I've played the same kind of a joke myself before -this, so I guess I might as well grin and bear it. But," he continued, -doubling up his fist once more, "perhaps I won't take it out of that -young Harry Brackett just the same, if I find out he did it." - -Henry Burns smiled assent. - -"Never mind," he said. "We can mend the tears so they won't show much." - -They untied the knots, raised the sail, and let it dry while they ate -their supper. - -"Say, Tim," said Harvey, an hour later, as they stood on shore by Tom and -Bob's tent, where the campers from down below had also assembled, "will -you do something for me?" - -"Sure," replied Little Tim. "What is it?" - -"Well, we want you to stay out aboard the _Viking_ while we go up the -cove and get the _Surprise_ off and float her around," said Harvey. "You -see, Henry and I have decided not to leave the _Viking_ deserted at night -after this--that is, unless we have to. But what we want to-night -particularly is for you to stay aboard and keep watch, and see if you -notice Harry Brackett around the shore or the wharf, looking off toward -the _Viking_. He's played us a fine trick, and made us tear our -mainsail--that is, we think he did it. But whoever it was will probably -be around to see if the trick worked. You don't mind, do you?" - -"No-o-o," answered Tim; "but don't fire the cannon till you get around -the point." - -"We won't," said Harvey. "Here's the key to the cabin." - -Little Tim rowed out aboard. - -It seemed, however, as though his vigil was to be a fruitless one. -Certainly, Harry Brackett failed to put in an appearance. Little Tim -stretched himself out on the seat and waited impatiently. - -"I don't see what Jack wanted to make me stay here for," he remarked, -when eight o'clock had come and gone and it was close upon nine, and the -moon was rising. - -Presently, however, he sat up and listened. Yes, there was somebody -rowing out from shore. Tim strained his eyes eagerly. Then shortly he -made out a somewhat familiar figure. - -"Hello, Mr. Carleton," he called; "I thought they said you were going up -to the launching." - -The man in the boat stopped rowing abruptly, and turned in his seat. But -if he was surprised to find anybody aboard the _Viking_ he did not show -it. - -"So I am," he replied. "Don't you want to go up with me?" - -"Can't do it," replied Little Tim. "I'm on watch. You'd better hurry, -though. The tide is about up. She'll be afloat soon now." - -Mr. Carleton rowed away. But he was not over-impatient, it would seem, -for he rowed leisurely. In fact, he did not get up to the place of the -launching at all, but paused off the wharf and sat idly in the stern of -his boat, smoking and enjoying the beauty of the rising moon. - -The yacht _Surprise_ was at last afloat in all its glory of new paint and -shining spars. She came around the point presently, towed by two boats -filled with the boys, the string of lanterns, with candles lighted, -swaying almost dangerously in the night breeze. The rowers halted abreast -the _Viking_, the report of the cannon rang out over the waters and up -through the quiet town, and the _Surprise_, now at anchor, lay waiting -for the morrow, when Captain Sam should stretch the sails. - -"Great success, wasn't it?" cried Tom Harris to the occupant of a rowboat -that had drifted up to them. - -"Great!" replied Mr. Carleton. "Great! Sorry I didn't get over in time to -see her go into the water." - -Mr. Carleton made up for his delinquency the next day, however, for he -was on hand early, and was much interested in the work of Captain Sam. He -knew something of reeving rigging, too, it seemed, and lent a hand now -and then. Joe Hinman and the crew liked him better than ever for it. - -He was down again after dinner, too, and ready as ever to be of -assistance. - -"Hello," he said, looking over toward the _Viking_, "are the other chaps -going to play truant this afternoon, and leave us to rig the _Surprise_? -I see they've got sail up." - -"Oh, they're off for a week's fishing down among the islands," said Joe. -"Jack said for us to go ahead and run the _Surprise_ as soon as Captain -Sam gets her ready. There they start now. They've cast off." - -The _Viking_ was, indeed, under way, with Henry Burns and Harvey and Tom -and Bob waving farewell. - -"Where are you bound?" called Mr. Carleton, springing to the rail and -hailing the _Viking_. - -"Down the bay, fishing," answered Harvey. - -"Great!" cried Mr. Carleton. "Bring her up a minute, and I'll come aboard -and make the trip with you." - -Harvey looked at Henry Burns inquiringly. - -Henry Burns glanced back at Mr. Carleton, but without altering the course -of the yacht. - -"Good-bye," he called, pleasantly. "Sorry, but we've got a full crew. -Couldn't pay you high enough wages, anyway. Next trip, perhaps. Good-bye, -fellows." - -Mr. Carleton watched the yacht, footing it fleetly southward; and there -was a look of genuine disappointment on his face. - -"Never mind," said Joe Hinman, "come along with us. We're off for a -little cruise ourselves, in the morning. We'd like to have you go." - -"No, thanks," replied Mr. Carleton. "I think I will wait ashore this -trip--yes, I will go, too," he said in the next breath. "I tell you where -we will go. We'll sail down to Stoneland. I haven't been down that far -yet. I'm with you." - -"All right," said Joe. As a matter of fact, he had not contemplated so -long a trip until the sails had been fully stretched and fitted under -Captain Sam's eye. But there was something positive about Mr. Carleton's -assertion. He said it with an assurance that seemed to take it for -granted that that settled it. So Joe good-naturedly acquiesced. - -"By the way," said Mr. Carleton the next morning, when they had met -outside Rob Dakin's store, "have you got a chart of these waters aboard?" - -"No," answered Joe. "Jack has all that stuff aboard the _Viking_. But we -don't need a chart around this bay, do we, fellows? Not to go as far as -Stoneland even. We know the bay all right." - -"Well, I don't doubt that," responded Mr. Carleton; "but I like to see -where I am sailing for my own information. I'll get one in the store." - -Mr. Carleton providing not only a chart for the voyage, but a quantity of -provisions as well, they set out in high feather. It certainly was a -stroke of luck, now that Harvey's pocket-money was low, to have so -liberal a passenger. - -He was an interested and discerning sailor, too, was Mr. Carleton. He had -a sailor's interest to read the depth of water on the chart as they -sailed, and to note the points of land off at either hand, and the -islands by name, as they went southward. And he traced it all accurately -on the chart as they progressed, with a little pencilling, especially -when they sailed between some small islands at the foot of Grand Island. - -"I like to know where I am, don't you?" he asked of Joe Hinman. "I may -buy a yacht of my own down here some day." - -He was interested in the harbour of Stoneland, too, and in the town; and -he took them all up to a store there and bought them bottled soda, and -bought their supper the night of their arrival there--which was the -second night after their departure from Southport. - -Then, at his suggestion, they cruised a little way down the channel that -was the thoroughfare out to sea, on the following morning, and would have -liked to go farther, but that Joe Hinman declared they must be getting -back, as the crew had an idea of doing some fishing on their own account, -to help Harvey out with expenses. - -"There!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, as they headed about finally, "there's -our course by the chart, laid down as fine as you please. I'm going to -give this chart to you--after I amuse myself with it awhile." - -But be it recorded that when the trip had been ended, several days later, -Mr. Carleton did not leave the chart aboard the _Surprise_, but took it -ashore with him. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - STORMY WEATHER - - -"Too bad we couldn't take Carleton along with us," said Harvey, as the -yacht _Viking_, with all sail spread, was beating down the bay. "He ought -to have asked us sooner. We might have managed to make room for him." - -"You mean, he ought to have said he was going sooner," said Henry Burns, -slyly. - -"Oh, I suppose so," replied Harvey, half-impatiently. "I see, you never -will quite like our new friend. By the way, that reminds me, he wants to -buy the _Viking_. He says he will give us eighteen hundred dollars. -That's the second offer we've had this summer." - -"Are you sure it isn't the same one?" suggested Henry Burns. - -"Why, of course it is," cried Jack Harvey. "Sure enough, that's what -Harry Brackett was up to. He was buying for Mr. Carleton--just trying to -show off, and make us think he had all that money." - -"That's queer, too," remarked Henry Burns, "that Mr. Carleton should try -to buy the _Viking_ after just that one short sail down the river." - -"Oh, I don't know," returned Harvey; "he saw what the boat could do--at -least, in smooth water. No, that wouldn't quite answer, either. He must -have heard about her from some of the fishermen over at Bellport." - -"Well, do you want to sell?" inquired Henry Burns. - -"Not much!" replied Harvey, emphatically. "I know you don't, either, -although you don't say so." - -"Well, that's true; I'd rather not," admitted Henry Burns. - -The wind was light, and they had only reached Hawk Island by six o'clock. -So, not caring to risk another experience making Loon Island Harbour in -the night, they anchored, and sailed over the next morning. They had -provided bait for two days' fishing before they left Southport, so they -stood on past Loon Island Harbour and ran out direct to the -fishing-grounds. - -They had a fair afternoon's fishing, and also set two short pieces of -trawl, for hake, a few fathoms off from one of the reefs. Captain Sam had -provided them with these. They were long lines, each with about a hundred -hooks attached at intervals by short pieces of line. At either end of the -trawl-line was a sinker, and also a line extending to the surface of the -water where it was attached to a buoy. This, floating conspicuously on -the water, would mark the spot where the trawl had been set. - -Baiting these many hooks all along the trawl with herring, bought for the -purpose at Southport, they set them at a point lying between two reefs, -in about twenty-five fathoms of water, where Will Hackett had informed -them there was a strip of soft, muddy bottom, a feeding-ground frequented -by these fish. - -Then they ran in to harbour with their catch of cod, and took them up to -the trader's wharf. - -"We're going to have some hake for you, too," said Henry Burns. "That is, -we expect to. What are you paying for hake these days?" - -The trader, Mr. Hollis, eyed the young fisherman with an amused -expression. - -"Going right into the business, aren't you?" he said. "Well, I like to -see you young fellows with some spunk. Don't fetch in so many that I -can't handle 'em," he added, with a twinkle in his eye; "and if you -underrun your trawls twice a day, so the fish will come in here good and -fresh, I'll pay you half a cent a pound. You'll find it some work, -though, when the sea is running strong. Got to take the fish off the -hooks in the morning, and then underrun again at evening and bait up all -the hooks for the night's catch." - -"We'll do that all right," responded Henry Burns. "We'll bring them in -fresh." - -They put in hard, busy days now, rising at the first of daylight and -going outside as soon as the wind would allow. They had only one dory -with which to tend the trawls, so two of the boys usually tended one, and -then the other two took their turn. It proved, indeed, hard work when the -sea was high. - -If the night's catch had been good, the trawls came up heavy; and there -was ever the danger, with the pitching of the boat, of running one of the -innumerable hooks into the hands. But they soon became expert at it, -learning how to sit braced in the boat and hold the trawl with a firm -grasp, so that it might not slip through the hands, and how to unhook the -fish. - -Then, when they had underrun both trawls, they would stand off in the -_Viking_ for a different feeding-ground for the cod, and fish until it -was time to bait up the trawls for the night. - -By degrees, they came to learn other feeding-grounds than the few Will -Hackett had shown them, by following the little fleet; and they went now, -occasionally, clear across the bay that lay between Loon Island and South -Haven Island. This was often rough water, for they were at the very -entrance to the bay, at the open sea, and the waves piled in heavily, -even when the wind was light, showing there had been a disturbance far -out. This took them to the shoal water in about the reefs at the foot of -South Haven Island, a protected spot from the north, under the lee, but -open to the full sweep of the sea from the south. - -It was in this place at about five of the afternoon, on the fourth day -following their arrival, that they experienced a sudden and startling -change of weather. - -They had gone out in the morning, with a light southerly breeze blowing, -which had held steadily throughout the day. But now, near sundown, it had -died away, so that they had weighed anchor and were about to beat back -slowly across the bay, toward harbour. - -They had scarcely got under way, however, when the wind, with -extraordinary fickleness, fell off altogether, a strange and unusual calm -succeeding. - -"That's queer!" exclaimed Harvey, glancing about with some apprehension. -"Looks as though we were hung up here for the night. It won't do to try -to anchor near these reefs, and we can't fetch bottom where we are. I -guess we are in for a row of a mile to get under the lee of one of those -little islands where we can lie safe." - -They were about half a mile out from the nearest line of reefs, floating -idly on the long swells, with the sails flapping and the boom swinging -inboard in annoying fashion. - -Henry Burns groaned. - -"Oh my!" he exclaimed. "What a beastly stroke of luck. I'm tired enough -to turn in now. Don't you suppose we'll get a little evening breeze?" - -"We may," replied Harvey, "but there's something queer in the way the -wind dropped all of a sudden. I'm afraid we've seen the last of the -breeze for to-day." - -But Jack Harvey's prophecy was refuted with startling suddenness. - -"Jack," said Bob, almost the next moment, "there's something queer about -the water just along the line of the reefs and the shore back of them." - -He pointed, as he spoke, to a strange, white light that lay in a long, -thin line just off the land, a half-mile ahead. It was almost ghostly, -with a brilliant, unnatural whiteness. And, even as they gazed, its area -rapidly extended and broadened. - -Harvey shot a quick glance ahead. Then he sprang from the wheel and -seized the throat-halyard. - -"Get the peak--quick!" he cried to Bob. "Head her square as you can for -the light, Henry. Tom, cast off the jib-halyards and grab the downhaul. -It's a white squall, I think." - -Henry Burns seized the wheel, while the two boys at the halyards let the -mainsail go on the run. There was no steerageway on the _Viking_, as they -had been drifting; but Henry Burns managed, by throwing the wheel over -quickly and reversing it moderately, to swing the boat's head a little. - -They were not a moment too soon. Out of a clear, cloudless sky, there -came suddenly rushing upon them a wind with such fury that, sweeping -across the bow, it laid the yacht over; while there flew aboard, from the -smother about the bow, a cloud of fine spray that nearly blinded them. - -The _Viking_, its head thrown off by the squall, that struck the outer -jib, which they had not been able to lower, careened alarmingly. Then -Henry Burns brought her fairly before it, just as a sea began to roll -aboard. The cockpit was ankle-deep with water; but they were scudding now -safely out to sea, drenched to the skin, as the squall, whipping off the -tops of the long rollers, filled all the air with a flying storm of -spray. - -The blast had fallen upon them so unexpectedly, and with such incredible -quickness, that they scarce knew what had happened before they were -running before it toward the open sea. - -They got the hatches closed now, after Tom had dashed below and brought -up the oilskins. True, they were soaked through and through, but the wind -had a sharp, cold sting to it, and the oilskins would protect them from -that. They got the outer jib down, too. Then, when they saw there was no -immediate danger, as the _Viking_ was acting well, they collected their -wits and discussed, hurriedly, what they should do. - -"My! but that was a close call," said Bob. "How did you know what was -coming, Jack?" - -"I didn't, exactly," said Harvey. "But I've heard the fishermen tell of -the white squalls, and I thought that was one." - -"Don't they say they are worse when they come between tides?" asked Henry -Burns, quietly. - -"Seems to me they do," answered Harvey. "I guess we're in for it. Lucky -we are running out to sea, instead of in on to a lee shore, though." - -"They don't last long, I've heard say," said Henry Burns. "We may be able -to face it by and by, and work back; though it will be a long beat, by -the way we are driving." - -They were, indeed, being borne onward with great force. Moreover, a quick -transformation had taken place over the surface of the waters; for the -fury of the squall, continuing as it did for some time from the west, had -calmed the waves, and there was almost a smooth sea before them. - -Then, presently, there came another strange alteration of the wind. The -violence of the squall abated, and the breeze fell away again. But only -for a brief length of time. As often happens, with the white squall as -its forerunner, the wind now changed from the southerly of the morning -and afternoon, to northeasterly; and already, as they proceeded to get -sail again on the _Viking_, the water darkened away to the north and -eastward, showing that a new breeze was coming from that quarter. They -were fully two miles out to sea. - -"Looks downright nasty, don't it, Jack?" said Henry Burns. "Better reef, -hadn't we?" - -"Yes, and in a hurry, too," replied Harvey. "It's coming heavy before -long." - -"Here, you take the wheel," said Henry Burns. "I'm quick at tying in -reef-points. Come on, Tom. Bob will set the forestaysail. How many reefs -do you want, Jack?" - -"Two, I think," replied Harvey. "We'll watch her close, though. I'm -afraid we shall need a third. But we'll work her back as far as we can -before we tie another. It's growing dark, and we must make time." - -It was true, and ominously so. With the alteration of the wind the sky -had darkened, and was becoming overcast. Night would soon be upon them, -and a stormy one. - -Nor had they beaten back more than a half-mile, in the teeth of the wind, -before Harvey luffed and hauled the main-sheet in flat. - -"We've got to put in a third reef," he said, soberly. "We don't need it -quite yet, but we shall very soon, and we don't want to have to reef out -here in the night." - -They lowered the sail a little and tied in the reef, and the _Viking_ -stood on again. But already the sea was beginning to roll up heavily from -the northeast, having a long sweep of water to become agitated in--the -stretch of bay that lay between Loon and South Haven Islands. The wind -had become a storm, a black, heavy nor'easter. In another half-hour, rain -began to drive upon them. - -But the good yacht _Viking_ stood it well, and they had worked up to -within about half a mile of the foot of Loon Island, though still a mile -away from it out in the bay, when the wind and sea perceptibly increased. - -"We can't make the harbour," muttered Harvey. "We'll try for the little -harbour at the head of the island." - -The inhabitants of Loon Island called that end the head which fronted -seaward, and there was a good harbour there; that is, not what the -fishermen called a "whole" harbour, protected on all quarters, but good -as the wind now blew. They headed more to the eastward and stood up for -that. - -But when, at length, Harvey peered ahead, straining his eyes in the -gathering darkness for a favourable moment to come about, he could see no -apparent difference in the seas. They were all huge, and they beat over -the bows of the _Viking_ in one steady, dashing spray. - -"She won't do it," said Harvey. - -But he eased her and headed off, while the _Viking_ rolled dangerously. -Then he put the helm hard down. - -"Ready, about," he cried. - -But his fears were realized. The seas were too heavy, with the sail that -they could carry. - -"Well, we'll wear her about," said Harvey. "Drop the peak, Henry; and -climb to windward, boys, when the boom comes over." - -There was peril in this manoeuvre, jibing a boat in such a sea and wind; -but it was clearly the only thing to be done. There was scant sail on, -with the peak lowered; and Harvey did the trick pluckily and -sailor-fashion. The sheet was well in and the boat almost dead before the -wind, before he threw the wheel over and let the wind catch the sail on -the other side. The yacht came around against a flying wall of foam and -spray, with the boys clinging for one moment to the weather rail, and -throwing all their weight on that side. Then Tom and Henry Burns, with -united strength, raised the peak of the sail, though it filled in the -gale and was almost too much for them. - -They stood up again toward harbour. - -"What do you think, Jack?" asked Henry Burns, finally. - -"I don't think--I know!" exclaimed Harvey, doggedly. "We can't make the -harbour. We've got to ride it out somehow. I don't know but what the best -thing, after all, is to leave just a scrap of sail on, to steady her, and -ran to sea again. We've got to decide pretty soon, though." - -"Wait a minute," said Henry Burns, quietly. "I've got a scheme. If it -doesn't work, we'll scud for our lives again." - -Making a quick dash into the cabin, he emerged with a spare line, a heavy -anchor-rope. Then he made a second trip and brought forth some smaller -and shorter pieces. - -"Get the sweeps and the boat-hook," he cried to Tom and Bob, "and fetch -up that water-cask and the big wooden fish-box." - -The boys waited not a moment to inquire the reason, though Henry Burns's -design was an enigma to them. They scrambled forward and then below, -handed the sweeps aft, and tumbled the box and cask out on deck. - -"Pass some lashings around the cask and the box," commanded Henry Burns. - -The boys lost no time in obeying orders, while Henry Burns, himself, -quickly took a hitch around either end of one of the sweeps, with one of -the short pieces of rope. He then tied the spare anchor-line at the -centre of this rope, so that, if the sweep were cast overboard, it would -be dragged through the water horizontally, offering its full resistance. - -To this sweep he then rapidly hitched the other one, and then the -boat-hook; and, finally, he hitched to this the big box and the cask, by -their lashings. - -"What in the world are you going to do with that stuff, Henry?" inquired -Bob. - -But Harvey had perceived the other's purpose. - -"Good for you, Henry!" he exclaimed. "Where did you ever hear about a -sea-anchor?" - -"Read about it in a book, once," responded Henry Burns, coolly. "What do -you say--shall we try it? We lose all the stuff if it don't work. We'll -have to cut it loose." - -"You bet we'll try it," said Harvey, hurriedly. "We can't be in much -worse shape than we're in. Get it up aft now, fellows; and Tom, you and -Bob be ready to jump for the halyards and lower the sail, when it goes -overboard. Then we'll tie in that fourth reef in a jiffy." - -The other end of the spare anchor-rope, to which the stuff was tied, was -yet to be made fast forward. This was a dangerous task, with the yacht -pitching heavily, as it was, and the seas flying aboard. So Henry Burns -passed a line about his waist, which was held by Tom and Bob, while he -scrambled forward in the darkness and accomplished the feat. - -Then they got the mass of stuff which they had tied together up to the -stern rail, and, at the word, heaved it overboard. Harvey kept the yacht -away from it for a few moments, so that the attraction that floating -objects have for one another should not bring it in alongside; and then, -when the line had nearly run out, brought the _Viking_ as close into the -wind as the seas would allow, and held her there. - -The yacht lost headway, and drifted back. Lowering the mainsail, they -hurriedly tied in the fourth and last reef. The forestaysail had been -taken in, long before. - -The line brought up; the clean-built, shapely hull of the yacht drifting -back faster than the bulky mass of stuff at the other end of it; and, as -the tension came on the line, the bow of the _Viking_ swung around, and -she was heading fairly up into the seas, which broke evenly on either -side. - -"It's great!" cried Harvey, exultantly. "You've got a wise head on you, -Henry Burns. Now let's get the scrap of a mainsail up, and she will lie -steadier." - -They hoisted the shred of sail, hauled the boom inboard so that it was as -nearly on a line with the keel as they could bring it, and lashed it -securely. The sail, thus getting the wind alike on either side, served to -steady the yacht, and she rolled less. They had given the improvised -sea-anchor the full length of the line, which was a long one, so that the -strain would be lessened; and the yacht was riding fairly well. - -"She'll stay like a duck, if the gear only holds," said Henry Burns. - -They waited, watching anxiously, till a half-hour had gone by. The yacht -was standing it well. The great seas lifted her bows high and dropped her -heavily into the deep, black furrows, and the rain and spray drove aboard -in clouds. But the yacht held on. - -"She'll stay, I think," said Henry Burns; and added, yawning wearily, "if -she don't, I hope she will let us know right away, for I'll fall asleep -here in the cockpit pretty soon. Oh! but this is hard work. I don't know -but what I'll quit and dig clams for a living." - -"Turn in and take a wink of sleep," said Harvey. "She's riding all right. -We'll call you if anything goes wrong." - -"Go ahead," urged Tom and Bob. - -"I believe I will," said Henry Burns. "But it won't be a wink, when I get -started. You'll have hard work to wake me. Let me know, though, when it's -my turn to take the wheel, and give one of you fellows a chance." - -With which, Henry Burns, satisfied in his mind that his scheme was -working well, went below and fell asleep, unmindful of the bufferings of -the seas, the straining of the _Viking's_ cabin fixtures, and the heavy -pitching and tossing that shook the yacht from stem to stern. - -"Go ahead, one of you," said Harvey, addressing Tom and Bob. "Two of us -can watch, and if we need you we'll call you." - -But they shook their heads. - -"I'm dead tired," admitted Bob; "but I couldn't sleep a wink down in that -cabin in this storm. We'll stick it out till morning, won't we, Tom?" - -"I'd rather," replied Tom. - -"So would I," said Harvey. "But that's just like Henry Burns. When he -takes a notion a thing is so, he believes it out-and-out. I honestly -believe he thinks he is as safe as he would be on an ocean liner." - -Evidently, Henry Burns was satisfied with the situation; and clearly he -was a good sleeper. For daybreak found him still wrapped in slumber. Nor -did he waken when, the storm abated and the _Viking_ safe at anchor in -the harbour at the head of Loon Island, Jack Harvey and the others -tumbled below and laid their weary bones beside him. - -But, to make return for their kindness in not arousing him to help work -the boat, he was up before them, and had dinner piping hot when they -opened their eyes at noontime. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - THE MAN IN THE CABIN - - -The storm that had so suddenly overtaken the _Viking_ had raged over all -of Samoset Bay. The yacht _Surprise_, running up before the afternoon -southerly, had been becalmed when near the foot of Grand Island, a mile -or so out, and had felt the first force of the succeeding nor'easter. But -the squall that so nearly inflicted disaster upon the _Viking_ had passed -over them. - -They only knew that the wind changed with startling abruptness, and most -capriciously, and that the sea began to roll up from the northeast in an -unusually brief time. - -They were in no danger, apparently, there being good anchorage in a -harbour formed by the foot of Grand Island and a small island adjacent, -where they could lie snug till the threatening weather had cleared. - -Still, their apparent safety did not prevent their receiving a momentary -shock of alarm, when they were within less than a half-mile of shelter. - -The yacht _Surprise_ was beating ably up to the lee of the islands, -thrashing about some and throwing the spray, as the waves came spitefully -chopping and tossing under the spur of the wind, when suddenly she -struck, bow on. There was a mild shock from one end to the other, and an -ominous grating sound along the bottom. At the same time, the centreboard -rod, hit by some object, was forced part way upward through its box. - -Joe Hinman, in great alarm, threw the yacht up into the wind, and glanced -anxiously about for breakers. But none was in sight. - -"We can't be in on the rocks," he gasped. "Why, we've been down here with -Jack fifty times, if we have once. There aren't any reefs out here." - -"I'll get that chart and take a look," said Mr. Carleton. - -"Better wait and see if we've stove a hole in the bottom," said Joe. - -But the next moment the mystery was explained. There was a continued -grating sound along bottom, and presently a bundle of floating laths -drifted out, clearing the rudder. Coincident with this, the yacht struck -again very slightly at the bows. Then, as they scanned the water all -about, the boys saw that they had run into a mass of drifting, -half-submerged laths, tied into bundles. It was clear that, in some blow, -or storm, the deck-load of a coaster had been carried overboard. - -By their water-soaked appearance, the laths had been afloat for many -days. The coasters that ran from Benton to the smaller towns down the bay -often carried these for a superficial cargo; and evidently some one of -them, hit by a squall, had run its deck well under and the stuff had -floated off. - -Joe Hinman sprang forward, seized the boat-hook, and caught one of the -bundles by the rope that bound it at one end. He drew it alongside and -hauled it aboard with some difficulty, as it was heavy with water. Then -he took out his pocket-knife and proceeded to cut a sliver from one of -the laths. Though darkened a little by its exposure, and with trails of -slimy, green seaweed clinging to the bundle, the laths were sound, and -the wood bright as ever beneath the surface. - -"Hooray!" he cried. "They're worth several dollars a bundle. We're in -luck. We'll gather them all in." - -They picked up seven or eight of the bundles, stowing them in on either -side of the cockpit. - -"Makes us look like a cargo-carrier," said Allan Harding. - -"Yes, and a good cargo, too," replied Joe Hinman. "They are worth several -dollars each, to sell. But we won't sell 'em. I've got an idea. We'll -earn as much money as Jack and Henry Burns." - -"How's that?" asked Mr. Carleton, curiously eying the enthusiastic -speaker. - -Joe looked at him, beaming, and in reply exclaimed briefly, but -triumphantly, "Lobster-pots!" - -"That's so," laughed Mr. Carleton. "I guess if you can make those queer, -bird-cage sort of things, you can catch all the lobsters you want around -here." - -"Oh, yes, there's money in it," responded Joe, "though the lobsters -aren't so plenty as they used to be, the fishermen say. But we couldn't -afford to buy any pots to fish with, because it costs so much to make -them nowadays." - -Joyfully, they put the _Surprise_ on its course again and gained the -shelter of the little harbour. - -Three days later, the crew might have been seen, at a point about three -miles down the island from their camp, busily at work out on shore, with -axe and saw and hammer and nails. - -"Going to build some lath-pots, eh?" Captain Sam had queried, when they -consulted him. "Yes, you can do it all right. Just go out and fetch one -of mine in shore, and go by that." Then he added, with a twinkle in his -eye, and a shrewd Yankee smile, "You don't need all them 'ere laths -anyway. You give me one of them bundles, and I'll go to work and make -three of the slickest lath-pots you ever saw, for myself; and you can see -just how I do it." - -"It's a bargain," replied Joe, "if you will let us take your tools after -you get the pots made." - -"Reckon I will," said Captain Sam, smiling. - -It was a good bargain for the boys, at that; for Captain Sam was a clever -workman at whatever he set his hand to do. - -"One of these 'ere lath-pots," said the captain next day, as he set to -work, "is just as long as the length of a lath--four feet. Now we want -three strips of board, two feet long, to lay down crosswise for the -bottom pieces, at equal distances apart." - -He illustrated his remarks by splitting off the requisite pieces from a -chunk of board. Next he took an auger and bored a hole in each end of the -three pieces. - -"Now," he said, "we want three pieces of spruce that will bend up like -you was going to make a bow to shoot arrows with. Here they be, too, and -I've had 'em soaking in water all the morning, so they'll bend better." - -Whereupon, Captain Sam, having whittled the ends of the pieces of spruce -down so they would fit snugly into the holes he had made, bent them and -inserted the ends in the holes of the three strips of board. The three -bows stood up like the tiny beams for a miniature house, with a rounded -roof, instead of a peaked one. - -"Now, we'll nail on our laths, top and bottom," said Captain Sam, "and -then we've got the frame-work for a lobster-pot." - -He nailed them on to the three strips of board at the bottom and to the -three hoops of spruce at the top, making a cage with a flat bottom and a -rounded roof. Then, in the same way, he made a lath door, three laths in -width, running the entire length of the pot. This was fitted with leather -hinges and a wooden button to fasten on the inside, so that, when closed, -the door formed part of the roof of the pot. - -"That's the front door where Mr. Lobster always comes out," remarked -Captain Sam. "It's more work, though, making the end doors for him to -walk in at." - -These end doors, that the captain referred to, he now proceeded to fit -into place. Each consisted of a funnel-shaped mesh made of knotted cord, -the larger end fastened snugly all around to the end frame of the pot, -and leading into a small opening, six inches in diameter, made of a -wooden hoop. This hoop was held in place by Captain Sam's tying it fast -with strings to the centre of the frame. - -So that the entrance, for a hungry lobster seeking the bait inside, would -be the entire end of the frame, or what Captain Sam called the "street -entrance," and narrowing to an opening only six inches in diameter, where -the lobster would enter the cage. - -"Why don't they walk out again?" inquired young Tim, whose experience in -fishing had been limited mostly to catching flounders and cunners. - -"Well, they would, I reckon, if they swam like fish," replied Captain -Sam. "But when they have followed down the slope of the mesh, and once -squeezed in through that small opening, they don't know how to get back -again, because their claws spread out so. The slope of the mesh helps -them to get in, and there isn't any on the inside to help them get out. -But they will crawl out again sometimes, too, if you leave the pots too -long and they get all out of food." - -He next proceeded to set up, in the bottom of the pot, a small, upright -post for a bait-holder. This was spear-shaped, with a barb whittled in -it, after the style of a fish-hook, so that a fish once impaled thereon -could not work off with the action of the water. - -"There!" exclaimed Captain Sam, when he had driven the last nail and tied -the last cord. "Reckon it's done. You boys can be chopping yourselves out -some buoys, to mark your pots with, while I make the other two. You come -up to the house to-night, and I'll show you how to knot that twine to -make the meshes. So it won't cost you much to make your pots, only for a -little twine and some nails." - -The crew, having thus gained their experience and the use of Captain -Sam's tools, carried their stuff some three miles down the shore the next -day, and proceeded to construct their own lath-pots. The intermediate -waters had been fished so much by the townsfolk that they reckoned on -better success farther away. Then, too, much of the water lying between -was taken up with the pots of other fishermen, as was shown by their -buoys floating here and there. They constructed four of the pots the -first day. - -"Let's quit for the afternoon now, and get these set," suggested Little -Tim, along about half-past four in the afternoon. - -"All right, if you will trot up to town and get some rope," said Joe. -"That's the only thing we forgot. We'll need the boat, though, to catch -some bait with. You'll have to foot it." - -"I'll go," replied Tim; "but, say, who's got any money?" - -"Not any of us," said Joe. "You'll have to get Rob Dakin to trust us for -it. Tell him Jack will pay, if we can't. But we can pay all right, if we -have any luck. Let's see, we want a lot of rope. This water is ten feet -deep at low tide off those ledges, and the tide rises eight or nine feet. -We'll need about twenty-five or thirty feet of line for each pot. That -will allow for its snagging, too. Come on, fellows, we'll catch some -bait." - -There was a cove just below, with mud-flats making out into it, but -covered now with water. They rowed around to this, in a small boat -borrowed from Captain Sam. Baiting their hooks with clams, they dropped -their lines overboard; but the fish bit slowly. - -"Guess they aren't hungry," said Joe. "Hand me up the spear, George, and -the oil. I'll make a 'slick,' and we'll see what we can do." - -The spear was a long, light pole of spruce, with a trident at one -end--three sharp prongs, the middle blade with a clean point, the outer -blades barbed. - -They rowed into shallow water, but the bottom could not be seen, because -of a slight ruffling of the surface by the wind. Taking the bottle of -fish-oil that George Baker handed to him, Joe Hinman poured some of it -out on to a rag tied to the end of a stick. With this, he scattered the -oil for some distance about the boat. The oil spread out over the surface -of the water, smoothing its tiny chopping, so that through it the bottom -could be plainly seen. - -Joe Hinman lay flat at the bow of the boat, holding the spear down in the -water. Presently he gave a jab with it, into the mud, and brought to the -surface a huge sculpin, wriggling, but fast on the prongs. - -"They aren't exactly handsome," he remarked, as he dropped the sculpin -into the bottom of the boat, "but lobsters aren't particular about -looks." - -The next jab brought up a big flounder that had wriggled its head into -the mud, and fancied itself safe. The bottom of the boat was soon covered -with them. - -By the time young Tim was back with the rope, they had enough fish to -bait the four pots, and more, and a mess of flounders for supper. - -They cut the line into proper lengths, tied one end of each length to the -end frame of a pot, and fastened a wooden buoy, previously boiled in -coal-tar to prevent its becoming water-logged, to the other end. Then -they took the pots, one by one, and rowed out with them to the off-lying -ledges. - -They baited each pot, by impaling the fish on the wooden spear-head -sticking up from the bottom, closed the door, turned the wooden button -that fastened it, and dumped it overboard. The pots, weighted with -stones, sank slowly to the bottom. - -"Great!" exclaimed Joe, as the last of the four went overboard. -"Everything complete, except we might have painted a sign, 'Walk in,' on -each one. What do you think about that, Tim?" - -"No, they don't need it," said Tim, emphatically. "You might want me to -go to the store again for the paint." - -They were down bright and early the next morning to haul the pots. In -three of them, their efforts had been rewarded. In the fourth, the bait -had been untouched. But one of the pots had begun as a money-maker in -earnest. There were three good-sized lobsters in it. The other two had -one each. - -They had saved some fish from the catch of the night before, so they -baited up the pots again, put them overboard, and resumed their -occupation ashore of constructing more pots, delegating young Tim to sell -their catch among the cottagers, who had nearly all arrived for the -summer. - -Young Tim was gone not a great while, either. He came back, whooping -hilariously, and opened a small and rather begrimed fist, to disclose to -their admiring gaze the sum of a dollar and twenty-five cents in silver -money. - -"Hooray!" cried Joe Hinman, throwing up his cap. "At this rate, we'll -have the rope paid for, and the nails, and something more besides, when -Jack and Henry Burns get back. We'll come pretty near taking care of -ourselves for the rest of the summer." - -Already the crew, with visions of being self-supporting, began to have an -increased respect for themselves. It was an agreeable sensation. - -They soon found, however, that they were handicapped by the need of a car -to store their catch in; for, on some days when they had lobsters to -sell, the cottagers didn't happen to want any; and again it happened that -they hadn't any on hand when they were wanted. They began the -construction of a car, therefore, out of some old packing-boxes, after -they had finished a few more pots, and were hard at work on it when the -yacht _Viking_ hove in sight on an afternoon. - -The _Viking_, following its frightful experience in the storm, had had a -prosperous trip. The boys had made some heavy catches, and were returning -with twenty-two hard-earned dollars. - -There was a joyful celebration down on the shore that evening, in honour -of the _Viking's_ return, and to commemorate their luck as fishermen. - -"You've been buying the stuff for us all along," Joe Hinman had said to -Jack Harvey. "Just come down to the camp to-night, and bring Tom and Bob -and the Warren boys. We'll get the food this time." - -And they did, in generous style. There were seven of the biggest and -fiercest-looking lobsters that they had caught in the last two days, -broiling over a bed of red coals, when the visitors arrived. There were -two tins of biscuit, baked in the sheet-iron oven. There were provisions -that the crew had been able to buy with their own earnings. There were -potatoes baked in the ashes, and coffee, steaming hot. - -"Yes, and what's more, Jack," said Joe Hinman, as they sat about the fire -on the shore, "there's enough stuff left to make about seven more pots. -You fellows can go ahead and make the rest, if you want to; and we'll -take turns tending them and getting the bait." - -"All right," replied Harvey; "and if we get a bigger stock in the car -than we can dispose of around here, we'll load up the _Viking_, when we -get a strong westerly some day, and run down to the big hotel at -Stoneland. They'll pay bigger prices than we can get at the market." - -"My! but this lobster is good," said young Joe Warren. "Henry, pass over -that melted butter and vinegar." - -"Isn't it a great feast, though?" exclaimed young Tim. "Beats city grub -all hollow." - -And, indeed, it probably did surpass the sort of living Tim got at home. - -"How's our friend, Mr. Carleton?" asked Bob. "It's a wonder he hasn't -been around to welcome us back." - -"Perhaps he is offended with me for not taking him aboard on our fishing -trip," said Henry Burns. - -"Why, he hasn't been to see us for two days," replied Joe. "By the way, -though, last time I met him he asked me if I had seen anything of a ruby -scarf-pin aboard the _Surprise_. Said he'd lost one." - -"He asked me that, too," said Arthur Warren. "He was up near the cottage -yesterday. Said he thought he might have dropped it out aboard the -_Viking_." - -"I think not," said Harvey. "If he had we should have found it, for we -air that bedding out every clear day." - -"I don't recall seeing him wear one," said Henry Burns. - -It is quite possible that Mr. Carleton might have been on hand to greet -the fishermen on their return, had he not been away down the island for -the day, in a rig he had hired of Captain Sam. The horse, though well -recommended by Captain Sam, was modelled somewhat on the same generous -lines as the captain's boat, the _Nancy Jane_; that is, broad and beamy, -solid and substantial, but not especially speedy; more inclined to thrash -up and down, with considerable clatter, than to skim along and make time. -The result on this occasion was, that it was about half-past nine o'clock -when Mr. Carleton drove into Captain Sam's dooryard, rather weary, and -not in the best of temper. - -However, good-hearted Mrs. Curtis had supper waiting for him, and he lost -no time in stretching his legs under the table, where, at his ease over a -hot cup of tea, he was inclined to improve in spirits and rally the -captain on the slowness of his horse. - -"Well," said Captain Sam, with imperturbable good humour, "I'm sorry the -old nag didn't fetch you up a little quicker. She's a safe, steady -driver, though. Reckon the youngsters would have liked to see you over to -their shore supper. They're all over there. Guess you must have seen -their fire down on the shore as you drove up. You know the _Viking_ got -in this afternoon. Had real good luck, too, so Henry Burns was saying." - -Mr. Carleton, leaning back in his chair and leisurely passing his cup for -another serving of tea, straightened up suddenly at this remark. But he -only said, indifferently, "That so? I'll have to look them up in the -morning. I'm afraid I'm too tired to walk down there to-night." - -"Oh, they will be coming up before long now," said Captain Sam. - -"Why, don't seem as if you was eating much," he added, as Mr. Carleton -rose from the table. - -Mr. Carleton had swallowed his last cup of tea in two gulps. - -"First rate, first rate," he said. "Had a good supper. I'll take a little -stroll with a cigar, before turning in." - -Mr. Carleton walked leisurely out of the yard; but, when he had passed -down the road a few steps, he quickened his pace and reached the shore -almost running. Taking the first boat that came to hand, at random, he -pushed off and rowed out to the _Viking_ with a few quick, powerful -strokes. Then, pausing for a moment alongside, he listened for the sounds -of any one approaching. It was still. Mr. Carleton sprang aboard. - -He rushed to the companionway. But the hatch was drawn, the cabin doors -shut, and the lock set. Mr. Carleton uttered an exclamation of anger. -Stooping over, he felt along under the seats on either side of the -cockpit. His search was rewarded, for his hand rested presently on the -blade of a small hatchet, which was used by the yachtsmen for all sorts -of work, from chopping bait to splitting kindling. - -Mr. Carleton sprang to his feet, gave one quick glance about, then rushed -to the companionway and smashed the lock with two smart blows. The next -moment, he shoved back the hatch, opened the doors, and vanished below. - -But, though unseen, Mr. Carleton had not been unheard. - -Only a few moments before this, Tom and Bob and Henry Burns and Harvey -had gone down to the shore, after bidding the crew good night. - -"How did you happen to bring the canoe, Jack?" inquired Allan Harding. "I -thought you wasn't going to use that any more." - -"Well, I did say so last year," replied Harvey. "I thought I had come too -near drowning ever to enjoy it again. But Tom and Bob were coming down in -theirs, so Henry and I got mine down from the Warren's shed." - -"We'll race you up," said Tom. - -"All right," said Harvey. "I think you can beat us, though." - -For a short distance, however, Henry Burns and Harvey held their own. -Then the skill of the other two, and their long practice of paddling -together, began to tell, and their canoe forged ahead. - -"It's no use, Henry," said Harvey, good-naturedly. "I can't handle a -paddle with Tom Harris. They have kept a straight line, but I can't keep -this craft up to her course." - -They slowed down, accordingly, and the other canoe left them considerably -astern. Then Tom, turning and discovering that the others had fallen -back, spoke to Bob, and they waited for the second canoe to come up. - -It was at this very moment that Mr. Carleton, hatchet in hand, had -smashed the lock. - -"Hark! what was that?" exclaimed Bob White. "Did you hear it? That was -out aboard the _Viking_." - -"It sounded like it, sure enough," said Tom. "Say, fellows," he cried as -the other canoe came near, "did you leave anybody aboard the yacht? We -just heard somebody out there." - -"No, we didn't," replied Harvey. "Come on, let's get up to her quick." - -If Tom and Bob had beaten them before, they could not do it now. Harvey's -paddle went into the water with a strength that was well-nigh doubled -with excitement. Moreover, if there had been any possible doubt in their -minds as to whether there was really anybody aboard the _Viking_, that -doubt was dispelled by a faint gleam of light showing from out the cabin -door. - -"How can that be?" exclaimed Harvey. "I sprung that lock, myself." - -They were alongside, next moment, and aboard, with the light lines that -held the canoes quickly made fast. - -Rushing to the companionway, Harvey cried, angrily: - -"Here! Who's that down there? What are you doing?" - -The man, springing up, and holding the lantern in one hand, disclosed the -features of their friend, Mr. Carleton. - -"Hello!" he said. "Say, this is too bad." - -"You bet it's too bad!" cried Harvey, interrupting him. "What do you mean -by breaking in here?" - -Mr. Carleton, setting down the lantern, emerged from the cabin. - -"I really must apologize," he said, coolly. "I simply couldn't wait--" - -"Yes, but you could wait!" Harvey broke in, hotly, and advancing toward -Mr. Carleton. "It's no way to do, to sneak out here in the night and -smash our things." - -"See here, young man," exclaimed Mr. Carleton, himself warming a little, -though his voice was calm and modulated, "I wouldn't try to threaten me, -if I was you, don't you know. I might get angry, too. I--" - -"Do it!" cried Harvey, excitedly. "Get angry. I'd just like to have you. -Just give us a chance and see what happens." - -"And what might that be?" demanded Mr. Carleton, sharply. - -"I'll tell you," replied Harvey. "We'll throw you overboard. Say, -fellows, won't we?" - -"We certainly will," answered Henry Burns, calmly. - -"Say the word, Jack," said Bob. - -The four boys approached Mr. Carleton. He eyed them for a moment -threateningly. They were certainly sturdy opponents. And that his -intended threat had been without avail, and that they were thoroughly -fearless and ready to act, there could be no doubt. Mr. Carleton's -demeanour altered. - -"Good! I like your pluck," he laughed. "Really, I think I'd do the same -thing if I were in your place. I don't blame you, and I was sorry I was -so hasty, the moment I had done it. You see, I've lost a very valuable -ruby scarf-pin somewhere--a keepsake, too, don't you know. I've worried -myself just about frantic over it. Now I thought it must have fallen out -when I was aboard here. So, when I found your cabin locked up, I simply -couldn't stand it any longer. - -"But I'll make any amends in my power," he added. "I'll come out -to-morrow, and I'll bring the best lock that money will buy over in -Bellport. I'll send over for it first thing." - -"Hadn't you better go ashore now?" suggested Henry Burns. - -"Why, yes,--good night,--I will," replied Mr. Carleton. "Good night--I'm -sorry it happened--I'll fix it all right, though." - -And, stepping into his boat alongside, he put out his oars and rowed -away. - -"Never mind about that lock," Henry Burns called out. - -"What!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, pausing for a moment. - -"I say, never mind the lock," repeated Henry Burns. "We'll attend to -that, ourselves. We'd just as lieves you would keep away from the -_Viking_ after this." - -Mr. Carleton made no reply as he rowed away. - -"I wonder if we were too rough on him," said Jack Harvey to his -companion, a little later, as they were undressing, preparatory to -turning in for the night. - -"I don't see why," answered Henry Burns. "That's a pretty high-handed -proceeding, to come aboard here and smash into our cabin." - -"Well, perhaps he _was_ worried about that pin," said Harvey. "Some -persons do lose their heads just that way." - -"Yes, but he isn't one of the kind that lose their heads," said Henry -Burns. "And for my part, I can't recall for the life of me ever seeing -him wear any such kind of a pin." - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - MR. CARLETON GOES AWAY - - -Squire Brackett, having received sufficient encouragement from Mr. -Carleton to warrant action on his part, hitched up his horse one -afternoon and drove around the road back of the cove, turning off at -length at the pasture lane that led in to Billy Cook's farmhouse. Billy, -barefoot, as usual, was busy hoeing in a small garden patch at a little -distance from the house. - -"How d'ye do, Billy," said the squire, sauntering out, with his hands -tucked under his coat-tails. - -"Afternoon, squire," responded Billy; and added, to himself, "Wonder what -he's up to." - -"Quite a stranger, squire," said he. "What brings you way 'round here?" - -"Oh, nothing," replied Squire Brackett, seating himself on the handle of -the wheelbarrow that was loaded with garden-truck. "I was driving by and -thought I'd just drop in and say good day." - -"Humph! guess not," thought Billy to himself. He knew the squire was not -in the habit of making social visits. - -"Well, glad to see you, squire," he declared, cordially. "Nice summer -we're having. Wouldn't like to take home a couple dozen fresh eggs, would -you? Hens doing right well lately. I can spare you some, I reckon, store -price." - -"Why, yes, I should," answered the squire. "Those hens of yours do lay -the finest eggs I know of." - -The squire, watching Billy at his work, discoursed of this and that; of -the weather, the fishing, politics, and the prospect of the hay crop. - -"Wonder what he's driving at," was Billy's inward reflection. - -"Have a smoke, Billy?" asked the squire, proffering the other one of Rob -Dakin's best and biggest five-cent affairs. - -"Don't care if I do," replied Billy, and made a further mental -observation that something was coming now, sure. - -"By the way, Billy," remarked the squire, presently, "how do we stand on -that mortgage on the island down yonder?" - -He said it in an offhand way, just as though he didn't know, even to the -fraction of a cent, the amount of principal and interest due to that very -hour. - -"Why, I guess you know better than I do, the amount of interest up to -date," replied Billy. "But it ain't due just yet, eh, squire?" - -"Why, no, it isn't," replied Squire Brackett; "and I was thinking perhaps -we might fix it up between us so there wouldn't be anything due, and so -that you would have something in your own pocket, besides. How would you -like that?" - -"P'r'aps," said Billy. - -"Well, now," continued the squire, "there's two hundred dollars and -interest due. Seems to me, if I remember right, you offered to sell the -island to me, a year ago or so, for twelve hundred dollars. That's a -pretty big price, but I've been thinking it over some lately, and I -reckon I'll come pretty near that figure, if you'd like to make the -trade." - -A year ago, Billy Cook would have jumped at the offer. But Billy, boots -or no boots, had a vein of Yankee shrewdness in him. - -"There's something in the wind," he thought. "The squire told me I was -crazy when I offered it to him for that, last year." - -"Well, squire, I'll tell you," he replied. "Guess I did name something -like that as a figure, a year ago. But I dunno about letting it go for -that now, when things are looking up so. They tell me some of them New -York and Boston real estate fellers have been down here lately, looking -over land. However, I'll just talk it over with the old lady, and let you -know in a day or two." - -The squire was taken aback. - -"Well," said he, rising to go, "of course I don't leave that offer open. -That's a whole lot of money for the land. But I've got a little money -just come due, and I thought I might put it into that. Maybe I won't have -it to spare by the time you get ready." - -"Well, I reckon the land won't blow away, squire," chuckled Billy. "It's -anchored pretty reasonably firm, I guess. I'll just go in and get those -eggs." - -It did not take Billy Cook long, following the squire's departure, to -come to a conclusion regarding the true inwardness of the affair. There -was only one man, at present, in the village, who would be likely to be -offering anything like that amount of money for the island; and that man -was Mr. Carleton. So Billy lost no time in hunting the gentleman up. - -But, when he had found Mr. Carleton and suggested the matter to him, he -was surprised to meet with a curt denial. Mr. Carleton, being in a bad -humour, and having, moreover, as much an intention of purchasing the land -as he had of buying the bay, replied, very shortly, in the negative. - -"Hm! p'r'aps I guessed wrong," commented Billy. "But there's something -up. That's sure. I'll just jump the squire on the price, anyway. I may -catch him." - -With which resolve, Billy visited the squire the following day, offered -him the land at an advance of three hundred dollars, and, much to his own -surprise, got it. - -"It's a fearful price, fifteen hundred dollars for that land," exclaimed -the squire, after he had tried in vain to beat down the figure. "I'll -never get a cent out of it; but I'm just fool enough to do it." - -"P'r'aps you be," thought Billy. - -"I don't like to part with that island, squire," he said. "If you want -it, you'd better draw up the papers, right away to-day, and we'll go over -to Mayville and have everything filed straight and regular. Else I might -get sorry and back out." - -"All right," said Squire Brackett. - -"We can't do it any too soon to suit me," he thought. - -So Uncle Billy and Squire Brackett went to Mayville, and the squire -generously paid the fares. - -"Guess I can stand it, at a thousand dollars profit," said the squire to -himself. - -Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, arising on the morning following their -adventure with Mr. Carleton, proceeded at once to restore the yacht to -its former condition, by purchasing at Rob Dakin's a strong lock for the -cabin. It was heavier and clumsier than the one that had been broken, -but, as Henry Burns remarked, it was good enough for fishermen. - -Then they sailed down alongshore to where the crew had made their -lobster-pots, went to work, and, in a few days, completed the making of -the remainder to the extent of their material. This proved easier -fishing, too, in a way, than the outside cod and hake fishing, and -involved, of course, no danger, as the pots were set near shore. And, as -they had got their lath-pots practically without expense, it was likely -to prove even more profitable, while it lasted. - -The car that they had made, to keep the lobsters alive in, was a big, -square boxlike affair, with the slats nailed on just far enough apart so -the lobsters could not escape, but affording a flow of sea-water through -the car almost as free as the sea itself. The two trap-doors in the roof -of the car, through which the lobsters were put in and taken out, were -fastened with heavy padlocks. The car was moored in a sheltered nook -alongshore, a little distance above the area of water covered by the -lath-pots. - -They learned how to pack the live lobsters for shipping, too, and sent -lots, now and then, by steamer, over to the Bellport and Mayville -markets, and to Stoneland. They learned how to stow them into a -flour-barrel with their tails curled snugly under, and their backs -uppermost, so they could not move; and that a barrel would hold just -fifty-five, by actual count, stowed in that way, allowing for ice at the -top, and all covered securely with a piece of coarse sacking. They -received as much as twelve and fifteen cents a pound for these, shipped -so that they would arrive alive at market, and began to feel quite -prosperous. - -They listened to many a learned discussion, in Rob Dakin's cracker and -sugar-barrel forum, over the habits of the lobster; how it was generally -conceded by the local fisherman that the lobster took the bait better at -night; but that other wise men among the catchers argued stoutly that -flood-tide, whether it served by night or day, was the more favourable -time; and how both the ebb and flow of the tides doubtless carried the -lobsters back and forth across the feeding-grounds. - -They heard discussed, too, the relative merits of flounder and sculpin -and cod's heads as the more attractive baits, and whether these, fresh or -old, were the more enticing. - -Billy Cook had a theory that a lobster has as keen a scent as a hound, -and that a fish of somewhat gamy odour was the better lure; while Long -Dave Benson "allowed" that a lobster has an eye like a fish-hawk, and -that what was needed was a fish with a gleam of white showing at a -distance, like the flounder. - -In all, there was a greater and more varied amount of natural philosophy -and fish-lore dispensed, free, within the walls of Rob Dakin's grocery -store, than one might hear in a lifetime at any university. - -Be it recorded, however, that the suggestion made by young Joe Warren, at -one of these discussions, that the lobster regarded one of these -lath-pots as some sort of a summer-house, thoughtfully provided for -homeless wanderers of the sea, was received with merited and unanimous -contempt. - -They saw little of Mr. Carleton, these days. He had, at first, attempted -to retain the favour of Harvey's crew, but they would have nought to do -with him, following the example of their recognized leader. So it came -about that Mr. Carleton, left much to himself, and not caring, seemingly, -to cultivate the friendship of the elder persons among the summer -arrivals, spent the greater part of his time in driving about the island, -and in hiring Captain Sam's sailboat, for short cruises about the bay. - -He took Harry Brackett out with him occasionally, and, being a man of -shrewd observation, startled that young man one day not a little, by -bursting suddenly into laughter when the yacht _Viking_ sailed past, at a -little distance. - -"I see your two beauty-spots on the sail," he said, laughing heartily, -and pointing to the places where the sail had been neatly mended. "That -was a clever trick. Ha! ha! How did you happen to think of that little -dodge of tying up the reef-points? Guess you know more about a sailboat -than some folks seem to think, eh?" - -Harry Brackett, taken by surprise, made a feeble attempt at denial, but -Mr. Carleton wouldn't listen to it. He had an assertive, positive way, -that Harry Brackett could not withstand. So the boy ended by admitting -the act, vastly relieved to find that a man like Mr. Carleton, of whom -his father spoke so highly, regarded it as a really good joke. - -"Makes me feel like a boy again, for all the world," chuckled Mr. -Carleton. "Count me in on the next one. I'm a good deal of a boy, -myself." - -Also, did the astute Mr. Carleton feign to regard as a joke an incident -that occurred some days later, of a more serious nature, and which he -discovered quite by chance. - -It had come on foggy, with a lazy wind from the southeast, and for -several days the island and the bay had been obscured by thick banks of -fog, so that one could not see a boat's length ahead. The steamers came -in cautiously, sounding their whistles, to note, if they were near land, -how quick the echo, or an answering fog-bell, came back to them. - -There was no sailing, and the boys remained ashore, mostly up at the -comfortable Warren cottage, or within the tents. They tended the -lobster-pots when the fog did not roll in too thick; but for two entire -days it was too heavy for them to find the buoys, and they did no -fishing. - -It happened on one of these days that, finding it dull in the town, Mr. -Carleton invested in a suit of oilskins and rowed down along the shore, -where he dropped a line off the ledges and fished for cunners. He was a -smart fisherman, and caught a good mess in a short running of the -flood-tide. - -"I'll get the captain to clean them, and have Mrs. Curtis make me one of -those fine chowders for supper," he said, as he pushed the basket of fish -under the seat, put the oars into the oar-locks and proceeded to row in. - -But Mr. Carleton miscalculated a little, in the fog, and rowed some -distance down the shore before he discovered his mistake. He was turning -to row back, when the sound of some one else rowing attracted his -attention. He was close to shore, out of sight. - -Presently the boat came dimly into view through the fog, and Mr. Carleton -made out the occupant to be Harry Brackett. He was about to hail him, -when the rower turned his boat inshore and stepped out. Then Mr. Carleton -observed that the object at which Harry Brackett had arrived was the -lobster-car owned by the campers. Mr. Carleton quietly stepped out of his -own boat, and walked up into the bushes. - -Harry Brackett reached for the line with which the car was moored, and -drew the car in to shore. Then, taking from his pocket a ring on which -several keys dangled, he proceeded to try them, one by one, in the -padlock of one of the trap-doors. A certain key finally answered his -purpose, and the next moment Mr. Carleton saw the door lifted. Harry -Brackett, using a short-handled net, lifted out half a dozen lobsters, -dropped them into his boat, and, relocking the trap-door, got into his -boat, and started to row away. - -But he nearly fell over in his seat with fright, when the sound of -laughter close on shore greeted him. The next moment, Mr. Carleton -stepped into view. - -"Ha! ha!" laughed Mr. Carleton. "Oh, you're a sly dog. I see what you're -up to. Little bake going on among some of you island chaps, eh? No reason -why our friends should not contribute something to the fun. Oh, I've been -a boy, myself. Look out they don't catch you, though. Heavy fine, you -know, for that sort of thing." - -Harry Brackett, terrified, rowed ashore to where Mr. Carleton was -standing. He must explain. He had no idea of stealing the lobsters--which -was met with derisive laughter from Mr. Carleton, and the assurance that -he was a bold young chap. - -From which effort at dissimulation, Harry Brackett came, at length, to -beg and implore Mr. Carleton that he would say nothing about it. - -Now, if Mr. Carleton had had any notion that young Harry Brackett might -at some time be useful to him, he certainly went about the manner of -gaining an ascendency over him most admirably. For didn't Mr. Carleton -promise that he would say nothing about the affair? And didn't he feign -to treat it as a huge joke? He certainly did. But how cunningly, also, in -all his making light of it, did he convey to young Harry Brackett's mind -the fact that he knew it was a criminal thing; and that it would meet -with heavy punishment, if discovered. And how cunningly did he play upon -first the one, and then the other idea; the idea of a practical joke, and -the idea of the penalty for it, if it should be known; until young Harry -Brackett would gladly have promised to do anything in all the world that -Mr. Carleton might ask, to buy his silence. - -"Then you won't let on about it?" urged Harry Brackett, apprehensively, -for the tenth time or more, as he started to row away. - -"Never a word from me," said Mr. Carleton. "Ho, you rascal--I've been a -youngster, too. But you're taking pretty big chances of getting into -trouble. Look out for yourself. Ho! ho!" - -"I'll never take another chance like it," whined Harry Brackett. - -For the remainder of Mr. Carleton's stay on the island, there was one -more youth that avoided him now, though for a different reason than that -of the others. This was young Harry Brackett. He was ashamed to look Mr. -Carleton in the face. Perhaps, on the other hand, it was rather Mr. -Carleton who avoided meeting the young yachtsman. And perhaps he, too, -was ashamed of what he had done. - -However, this newly developed modesty on Harry Brackett's part did not -prevent Mr. Carleton, driving along the road an afternoon or two later, -from overtaking him and insisting that he get in and ride. - -"Glad to see you," said Mr. Carleton, as affably as he knew how. "Haven't -seen you around much for a day or two. Lobsters didn't make you chaps -sick, did they? Ha! ha!" - -Harry Brackett flushed, and felt decidedly uncomfortable. - -But he tried to laugh it off, and said he was feeling first rate. - -"Well," said Mr. Carleton, "you're all right. I like to see a boy of -spirit. I'm glad to have met you. I'm going to leave, to-morrow, by the -way." - -Harry Brackett wouldn't, for the world, have said how glad he was to hear -of it. On the contrary, he said he was sorry; and added, that his father, -the squire, would be sorry, too. - -"I'll be sorry to lose the squire's company," replied Mr. Carleton. "But -don't say anything to him about my going. That's a peculiarity of mine; I -don't like to say good-bye to people. Sort of distresses me, don't you -know. That is, don't say anything about it until after I am gone. Like as -not, I shall not speak of it to anybody but you. Captain Sam, even, won't -know of it until I settle up with him, to-morrow." - -"How about Harvey and Henry Burns and that crowd?" inquired Harry -Brackett. - -"Why, the fact is," replied Mr. Carleton, "we have had a little falling -out. I'm sorry about it, too. They're not such bad young chaps--except -that Burns boy. He's too notional--don't you think so?" - -"Yes," said Harry Brackett, decidedly. - -"Well, I broke a lock on their cabin door," continued Mr. Carleton, -"because I was desperately worried about the loss of a pin that was worth -most as much as their boat--to say nothing of a cheap lock. Of course I -was going to get them another, and a better one. They wouldn't have made -much fuss, either, I think, if it hadn't been for young Burns. Harvey was -hot-headed about it, but he would have got over it. The other young chap, -he was cool as ice; but I could see he was the one I couldn't make -friends with again, so I gave it up." - -"Humph!" exclaimed Harry Brackett--"and after all you have done for them, -too." - -"That's it," said Mr. Carleton; "though I don't care anything about that. -I was glad to give them a good time." - -"Say," he exclaimed, suddenly, as though an idea had just come to his -mind, "I tell you what you do. I'm going over to Bellport for a few days, -and then down the coast somewhere. But I'll leave word at Bellport for my -letters to be forwarded. I want you to write to me once a week or so. Let -me know where the _Viking_ is, and what the boys are doing, and what you -are doing. If we get a chance, you and I will play a little joke on them, -just to show them they're not so smart--might just tie in a few more -reef-points, or something of that sort, eh?" - -Mr. Carleton laughed as he spoke. - -"I'll do it," said Harry Brackett. "Are you in earnest, though?" - -"Yes, sir, honour bright," replied Mr. Carleton. "You keep me informed, -and we'll have a joke on them yet." - -"Well, good-bye," said Harry Brackett, getting down from the wagon and -shaking hands with Mr. Carleton. - -"Good-bye," said the other. "And if any one inquires about me, after I am -gone, just tell them you heard me say I was going back to Boston." - -"Harry," said Squire Brackett, the second evening following this, "I want -you to go over to Captain Sam's and take this note to Mr. Carleton. It's -about a little business transaction, so be careful and don't lose it. -You're pretty careless sometimes." - -"Why, he's gone away," answered Harry Brackett. "No use taking that over -to Captain Sam's." - -"Gone away!" shouted the squire, seizing his son by the collar. "Gone -away! When did he go?" - -"Captain Sam says he went yesterday." - -"Why didn't you tell me about it before?" cried Squire Brackett, shaking -his son vigorously. - -"Why, how did I know anything about it?" whined Harry Brackett. "How did -I know you wanted to see him before he went? You're always blaming me for -things. I'm not to blame." - -On second thought, Squire Brackett came to the same conclusion. Still, it -being his habit of mind invariably to blame somebody else for his own -misfortunes, he had to vent his irritation on his son. - -"Well, clear out of here!" he cried. "You never know anything except at -the wrong time." - -Harry Brackett disappeared. - -One would have thought that the squire had lost his dearest friend on -earth, in the departure of Mr. Carleton, judging by the deep and profound -melancholy that fell upon him, for a fortnight. Or, on the other hand, -one might have thought that Mr. Carleton was his bitterest foe, if any -one had seen him rage and fume in secret, whenever he thought of Mr. -Carleton or pronounced his name. Mrs. Brackett overheard him mutter, on -one or two occasions, "Fifteen hundred dollars tied up in an island!" -But, when she inquired what he meant, she received a reply that was both -incommunicative and not wholly courteous. - -As for Billy Cook, the squire wouldn't speak to him, when next they -met--nor for half the summer. - -"Never mind," said Uncle Billy to himself, "I'll buy a new pair of Sunday -boots, and I'll pay as much as two dollars and a half for 'em." - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - SEARCHING THE VIKING - - -"Where are you fellows going?" asked George Warren, from a comfortable -seat on the Warren veranda, of Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, as they were -passing the cottage of an afternoon. The two yachtsmen were carrying, -between them, a big basket of clams, which they had just dug on the flats -at the head of the cove. - -"Going fishing, down the shore a way," replied Henry Burns. "We've just -got the bait. We have to keep our lobsters fat and contented, you know, -so they'll look pleasant when they get to market." - -"Don't you think you humour them too much?" asked George Warren, -quizzically. "You'll spoil them with overfeeding, the way Colonel Witham -did his boarders." - -"No, we feed them the same way he did," answered Henry Burns; "give them -lots of fish, because they are cheap. And we hope they'll get tired of -fish, by and by, the way Witham's boarders used to, and not eat so much. -Then we'll take it easy. Come on, though, and help us catch some. We've -got bait enough for the whole crowd." - -"All right," responded George. "You go ahead, and we'll take our boat and -come out and join you." - -The three Warren boys, launching their boat in the cove, rowed down to -the point and joined the party, consisting of Henry Burns and Harvey and -Tom and Bob, who were just putting off in the _Viking's_ tender. When -they had rowed down the shore a way, they were met by Harvey's crew, and -all proceeded in the three boats a short distance farther, a half-mile or -more below the crew's camp. They baited up their hooks and threw out. - -"This looks nice and social," said George Warren, surveying the three -boats, with their eleven occupants. "It's the first time we have all been -out here together this year. We ought to make this a prize contest." - -"Good!" exclaimed Harvey. "What do you say to one of those new dollar -yachting-caps at the store, for the one that catches the most fish? We'll -each put in nine cents to pay for it. Got any money, fellows?" - -"Lots of it," replied young Tim. "We're in for it." - -"They're regular millionaires, nowadays, since they made those -lobster-pots," remarked Henry Burns. - -"There'll be one cent left over," said young Joe Warren. "What do we do -with that?" - -"That goes with the hat," said Henry Burns. "You can buy peanuts with it, -if you win, Joe." - -"Well, I've got the first fish, anyway," cried young Joe, who had felt a -tremendous yank on his line. - -Up came a big flounder, which was skittering about, the next moment, in -the bottom of the boat. - -"I've got a bigger one," cried Joe Hinman, excitedly; but, when he began -to haul in, nothing came of it. - -Little Tim Reardon, who had given a sly tug at Joe's line when the other -wasn't looking, snickered. - -"That would have beaten Joe's, if you'd got him," he said, grinning. - -"I'll beat you, if you try that trick again," exclaimed Joe Hinman, eying -Tim sharply. - -The fish began coming in lively, from little harbour pollock to sculpins -with monster heads and attenuated bodies, and cunners, that stole the -bait almost as fast as the boys could throw overboard. - -"Everything counts," said Henry Burns, as he drew in a huge skate; and -added, as he took the hook out of the fish's capacious mouth, "Wonder how -Old Witham would have liked him for a boarder." - -"Hello!" exclaimed Harvey, "here comes another boat; and it looks like -Squire Brackett in the stern." - -"Yes, and it's young Harry, rowing," said Arthur Warren. "First time I've -seen him working, this summer." - -The squire and his son were, indeed, coming out to the fishing-grounds. - -"Something new for the squire to be doing his own fishing," remarked -Arthur Warren. "He must be saving money." - -"Well, we ought to salute him, anyway," said Henry Burns. "Say, fellows, -one, two, three, all together, 'How d'ye do, squire,' just as he comes -abreast." - -The chorus that greeted Squire Brackett made him jump up in his seat. - -He didn't reply to the salutation, but glared at the boys, angrily. - -"Always up to their monkey-shines!" he muttered. "I'll teach 'em to have -respect for me, some day yet." - -"Better stop and drop in a line here, squire," said George Warren, -good-naturedly. "We've got them tolled around, with so many baits out." - -And he demonstrated his remark by pulling out a big cunner. - -"Bah!" ejaculated the squire. "I should think you would scare all the -fish between here and the cape, with your confounded racket." - -The squire directed his son, and the latter rowed past the other boats -and tied up, at length, at a spar buoy, with red and black horizontal -stripes, which marked a ledge in the middle of a channel. - -"We'll get a mess of cunners about these rocks," the squire remarked, as -he and Harry made ready. - -Luck in fishing, always capricious, seemed to have deserted the boat in -which were Harvey's crew, although the boys in the other two boats -continued to pull in the fish at intervals. - -"Let's give it up," said Joe Hinman, at length, winding in his line and -removing a clam-head. "What do you say to going down now and hauling the -lobster-pots? We'll take down our fish, and some from the other boat, to -bait them up with." - -"Guess we might as well," said George Baker, reluctantly. "We can't catch -up with the other fellows now." - -So they drew up alongside of the _Viking's_ tender, and the boys threw -their catch into the crew's boat. - -"Twenty-six, twenty-seven," counted Henry Burns, as the last one went -over. "Keep that score in mind, George, when we come to reckon up. Tom's -ahead in our boat. He's caught ten of them. But we want to see which boat -wins, too." - -The crew rowed away, down alongshore. - -An hour and a half later, the boys in both boats stopped fishing, to -reckon up their catch. - -"Tom's got nineteen fish," called out Henry Burns. - -"It's a tie," cried young Joe, excitedly. "I've got just nineteen." - -"Then we'll give you each five minutes more," said Harvey, pulling out a -silver watch. "Say when you're ready to throw overboard, fellows." - -Tom and young Joe baited up for the final effort, and the lines went out -together. - -They waited expectantly. Two, three, four minutes went by, without a -bite. - -"Guess they'll need five minutes more," said Henry Burns. - -But the words were hardly uttered before young Joe gave a whoop, and -began hauling in vigorously. - -"I've won!" he shouted. - -"No, you haven't," cried Tom, pulling in rapidly, hand over hand. - -"You're just within the time-limit," said Harvey, as Tom's fish came in -over the gunwale. "It's another tie; you'll have to try it over again." - -"All right," said young Joe. "I got mine first, though--No, hold on here. -Hooray! I've won, after all." - -Young Joe, who had been in the act of disengaging his bait from the mouth -of a sculpin, stopped suddenly, and made a grimace of delight. - -"Pull up the anchor, George," he said to his eldest brother. "Let's row -alongside the other boat, and I'll prove that I win." - -George Warren looked at Joe's catch, and laughed. - -"I guess you're right," he said. - -They rowed up to the other boat. - -"What did you do--catch two at once, Joe?" asked Tom, as Joe produced his -catch. - -"That's what!" exclaimed young Joe. - -"I don't see but one," said Tom. - -"Well, look here," said young Joe. He reached his fingers cautiously down -the throat of the big sculpin, holding the jaws open with a piece of -stick. Then, triumphantly, he dragged forth by the tail a smaller fish, -that had in fact been swallowed the moment before Joe had caught the -larger one. - -"The cannibal!" exclaimed Tom Harris. "That's the meanest trick I ever -had played on me by a fish." But he added, smiling, "I give up, Joe. -You've won. I wouldn't catch a fish as mean as that sculpin. And to think -that he'd gobble a clam before he had a fish half-swallowed! He's a -regular Squire Brackett." - -Mention of that gentleman called attention to the fact that the squire -and his son had ceased fishing also, and were casting off from the buoy, -preparatory to rowing in. At the same moment the boys noticed that the -crew's boat was coming in sight from down below, and that the crew were -waving for them to wait. - -They pulled up anchor, and rowed a little way in the direction of the -other boat. - -Squire Brackett's curiosity over the success of the crew was perhaps -aroused, for he, too, waited a few moments. Then, when the crew had come -up, Harry Brackett rowed near enough for the squire to look into the -boat, with the others. - -The crew had certainly made a successful haul. There were a score of fine -lobsters in the bottom of their boat--a score of good-sized ones, and one -other. That one other caught the squire's watchful eye. - -"Want to sell a couple of them?" he asked. - -"Yes, certainly," replied Joe Hinman. - -"Well, give me that one," said Squire Brackett, pointing to one of large -size, "and that one, there," pointing to the small one. - -Joe handed them over. - -"Those will cost you thirty-five cents, squire," he said. - -"That small one will cost you more than that," chuckled the squire to -himself, as he paid the money. - -Then the squire, reaching a hand into his pocket and producing a folding -rule, opened it and laid it carefully along the length of the lobster. - -"Ha!" he exclaimed, turning in triumph to the boys, "that lobster will -cost you just twenty dollars. That's a short lobster--a half-inch shorter -than the law allows. You know the fine for it." - -"Why, you don't mean that, do you, squire?" asked Joe Hinman, dismayed at -seeing the profits of their fishing thus suddenly threatening to vanish. -"We haven't shipped a single short lobster all this summer. But we don't -stop to measure them down here. We wait till we get up to the car. We -have a measuring-stick there, and if a lobster is under the law we set -him free, near the ledges off the camp. We throw out some old fish around -those ledges, to see if we can't keep them around there, and be able to -catch 'em later--perhaps another year, when they've got their growth." - -"No, you don't!" exclaimed the squire. "Can't fool me that way. There's -the evidence!" And he held up the incriminating lobster, triumphantly. - -As matter of fact, the squire well knew that the fishermen around Grand -Island, when they wanted a lobster for a dinner, took the first one that -came to hand, long or short. They figured out that the law was devised to -prevent the indiscriminate and wholesale shipping of lobsters before they -had attained a fair growth; and the local custom about the island was to -catch and eat a lobster, long or short, whenever anybody wanted one. Nor -was the squire an exception to this custom. But the law answered his -purpose now. - -He and his son rowed up alongshore, the latter grinning derisively back -at the chagrined crew. - -"Hello, what luck?" bawled a voice, as the crew ruefully pulled in to -land and proceeded to stow their catch in the car. - -"Mighty bad luck, Captain Sam," replied Joe Hinman, dolefully, to the -figure on shore. - -Little Tim, the first to jump from the bow of the boat, narrated their -adventure with the squire. Captain Sam snorted. - -"Ho, the shrewd old fox!" he exclaimed. "Why, he's eaten enough short -lobsters in the last two years to cost him a thousand dollars. Only -trouble is, he's eaten the proof. We can't catch him on those. Wait till -I see him, though, I'll give him a piece of my mind about raking up laws -that way." - -Perhaps the utterance about law, on Captain Sam's part, refreshed his -memory, however; for, the next moment, he burst into a roar of laughter. - -"Oh, yes, it's funny, I suppose," said Little Tim; "but you don't have to -pay the fine." - -Captain Sam roared again. - -"No, and you won't, either, I reckon," he laughed. "See here." - -He whispered something in Little Tim's ear. - -"Don't let on that I told you, though," he said. "The squire owes me a -grudge already. Ha! ha! I was watching all of you out there fishing. Ho! -the old fox!" - -Captain Sam walked away, chuckling to himself. - -"He will rake up laws just to pay a spite with, eh?" he muttered. - -Little Tim was off like a shot. - -Twenty minutes later, a barefoot figure, panting and perspiring, accosted -Squire Brackett, as the latter, bearing his precious evidence in the -shape of the offending lobster, walked up the village street. - -"We'll just show this lobster to the fish-warden, my son," said the -squire. "Then we'll go home to supper." - -"Squire Brackett, you aren't really going to complain on us, are you?" -piped Little Tim, out of breath. "We didn't mean to break the law, you -know." - -"Get out of here, you little ragamuffin!" exclaimed the squire, reddening -and waving Tim out of his path. "Somebody's got to teach you youngsters a -lesson--playing your pranks 'round here, day and night. Somebody's got to -uphold the law. Sooner you boys begin to have some respect for it, the -better for honest folks on the island." - -"Well, if a chap breaks the law without thinking, do you want him to -'catch it' just the same?" queried young Tim. "P'r'aps you have eaten -short lobsters, yourself." - -"Certainly, any person that breaks the law ought to be punished--every -time," replied the squire. "That'll teach 'em a lesson. I'll show you -boys that when you come down here you've got to behave, or suffer for -it." - -"Because," continued young Tim, "you were breaking the law, yourself, -this afternoon--you and Harry." - -Little Tim dodged back out of reach, in a hurry; for the squire made a -dart at him, turning purple with anger. - -"What do you mean, you young scamp!" cried the squire. "Just let me get -you by the ear once. Accusing me of breaking the law!" - -Little Tim's nimble bare feet carried him out of the way of the squire's -arm. From a safe distance, he continued: - -"Yes, you and Harry were breaking the law, out there in the boat. You -were tied up to one of the spar-buoys. They belong to the gov'ment. I've -heard a fisherman say so; and it's fifty dollars fine for any one to moor -a boat to one of 'em. Didn't you know that, squire?" - -Little Tim asked this question with a provoking innocence that nearly -threw the squire into an apoplectic fit. - -"Pooh!" he exclaimed. "Pooh!" He turned a shade deeper purple, feigned to -bluster for a moment, and then, realizing, with full and overwhelming -consciousness, that what Little Tim had said was true, subsided, -muttering to himself. - -The squire stood irresolutely in the street, holding the lobster in one -hand, and glaring in a confused sort of way at Little Tim, who was now -grinning provokingly. - -"Here, you young scamp," he said at length, "come here." - -Little Tim approached, discreetly. - -"Now," said the squire, hemming and hawing, and evidently somewhat -embarrassed, "on second thought, I--I'm going to let you youngsters off -this time. I guess you didn't intend to do anything wrong, did you?" - -"No, sir," replied Little Tim, looking very sober and serious, but -chuckling inwardly. - -"Well," said the squire, "I think I won't complain of you this time. -We'll just drop the whole affair. Of course a mere nominal fine of fifty -dollars wouldn't be anything to me; but I reckon twenty dollars would be -kind of a pinch for you boys, and you have been working pretty -industriously. You go along now--but look out, and don't do anything of -the sort again." - -Little Tim bolted for the camp. - -The squire stood for a moment, scowling after the vanishing figure, and -glancing out of the corner of an eye at his son, Harry, to see if that -young man was treating the incident in its proper light--to wit, with -respect to his father. Harry Brackett was discreetly serious. - -"Harry," said the squire, finally, handing over the piece of -incriminating evidence, "you take those lobsters up to the house and tell -your mother to boil them for supper." - -"The short one, too?" asked Harry Brackett. - -"Yes, confound you!" roared the squire. "Take them both along. Do you -think I buy lobsters to throw away? Clear out! And, look here, if I hear -of your saying anything about this affair to any one, you'll catch it." - -Harry Brackett departed homeward, while the squire, muttering -maledictions on Harvey, his crew, and Henry Burns, entered the village -store. - -"Those boys have altogether too much information," he said. "I'd like to -know if that young Henry Burns put him up to that." - -As for Henry Burns, his mind had been given over for some time to the -consideration of a different matter. He, himself, couldn't have told -exactly just when and where he had formed a certain impression; but, once -the idea had impressed him, he had turned it over and over, looking at it -from all sides, and trying to recall any incident that would shed light -on it. - -He had a habit of thinking of things in this way, without saying anything -to anybody about them until he had made up his mind. And what he had been -considering in this way, for a week or more, was nothing less than the -yacht _Viking_, and their departed friend, Mr. Carleton. - -"Jack," he said, as he and Harvey sat cooking their supper on the stove -in the cabin, the evening following this same afternoon's fishing, "do -you know I believe there is something queer about the _Viking_." - -"Not a thing!" exclaimed Harvey. "She's as straight and clean a boat, -without faults, as any one could find in a year." - -"No, that isn't what I meant," said Henry Burns, smiling. "I almost think -there's something about her that we haven't discovered. Did you ever -think there might be something hidden aboard the boat that's valuable?" - -"Cracky! no," replied Harvey. "What in the world put that into your -head?" - -"Mr. Carleton did," answered Henry Burns. - -"Mr. Carleton!" exclaimed Harvey. "Why, I never heard him say anything -like that." - -"Neither did I," said Henry Burns. "It's what he did--breaking into our -cabin, and that sort of thing." - -"What sort of thing?" asked Harvey, somewhat incredulous, despite his -having considerable faith in the ideas of his companion. - -"Why, he tried to do it once before," said Henry Burns. - -"He did?" queried Harvey, in amazement. "You never said anything to me -about it." - -"No; because I didn't think so, myself, at the time," replied Henry -Burns. "You see, it was over there that night at Springton. Do you -remember the man on the beach next morning?" - -"Go ahead," said Harvey. "Perhaps I'll see it when you tell it." - -"Well," continued Henry Burns, "I mean the old fisherman that spoke to -Mr. Carleton just as we were pushing off. Don't you remember, he spoke -about Mr. Carleton's borrowing his skiff to go out to his yacht the night -before? Now you just think how Mr. Carleton looks--tall and nicely -dressed--and that big blond moustache--and then that heavy, deep voice of -his. That fisherman wasn't mistaken. He remembered him. It was only the -night before, too, mind you. - -"And, besides, the fisherman asked him if he had found his own boat all -right in the morning. Now, don't you see, whoever it was that borrowed -the fisherman's boat had gone down to the place where we had left our -tender, expecting to find a boat at that very spot. You put the two -things together, and it looks like Mr. Carleton. I didn't think of it -then, but I've been thinking of it since." - -Harry gave a whistle of astonishment. - -"And he hadn't lost that pin at that time, either," said Henry Burns. -"Nor had he lost the pin he told about, the night after, when he was -looking about the cabin with a light, while we were asleep. Then, I don't -believe he had lost any pin at all when he broke into our cabin; and if -he had, why didn't he wait till we came up? He knew we would be back in -an hour or two. No, sir, he was after something in that cabin." - -"Well, if you don't think of queer things!" exclaimed Harvey. "Anything -else?" - -"Nothing of itself," replied Henry Burns, thoughtfully. "But isn't it -kind of queer that he should have tried to buy the _Viking_ when he had -seen her only once? I'm sure Harry Brackett was making an offer for him. -He had just come from Bellport, you know; and that's where Mr. Carleton -was staying. Now a man doesn't usually buy a boat offhand that way." - -"That's so," assented Harvey. "Well, what do you make of it all?" - -"Why, that's what puzzles me," said Henry Burns. "But you know how we -came by the boat, in the first place. Supposing the men that owned her, -and who committed that robbery up at Benton, had hidden something -valuable aboard her, and that Mr. Carleton had heard of it. Naturally, he -would try to get hold of it, wouldn't he?" - -"Whew!" ejaculated Harvey. "But how could he hear of it? The men that -committed the robbery are in prison." - -"Yes, that's true," said Henry Burns. "But persons can visit them on -certain days, in certain hours. There are ways in which Mr. Carleton -could have got the information." - -Jack Harvey was by this time wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. - -"We'll overhaul her this very night," he cried. "We'll light the lanterns -and go over her from one end to the other. Say, do you know, it might be -hidden in the ballast--in a hollow piece of the pig-iron, I mean. Of -course the ballast was taken out of her last fall." - -Henry Burns gave a quiet smile. - -"It might be," he said, "but more likely somewhere about the cabin. We -better wait till morning, though, and do the job thoroughly. We'll get -Tom and Bob out then, to help--especially if you want to go through the -ballast." - -"I'll turn her upside down, if necessary," cried Harvey, who was fired -with the novelty of the adventure. "Well, perhaps we better wait till -morning. But I don't feel as though I could go to sleep." - -"I can," said Henry Burns, and he set the example, shortly. - -"Well, if he can't think of weirder things, and go to sleep more -peacefully than anybody I ever heard of!" exclaimed Harvey, as he put out -the cabin lantern and turned in for the night. - -On his promise of secrecy, they let George Warren into the scheme next -morning. The other Warren boys had gone up the island. So, at George's -suggestion, they took the _Viking_ up the cove, alongside the _Spray_, -and lashed the two boats together. - -"Now you can take the ballast out on to the deck of our yacht, if you -want to," said George Warren. - -"Let's overhaul the cabin, first," said Henry Burns. - -As for Jack Harvey, he wanted to overhaul the whole boat at once, so -filled was he with the mystery and the excitement of the thing. He threw -open this locker and that, piled their contents out on to the cabin -floor, and rummaged eagerly fore and aft, as though he half-expected to -come across a hidden fortune in the turning of a hand. - -"Look out for Jack," said George Warren, winking at Henry Burns. "With -half a word of encouragement, he'll take the hatchet and chop into the -fine woodwork." - -"I'll bet I would, too," declared Harvey, seating himself, red-faced and -perspiring, on one of the berths. "Say, Henry, where do you think it is?" - -"Probably under where you're sitting," replied Henry Burns, slyly, -winking back at George Warren. - -Harvey jumped up, with a spring that bumped his head against the roof of -the cabin; whereupon he sat down again, as abruptly, rubbing his crown, -and muttering in a way that made the others double up with laughter. - -"That's a good suggestion, anyway," he said, making the best of it. And -he fell to tossing the blankets out of the cabin door. He searched in -vain, however, for any hidden opening in the floor of the berth, and -sounded fruitlessly for any suspicious hollow place about its frame. - -"I'll tell you what we'll do," suggested Henry Burns; "you and Tom start -forward, and George and I will start aft, and we'll work toward one -another, examining everything carefully as we go. We'll pass the stuff to -Bob and he can carry it outside." - -Setting the example, Henry Burns began with the provision locker on the -starboard side, next to the bulkhead. He took everything out, scrutinized -every board with which the locker was sealed, and tapped on the boards -with a little hammer. But there was no unusual fitting of the boards that -suggested a hidden chamber, nor any variance in the sound where the -hammer fell, to warrant cutting into the sides of the locker. He examined -top, sides, and bottom, with equal care and with no favourable result. - -Next, on the starboard side, was the stove platform and the stove. There -was no use disturbing that, so he passed it by. - -A chamber, sealed up and lined with zinc for an ice-box, afforded a -likewise unfavourable field for exploration. - -Then came a series of lockers, with alcoves and shelves between, which -occupied the space above the berths. These, and the drawers beneath the -berths, were searched, but yielded no secrets. - -George Warren, on the port side, searched likewise, but with equally -discouraging results. - -Harvey, forward, had the hatch off and the water-casks and some spare -rigging thrown out on deck. The cabin deck and cockpit of the _Viking_ -looked as though the boat had been in eruption and had heaved up all its -contents. - -"My!" exclaimed George Warren, "this is hot work. I feel like a pirate -sacking a ship for gold." - -"Only there isn't any gold," said Harvey; "but I'll try the ballast -before I quit." - -"I'm afraid that's not much use," said Henry Burns. "They wouldn't go so -deep as that to hide anything. I'm afraid I've raised your hopes for -nothing." - -But Harvey was not for giving up so soon; and, seeing his heart was set -on it, the others took hold with a will and helped him. They took up the -cabin floor and lifted out the sticks of ballast. - -"Glad there isn't very much of this stuff," said George Warren, as he -passed a heavy piece of the iron out to Harvey. - -"Well, so am I," responded Harvey. "There's lead forward, so we won't -disturb that. But I've heard of hiding things this way, and there might -be a hollow piece of the iron, with a cap screwed in it, or something of -that sort." - -"He must have been reading detective stories," said Henry Burns. - -Perhaps Harvey, himself, came to the conclusion that he was a little too -visionary; for, after he had sounded each piece with the hammer until -they had a big pile of it heaped outside, he grinned rather sheepishly -and suggested that they had gone far enough. The boys needed no second -admission on his part. They passed the stuff in again, and it was stowed -away as before. - -"Say, Henry," said Jack Harvey, when, after another half-hour, they had -restored the yacht to its former order, "this wasn't one of your jokes, -was it--this hidden treasure idea?" - -Henry Burns sat down by the wheel, wearily. - -"No, it wasn't, honour bright," he replied. "But I guess it is a kind of -a joke, after all. You four can pitch in and throw me overboard, if you -like." - -But they were too tired to accept Henry Burns's invitation. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - A RAINY NIGHT - - -The summer days went by pleasantly now, with naught to interrupt the -enjoyment of the yachtsmen. The three yachts, the _Viking_, the -_Surprise_, and the _Spray_, went on a friendly cruise around Grand -Island, putting in at little harbours overnight, and the crews waking the -stillness of many a small hamlet with their songs and skylarking at -twilight. They had races from port to port, the largest boat giving the -other two time-allowance. They fished and swam and grew strong. - -Toward the middle of August, the crew gave up lobster catching and stored -the lath-pots away for another year. The _Surprise_ took to going on -voyages down the bay, fishing on its own account. In fact, Harvey's four -charges had developed a surprising and most commendable ability to look -out for themselves, without assistance from him and Henry Burns. - -The _Viking_, too, went on a ten days' fishing voyage to the outer -islands, cleaned up a good catch of cod and hake, and came back, with all -the gear neatly packed away, ready to store for the winter. - -There had been only one thing lacking for the season's complete financial -success. The mackerel had not appeared around the coast. It was getting -near the first of September, and the local fishermen had lost hope of -their coming. - -"Guess it's going to be an off year," remarked Captain Sam. "They're -uncertain fish. One year you can almost bail 'em out with a pail, and -another year they just keep away. They're getting a few down around Cape -Cod, I hear, but I reckon the seiners have cleaned 'em out so there won't -be any 'round these parts." - -Nevertheless, the young fishermen were alive to the possibility of their -coming. They scanned the water eagerly for signs of a school whenever -they were cruising, and, at early morning, watched the harbour entrances -in the hope they might see the fish breaking. - -"If we could only get the first run of them," said Little Tim, "we'd just -make a fortune. The big hotels down the bay haven't had any this season, -except those they've sent to Boston and Portland for. They'd take the -whole boat-load." - -Little Tim was, in fact, the greatest optimist to be found around Grand -Island. Perhaps it was because he knew less about signs and indications -of fish, and trusted only to his own hopes. The old salts shook their -heads and agreed it was surely an off year. But, wherever the _Surprise_ -cruised, if there was not a sea on, and the yacht was sailing slowly -enough to admit of it, Little Tim had a line overboard, trolling far -astern. The jig was baited with a white strip of fish, to catch the eye -of any hungry mackerel that might have ventured into the bay, despite the -predictions of the islanders. - -Then, early one afternoon, Little Tim's faith was rewarded. They were -sailing lazily along, with a light west wind, in the lee of the small -islands back of Hawk Island, some six or seven miles below Southport. -Little Tim, seated on the after-rail, had his usual line astern, and the -crew had had their usual jokes at his expense--especially when, now and -then, a tug at the line, which had set Tim's heart jumping, had proved to -be only a floating bunch of seaweed, greatly to the chagrin of Tim, and -to the amusement of the others. - -There came a smart tug at the line, and Little Tim was up like a rabbit -out of its hole. He seized the line and began hauling in rapidly. - -"Tim's got some more seaweed," said Allan Harding. "Too bad there isn't -money in that. He's pulled enough up alongside the boat to make us all -rich." - -"No, it isn't!" cried Tim, excitedly. "Look, there's a fish coming -in--hooray! It's a mackerel, too. See him shine." - -Little Tim yanked the fish out of water, with a jerk that sent fish and -mackerel-jig higher than his head. But there was no mistake about it. -There was a mackerel, flopping and jumping in the bottom of the boat, -glistening and gleaming, with its mingled shades of green and black and -white. - -"Isn't he a beauty?" exclaimed Tim, dancing about in wild excitement. "It -isn't a No. 1 size--only a 'tinker;' but it's a mackerel sure enough, and -they don't come alone, these fellows. There are more. Get out the lines." - -But his companions, no longer scoffing, were as excited as he. Joe Hinman -had the boat up into the wind, in a twinkling. The other two boys had the -sail down on the run, and furled, with a couple of stops about it, and -they were drifting slowly, the next moment, with lines out on every hand. - -However, Little Tim proved to be more of a discoverer than prophet. The -fish, if there were more of them about, were not running in large -numbers. They caught a few more scattering ones, but they could see no -school in sight. They stuck to it, however, till the middle of the -afternoon. - -"They're coming in, though," said Joe Hinman; "and we are the only ones -that know it. We haven't the bait for much fishing, anyway; so let's run -up to harbour while the wind lasts, tell Jack and Henry Burns, and we'll -all come down here again early in the morning, before the other boats get -out." - -Little Tim, winding up his line reluctantly, drew one more fish in before -they set sail, well-nigh going overboard in his excitement. - -They reached Southport Harbour about five o'clock, and ran close -alongside the _Viking_, which lay at its mooring. - -"We've got something good for supper, Henry," said Little Tim to Henry -Burns, who was busily engaged cleaning up the decks of the yacht, with a -broom which he dipped overboard now and then. - -"Better send up and invite young Joe down," said Henry Burns, paying -little attention to the new arrivals. "Jack and I are going into the -tent, to eat supper with Tom and Bob." - -"All right," said young Tim. "It may be your only chance, though, to eat -one of these this summer." Henry Burns glanced up from his work at the -string of six mackerel which Tim proudly displayed. Then he flung down -his broom and ran to the companionway. - -"Jack, come out here," he cried. "They've got some mackerel. They've come -at last." - -Harvey emerged hurriedly from the cabin, and gave a whoop of exultation -when he saw the fish. - -"We want to go down first thing in the morning," said Joe Hinman, "before -any of the other boats get out. There'll be money in the first catch, if -we have any luck." - -"We won't wait till morning," said Henry Burns, decidedly. "We'll start -to-night, and be on the grounds first thing. I'll get Tom and Bob out. -You fellows get your lines ready and we'll go and catch some bait right -off." - -Henry Burns, while not of excitable temperament, had a way of doing -things sharply and promptly when occasion demanded. He went below and -presently gave a signal of three short toots on the fish-horn, in the -direction of the camp. Bob was alongside next moment, in the canoe. - -"What's up?" he asked. - -"Get ready for a trip down the bay," replied Henry Burns. "We're off -to-night, just as soon as we get the bait. The mackerel are in. Tim's -found them at last." - -Tim showed the crew's catch. - -"Fine!" exclaimed Bob. "I'll tell you what," he added, "I've got supper -under way. Let me take those fish, and I'll cook them, too, and get -supper ready for all of us, while the rest of you catch the bait. Tom -will come out and help you." - -Tim tossed the fish into the canoe, and Bob hastened ashore. - -They were all out in the cove shortly, with lines down close to the muddy -bottom, for flounders and sculpins. The tide, at half-flood, served them -fortunately, and soon the fish began to come aboard. Then, when they had -their catch, they rowed around to the wharf, dropping Henry Burns ashore -near the Warren cottage. - -The _Spray_ was gone from harbour; but Henry Burns left word for the -Warren boys to follow, in the morning, impressing the importance of -secrecy on Mrs. Warren, with a solemnity as great as if they were going -after hidden gold. - -At the wharf, near the beach, a huge sort of coffee-mill was set up, -which the mackerel fishermen used for grinding bait--but which had had no -service thus far this year. Chopping the fish into pieces, they threw -these into the mill, whence they dropped into a big wooden bucket, ground -into a mess that might, as Little Tim remarked, look appetizing to a -mackerel, but didn't to him. - -"There, we've got 'chum' enough," said Harvey, when the bucket was -two-thirds filled. "We'll need the rest of the fish to bait the hooks. -Come on, before any of the fishermen see what we are doing." - -They rowed around quickly to the camp, whence the odours of supper -emerged, appetizingly. Bob had been as good as his word, and everything -was ready. They sat about the opening of the tent, and did full justice -to Bob's cooking. - -"Lucky it's going to be a good night," said Henry Burns, glancing off at -the sea and sky. "Looks like a little breeze, doesn't it, Jack?" - -"I hope so," replied Harvey. "We'll start, anyway. It's clear, and it -won't be like drifting about down off Loon Island, if we get becalmed." - -"Can't stop to clean up dishes to-night," said Bob, as he piled the stuff -into the tent, as soon as they were finished. "We usually leave things -more shipshape, don't we, Tom?" - -They tied the flap of the tent carefully, saw that the tent-pegs were -firm, and the guy-ropes all right, and departed. By half-past seven -o'clock they were out aboard, and the two yachts were under way. - -"Too bad the _Spray_ isn't coming along," said Henry Burns; "but I've -left word for them to follow in the morning." - -There was a light westerly breeze blowing, which was favourable for a -straight run to the islands, with sheets started a little, and everything -drawing. They set the forestaysail and both jibs and the club-topsail on -the _Viking_; and, there being no sea, with the wind offshore, they made -fast time. - -The _Surprise_, with everything spread, followed in the wake of the -larger yacht. - -"We'll tell the mackerel you are coming," called Henry Burns to the crew. - -"They know it already. We told them we were coming back. We saw 'em -first," responded Tim. - -They were among the islands by ten o'clock, though the wind had fallen. -They anchored in the lee of one, and prepared to turn in. - -"We ought to be out early," said Harvey; "but how are we going to wake -up? I'm sure to sleep till long after sunrise, unless somebody wakes me. -We ought to have some alarm to set, to wake us." - -"Don't need it," replied Henry Burns. "I'll set myself. I don't know how -I do it, but if I go to bed thinking I want to wake up at a certain hour, -I almost always do wake at about that time. How will four o'clock do?" - -"Early enough," said Harvey; "but don't over-sleep." - -Sure enough, Henry Burns was awake next morning by a few minutes after -four o'clock; but he was not ahead of Little Tim, this time, who was so -excited that he had slept all night with one eye half-open, and who had -been up once or twice in the dead of night, thinking it must be near -morning. He was over the rail of the _Viking_, at the first appearance of -Henry Burns, and, between them, there was no more sleep for anybody. - -It was dead calm over all the bay; and, one thing was certain, there was -as yet no news of the mackerel having come in, for there were no boats -out. - -"We've stolen a march on the fishermen for once," exclaimed Tom, as they -ate a hurried breakfast and got the lines ready. "I wonder if the -mackerel are looking for breakfast, too." - -They put out, shortly, in the two dories, rowing down a half-mile to -where the crew had seen the fish the night before. There was no sign of -the water breaking, anywhere, to denote the presence of a school. - -"Never mind, we'll throw out, anyway," said Harvey. "Sometimes they're -around when they don't break. They may be feeding deeper." - -Taking a long-handled tin dipper, he filled the bucket of bait nearly to -the brim with sea-water, and stirred it vigorously for a moment. Then he -took a dipper of the stuff and threw it as far from the boat as he could, -scattering it broadly over the surface of the water. - -They waited, watching eagerly, but the bits of ground fish sank slowly, -undisturbed. - -"Don't seem to be at home," muttered Harvey. "Row out a little farther, -and we'll try them again." - -They repeated the manoeuvre several times, but each time the bait was -untaken. It sank slowly, each tiny particle clearly defined in the still -water, settling in odd little patches of discoloration. - -Then, of a sudden, there was a sharp severance of one of these patches, -as though an arrow had been shot through it. The next moment, there was a -darting here and there and everywhere. The pieces of fish disappeared in -tiny flurries. At the same time, the surface of the water broke into -myriads of tiny ripples, as though whipped up by a breeze. - -"They're here," whispered Harvey. "Get out the lines." He filled the -dipper once more and threw it broadcast, but this time nearer the boats. -They threw out the lines, baited with the shining pieces of flounder. - -It seemed as though every bait was seized at once; for, in a moment, -every boy was pulling in, and a half-dozen mackerel came over the -gunwales together. - -They baited up anew, then, knowing that no bait serves so well for -mackerel as a piece cut from the under side of the fish, itself. This, -white and shiny, and pierced twice through the tough skin with the barb -of the hook, would indeed often answer several times in succession, -without rebaiting. - -They rigged two lines for each fisherman, tying an end of each line to -the gunwale, so that, when a bite was felt, one of the lines could be -dropped while the fish on the other was hauled aboard. The mackerel, -indeed, bit so ravenously that it was hardly necessary to stop to see if -a fish was hooked, but only to catch up one line, as quick as a fish had -been removed from the other and that line thrown out, and haul in again. -Nine times out of ten there would be a mackerel on the hook. Standing up -in the dories, to work to better advantage, they were soon half knee-deep -in the fish. - -"We'll fill the boats, if they keep this up," said Harvey. "Tom, you're -nearest the oars; just row back toward the yacht, easily, and we'll toll -them up that way." - -He threw out more bait, as Tom worked the dory back, and the whole school -followed, hungrily. In a few minutes the boys had climbed aboard the -yachts and were fishing from them, to better advantage. - -A half-hour went by, and the fish had not ceased biting. The boys were -drenched to the skin from their hips to their feet, with the drippings -from the wet lines; for, in their haste, they had not stopped to don -their oilskin breeches. - -"We ought to have known better, with all the experience we have had this -summer," said Henry Burns; "but never mind, we'll make enough out of this -catch to buy new clothes, if the wind only serves us, later." - -By the end of an hour, the sun was up and gleaming across the water. - -"They're likely to leave us soon, now," remarked Harvey; but, oddly -enough, the fish still remained about the boats in such numbers that the -water seemed fairly alive with them. However, with the warmth of the -sun's rays, the voracity of the mackerel abated somewhat, and they began -pulling them in more slowly. - -"I'm just as glad," exclaimed Tom, whose arms, bronzed and muscular, were -nevertheless beginning to feel the novel exercise. "My arms and wrists -ache, and I know I'll never be able to stand up straight again. My back -is bent, and frozen that way, with leaning over this rail." - -Suddenly, after a quarter of an hour more, the fish began making little -leaps half out of water, breaking the surface with little splashings and -whirls. - -"They'll be gone now," said Harvey. "Some bigger fish are chasing them. -That's what makes them act that way." - -This seemed to be true, for presently the water that, a moment before, -had been alive with the darting fish, became still and deserted. They -took one or two more, by letting their baits sink deep in the water, but -the big catch was ended. - -"It's pretty near a record for hand-line fishing in a single morning -around here, I guess," said Harvey. "How many do you think we've caught, -Henry?" - -"Nearly five hundred, I should say," answered Henry Burns. - -"More than that, I'll bet," exclaimed his enthusiastic comrade. And for -once, at least, Harvey was nearer correct than Henry Burns; for, when -they had counted them, some hours later, there were five hundred, and -eighteen more, in the _Viking's_ catch; and as for the crew of the -_Surprise_, they were only fifty below this figure. - -"Oh, but I'm hungry!" exclaimed Bob, dropping on to the seat. "And, say, -it's somebody's else turn to cook breakfast." - -"I'll do it," said Tom. - -"Well, you go ahead," said Henry Burns, "and the rest of us will stow -these fish down below, out of the sun." - -They went to work with a will, the crew of the _Surprise_ doing likewise. - -"Too bad to stow fish in this nice, clean cabin," said Joe Hinman; "but -never mind, we'll have to turn to, by and by, and scrub it, that's all." - -They had the luck with them, again; for hardly had they begun to prepare -breakfast, than the water rippled with a second day's westerly breeze. -They got the two yachts under sail, without a moment's loss of time. - -"See here, Joe," called Harvey, as the yachts began to fill away, "we'll -play fair with you. We can outsail you some, and we shall get to -Stoneland before you do. We'll take the big hotel in the harbour, and -then the market. The market will buy all that either of us have left. -We'll leave you the other hotel, a half-mile up the shore. There are -'most as many guests there, and they're all summer boarders, so they'll -take as many fish. If we break a stay on the trip over and get delayed, -you give us the same chance, eh?" - -"Ay, ay," responded Joe. "Good luck!" - -The wind not only came sharp and strong, an hour later, but there were -thunder-clouds in the sky, down near the horizon-line, and the breeze was -full of quick flaws and was treacherous. Before they were half-way over -to Stoneland, they were sailing under two reefs and making the water fly. - -"It's great!" cried Harvey, hugging the wheel, in his delight. "Let her -blow good and hard as long as it doesn't storm. We'll do the fifteen -miles in an hour and a half, at this rate." - -The two yachts were lying well over in the water, crushing it white under -the lee-rail, and making fast time. - -"We'll get a storm, too, by nightfall," said Henry Burns, looking -weather-wise at the sky. "But we shall have sold our fish first, and -we'll be snug behind the breakwater. So let it come." - -The yachtsmen were in great spirits. Even Henry Burns betrayed symptoms -of excitement as they ran into the harbour, early in the forenoon, and -brought the _Viking_ up neatly at the hotel wharf. - -A few minutes later, Henry Burns and Jack Harvey approached a somewhat -important-appearing person on the hotel veranda, who had been pointed out -to them as the proprietor. - -"Fish? No, I don't buy fish," he answered, shortly, in reply to Henry -Burns's question. "See the steward. He attends to that." - -Harvey reddened, but Henry Burns smiled and said: - -"That's all right, Jack. We're only fishermen, you know. Come on, we'll -see the steward. We'll make him pay more for the fish, just because the -proprietor was haughty." - -Henry Burns was fortunate enough to catch the steward in the hotel -office, where he stated his errand, coolly, before some of the guests. - -"Good!" exclaimed one of them. "You'd better get 'em, Mr. Blake. You -haven't given us any fresh mackerel this season." - -"He'll have to buy some, now, whether he wants to or not," said Henry -Burns to Harvey, as they followed the steward into his private office. - -"Now see here," said the steward, "I've got some six hundred guests in -this house, and I need about three hundred fish. I want a fairly easy -price for that many." - -"Twenty cents apiece, right through," answered Henry Burns, promptly. - -"Ho! That's too much," said the steward. "Can't do it. Try again." - -"That's the figure," insisted Henry Burns. "You'll have to pay more, if -we sell them to the market, you know. Then there's the hotel up the -shore. What would your boarders say if we took them up there and sold -them?" - -Steward Blake looked at Henry Burns sternly for a moment; then a grim -smile played about the corners of his mouth. - -"You're kind of sharp, aren't you?" he asked. "Well, I guess you've got -me there, as these are the first of the season. Throw in an extra dozen -for good measure, and it's a bargain." - -"All right," said Henry Burns. - -A few moments later, with three twenty-dollar bills tucked away in a -wallet in his inner waistcoat pocket, Henry Burns, with Harvey, was going -briskly down to the wharf, where he and his comrades were soon engaged in -loading the fish into the hotel wagon. - -"We can be haughty now, ourselves," he said, as they got under way once -more and stood down for the market. - -Ten cents apiece was the marketman's figure, and they let the remainder -go for that. Then, with eighty dollars for the entire morning's catch, -they went aboard the _Viking_ and punched and pummelled one another like -a lot of young bears, from sheer excess of joy. - -"I wonder how the crew will come out," said Harvey. "I'm afraid they -won't do as well at a bargain as you did, Henry." - -"Perhaps so," said Henry Burns. "They've got Little Tim aboard, and he's -pretty shrewd, sometimes." - -And indeed, it was at Little Tim's suggestion that the _Surprise_ went on -up the coast, after the crew had done business with the hotel left for -them according to the agreement, and they sold the remainder of their -catch at the hotel at Hampton, three miles farther on. And they, too, -found themselves rich at the end of their bargaining, with sixty dollars -to divide among the four of them. - -Then, as the day wore on threatening, with the thunder-clouds slowly -mounting higher, and the wind coming in fiercer gusts, the yachts, each -in a safe harbour, laid up for the day. The respective crews wandered -about the towns as if they were each, individually, the mayor, or at -least were a party of the selectmen. - -The Warren boys, having returned on the previous evening, and being -apprised by Mrs. Warren of the news confided to her care, were -disappointed not to have joined the party; but they made ready, the next -morning, to follow. Then the early morning steamer from Bellport brought -them a letter, saying that Mr. Warren, senior, would arrive on the -night-boat from Benton, and had arranged for a week's cruise with them, -among the islands. So they changed their plans to a short run down toward -the foot of Grand Island, to be back at nightfall. - -There, again, the fortune of sailing was against them. By mid-afternoon, -when they would have put back, the storm threatened. - -"No use," said George Warren, reluctantly. "We'll have to wait for it to -blow over. We'll be glad enough of this good harbour in a half-hour -more." - -The storm broke soon after, heavily. By five o'clock it was pouring in -torrents, with sharp flashes of lightning illumining the darkened waters -of the bay. By six o'clock it eased up a little. - -"Well, one of us is in for it," said George Warren. "Somebody's got to -tramp up the island, home. Father will be down, and he won't like it, to -find us gone. The other two can sail the yacht up in the morning. We'll -draw lots to see who goes." - -To the immense relief of his brothers, the lot fell to him. They consoled -him, but with satisfaction not all unconcealed. He took it in good part, -however. - -"Don't feel too bad about it, Joe," he said, as he bade them good night. -"I know you wanted to go home, but I'll tell the folks you're -comfortable." - -He started off in the drizzle. They had run down about seven miles, and -there was that length of muddy road ahead of him. It was not his fortune -to accomplish much of his journey, however. Three miles up the island, -the storm resumed its fury, blowing the rain fiercely in his face, while -the whole island seemed to shake with the crashing of the thunder. It was -useless to contend against it, and, at length, he turned in at a -farmhouse by the roadside, and sought shelter. - -"Yes, indeed," said the housewife, to his request. "There's the spare -room at the end of the hall up-stairs for you, and welcome. There's wood -in the wood-box, too, and you can build up a fire in the fireplace and -dry your clothes. You're as wet as a drowned cat. When you're dried out, -come down-stairs and I'll have a cup of tea for you. We've had a boarder -for two days in that room, but he went away yesterday; and I'm glad he's -gone, for your sake." - -George Warren scrambled up the stairs, at the risk of the lamp which the -woman had handed to him, lighted. Inside the room, he took a handful of -kindling from the wood-box, and soon had it ablaze, with the aid of a few -scraps of old newspaper. Then he laid some larger pieces of driftwood -across, and quickly had a cheerful fire roaring up the chimney. - -He threw off his wet clothing, wrapped a blanket about him, and crouched -by the fire to enjoy its warmth--for he had been chilled through. - -The huge, old-fashioned fireplace would seem not to have been used for a -long time; for, in the corners of it were odds and ends and scraps of -paper, that had evidently been swept up from the floor and thrown in -there, as the most convenient place for their disposal. George Warren -poked some of this stuff into the fire and watched it blaze. He picked up -a few scraps of paper and threw them in. - -Then, as he repeated this action, there was the half of an envelope that -the light of the fire illuminated, as he held it in his hand. Part of the -address remained, and, even as he consigned it to the flames, he read it -clearly: - - "Carleton, - "Bellport, - "Me." - -"Hello! that's funny," he remarked. "That's Mr. Carleton's name--and he -was over at Bellport, too. I thought he had gone away to Boston. I'll -have to ask about him in the morning." - -But, in his hurry next morning, George Warren forgot about the letter -until he was a half-mile up the road. - -"I'll have to tell Henry Burns and Harvey about that, anyway," he said, -as he walked along. "Henry Burns likes mysteries. He'll have some queer -notion about why Mr. Carleton was down there, I'll bet." - -But George Warren failed to inform either Henry Burns or any one else -about his discovery; for he went on a week's cruise, next day, and when -he returned it had passed out of his mind. At least, he didn't think of -it till about two weeks later. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - TWO SECRETS DISCOVERED - - -Squire Brackett sat in his office, deep in thought. To say that he was -out of temper, would be putting it mildly. Something that he was trying -to do baffled him; and, being thwarted, he was irritable and unhappy. Now -when Squire Brackett was unhappy, he usually succeeded in making -everybody else with whom he came in contact likewise unhappy. Therefore, -when he betook himself to his office, of an afternoon, and sat himself -down at his desk, to attempt to solve a certain puzzle, as he had done -now for several weeks, at intervals, the members of his household kept -discreetly aloof. - -Before the squire, on the shelf of his desk, lay the paper on which he -had pasted the scraps of Mr. Carleton's letter. The first effort at a -solution of the puzzle had been one more of curiosity than aught else on -his part. He had thought it would be rather a smart achievement, to -discover something which another man had attempted to destroy, though it -probably would be of no particular importance to the discoverer. But, -from that condition of mind, he had progressed to a state wherein he -thought he saw, hidden in the fragments of the letter, something of more -than ordinary import. - -As Squire Brackett had arranged them, the words and parts of words now -lay before him thus: - - lock - ey - must be - sound - mbers - aboard yacht - starboa - still - under - ays - third - -The squire's increase of curiosity had resulted largely from his -interpretation of the first two fragments. At a casual glance, he had -decided that the first four letters were a part of the word, -"locker,"--which would be natural if the writer were referring to a -yacht. But he arrived at a different and more exciting conclusion, when -it suddenly dawned upon him that the first word was really complete as it -stood; that it was the word, "lock." This, because the next two letters -clearly were part of the word, "key." - -"Of course," he exclaimed. "If I hadn't been stupid I'd have thought of -that before. Aha! I have a whole sentence now, by simply supplying a few -of the missing words." He wrote as follows, picking out these words that -the letter, as he had it before him, contained: "key -- lock -- must be -still aboard yacht." - -"That's plain enough for a boy to read," said Squire Brackett. "The -sentence was, 'The key to the lock must be still aboard yacht.'" - -"Hm!" he exclaimed, rubbing his forehead, reflectively. "That's -interesting; and it's queer. Somebody knows a thing or two about that -boat--and that somebody, whoever he is, has been writing it to Carleton. -Still, I don't see how that helps me. I can't make much out of it." - -The letter, having yielded up this much of its secret to the squire, -became immediately of greater interest to him; but, at the same time, an -object of greater annoyance and perplexity. He couldn't get the thing off -his mind. It became a sort of continual nightmare to him. Why, he asked, -should any one write to Mr. Carleton about a key to a lock aboard the -_Viking_? - -Being somewhat heavy-witted, in spite of a certain natural shrewdness, -the squire did not answer his own question readily. - -On this particular afternoon, however, he advanced a step farther. - -"Perhaps," he said to himself, "that word, 'sound,' does not refer to -timbers at all. It might be Long Island Sound, where this yacht has been -at some time, probably. Oh, I wish I had the rest of the letter." - -"I tell you what!" exclaimed the squire, "this thing is queer. That's -what it is. Who should know anything about this yacht, and who would be -writing to Mr. Carleton about it? It couldn't be the men that had it -before the boys got it. They were a band of thieves. What's that? Hello! -Why not? This man Carleton has cleared out. He didn't buy that land of -me. He never intended to; that's what." - -"I've got it!" he cried, jumping up excitedly and thumping his desk with -his fist. "Chambers! Chambers! That's the man. He's the man that set fire -to the hotel. He's the man that Jack Harvey captured down in the -Thoroughfare. He's the man that knows about the _Viking_--and there's his -name in the letter--or a part of his name. - -"Those letters, 'mbers,' don't mean 'timbers' at all. They were a part of -the name 'Chambers.' Yes, and those letters at the end of the list, -'ays,' don't mean 'stays,' either, as I thought they did. That word is -'says.' - -"'Chambers says' something--now what does he say? I have it: - -"'Chambers says key to the lock must be still aboard yacht.' - -"Wait a minute," said the squire to himself. "That word, 'starboard' -comes in here somewhere. Starboard--starboard--oh, I see; 'starboard -locker.' That first word is 'locker,' just as I thought in the -beginning." - -The squire wrote his translation of the letter, as he had thus far -evolved it, as follows: - -"Chambers says the key to the starboard locker must be still aboard -yacht." - -"Now let me see," reflected Squire Brackett, "that leaves only three more -words--'sound,' 'third,' and 'under.' Well, I don't know what they have -to do with it. They probably referred to something else in the letter. -But what on earth can that be in the starboard locker,--that's what I'd -like to know." - -Deeply agitated, he arose from his chair and strode up and down the room. -He rubbed his hands together in a self-satisfied way. - -"Looks like I'd get even with some of 'em yet," he exclaimed, softly. -"There's something aboard that yacht that's valuable--and what's more, -that man Carleton came all the way down here on purpose to get it. I see -it--I see it. They had a locker where they hid valuables, and there's -something there yet worth getting. Oh, I wish I had the rest of that -letter!" - -The squire, forming a sudden resolve, put the precious paper in a drawer, -locked it therein, and hurried down to the tent on the point. By good -luck, he met Henry Burns coming away from it. - -"How d'ye do, my boy?" he said, trying to smile agreeably and to conceal -his excitement, at the same time. - -"How do you do, Squire Brackett?" replied Henry Burns, reading easily -something of more than ordinary significance in the squire's shrewd face. -"Nice day, sir." - -"Yes--yes, so it is," returned the squire. "See here, I'd like to hire -that yacht of yours for a few days--possibly a week. I won't sail her, of -course. I'm no skipper. I'll get John Hart to run her for me." - -"Sorry to disappoint you, squire," said Henry Burns, "but we can't let -the _Viking_. The season is most over, you see, and we want to have some -fun with her the rest of the time. We've begun cleaning her out and -washing her insides, ready for painting. Perhaps the crew will let you -have the _Surprise_, though. I guess Harvey will be willing." - -"Well, now," said the squire, "supposing I pay you ten dollars for her, -just for four days. I'll take--" - -"No, sorry to refuse," said Henry Burns, "but I don't see how we can do -it. Besides, we've got lots of money, ourselves, you know. We've been -mackereling." - -The squire continued his urging, but Henry Burns was obdurate. The -_Viking_ couldn't be hired--by Squire Brackett, at least. He went home, -fuming inwardly. - -"If I only had the rest of that letter," he kept repeating. "I don't dare -to offer them very much, on a mere chance. It might turn out like that -land I bought of Billy Cook." - -The squire, having his mind thus tantalized, began to worry over the -mystery and even to dream of it. One night he dreamed that he had hired -the yacht, and that he had found a bag filled with twenty dollar gold -pieces in it; and, when he woke up, he was so angry to find it was only a -dream that he scandalized poor Mrs. Brackett with his exclamations. - -Young Harry Brackett was made to feel the effects of his father's mental -disturbance. The squire assailed him with questions about Mr. Carleton, -which puzzled the son exceedingly. Finally the squire demanded, -point-blank, to know what Mr. Carleton had said to him when he -commissioned him to buy the yacht. - -"And you needn't deny that he did get you to try to buy it, either," he -exclaimed, warmly, "because I know all about that." - -Harry Brackett, taken aback, but concluding that Mr. Carleton had told -his father about it, admitted the commission, but could not recall -anything in particular that Mr. Carleton had said at that time. - -"Didn't he want to know something about the yacht that he was intending -to buy?" demanded the squire. "Now just wake those sleepy wits of yours -up and try to think." - -Harry Brackett, much confused, endeavoured to obey. - -"No, I don't remember that he did," said he, finally, "only he wanted to -know, of course, if I'd heard anything wrong about the yacht--anything -queer about her--or something of that sort--seems to me he asked if there -was anything queer about the boat--anything ever discovered about her." - -The squire concealed a thrill of satisfaction by scowling, and exclaimed: - -"Well, why didn't you say so before? I might want to buy that boat, -myself, sometime. I want to find out about her." - -A night or two after this, Squire Brackett awoke. He had had another -dream: that he and Mr. Carleton had stolen aboard the _Viking_, in the -dead of night, and had broken into the cabin. There, after the strange -and impossible fashion of dreams, they had discovered the man, Chambers, -at work, tearing up the cabin floor. Then, the dream progressed to a -stage wherein Mr. Carleton and Chambers were handing out bags of money to -the squire, piling his arms full of them. - -By degrees, these bags grew heavier, until the squire sank under their -weight. But, to his horror, Carleton and Chambers did not cease heaping -the bags of money upon him until he was smothering under them. They -covered his face, his nose, the top of his head. He woke up in the midst -of a vain endeavour to call for help, in which he could not utter a -sound. - -Possibly the squire's dream was explained by the fact that he found -himself submerged beneath the bed-clothes, which he had drawn completely -over his head, almost stifling himself. His pillow, which he clutched -tightly in his arms, rested also on his left ear, like one of the -imaginary bags of gold. - -"Oh! oh!" he groaned, freeing himself from the weight of clothing, "that -was a terrible nightmare. Confound that yacht! I wish it was sunk in the -middle of Samoset Bay, and I'd never set eyes on it again." - -But, with this awakening, the old subject of the mystery of the _Viking_ -returned to torment him. He lay awake for a half-hour or more, vainly -trying to forget it and go to sleep, but finding the paper with the -cryptogram forever flitting before his eyes. - -Then, of a sudden, he sprang out of bed, with a yell that awakened poor -Mrs. Brackett in terror. Her first thought, naturally, was of burglars. - -"I have it! I have it!" cried Squire Brackett, dancing about like a -certain philosopher of old, "I have it--it's 'money!'" - -"James Brackett!" exclaimed his wife, sitting up and glaring at him -indignantly, "I believe you're going crazy over money. That's all you -think about, is money--and all you talk about is money; and now here you -are dreaming about money. Aren't you ashamed of yourself, jumping out of -bed in the middle of the night and screaming 'money,' and frightening me -almost to death? You come back to bed!" - -But the squire did seem to have gone actually crazy, for it was evident -he was fully awake. He continued to prance about excitedly, exclaiming, -"It's money! I've got it! I've got it!" until poor Mrs. Brackett was at -her wit's end. - -Ignoring alike her entreaties and her scornful remarks, he descended to -his office, drew forth the mystical paper, eyed it triumphantly for a -moment, and then wrote as follows: - -"Chambers says MONEY must be still aboard yacht." - -"Hooray!" cried the squire. "There it is. Oh, I reckon I'm pretty deep, -myself. Yes, and I see the rest of it now." The squire finished the -letter thus: - -"Sound under third starboard locker." - -"That's right," he said. "That means there's some sort of a secret -chamber in one of the starboard lockers, and that by sounding, or -hammering, on the right spot, it will echo hollow, or give some sound -different from the other boards. Oh, I'll get that yacht, no matter what -I have to pay--and I'll get the money, too. I reckon I haven't cut my -eye-teeth for nothing." - -The squire could hardly close his eyes for the rest of the night. By -daybreak he was out alongside the _Viking_. - -"Look here," said Squire Brackett, as he opened the doors of the cabin, -and peered in at Henry Burns and Harvey, who were at breakfast, "I want -you boys to do me a little favour." - -Harvey's face betrayed his astonishment. - -"Oh, I'll make it worth your while, too," continued the squire. "I'm -willing to pay handsomely for it. You see, I've got a party of friends -coming down the bay, and I want to meet them at Mayville and give them a -few days' cruising. I'll admit there's a little business in it for me, -too. Now I want to do the thing up in good shape, and my boat isn't fit -for putting on style. I want the _Viking_ for just one week, and I'll pay -you twenty dollars for it." - -There was no immediate response. Henry Burns and Harvey looked at each -other doubtfully. The offer was almost tempting. - -"Well," cried the squire, seizing the opportunity, "I'll not stand at -five dollars at a time like this. Say twenty-five dollars for a single -week, and the money is yours." - -"In advance?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Yes, sir," replied Squire Brackett, "in advance--though I reckon my name -on a piece of paper is good for that amount anywhere in this county. Yes, -and I'll do more. I'll sign an agreement to deliver the yacht back to you -in this harbour, one week from the time of hiring it, in as good -condition as when I get it, or pay for the difference." - -Henry Burns looked at Harvey, inquiringly. Harvey nodded. - -"Well," said Henry Burns, "on those conditions I think we'll let you have -her--but only for one week. You'll have to wait two days, though. We've -got some fresh enamel on part of the woodwork, and some of the mahogany -finish has been scraped and newly oiled, and it isn't quite dry enough -for hard usage yet. Let's see, to-day is Wednesday. You may have her on -Saturday morning, if you'll bring her back the next Saturday, any time -before night." - -"Here's the money," said Squire Brackett, promptly. "We'll consider the -bargain closed, eh?" - -"Yes," assented the two yachtsmen. - -"Now what do you make of that?" exclaimed Harvey, as the squire rowed -awkwardly ashore. - -"Why, I think he has some land deal on hand," replied Henry Burns, "and -he wishes to make a grand impression on the persons he is going to meet. -He calls them his friends, but he's friendly to any one that he thinks he -can make money out of. They probably are from the city, and he wishes to -have them enjoy the sights of the bay in a fine boat. There's money in it -in some way for the squire, you can depend on it, or he wouldn't do it." - -Henry Burns was certainly right, in part. - -"Well, we will have the yacht in fairly good shape for him by Saturday," -said Harvey. "We'll bring down the fine cushions and fixings from the -Warren cottage, Friday night." - -The boys worked industriously through this and the two succeeding days, -putting the _Viking_ in shape. The outer body of the boat had not -received hard usage, even in their fishing, and the decks had been kept -carefully scrubbed. So, with the cleaning and painting and oiling of the -cabin woodwork, and varnishing, where needed, they had got the yacht in -fairly good condition before the squire had applied for her. Now, with -the finishing touches, and the rubbing up of brass work, the _Viking_ was -beginning to shine and glisten as of old. - -"I am almost sorry we agreed to let the squire have her," said Henry -Burns, as he and Harvey lay rolled in their blankets, the former on the -starboard, the latter on the port berth, in the midship section of the -yacht, on Friday night. They had finished a hard day's work, had -extinguished the cabin lantern, and were having a quiet chat before going -off to sleep. - -"Oh, well, a week will soon pass," said Harvey, "and twenty-five dollars -will swell our bank-account and put a finishing touch to the season's -balance. We'll have to go and figure up with Rob Dakin, pretty soon, and -see how we stand." - -Rob Dakin, the storekeeper, was the boys' banker. They had deposited -their earnings in his safe, from time to time, keeping an account with -him for groceries and rigging, and drawing out what they needed. - -"Yes," responded Henry Burns, "we've got a good balance coming to us--and -we've had a good time, too." - -"I've had the best time I ever had here," said Harvey, enthusiastically. - -They were talking in this way, growing drowsy, and speaking in low tones, -when Henry Burns suddenly uttered a warning "hush" to Harvey, and half -arose, resting on one elbow. - -"What's the matter?" whispered Harvey. - -Henry Burns laughed, softly. - -"The boat is bewitched," he said. "You needn't get nervous, though. It's -just a funny little, squeaky kind of witch-noise. I heard it the other -night when I was lying here; but, when I sat up and listened, the sound -stopped." - -"What sort of a noise is it?" asked Harvey, not much interested. - -"Why, I'll tell you," answered Henry Burns, "I suppose the witchcraft is -really something loose about this berth, or about one of those shelves, -or lockers; and that it works with the swinging of the boat in some way, -and makes a squeaking noise." - -"I don't see anything very mysterious about that," muttered Harvey. - -"I don't, either," replied Henry Burns. "Only the queer thing about it -seems to be, that when I get up and listen for it, it stops." - -"Well, if any witches fly out of that locker, just wake me up to take a -look at them," laughed Harvey, preparing to roll up in his blanket again -for the night. - -Henry Burns, also, lay down again, and the cabin was still. In about five -minutes more, Henry Burns reached down quietly for one of his shoes and -rapped with it on the shelf, above his head. - -"What's that?" demanded Harvey, roused from the early stages of -slumber--"some more of your witches? Say, you can't make me nervous, so -you better let me go to sleep." - -"Jack," said Henry Burns, arising and stepping over beside his companion, -"go over and try my berth awhile. Don't go to sleep, but keep still, and -listen--and tell me what you hear." - -Harvey, grumbling a little at his comrade's oddity, complied, yawning -ferociously. - -"If I see a witch I'll eat him up," he exclaimed. "I'm dead tired." - -"Keep quiet," was Henry Burns's admonition. Harvey was silent, and again -they lay still for almost ten minutes. Then, of a sudden, Harvey raised -himself on an elbow. Henry Burns was all attention. "Did you hear it?" he -asked, softly. - -"Sh-h-h," whispered Harvey. He lifted his head close to the door of the -locker and listened intently. Then, presently, he burst into laughter. - -"You're right, Henry," he cried. "They're witches--four-legged ones--and -we'll have to clear 'em out of this cabin before they do any mischief. -There's a nest of young mice in there somewhere, and it's them we hear -squeaking." - -"Well, to tell the truth, I thought of that, too," said Henry Burns; "but -I didn't suppose mice ever got into a boat like this in the summer-time, -when it's in use." - -"Well, I don't know as I ever heard of it," responded Harvey, "though I -don't see why they shouldn't. The schooners and fishermen have them in -the hold, often. But sure enough they've got in here somehow. Let's have -a look." - -The boys got up, lighted two of the cabin lanterns, and proceeded to -investigate. - -The berth on which Henry Burns had lain, and from which Harvey had just -arisen, was in the middle of the boat. It was about six feet long by two -feet wide, and sufficiently raised from the cabin floor to admit of two -good-sized drawers occupying the space beneath. There was a locker in the -side of the cabin, opening by a door close by the head, and one of the -same size at the foot, of the berth. Between these was an alcove with -some shelves. - -The door of the forward locker was so disposed that, if one were lying on -the berth with his head forward, the door could not be opened without its -coming in contact with his head. Therefore, the sound, if it came from -within the locker, would be immediately in the ears of any one occupying -the berth. - -Holding a lantern in one hand, Henry Burns opened the door of the locker -and looked within. There was no sign of anything alive there. - -"We gave this cabin a pretty good overhauling before, after that -treasure," said Harvey. "It looks just the same now as it did." - -"Well, it must be underneath, then," said Henry Burns. - -"Yes, and we looked there, too," said Harvey. - -"Well, we'll do the job more thoroughly, this time," replied Henry Burns. -"Hand me one of those candles, and I'll look underneath." - -So saying, he set down his lantern, and pulled out one of the drawers -directly underneath the berth where he had lain. As he did so, he gave an -exclamation of surprise. - -"What is it?" asked Harvey, appearing with the candle. - -"I think we're on the right track," said Henry Burns. "Look, there's -where the witches get through." - -Close to the cabin floor, where a support of the cabin roof came down, a -few inches below the lower edge of the drawer, was a small hole, large -enough to admit of a mouse. - -"That looks like the front door, sure enough," said Harvey. - -They looked within the drawer, but there was no sign of occupancy there. - -"We'll take the drawer completely out," said Henry Burns. "I don't -believe we did that, before. Perhaps it doesn't fill the entire space." - -"All right, I'll take the other one out, too," responded Harvey. "We'll -look behind both." - -He drew the drawer out and set it down on the cabin floor. Henry Burns -pulled out the drawer he had been examining, and set it down on top of -the other. Then, as he glanced at them by the light of the candle which -he held, he said, abruptly: - -"Look there, Jack. We've found it. As sure as you live, this drawer is -six or seven inches shorter than the other. There's a chamber behind it. -Say, you don't suppose--" - -Henry Burns did not conclude his sentence. Instead, he got down on hands -and knees, held the candle under the berth, and peered within. As he did -so, he uttered a cry of triumph. - -"Here, Jack, look inside," he said, hastily, withdrawing his head, and -handing the candle to his companion. - -Harvey ducked his head, and peered within. - -What he saw, in the chamber behind the space taken up by the drawer, was -a little boxlike object, fastened in some manner to the under side of the -bottom of the locker. - -Harvey, in turn, handed the candle over to Henry Burns. - -"Here," he said. "You found it. It's your right to have the first look at -whatever is there." - -Henry Burns, as near the point of actual excitement as he ever got, took -the candle, eagerly, and looked again. The boxlike object was clearly a -drawer of some sort, for, on closer scrutiny, there was revealed a tiny -knob by which it might be drawn out. - -"The mice are here, anyway," said Henry Burns, as he reached in and set -the candle down, preparatory to extending his arm at full length to draw -out the box. "I see a hole in one corner where they can get in and out." - -Then, as he seized the knob and pulled the little drawer open, there -darted out a small object that ran across his hand and disappeared in the -darkness beyond the lantern lights. - -Henry Burns laughed, the next moment, for he had dodged back, bumping his -head and letting go of the knob. - -"Run for your life, Jack," he cried. "Here comes the witch." - -Then, before Harvey's astonished eyes, Henry Burns drew forth into the -light of the cabin lantern a little drawer; and, within it, a nest -fashioned of odds and ends of paper and soft stuff; and, within the nest, -a family of tiny mice, lying as snug as the proverbial bug in a rug. - -The drawer was about a foot in length, six inches deep, and perhaps four -inches in height. It contained no apparent treasure--only a litter of -paper that mice had torn and gnawed into pieces. There was no gold nor -jewels therein. - -"Hm!" exclaimed Harvey, with an expression of chagrin overshadowing his -face, "Don't look as though there was anything there to make us rich--or -to have warranted Carleton in breaking into our cabin, eh?" - -"There isn't now," replied Henry Burns, calmly, but with a shade of -disappointment in his voice. "There isn't now, but there was. The mice -have got here before us, that's all." - -He held up to the light a scrap of the torn paper. It was no ordinary -paper that the lantern-light revealed to the eyes of the astonished -Harvey--far from it. It was the paper that no man may make for -himself--the paper of a national bank-note--and there were, on this -particular fragment, yet to be seen, a full cipher and the half of -another. Harvey fairly gasped. - -"That was a hundred-dollar bill!" he exclaimed. - -"Yes, or a thousand," said Henry Burns. - -Harvey groaned. - -"Better drop those mice overboard, hadn't we?" said he. - -Henry Burns scooped the family up in his hand and passed them over. - -"I believe you said if you saw a witch you'd eat her," he remarked, -slyly. - -"Ugh!" ejaculated Harvey, as he dropped the mice alongside. "Say, you -take it coolly enough, don't you?" - -"Well, why not?" replied Henry Burns. "It isn't our money that's gone." - -"It would have been," said Harvey. - -"I don't know whether it would or not," responded Henry Burns. "We'd have -to turn it over to the authorities, I suppose, to see if any one claimed -it--hullo! what's this?" - -Running the litter through his fingers, he turned up from the very bottom -a piece of the paper that had escaped entire mutilation. He held it up -triumphantly to the light. - -"We've got one prize," he cried. "It's the only one that isn't -destroyed--but it's fifty dollars, and that's something." - -"But there's only a piece of it," said Harvey. - -"More than half," said Henry Burns, joyfully. "That's enough. We can -redeem it." - -"Oh, but isn't that awful?" groaned Harvey, gazing ruefully at the litter -of paper that filled the drawer. "Just think of all that money going to -make a nest for mice." - -"It's what you might call extravagance," replied Henry Burns. "I wonder -how much there was. We'll never know, though. But there was enough to -make it worth while for Mr. Carleton to come down here after it." - -"Say," exclaimed Harvey, suddenly, "do you suppose that's what the -squire's after?" - -Henry Burns smiled, and stood for a moment thinking, before he replied. - -"Possibly," he answered. "But I don't see how he could know of it. Where -could he have learned of it? At any rate," he added, with a twinkle in -his eyes, "I don't see as we are under any obligation to tell him about -it. We don't have to assume that he is hiring our yacht to steal -something out of the cabin. He has told us what he wants the boat for. -We'll take him at his word." - -"Oh, by the way," he added, "did we throw those lobster shells overboard -after we finished supper?" - -"All but one claw that I didn't eat," replied the astonished Harvey. -"Why, what do you want of it?" - -In reply, Henry Burns, his eyes twinkling more than ever, and with a -quiet smile playing about the corners of his mouth, went and got the -lobster-claw from the ice-box. Emptying out the scraps of now worthless -paper, he deposited the lobster-claw in their place, took the candle, and -once more replaced the drawer in the secret chamber. Then he shoved in -the larger drawer. - -"Whoever finds that may keep it," he said, as he rolled himself in his -blanket and blew out the lantern nearest him. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - THE LOSS OF THE VIKING - - -Squire Brackett was for once in rare good humour, as he came down to the -breakfast-table on Saturday morning. He was beaming like a harvest moon, -and a look of satisfaction overspread his heavy face. He even smiled -affably on his son Harry, and was, withal, so pleased with himself, and -so off his guard, that his son took advantage of the opportunity to ask -him for ten dollars--and got it. By the time Squire Brackett had repented -of his generosity, young Harry had disappeared. - -"The scamp!" reflected the squire. "Smart enough to see something is up, -wasn't he? Well, I reckon I'm glad of it. He comes by his smartness -honestly, I vow. I wonder how the wind is." - -He was, indeed, a bit apprehensive on this score, for he was a bad -sailor. He had, moreover, a vivid recollection of the last time he went -threshing down the bay in Captain Sam's _Nancy Jane_, and of how sick and -frightened he was. - -"However," he thought, "I guess I can stand it." And he added, chuckling, -"It will be worth my while, or my name isn't Brackett." - -Mrs. Brackett was perplexed. She couldn't, for the life of her, -understand what had come over the squire, to induce him to venture forth -on a yachting trip. - -"Why, you just hate the water--you know you do, James," she exclaimed, as -the squire was bustling about, getting out his greatcoat and preparing -otherwise for his departure. "You said, a year ago, when you got back -from that chase after those boys, that you'd had enough sailing to last -you the rest of your life. And I don't see why you don't use your own -boat. Here you've been talking about selling her for the last three -years, because every time you go out in her you're dreadfully sick. You'd -better get some use out of that boat while you have it." - -"Well! well!" responded Squire Brackett, somewhat impatiently. "This is a -business trip. You can't understand, because it's business--important -business. I guess I know my affairs, or I wouldn't be the richest man on -Grand Island. You just get that lunch ready, so I can start before the -wind grows any stronger." - -Mrs. Brackett complied, obediently, but wondering. - -"Morning! morning! Nice day, my lads," said the squire with unwonted -cordiality, some minutes later, as he appeared alongside the _Viking_, -accompanied by John Hart and Ed Sanders, who were to constitute his crew. - -"Good morning, squire," responded the yachtsmen, catching the painter of -his boat and making it fast. "You're going to have a glorious day to -start off in." - -"Think so?" queried the squire. "Not going to blow much, eh?" - -"Not this morning, by the looks," replied Henry Burns; "just a nice -little easy southerly that will take you up to the head of the island in -fine style. Then all you've got to do is to beat down the western side, a -mile or so, and you can stand right over to Mayville without touching a -sheet--isn't that so, Captain Hart?" - -John Hart, having the prevailing contempt of the born and bred fisherman -for the amateur sailor, grunted a curt affirmative. - -"Well, take good care of the _Viking_," said Harvey, as the squire's crew -cast loose from the mooring and stood away, leaving the boys in their -tender astern. - -"We'll do that," replied the squire, assuringly. "And if we don't, why, -you've got it in black and white that I'll make it good to you. A -bargain's a bargain. That's my principle." - -The _Viking_, under a gentle breeze, was soon out of the harbour, clear -of the bluff, and was running up alongshore. Jack Harvey and Henry Burns -rowed ashore, to the tent, where Tom and Bob were awaiting them. -Something that Henry Burns and Harvey confided to them, as they sat -together on the point, sent the campers off into roars of laughter. - -"Oh, but I'd give my shoes to see the squire when he finds that -lobster-claw--if that's what he's after," cried Tom, punching Henry Burns -in an ecstasy of mirth. "Do you suppose that's really what he's hired her -for, though?" - -"Don't know," replied Henry Burns, solemnly. "No; Squire Brackett -wouldn't do anything like that." - -"Well, let's go up to the store and see how we stand," suggested Harvey. -"Come on, fellows. You're interested in this." - -"How much do you think we have earned, Jack?" asked Henry Burns, as they -walked up the street toward Rob Dakin's store. - -"Oh, more than two hundred dollars--quite a little more, before taking -out expenses," replied Harvey. - -"Yes; nearer three hundred, counting Tom's and Bob's share, I think," -said Henry Burns. - -"Well, that's reckoning in the fifty dollars we found in the cabin, isn't -it?" asked Harvey. - -"Yes, I guess it is," said his companion. "It remains to be seen, of -course, whether we can keep that or not. We'll ask Rob Dakin what he -thinks about that." - -"Well, I'll tell you what I think about it," said Rob Dakin, some minutes -later, after the boys had seated themselves in his store. "You say you -found that piece of a bill in a locker in the cabin of your boat. Now -there are two things to consider about that: - -"In the first place, if the owner of the boat--supposing she was -stolen--put that money in there, and he should turn up and claim the -money, why, you might have to give it up. Of course the boat was taken -over by the sheriff and sold, according to law; and if the owner claimed -the boat I reckon he'd have to pay Mrs. Newcome what it cost her. But -nobody has ever claimed her, and there isn't really any danger of that. -So far as that goes, the money seems to be yours. - -"Now, in the second place, the men that had this boat, and who were sent -to prison, might have had this money. Well, if it was their own money, -why, the State would take it and keep it and restore it to them after -they are set free. If it was stolen money, and the owner couldn't be -found, I can't just say whether you could keep it or whether it would -belong to the State. I'm not quite lawyer enough for that. But if they -should deny knowing anything about it, why, I reckon it would belong to -you, as you found it aboard your own boat." - -"Well, we will figure it in, anyway," said Henry Burns. - -So, at their request to draw them up a statement of their affairs, real -"shipshape," as Henry Burns expressed it, Rob Dakin set to work and, -after some minutes' figuring, produced a sheet at which they gazed with -pride and satisfaction. It was as follows: - - LEDGER OF THE VIKING--FISHING SLOOP - _Earnings_ - -1st trip to Loon Island $18.00 -2d trip to Loon Island 22.00 -3d trip to Loon Island 35.00 -Lobsters--apart from crew 45.00 -Big mackerel catch 80.00 -Other mackerel 30.00 -Other fishing 15.00 -Paid by the Squire 25.00 -Found in the cabin 50.00 - ------ -Total earnings $320.00 - - _Expenses_ - -Tom's and Bob's share first three trips $25.00 -Tom's and Bob's share mackerel 36.66 -Tom's and Bob's share other fish 5.00 -Bait purchased 9.50 -Anchor 5.00 -Extra rigging 15.00 -Hooks and lines 10.00 -Provisions 25.00 -Hire of tender 10.00 -Paid Captain Sam for labour 11.50 -Incidentals 13.50 - ------ -Total expenses $166.16 - ------ - Balance $153.84 -Henry Burns's share 76.92 -Jack Harvey's share 76.92 - - -"Hooray!" cried Harvey, waving the paper, triumphantly. "I wonder what my -dad would say to that. I'll bet he'd be pleased. That's the first money I -ever earned." - -"Well, why don't you write him about it?" suggested Henry Burns, with a -wink at Tom. "You're feeling pretty strong after the summer's sailing." - -"Say, I never thought of that," exclaimed Harvey. "I'll do it--that is, -I'll do it some day--say--well, some rainy day when I've nothing else to -do." - -"You like to write letters about as well as I do," said Henry Burns, -laughing. "But I'll tell you what I'll do. You write to your father, and -I'll write and tell old Mrs. Newcome what we've done this summer with the -boat. She'd be pleased to know about it." - -"All right," said Harvey. "It's a bargain--that is, some day when it's -raining good and hard and nothing else to do. Perhaps you'll let me read -your letter over first. It will sort of give me an idea what to say." - -"We're much obliged to you, Mr. Dakin," said Henry Burns, as they left -the store. "You keep the money for us till we go home. We'll want a few -more provisions, too." - -"Oh, you're welcome," responded Rob Dakin, good-naturedly. "You're good -customers, and I'm glad to oblige you. I hope you can keep that fifty -dollars." - -And, to look ahead a little, they did keep it. Some days later, Mr. -Warren, who had been communicated with at Benton, and who had looked into -the matter, wrote them a letter that contained good news. It was, simply, -that the men in prison, questioned regarding it, had denied flatly -knowing anything about a secret drawer or hiding-place anywhere aboard -the _Viking_. Perhaps they had their own good reasons for doing this. -Perhaps it was, that they feared the consequences of the disclosure. -Perhaps the money had really been stolen and concealed there by them. -Perhaps they feared their admission of such a hiding-place would put them -at the mercy of the authorities--who might have unearthed more about it -than had been told--and that it might convict them of still another -crime. - -Whatever their reason, it was known to them alone. But their denial left -the money to the finders. - -To return, however, to the day of their reckoning, the yachtsmen, in high -spirits, invaded the Warren cottage; and, later, the party, augmented by -the three brothers, travelled down to the camp of Harvey's crew, where -they held carnival till late into the night. - -Squire Brackett's adventures throughout the day had been, on the whole, -rather more exciting than those of the campers and the yachtsmen. The -squire had gone aboard the _Viking_ with mingled feelings of exultation -and misgiving. But, as he had looked abroad over the surface of the bay, -his courage had been restored somewhat, for there were no waves of any -size discernible to his eyes, and the wind was still light. - -He seated himself nervously near the stern, where John Hart was holding -the wheel, while Ed Sanders managed the jib-sheets. The jibs soon ceased -to draw, however, as they were beginning to run squarely before the wind; -so Ed Sanders contented himself with hauling up the centreboard, and then -betook himself to the cabin, for a nap. - -This was a sad blow to the squire. He was fairly consumed with eagerness -to go below and hunt about in the cabin, undisturbed, and without -attracting attention. But he couldn't do it while Ed Sanders remained -awake. So he was constrained to sit out in the sun, and listen to John -Hart's explanations of the art of sailing--which didn't interest the -squire at all--and hope for slumber on the part of Ed Sanders. - -Finally there came a welcome sound to his ears, a hearty snore from the -cabin. - -"I declare, that makes me sleepy, too," said Squire Brackett, simulating -a yawn and stretching his arms above his head. "I believe I'll go below -for a few moments, myself, and see if I can't get a nap. It's hot, this -morning." - -The morning was, in fact, unusually sultry for September, and the wind -showed no signs of increasing and cooling the air. - -"Well," replied John Hart, "this is a good morning to sleep, but I don't -know as I would go below if I were you, squire. You know, if a man has -any tendency to be squeamish, that is apt to send him off." - -"Yes, I know," answered the squire; "but it seems so nice and still that -I think it won't disturb me. I'll just drop off to sleep as easy as a -kitten." - -He accordingly descended the companion, looked sharply at Ed Sanders, to -satisfy himself that he was sound asleep, and went to the forward end of -the cabin. - -"Let's see," he muttered, "I wonder if the 'third starboard locker' means -the third from the stern or the third from the bow." - -The squire began opening the lockers along the starboard side, at random, -and peering inside. - -"We'll see what sort of an equipment these youngsters have left us," he -exclaimed, aloud. - -But, just at this moment, the squire felt a queer sensation, like a -strange, quick spasm of dizziness, accompanied by a slight shiver. It was -gone the next moment. - -"Nonsense!" he exclaimed to himself. "Funny how a man's imagination works -in a cubby-hole like this. I almost thought I was dizzy for a moment. -Confound that John Hart! I wish he hadn't said anything about being -seasick. Of course a man can't be seasick on a quiet day like this. -Pooh!" - -The squire perhaps had not taken into account, as had John Hart, that, -whereas the sea was not ruffled by any chop-sea or breakers, there was -still an exceedingly long, almost imperceptible undulation of the bay; a -moderate but continuous heaving of the ground-swell, that swayed the boat -gently from beam to beam or rocked it slowly from stem to stern. The -squire did not realize that it was this that had set his brain -momentarily awhirl. - -Like many another sailorman, John Hart, having given his advice and -finding it disregarded, considered it no longer his business whether the -squire fared well or ill. Likewise, he did not see fit to warn him of the -near approach of a big tramp steamer that was on its way, a little -farther out in the bay, to Benton, to load with spool-wood. - -The big tramp was making time, with black smoke pouring out of its two -funnels; and, as it went along, it sent a heavy cross-sea rolling away -from its bows and stern. - -A few moments later, just as the squire had opened the lower drawer -beneath the third locker from the starboard end of the yacht, something -extraordinary happened to him. His feet were suddenly knocked from under -him. At the same time, it seemed as though the cabin roof had fallen -down; for the squire's head came in violent contact with it. Likewise, it -seemed as though the yacht was standing on its bowsprit and kicking its -stern into the air; and, likewise, as though it were performing, at the -very same instant, as violent a series of antics as the craziest bronco -that ever tried to buck its rider. - -The immediate result was, that Squire Brackett first bumped his head -against the roof of the cabin. Then he fell over sidewise and hit a -corner of the centreboard box. Finally, he found himself lying on the -cabin floor, rolling about in highly undignified and uncomfortable -fashion. - -But, saddest to relate, when he had in a measure recovered from his -amazement and endeavoured to pick himself up from the floor, his head was -swimming round and round like a humming-top. Poor Squire Brackett was, -indeed, as addle-brained as a sailor that has had a day's shore leave and -has spent it among the grog-shops. With a groan of anguish, he -relinquished all hope of treasure-hunting and crawled upon one of the -berths, where he lay helpless, and muttering maledictions on the head of -John Hart for not warning him of what was coming. - -"Hello, what's the matter?" cried Ed Sanders, sitting up and addressing -the squire, whose sudden downfall had awakened him. - -"The matter!" roared the squire, in a burst of energy and -indignation--"the matter is, that you were down here sleeping like a -mummy instead of attending to business on deck. Here's a sea hit us and -nearly turned the yacht upside down, and my neck nearly broken." - -"Ho, we're all right," said Ed Sanders, intending to be reassuring. "Just -a little swash from a steamer, I guess. She's rocking a little, but there -ain't any harm in it." - -The squire was so unutterably disgusted that he couldn't find words to -reply. What could he say to a man that assured him he was all right when -he was beginning to feel the qualms of seasickness? There were no words -in the language to do the occasion justice. - -Nor was he mollified or comforted by the appearance, the next moment, of -John Hart at the companionway, also declaring that really nothing had -happened--nothing of any consequence--and that he would be feeling as -fine as an admiral in a few minutes. - -The squire tried to reply, but could only choke and sputter. - -"Nothing of any consequence, eh?" he groaned. "Oh, my head! O-h-h! If I -die I hope they'll indict John Hart for murder, and hang Ed Sanders for -criminal negligence. Nothing of any consequence--but I know I'll never -live to see the end of this voyage." - -The squire's agitation was not abated with the rounding of the head of -the island; for, with this, what slight sea was running was soon -broadside on, so that it rolled the _Viking_ from side to side--not -roughly, but enough to cause him untold misery. - -Finally, at John Hart's solicitation, he was induced to return to the -outer air, where he sat, wrapped up in two heavy blankets, shivering, and -with his teeth chattering, although the day was exceedingly hot. - -When, at the close of the afternoon, they had arrived at Mayville, the -squire had had enough yachting. He staggered ashore and took a carriage -to the hotel, rather than spend the night aboard the _Viking_. - -"Well, sir," said John Hart, some time the next forenoon, when the -squire, improved in appearance and temper, had come down to the dock, -"when do you expect that yachting party to arrive?" - -"What yacht--" began the squire. He had forgotten for the moment the -alleged object of the trip to Mayville. "Oh, you mean my party?" he said. -"Why, they won't be here until night. I won't need you two at all to-day. -You can have the day off. Here's fifty cents to buy both of you your -dinners. You needn't come back until night." - -"Well," said Ed Sanders as he and John Hart departed from the dock and -went on up the main street of Mayville, "I thought the squire wasn't hurt -much by that bump he got yesterday in the cabin, but I declare if I don't -think it injured his brain. Did you ever know of his giving anybody fifty -cents before?" - -"No, never did," answered John Hart; "but if getting seasick has that -effect on him, we'll make him sick every time he goes out. Next southerly -we get, with the tide running out, we'll sail into the worst chop-sea we -can find and give him a dollar's worth." - -Squire Brackett, however, watched them disappear with a satisfaction -equal to theirs. He rubbed his hands like a money-changer, and stepped -from the wharf aboard the _Viking_ with the assurance of a buccaneer. He -almost imagined he was a sailor when a man on the wharf accosted him. - -"Fine boat you've got there," said the stranger--evidently from the city. - -"She's pretty good, if I do say it," replied Squire Brackett, swelling -out his chest and looking nautical. - -"Looks as though she might carry sail some," continued the stranger, -admiringly. - -"Ha!" exclaimed the squire. "The harder it blows the better we like it. -My men say to me, time and time again, 'Most too much wind, Captain -Brackett; better reef, hadn't we?' 'Not much,' is what I say. 'Let a -topsail go if it wants to. I'll buy another when that's gone. Keep her -down to her work. She'll stand it.' What's the use of having a good boat -if you keep her in a glass case, eh, sir?" - -"Well, I suppose that's so," replied the stranger, much impressed. "But -you've got to have the nerve to do it." - -"It's nothing when you're accustomed to it," said Squire Brackett, taking -a nautical survey of the sky, and rolling toward the companionway like an -old salt. - -Before he began operations, however, he returned on deck, took the -bow-line and drew the yacht close in to the pier, stepped off and cast -loose the end of the line where it was made fast to a spiling. There was -another line out astern, to which an anchor was attached, and which had -been dropped at some distance from the boat. This was to keep the yacht -from getting in too snug to the pier and scraping the paint from its -sides. The squire took hold of this rope and drew the yacht out farther -from the pier, so that no one could step aboard from there. - -Thus safe from interruption, he again went below and sprang breathlessly -to the drawer. - -"Here's the third starboard locker from the bow," he muttered. "'Money is -still aboard yacht,' eh? Ha! ha! I'll show 'em a thing or two. He didn't -intend to buy my land--the rascal. Well, I'll get his treasure. They will -run down my sailboat, will they? Well, I'll pull a prize out of their own -boat. They're a smart lot, the whole of them; but I'll show 'em who's -smarter." - -Squire Brackett's hand shook with excitement as he drew out the large -drawer. - -He looked into it earnestly, but there was clearly nothing of value in -it, nor anything queer in its construction. He opened the door to the -locker, and pounded on the bottom of that. - -"There's nothing odd about that, so far as I can see," he exclaimed. -"Well, it's in behind there. That's where it is. I'll just get a light -and take a look." - -The squire hurried to the provision locker, rummaged therein, and found -the stub of a candle. He nearly burned his fingers in lighting it, so -wrought up was he. - -Returning to the opening whence he had withdrawn the drawer, he got down -on his hands and knees and peered within. The candle-light flickered on -the little drawer that fitted snugly to the under side of the locker's -bottom. The squire felt a queer, almost choking sensation come over him. -He thought of the jewel robbery of the year before, up at Benton. He -thought of the men that had had the _Viking_. The possibilities of his -find swept through his excited brain, till the fancy fired his -imagination beyond his hitherto wildest dreams. - -In a delirium of expectation, and breathing short and quick like a man -that has run a race, the squire snatched at the tiny knob, grasped the -little drawer with eager hands, drew it forth, and rushed with it to the -cabin door. - -For one brief, ecstatic moment he paused exultantly. Then a strange, -remarkable change came over him and he stood like a man stiff frozen. The -look of anguish, of rage, of disappointment, of amazement that distorted -his features was like that which an ingenious South Sea Islander might -give to an image he had carved out of a very knotty and cross-grained -junk of wood. - -He held the drawer out at arm's length, as though he was demanding that -some imaginary person should look and behold the contents. And the -contents, that the squire's own eyes rested upon, were indeed not silver -nor gold nor precious jewels, nor even the tawdriest trinkets, but--of -all abominations--Henry Burns's lobster-claw! - -A moment later, the squire uttering an exclamation that shall not be -recorded here, lifted the drawer above his head, hurled it down upon the -floor, and crushed it with his heel. Once, twice, thrice he stamped upon -it, shattering it to pieces, and crunching the lobster-claw into a -shapeless mass. And then--why then, all at once, it flashed into his mind -that he had, in his fury, done precisely the wrong thing; the very thing -he should not have done. - -If any one had put that claw in there for him to find, why, of course, -they would look for it when the _Viking_ was returned. It was bad enough -to be cheated, defrauded, robbed--thought the squire. But to know that -Henry Burns and Jack Harvey and all the rest of the scamps would look for -that drawer, and find it missing, and laugh themselves sick to think of -his discomfiture, why, that was not to be thought of. - -Squire Brackett stooped down and gathered up the pieces of the shattered -drawer. Fortunately, they were of common pine, and were mostly wrenched -apart where they had been nailed together. The squire hunted for hammer -and nails in the yachtsmen's stores, and hammered the drawer together as -best it would go. He cast loose the line astern and pushed the yacht in -to the pier again. Then he hunted around, outside of a boat-shop near by, -till he found, a small piece of wood that would do, with proper shaping, -to supply one of the parts he had broken. - -Altogether, with his clumsiness in the matter of reconstruction, the -squire consumed the rest of the morning repairing the drawer he had -wrecked. - -Then, when he had finished his work, he strode away up the street and -made a purchase. The purchase was a fine, big boiled lobster--just a -shade redder than the squire's face as he paid for it. But, having paid -for it, he took it back to the yacht and ate it for his dinner--all but -one claw. That claw he wished to save. He was so careful of it, indeed, -that he put it away in a certain secret drawer under the third locker on -the starboard side. - -"No, they're not coming," he said, that evening, to John Hart and Ed -Sanders, on their return. "Too bad. Got a telegram saying they can't -come. The sailing party's given up. Shame, isn't it? However, I've got -some business I'm going to attend to before I go home. We'll stay the -week out. Your pay goes on just the same. So you needn't say anything to -the boys about my not using their yacht. They might think they got a -shade the best of me. It's all right, though. I can make use of the -time." - -The squire, in truth, was too ashamed to return so suddenly. He spent the -week in Mayville; and of all miserable weeks in his existence, that week -was the most dismal of any. - -Saturday came, and it was a day of fitful weather. Part of the day it -rained. Then there were signs of clearing, with the wind sharp and -squally from the west. They waited till mid-afternoon, and then the -weather improving a little, the squire gave the order to start. He -dreaded the sail, but he would wait no longer. They went across the bay -under two reefs, and the squire's hair stood on end all the way. - -It was shortly after supper, and Henry Burns and Jack Harvey sat with -their friends, the Warren boys, on the veranda of the Warren cottage. The -wind was still high, and now and then there came a brief rain-squall. - -"I wonder if the _Viking_ will be in," said George Warren. - -"Possibly," replied Harvey; "but, if she isn't, we'll give the squire -another day. It's stiff wind for him to sail in. What worries me, is -whether the crew are all right or not. They've been gone a week almost, -and they're way down 'round Stoneland somewhere." - -"Oh, they are all right," said Henry Burns. - -And yet, if Henry Burns could have seen the position of the good yacht -_Surprise_, at that precise moment, he might not have thought she was -exactly all right. For the yacht _Surprise_ was hung up on a sand-bar, -some ten miles below Stoneland, among the islands; and the crew had -already worked an hour, in vain attempts to get her off. - -There came a driving squall of wind and rain, presently, and the boys -went inside. - -"The _Viking_ won't be in to-night, I guess, after all," said Harvey. - -Then, as it grew dark, they busied themselves till they were taken all by -surprise by a knock at the door. There stood Ed Sanders, his clothes -dripping. - -"We're in," he said. "The squire sent me up to tell you. He's gone home. -The _Viking's_ fast at her mooring, and all right. Come out and you can -see her lantern that I set at the foremast. She don't need a light, safe -in the harbour here, but I thought you might like to see it and know she -is there." - -"We'll go down right away," said Henry Burns. "Much obliged to you." - -"No, you won't," cried George Warren. "You don't stir out of this house -to-night. You're going to stay with us. The boat is all right." - -They stepped to the door and looked out upon the bay. It was clearing, -but it was not pleasant. Everything was soaked with the rain, and the -wind was blowing. - -"What do you say, Jack?" - -"Oh, I think we might as well stay," answered Harvey. - -So they stayed. And they slept soundly, too, with the night-breeze -whistling past their window. But it is certain they would not have slept -soundly, nor slept at all, if they had but known of a certain letter that -young Harry Brackett had written and sent to Bellport, three days before, -and of the significance it had to the man who received it. - -It was about six o'clock the next morning that Jack Harvey, still -sleeping soundly, was rudely awakened. Henry Burns was shaking him -violently. - -"Jack, wake up!" cried Henry Burns. "Wake up and get your clothes on. -There's something the matter. The _Viking's_ gone. Yes, she's really gone -out of the harbour; for I've been clear down to the shore to see. It -isn't any joke. Hurry up. I'll get the fellows out." - -A few moments later, Henry Burns, followed by Harvey and the three Warren -boys, was running for the shore. - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - FLEEING IN THE NIGHT - - -Southport was very quiet of a Sunday morning, the sleepy aspect of its -weather-beaten, low buildings taking on an even more drowsy appearance -with the Sabbath calm, and without the sign of any activity along the -shore and in the harbour to interrupt its rest. The faint tinkle of a -cow-bell, or the mild bleating of a few sheep coming in from a near-by -pasture, only served to accentuate the stillness. - -The whole island sparkled with the morning sunlight, the rain-drops of -the night before gleaming on bushes and grass before they vanished under -its warmth and with the drying wind. The waters of the bay rolled away -clear and blue, ruffled a little by the freshening breeze, and here and -there showing patches of a darker hue, where a wind-flaw bore down quick -and sharp and flayed the water. - -On the point, in front of the tent, stood the boys that had dashed down -from the Warren cottage, with Tom and Bob, rudely aroused from their -morning nap, and hastily dressed in trousers and sweaters. - -There was no comfort nor hope in the view that extended before them. Down -between the islands, a schooner was running to sea, winged out before the -favouring breeze. Nearer, a coaster, light and drawing little water, was -beating up the bay, bound for Benton, to load with lumber. Over toward -the Cape was a fisherman, with stubby mast and no topmast, skirting -alongshore. - -But there was no yacht, sailing or drifting. There was no yacht _Viking_ -anywhere to be seen. Nor could she have sunk at the mooring, for at that -depth of water her topmast would be showing. However, half suspecting -some trick might have been played on them, and the yacht taken out into -deeper water and sunk, they went out in a rowboat and the canoe, and -examined the water for quite a distance, all about. - -"We're losing precious time, though," said Henry Burns. "The _Viking's_ -been stolen. The first thing we've got to do, is to run over to the -mainland and send a telegram down to Stoneland--though I'm afraid, with -this breeze blowing all night, she's got past there long before this. -We'll telegraph on to Portland, and to Boston, too, and have the police -on the watch." - -"Oh, if the _Surprise_ was only here," groaned Harvey. "We might stand -some chance in a long chase. Confound the crew! Here they are, gone, at -the one time in the whole summer that we need them most." - -"Isn't it just barely possible, though, that John Hart or Ed Sanders -didn't make her good and fast to the mooring, and that she went adrift? -If that is so, she would have gone clear across to the islands in the -night, or even past them, out to sea." - -"That's possible," replied Henry Burns, "but it isn't likely. That's one -thing a good sailor does, always, by sheer habit--leave a boat secure. -We'll get them out, though." - -A hurried search brought forth Ed Sanders and John Hart, who stoutly -protested the yacht had been left as fast as human hands could tie her. -Moreover, they intimated, in no uncertain language, that the yacht had -been turned over to the possession of the owners, according to agreement; -and that, if they had not seen fit to look after their own property, it -was not the fault of John Hart or Ed Sanders or Squire Brackett. - -And the yachtsmen realized there was no answer to this. - -"Jack," said Henry Burns, as they hurried back again to the shore, -"there's no use trying to fool ourselves with false hopes. The _Viking's_ -stolen--and you and I know who took her. He came back for the treasure in -the cabin." - -In the same breath, they uttered the name of Mr. Carleton. - -Then, to their amazement, George Warren gave an exclamation of dismay and -self-reproach; for there had come back to him again, for the first time, -the memory of that rainy night down the island, and of the envelope he -had found in the fireplace, with the name of Mr. Carleton upon it. He -told them now of the discovery he had made. - -"Oh, if I'd only thought of it last night," he cried, "I shouldn't have -urged you to stay at the cottage. You see, the cruise we've been on put -the thing clean out of my mind. I hadn't thought of Carleton since that -night. Hang it! I feel as though I was to blame--and you'd have gone -aboard last night if it hadn't been for me." - -Poor George Warren looked the picture of dismay. "There's nothing for you -to blame yourself about," said Henry Burns. "You couldn't suspect -Carleton was coming back." - -They had been running all the while, and had come by this time to Captain -Sam's door. - -"Now," said Henry Burns, quick and sharp, "we've got to jump lively and -be off. You fellows will all help, of course. Tom, you and Bob have got -to go to Bellport. The canoe will do it twice as quick as any boat could -beat up around the head of the island and sail over." - -"We're off," replied Tom Harris. Without another word, he and Bob dashed -for the shore, had their sweaters off, in a twinkling, snatched up the -canoe as though it were a feather's weight, launched it, and started down -along the island for the Narrows. The light craft darted ahead swiftly, -impelled by bronzed and muscular arms. The boys were trained to hard -work, in rough water and smooth; and they wasted no effort now in -starting off at any frenzied pace, under the excitement. They set, from -the first, a strong, steady, even stroke, that could be sustained for -hours if need be, knowing, as does a trained athlete, that the long -distance race is to the man that sustains, and does not exhaust, his -strength in useless haste. - -"You fellows make for the islands in the _Spray_, will you?" said Henry -Burns, turning to the Warren boys. "There's a man in back of Hawk Island -that owns a big fishing-boat; and if they've seen the _Viking_ go down -through that way, perhaps he'll go along for us. Every man around this -bay will help, when he knows there's a yacht been stolen." - -"We'll start just as soon as we can get a jug of water and some food -aboard," said George Warren. - -"I'll go back to the house for the food," said young Joe. - -The Warren boys started off on the run. - -Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, their faces drawn and anxious-looking, but -determined to keep up their courage, knocked at the door of Captain Sam. - -"Come in," was the hearty response. - -They opened the door, which admitted directly into the dining-room, where -sat Captain Sam, with Mrs. Curtis about to pour his coffee. - -"You're just in time. Sit right down," cried Captain Sam hospitably. -"Baked beans and brown bread is what you get, you know. I can always tell -it's Sunday morning, as soon as I wake up, by the smell from the oven. -Haw! haw!" - -"Hello, what's the matter?" he added, seeing the expressions of distress -on their faces. "Nothing gone wrong, is there?" - -They told him, hurriedly. - -Captain Sam Curtis raised his brawny right hand, which clutched an iron -knife with which he had been dexterously engaged in conveying beans from -his dish to his mouth, and brought it down on the table with a smash that -made the coffee-cups jump in their saucers. - -"I knew it and I said it!" he cried. "I didn't like the looks of that -Carleton from the first--did I, Nancy Jane?" - -"No, you didn't, Sam," responded Mrs. Curtis. "You declared he had a -queer way with him--though I couldn't see it." - -"The villain!" roared Captain Sam. "A boat-thief, is he? We'll catch him, -if we have to sail to New York after him. Nancy Jane, throw some bread -and cheese and that cold meat and brown bread into a box, and we'll get -away quicker'n scat." - -He bolted a cup of coffee at one swallow and unloaded his plate of beans -with a rapidity truly marvellous, urging the boys, between gulps, to do -likewise. But they had not much appetite and ate only a little, hastily. - -"He's the man--the scoundrel!" exclaimed Captain Sam, wrathfully, as they -gathered his belongings and prepared to leave the cottage. "And didn't I -see him night before last, as sure as a man can see? I was coming down -through the pasture from the post-office, about dusk, and there was a man -ahead in the path; and when he heard me coming behind him, he slips off -into the bushes and cuts across lots. Once he looks back for a moment, -over his shoulder, and I says, 'Why, that looks as much like that man -Carleton that boarded at my house as one pea looks like another.' But he -didn't answer when I called to him; only pushed ahead, out of the way. -And I thought it was queer--and now I know it." - -The _Nancy Jane_, Captain Sam's big fishing-boat, named for his wife, -and, like that good woman, plump and sturdy of build, and not dashing, -was swinging idly at its mooring. They jumped aboard, lifted the tender -aboard also, so it would not drag and delay them, ran the mainsail and -jib up, cast off, and stood down alongshore. The chase of the _Viking_ -had begun. - -The yacht _Spray_, which had been under way for some minutes, was off -about half a mile, heading for the islands. The canoe had already reached -the Narrows, a little more than half a mile below, and was not to be -seen. The _Nancy Jane_ was doing her best. Jack Harvey and Henry Burns -looked at each other, their faces set and anxious. They could hardly -speak. - -Only Henry Burns managed to say, "Keep up your courage, Jack. We'll get -him, yet." - -Jack Harvey shook his head, dubiously. - -"He's got a long start," he said; "and you know how the old _Viking_ can -sail." - -As for Captain Sam, he must have had his own convictions about the -relative merits of the _Nancy Jane_ and the _Viking_; but he refrained -from expressing them. He merely drew out his pipe and sent up such clouds -of smoke that it might have seemed as though the _Nancy Jane_ was -propelled by an engine. - -Tom Harris and Bob White lost little time in reaching the Narrows. At -this point, the waters of the Eastern and Western Bays came so near -together that only a narrow strip of the island prevented the sea from -flowing between and making two islands, instead of one. The boys lifted -the canoe on their shoulders, carried across and launched it again in the -Western Bay. They had now some six miles of water to cross. - -Heading somewhat above their destination, so as to allow for the setting -of the tide, they proceeded vigorously. With the precision bred of long -practice, their paddles cut the water at the same moment; while, under -the guidance of Tom's stern paddle, the canoe sped on an undeviating -course, leaving a wake as straight as though a line had been drawn for -them to follow. - -Then, when they came to within the last mile of Bellport, Tom gave the -word, and they finished at racing speed. In upon a clean strip of sandy -beach they ran; nor had the bow scarcely grated upon the shore, before -they were out and were carrying the canoe up above the reach of -tide-water, or the wash of any passing boat. Then, still stripped for the -race, with arms and shoulders bared, they started on a run for the -telegraph office. They had set out at about half-past six, and it was now -eight o'clock. - -Oh, but the minutes seemed hours now. The little office, where the one -operator did whatever business came that way, was locked, when they -arrived. It was Sunday morning, and the operator was being shaved at a -near-by hotel. They fairly dragged him out of the barber's hands, -however, and got him to send their messages: one to Stoneland, another to -Boston, and another to Portland. They were brief: - -"Yacht _Viking_; thirty-eight feet, six; sloop; foresail, two jibs; -painted white; new sails. Stolen last night. Stop her." - -The messages were directed to the harbour-master at each port. - -The boys, donning their sweaters, sat in the shade by the roadside, to -rest. The pace had been so swift, and their intent so absorbing, that -they had not fairly considered until now the real extent of the loss. But -now they groaned with sympathy for their comrades. - -"Isn't it awful?" exclaimed Bob. "Just think of losing a boat like the -_Viking_." - -"Yes, and think of the start he's got," replied Tom. "He's had a smashing -breeze all night. He must have got past Stoneland. Only the despatch to -Portland or Boston will catch him." - -"Well," said Bob, "what next?" - -"Breakfast, the first thing," said Tom. "Then let's go down the bay -toward Stoneland and see what's happened." - -They had, indeed, eaten nothing since Henry Burns had awakened them with -the dire news. - -An hour later, they were paddling leisurely down alongshore. - -In all the village of Southport, through which the exciting and unusual -news had spread, there was but one man who regarded the loss of the -_Viking_ with anything approaching satisfaction. Having assured himself -that no legal blame could attach to him, Squire Brackett was far from -being downcast over the event. He thought of the secret drawer and the -lobster-claw. - -"I'm glad she's gone," he muttered. "Serves 'em right. And they can't -blame me for it. I brought her back all safe." - -And yet, if the squire had known it, he was, by reason of having a son, -in that measure responsible for the _Viking's_ strange disappearance. - -Since Mr. Carleton's sudden departure from Southport, there had been a -desultory correspondence carried on between him and young Harry Brackett, -unknown to any one but themselves. Harry Brackett, indeed, felt rather -flattered to receive attention from so important a person; and he had -become convinced that Mr. Carleton did, in truth, regard certain things -that the boy had done as practical jokes, instead of putting a worse -interpretation on them. - -Moreover, in furtherance of this idea, Mr. Carleton in all his letters -spoke of a certain indefinite time when, if occasion offered, he should -return to Southport, and the two would have some quiet joke of their own -at the expense of the yachtsmen. - -"And when I come, I shall stay into the fall," he wrote, in one letter. -"I expect to buy some land of your father. But say nothing to him about -my coming. My plans might fall through and I should not wish to -disappoint him." - -Thus it had happened that when, on Thursday, Harry Brackett's letter of -the day before reached Mr. Carleton at Bellport, it was a letter of much -importance to that gentleman. He sat on the veranda of the hotel, holding -the letter in his hand, thinking deeply, and uttering his thoughts softly -to himself. - -"So the squire's got the boat," he murmured. "I wish it was I that had -her. I was a fool to start off so soon down this way, and not see -Chambers, myself. It's funny, too, about that secret drawer with the -money. There wasn't any when Chambers and I and French owned her. But it -must be there, for Chambers's friend, Will Edwards, told me about it in -Portland. And didn't he write me from Boston that Chambers says it is -still there? And isn't it queer, and lucky, too, that there's only -Chambers and I left to share it, since Will Edwards has been put where he -won't need money for ten long years?" - -Mr. Carleton arose and paced the veranda, still talking to himself. - -"He said I was the one to get it, did Will Edwards, because I appear like -a gentleman, and can meet people--and, besides, I had the money to spend. -But there's little enough of that left. I've spent a lot. Somebody's got -to pay me. It's the last chance, and I'll have the boat if--" - -Mr. Carleton did not finish the sentence. But behind the heavy moustache, -that had seemed like a disguise, almost, to Henry Burns, Mr. Carleton's -teeth were clenched tight; and his eyes looked away across the bay to -Grand Island, with an expression in them that was cold and resolute. - -Harry Brackett got an answer to his letter, next morning, and the secret -it contained filled him with expectation and excitement. - -"A capital scheme for us, he says," exclaimed Harry Brackett, tearing the -letter into little pieces and casting them to the winds. "I wonder what -it is? I'm to meet him in the pasture to-morrow night. Cracky! but I -guess something's going to happen. I'd like to get even with Jack Harvey -and Henry Burns for once. I'll dare to do anything that Mr. Carleton -will, too; for he'll get the blame, if there's any trouble, because he's -a man." - -Thus it happened that Captain Sam Curtis had not been mistaken when, on -Friday night, he thought he saw his former lodger, Mr. Carleton, stealing -through the bushes in the pasture, as he was coming from the post-office. -Indeed, Captain Sam might have seen more, if he had been sharper-eyed. He -might have seen Harry Brackett dodge quickly out of sight at the sound of -his voice, then throw himself on the ground and lie still until he had -passed. - -What took place between Harry Brackett and Mr. Carleton, on this Friday -night, was an agreement, merely, to meet there again on the succeeding -night; after which, Mr. Carleton proceeded some three miles down the -island, where he had engaged a room at a farmhouse. - -"And what's the joke?" Harry Brackett had asked, eagerly. - -"Leave that to me," Mr. Carleton had replied. "It won't hurt the boat -any; I promise you that. But they may have to mend their sail a little -after it. You know what that means, eh, you young rascal?" - -Mr. Carleton chuckled. - -"Keep watch for the _Viking_," were his parting words. - -There was little need for Harry Brackett to watch for the _Viking's_ -return. He knew of it by the arrival home of Squire Brackett, in the -worst humour he had ever been in--if there could be degrees of such bad -humour as the squire's. He knew of it by his father's ordering him to -"clear out," when he asked about the trip. So, his supper finished, he -lost little time in obeying. - -Harry Brackett hurrying up the road and turning off at length into the -pasture, and Mr. Carleton walking rapidly up the island, and coming at -length to the same spot, they met, shortly after eight o'clock. Great -news had Harry Brackett to impart: the arrival of the _Viking_. Important -enough it was to Mr. Carleton, but he took it coolly--or seemed to. - -"Well, well," he said, laughing, "you're in for fun, aren't you? I didn't -half expect you; the night started in so bad. I shouldn't have come, if I -hadn't promised you I would. However, we're in for it. Ha! ha! I declare -it makes me feel like a boy again. We'll have a laugh on them to-morrow, -for I'm coming back to Captain Sam's to-morrow afternoon, to stay." - -"Now," he continued, "you get back to the shore as quick as you can, and -keep a watch on the _Viking_, to see whether the boys go aboard. If they -do, we'll have our little joke some other night. If they don't--ho! ho! -I'm too old to play jokes like a boy--but I'm in for a good time. I'll be -down to the shore by ten o'clock." - -"He's a queer sort of a man," said Harry Brackett, as he started on a -jog-trot back to the village. - -"I wish I didn't have to use him," said Mr. Carleton, as he watched the -retreating figure. "But I don't dare keep watch, myself; and I need some -one to help run the boat." - -It was a long and somewhat dreary wait for Harry Brackett, down by the -shore. The sky was clearing, but it was wet and soggy underfoot, and the -night was depressing. He almost fancied that he was sorry he had entered -into the scheme, though he didn't know exactly why. However, if Mr. -Carleton, who had money to spend like a gentleman, and who was going to -buy his father's land, could indulge in such a prank, why shouldn't he? - -Yet he jumped, and sprang up almost frightened, when a hand was laid -suddenly on his shoulder and a low voice spoke in his ear: - -"Well, anybody appeared?" - -Mr. Carleton had come very quietly. The boy had not heard a footfall. - -"No," he replied. "But how you startled me. What time is it?" - -"A little after ten," replied Mr. Carleton. "We'll wait till nearer -eleven, to make sure." - -He was not especially companionable, was Mr. Carleton, during their -vigil. He screened himself behind a thin clump of alders, lighted a -cigar, and smoked silently. Harry Brackett quivered with impatience. He -wondered what it was about Mr. Carleton that so changed his appearance. -Why, of course, it was the dress. Mr. Carleton, the night being bad, had -discarded his light yachting costume, and wore a heavy, almost -shabby-looking suit, with a rough felt hat. - -"What are we going to do?" inquired Harry Brackett, once more. - -"Wait till we run her down alongshore between here and the crew's camp," -replied Mr. Carleton. "Then you'll see." - -It was a quarter to eleven, by Mr. Carleton's watch, when he at length -arose and motioned for the boy to follow him. - -"Any skiffs along the beach?" he asked. - -"There are, 'most always," replied Harry Brackett. "The cottagers have -them." - -They found what they wanted, shortly, a little flat-bottomed affair, that -just sufficed to float the two. They got in and rowed out to the yacht. -Stepping aboard, Mr. Carleton dragged the light skiff also aboard after -him. Then he paused abruptly, as though a thought had occurred to him. He -shot one quick glance at Harry Brackett, and another off through the -darkness. - -"We need another small boat," he said. "When we get down alongshore we'll -use them both." - -"There's a rowboat moored off that cottage just below," said Harry -Brackett. - -"Get it," said Mr. Carleton, "when we sail up to it." - -Harry Brackett expressed surprise. - -"Oh, we've got to put them back where we get them from, when we are -through," laughed Mr. Carleton. "Let's untie the stops in this mainsail -now. We'll run it up only a little way, enough to drift down out of sight -of any one from shore here. I want to light a cabin lamp, and I shouldn't -dare to do it here, though I guess every one's gone to bed." - -There was certainly no sign of life in and about the town. There was not -a fisherman in the harbour. Not even a light gleamed from a cottage -window. Southport had gone to bed. It was a gloomy sort of night, too, -with the black clouds wheeling along overhead, and only the uncertain -glimmering of the stars in the shifting patches of blue to relieve the -dreariness. Harry Brackett wondered what time he would get back home. - -"It's getting late," he suggested. - -"Well, it won't take us long," replied Mr. Carleton. "There, the sail's -free. Get forward and cast that mooring off, while I start the sail up a -bit." - -Harry Brackett quickly gave the word that the _Viking_ had dropped its -mooring. Mr. Carleton gave another vigorous haul on the halyards, made -them fast, and sprang to the wheel. They ran down to where the rowboat -lay, and picked that up. But then, Mr. Carleton, strangely enough, ran -the sail up more than "a little way." In fact, as it bagged out with a -sharp flaw of the night-wind, the _Viking_ shot ahead quickly and was -almost instantly under full headway, gliding rapidly out from the shore. - -"We've got to get that sail up still more," exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "We -don't need it, but it's dangerous sailing this way. However, we will get -there all the quicker. You pull on those halyards when I head up into the -wind." - -Harry Brackett, knowing little of what he was doing, complied. - -"Now break into that cabin," commanded Mr. Carleton. "There's a hatchet -under that seat. It's all right. It's a cheap lock. We've got to get in -there." - -Harry Brackett hesitated. Was it going a bit too far? - -"Hurry up, there!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, impatiently. "We mustn't lose -any time." - -There was something in his voice that made Harry Brackett hesitate no -longer. He took the hatchet and smashed the lock from the staple. - -"Now," said Mr. Carleton, quickly, "we're down 'most far enough. We'll -need some rope. There's some light spare line up forward in the cabin, -usually. You just go below and look for it. Don't light a lantern, -though. It isn't safe yet." - -Harry Brackett stumbled below. - -There were two reefs in the sail, but the wind was squally; and there was -sail enough on to make the water boil around the stern, as the _Viking_ -sped swiftly onward. Harry Brackett, fumbling and groping about in the -cabin, could hear the rush of the water along the yacht's sides. They -were sailing fast. - -Moreover, had Harry Brackett been on deck, he would have seen, now, that -they were not running down alongshore, but, instead, were standing -directly out from it, and rapidly leaving it astern. - -"I can't find any rope," he called, at length. - -"Look again. It must be there," replied Mr. Carleton. - -Harry Brackett rummaged some more. - -"Light a lantern if you want to," called Mr. Carleton, finally. "We're -most ready to drop anchor now. But turn the wick down low first." - -The light glimmered for a moment or two--and then Harry Brackett, dashing -out of the cabin as though he had seen an evil spirit in some dark -corner, and giving one wild, terrified glance across the waters, rushed -up to and confronted Mr. Carleton. - -"Here!" he cried, "What does this mean? You're not going down alongshore! -Why, we're half a mile out! What are you doing? Don't you get me into a -scrape--oh, don't you!" - -The boy was trembling; and the chill night air, seeming to penetrate to -his very marrow all at once, with his fright, set his teeth to -chattering. - -In answer, Mr. Carleton, holding the wheel with his right hand, reached -out suddenly with the other hand and clutched the boy by an arm. He held -him in a powerful grasp. - -"See here," he said, "you keep quiet. Do you understand? It's a long swim -from here to shore, and the water's cold. One cry from you, and overboard -you go. Sit down!" - -Harry Brackett fell upon the seat, all in a heap. He tried to speak; to -beg; to implore this cruel, evil man that was now revealed to him, to -stop--to let him go ashore. But something rose in his throat that seemed -to choke him; while the tears rolled down his cheeks. He could only gasp -and utter a few sobs. He shook and shivered as though it had been a -winter's night. - -"Get out of here!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, sharply. "Go below and stop -that whimpering. You're not going to be hurt. And when you get your spunk -back, come on deck again. I need you to help." - -Harry Brackett stumbled below and threw himself on a berth, groaning in -anguish. - -The _Viking_, with Mr. Carleton sitting stern and silent at the wheel, -sped on through the night. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - A TIMELY ARRIVAL - - -Would they be pursued this night? Would before the dawn, to race with -him? Thus there be any yacht set sail from Southport, thought Mr. -Carleton. Thus he questioned himself, and answered, "No." - -And yet the good yacht _Viking_ was, all unknown to any one, running a -race. The goal was Stoneland--and the competitor, the yacht _Surprise_. - -Thirty miles apart, these two yachts had entered upon this race--and no -one knew it. At about the time the _Viking_ had got under way from out -Southport Harbour, so had the yacht _Surprise_ floated clear. Should they -try to beat back to Stoneland before morning? Why not? The night need not -stop them. The crew knew the way. The yacht _Surprise_ began the long, -ten-mile beat for Stoneland at about twelve o'clock. The yacht _Viking_ -was already under way. Would they meet or would they pass? - -Harry Brackett, lying miserably on the cabin berth, was suddenly aware -that the yacht had ceased running and had swung up into the wind. Then he -heard the sound of the sail dropping. He sat up in wonder. The next -moment, Mr. Carleton descended into the cabin. The yacht _Viking_ was -drifting before the wind at its own will. There was little sea on, and -Mr. Carleton had abandoned the wheel. - -"What--what's the matter?" stammered poor Harry Brackett. - -"Nothing," replied Mr. Carleton, shortly. He paid no heed to the forlorn -figure on the berth, but hastily proceeded to light another lantern. He -turned the wick up so that it shone brightly, and, carrying it, went -direct to the third starboard locker that had been Squire Brackett's -undoing. He stooped down and pulled out, first, the larger drawer, and -then the smaller and secret one. By the lantern light, he looked within. - -Harry Brackett, gazing at him in amazement, saw a strange and -unaccountable thing. He saw the man's face, in the lantern's gleam, pale -to a deathly hue. He saw the drawer that he held drop from his fingers -and fall to the floor. He saw the man stagger back, like one that has -been struck a blow. Then, the man's face, turned toward him, was so full -of fierce passion and wrath that he shrank back, terrified, and dared not -speak to ask him what it might mean. Now Mr. Carleton advanced to where -he lay. - -"Get up! I want you to help me," was all he said. But Harry Brackett, to -his dying day, would never forget that voice. He scrambled up and -followed the man outside. - -"Get that sail up!" said Mr. Carleton. - -Harry Brackett seized the halyards. The yacht _Viking_ went on its course -again. But precious moments had been lost. - -The man's face was something fearful to look into. He threw the wheel -over and back, as though he would twist it apart. But he uttered not a -word. - -Now they were running near a thin chain of islands. Mr. Carleton brought -forth a chart and spread it out upon the cockpit floor, with the lantern -on one corner. - -"Do you know this bay at all?" he inquired, suddenly. - -"Ye-es," answered the boy. "Those are the Pine Islands just ahead, I -think." - -"Right," exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "I thought so. I'll go through like a -book." - -Presently he muttered something else, inaudible to Harry Brackett--and -mercifully so. "I'll do it," he said. "The boy's in the way. I've got to -go it alone." - -It was quiet water in the channel between the islands, and the _Viking_ -skimmed through like a phantom yacht. - -"Here, hold this wheel," said Mr. Carleton, suddenly, turning to Harry -Brackett. "Keep her just as she's going." - -As the boy obeyed, Mr. Carleton seized the line by which the rowboat was -towing and drew it up close astern. - -"Get into that boat!" he said, the next moment. - -Harry Brackett gave a howl of terror, and shrank away. - -"No, no, oh don't!" he cried. "Don't you leave me here. I might have to -stay a week. I'd starve. I'll do any--" - -Harry Brackett's words were choked off, abruptly. He felt himself -gathered up in two powerful arms. He was half-dragged, half-lifted, over -the stern of the yacht, and tumbled into the boat, headlong. Then, as he -scrambled to his feet, howling for mercy, a knife flashed in the hand of -Mr. Carleton. The rope was severed. The _Viking_ shot ahead. The rowboat -dropped astern. Harry Brackett, alone in the night, beheld the yacht -speeding away like a shadow. A few rods away, the light waves moaned in -upon a sandy beach. There was only the black, desolate island, untenanted -save by sea-birds, to turn to. Like a lost and hopeless mariner, he got -out an oar and paddled in to land, where, upon the beach, abandoned and -overcome, he sank down and wept--a faint-hearted Crusoe, monarch of all -the shadows and dreariness that he surveyed. - -And now that he was in turn alone and in sight of no man, Mr. Carleton, -at the wheel of the _Viking_, engaged in strange pantomime. He clenched -his fist and shook it at imaginary foes. He struck his hand again and -again upon the wheel, as though that were alive and could feel the pain -of the blow. If he had suddenly lost his wits he would not have done -stranger things. - -"But I've got the yacht!" he cried, angrily. "She'll pay me for what I've -spent. I'll put her through." - -And then a sudden thought struck him. He brought the _Viking_ abruptly -into the wind again, dropped the wheel, and rushed down the companionway. -He threw open the door of the provision locker--and uttered a cry of -rage. It was empty. - -Back at the wheel now was Mr. Carleton. The lights of Stoneland Harbour -shone faintly, far, far ahead. He sat, grim and troubled. - -"More time wasted!" he muttered. "But I've got to stop. And 'twill be -three o'clock before I get in. If they've got word there, I'm lost. And -where can a man buy food at that hour of the night? I have it--the big -hotel. There'll be somebody on watch. I'll get it by four at the latest. -I'll play the gentleman yachtsman in distress, and pay handsomely." - -But he had lost time. The night had hindered him. By day, he could have -laid a straighter course. And there had been delays. It was nearly -half-past three when the yacht _Viking_, feeling its way into the harbour -of Stoneland, rounded to off the wharves, and the anchor went down. -Leaving his sail set, and giving the yacht plenty of sheet, to lie easy, -Mr. Carleton lifted the skiff over the rail, jumped in, and rowed ashore. - -All safe and clear thus far. No sign of disturbance in the town, as he -rowed in. No launch darting out to seize him. Only a few sluggish -coasters lying near peacefully at anchor. Only a fishing-boat or two -making an early start for the outer islands. Only, far down below, a red -and a green light indistinctly to be seen, as of a small craft beating up -to harbour. - -Mr. Carleton rowed in to the wharf, tied his boat in a slip, and vanished -up into the town. - -A red and a green light, showing from port and starboard respectively, -came to be seen more distinctly as the time went by. Close to, one might -have seen now that it was a trim yacht, but beating in slowly, as one -goes carefully in darkness, where shipping may lie. - -There was also to be seen--if there had been any one to look--that a -weary youth sat at the wheel; that a smaller, but brighter-eyed, nimble -youngster was standing up forward, peering ahead into the darkness. - -"I think we can anchor most anywhere here now," said the boy astern. "I -guess the water isn't too deep to fetch bottom." - -"Wait a minute, Joe," answered the boy forward, rubbing one bare foot -against his trousers leg. "I say, there's a sail, on ahead a few rods. -Luff up a little more, and we'll run in near to that." - -"All right, Tim, tell me when we're heading right," responded the other -boy. But he stared at his small companion in astonishment, a moment -later, when the latter, deserting his post, darted aft, uttering a -warning "hush." - -"What on earth is the matter with you, Tim Reardon?" exclaimed the boy at -the wheel. - -"Let her come up and take a look for yourself," was Tim Reardon's reply. -"It's the _Viking_, as sure as you're alive. They must be asleep. We'll -get aboard and give Henry Burns one good toot on the horn. He's fond of -that sort of thing, so he can't say anything to us. But I wonder what -they've left the sail up for. Won't they be surprised to see us?" - -Joe Hinman, bringing the _Surprise_ up into the wind at the other's -words, himself gave an exclamation of surprise to see the sail set on the -_Viking_. - -"That's queer," he said. "Tim, you take the tender and go aboard, while I -hold the _Surprise_ where she is. Don't be a fool, though, and blow any -horn. If they're as tired as we are, they'll be mad enough to throw you -overboard." - -Tim Reardon made no reply, as he rowed alongside the _Viking_, but a -mischievous twinkle danced in his eyes. - -When he had stepped softly aboard, however, and had crept down into the -cabin, he darted swiftly on deck again. - -"Joe," he called, "this is great! They've gone ashore. And they must be -coming back soon. That's why they've left the sail up." - -Then Little Tim Reardon, scampering forward, did a strange thing. Tugging -away at the rope, he brought the anchor off from bottom and clear to the -surface of the water. Taking a few turns of the rope around the bitts, to -secure it, he darted astern, seized the wheel of the _Viking_, and put -her under way. - -"Here, you Tim, quit that!" cried Joe Hinman in disgust, from the stern -of the _Surprise_. "You don't want to be too free with your tomfoolery -with Jack and Henry Burns. Just remember whose yacht we're sailing. -They'll be mad clean through, too. It's no joke to think you've lost a -fine yacht." - -Little Tim only chuckled derisively, realizing that his larger companion -could not compel obedience from the deck of another boat. - -"I'm doing this," he said. "We don't get a chance to play a joke like -this on Henry Burns every day. Wouldn't he do it quick, himself, though? -Besides, I'm not going far--only up around the end of that long wharf. We -can watch from there and see what happens." - -"You're a meddlesome little monkey; that's what you are," exclaimed Joe -Hinman, too sleepy and weary to see fun in anything. "You'll catch it -from Jack--and you'll get what you deserve." - -And yet Joe Hinman, so long as somebody else would smart for it, had just -enough interest in the plot to follow along with the _Surprise_. -Together, the two yachts turned in under the lee of a long wharf, less -than an eighth of a mile ahead, lowered the sails so they should not be -visible, and came to anchor. - -"You've got to take the blame for this, Tim," said Joe Hinman, as they -waited together on deck. - -"I'll do it," chuckled Tim Reardon. "I like a joke as well as Henry Burns -does. He'll take it all right, too. You see if he don't." - -They woke the two boys who were sleeping in the cabin of the -_Surprise_--to see the fun. George Baker and Allan Harding came on deck, -sleepy and grumbling. Nor did the joke take on a more hilarious aspect, -as the time went by and no Jack Harvey and no Henry Burns put in an -appearance. - -"I'm going to turn in," said Joe Hinman, at length. "You can have all the -fun to yourself, Tim." - -He went below, the two other boys following his example. - -Little Tim, himself, began to lose heart in the joke--when, suddenly, in -the faint gray of the approaching dawn, he espied a boat coming out from -shore toward where the _Viking_ had lain. It was four o'clock. The boat -was a small skiff. There was only one person in it. Whoever he was, he -was rowing furiously. There seemed to be a box of some sort on the seat -in front of him. - -Suddenly the man ceased rowing. His head was turned for a moment. Then he -sprang to his feet in the small skiff, with a jump that almost upset the -craft. He peered wildly about him and seemed to be rubbing his eyes, like -a person in a dream or one rudely aroused from sleep. Then he sat down -and rowed a way down the harbour--then across to one side--then in toward -shore again. - -"That isn't either Jack or Henry Burns," said Tim Reardon; "and yet he -acts as though he had lost something--his head, I guess." - -Little Tim was nearer correct than he knew. - -"He looks familiar, too," thought Tim Reardon. "What man does he look -like? I can't think." - -But what happened next was more extraordinary than before. The man -suddenly sprang up, gave one glance about on all sides, then picked up -the box on the seat before him and dumped it overboard. He resumed his -seat, seized the oars, and began rowing furiously down the harbour. At a -point some way below where he had first appeared, he ran the boat in to -shore, sprang out, left the boat without tying it or dragging it up on -the beach, and started off, running desperately. - -"That's a crazy man," said Little Tim to himself--and again spoke not far -from the truth, unwittingly. - -"Hang the joke!" cried Tim, finally. "I wish I hadn't done it now. It -don't seem so funny after waiting all this time. I'm going to bed, too. I -guess I will catch it, just as Joe said I would." - -He went below, in the cabin of the _Viking_. His companions were aboard -the _Surprise_. - -Morning came, and Little Tim awoke with something disturbing his mind. -Oh, yes; now that he was wide awake, he knew. It was that joke. He wished -he hadn't played it. He wished so more and more when Joe Hinman awoke and -found that Jack and Henry Burns had not put in an appearance. - -"You've made a nice mess of it, Tim," he exclaimed. "I wouldn't be in -your shoes, when Jack gets you. Like as not they've come down in sight of -shore and seen that the yacht was gone, and have given out an alarm. The -best thing we can do is to go up into the town and find them, and try to -square things." - -Little Tim, looking very sober, scampered off, followed soon by the -others. More puzzling than ever it became, when a search through the town -failed to yield any trace of the missing yachtsmen. The boys returned to -the yachts, and waited. - -Somewhere near eleven o'clock there was a curious coincidence. Joe -Hinman, looking off on the water, suddenly uttered an exclamation of -surprise and pointed to a sailboat that was coming in. - -"That's Captain Sam's old tub," he said. "I know her as far as I can see -her." - -But they received a greater surprise, the next moment. A man in some sort -of uniform, passing along by the wharves, also uttered an exclamation and -stopped short. - -"Well, if that don't beat me!" he said. "Of all fool things, to steal a -yacht and bring her in here. That's her, though: about thirty-eight feet; -white; two jibs, and there's the name, '_Viking_.' Well, I never saw the -like of this before." - -The man stepped to the edge of the wharf and jumped down on to the deck -of the _Viking_. - -"Who's in charge here?" he asked. - -"I am," replied Little Tim Reardon, emerging from the cabin. - -The man laughed. - -"You're the youngest boat-thief on record," he said, eying Tim -wonderingly. "What put you up to it, boy? Been reading dime-novels?" - -"Well, it's all right, anyway," replied Little Tim, who had, however, -turned pale beneath his coating of tan. "They're our friends that own the -yacht. We're waiting for 'em. Just let 'em know we're here with the boat, -and they'll come down and tell you it's all right." - -The man grinned. - -"Say, you're pretty slick, if you are small," he said. "But the trouble -is, your friends don't happen to be in town. They sent a telegram from -Bellport. I guess you'll have to wait somewhere else for them." - -Little Tim's eyes bulged out and his jaw dropped. But the next moment he -was standing on his head, with his bare toes twinkling in the air, for -sheer delight. - -"Hooray; 'twas the man in the skiff that had her," he cried--to the utter -amazement of the stranger and of his own companions. "Just wait a minute, -anyway, till that sailboat gets in. It comes from Southport, and perhaps -Captain Sam can explain things." - -But there was some one besides Captain Sam aboard the good old _Nancy -Jane_, to explain things. There were Jack Harvey and Henry Burns, -standing up forward and peering ahead eagerly. And how they did yell when -they saw the crew of the _Surprise_ standing on the wharf, waving to -attract their attention. - -And then, ten minutes later, when the _Nancy Jane_, waddling in like a -fat, good-natured duck of a boat, had come alongside, and had let Jack -Harvey and Henry Burns scramble aboard the _Viking_--almost with tears in -their eyes--why then, Little Tim stepped forward and said he was under -arrest for stealing the boat. And wouldn't they please pardon him, and -get the man to let him go; he wouldn't do it again; oh, no. He had just -found the yacht down below, with the sail up, and had run it up here for -a joke--he was sorry-- - -But Little Tim didn't get any farther, for Henry Burns had him lifted -clear up on his shoulder. And Jack Harvey had him, the next minute, and -between the two he was mauled and hugged and slapped till his shoulders -smarted--and he was almost in tears, too, to discover what he had -accomplished. - -As for the official, who had made such an important discovery, he hardly -knew at first whether to be angry or not, at finding that his discovery -was really of a yacht that had already been recovered. But he finally -relented, and patted Little Tim on the back, too, and said he was a good -boy. Then he took Mr. Carleton's description and hurried up into the -town. - -He got trace of Mr. Carleton, too, after a time, at the big hotel, where -Carleton had succeeded in buying some provisions. He traced him from -there, down through the town, to the wharf. Later, he found a man who had -seen such a person come ashore from a skiff, and leave her adrift and run -up the shore. And lastly, the station agent had seen a man answering that -description take the early morning train out of town. - -Mr. Carleton had, indeed, vanished--a disappointed, wrathful, frightened -man. A strange and most complete disappearance, too, for neither -Stoneland nor Southport heard of him more. True, there came a message -from the police, a day later, that a man who was much like the missing -Mr. Carleton, had had some trouble over a ticket with the conductor of a -train entering Boston; but the man had got away from the station, and no -arrest had been made. - -But it was all one to Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, what should become of -Mr. Carleton, when they had the _Viking_ back. And there, in the course -of the afternoon, when they were preparing to depart, was a canoe to be -seen, coming down alongshore. So they sailed up and met it, and had Tom -and Bob aboard. And there was Little Tim, whom they had taken with them, -to be congratulated. And then, there were the Warren boys in the _Spray_, -to be hunted up among the islands, and told the good news. - -Oh, yes, and there was Captain Sam, roaring like a sea-lion over the good -news. And there were the two yachts, the _Viking_ and the _Surprise_, -going up the bay together, to meet the _Spray_ wherever they should find -her. - -Then, late that afternoon, as Captain Sam was nearing Grand Island, on -his return voyage, he espied in the distance, close to shore, a forlorn -figure, rowing wearily in the direction of Southport. - -"I'm blest if that don't look like young Harry Brackett," exclaimed -Captain Sam. "It is, as sure as you're alive. Ahoy, don't you want a tow, -there?" - -But the boy, turning his head in the direction of the _Nancy Jane_, shook -his head mournfully, and resumed his rowing. - -"Well, you don't have ter," was Captain Sam's comment. - -Harry Brackett, sore, sleepless, and weary, had his own reasons for not -wishing to face the captain. - -One week later, Jack Harvey, sitting on the step of Rob Dakin's store, -received a letter. He opened and read: - - "My dear Jack:--I've won the lawsuit and you shall have some money as - soon as things are settled. I wonder how you have got along this - summer. Too bad to cut you off, but I'll make it up to you by and by. - Let me know how much money you need. - - "Affectionately, - "Your father, - "William Harvey." - -For once in his life, Jack Harvey was prompt with an answer. This is what -he wrote: - - "Dear Dad:--Glad you won. Much obliged for offering me the money. I - don't need it. I've been earning some, and if you want some ready money - I'll lend you twenty-five dollars. - - "Affectionately, - "Your son, - "Jack." - -They were all aboard the yacht _Viking_, one evening not long -after--Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, the crew, Tom and Bob, and the Warren -boys. - -"Fellows," said Harvey, "Henry's got us all together to tell us a -secret--something he's discovered, he says. Come on, Henry, out with it." - -Henry Burns, holding one hand in his coat pocket, and looking as grave as -though his communication was to be one of the greatest importance, turned -to his companions, and said: - -"I thought, because you were all such warm friends of Squire Brackett, -you might like to know whether he was after that secret drawer in the -_Viking_, and whether he found the lobster-claw." - -The outburst of elation and surprise that followed assured Henry Burns he -was not mistaken. - -"Well, I've found out," said Henry Burns. "You see, when we got the yacht -back we saw the drawer on the floor, and the claw, too. That was -Carleton's work, of course. I didn't think about the squire's having the -drawer out, till later. We were all so upset, you know." - -"Jack," he continued, "do you remember our eating that lobster--the one -that owned the claw we put into the drawer?" - -"Why, yes, of course," replied Harvey. - -"And do you remember saying that you'd have eaten both claws if the one -you left hadn't been so big?" - -"Why, yes, I remember that, too," replied the puzzled Harvey. - -"Well, now, which claw was it that you didn't eat, and that we put into -the drawer?" asked Henry Burns. - -"The right one," answered Harvey. "I remember breaking off the left one -to eat because it was smaller." - -"That's just as I remember it, too," said Henry Burns. "Now look here." -He withdrew his hand from his pocket and produced the claw they had found -on the cabin floor. A roar of laughter greeted its appearance. - -It was the left claw of a lobster that Henry Burns held up to view. - - - THE END. - - - - - BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - - THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS - (Trade Mark) - - _By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON_ - - Each, 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth decorative, per vol. $1.50 - - - The Little Colonel Stories. - (Trade Mark) - - - Illustrated. - -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) - -Illustrated by Louis Meynell. - - - The Little Colonel's Holidays. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by L. J. Bridgman. - - - The Little Colonel's Hero. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - - - The Little Colonel at Boarding School. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - - - The Little Colonel in Arizona. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - - - The Little Colonel's Christmas Vacation. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel, Maid of Honour. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - -Since the time of "Little Women," no juvenile heroine has been better -beloved of her child readers than Mrs. Johnston's "Little Colonel." - - - The Little Colonel. - (Trade-Mark) - Two Little Knights of Kentucky. - The Giant Scissors. - -A Special Holiday Edition of Mrs. Johnston's most famous books. - -Each one volume, cloth decorative, small quarto, $1.25 - -New plates, handsomely illustrated, with eight full-page drawings in -color. - -"There are no brighter or better stories for boys and girls than -these."--_Chicago Record-Herald_. - -"The books are as satisfactory to the small girls, who find them -adorable, as for the mothers and librarians, who delight in their -influence."--_Christian Register_. - -These three volumes, boxed as a three-volume set to complete the library -editions of The Little Colonel books, $3.75. - - - 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. - - 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 three stories, which were originally included in three of the -"Little Colonel" books, and the present editions, which are very -charmingly gotten up, will be delightful and valued gift-books for both -old and young. - - - 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, and which has been translated into many languages, the last being -Italian. - - - 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. -The lovable, cheerful, touching incidents, the descriptions of persons -and things, are wonderfully true to nature."--_Boston Times_. - - - The Rival Campers; or, The Adventures of Henry Burns. By Ruel P. Smith. - -Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by A. B. Shute $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 best boys' book since 'Tom Sawyer.'"--_San Francisco Examiner_. - -"Henry Burns, the hero, is the 'Tom Brown' of America."--_N. Y. Sun_. - - - The Rival Campers Afloat; or, The Prize Yacht Viking. By Ruel P. Smith, - author of "The Rival Campers." - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -This book is a continuation of the adventures of "The Rival Campers" on -their prize yacht _Viking_. Every reader will be enthusiastic over the -adventures of Henry Burns and his friends on their sailing trip. They -have a splendid time, fishing, racing, and sailing, until an accidental -collision results in a series of exciting adventures, culminating in a -mysterious chase, the loss of their prize yacht, and its recapture by -means of their old yacht, _Surprise_, which they raise from its watery -grave. - - - The Young Section-hand; or, The Adventures of Allan West. By Burton E. - Stevenson, author of "The Marathon Mystery," etc. - - 12mo, cloth, illustrated by L. J. Bridgman $1.50 - -Mr. Stevenson's hero is a manly lad of sixteen, who is given a chance as -a section-hand on a big Western railroad, and whose experiences are as -real as they are thrilling. - -"It appeals to every boy of enterprising spirit, and at the same time -teaches him some valuable lessons in honor, pluck, and -perseverance."--_Cleveland Plain Dealer_. - - - The Young Train Despatcher. By Burton E. Stevenson, author of "The - Young Section-hand," etc. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -A new volume in the "Railroad Series," in which the young section-hand is -promoted to a train despatcher. Another branch of railroading is -presented, in which the young hero has many chances to prove his -manliness and courage in the exciting adventures which befall him in the -discharge of his duty. - - - Jack Lorimer. By Winn Standish. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative. Illustrated by A. B. Shute $1.50 - -Jack Lorimer, whose adventures have for some time been one of the leading -features of the Boston Sunday _Herald_, is the popular favorite of -fiction with the boys and girls of New England, and, now that Mr. -Standish has made him the hero of his book, he will soon be a favorite -throughout the country. - -Jack is a fine example of the all-around American high-school boy. He has -the sturdy qualities boys admire, and his fondness for clean, honest -sport of all kinds will strike a chord of sympathy among athletic youths. - - - The Roses of Saint Elizabeth. By Jane Scott Woodruff, author of "The - Little Christmas Shoe." - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in color by - Adelaide Everhart $1.00 - -This is a charming little story of a child whose father was caretaker of -the great castle of the Wartburg, where Saint Elizabeth once had her -home, with a fairy-tale interwoven, in which the roses and the ivy in the -castle yard tell to the child and her playmate quaint old legends of the -saint and the castle. - - - Gabriel and the Hour Book. By Evaleen Stein. - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in colors by - Adelaide Everhart $1.00 - -Gabriel was a loving, patient, little French lad, who assisted the monks -in the long ago days, when all the books were written and illuminated by -hand, in the monasteries. It is a dear little story, and will appeal to -every child who is fortunate enough to read it. - - - The Enchanted Automobile. Translated from the French by Mary J. - Safford. - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in colors by - Edna M. Sawyer $1.00 - -The enchanted automobile was sent by the fairy godmother of a lazy, -discontented little prince and princess to take them to fairyland, where -they might visit their old story-book favorites. - -Here they find that Sleeping Beauty has become a famously busy queen; -Princess Charming keeps a jewelry shop; where she sells the jewels that -drop from her lips; Hop-o'-My-Thumb is a farmer, too busy even to see the -children, and Little Red Riding Hood has trained the wolf into a trick -animal, who performs in the city squares. - -They learn the lesson that happy people are the busy people, and they -return home cured of their discontent and laziness. - - - Beautiful Joe's Paradise; or, The Island of Brotherly Love. A sequel to - "Beautiful Joe." By Marshall Saunders, author of "Beautiful - Joe," "For His Country," etc. With fifteen full-page plates and - many decorations from drawings by Charles Livingston Bull. - - One vol., library 12mo, cloth decorative $1.50 - -"Will be immensely enjoyed by the boys and girls who read -it."--_Pittsburg Gazette_. - -"Miss Saunders has put life, humor, action, and tenderness into her -story. The book deserves to be a favorite."--_Chicago Record-Herald_. - -"This book revives the spirit of 'Beautiful Joe' capitally. It is fairly -riotous with fun, and as a whole is about as unusual as anything in the -animal book line that has seen the light. It is a book for juveniles--old -and young."--_Philadelphia Item_. - - - 'Tilda Jane. By Marshall Saunders, author of "Beautiful Joe," etc. - - One vol., 12mo, fully illustrated, cloth, decorative cover, $1.50 - -"No more amusing and attractive child's story has appeared for a long -time than this quaint and curious recital of the adventures of that -pitiful and charming little runaway. - -"It is one of those exquisitely simple and truthful books that win and -charm the reader, and I did not put it down until I had finished -it--honest! And I am sure that every one, young or old, who reads will be -proud and happy to make the acquaintance of the delicious waif. - -"I cannot think of any better book for children than this. I commend it -unreservedly."--_Cyrus Townsend Brady_. - - - The Story of the Graveleys. By Marshall Saunders, author of "Beautiful - Joe's Paradise," "'Tilda Jane," etc. - - Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by E. B. Barry $1.50 - -Here we have the haps and mishaps, the trials and triumphs, of a -delightful New England family, of whose devotion and sturdiness it will -do the reader good to hear. From the kindly, serene-souled grandmother to -the buoyant madcap, Berty, these Graveleys are folk of fibre and -blood--genuine human beings. - - - PHYLLIS' FIELD FRIENDS SERIES - _By LENORE E. MULETS_ - -Six vols., cloth decorative, illustrated by Sophie Schneider. Sold -separately, or as a set. - - Per volume $1.00 - Per set 6.00 - - - Insect Stories. - Stories of Little Animals. - Flower Stories. - Bird Stories. - Tree Stories. - Stories of Little Fishes. - -In this series of six little Nature books, it is the author's intention -so to present to the child reader the facts about each particular flower, -insect, bird, or animal, in story form, as to make delightful reading. -Classical legends, myths, poems, and songs are so introduced as to -correlate fully with these lessons, to which the excellent illustrations -are no little help. - - - THE WOODRANGER TALES - _By G. WALDO BROWNE_ - - - The Woodranger. - The Young Gunbearer. - The Hero of the Hills. - With Rogers' Rangers. - - Each 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth, decorative cover, illustrated, - per volume 1.25 - Four vols., boxed, per set 5.00 - -"The Woodranger Tales," like the "Pathfinder Tales" of J. Fenimore -Cooper, combine historical information relating to early pioneer days in -America with interesting adventures in the backwoods. Although the same -characters are continued throughout the series, each book is complete in -itself, and, while based strictly on historical facts, is an interesting -and exciting tale of adventure. - - - Born to the Blue. By Florence Kimball Russel. - - 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.25 - -The atmosphere of army life on the plains breathes on every page of this -delightful tale. The boy is the son of a captain of U. S. cavalry -stationed at a frontier post in the days when our regulars earned the -gratitude of a nation. - -The author is herself "of the army," and knows every detail of the life. -Her descriptions are accurate, which adds to the value and interest of -the book. - - - Pussy-Cat Town. By Marion Ames Taggart. - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in - colors $1.00 - -"Pussy-Cat Town" is a most unusual, delightful cat story. Ban-Ban, a pure -Maltese who belonged to Rob, Kiku-san, Lois's beautiful snow-white pet, -and their neighbors Bedelia the tortoise-shell, Madame Laura the widow, -Wutz Butz the warrior, and wise old Tommy Traddles, were really and truly -cats, and Miss Taggart has here explained the reason for their mysterious -disappearance all one long summer. - - - The Sandman: His Farm Stories. By William J. Hopkins. With fifty - illustrations by Ada Clendenin Williamson. - - Large 12mo, decorative cover $1.50 - -"An amusing, original book, written for the benefit of very small -children. It should be one of the most popular of the year's books for -reading to small children."--_Buffalo Express_. - -"Mothers and fathers and kind elder sisters who take the little ones to -bed and rack their brains for stories will find this book a -treasure."--_Cleveland Leader_. - - - The Sandman: More Farm Stories. By William J. Hopkins. - - Large 12mo, decorative cover, fully illustrated $1.50 - -Mr. Hopkins's first essay at bedtime stories has met with such approval -that this second book of "Sandman" tales has been issued for scores of -eager children. Life on the farm, and out-of-doors, is portrayed in his -inimitable manner, and many a little one will hail the bedtime season as -one of delight. - - - - - 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. - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Rival Campers Afloat, by Ruel Perley Smith - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - -***** This file should be named 40547-8.txt or 40547-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/5/4/40547/ - -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. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -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 - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. 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. diff --git a/40547-8.zip b/40547-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 14c8df5..0000000 --- a/40547-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/40547-h.zip b/40547-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ff59518..0000000 --- a/40547-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/40547-h/40547-h.htm b/40547-h/40547-h.htm index 5383484..fe75910 100644 --- a/40547-h/40547-h.htm +++ b/40547-h/40547-h.htm @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head> -<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> <!-- terminate if block for class html --> <title>The Rival Campers Afloat, or, The Prize Yacht Viking, by Arthur M. Winfield</title> @@ -149,46 +149,7 @@ p.t15,div.t15,.t15 { margin-left:19em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-b span.jr4 { margin-right:4em; }</style> </head> <body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rival Campers Afloat, 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: The Rival Campers Afloat - or, The Prize Yacht Viking - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 20, 2012 [EBook #40547] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40547 ***</div> <div id="cover" class="img"> <img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT" width="500" height="766" /> @@ -11649,380 +11610,6 @@ as one of delight.</p> <ul><li>Silently corrected a few typos (but left nonstandard spelling and dialect as is).</li> <li>Rearranged front matter (and moved illustrations) to a more-logical streaming order.</li></ul> - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Rival Campers Afloat, by Ruel Perley Smith - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - -***** This file should be named 40547-h.htm or 40547-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/5/4/40547/ - -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. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -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 - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. 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 40547 ***</div> </body> </html> diff --git a/40547.txt b/40547.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ea722ee..0000000 --- a/40547.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11455 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rival Campers Afloat, 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: The Rival Campers Afloat - or, The Prize Yacht Viking - -Author: Ruel Perley Smith - -Illustrator: Louis D. Gowing - -Release Date: August 20, 2012 [EBook #40547] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan -and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - The - Rival Campers Afloat - Or, THE PRIZE YACHT VIKING - - - By - Ruel Perley Smith - Author of "The Rival Campers" - - ILLUSTRATED BY - LOUIS D. GOWING - - BOSTON - L. C. PAGE & COMPANY - 1906 - - - _Copyright_, _1906_ - By L. C. Page & Company - (INCORPORATED) - - _All rights reserved_ - - - First Impression, August, 1906 - - - _COLONIAL PRESS - Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. - Boston. U. S. A._ - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. Down the River 1 - II. The Collision 15 - III. A Rescue Unrewarded 28 - IV. Squire Brackett Discomfited 39 - V. Harvey Gets Bad News 56 - VI. Out to the Fishing-grounds 73 - VII. Near the Reefs 91 - VIII. Little Tim a Strategist 108 - IX. Harry Brackett Plays a Joke 126 - X. Mr. Carleton Arrives 143 - XI. Squire Brackett Is Puzzled 160 - XII. The Surprise Sets Sail Again 180 - XIII. Stormy Weather 192 - XIV. The Man in the Cabin 206 - XV. Mr. Carleton Goes Away 224 - XVI. Searching the Viking 239 - XVII. A Rainy Night 259 - XVIII. Two Secrets Discovered 278 - XIX. The Loss of the Viking 298 - XX. Fleeing in the Night 318 - XXI. A Timely Arrival 336 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - The Crew of the Viking Meet Skipper Martel (_Frontispiece_) 98 - "The boom brought up with a smashing blow against the Viking's - starboard quarter" 25 - "'Nonsense,' roared the infuriated Squire. 'He can sail a boat as - good as you can'" 54 - "'Here, that's our boat,' cried Joe. 'You've got no right to - touch it'" 112 - "'Just tell them that you heard me say I was going back to - Boston'" 236 - "'Get out of here,' exclaimed Mr. Carleton, sharply" 335 - - - - - THE RIVAL CAMPERS - AFLOAT - - - - - CHAPTER I. - DOWN THE RIVER - - -It was a pleasant afternoon in the early part of the month of June. The -Samoset River, winding down prettily through hills and sloping farm lands -to the bay of the same name, gleamed in the sunlight, now with a polished -surface like ebony in some sheltered inlet, or again sparkling with -innumerable points of light where its surface was whipped up into tiny -waves by a brisk moving wind. - -There had been rain for a few days before, and the weather was now -clearing, with a smart westerly breeze that had come up in the morning, -but was swinging in slightly to the southward. The great white -cloud-banks had mostly passed on, and these were succeeded at present by -swiftly moving clumps of smaller and lighter clouds, that drifted easily -across the sky, like the sails below them over the surface of the water. - -There were not a few of these sails upon the river, some set to the -breeze and some furled; some of the craft going up with the tide toward -the distant city of Benton, the head of vessel navigation; some breasting -the tide and working their way down toward Samoset Bay; other and larger -craft, with sails snugly furled, tagging along sluggishly at the heels of -blustering little tugs,--each evidently much impressed with the -importance of its mission,--and so going on and out to the open sea, -where they would sail down the coast with their own great wings spread. - -The river was, indeed, a picture of life and animation. It was a river -with work to do, but it did it cheerfully and with a good spirit. Far up -above the city of Benton, it had brought the great log rafts down through -miles of forest and farm land. Above and below the city, for miles, it -had run bravely through sluice and mill-race, and turned the great wheels -for the mills that sawed the forest stuff into lumber. And now, freed -from all bounds and the restraint of dams and sluiceways, and no longer -choked with its burden of logs, it was pleased to float the ships, loaded -deep with the sawed lumber, down and away to other cities. - -There was many a craft going down the river that afternoon. Here and -there along the way was a big three or four masted schooner, loaded with -ice or lumber, and bound for Baltimore or Savannah. Or, it might be, one -would take notice of a trim Italian bark, carrying box-shooks, to be -converted later into boxes for lemons and oranges. Then, farther -southward, a schooner that had brought its catch to the Benton market, -and was now working out again to the fishing-grounds among the islands of -the bay. - -Less frequently plied the river steamers that ran to and from the summer -resorts in Samoset Bay; or, once a day, coming or going, the larger -steamers that ran between Benton and Boston. - -Amid all these, at a point some twenty miles down the river from Benton, -there sailed a craft that was, clearly, not of this busy, hard-working -fraternity of ships. It was a handsome little vessel, of nearly forty -feet length, very shapely of hull and shining of spars; with a glint of -brass-work here and there; its clean, white sides presenting a polished -surface to the sunbeams; its rigging new and well set up, and a handsome -new pennant flung to the breeze from its topmast. - -The captain of many a coaster eyed her sharply as she passed; and, now -and then, one would let his own vessel veer half a point off its course, -while he took his pipe from his mouth and remarked, "There's a clean -craft. Looks like she might go some." And then, probably, as he brought -his own vessel back to its course, concluded with the usual salt-water -man's comment, "Amateur sailors, I reckon. Humph!" - -That remark, if made on this particular occasion, would have been -apparently justifiable. If one might judge by their age, the skippers of -this trim yacht should certainly have been classed as amateurs. There -were two of them. The larger, a youth of about sixteen or seventeen years -of age, held the wheel and tended the main-sheet. The other, evidently a -year or two younger, sat ready to tend the jib-sheets on either side as -they tacked, shifting his seat accordingly. The yacht was beating down -the river against the last of a flood-tide. - -"We're doing finely, Henry," said the elder boy, as he glanced admiringly -at the set of the mainsail, and then made a general proud survey of the -craft from stem to stern and from cabin to topmast. "She does walk along -like a lady and no mistake. She beats the _Surprise_--poor old boat! My, -but I often think of that good little yacht I owned, sunk down there in -the thoroughfare. We had lots of fun in her. But this one certainly more -than takes her place." - -"Who would ever have thought," he continued, "when we saw the strange men -sail into the harbour last year, with this yacht, that she would turn out -to be a stolen craft, and that she would one day be put up for sale, and -that old Mrs. Newcome would buy her for us? It's like a story in a book." - -"It's better than any story I ever read, Jack," responded the other boy. -"It's a story with a stroke of luck at the end of it--and that's better -than some of them turn out. But say, don't you think you better let me -take my trick at the wheel? You know you are going to teach me how to -sail her. I don't expect to make much of a fist of it, at the start; but -I've picked up quite a little bit of yacht seamanship from my sailing -with the Warren boys." - -"That's so," conceded the other. "You must have got a pretty good notion -of how to sail a boat, by watching them. Here, take the wheel. But you'll -find that practice in real sailing, and just having it in your head from -watching others, are two different things. However, you'll learn fast. I -never knew any one who had any sort of courage, and any natural liking -toward boat-sailing, but what he could pick it up fast, if he kept his -eyes open. - -"The first thing to do, to learn to sail a boat, is to take hold in -moderate weather and work her yourself. And the next thing, is to talk to -the fishermen and the yachtsmen, and listen when they get to spinning -yarns and arguing. You can get a lot of information in that way that you -can use, yourself, later on." - -The younger boy took the wheel, while the other sat up alongside, -directing his movements. But first he took the main-sheet and threw off -several turns, where he had had it belayed on the cleat back of the -wheel, and fastened it merely with a slip-knot, that could be loosed with -a single smart pull on the free end. - -"We won't sail with the sheet fast until you have had a few weeks at it, -Henry," he said. "There are more boats upset from sheets fast at the -wrong time, or from main-sheets with kinks in them, that won't run free -when a squall hits, than from almost any other cause. And the river is a -lot worse in that way than the open bay, for the flaws come quicker and -sharper off these high banks." - -Henry Bums, with the wheel in hand and an eye to the luff of the sail, as -of one not wholly inexperienced, made no reply to the other's somewhat -patronizing manner; but a quiet smile played about the corners of his -mouth. If he had any notion that the other's extreme care was not -altogether needed, he betrayed no sign of impatience, but took it in good -part. Perhaps he realized that common failing of every yachtsman, to -think that there is nobody else in all the world that can sail a boat -quite as well as himself. - -He knew, too, that Jack Harvey had, indeed, had by far a larger -experience in sailing than he, though he had spent much of his time upon -the water. - -In any event, his handling of the boat now evidently satisfied the -critical watchfulness of Jack Harvey; for that youth presently exclaimed, -"That's it. Oh, you are going to make a skipper, all right. You take hold -with confidence, too, and that's a good part of the trick." - -At this point in their sailing, however, the yacht _Viking_ seemed to -have attracted somewhat more than the casual attention of an observer -from shore. A little less than a quarter of a mile down the river, on a -wharf that jutted some distance out from the bank, so that the river as -it ran swerved swiftly by its spiling, a man stood waving to them. - -"Hello," said Henry Burns, espying the figure on the wharf, "there's a -tribute to the beauty of the _Viking_. Somebody probably thinks this is -the president's yacht and is saluting us." - -"Well, he means us, sure enough," replied Jack Harvey, "and no joke, -either. He's really waving. He wants to hail us." - -The man had his hat in hand and was, indeed, waving it to them -vigorously. - -They had been standing across the river in an opposite direction to the -wharf; but now, as Jack Harvey cast off the leeward jib-sheets, Henry -Burns put the helm over, and the yacht swung gracefully and swiftly up -into the wind and headed off on the tack inshore. Jack Harvey let the -jibs flutter for a moment, until the yacht had come about, and Henry -Burns had begun to check her from falling off the wind, by reversing the -wheel. Then he quickly trimmed in on the sheets, and the jibs began to -draw. - -"Most beginners," he said, "trim the jib in flat on the other side the -minute they cast off the leeward sheet. But that delays her in coming -about." - -Again the quiet smile on the face of Henry Burns, but he merely answered, -"That's so." - -They stood down abreast the wharf and brought her up, with sails -fluttering. Jack Harvey, looking up from the side to the figure above on -the wharf, called out, "Hello, were you waving to us?" - -"Why, yes," responded the man, "I was. Are you going down the river far?" - -"Bound down to Southport," said Harvey. - -"Good!" exclaimed the stranger, and added, confidently, "I'll go along -with you part way, if you don't mind. I'm on my way to Burton's Landing, -five miles below, and the steamboat doesn't come along for three hours -yet. I cannot get a carriage and I don't want to walk. You don't mind -giving me a lift, do you? That's a beautiful boat of yours, by the way." - -The man had an air of easy assurance; and, besides, the request was one -that any yachtsman would willingly grant. - -"Why, certainly," replied Harvey, "we'll take you, eh, Henry?" - -"Pleased to do it," responded Henry Burns. - -They worked the yacht up alongside the wharf, and the stranger, grasping -a stay, swung himself off and leaped down on to the deck. Then he pushed -the boat's head off with a vigorous shove and advanced, smilingly, with -hand extended, to greet the boys. The _Viking_ gathered headway and was -once more going down-stream. - -The stranger was a rather tall, well-built man, light on his feet, and -handled himself as though he were no novice aboard a boat. He descended -into the cockpit and shook hands with Jack Harvey and Henry Burns. - -His voice, as he bade them good afternoon, was singularly full and deep, -and seemed to issue almost oddly from behind a heavy, blond moustache. As -Henry Burns expressed it afterward, it reminded him of a ventriloquist he -had seen once with a travelling show, because the man's lips seemed -hardly to move, and the muscles of his face scarcely changed as he spoke. -His eyes, of a clear but cold blue, lighted up, however, in a pleasant -way, as he thanked them. - -He wore a suit of navy blue, and a yachting-cap on his head. - -"This is the greatest luck in the world for me," he said. "You see, I -want to catch the train that will take me down to Bellport, and I can get -it at the Landing below. This fine craft of yours will take me--" - -He stopped with strange abruptness. If the attention of Jack Harvey and -Henry Burns had, by chance, been directed more closely to him, and less -upon the handling of their yacht, they might have observed a surprised -and puzzled look come over his face. They might have observed him -half-start up from his seat, like a man that had suddenly come, all -unwittingly, upon a thing he had not expected to see. - -But the two boys, intent upon their sailing, noticed only that the man -had left a sentence half-finished. They turned upon him inquiringly. - -"What were you going to say?" asked Henry Burns. - -The man settled back in his seat, reached a hand calmly into an inner -coat-pocket, and drew forth a cigar-case. - -"I dare say you don't smoke," he said, offering it to them. "No, well, I -didn't think so. You're a little bit young for that. Let me see, what was -I saying?--oh, yes, I was about to remark that this boat would take me -down to the Landing on time. She does walk along prettily, and no -mistake." - -With which, he lighted the cigar and began puffing enjoyably. But his -eyes darted here and there, quickly, sharply, over the boat. Through a -cloud of cigar smoke, he was scrutinizing it from one end to the other. - -"You handle her well," he said. "Had her long?" - -"Why, no," replied Harvey. "The fact is, though we have had other -boats--that is, I have--and we have handled others, this is our first -sail in this one. You see, we got her in an odd way, last season--just at -the close of the season, in fact; and she was not in shape for sailing -then. So we had to lay her up for the winter. This is really the first -trying out we have given her." - -"Indeed, most interesting," replied the stranger, arising from his seat -and advancing toward the cabin bulkhead, where he stood, apparently -gazing off across the river. Then, as he returned to his seat again, he -added, "That's rather an elaborate ornamenting of brass around the -companionway." - -"Isn't it, though!" exclaimed Harvey, proudly. "You don't see them much -handsomer than that often, eh?" - -"Why, no, now you speak of it," replied the man. "You don't, and that's a -fact. - -"In fact," he added, stealing a sidelong glance at the two boys, "it's -the only one just like it that I ever saw. - -"Pretty shore along here, isn't it?" he remarked a few moments later, as -they stood in near to where the spruces came down close to the water's -edge, with the ledges showing below. "What's that you were saying about -coming by the boat oddly? She looks to me as though your folks must have -paid a good price for her." - -"Why, that's the odd part of it," answered Harvey. "The fact is, our -folks didn't pay for her at all. An old lady bought her for us. Made us a -present of her. Perhaps you'd like to hear about it." - -"Indeed I should," replied the stranger. "It will while away the time to -the Landing." - -"You tell it, Henry," said Harvey. - -So Henry Burns began, while the stranger stretched his legs out -comfortably and listened. - -"Well," said Henry Burns, "this yacht, the _Viking_, was named the -_Eagle_ when we first saw her." - -The stranger's cigar was almost blazing with the vigour of his smoking. - -"She came into the harbour of Southport--that's on Grand Island, below -here, where we are bound--one day last summer, to pick up a guest at the -hotel. There were two men aboard her, and it turned out that these two -men, and the man they were after at the hotel, had committed a robbery at -Benton. That's way up the river. - -"Well, it's a long story how they were discovered; but they were, and -some jewels they had hidden were recovered. I said they were -captured--but one, a man named Chambers, got away in this very yacht. But -he came back, later, and set fire to the hotel for revenge. - -"That was along toward the end of the summer. Then it happened that Jack, -here,--Jack Harvey,--captured the man, Chambers, in this yacht, down in a -thoroughfare below Grand Island. Jack's boat, the _Surprise_, was sunk -there, when the two yachts crashed together, bow on." - -"Poor old _Surprise_!" interrupted Jack Harvey. - -"Well, then," continued Henry Burns, "there is a man over at Southport, -Squire Brackett, that hates all us boys, just because he is mean. He told -Witham, the hotel proprietor, that he had seen us boys in the hotel -basement, shortly before the fire; and he and Witham had us accused of -setting it, although everybody in Southport was indignant about it. And -all this time, Jack was on the right track, because he had seen the man -running from the fire and had followed him over to the other shore of the -island, and recognized the boat he sailed away in. - -"So Jack sailed down the other side of the island, and captured the man, -Chambers, in the thoroughfare; that is, Jack and his crew did. And they -brought Chambers back just at the right time--and Squire Brackett and -Witham were so ashamed they wanted to go and hide away somewhere." - -The man they had taken aboard looked smilingly at Henry Burns. - -"That is certainly a remarkable story," he said, knocking the ashes -carelessly from the end of his cigar. - -"Yes, but the rest of it is the oddest part of it," responded Henry -Burns. "There was an old lady named Mrs. Newcome, whose life we saved at -the fire. She was furious at the squire and Witham for blaming us, and -thankful enough when Jack got us out of it. - -"Now, when Chambers was tried, he was so bitter against the other two who -had got him into trouble, he confessed the yacht did not belong to any -one of them. So the yacht was taken over by the sheriff, and -advertisements were sent out all around to try to find the rightful -owner. But they never did find him, and finally the yacht was condemned -and put up for sale. There is where old Mrs. Newcome came in. She has no -end of money, and no one to spend it on except herself and a cat. The -yacht went cheap, and what did she do but buy it in and give it to us." - -Henry Burns paused, and there was silence for a few moments aboard the -_Viking_. The stranger smoked without speaking, apparently lost in his -own thoughts. - -"That's all of the yarn," said Henry Burns, at length. - -The man started to his feet, tossed his cigar away, and walked forward, -with his hands in his pockets. - -"That's one of the oddest stories I ever heard," he said. "You're lucky -chaps, aren't you? Sounds like some novels I've read. By the way, isn't -that Burton's Landing just ahead there?" - -He seemed eager to get ashore. - -"Yes, that is the Landing," answered Harvey. - -A few moments more and they were up to it, and the stranger was stepping -ashore upon the pier. - -"Well," he said, shaking hands with them again, "I'm much obliged to both -of you--really more than I can begin to tell you. Perhaps I can return -the favour some day. My name is Charles Carleton. Live around at hotels -pretty much, but spend most of my time in Boston. Hope I meet you again -some day. Perhaps I may be down this way later, down the bay somewhere, -if I like the looks of it, and the hotels. Good day." - -"Good day; you're very welcome," called out Henry Burns and Jack Harvey. - -Again the yacht swung out into the river, gathering headway quickly and -skimming along, heeling very gently. - -The strange man stood watching her from the pier. - -"No," he said, softly, to himself, "I never saw but one boat just like -her before. But who would have thought I should run across them the first -thing? That was a stroke of luck." - - - - - CHAPTER II. - THE COLLISION - - -"Pleasant sort of a man, wasn't he?" commented Harvey, as the _Viking_ -left the pier astern, and the stranger could be seen walking briskly up -the road toward the town. - -"Why, yes, he was, in a way," responded Henry Burns. "Most persons manage -to make themselves agreeable while one is doing them a favour. Really, -though, he isn't one of the open, hearty kind, though he did try to be -pleasant. I don't know why I think so, but he seemed sort of -half-concealed behind that big moustache." - -Harvey laughed. - -"That's a funny notion," he said. - -"Well," responded Henry Burns, "of course it wasn't just that. But, at -any rate, he is the kind of a man that has his own way about things. Did -you notice, he didn't exactly ask us to take him into the boat. He said, -right out at the start, that he was going along with us--of course, if we -were willing. But he was bound to come aboard, just the same, whether we -were willing or not." - -"Hm!" said Harvey. "You do take notice of things, don't you? I didn't pay -any attention to what he said; but, now I think of it, he did have that -sort of way. However, we shall probably never set eyes on him again, so -what's the odds?" - -They were getting down near to the mouth of the river now, and already, a -mile ahead, the bay broadened out before their eyes. - -The wind was blowing brisk, almost from the south by this time, and the -first of the ebb-tide running down against it caused a meeting between -the two that was not peaceful. At the point where river and bay blended, -and for some distance back up the river, there was a heavy chop-sea -tumbling and breaking in short, foam-capped waves. Farther out in the bay -there was considerable of a sea running. - -Harvey, lounging lazily on the seat opposite Henry Burns, suddenly sprang -up and uttered an exclamation of surprise. Then he pointed on far ahead, -over the port bow, to a tiny object that bobbed in the troubled waters of -the river, low lying and indistinct. - -"What do you make of that, Henry?" he cried. - -"Why, it looks like a log from one of the mills up above," replied the -other, after he had observed it with some difficulty. "Oh, no, it isn't," -he exclaimed the next moment. "There is something alive on it--or in it. -Say, you don't suppose it can be Tom Harris and Bob White, do you? That -is a canoe, I believe." - -Without waiting to reply, Jack Harvey dodged quickly down the -companionway, and returned, a moment later, from the cabin, holding a -spy-glass in one hand. - -"Hooray! clap that to your eye, Henry," he cried, when he had taken a -hasty survey ahead with it. - -"That's it!" exclaimed Henry Burns, taking a long look through the glass, -while Harvey assumed his place at the wheel. "There they are, two of -them, paddling away for good old Southport as hard as ever they can. -There are two boys, as I make them out. Yes, it's Tom and Bob, sure as -you live. Won't it seem like old times, though, to overhaul them? You -keep the wheel, Jack. We can't catch up with them any too soon to suit -me." - -"Shall we give them a salute?" cried Harvey. - -"No, let's sail up on them and give them a surprise," suggested the -other. "They know we own the boat, but they haven't seen her under sail -since we have had her. They may not recognize us." - -While the yacht _Viking_ was parting the still moderate waves with its -clean-cut bows, and laying a course that would bring it up with the canoe -in less than a half-hour, the occupants of the tiny craft were bending -hard to their paddles, pushing head on into the outer edge of the -chop-sea. They were making good time, despite the sea and the head wind. - -"There go a couple of them Indians from away up the river yonder," sang -out a man forward on a stubby, broad-bowed coaster to the man at the -wheel, as the canoe passed a two-master beating across the river. The -boys in the canoe chuckled. - -"Guess we must be getting good and black, Bob," said the boy who wielded -the stern paddle to the other in the bow. "And our first week on the -water, at that, for the season." - -"Yes, we've laid the first coat on pretty deep," responded his companion, -glancing with no little pride and satisfaction at a pair of brown and -muscular arms and a pair of sunburned shoulders, revealed to good -advantage by a blue, sleeveless jersey that looked as though it had seen -more than one summer's outing. - -"What do you think of the bay, Tom?" he added, addressing the other boy. -This youth, similarly clad and similarly bronzed and reddened, was -handling his paddle like a practised steersman and was directing the -canoe's course straight down the bay, as though aiming fair at some point -far away on an island that showed vaguely fifteen miles distant. - -"Oh, it's all right," answered Tom. "It's all right for this evening. -Plenty of rough water from now until seven or eight o'clock to-night, but -it's just the usual sea that a southerly raises in the bay. We won't get -into any such scrape as we did last year, when we came down here, not -knowing the bay nor the coast of Grand Island, and let a storm catch us -and throw us out pell-mell on the shore. We'll not give our friends, the -Warren boys, another such a fright this year. We can get across all -right--that is, if you don't mind a bit of a splashing over the bows." - -"It won't be the first time,--nor the last, for that matter, I reckon," -responded Bob. - -"And I always get my share of it, in the end, too," said the other boy; -"because when it sprays aboard it runs down astern and I have to kneel in -it. Well, on we go, then. It's fifteen miles of rough water, but think -how we'll eat when we get there." - -"Won't we?" agreed Bob. "Say, now you speak of it, I'm hungry already. I -could eat as much as young Joe Warren used to every time he took dinner -at the hotel. He used to try to make old Witham lose money--do you -remember?--and I think he always won." - -"Hello!" he exclaimed, a moment later, as he looked back for an instant -toward the stem. "Just glance around, Tom, and take a look at that yacht -coming down the river. Isn't she a beauty? I wouldn't mind a summer's -cruise in her, myself." - -"Whew!" exclaimed the other, as he held his paddle hard against the -gunwale and glanced back. "She is a pretty one, and no mistake. She's -about as fine as we often see down this way. I don't recall seeing -anything handsomer in the shape of a yacht around the bay last summer, -unless it was the one Chambers had--you know, the man that set the hotel -afire. - -"I believe it is the very yacht," he continued. "There isn't another one -like it around here. You remember the boys wintered her down the river." - -"Yes, but wouldn't they hail us?" asked Bob. - -"Perhaps not," answered Tom. "Henry Burns likes to surprise people. They -are due down the bay about this time. At any rate, we shall have a chance -to see the yacht close aboard, for she is heading dead up for us." - -The yacht _Viking_ was indeed holding up into the wind on a course that -would bring her directly upon the canoemen, if she did not go about. She -kept on, and presently the boys in the canoe ceased their paddling and -watched her approach. - -"She won't run us down, will she, Tom?" - -"No, they see us, all right." - -There was evidence of this the next moment, for a small cannon, somewhere -forward on the deck of the yacht, gave a short, spiteful bark that made -the canoemen jump. There followed immediately the deep bellowing of a big -fog-horn and the clattering of a huge dinner-bell; while, at the same -time, two yachtsmen aboard the strange craft appeared at the rail, waving -and blowing and ringing alternately at the occupants of the canoe. A -moment later, the yacht rounded to a short distance up-wind from the -canoe, and the hail of familiar voices came across the water: - -"Ahoy, you chaps in that canoe, there! Come aboard here, lively now, if -you don't want that cockle-shell blown out of water. Hurry up before we -get the cannon trained on you! We know you, Tom Harris, and you, Bob -White, and you can't escape." - -"Well, what do you think!" exclaimed Tom Harris, raising himself up from -his knees in the stem of the canoe, with a hand on either gunwale, "if -there isn't that old Henry Burns and Jack Harvey. Say, where in the world -did you fellows steal that yacht, and where are you running off to with -it? Don't tell us you own it. You know you don't." - -"Just hurry up and come alongside here and we'll show you," cried Henry -Burns, joyfully. "Our ship's papers are all right, eh, Jack?" - -The boys in the canoe needed no urging. A few sharp thrusts with the -paddles brought them under the lee of the _Viking_; a line thrown aboard -by Bob White was caught by Harvey and made fast; and the next moment, Bob -White and Tom Harris were in the cockpit, mauling Henry Burns with mock -ferocity--a proceeding which was received by that young gentleman -serenely, but with interest well returned--and shaking hands with the -other stalwart young skipper, Jack Harvey. - -The bow-line of the canoe was carried astern by Harvey and tied, so that -the canoe would tow behind; and the yacht was put on her course again. - -"You don't mind taking a spin for a way in the good ship _Viking_, do -you?" asked Harvey. "I have hardly seen you since we got this yacht, you -know, as my folks moved up to Boston the last of the summer." - -"We will go along a little way till we strike the worst of the chop," -replied Tom Harris. "Our canoe will not tow safely through that. That is, -we will, if you allow Indians aboard." - -"Yes, and by the way, before anybody else has the chance to apply," said -Bob White, "you don't want to hire a couple of foremast hands, do you, -off and on during the summer? I'd be proud to swab the decks of this -boat, and wages of no account." - -"We'll engage both of you at eighteen sculpins a week," answered Henry -Burns. "But of course you know that the laws against flogging seamen -don't go, aboard here. Harvey there, he is my first mate; and I make it a -rule to beat him with a belaying-pin three or four times a day, regular, -to keep him up to his work. Of course you forecastle chaps will get it -worse." - -Harvey, surveying his more slender companion, saluted with great -deference. - -"How do you fellows happen to be up here?" he asked. "Haven't you gone to -camping yet?" - -"Yes," replied Bob. "The old tent is down there on the point. We have had -it set up for three days. We had an errand that brought us up here." - -"And the Warren boys?" inquired Henry Burns. - -"Oh, they are down there in the cottage, sort of camping out, too; that -is, the family hasn't arrived yet. George and Arthur are working like -slaves trying to keep young Joe fed." - -"_He's_ a whole famine in himself," remarked Henry Burns. - -"Say, how is old Mrs. Newcome's cat, Henry, the one you saved from the -fire?" asked Tom Harris. - -"Why, the cat hasn't written me lately," answered Henry Burns. "But I got -a letter from Mrs. Newcome a few weeks ago; said she hoped we would have -a good summer in the yacht, lots of fun, and all that." - -"My! but you are lucky," exclaimed Bob. "I have been as polite as mice to -every cat I've seen all winter, but I haven't received any presents for -it." - -Renewing old acquaintanceships in this manner, they were shortly in -rougher water. - -"Here!" cried Tom Harris at length, "we must be getting out of this. That -canoe will not stand towing in this chop much longer. We shall have to -leave you." - -"Pull it in aboard," said Jack Harvey. - -"No, it would be in the way," replied Tom Harris. "Just as much obliged -to you. We'll meet you at the camp. Say that you will come ashore and eat -supper with us, and Bob will have one of those fine chowders waiting for -you; won't you, Bob?" - -"Ay, ay, sir," replied Bob. - -"You mean that you will cook one while we sit by and watch you, don't -you?" asked Harvey. "We shall get there before you do." - -"Perhaps not," returned Bob. "You have got to beat down, while we push -right through. It is four o'clock now, and there's some fourteen miles to -go. We can do that in about three hours, because when we get across the -bay we can go close alongshore under the lee, in smooth water; while you -will have to stick to the rough part of the bay most of the time." - -"All right," said Harvey, "we will have a race to see who gets there -first. But we'll do it in half that time." - -So saying, he luffed the _Viking_ into the wind, while Bob White drew the -dancing canoe alongside. The canoeists and the yachtsmen parted company, -the _Viking's_ sails filling with the breeze, as she quickly gathered -headway, throwing the spray lightly from her bows; the canoe plunging -stubbornly into the rough water, and forcing its way slowly ahead, -propelled by the energy of strong young arms. - -The _Viking_ stood over on the starboard tack, while the canoe made a -direct course for the island; and the two craft were soon far apart. In -the course of a half-hour the canoe appeared from the deck of the -_Viking_ a mere dancing, foam-dashed object. But, in the meantime, -another boat had appeared, some way ahead, that attracted the attention -and interest of the yachtsmen. It was a small sailboat, carrying a -mainsail and single jib. The smaller yacht was coming up to them from the -direction of Grand Island, and was now running almost squarely before the -wind, with its jib flapping to little purpose, save that it now and then -filled for a moment on one side or the other, as the breeze happened to -catch it. - -"There's a boat that is being badly sailed," exclaimed Harvey, as the two -watched its progress. "Look at it pitch; and look at that boom, how near -it comes to hitting the waves every time it rolls. There's a chap that -doesn't know enough, evidently, to top up his boom when running in a -seaway. What does he think topping-lifts are made for, anyway, if not to -lift the boom out of the reach of a sea like this? - -"And let me tell you, running square before the wind in a heavy sea, with -a boat rolling like that, is reckless business, anyway. It is much better -to lay a course not quite so direct, and run with the wind not squarely -astern, with the sheet hauled in some. That's no fisherman sailing that -boat." - -"It may be some one caught out who doesn't know how to get back," said -Henry Burns. "See, there he is, waving to us. He is in some trouble or -other. Let's stand on up close to him and see what the matter is." - -"Well, I'll take the chance," replied Harvey. "There, he's doing better -now. He is pointing up a little bit. We'll keep on this tack and run -pretty close to him, and hail him. I'll just sing out to him about that -topping-lift, anyway; and if he doesn't like our interfering, why he can -come aboard and thrash us." - -As the sailboat drew nearer, there appeared to be a single occupant, a -youth of about Harvey's age, perhaps a year older, holding the tiller. -His hat was gone and he was standing up, with hair dishevelled, glaring -wildly ahead, in a confused sort of way. The boom of the sailboat was -well out on the starboard side. Harvey kept the _Viking_ on the starboard -tack, and near enough to have passed quite close to the other boat. - -A little too close, in fact, considering that the youth at the tiller of -the oncoming boat had, indeed, completely lost his head. Suddenly, -without warning, he put his tiller over so that the sailboat headed away -from the _Viking_ for an instant. Then, as the wind got back of his sail, -and the boat at the same time rolled heavily in the seas, the boom jibed -with terrific force. The sailboat swung in swiftly toward the starboard -beam of the _Viking_, and the wind and sea knocked it down so that the -water poured in over the side, threatening to swamp it. At the instant, -Jack Harvey had thrown the _Viking_ off the wind to avoid a crash with -the other boat. The boom of the sailboat swept around with amazing -swiftness, and then, as the boat careened, threatening to founder, the -end of the boom brought up with a smashing blow against the _Viking's_ -starboard quarter, breaking off several feet of the boom and tearing the -sail badly. - -The sailboat, half-filled with water, fell heavily into the trough of the -sea and rolled threateningly; while at every pitch the boom struck the -waves as though it would break again. - -The _Viking_, under Jack Harvey's guidance, stood away a short distance, -then came about and beat up in to the wind a rod or two above the wreck. - -"Get that mainsail down as quick as ever you can!" shouted Jack Harvey to -the strange youth, who had dropped the tiller, and who stood now at the -rail, dancing about frantically, as though he intended to jump overboard. - -"I can't," cried the youth, tremulously. "Oh, come aboard here quick, -won't you? I'm going to sink and drown. This boat's going down. I don't -know how to handle her." - -"We guessed that," remarked Henry Burns, and added, reassuringly, "Don't -lose your head now. You know where the halyards are. Go ahead and get -your sail down, and we'll stand by and help you." - -Henry Burns's calm manner seemed to instil a spark of courage into the -youth. He splashed his way up to the cabin bulkhead, where the halyards -were belayed on cleats on either side, and let them run. The sail dropped -a little way and then stuck. The youth turned to the other boys -appealingly. - -"Pull up on your peak-halyard a little," said Jack Harvey, "and let the -throat drop first a way. Then the throat won't stick." - -The youth made another attempt and the sail came nearly down, hanging in -bagging folds. - -"Lucky that's not a heavy sail nor a heavy boom," exclaimed Jack Harvey, -"or the boat would be over and sunk by this time. I think I could lift -the boom inboard if I could only get aboard there." - -"Here," cried Harvey, coiling up a light, strong line that he had darted -into the cabin after, "catch this and make it fast up forward--and mind -you tie a knot that will hold." - -He threw the line across, and it was clutched by the boy aboard the -smaller boat. The boy carried it forward and did as Harvey had directed. - -"Now," said Harvey to Henry Burns, as he made fast the line astern, "the -moment we get near enough so that I can jump aboard, you bring the -_Viking_ right on her course, with a good full, so she won't drift back -on to the wreck completely." - -He, himself, held the wheel of the _Viking_ long enough to allow the -yacht to come into the wind a little. Thus it lost headway sufficiently -so that the seas caused it to drift back, without its coming about or -losing all steerageway. Then, as the _Viking_ drifted within reach of the -smaller boat, he leaped quickly and landed safely on the deck. At the -same time, or an instant later, Henry Burns threw the wheel of the -_Viking_ over so that the yacht gathered headway again and tautened the -rope that connected the two boats. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - A RESCUE UNREWARDED - - -Harvey, having landed on the deck of the sailboat, steadied himself by -grasping the starboard stay, and took a quick, comprehensive glance over -the situation. A foot and a half or so of the boom had split off from the -end, and the mainsail was badly torn. The main-sheet had been snapped by -the jibing of the boom, but the break in the boom was beyond the point -where the sheet was fastened. The broken end of the sheet was trailing in -the water. The boat could be got in hand if that were regained. - -Seizing the end of the main-sheet that remained in the boat, and casting -it loose from the cleat, Harvey found he had still the use of a rope of -considerable length. Coiling this up, and hanging it over one arm, he -regained the deck, over the small cabin, and took up his position on the -port side of the boat. The stay on that side had been saved from carrying -away only because the quarter of the _Viking_ had arrested the force of -the boom. Having this stay, then, to hold fast to, Harvey leaned over the -side, as far as he was able, passed an end of the rope about the boom, -took a turn, and made it fast. - -Carrying the other end aft, Harvey handed it to the youth, who stood -gazing at his efforts stupidly, evidently knowing not in the least what -to do. - -"Now you hold on to that," said Harvey, "and when I tell you to, you haul -as hard as ever you can." - -The youth took the rope silently and sullenly. - -Harvey sprang again upon the deck, caught the flying ends of the halyards -and ran the mainsail up. It was slow work, for the sail was soaked with -water, and the tear in it began to rip more when the strain was brought -to bear. When Harvey had hoisted the sail sufficiently so that the -topping-lift would have lifted the boom, he started for that; but it had -parted, and was of no use. - -"Well," said Harvey, "we'll get the boom up a little more, with the sail, -no matter if it does tear. We can't help it." - -So he took another pull at the peak-halyard. The boom lifted a little. - -"That's enough," said Harvey. "Now haul in on that sheet lively, before -the sail tears any more. Get that boom in quick!" - -The youth, with no great spirit nor heartiness in his movements, did as -directed, and the boom came inboard. Then Harvey once more dropped the -sail. - -He was brim full of life, was Jack Harvey, and now that there was -something here worth doing, and necessary to be done quickly, he was -eager with the spirit of it. - -"Have you got anything aboard here to bail with?" he asked, hurriedly; -and, without waiting for the more sluggish movements of the other, he -darted forward, through the water in the cockpit, to where he had espied -a pail half-submerged under the seat. With this he began bailing -furiously, dipping up the pailfuls and dashing them out over the side, as -though the boat were sinking and he had but one chance for life in a -hundred. - -Harvey was working in this way, with never a thought of his companion, -when presently there came a hail from the _Viking_. He paused and looked -across the water to where Henry Burns was standing at the wheel of the -larger craft, with a look of amusement on his face. - -"I say, Jack," called Henry Burns, drawling very slightly, as was his -habit at times when other youths of more excitable temperament would -speak quickly, "that other chap aboard there is just dying to help bail -the boat. Why don't you let him do his share of it?" - -Harvey glanced back astern at his companion of the sailboat. What he saw -caused an angry flush to spread over his face. But the next moment the -cool effrontery of it made him laugh. - -The youth whom Harvey's surprised gaze rested upon was a rather tall, -thin, sallow chap, with an expression on his face that looked like a -perpetual sneer. He wore no yachting costume nor clothing of any sort fit -for roughing it. Instead, he was rather flashily dressed, in clothes more -often affected by men of sporting propensities than youths of any age. In -a scarf of brilliant and gaudy tint he wore a large pin in the form of a -horseshoe, with imitation brilliants in it. In fact, his dress and whole -demeanour were of one who had a far more intimate knowledge of certain -phases of life than he should. A telltale smear upon the fingers of his -right hand told of the smoking habit, which accounted for his thin and -sallow appearance--and which habit was now in evidence. - -It was this latter that particularly angered Harvey, as he paused, -perspiring, from his work. - -The youth had seated himself calmly on the edge of the after-rail, with -an elbow rested on one knee. In this comfortable attitude, and smoking a -cigarette, he was aimlessly watching Harvey work. - -Harvey glared for a moment in amazement. Then his face relaxed. - -"I say!" he exclaimed, throwing down the pail, wiping his brow, and -advancing aft toward the other youth, "this seems to be a sort of -afternoon tea, or reception, with cigarettes provided by the host." - -"No, thanks," he added, shortly, as the other reached a hand into his -pocket and proffered a box of them. "You're just too kind and generous -for anything. But I don't smoke them. Some of my crew used to. But I tell -little Tim Reardon that that's what keeps him from growing any. He's at -them all the time. Guess you are, too, by the looks of you." - -Harvey glanced rather contemptuously at the lean, attenuated arm that the -other displayed, where he had rolled his cuffs back. - -"Well, you don't have to smoke them if you don't want to," said the -other, surlily. "But don't preach. I'm as old as you are. My smoking is -my business." - -"Of course it is," said Harvey. "I don't care whether you smoke or not. -But what I object to is your doing the smoking and letting me do the -work. Your smoking is your business, and so is bailing out your own boat -your business--that is, your share of it is. Now, if you want any more -help from me, you just break up this smoking party and take that pail and -go to bailing. I've got enough to keep me busy while you are doing that." - -The youth glanced angrily at Harvey, but made no reply. Harvey's stalwart -figure forbade any unpleasant retort. Sullenly, he tossed away the -half-finished cigarette, slumped down once more into the cockpit, took up -the pail that Harvey had dropped, and went to work. - -"He looks like a real man now," called out Henry Burns. - -The youth, with eyes flashing, shot one glance at the smiling face of -Henry Burns, but deigned no reply. - -Harvey, without further notice of his companion, proceeded to hoist the -sail a little so that he could take two reefs in it. This brought the -sail down so small as to include the torn part in that tied in. The sail -would, therefore, answer for the continuation of the trip. - -"Say," asked Harvey finally, "why didn't you reef before, when it began -to blow up fresh and the sea got a bit nasty? You might have saved all -this." - -The youth hesitated, glanced at Harvey sheepishly, and mumbled something -that sounded like he didn't know why he hadn't. - -"Hm!" said Harvey, under his breath. "He didn't know enough. - -"Well," he continued, after a little time, "you're all right to start off -again, if you think you can get along. That sail is down so small it -won't give you any more trouble, and there is plenty of it to keep -headway on the boat; that is, if you are going on up the bay. Where are -you bound for, anyway?" - -"Up to Springton," replied the other. "Straight ahead." - -"All right," said Harvey, "you can get there if you will only be a little -more careful. Don't try to run straight for the town. Keep off either -way--do you see?" And Harvey designated how the other could run in -safety. - -"Run on one course a way," he said, continuing, "and then put her about -and run on the other. But look out and don't jibe her. Let her come about -into the wind. Now do you think you can get along?" - -"Yes," answered the youth, shortly. He had by this time finished his -bailing, and the cockpit floor was fairly free of water. - -"Well, then, I'll bid you an affectionate farewell," said Harvey, who had -taken mental note of the fact that the youth had not offered to thank him -for all his trouble. "Sorry to leave you, but the best of friends must -part, you know. Good day." - -"Good day," answered the youth, without offering even to shake hands. - -Harvey lost little time in regaining the deck of the _Viking_. Henry -Burns was still smiling as Harvey took the wheel from him. - -"We seem to have made a very pleasant acquaintance," he said. - -"Haven't we though!" exclaimed Harvey. "If we were only in some nice, -quiet harbour, where the water wasn't very deep, I'd just see whether -that young chap can swim or not. He'd get one ducking--" - -"Oh, by the way," called Henry Burns, as the two boats were separating, -"you're entirely welcome to our assistance, you know. You needn't write -us a letter thanking us. We know your feelings are just too deep for -thanks." - -"Little thanks I owe you," snarled the other boy. "'Twas all your fault, -anyway. If you had kept off, my boat wouldn't have gone over." - -Jack Harvey sprang from his seat and shook his fist in the direction of -the disappearing boat. - -"Hold on there, Jack," said Henry Burns, catching him by the arm. "Don't -get excited. Do you know the answer to what he just said? Well, there -isn't any. Just smile and wave your hand to him, as I do. He's really -funnier than Squire Brackett." - -"Oh, yes, it is funny," answered Jack Harvey, scowling off astern. "It's -so funny it makes me sick. But perhaps you'd think it was funnier still, -if you had gone at that bailing the way I did, and had looked up all of a -sudden and seen that chap sitting back there at his ease, smoking. I'll -just laugh about it for the rest of the week. That's what I will." - -Jack Harvey certainly did not appear to be laughing. - -"Above all things," he said at length, "what do you suppose he meant by -saying it was our fault? That's the last straw for me. We didn't jibe his -boat for him." - -"No," said Henry Burns, "but he probably owns the bay, and was mad to see -us sailing on it. He acted that way." - -"Well, it has cost us about an hour and a half good time," exclaimed -Harvey--"though I should not begrudge it if he hadn't acted the way he -did. We won't win that race in to Southport, by a long shot. It's about -half-past six o'clock, and we cannot make it in less than two hours and a -half, even if the wind holds." - -This latter condition expressed by Harvey was, indeed, to prove most -annoying. With the dropping of the sun behind the far-distant hills, the -wind perceptibly and rapidly diminished. They set their club-topsail to -catch the upper airs, but the last hour was sluggish sailing. It was a -few minutes to ten o'clock when the _Viking_ rounded the bluff that -guards the northeastern entrance to the snug harbour of Southport. - -"There's no show for that warm supper to-night, I'm afraid," said Harvey, -as they turned the bluff and stood slowly into the harbour. - -The immediate answer to this remark was an "Ahoy, there, on board the -_Viking_!" from across the water. The next moment, the familiar canoe -shot into sight and Tom Harris and Bob White were quickly on deck. - -"We beat you fellows by a few minutes," said Tom Harris, laughing at -Harvey. - -"Look out for Jack," said Henry Burns, with a wink at the other two. "He -has been having so much fun that he doesn't want any more. And, besides, -he's starving--and so am I; and we might eat little boys up if they -plague us." - -"Why, what's the matter?" asked Tom, observing that Harvey was -half-scowling as he smiled at Henry Burns's sally. - -"Oh, we have been entertaining a friend up the bay," answered Henry -Burns, "and he didn't appreciate what Jack did for him. Seriously now, I -don't blame Jack for being furious." And Henry Burns gave a graphic -account of the adventure. - -When he had finished, both Tom Harris and Bob White gave vent to whistles -of surprise. - -"Say," exclaimed Bob White, "you couldn't guess who that young chap is, -if you tried a hundred years." - -"Why, do you know him, then?" cried Jack Harvey. - -"Yes, and you will know him, too, before the summer is over," replied Bob -White. "That's Harry Brackett, Squire Brackett's son." - -"Didn't know he had any," exclaimed Harvey. - -"Neither did we till this summer," said Bob White. "He dropped in on us -one day, early, and wanted to borrow some money. That was up in Benton. -He said he must have it, to get right back to Southport; and Tom's father -let him have a little. But we saw him several days after that driving -about the streets with a hired rig. So that's where the money went, and I -think Mr. Harris will never see the money again. He's been off to school -for two years, so he says; but if he has learned anything except how to -smoke, he doesn't show it. - -"But, never mind that now," added Bob. "Let's get the _Viking_ in to -anchorage and made snug, for you know there's something waiting for you -over to the camp." - -"What! You don't mean you have kept supper waiting for us all this time?" -cried Henry Burns, joyfully. - -"Oh, but you are a pair of bricks!" exclaimed Harvey, as Bob White nodded -an affirmative. "I can smell that fish chowder that Bob makes clear out -here." - -A few minutes later, the four boys, weighting the canoe down almost to -the gunwales, were gliding in it across the water to a point of land -fronting the harbour, where, through the darkness, the vague outlines of -a tent were to be discerned. Soon the canoe grazed along a shelf of -ledge, upon which they stepped. Tom Harris sprang up the bank and -vanished inside the tent. Then the light of a lantern shone out, -illuminating the canvas, and Tom Harris, as host, stood in the doorway, -holding aside the flap for them to enter. - -Inside the tent, which had a floor of matched boards, freighted down from -up the river for the purpose, it was comfortable and cosy. Along either -side, a bunk was set up, made of spruce poles, with boards nailed across, -and hay mattresses spread over these. There were two roughly made chairs, -which, with the bunks, provided sufficient seats for all. At the farther -end of the tent, on a box, beside another big wooden box that served for -a locker, was an oil-stove, which was now lighted and upon which there -rested an enormous stew-pan. - -The cover being removed from this, there issued forth an aroma of fish -chowder that brought a broad grin even to the face of Jack Harvey. - -"Hooray!" he yelled, grasping Bob White about the waist, giving him a -bearlike embrace, and releasing him only to bestow an appreciative blow -upon his broad back. "It's the real thing. It's one of Bob's best. It is -a year since I had one, but I remember it like an old friend." - -"You get the first helping, for the compliment," said Bob White, ladle in -hand. - -"And only to think," said Henry Burns, some moments later, as he leaned -back comfortably, spoon in hand, "that that was Squire Brackett's son we -helped out of the scrape. He certainly has the squire's pleasing manner, -hasn't he, Jack?" - -"Henry," replied Jack Harvey, solemnly, "don't you mention that young -Brackett again to me to-night. If you do, I'll put sail on the _Viking_ -and go out after him." - -"Then I won't say another word," exclaimed Henry Burns. "For my part, I -hope never to set eyes on him again." - -Unfortunately, that wish was not to be gratified. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - SQUIRE BRACKETT DISCOMFITED - - -"But say," inquired Henry Burns, in a somewhat disappointed tone, as they -were about to begin, "where are the fellows? It doesn't seem natural to -me to arrive at Southport and not have them on hand. Didn't you tell them -we were coming?" - -"Didn't have a chance," replied Bob. "We went up to the cottage, but -there wasn't anybody there. Then we met Billy Cook, and he said he saw -all three of them away up the island this afternoon." - -Henry Burns went to the door of the tent and looked over the point of -land, up the sweep of the cove. - -"They have come back," he exclaimed. "There's a light in the cottage. -Come on, let's hurry up and eat, and get over there." - -But at that very moment the light went out. - -"Hello!" he said. "There they go, off to bed. Guess they must be tired. -Too bad, for I simply cannot stand it, not to go over to the cottage -to-night--just to look at the cottage, if nothing more. And I am afraid -if I do, I may make a little noise, accidentally, and wake one of them -up." - -Henry Burns said this most sympathizingly; but there was a twinkle in the -corners of his eyes. - -"Come on, Henry," cried Harvey, "you are missing the greatest chowder you -ever saw." - -"Looks as though I might miss a good deal of it, by the way you are -stowing it aboard," replied Henry Burns, reentering the tent and -observing the manner in which Harvey was attacking his dish, while Tom -and Bob looked on admiringly. - -"Never mind, Henry," said Bob. "There's enough. And, besides, Harvey is a -delicate little chap. He needs nourishing food and plenty of it." - -Harvey squared his broad shoulders and smiled. - -"I'm beginning to get good-natured once more," he said. - -The campers' quarters were certainly comfortable enough to make most any -one feel good-natured. The tent was roomy; the stove warmed it gratefully -against the night air, which still had some chill in it; the warm supper -tasted good after the long, hard day's sailing; and Tom and Bob were -genial hosts. - - -Outside, the waves, fallen from their boisterousness of the afternoon to -gentle murmurings, were rippling in with a pleasing sound against the -point of land whereon the camp stood. The breeze was soft, though lacking -the mildness of the later summer, and the night was clear and starlit. - -It had passed the half-hour after ten o'clock when the boys had finished -eating. They arose and went out in front of the tent. - -"It is all dark over yonder at the Warren cottage," said Tom. "What do -you think--had we better go over? The fellows are surely asleep." - -"Yes, indeed," said Henry Burns. "Why, they would never forgive me if I -didn't go over the first night I arrived here. We can just go over and -leave our cards at the front door. Of course we don't have to wake them -up if they are asleep." - -"Oh, of course not," exclaimed Harvey. "But just wait a moment, and I'll -go out aboard and bring in that fog-horn and that dinner-bell." - -"We'll get them in the canoe, Jack," said Bob. He and Harvey departed, -and returned shortly, bringing with them a fog-horn that was not by any -means a toy affair, but for serious use, to give warning in the fog to -oncoming steamers; likewise, a gigantic dinner-bell, used for the same -purpose aboard the _Viking_. - -"We haven't anything in camp fit to make much of a noise with," said Tom, -almost apologetically. "We keep our tent anchored in a fog, you know." - -"Who said anything about making a noise?" inquired Henry Burns, -innocently; and then added, "Never mind, there's stuff enough up at the -cottage." - -They proceeded without more delay up through the little clump of -spruce-trees which shaded the camp on the side toward the village, and -struck into the road that led through the sleeping town. Sleepy by day, -even, the little village of Southport, which numbered only about a score -of houses, clustered about the harbour, was seized with still greater -drowsiness early of nights. Its inhabitants, early to rise, were likewise -early to bed; and the place, before the summer visitors arrived, was wont -to fall sound asleep by nine o'clock. - -It was very still, therefore, as the boys went on up the main street. -Presently they turned off on a road to the right that led along the shore -of the cove, and back of which was a line of summer cottages, now for the -most part unopened for the season. - -"There's Captain Sam's," remarked Henry Burns, as they passed a little -frame cottage just before they had come to the turn of the road. "I'd -like to give him one salute for old time's sake. He's the jolliest man in -Southport." - -"He is not at home," said Tom. "We asked about him to-day, when we got -in. He started up the bay this afternoon. Queer you did not see him out -there somewhere." - -"Why, we saw one or two boats off in the distance at the time of the -collision," said Harvey; "but we were pretty much occupied just about -that time, eh, Henry? I didn't notice what boats they were." - -They were approaching the Warren cottage by this time, and their -conversation ceased. The cottage was the last in the row that skirted the -cove, somewhat apart from all the others, occupying a piece of high -ground that overlooked the cove and the bay, and affording a view away -beyond to the off-lying islands. This view was obtained through a thin -grove of spruces, with which the island abounded, and which made a -picturesque foreground. - -The cottage itself was roomy and comfortable, with a broad piazza -extending around the front and one side. Upon this piazza the boys now -stepped, quietly--"so as not to disturb the sleepers," Henry Burns put -in. - -"Well, Henry, what's up? You are master of ceremonies, you know," said -Tom. - -"Why, we want to wake them very gently at first," replied Henry Burns. -"You know it is not good for any one to be frightened out of his sleep. -They might not grow any more; and it might take away young Joe's -appetite--No, it would take more than that to do it," he added. - -They stepped around cautiously to the front door. As they had surmised, -the peacefulness of Southport made locks and keys a matter more of form -than usage, and the Warren boys had not turned the key in the lock. They -entered softly. - -"Hark! what's that?" whispered Bob. - -They paused on tiptoe. A subdued, choky roar, or growl, was borne down -the front stairway from above. - -"You ought to know that sound by this time," said Henry Burns. "It's -young Joe, snoring. Don't you remember how the other boys used to declare -he would make the boat leak, by jarring it with that racket, when we had -to sleep aboard last summer? Why, he used to have black and blue spots up -and down his legs, where George and Arthur kicked him awake, so they -could go to sleep." - -The sound was, indeed, prodigious for one boy to make. - -"We may as well have some light on the subject," said Henry Burns, -striking a match and lighting the hanging-lamp in the sitting-room. It -shed a soft glow over the place and revealed a room prettily furnished; -the hardwood floor reflecting from its polished surface the rays from the -lamp; a generous fireplace in one corner; and, more to the purpose at -present, some big easy chairs, in which the boys made themselves at home. - -But first a peep into the Warren kitchen pantry rewarded Bob with a -mighty iron serving-tray, and Tom with a pair of tin pot-covers, which, -grasped by their handles and clashed together, would serve famously as -cymbals. - -"Now," said Henry Burns, when they were all assembled and comfortably -seated, "you remember how we used to imitate the village band when it -practised nights in the loft over the old fish-house? Well, I'll be the -cornet; Tom, you're the bass horn--" - -"He is when his voice doesn't break," remarked Bob, slyly. - -"That's all right," replied Henry Burns. "Every musician strikes a false -note once in awhile, you know." And he continued, "You are the -slide-trombone, Jack; and you, Bob, come in with that shrieking whistle -through your fingers for the flute." - -"Great!" exclaimed Bob. "What shall we try?" - -"Oh, we'll give them 'Old Black Joe' for a starter," said Henry Burns, -"just out of compliment to young black Joe up-stairs." - -Presently, there arose through the stillness of the house, and was wafted -up the stairway, an unmelodious, mournful discord, that may perhaps have -borne some grotesque resemblance to the old song they had chosen, but -was, indeed, a most atrocious and melancholy rendering of it. - -Then they paused to listen. - -There was no answering sound from above, save that the snoring of young -Joe was no longer deep and regular, but broken and short and sharp, like -snorts of protest. - -"Repeat!" ordered Henry Burns to his grinning band. - -Again the combined assault on "Old Black Joe" began. - -Then they paused again. - -The snoring of young Joe was broken off abruptly, with one particularly -loud outburst on his part. There was, also, the creaking of a bed in -another room, and a sound as of some one sitting bolt upright. - -"Here, you Joe! Quit that! What on earth are you doing?" called out the -voice of George Warren, in tones which denoted that he had awakened from -slumber, but not to full consciousness of what had waked him, except that -it was some weird sound. - -Then another voice, more sleepily than the other: "What's the matter, -George? Keep quiet, and let a fellow go to sleep." - -"Why, it's that young Joe's infernal nonsense, I suppose," exclaimed the -elder brother. "Now, that will be enough of that, Joe. It isn't funny, -you know." - -"That's it! always blaming me for something," came the answer from the -youngest boy's room. "You fellows are dreaming--gracious, no! I hear a -voice down-stairs." - -It was the voice of Henry Burns saying solemnly, "Repeat." - -"Old Black Joe," out of time, out of tune, turned inside out and scarcely -recognizable, again arose to the ears of the now fully aroused Warren -brothers. - -There was the sound of some one leaping out of bed upon the bare chamber -floor. - -"Now you get back into bed there, Joe!" came the voice of George Warren, -peremptorily. "Let those idiots, Tom and Bob, amuse themselves till they -get tired, if they think it's funny. We are not going to get up to-night, -and that's all there is about it. Say, you fellows go on now, and let us -alone. We're tired, and we are not going to get up." - -"Too dictatorial, altogether," commented Henry Burns, softly. "Give them -the full band now, good and lively." - -So saying, he seized the huge dinner-bell; Harvey took up the great -fog-horn; Tom and Bob, the pot-covers and serving-tray, respectively. A -hideous din, that was the combined blast of the deep horn, the clanging -reverberation of the tray beaten upon by Bob's stout fist, the bellowing -of the dinner-bell and the clash of cymbals, roared and stormed through -the walls of the Warren cottage, as though bedlam had broken loose. The -rafters fairly groaned with it. - -Down the stairway appeared a pair of bare legs. Then the form and face of -young Joe came into view. He stared for a moment wildly at the occupants -of the Warren easy chairs, and the next moment let out a whoop of -delight. - -"Oh, hooray!" he yelled. "Come on, George. Come on, Arthur. Hurry up! Oh, -my! but it's Henry Burns." - -A small avalanche of bare feet and bare legs poured down the stairs, -belonging in all to Joe, Arthur, and George Warren. Three sturdy figures, -clad in their night-clothes, leaped into the room, whooping and yelling, -and descended in one concerted swoop upon the luckless Henry Burns. That -young gentleman went down on the floor, where he afforded a seat for two -of the Warren boys, while young Joe, with pretended fury, proceeded to -pummel him, good-naturedly. - -The three remaining boys were quickly added to the heap, dragging the -Warrens from off their fallen leader; and the turmoil and confusion that -raged about the Warren sitting-room for a moment might have meant the -wreck and ruin of a city home, adorned with bric-a-brac, but resulted in -no more serious damage than a collection of bruises on the shins and -elbows of the participants. - -Out of the confusion of arms and legs, however, each individual boy at -length withdrew his own, more or less damaged. - -"You're a lot of villains!" exclaimed George Warren. "Wasn't I sound -asleep, though? But, oh! perhaps we are not glad to see you." - -"I tell you what we will do," cried young Joe. "We will hurry up and -dress and go out in the kitchen and cook up a big omelette--" - -The roar that greeted young Joe's words drowned out the rest of the -sentence. - -"Isn't he a wonder, though!" exclaimed George Warren. "Why, he had his -supper only three hours and a half ago, and here he is talking about -eating." - -"I don't care about anything to eat," declared young Joe. "I thought the -other fellows would like something." - -"He's so thoughtful," said Arthur. - -Young Joe looked longingly toward the kitchen. - -"Well, we are not going to keep you awake," said Henry Burns at length, -after they had talked over the day's adventures. "We thought you would -like to have us call. We'll be round in the morning, though." - -But the Warrens wouldn't hear of their going. There were beds enough in -the roomy old house for all, as the rest of the family had not arrived. -So up the stairs they scrambled. Twenty minutes later, the fact that -young Joe was sleeping soundly was audibly in evidence. - -"He can't keep me awake, though," exclaimed Harvey. "I have had enough -for one day to make me sleep, haven't you, Henry?" - -But Henry Burns was asleep already. - -The next afternoon, as the crowd of boys sat about the Warren -sitting-room, talking and planning, the tall figure of a man strode -briskly up the road leading to the cottage. He was dressed in a suit of -black, somewhat pretentious for the island population, with a white -shirt-front in evidence, and on his head he wore a large, broad-brimmed -soft hat. In his hand he carried a cane, which he swung with short, -snappy strokes, as a man might who was out of temper. - -George Warren, from a window, observed his approach. - -"Hello!" he exclaimed. "Here comes the squire. Doesn't look especially -pleasant, either. I wonder what's up." - -That something or other was "up" was apparent in the squire's manner and -expression, as he walked hastily across the piazza and hammered on the -door with the head of his cane. - -"Good morning, Captain Ken--" began young Joe. - -But he got no further. "Here, you stop that!" cried the squire, advancing -into the room and raising his cane threateningly. "Don't you ever call me -'Captain Kendrick' again as long as you live. It's no use for you to say -you mistake me for him, for you don't." - -Young Joe disappeared. - -"Confound that Joe!" said Arthur. "He always says the wrong thing." - -Captain Kendrick was the squire's bitterest enemy; and it was a constant -thorn in the squire's side that they really did resemble each other -slightly. - -"Good morning, squire," said George Warren, politely. "Won't you have a -seat?" - -"No, I won't!" said Squire Brackett, shortly. "I don't need any seat to -say what I want to say. I want to talk with those two young scamps over -there." - -Squire Brackett pointed angrily toward Jack Harvey and Henry Burns. - -"What can we do for you, squire?" inquired Henry Burns, quietly. - -"Do for me!" repeated the squire, his voice rising higher. "You have done -enough for me already, I should say. What do you mean by running down my -sailboat in the bay yesterday? Hadn't you done enough to annoy me -already, without smashing into the _Seagull_ and tearing a brand-new sail -and ripping things up generally? - -"What can you do for me, indeed! Well, I'll tell you what you can do: you -can pay me forty dollars for a new sail; and you can pay for a new boom -to replace the broken one. And there's some rigging that was carried -away. That is all I think of now." - -The squire paused for breath. - -"Yes, I guess that is about all," remarked Henry Burns. - -But Jack Harvey was on his feet and facing the angry squire. "See here," -he began, "do you mean to say that that young chap we helped out of his -scrape blames us for the wreck? Just bring him--" - -"Hold on, Jack," said Henry Burns. "Take it easy. We were not to blame, -so let's not get into a quarrel with the squire. Perhaps he has not heard -just how it did happen." - -"Haven't I?" roared the squire. "That's impudence added to injury. Didn't -my son, Harry, tell me all about it--how you ran him down; how you -steered in on to him when he was trying his best to keep clear of you? -Haven't I heard of it, indeed! I have heard all I want to about it. Now, -there is only one thing left for you two young men to do, and that is to -settle for the damages. That is all I want of you--and no impudence. - -"It won't do you any good to try to lie out of it," he added, as he -started for the door. "I've got no time to waste listening to denials. -You can just come down to Dakin's store and settle to-day or to-morrow, -or there will be a lawsuit begun against both of you, or whoever is -responsible for you. I guess my son Harry's word is good as a dozen of -yours. He's told me all about it. Good morning to you." - -The squire swung himself angrily out of the door and strode away down the -road, flipping off the grass-tops with his cane. - -Harvey and Henry Burns sat back in their chairs in amazement. - -"And to think that I helped that young cub bail out his boat!" groaned -Jack Harvey. - -Henry Burns snickered. - -"It's no joke, Jack," he said. "But I can't help thinking of that young -Brackett, sitting up there on the rail and watching you work. - -"It is a bad scrape, too," he added, more seriously. "It does mean a real -lawsuit. The squire is in the mood for it; and, the worst of it, there -weren't any witnesses. It is his word against ours. It's a bad start for -the summer, and no mistake." - -A half-hour later, a procession of sober-faced boys strolled down into -the village. Villagers, who had always liked Henry Burns, and had come to -like Jack Harvey since he had atoned for many past pranks by gallantry at -the end of the last season, greeted the new arrivals cordially. - -"See you boys got into a leetle trouble with the squire," remarked one of -them. "Well, that's too bad. He's a hard man when it comes to money -matters. What's that? You say young Brackett was the one to blame? Pshaw! -Well, I do declare. Hm!" - -Down in Rob Dakin's grocery store there was the usual gathering of the -villagers and fishermen, lounging about, with elbows on counters, -half-astride sugar and cracker barrels, and a few of the more early -comers occupying the choice seats about the sheet-iron stove. This -inevitable centre of attraction, having done its duty faithfully -throughout the winter, was, of course, now cold and not an object of -especial beauty; but it still possessed that magnetic quality that -pertains to a stove in a country store, to draw all loungers about it, -and make it the common meeting-place. - -There was Billy Cook, from over across the cove, who was always barefoot, -although a man of forty. There was Dave Benson, from the other side of -the island, who had deposited a molasses-jug on the floor in a corner, -and who now stood, apparently extracting some nourishment, and at least -comfort, from a straw held between his teeth. There was Old Slade, from -over on the bluff opposite, slyly cutting a sliver of salt fish from one -in the bale upon which he sat. Also a half-dozen or more others. - -To this assembled group of his townsfolk, the squire, accompanied now by -his hopeful son, Harry, was holding forth, as the party of boys entered -the door. - -"Here they be now, squire," remarked Dave Benson. "Hello, boys! Ketchin' -any lobsters lately?" - -"Yes, here they are, and here they shall pay!" cried the squire, turning -upon them. - -Jack Harvey advanced toward young Brackett. - -"Do you dare say we ran you down?" he inquired, angrily. - -"Yes, you did," answered young Brackett, sullenly, and sidling up close -to his father. - -"Why, of course they did!" exclaimed the squire. "And it won't do them -any good--" - -But at this point his remarks were interrupted. - -A strongly built, heavy-shouldered man entered the store, gave a loud, -good-natured "Haw! Haw!" for no apparent reason except that his natural -good spirits prompted him to, and bade everybody good evening in a voice -that could be heard a quarter of a mile away. - -"Why, hello, Cap'n Sam," said Dave Benson, hailing him as he entered the -doorway. "Haven't seen you much lately." - -Captain Sam Curtis roared out a salutation in return. If there was a -voice within a radius of twenty miles about Southport that could equal -that of Captain Sam Curtis, no one had ever heard of it. It had a -reputation all its own, far and wide. - -"Why, hello, squire," cried Captain Sam. He had failed to notice Harvey -and Henry Burns for the moment in the crowd. "Good evening, squire, good -evening. Guess you're glad to get that 'ere boy of yours back again, -ain't yer?" - -"Yes," answered the squire, irritably. - -"Well, I guess you better be!" exclaimed Captain Sam. "I thought he was a -goner there, yesterday, when I saw the _Seagull_ go kerflop." - -"What!" cried the squire. "You saw it? How is that? I thought you said -there weren't any other boats around, Harry." - -The squire turned to his son; but young Harry Brackett was vanishing out -the store door. - -"See it? I rather guess I did see it," bawled Captain Sam, warming up to -his subject, while the villagers sat up and paid attention. "Why, I had -the spy-glass on that 'ere youngster for twenty minutes before he did the -trick. He was a-sailing that 'ere boat like a codfish trying to play -'Home, Sweet Home' on the pianner." - -"Nonsense!" roared the now infuriated squire, who observed the audience -in the store snickering and nudging one another. "Nonsense, I say. He can -sail a boat just as good as you can. Why, he told me, only the other day, -before I let him have the _Seagull_ at all, how he won races last summer -in a yacht off Marblehead." - -"Mebbe so, squire," retorted Captain Sam. "But he was a-sailin' this 'ere -boat of yours like a mutton-head. Haw! Haw! That's what he was a-doin', -squire. - -"Why, sir, squire, he was a-standing up in that boat, with his hat blown -off, lookin' as scared as you was last summer when you and old Witham -took that sail down the bay with me. Haw! Haw! And that 'ere boom was -a-jumpin', and that 'ere sail was a-slattin' around like an old alpacker -dress out on a clothes-line. - -"'Gracious goodness!' says I to myself, 'that youngster is a-scared out -of his wits. He'll jibe her, as sure as a hen sets.' And he done it, too. -Bang! she went, and the boom slat up against that other boat that was -comin' down 'tother way--and I says, 'It's all up with poor Harry.' And -so it would have been if it hadn't been for the chaps in that other -boat-- - -"Why, hello, Henry Burns! And if there ain't young Harvey, too," cried -Captain Sam, interrupting himself, as he espied the two boys. "Why, that -was your boat, eh? Well, I guess the squire is mightily obliged to you, -both of yer. - -"Reckon you've thanked these young chaps, good and hearty, for saving -young Harry, eh?" cried Captain Sam, advancing to the squire. - -But, to the utter amazement of Captain Sam, the squire turned upon his -heel, with an exclamation of disgust, dashed out of the store, and -disappeared in the direction taken shortly before by his son, while a -roar of laughter from the assembled villagers followed after him. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - HARVEY GETS BAD NEWS - - -Harvey and Henry Burns left the store together in high spirits, -surrounded by their companions, loudly jubilant over the turn affairs had -taken. It was growing dusk, and Rob Dakin was preparing for the usual -illumination of his store with one oil-lamp. Harvey and Henry Burns -started for the shore, but were stopped by a hail from George Warren. - -"Come on over to the post-office with me," he said. "You're in no hurry -for supper. It's my turn to go for the mail, and we are expecting a -letter from father up in Benton." - -So the two boys retraced their steps, and the three friends went along up -the road together. - -"We haven't a very extensive correspondence to look after, eh, Jack?" -remarked Henry Burns; "but we'll go along for company's sake. My aunt -never writes to me, and I think I never received but two letters in my -life. They were from old Mrs. Newcome." - -"I never got any," declared Harvey. "My dad says to me at the beginning -of the summer, 'Where are you going?' and I say, 'Oh, down in the bay,' -or wherever it is I am going. Then he says, 'Well, take care of -yourself,' and forgets all about me, except he sends money down to me -regularly--and more when I ask him." - -The boy's remark was, in fact, an unconscious criticism of the elder -Harvey, and accounted, perhaps, for some of Harvey's past adventures -which were not altogether commendable. Harvey's father was of the rough -and ready sort. He had made money in the Western gold-fields, where he -had started out as a miner and prospector. Now he was enjoying it in -generous fashion, and denied his family nothing. He had a theory that a -boy that had the "right stuff in him," as he put it, would make his way -without any particular care taken of him; and he was content to allow his -son, Jack, to do whatever he pleased. A convenient arrangement, by the -way, which also left Mr. Harvey free to do whatever he pleased, without -the worry of family affairs. - -The boys walked through the fields, up a gentle incline of the land, -which led to the general higher level of the island, overlooking the bay -and the islands in the distance. They gazed back presently upon a -pleasing prospect. - -There was the cove, sweeping in to the left, along the bluff opposite, -which was high and rock-ribbed. At the head of the cove the shores were -of clean, fine sand, broken here and there at intervals by a few patches -of clam-flats, bared at low water. Out from where the boys stood, -straight ahead rolled the bay, with an unbroken view away across to the -cape, some five miles off. A thoroughfare, or reach, extended south and -eastward from the cape, formed by the mainland and a chain of islands. -Then, to the south, the bay extended far, broken only by some islands a -few miles away. - -At anchor in the cove lay the Warren boys' sailboat, the _Spray_, and the -larger yacht, the _Viking_. - -"Well, George," said Henry Burns, with his right arm over the other's -shoulder, "it looks like some fun, now that the trouble with Squire -Brackett is cleared away." - -"Great!" exclaimed George Warren. - -The post-office, called such by courtesy, the office consisting of the -spare room of whatsoever fisherman or farmer happened to be honoured with -Uncle Sam's appointment, was about a mile from the harbour of Southport. -It was, in this case, in the house of one Jerry Bryant, and was about a -quarter of a mile, or less, from the western shore of the island, where a -small cove made in from that bay. - -"Good evening, Mr. Bryant," said George Warren, as they arrived at the -post-office door. "Mail in yet?" - -"Be here right away," replied the postmaster. "I saw Jeff's packet coming -in a moment ago. There he comes now up the lane." - -Jeff Hackett, whose commission it was to fetch the mail across from the -mainland in a small sloop daily, now appeared with a mail-sack over his -shoulder. - -The formality of receiving the attenuated mail-sack and sorting its -somewhat meagre contents, being duly observed, Postmaster Bryant threw -open a small sliding door, poked his head out, and was ready for -inquiries. - -"Anything for the Warren cottage?" - -"Not a thing." - -"Anything for the neighbours, a few doors below?" - -"Nothing for them, either." - -"Looks as though we had come over for nothing," said George Warren. "Too -bad, but you fellows don't mind the walk, do you?" - -"Not a bit," answered Henry Burns. - -They were departing, when the postmaster hailed them. - -"Say," he called out, "who is Jack Harvey? He is the chap that caught -Chambers, isn't he? Doesn't he stop over near you, somewhere?" - -"Here I am," said Harvey, taken by surprise. "What do you want?" - -"Why, I've got a letter for you," said the postmaster. "It has been here -three days. I couldn't find out where you were." - -"Well, that's odd," exclaimed Harvey, stepping back and receiving the -envelope. "I never got one before. Say, we came over for something, after -all." - -He tore open the envelope and read the letter enclosed. - -"Whew!" he exclaimed as he finished. "That's tough." And he gave a -disconsolate whistle. - -"What's the matter? Nothing bad, I hope," asked Henry Burns. - -In reply, Harvey handed him the letter. It was dated from Boston, and -read as follows: - - "My dear Jack:--Sorry to have to write you bad news, but you are big - enough to stand it, I had to work hard when I was a boy, and perhaps - you may now, but you'll come out all right in the end. I don't know - just where I stand, myself. Investments have gone wrong, and Saunders - has brought suit in court, claiming title to the land where the mine - is. May beat him out. Don't know. He is a rascal, but may win. - - "Now I haven't got a dollar to send you, and don't see where I'll get - any all summer for you, as I shall need every cent to pay bills. I have - got to go out to borrow money to pay lawyers, too, to fight the case. - - "Too bad, but you will have to come home, or shift for yourself for the - summer. Let me know, and I'll send money for your fare, if you are - coming. - - "Affectionately, your dad, - "William Harvey." - -An hour later, Jack Harvey and Henry Burns sat in the comfortable cabin -of the _Viking_, talking matters over. The yacht swung lazily at anchor -in the still cove. A fire burned in the little stove, and the smoke -wreathed out of a funnel on the starboard side. The boys were -superintending the baking of a pan of muffins in a sheet-iron oven, while -two swinging-lanterns gave them light. - -"I declare I don't know what to do about it," said Harvey. "You see, I -never thought about getting along without money before. All I have had to -do is just ask for it. Now, you see, I'm behind on my allowance. We paid -Reed thirty-five dollars, you know, for wintering and painting the boat, -and something more for some new pieces of rigging. That, and what I've -spent for clothes, has cleaned me out." - -"Yes, but I owe you twelve dollars on the boat account, which I'm going -to pay as soon as I receive my own allowance from my aunt," said Henry -Burns. - -"Well, that won't go very far," responded Harvey, gloomily. "We owe--or -shall owe--for the freight on that box of provisions that's coming from -Benton; we have got to hire a tender to take the place of the old one I -sold last fall. We can't keep on borrowing this one all summer--" - -"Never mind," interrupted Henry Burns. "You know it costs us scarcely -anything to live down here. We can catch all the fish and lobsters we -want, dig clams, and all that sort of thing. All we need to buy is a -little meal and flour and coffee and sugar from time to time, and we'll -do that all right on my allowance." - -"That's kind in you, Henry," said Harvey, warmly, "but I don't quite like -the idea of living all summer on you." - -"Why not?" demanded Henry Burns, and added, quickly, "You used to provide -everything for all your crew last summer, didn't you?" - -"Why, yes, I did," replied Harvey. "Ha! ha! catch one of them buying -anything. But of course they couldn't buy much of anything, anyway. They -hadn't any money. But somehow this is different. You see,--well--the fact -is, I'm not quite used to being hard up. And I don't exactly like to take -it. Of course, I know just how you mean it, too." - -"Yes, but think how small our expenses need be if we are careful," urged -Henry Burns. "We live right aboard here all the time, you know." - -"Yes," answered Harvey, "but it all counts up more than you think, -especially when one is short of money. You can't run a big boat like this -all summer without expense. It's a rope here and a block there, and a -spare anchor we need, and a lot of little things all the time. I know how -it was on the _Surprise_." - -Their conversation was interrupted at this point by a voice close -alongside. The canoe had glided quietly up, and the next moment Tom and -Bob were descending into the cabin. - -"My, but you chaps have elegant quarters down here," exclaimed Tom. "We -envy you your summer aboard here, don't we, Bob?" - -Henry Burns and Harvey, somewhat taken aback, made no reply, and looked -embarrassed. - -"Why, what's up?" asked Tom, observing something was wrong. "No more -trouble, I hope." - -Harvey explained the situation. - -"That need not be so bad," said Tom. "It doesn't cost but little to live -here. We spend scarcely anything, do we, Bob? We can lend you something -to help you through. You don't want to think of giving up the summer." - -"I dare say I could stick it out all right," said Harvey, "if I was just -camping once more. That doesn't cost much. It is this boat that bothers -me. We can't run it for nothing." - -"Well, then," exclaimed Henry Burns, vigorously, with more -demonstrativeness than was usual with him, "I'll tell you what we will -do. We'll make the boat work. We will make it pay its own way, and pay us -something besides. We'll fit out and go down among the islands fishing, -and take our fish over to Stoneland and sell them, the same as the -fishermen do. There won't be a fortune in it, with a boat no bigger than -this, but it will support us, and more too, after paying all expenses." - -"Henry," cried Harvey, gratefully, "you're a brick! I thought of that -once, and I'd have proposed it if this had been the old _Surprise_; but I -didn't know as you would be willing to do it with this boat. It dirties a -craft up so." - -"That doesn't hurt a boat any," said Henry Burns. "The fishermen down -around Wilton's Harbour take out sailing parties all summer, and their -boats are always handsome and clean, and they don't smell fishy. And the -men always use them for fishing in the fall and spring, when the fishing -is at its best. It simply means that we have got to take out all the nice -fittings from the cabin, stow them away somewhere on shore, fit out with -some tackle, and go ahead. At the end of the summer we will overhaul the -_Viking_ from deck to keelson, take out every piece of ballast in her, -clean it and dry it and put it back, and paint the yacht over after we -wash everything inside and out. She will be just as fine as she was -before." - -"That's great!" exclaimed Tom Harris. "You can do it all right, too. I -wish we had a boat. We'd go along with you, wouldn't we, Bob?" - -"I'd like nothing better," answered Bob. - -"Then come along with us," said Harvey. "We really need two more to -handle this boat properly. You can fit yourselves out with -fishing-tackle, and we'll all share in the catch." - -"Hooray! we'll do it," cried Bob. "But we don't want a share of the -catch. We will be glad enough to go for the fun of it." - -"Yes, but this is part business," said Henry Burns. "You must have some -share in every trip you make with us. How will two-thirds for us and a -third for you do, as we own the boat?" - -"That is more than fair," replied Tom. - -"Then it's a bargain, eh, Jack?" said Henry; and, as the other gave -hearty assent, he added, "We'll go about it right away to-morrow, if the -weather is good." - -When George Warren heard of the plan the next day, however, he was not -equally elated. "It's the thing to do, I guess," he said, but added, -"It's going to keep you away from Southport; that is the only drawback." - -"No, only part of the time," said Henry Burns. "We are not going to try -to get rich, only to support ourselves. We shall be back and forth all -summer. We'll have some fun here, too." - -Then the boys went and hunted up Captain Sam Curtis. - -"Yes, you can do it all right," said Captain Sam, when he had heard of -the plan. "But it's rough work. You can count on that. You want to get -right out to big Loon Island--you know, with the little one, Duck Island, -alongside. There's where the cod are, out along them reefs; and you can -set a couple of short trawls for hake. May get some runs of mackerel, -too, later. I'll get you a couple of second-hand pieces of trawl cheap. -They'll do all right for one season. But it ain't just like bay-sailing -all the time, you know, though you may not get caught. When it's rough, -it's rough, though. - -"And there's one thing you've got to look out for," added Captain Sam. -"Of course the men around this coast will be fair to you and won't -bother. But there's a rough crowd that comes up from the eastward. They -may not take kindly to a pack of boys coming in on the fishing-grounds. -Just keep your weather eye out; that's all." - -The boys went about their preparations eagerly. Already they had begun -removing the fine fittings from the cabin of the _Viking_, carrying them -up to the Warren cottage, and putting the yacht in condition for rougher -usage. They worked hard all day. At night, however, an unexpected event -occurred, which delayed their fishing-trip until the next week. - -George Warren came down to the shore that evening with another letter for -Jack Harvey, much to the latter's amazement. - -"Hang it!" he exclaimed, as George Warren handed the letter over. "They -say troubles never come singly. I wonder if here's more. I hope things -are no worse at home--Hello, it isn't from Boston. It's from Benton. Who -can have written me from there?" - -He tore open the envelope hastily. The letter, badly written in an -uncouth scrawl, read thus: - - "Dear Jack:--You remember you told us fellows last year that we could - come down to the island again this year and live in the tent, the same - as we did before you got the boat, and you would see that we got along - all right. Me and George Baker have got the money to pay our fares on - the boat, and Tim and Allan will work part of their passage. Dan Davis, - who's on the boat, told us you was down there. So we'll be along pretty - soon if you don't write and stop us. - - "So long, - "Joe Hinman." - -"Well, here's a mess," said Harvey, ruefully, and looking sorely puzzled. -"I'd clean forgotten that promise I made to the crew last year, that they -could come down, and I'd take care of them. You see, I thought I was -going to have plenty of money; but I don't know just what to do now. -Would you write and tell them not to come?" - -"No, let them come," said Henry Burns. "They'll get along somehow. We -will help them out, and they'll have your tent to live in." - -"All right," said Harvey. "I hate to disappoint them. They don't get much -fun at home. I'll send them word to come, as long as you are willing." - -So it happened that a few days later there disembarked from the river -steamer a grinning quartette of boys. The youngest, Tim Reardon by name, -was barefoot; and the others, namely, Joe Hinman, George Baker, and Allan -Harding, were not vastly the better off in the matter of dress. This was -Harvey's "crew," who had sailed the bay with him for several years, in -the yacht _Surprise_, and had camped with him on a point that formed one -of the boundaries of a little cove, some three-quarters of a mile down -the island from where Tom and Bob were encamped. - -The united forces of the boys, including the Warrens, made things -comfortable for the new arrivals in short order. Harvey's old tent, which -had been stored away in Captain Sam's loft for the winter, was brought -out and loaded aboard the _Viking_; and the entire party sailed down -alongshore, and unloaded at Harvey's former camping-ground, where there -was a grove of trees and a good spring close by. The tent was quickly set -up, the bunks fashioned, a share of the _Viking's_ store of provisions -carried ashore, and everything made shipshape. - -"Now," said Harvey, addressing his crew, after he had confided the news -of his embarrassed circumstances, "I'll help you out all I can, and -you'll get along all right, with fishing and clamming. But, see here, no -more shines like we had before. I know I was in for it, too. But no more -hooking salmon out of the nets. And let other people's lobster-pots -alone, or I won't look out for you." - -"Oh, we'll be all right, Jack," cried the ragged campers, gleefully; -while little Tim Reardon, standing on his head and hands in an ecstasy of -delight, seemed to wave an acquiescence with his bare feet. - -"That's your doing," said Harvey, thoughtfully, turning to Tom and Bob. -"Since you saved my life the crew really have behaved themselves." - -Two days later, the bare feet of Tim Reardon bore him, breathless, to the -door of the other tent, where Harvey and Henry Burns sat chatting with -Tom and Bob. - -"Say, Jack," he gasped out, "you just want to hurry up quick and get down -into the Thoroughfare. They're going to raise the _Surprise_. I got a -ride on behind a wagon coming up the island this morning, and two men -were talking about it. One of them said he heard Squire Brackett say that -that yacht down in the Thoroughfare was anybody's property now, as it had -been abandoned, and he calculated it could be floated again, and he'd -bring it up some day and surprise you fellows. But he hasn't started to -do it yet, and so it's still yours, isn't it? If he can raise it, we can, -can't we?" - -Harvey sprang to his feet. - -"Raise it!" he exclaimed. "Why, I've thought all along of trying it some -day. Captain Sam said last fall he thought it might be done. But I had -this other boat to attend to, and then I was called home. We'll go after -it this very afternoon. What do you say, Henry?" - -"Yes, and I think I have a scheme to help float her," replied Henry -Burns. - -Acting on Henry Burns's suggestion then, the boys proceeded to the store, -where, in a spare room, Rob Dakin kept a stock of small empty casks which -he sold to the fishermen now and then for use as buoys. They hired the -whole supply, some twoscore, agreeing to pay for the use of them and -bring them back uninjured. These they loaded hastily aboard the _Viking_, -having sent word in the meantime to the Warren boys. They, joining in -heartily, soon had sail on their own boat, the _Spray_, and went on -ahead, down the coast of the island. - -Completing the loading of the _Viking_, and taking aboard an extra supply -of tackle, borrowed for the occasion, Henry Burns and Harvey got up sail -and set out after the _Spray_, stopping off the cove below to pick up the -others of Harvey's crew. They overhauled the _Spray_ some miles down the -coast, later in the afternoon, and thence led the way toward the -Thoroughfare. They had the wind almost abeam from the westward, and went -along at a good clip in a smooth sea. - -That evening at sundown they sailed into the Thoroughfare. This was a -stretch of water affording a somewhat involved and difficult passage -between the Eastern and Western Bays, the two bays being so designated -according to a partial division of these waters by Grand Island. The -island was some thirteen miles long, lying lengthwise with its head -pointing about northeast and the foot southwest. - -The waters of the Thoroughfare were winding, flowing amid a small chain -of islands at the foot of Grand Island. The channel was a crooked one, -the deeper water lying along this shore or that, and known only to local -fishermen and to the boys who had cruised there. - -Henry Burns, on the lookout forward, presently gave a shout of warning. - -"There she is, Jack," he cried, pointing ahead to where the mast of a -yacht protruded above water some three-fourths of its length. "There's -the ledge, too. Look out and not get aground." - -"Oh, I know this channel like a book," said Harvey, and demonstrated his -assertion by bringing the _Viking_ to, close up under the lee of the -submerged yacht, in deep water. - -The yacht _Surprise_, sunken where it had been in collision with the very -yacht that had now come to its rescue, lay hung upon a shelving reef, -with its bow nearer to the surface than its stern. The tide was at the -last of its ebb, and it was clear that by another hour there would be -only about two feet of water over the forward part of the boat and about -five feet over the stern. - -"We are in luck," cried Harvey. "She has worked up higher on the reef, -somehow, since last year, either by the tides, or perhaps some ice formed -here in the winter and forced her up. She was deep under water when I -last saw her." - -"But it's a wonder the mast did not go," he added. "The bobstay went when -we smashed into the _Viking_; and the mast wasn't any too firm when we -last saw it. It wouldn't have stood after we struck if we hadn't let the -mainsail go on the run." - -Evening was coming on, but the boys lost no time in going to work. -Getting into the dory that they had hired for the season as a tender, -Henry Burns and Harvey stepped out carefully on to the reef, and made -their way down its slippery sides to the bow of the _Surprise_. Then, -with trousers rolled up and divested of jackets and shirts, they -proceeded, as soon as the tide had fallen, to nail some strips of canvas -over the hole smashed in the bow. They fastened it with battens, putting -several layers on, one over another. - -"It isn't a handsome job," said Henry Burns, finally; "but the water will -not run in there as fast as we can pump it out. It's a fair start." - -The yacht _Spray_ came in now and brought up alongside the _Viking_. - -"What are you going to do?" inquired George Warren. - -"Why, everybody has got to go in for a swim," answered Henry Burns, -setting the example by throwing off his remaining garments. The others, -willing enough at all times for that, followed. - -Henry Burns next brought forth several coils of rope, which he had busied -himself with, on the voyage down, knotting it at regular intervals into -loops. - -"There," said he, "the _Surprise_ lies, luckily, on these irregular -rocks. We have got to duck under and pass these ropes underneath the -keel, wherever there is a chance. Then we'll bring the ends up on either -side and make them fast aboard, wherever there is a thing to hitch to. -Then we'll attach the kegs to the loops. See?" - -"Good for you, Henry!" cried Harvey, enthusiastically. "You always have -some scheme in your head, don't you?" - -"Wait and see if it works," said Henry Burns, modestly. - -"Ouch!" cried young Joe, as the boys splashed overboard. "This water is -like ice." - -"Oh, shut up, Joe!" said Arthur Warren. "Just think of that hot coffee we -are going to have for supper." - -The boys worked eagerly and hurriedly, for the waters of Samoset Bay had -not, indeed, fully recovered from their long winter's chill, and the sun -had sunk behind the distant hills. The ropes, passed beneath on one side, -were grasped by numbed but skilful hands on the other. In a quarter of an -hour they had some six or eight of these passed under and made fast, and -the empty casks, tightly stopped with cork bungs, tied into the -loopholes. This, in itself, was no easy task. The buoyant casks persisted -in bobbing up to the surface, escaping now and then from their hands. Two -of the boys would seize a cask by the lashings that had been passed about -it and fairly ride it below the surface with their united weight. Then, -holding their breath under water, they would make it fast to a loop. - -It was dark when they had finished; and a hungry, shivering crowd of boys -they were, as they danced about the decks and scrambled into their -clothes. But the cabins of the _Viking_ and the _Spray_ were soon made -inviting, with warmth and the odours of hot coffee and cooking food. They -were only too glad to go below and enjoy both. - -"Hello, Henry," called young Joe from the deck of the _Spray_, some time -later, as the boys were hanging their lanterns forward to warn any stray -fisherman that might sail through in the night; "the _Surprise_ doesn't -seem to come up very fast." - -"Well, wait till to-morrow and see," answered Henry Burns. - -They were soon sleeping soundly, weary with the day's hard work. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - OUT TO THE FISHING-GROUNDS - - -While the boys were thus concerned down in the Thoroughfare, at the foot -of Grand Island, certain events were happening away over across the -Western Bay that might perhaps affect them later. - -If a direct line were drawn across the middle of Grand Island, and -extended straight across the Western Bay to the neighbouring mainland, it -would touch that shore in about the locality of the town of Bellport. -This was a little community, dull in winter, and flourishing in summer -with the advent of cottagers and visitors from the little city of -Mayville, some miles up along the shore of the bay, and from the towns -farther north up the river. It was a favourite resort of yachtsmen in a -modest way. - -On the afternoon that young Harry Brackett had quietly withdrawn from the -crowd of villagers in the store at Southport, coincident with the -disclosures of Captain Sam regarding his adventure in the squire's -sailboat, he had not seen fit to return to the shelter of his father's -roof. Instead, he had taken the night boat over to Mayville, and thence, -the following morning, made his way to Bellport, where he had some bosom -friends after his own heart. - -What this meant was that, instead of entering into the healthful sports -that made the place of especial attraction, he and they were more often -to be found loitering about the office of the principal hotel, the -Bellport House, or playing at billiards in a room off the office, or -occupying the veranda chairs, with their feet upon the railing. - -Young Brackett had been engaged one afternoon, soon following his -arrival, in a game of billiards with a companion, when he was accosted by -another acquaintance. - -"Hello, Brackett," said the newcomer. "You're quite a stranger. How are -things over at Southport? Going to stay at home now for awhile?" - -This salutation, commonplace as it was, had, it seemed, an effect upon a -tall, light-complexioned man, who was seated in a corner of the room, -where he had been enjoying his cigar and idly watching the game. For he -looked up quickly toward the boy addressed, and, during the continuation -of the game, certainly paid more attention to Harry Brackett than to the -play itself. - -At the conclusion of the game, young Brackett's companions bade him good -day and departed. Thereupon the stranger arose and advanced toward Harry -Brackett, smiling pleasantly. Stroking a heavy blond moustache with the -fingers of his left hand and picking up one of the cues with the other, -he said: - -"You play a good game, don't you? Shall we have another? I'll be pleased -to pay for it, you know. Glad to have some one that plays as well as you -do for an opponent." - -It being inbred in young Brackett's nature never to decline to enjoy -himself at another's expense, he accepted the invitation at once. -Moreover, he was pleased at the compliment--which was, perhaps, more in -the nature of flattery, as he was but indifferently skilful at best. - -"Do you come from around this way?" asked the stranger, as they proceeded -to play. - -"Yes," answered young Brackett. "My home is at Southport. Harry Brackett -is my name. I'm Squire Brackett's son." - -"Indeed!" said the stranger, as though the answer was a matter of -information, whereas he had distinctly heard the boy's companion refer to -him as coming from Southport. "But you are not an islander. You've been -about some, I can see." - -Most persons would have said that it would have been better for the boy -if he had had more of the sturdy qualities of the islanders and less of -those manners to which the stranger referred. But young Brackett took the -remark as a compliment, as it was intended, and answered, "Oh, yes, I've -been about a good deal--up Boston way and that sort of thing--Benton and -different cities. But I live at Southport. My father owns a good deal of -the place, you see." - -"Well, I'm glad to know you, Mr. Brackett," said the stranger, with a -renewed show of cordiality. "My name is Carleton. I come from Boston, -too. I am just living around at any place I take a fancy to for the -summer. Oh, by the way, I came here to look at some boats. Do you know of -a good one over your way that a man might buy?" - -"Why, no, I don't know as I do," replied young Brackett. "That is, not -what you would want. There's only one elegant boat, and I guess she is -not for sale. She belongs to some boys. They'd better sell her, though, -if they get the chance. They think they are smart, but they can't sail -her a little bit." - -"Hm!" ejaculated Mr. Carleton, and made a mental note of the other's -evident antipathy to the boys he referred to. - -"You don't mean the _Viking_?" he inquired. "Somebody in the town here -was speaking about her the other day." - -"Yes, that's the one," replied young Brackett. "But I don't think you can -buy her." - -"Oh, most any one will sell a thing, if you only offer him enough," said -Mr. Carleton, carelessly. "Somehow I think she is about the boat I want. -I had a talk with a captain here the other day, and he said she was the -best sailer about here. - -"Oh, by the way," he added, apparently intent upon his game and studying -a shot with great care, "did you ever hear of anything queer about that -yacht--anything queer discovered about her?" - -"Why, no!" cried young Brackett, in a tone of surprise. "Is there -anything queer about her? Do you know about her? That is a funny -question." - -If Mr. Carleton, making his shot unmoved, had got exactly the information -he was after, he did not betray the least sign of it. Instead, he laughed -and said: - -"No, no. You don't understand. I mean any 'out' about the boat. Has she -any faults, I mean. Does she sail under? Run her counters under? Knock -down in a wind and heavy sea? Carry a bad weather helm--or still worse, a -lee helm? You know what I mean. When a man is buying a boat he wants to -know if she is all right." - -He said it easily, in his deep, full voice, that seemed to emerge from -behind his heavy moustache, without his lips moving. - -"Oh, I understand," said young Brackett. Then he added, mindful of his -anger at the owners of the _Viking_, "I guess the boat is good -enough--better than the crowd that owns her." - -"Well, I want you to do something for me," continued Mr. Carleton. "I -think I want her. When you return to Southport, I wish you would make -them an offer for me. Do you know what they paid for her?" - -"Why, I think she brought only about eight hundred dollars," said young -Brackett. "She's worth twice that, I guess. But there wasn't anybody to -buy her. She went cheap." - -"Tell them you know of a party that will give them fifteen hundred -dollars for the boat," said Mr. Carleton. "And if you buy her for me for -that price I will give you two hundred dollars. The boat is worth all of -that from what I hear." - -Young Brackett's eyes opened wide in surprise. - -"Oh, I am in earnest," said the man. "I can afford it. I'm out for a good -time this summer. I'll be much obliged if you will do the business for -me. Business is business, and I don't ask you to go to the trouble for -nothing. Here's something on account." - -He handed young Brackett a ten-dollar bill, which the boy pocketed -promptly. It seemed a queer transaction, but he was satisfied. - -"And, say, don't mention my name," said Mr. Carleton, carelessly. "You -see, if a man that has any money is known to be looking for a particular -boat, they always put the price up." - -"All right, I won't," replied Harry Brackett. - -"I hate to tackle that fellow, Harvey," he thought, as he turned the -matter over in his mind. "But it's worth trying for two hundred dollars." - -Then, in great elation, he proceeded to beat Mr. Carleton at the game; -though that person's intimate friends, wherever they might be, would have -laughed at his attempts to make poor shots instead of good ones. It pays -to be a loser sometimes, was his way of looking at it. At least, he and -Harry Brackett parted excellent friends. - -The day came in warm and pleasant down in the Thoroughfare, and the boys -were early astir. - -"Any more swimming to do to-day, Henry?" inquired George Warren, as the -fires were building in the cabin stoves, preparatory for breakfast. - -"Only a plunge for one of us," answered Henry. "I'll do that. And that -reminds me; I'd better do it before breakfast, for one doesn't want to -swim right after eating. Just throw us a line and trip your anchor, and -we will draw you up close astern of the _Surprise_, opposite us." - -The Warren boys did as he requested, and the two boats were soon almost -side by side, astern of the sunken yacht. Then Henry Burns, getting -George Warren to unhook the tackle from the throat of the mainsail of the -_Spray_, did likewise aboard the _Viking_. Taking the two pieces of -tackle in hand, while the boys let the halyards run free, he ducked down -at the stern of the sunken yacht and hooked in the tackle to one of the -stout ropes that had been passed under the boat's keel. - -"That will do till after breakfast," he said, coming to the surface and -clambering out aboard the _Viking_. - -"No, let's have a pull on the thing now," exclaimed Harvey. "I'm eager to -see the old _Surprise_ above water--that is, if she is going to float." - -"All right," said Henry Burns. "Come on, fellows." - -The boys on each yacht caught hold of the halyards with a will, and -hoisted as they would have done to raise the throat of the mainsail. The -tackle, hooked on to the stern of the sunken yacht, was at first as so -much dead weight on their hands. Then, of a sudden, it began to yield -ever so little, and the halyards began to come home. - -"She's coming up, boys!" cried Harvey, gleefully. "Pull now, good and -hard." - -But the next moment something seemed to have given way. The ropes ran -loose in their hands, and the boys that held the ends sprawled over on -the decks. - -"Oh, confound it! The rope must have slipped off the stern," exclaimed -Harvey. - -"No, it hasn't," cried Henry Burns, joyfully. "There she comes to the -surface. Look! Look! Quick, get in the slack of the ropes and make them -fast." - -The yacht buoyed by the numerous casks and lifted by the tackle, had, -indeed, hung on bottom only for a moment. Then, released by the strain -from the ledge and the seaweeds and slime that had gathered about it, it -had come to the surface with a rush. Loaded with ballast as it was, -however, and with the weight of water still within it, it could not rise -above the surface. Its rail showed just at the top of water, and the -cabin deck slightly above. - -"Hooray! that's great!" cried Harvey, slapping Henry Burns on the -shoulder. "That will do now. Let's have some breakfast." - -"It's about time," said young Joe. - -They spent little time at breakfast, however, for they were eager to -resume. With each yacht alongside the _Surprise_, they began bailing that -yacht out with pails tied to ropes, which they slung aboard. When they -had lightened her sufficiently, two of them sprang over into the cockpit -and bailed to better advantage there. - -Then, while they took turns at the pump, the others got up a part of the -floors, and began lifting out the pieces of pig-iron ballast, passing -them aboard the other two yachts. Finally they rigged the tackle on to -the mast of the _Surprise_ and, with great care so as not to wrench the -boat, lifted it clear and lowered it into the water alongside. - -Now it would be safe to beach the yacht; and this they did at high tide -that afternoon, towing it in on to a beach that made down in a thin strip -between the ledges, and drawing it up as far as it would float, where -they made it fast with a line passed ashore to a small spruce-tree. - -It had been a good job, and Henry Burns surveyed it proudly. But he -merely remarked to young Joe, "Well, she's up, isn't she?" - -The yacht _Surprise_ was at present a sorry-looking sight. The bottom was -very foul, covered with long streamers of slimy grass and encrusted with -barnacles. These had fastened, too, upon the mast and spars; and inside -the yacht was in the same condition. The sails were slime-covered and -rotten. Everything was snarled and tangled, twisted and broken about the -rigging. The bowsprit had been broken off short in the collision of the -fall before. This, with the carrying away of the bobstay, necessitated -the taking out of the mast now. Rust from the iron ballast had stained -much of the woodwork. - -"There's a job," said Harvey, eying the wreck. "There's a good week's -work, and more, in scraping and cleaning her, and cleaning that ballast. -We wanted to get to fishing, too." - -"Well, you go ahead and leave us to begin the work," said Joe Hinman, -speaking for himself and the crew. "It's no more than fair that we should -do it, seeing as we are to have the use of the yacht this summer. Just -leave us a little coffee and some cornmeal and some bread and a piece of -pork and one of the frying-pans. We'll catch fish, and live down here for -a week, till you come for us." - -"Where will you stay?" inquired Harvey. "The other yacht is going back to -Southport, you know." - -"Up in the old shack there," replied Joe, pointing back to where there -stood a tumble-down shelter that had been used at some time to store a -scant crop of hay that the island produced. "Give us a blanket apiece and -we'll get along. You've got to go back to the harbour before you go -fishing, and you can get ours down at the camp." - -"All right," said Harvey, "I guess we'll do it. You can run things, Joe, -and there won't anybody trouble you." - -So with this prophecy--which might or might not hold good--Harvey -proceeded to install his crew in temporary possession of the yacht -_Surprise_, and of the little island where they had dragged it ashore, -which was one of the chain of narrow islands that lay off Grand Island. - -Late that afternoon the two yachts sailed out of the Thoroughfare and -went on to Southport, leaving the crew masters of their island domain and -of the wreck. - -The next morning Henry Burns and Jack Harvey were up before the sun, for -Harvey had waked and found a light west wind blowing, and this was a fair -one for the trip down the bay. They roused the campers in the tent on the -point, and soon Tom and Bob, their canoe loaded with blankets and -provisions, were paddling out to the _Viking_. They made two trips, and -then, leaving the canoe up on shore alongside the tent, fastened that -good and snug. Henry Burns took them aboard the _Viking_ in the tender. - -The mooring which they had put down for the season was slipped, the sail -hoisted, a parting toot-toot sounded on the great horn in the direction -of the Warren cottage, and the _Viking's_ voyage in search of work had -begun. - -The course the _Viking_ was now shaping was about due south from the -harbour they had just left. Far away to the southward, some twenty-two -miles distant, lay the islands they were seeking, at the seaward entrance -to East Samoset Bay. Some six miles ahead on the course lay a group of -small islands, on one of which was erected a lighthouse. Beyond these, to -the southwest, a few miles away, lay two great islands, North Haven and -South Haven. Off to the eastward from the foot of these, across a bay of -some six miles' width, lay Loon Island, with little Duck Island close -adjacent. - -As the day advanced, the promise of wind did not, however, have -fulfilment. It died away with the burning of the sun, and when they had -come to within about a mile of the first group of islands, it threatened -to die away altogether. It sufficed, however, to waft them into a little -cove making into one of these islands at about two hours before noon. - -"Well, we've got to Clam Island, anyway," said Harvey. "We'll load up our -baskets, and be in time to catch the afternoon's southerly." - -Clam Island well merited its name. Its shores were long stretches of -mud-flats, corrugated everywhere with thousands of clam-holes. It would -not be high tide until three in the afternoon, and the flats were now -lying bare. - -Equipped with baskets and hoes, the boys set to work, with jackets off -and trousers rolled up. In two hours' time, each one of them had filled a -bushel basket to the brim, for the clams were thrown out by dozens at -every turn of a hoe. - -"That's enough bait for a start," said Harvey, wiping his forehead. "We -can buy more of the fishermen if we run short." - -"My!" exclaimed Henry Burns, straightening himself up with an effort. "My -back feels as though it had nails driven into it. I don't wonder so many -of these old fishermen stoop." - -The day was very hot, and the boys went in for a swim. Then, when they -had eaten, they stood out of the little harbour; but the wind had dropped -almost entirely away, and, with the tide against them, they scarce made -headway. - -"I'm afraid we won't make Loon Island to-day," said Tom. - -"Oh, perhaps so," said Harvey. "See, there's a line of breeze way down -below." - -A darkening of the water some miles distant showed that a southerly -breeze was coming in. They got the first puffs of it presently, and -trimmed their sails for a long beat down the bay. - -The _Viking_ was a good boat on the wind, the seas did not roll up to any -great size, as the wind had come up so late in the day, and it was easy, -pleasant sailing in the bright summer afternoon. Still, the breeze was -too light for any good progress, and they had only reached Hawk Island, -on which the lighthouse stood, and which was fifteen miles from Loon -Island, by two o'clock. - -They were going down a long reach of the bay now that rolled some six -miles wide, between North and South Haven on the one hand, to starboard, -and a great island on the other. Back and forth they tacked all the -afternoon, with the tide, turning to ebb just after three o'clock, to -help them. - -By six o'clock they were two miles off the southeastern shore of South -Haven, with great Loon Island, its high hills looming up against the sky, -four miles across the bay. - -"Well, shall we try for it?" asked Harvey, eagerly scanning the sky. - -It looked tempting, for there had come one of those little, deceptive -stirrings of the air that happen at times before sundown when the wind -makes a last dying flurry before quieting for the night. The sun, just -tipping the crests of the far-off western mountains across the bay, had -turned the western sky into flame. Loon Island looked close aboard. So -they kept on. - -Then by another hour the glow had faded from the sky and the waters -blackened and the shadows began to die away on the hills of Loon Island, -and all the landscape grew gray and indistinct. They were two miles above -the harbour, when the bluffs that marked it blended into the dark mass of -its surroundings and there was no guide left for them to follow. The wind -had fallen almost to nothing. - -"We can't miss it," said Harvey, stoutly. "I've been in there once -before." - -"No, we're all right," said Henry Burns. He went forward and stood -looking off eagerly for some sign of light on shore. The island grew -black in the twilight, and then was only a vague, indefinite object. - -They were in great spirits, though,--so they made out,--but it was just a -bit dreary for all that, almost drifting down with the tide, and only a -few puffs of wind now and then, with not even a light in a fisherman's -cabin showing on that shore. - -Then, too, the very calmness of the night made sounds more distinct. And -just a little to seaward, a mile or two below where the harbour should -be, there sounded the heaving of the ground-swell against the reefs that -lay about Loon Island so thickly. And the sound of the shattering of a -wave as it drops down upon a reef in the night, amid strange waters, is -not a cheerful thing to hear. - -Perhaps it was this doleful, ominous sound more than anything else that -somehow took the enthusiasm out of them. It was such an uncertain sound, -that subdued crashing upon the reefs. Was it a half-mile away? Was it a -mile? Was it near? It was hard to tell. - -Just how uncertain they did feel, and just how anxious they had grown in -the last half-hour of darkness, was best revealed by Henry Burns when, -from his watch forward, he said suddenly, but very quietly, "There are -the lights, Jack. We're close in." - -It was his manner of expression when he was most deeply affected--a calm, -modulated tone that had a world of meaning in it. - -"A-h-h!" exclaimed Harvey. There was no mistaking the relief in his -expression. "I knew they ought to be here, but they were a long time -showing." - -"Well, I don't mind saying they could have showed before and suited me -better," said Bob. "Say, those reefs have a creepy, shivery sound in the -night, don't they? I'd rather be in the harbour." - -There was a twinkling of lights to guide them now, for a little flotilla -of fishing-boats lay snug within, each with its harbour light set; and -the lamps in the fishermen's houses that were here and there straggling -along the shores of the large and small island facing the harbour gleamed -out from many a kitchen window. - -They drifted slowly in under the shadow of the hills of Loon Island and -entered the little thoroughfare that ran between the two islands, at a -quarter to nine o'clock. - -"We are in luck at the finish, at any rate," said Henry Burns, presently, -picking up the boat-hook. "Jack, there's a vacant buoy to make fast to." - -The buoy, a circular object painted white, showed a little way off the -windward bow, and Jack Harvey luffed up to it. Henry Burns caught the -mooring; Tom and Bob had the mainsail on the run in a twinkling; and a -moment more they were lying safe and snug at their voyage's end. - -Fifteen minutes later, the sound of heavy sweeps, labouring and grinding -in rowlocks, told them that another boat was coming into the harbour from -outside with the aid of an "ash breeze," the wind having died wholly -away. The boat came in close to where they were lying. From their cabin, -as they sat eating supper, they could hear a man's voice, rough and -heavy, complaining apparently of the bad luck he had had in getting -caught outside, deserted by the breeze. - -The next moment the young yachtsmen got a rude surprise. The dishes they -had set out on the upturned leaves of the centreboard table rattled, and -the yacht shook with the shock caused by the other boat clumsily bumping -into them astern. Then the rough voice sounded in their ears: - -"Git away from that mooring! Don't yer know I have the right ter that? -What are yer lyin' here for?" - -The yachtsmen rushed out on deck. The boat they saw just astern was a -dingy, odd-shaped little sailboat, about twenty-five feet long, sharp at -both ends, with the stern queerly perked up into a point like the tail of -a duck. A thickly bearded, swarthy man stood at her tiller, where he had -been directing, roughly, the efforts of two youths, who had worked the -boat in with the sweeps. - -"What's the matter with you?" cried Harvey, angrily. "What do you mean by -bumping into us? We've got our lights up." - -"You git off from that mooring, I tell you!" cried the man, fiercely. -"Ain't I had it all summer? What right have you got interfering?" - -The man's manner was so threatening and his voice so full of the fury -that told of a temper easily aroused, that a less aggressive youth than -Harvey might have been daunted. But Harvey had got his bearings and knew -where he was. - -"No, you don't!" he replied, sharply. "You can't bully us, so it won't do -you any good to try. This is a government buoy, and the first boat up to -it has the right to use it unless the revenue men complain. You can push -your old tub out of the way." - -"Better tell him we will give him a line astern if he wants it," -suggested Henry Burns. "That won't do any harm." - -"I won't," exclaimed Harvey. "He's taken enough paint off the _Viking_ -already, I dare say. But"--he added--"you can if you want to. I don't -care." - -So Henry Burns made the offer. - -The answer the man made was to order the two youths to work the "pinkey," -as the fishermen call his style of craft, up to the buoy, where he could -cut the yachtsmen adrift. - -Harvey sprang to the bow of the _Viking_, drew her up close to the buoy -by taking in on the slack of the rope, and held her there by a few turns. -Then he snatched up the boat hook. Henry Burns and Tom and Bob likewise -armed themselves with the sweeps of the _Viking_ and a piece of spar. -They stood ready to repel an attack. - -It looked serious. But at this point the two youths aboard the strange -boat failed to obey orders. There arose, thereupon, a furious dispute -aboard the other craft, the youths remonstrating in what seemed to be a -broken English, and the man railing at them fiercely in English that was -plain, but still had not just the Yankee accent; in the course of which -the man at the tiller rushed upon one of them, and would have struck him -had not the other youth interfered. - -It ended in the wrathful stranger taking his craft ahead, quite a -distance up the harbour, ignoring Henry Burns's offer to moor astern of -the _Viking_. - -"Just as well he didn't stay," commented Henry Burns. "I don't think he -would improve on longer acquaintance, do you, Jack?" - -"Well, hardly," said Harvey. "I guess he must be one of those chaps -Captain Sam spoke of." - -"I wonder if he will make us any more trouble to-night," remarked Bob. - -"No, he'll have to fight it out with his own crew first," said Harvey. -"But I'll just keep an eye out for a little while. You fellows can turn -in." - -And Harvey kept vigil till eleven o'clock, muffled in a greatcoat, -outside, until he nearly fell over asleep in the cockpit. Then he rolled -in below, and was sound asleep before he could get his boots off. - -The _Viking_ was not molested through the night, though so wearied were -the yachtsmen with their day's sailing that a man might have come aboard -blowing a fog-horn and not have aroused them from their deep slumber. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - NEAR THE REEFS - - -The sound of voices calling cheerily over the water and the creaking of -blocks awoke the boys a little after four o'clock the next morning. Henry -Burns dragged himself drowsily to one of the cabin ports and looked out. -It was a picturesque sight, for a small fleet of fishing-craft, of all -sorts and shapes and sizes, was passing out of the thoroughfare, on its -way to the fishing-grounds, with a light morning breeze that just filled -the sails. - -Back of the harbour the land went up gradually for a way, dotted here and -there with the snug, tidy homes of the fishermen, until it rose in the -centre of the island, forming hills of some considerable height--the -first landfall for ships coming in from sea at that point. Now the tops -of the hills glinted with the rays of the morning sun, which soon -streamed down the slopes and made the whole island glow with warmth and -brightness. - -The pleasing landscape had at that moment, however, no particular -attraction for Henry Burns. He gave a groan of self-commiseration, -tumbled back into his warm blanket, and remarked: - -"Oh, but these fishermen do begin the day early! Say, we don't have to, -do we, Jack? I vote for another hour's sleep." - -"Make it four," said Bob, who had been eying Henry Burns with -apprehension. - -Harvey and Tom muttered an assent that was not distinguishable. - -By five o'clock, however, the sounds of men and boats had them awake -again; and by another half-hour they were breakfasting on their way out -of the harbour, beating against a light southerly. - -"Do you know the fishing-grounds, Jack?" inquired Henry Burns. - -"Only in a general way," replied Harvey. "But we'll follow the others, -and get in somewhere near them." - -They stood out of the harbour and headed down the coast of the island, -which extended seaward thus for some four miles. Harvey, at the wheel, -was studying carefully a chart of the waters; Henry Burns and Tom and -Bob, arrayed in oilskins, were busily engaged in "shucking" clams into -some wooden buckets. - -Presently an unexpected hail came across the water to them from a -sailboat they had overhauled. - -"Why, hello," called Harvey, and added to his companions, "Here's luck. -It's Will Hackett, Jeff's brother. You know Jeff, who carries the mails -in his packet." - -"What are you chaps doing way down here? Aren't you lost?" asked the -other, a stalwart, red-faced youth, who, with a crew composed of one -small boy, was navigating a rough-looking sloop that looked as though it -had seen a score of hard summers. - -Harvey explained. - -"Well, you won't get rich," said Will Hackett, bringing his craft in to -head along with them. "But I'll show you where to fish. The depth of -water makes all the difference around here. They call me lucky, but -there's something in knowing where to drop a line. I'm down only for the -day, but you follow me around and you'll know where to go next time." - -When they had told him of the adventure of the night before, Will Hackett -slapped a heavy fist down upon his knee. - -"Good for you!" he cried. "So you've run foul of old Jim Martel, have -you? Why, I offered to thrash him and his two boys only three weeks ago, -for hanging around after dark where I had a trawl set. They come from -over eastward, and quarrel with everybody; and I wouldn't trust one of -them with a rotten rope. You'd better keep away from them, though. He's -got a hot temper, has Jim Martel." - -They were in the swell from the open sea now, and the _Viking_ and its -companion, the _Gracie_, were lifting and dipping amid the long, rolling -waves. About them, and ahead here and there, clouds of spray, cast like -chaff into the air, told of reefs; sometimes marked with a spindle, or a -cask set on the top of a pole, if it lay near the course; sometimes with -a thin point of the ledge rising a few feet above water. - -Some three miles down the coast of Loon Island a reef of several rods in -length broke the force of the waves from seaward; and as these dashed in -upon it they crashed into a thousand particles, which gleamed transiently -with the colours of the rainbow as the sun shone upon the drops. Close -under the lee of this reef went Will Hackett, and cast anchor a few rods -away, not far from another boat, already at anchor. The _Viking_ -followed, and likewise anchored at a little distance, and sails were -furled. - -Quickly the heavy cod-lines, equipped with two hooks each, and bulky -sinker, were dropped overboard; and the boys waited expectantly, their -baits close to bottom. - -"A prize to the one that gets the first cod," said Harvey. - -"What's the prize?" asked Bob. - -"Why, he can keep the cod's head," said Henry Burns. "Hello!" he -exclaimed a moment later. "I've hooked on bottom, I guess. No, it must be -seaweed." - -Henry Burns began hauling in with considerable effort. - -"Why, it's a fish!" he exclaimed the next moment. "There's something -moving on the end of the line. But he doesn't fight any. Comes up like so -much lead." - -"That's the way they act," said Harvey. "They don't make any fuss. But -you've got a big one." - -Henry Burns, hauling with all his might, hand over hand, presently -brought to the surface an enormous cod. - -"There's a whole dinner for a hotel in that fellow," said he. And, -indeed, the fish would weigh fully twenty pounds. - -"Not quite so lively sport as catching mackerel, is it?" he remarked, -looking at his hands, which were reddened with the chafing of the hard -line. - -"No, this is more like work," said Harvey. "But they won't all run -anywhere near as big as that. You've caught one of the old settlers." - -The fish were biting in earnest now, and the boys were bringing them in -over the rail almost as fast as they could bait and cast overboard. By -noon they had two great baskets full, stowed away in the cabin out of the -sun, and were glad enough to take a long hour for rest, feasting on one -of the smallest of their catch, rolled in meal and fried to a tempting -crispness. - -Then near sundown they were among the first to weigh anchor and run for -harbour, tired but elated over their first day's rough work. - -Will Hackett had advised them how to dispose of their catch. A trader at -the head of the harbour bought for salting down all that the fishermen -did not sell alive to the schooners that carried them in huge wells, deep -in their holds, to the Portland or Boston markets. - -So they ran in with the other craft, and took their catch in to his dock -in their dory. - -The trader, a small, wiry, bright-eyed Yankee, scrutinized Henry Burns -and Jack Harvey sharply, as they entered the little den which bore the -imposing word "_Office_" over its door. - -"So you're fishermen, eh?" he remarked. "Rather a fine craft you've -brought down for the work. Guess you might manage to keep alive somehow -if you didn't fish for a living." - -He was interested, though, when they told him their circumstances. - -"Good!" he exclaimed. "Well, I'm paying a dollar a hundredweight for cod -caught on hand-lines, and less for trawl-caught. But you don't calculate -to do trawl-fishing, I reckon." - -"Not just yet," answered Harvey. - -They hitched the tackle at the end of the pier on to the baskets of fish, -and the cod were hoisted up to the scales. - -"Three hundred and sixty pounds, I make it," said the trader. "That's -three dollars and sixty cents." - -The boys went away, clinking three big silver dollars, a fifty-cent -piece, and a dime, and passing the money from hand to hand, admiringly. - -"That never seemed like very much money to me before," said Harvey, -thoughtfully. "It makes a difference whether you earn it or not--and how, -doesn't it?" - -"It's all right for the first day," said Henry Burns. "We'll do better as -we get the hang of it. And then later, if we get a catch of mackerel on -the first run of the fish, why, we've got the boat to make a fast trip -over to Stoneland, and sell them to the hotel. There'll be money in -that." - -The next morning, beating out of the harbour early, they had an -unpleasant experience. - -They had anchored off the dock at the head of the harbour, and had just -begun to work their way out through the channel, which was there quite -narrow, against a light southwest breeze. Henry Burns had the wheel, with -Harvey tending sheet, and Tom and Bob working the single jib that they -had set. A little way ahead of them a boat was coming in, running free. - -"There's our friend," remarked Henry Burns, noting the pinkey's sharp, -queer stern. "It's old Martel coming in from under-running his -hake-trawls. We'll try to keep clear of him." - -But it seemed this was not wholly possible. - -The _Viking_ was standing up to clear a buoy a short distance ahead, -which marked the channel, and would just barely fetch by it if she was -not headed off any. It became apparent soon, however, that the skipper of -the pinkey was heading so that, if one or the other did not give way, -there would be a collision. - -"Better give him the horn," suggested Tom, as the boys watched the -oncoming boat. - -"No, I don't think we need to," said Henry Burns. "They see us. Look, -there they are pointing. Old Martel knows what he is doing. It's just a -case of bullying. We've got the right of way over a boat running free, -and he knows it." - -"That's right, Henry," exclaimed Harvey. "We might as well show him we -know our rights. Keep her on her course, and don't give way an inch." - -There was plenty of water on the pinkey's starboard hand, and the course -was free there; but for the _Viking_ to head off the wind meant failure -to clear the buoy, and another tack, with loss of time. It was all a mere -trifle, of course, but they knew the skipper of the pinkey was trying to -crowd them; and they were bound to stand on their rights. - -The pinkey came up perilously close; then, just barely in time, sheered -off so that its boom almost came aboard the _Viking_. Henry Burns, -unmoved, had held the _Viking_ close into the wind, without giving way an -inch even when it had looked as though the two boats must come together. - -"We might as well fight it out right now with old Martel," he said, -quietly. "Perhaps he will let us alone if he finds we're not afraid of -him." - -Captain Jim Martel's anger at being outmanoeuvred was not lessened by the -figure of Jack Harvey standing up astern and grinning at him derisively. -He glared back angrily at the young yachtsmen. - -But Harvey's blood was up, too. - -"Why don't you learn to sail that old tub of yours?" he called out, -sneeringly. - -Martel's answer was to put his helm hard down, bring his boat about, and -stand up on the track of the _Viking_. - -"Come on, we'll give you a tow out to sea again," cried Harvey. - -"Go easy, Jack," said Henry Burns. "He's the pepperiest skipper I've seen -in all Samoset Bay. Better let him alone. He's angry enough already." - -"Yes, but he's to blame," said Harvey. "When anybody hits me, I hit -back." And forthwith he made gestures toward the other boat, as of urging -it to hurry, by beckoning; and he coiled a bit of the free end of the -main-sheet and threw it back over the stern, indicating that it was for -the other craft to pick up, so as to be towed by the _Viking_. - -The effect on Skipper Martel was, indeed, amusing. He sprang up from his -seat, handed the tiller to one of his boys and rushed forward, where he -stood, shaking a fist at the crew of the _Viking_ and calling out -angrily. - -He made a comical figure, with his black, shaggy head wagging, and with -his angry sputtering and his pretence of pursuit, whereas the _Viking_ -was leaving the pinkey rapidly astern. Henry Burns joined in the -laughter, but he repeated his warning: "Better let him alone, Jack." - -Which warning, now that the skipper of the pinkey strode aft again, Jack -Harvey finally heeded. - -"Funny how that fellow gets furious over nothing," he said. "We'll have -to have some fun with him." - -"You like an exciting sort of fun, don't you, Jack?" said Henry Burns, -smiling. But it was plain he took it more seriously. - -They fished for four days more with varying success, and with a Sunday -intervening. They were getting toughened to the work; their hands growing -calloused with the hard cod-lines; their knowledge of working their boat -in rough water and heavy weather increasing daily; their muscles -strengthened with the exercise; and their appetites so keen that young -Joe might have envied them. - -One day it rained, but they went out just the same, equipped for it in -oilskins, rubber boots, and tarpaulins, and made a good haul. - -"Well, here's our last day for a week or so," said Henry Burns, as they -stood out one morning for the fishing-grounds. "It's back to Southport -to-morrow. We mustn't get too rich all at once." - -It was a day of uncertain flaws of wind, puffy and squally, after a day -of heavy clouds. They were sailing under reefed mainsail, for at one -moment the squalls would descend sharp and treacherous, though there -would succeed intervals when there was hardly wind enough to fill the -sails. They worked down to the fishing-grounds and tried several places, -but with no great success. Some of the boats put back to harbour early in -the afternoon, dissatisfied with the conditions, as it was evidently an -off day for cod. Others, including the _Viking_, held on, hoping for -better luck. - -Then, of a sudden, the wind fell away completely two hours before sunset, -and the sea was calm, save for the ground-swell, which heaved up into -waves that did not break, but in which the _Viking_ rolled and pitched -and tugged at anchor. - -"Perhaps we will get a sunset breeze and be able to run back," said -Harvey. - -But evidently the fishermen, more weather-wise, knew better; for some of -the lighter, open boats furled their sails snug, got out their sweeps, -and prepared to row laboriously back the three long miles. Others of the -big boats made ready to lie out for the night. - -"Well, we've got a good anchor and a new line," said Harvey. "There's -nothing rotten about the _Viking's_ gear. We'll lie as snug out here as -in the harbour." - -They tripped the anchor just off bottom, got out the sweeps, and worked -the _Viking_ back a dozen rods or so from the shallow water about the -reef. Then they dropped anchor again, with plenty of slack to the rope, -to let the yacht ride easy with less strain on the anchorage. There were -a half-dozen boats within hailing distance, similarly anchored, including -Skipper Martel and his pinkey. - -"We're in good company," said Henry Burns, laughing. "But I'm glad Jack -isn't near enough to stir him up." - -Evening came on, and the little fleet resembled a village afloat, with -the tiny wreaths of smoke curling up from the cabin-funnels. The night -was clear overhead and the hills of Loon Island shone purple in the -waning sunlight, streaked here and there with broad patches of black -shadow. The ground-swell broke upon the reef heavily, sending up a shower -of spray high in air, weird and grimly beautiful in the twilight. - -"That's good music to sleep by," said Bob, as the booming from the reef -came to their ears while they sat at supper. - -"Yes, it's all right on a night like this," assented Harvey. "You'll -sleep as sound as in the tent." - -It grew dark, and the little fleet set its lanterns, though it was mere -conformance to custom in this case, since no craft ever made a -thoroughfare where they lay. - -"What do you think?" asked Henry Burns two hours later, as he and Harvey -stood outside, taking a survey of the sea and sky, and making sure once -more that their anchor-rope was clear and well hitched--"What do you -think, Jack, do we need to keep watch?" - -He had quite a bump of caution for a youth who did not hesitate at times -to do things that others considered reckless. - -"Oh, it's still as a mill-pond," replied Harvey. "We've had the -clearing-off blow, and there are the clouds banking up off to southward, -where the breeze will come from in the morning. See, there isn't a man -out on any of the other boats. No, we'll just turn in and sleep like -kittens in a basket." - -So they went below. - -The roaring of the reef was, in truth, a not all unpleasant sound to -those who felt safe and snug in its lee, securely anchored. To be sure, -there was a grim suggestion in the crashing of the swell against its -hollows and angles at first, but the steady repetition of this became in -time almost monotonous. There was the heavy, roaring, thudding sound, as -the swell surged in against its firm base. Then this blended into a crisp -rushing, as the waters raced along its sides; and then a crash as of -shattered glass as the mass thrown up broke in mid-air and fell back in -countless fragments of white, frothing water upon the cold rocks. - -The boys went off to sleep with this ceaseless play of the waters in -their ears. - -The hours of the night passed one by one. And if any boy aboard the -_Viking_ roused up through their passing and heard the surf-play upon the -reef, there was no more menace in it than before. Just the same steady -hammering of water upon rock. - -Yet Harvey's prophecy of sound sleep was not wholly borne out--at least, -in the case of Henry Burns. He was a good sleeper under ordinary -conditions, but he roused up several times and listened to the wash of -the seas. - -"It may be grand music," he muttered once, drowsily, "but I can't say I -like it quite so near." - -Something awoke him again an hour later. His perception of it as he -half-sat up was that it sounded like something grating against the side -of the _Viking_. - -He sat still for a moment and listened. The sound was not repeated. - -"I thought I heard something alongside," he said aloud, but talking to -himself. "Did you hear anything, Jack?" he inquired in a louder tone, as -Harvey stirred uneasily. - -There was no reply. Harvey had not wakened. - -"Hm! guess I've got what my aunt calls the fidgets," muttered Henry -Burns, rolling up in his blanket once more. "It's that confounded reef. -No, it's no use. I don't like the sound of it at night. Pshaw! I'll go to -sleep, though, and forget it." - -Something just alongside the _Viking_ that looked surprisingly like a -dory, with some sort of a figure crouched down in it,--and which may or -may not have caused the sound that had awakened Henry Burns,--lay quiet -there for ten, fifteen, twenty minutes,--a good half-hour in all. Then it -moved away from the side of the boat, passed on ahead for a moment, and -stole softly away over the waves. - -The booming of the seas upon the reefs! How the hollow roar of it sounded -far over the waters. How the thin wisps of spray, like so much smoke, -shot up through the darkness, white and ghostlike! - -A strange phenomenon! But if by chance there had been some shipwrecked -man clinging to that reef, he might have fancied that the rocks to which -he clung were drifting in the sea--strangely shifting ground and drawing -up closer to a yacht at anchor. - -Or was it something different? Was the yacht really no longer lying -anchor-bound? And was it drifting, drifting slowly down upon the rocks, -soon to be lifted high upon a crest of the ground-swell--and then to be -dropped down heavily upon one of the streaming, foam-covered points of -ledge? - -Crash and crash again! Was it louder and heavier than before? - -Henry Burns's eyes opened wearily. - -The sound of the sea seemed stunning. What was it about the noise that -seemed more fearful, more terrifying, more dreadful than before? - -He sprang up now. Yes, there could be no doubt. Something was wrong. The -sea rising, perhaps. The wind blowing up. There it came, again and again. -It was louder--and louder still. A mind works slowly brought quickly from -sleep; but Henry Burns was wide awake now. - -The boys had turned in half-undressed, to be ready for an early start in -the morning. Henry Burns slipped on his trousers, scrambling about in the -darkness. - -"Jack, get up!" he cried, seizing his sleeping comrade and shaking him -roughly. "Wake up, fellows--quick! Something's the matter." - -He burst open the cabin doors and rushed out on deck. - -No, there was no delusion here. The reef lay close aboard. The din of the -beating, crashing waters seemed deafening. The _Viking_, dipping and -falling with the long swells, was going slowly but surely down upon it. - -Henry Burns reached for a short sheath-knife that he carried when aboard -the yacht, moved quickly along from the stern to the foot of the mast, -and cut the stops with which the sail had been furled. Then he dashed to -the bulkhead, and, without stopping to cast off the turns from the -cleats, seized the throat and peak halyards and began hauling -desperately. - -The next moment, Tom and Bob had tumbled forward and caught hold with -him; while Harvey, emerging half-awake from the companionway, seized the -wheel. - -Three athletic pairs of arms had the mainsail up quicker than it had ever -been set before. - -"Quick now with the jib!" cried Harvey. "That will head us off, if -there's any breeze to save us. Jump it for dear life, boys." - -They needed no urging. It was set almost before Harvey had finished -speaking. Tom, holding it off as far as he could reach to windward, stood -on the weather-bow, shivering in the cool night air and glaring fearfully -at the rocks close ahead. The white spray, writhing up half as high as -the mast, seemed to be coming nearer and nearer. - -Henry Burns, having seen the mainsail and jib set, and realizing there -was nothing left to do only to hope that there was wind enough stirring -to fill the sails, dashed down into the cabin. He brought up the spare -anchor, which he proceeded to bend on to a coil of rope. But the danger -had passed before he had it ready to cast astern. - -The yacht, like a living thing, seeming to feel its own peril, had caught -just the faintest of the wandering night airs in its great white sail. -The tide, ebbing, was urging it down to destruction. Then, as the wind -caught the sail, the boat responded slightly, but began to head up, -pointing fair at the black rocks. Harvey let the sheet run off. The jib, -held far out to windward, caught another faint puff of air and headed the -yacht slowly but surely off the wind. - -The yacht had saved itself. Gliding ever so slowly, it skirted along the -edge of the reef for a moment, till Harvey had brought it around fairly -before the wind. Then there was one final contest between breeze and -tide. The yacht hung upon the waves sluggishly, so close in upon the -reefs that the spray, dashing over, wetted the boys aboard. - -Then it moved slowly up against the tide, rising and falling heavily upon -the seas, but gaining a little, and then more. - -It was enough. The spare anchor went overboard, the yacht brought up and -held. They dropped the sails once more, unharmed, with the black, hungry -reef stretching out its white arms of foam and spray, vainly, balked of -their prey. - -"O-oh!" said Harvey, sinking down on a seat. "That was a close shave. But -what could have made that rope part? That's what I can't understand. It -was a brand-new one." - -They found out a half-hour later, after they had gone below and put on -their jackets and warmed themselves and had returned on deck. They drew -the end of the line aboard and examined it by a lantern in the cabin. - -It was not broken. The end was clean, without a frayed strand in it. It -had been severed with a single sweep of a fisherman's knife, sharp as a -razor-blade. - -"Ah!" ejaculated Harvey. "We might have guessed. It's old Martel's work. -We'll have the law on him for this." - -But when they peered across the water with the coming daylight there was -no pink-stern sloop to be seen, because it had gone out with the tide -long before, just as they went adrift, and was out upon the sea now, -standing off to the eastward. - -"Well, we have learned two lessons," said Henry Burns. "One is to have -the spare anchor where it can be got at quicker when it's needed. I'd -have gone for that first if I hadn't remembered that we had it buried -under that lot of stuff forward." - -"And what's the other lesson?" asked Bob. - -"It's to be never without a knife when you are sailing a boat," answered -Henry Burns. "I heard a fisherman say that once, and so I bought one to -wear in a belt aboard here. But I never thought just what it would mean -to be without one when every second counts." - -"I wish young Joe were here," remarked Tom. - -"Why's that?" asked Harvey. - -"He would have the coffee on by this time," replied Tom. "That night air -sent the shivers through me." - -"Something else sent the shivers through me," remarked Henry Burns. "I'll -go and start the fire." - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - LITTLE TIM A STRATEGIST - - -Joe Hinman, with his crew of three, composed of George Baker, Allan -Harding, and little Tim Reardon, did not intend to be idle during the -absence of the yacht _Viking_. The yacht _Surprise_, when it should be -patched up, cleaned, and once more floated, and equipped with a spare set -of sails that had been left in the _Viking_ when she came into the -possession of Harvey and Henry Burns, was to become the property for the -summer of Joe and the rest of the crew. The morning after the _Viking_ -had left the Thoroughfare, in company with the _Spray_, the boys set to -work in earnest upon the hull of the _Surprise_, with the tools that had -been left for them. - -It was hard work, for the barnacles and sea-grasses had covered the yacht -everywhere, not only below, but on deck and even in the cabin. They got -some pieces of joist that had been cast up ashore with a lot of other -riffraff and shored the yacht up on an even keel, so they could work to -better advantage, without getting in one another's way. - -They worked industriously to the noon hour, only Little Tim knocking off -work an hour before the others, in order to go down on the rocks and -catch a mess of cunners for their dinner. He had these cleaned and -cooking by the time the other three were ready, and they ate the meal -heartily, in sight of their labours. Then they were at it again shortly, -and worked hard till sundown. The yacht had begun to have a different -appearance. - -The next three days they made even better progress, and had the most of -the deck scraped down, so that it began to look bright again, as Harvey -and his crew had always kept it. - -"She'll be the fine old boat she was before," exclaimed Joe Hinman, -joyfully, as they stood that next evening eying their work approvingly. -"Jack won't know her when he gets back." - -But the following morning, when Joe had arisen and dressed and taken a -peep out of the old shed in which they had found shelter, he could scarce -believe his eyes. His first thought was, however, when he had begun to -think at all, that the yacht _Spray_ had returned, and that the Warren -boys had surprised them by coming to lend a hand, and that they had begun -work early. - -Then he saw that the yacht that lay anchored close in shore was not the -_Spray_, but a strange boat; and furthermore that the four persons who -were busily engaged at work upon the hull of the _Surprise_ were not the -Warren boys, but larger youths, and strangers. - -No, they were not all strangers, either. For there was one with whom they -had a slight and brief acquaintance. It was Harry Brackett. What had -happened was this: - -When Harry Brackett had ventured finally to return to his father's home, -he had not received that fond welcome that one might expect from an -indulgent parent. In fact, Squire Brackett was so incensed at having been -led to make the exhibition of himself in the store before his fellow -townsmen that he stormed roundly at his son, and he made some remarks -about having wasted his money for the last few years in sending young -Brackett to the city to school, an assertion which perhaps Harry Brackett -knew the full truth of even better than the squire. - -"Now," said the squire at length, "let's see if you can't make yourself -of some use, instead of just spending my money. You get Tom Dakin and Ed -Sanders and John Hart, and take the _Seagull_ and get down there in the -Thoroughfare and see if you can't raise up that yacht that those young -scamps wrecked there last fall. She's abandoned, and she belongs to -anybody that can get her. I'd just like to fetch her back here and rig -her up handsome, and let them see what they might have done. I'll show -them a thing or two. - -"Now you work smart," continued the squire, "and get that boat, and I'll -give her to you to use while you are at home; and I'll get John Hart to -teach you how to sail her. And see here, don't you go fooling around with -the _Seagull_ any. You let John Hart sail her. That was a pretty story -you told me about winning races around Marblehead! Now clear out and see -what you can do." - -It might be said that if young Harry Brackett had had any knowledge of -boat-sailing he could not have gained it from the squire, for, whereas -that gentleman had property interests in several sailing-craft, by way of -business, he knew nothing of seamanship himself, and was invariably -seasick when he went out in rough water. - -Harry Brackett was not wholly disinclined to the task imposed upon him, -although he had certain misgivings as to how it would coincide with the -commission imparted to him by the man, Carleton, whom he had met at -Bellport. He figured, however, that the _Surprise_, if she could be -floated, would be worth vastly more than the promised two hundred -dollars. So he went about the village hunting up the youths his father -had named. These three were rough fellows, whose worth the squire had -well in mind in selecting them. They were strong and able-bodied, older -by some years than Harvey and his companions; youths who went alternately -on short fishing-voyages and hung about the village at other times, ready -equally for work or mischief. - -The four accordingly embarked at evening and sailed down to the -Thoroughfare that night. Great was their surprise to find, on coming to -anchor, that the yacht they had expected to see deep under water lay out -on shore, with evidences of having been worked upon. - -Not to be defeated so easily, however, they resolved, on the spur of the -moment, to lay claim to the yacht, especially as they saw no boat of any -description anchored anywhere in the Thoroughfare. They would take -possession of the _Surprise_ and, if it should prove that a party of the -campers had raised her,--and not any of the villagers,--they would swear -that they themselves had found her in shoal water and had dragged her -out. - -As to the future possession of her, they would trust to the squire to -fight a lawsuit, if necessary, to retain her. It was a lonely place, down -there in the Thoroughfare, and there could be no outside witnesses. - -Therefore, before the sun was up, they had rowed ashore and begun work -upon the yacht. They began differently, however, than the boys had done. -They realized that the first thing for their purpose was to get the -_Surprise_ afloat. Once in possession of the yacht, afloat and towed back -to harbour, whoever should claim it then might have trouble in making -their claim good. - -John Hart was something of a shipwright in a small way, and they had -brought carpenter's and calking tools along. - -They, in turn, busily engaged at their work, were taken by surprise all -of a sudden at the appearance of Joe Hinman and his crew, tearing down -upon them, half-dressed, and their eyes wide with amazement and -indignation. - -"Here, that's our boat," cried Joe, rushing up to them, panting for -breath. "You've got no right to touch it. We raised it." - -John Hart, with sleeves rolled up, displaying a pair of brawny arms, -looked at the crew sneeringly. They were certainly not formidable as -against himself and his two comrades, to say nothing of young Harry -Brackett. - -"You raised it!" he exclaimed, roughly. "That's a likely story. What did -you raise her with--your hands? You're a fine wrecking-crew. Why, we had -this boat out on shore two days ago. What are you interfering with us -for?" - -"Now, see here," said Joe Hinman, "that won't work, so you better not try -it. There are too many on our side." And he narrated, rapidly, the -history of the raising of the _Surprise_ by the Warrens and Henry Burns -and Harvey and himself and crew. - -John Hart and his comrades seemed a bit nonplussed at this. It did put a -different phase upon the matter. They looked at one another inquiringly -for a moment. But they were rough fellows, not given to weighing evidence -critically. Might was right with them if it could be carried through. - -"That's a lie!" exclaimed John Hart, suddenly, advancing toward Joe -Hinman. "You think you can fool us with your city ways, but you'd better -look out. Where are all these fine youngsters that you say raised the -boat? This boat is ours, because we saved her. You get out and don't come -around bothering, because we won't stand any nonsense." - -There was no present hope for Joe and his crew. They were clearly -outmatched. They withdrew, therefore, to the shed, cooked their breakfast -and ate it with diminished appetites. - -"What will Jack say," remarked Little Tim, ruefully, "if he gets here and -finds the boat gone? We can't get away to give the alarm, either. We've -got to stay here till he comes back." - -"Never mind," exclaimed Joe, bitterly. "They can't keep it long. We'll -prove in the end that we saved her." - -"Yes, but that means half the summer wasted in fighting over it," said -George Baker, despondently. "You see, when one person gets hold of a -thing, that gives him some advantage. They will have that boat afloat, -and rigged, before they can be sued." - -The task of making the _Surprise_ tight enough to float was, however, not -to be so easy as it might appear at first glance. It was a nice and -particular job fitting in new planking where the hole had been stove. It -took a good part of the day, though John Hart and his comrades worked -industriously. - -Then it was apparent that the yacht had strained all along her bilge -badly and about the centreboard, so that it would require all of another -day to calk her and set the nails that had been wrenched loose. By -evening of the next day, however, she was ready for hauling off, in the -opinion of John Hart; and they would do that in the morning and tow her -back to Southport. - -But they had not reckoned wholly with Joe and his crew. Finding -themselves outmatched in strength, these youngsters had wandered -disconsolately about the little island for the last two days, fishing and -swimming and passing the time as best they could; watching eagerly out -through the Thoroughfare, in hopes that Harvey and Henry Burns and the -others might put in an appearance; and all the while keeping sharp watch -of the progress of work upon the _Surprise_. - -Hart and the other three, fearing no interruption from the boys, had -ignored them. At night they went out aboard the _Seagull_, where they had -provided temporary quarters for all four of them by stretching the -mainsail over the boom for a shelter, and tying it to the rail at the -edges. - -"They're all ready to haul her off in the morning, I think," said Joe -Hinman, as the boys sat gloomily by the door of the shed on the evening -of the second day after the arrival of the men. "I heard them singing and -laughing out aboard, and saying something about 'to-morrow' and -'Southport.' Oh, if there was only another day's work on her, the boys -might get here in time yet." - -"Then I'll keep her here another day," exclaimed Little Tim, "if they -beat me black and blue for it." - -"You can't do it," said Joe. - -"Can't I, though?" responded Tim. "Well, watch me and see. Will you -fellows help?" - -The boys assented, not to be outdone in courage by the smallest one of -them. - -"We can do it," said Little Tim. "They leave their tools aboard the cabin -of the _Surprise_ at night. I saw John Hart put the box in there before -he went out aboard. He said another hour's work would fix something or -other. I couldn't hear what. But we'll fix her so it will take longer -than that, I reckon." - -"O-o-oh!" exclaimed George Baker. "But we'll catch it, though, when they -find it out." - -"All right," said Tim. "I'll take my share if the rest will." - -Again the others assented somewhat dubiously. - -Toward midnight, the four lads stole cautiously down to the shore, and -climbed noiselessly aboard the _Surprise_. As Little Tim had described -it, there, tucked away in the cabin, was a box of carpenter's tools. - -"Here's what we want first," said Little Tim, softly, producing a big -auger from the box. "We'll use this for awhile, because it doesn't make -any noise." - -"Great!" exclaimed Joe Hinman, whose imagination was now fired with the -idea of mischief. "Let me have the first turn at it." - -Little Tim yielded him the precedence. - -Climbing out of the yacht again, Joe Hinman proceeded to bore into the -planking of the _Surprise_, on the opposite side from the shore. This -served to hide their operations and also to deaden what little sound it -made. He went laboriously along the length of one plank, and then turned -the auger over to Little Tim, who went to work with a subdued squeal of -delight. - -"Keep to the same plank," said Joe. "We don't want to ruin the whole -bottom of the boat." - -They bored the holes in turn, close together, all around one plank, and -then began on another. It was tiresome work, but they served three long -pieces of planking the same way. - -Then they brought out a great chisel and pried off the planking, fearful -of the noise it made. But they had done their work well, and the sound of -the tearing wood was not sharp. No one stirred out aboard the yacht. - -"That's enough," said Joe, as the third plank came away. "They'll have -hard work to match that up in two days. They're short of wood now, by the -way they patched the other place." - -"We'll take away the pieces of planking we've cut out, to make sure, and -bury them in the sand up alongshore," suggested George Baker. - -"Why not take the box of tools, too?" said Little Tim, whose blood was -fired, and who would have stopped at nothing. - -"Not much!" exclaimed Joe. "We're in for it enough as it is. Tim, I -didn't know you had so much pluck." - -"I wish it was over with," said Tim, looking apprehensively toward the -_Seagull_. - -They stole softly away again, back to the shanty. But it was long before -they dropped off to sleep. - -When Tim Reardon awoke, the next morning, he was dreaming that he had -jumped up suddenly in the cabin of the _Surprise_ and had bumped his head -against the roof of the cabin. It was a hard bump, too. Then it seemed as -if the boat was turning upside down, and jumping out of water, and the -floor rising up and hitting him. The next moment, however, he realized -that he was in the shanty, where he had gone to sleep, but that a strong -hand held him fast, and was shaking him roughly, while another hand was -cuffing him over the head and ears. - -He let out a lusty yell for mercy, and the others jumped up, fearful of -what was coming. - -Little Tim, in the grasp of John Hart, was receiving the soundest cuffing -and mauling that had ever fallen to his lot in a somewhat varied -experience with the world. It had been his misfortune, lying nearest the -entrance, to be the one on whom John Hart's heavy hand had fallen, as he -entered, followed by the other three, Harry Brackett bringing up the -rear. - -"Oh, I'll larn ye to scuttle other people's boats!" cried John Hart, -wrathfully. And he cuffed young Tim again, whereat that youngster howled -for mercy. - -"You're a coward!" cried Joe Hinman, hotly. "Licking a boy half your -size." - -"Well, you're nearer my size," exclaimed John Hart, dropping Little Tim -and making a rush for Joe. They clinched, but the younger boy was no -match for Hart, who was, too, reinforced by his three companions. Though -it was noticeable that Harry Brackett discreetly held aloof until one of -his companions had overpowered an adversary, when he essayed to put in a -blow or two. - -There was no help for them. The boys got what they had expected--and -worse. They were soundly thrashed when John Hart and his companions had -satisfied their vengeance. - -"Now, see here," said John Hart, wrathfully, shaking a rough fist at the -boys. "What you have just got is like a fly lighting on you compared to -what you'll get the next time, if you lay another hand on that boat." - -"We won't," blubbered Little Tim. - -And he meant it. - -"Ouch!" groaned Allan Harding, as he tried to rub a dozen places at once -with only one pair of hands. "You got us into a nice mess; that's what -you did, Tim." - -"Yes," wailed Little Tim. "But, o-o-h, it's over now. And," he added, -sniffling and chuckling at the same time, "the boat stays, doesn't it? -You knew we'd catch it, so what's the use blaming me?" - -"I didn't think it would be such a dose," said Joe Hinman. "But I'll -stand it all right, if Jack only gets here in time. Let's have something -to eat. We'll feel better." - -The yacht _Surprise_ did, sure enough, stay. They had done their part -well. Try as best they could, the workers could not fasten her up again -before sundown. They finished the job, however, by the aid of a -lantern-light, and, taking no more chances, got some pieces of old spars -for rollers and dragged the yacht down into the water, where they moored -her close to land, a few rods away from the _Seagull_. - -There was no sleep for the boys that night. They were stiff and sore, for -one thing. But it was the last chance for rescue. It was the seventh day -since the _Viking_ had sailed away. They took turns watching, away down -on the point of the little island, an eighth of a mile below where the -_Seagull_ and the _Surprise_ lay. Nor did they watch in vain. Along about -eleven o'clock, Little Tim saw the moonlight shining on a familiar sail -away down the Thoroughfare. - -With the return of daylight, following their narrow escape, Henry Burns -and his friends, wide awake, had begun fishing early. It proved a record -morning for them. They filled their baskets with cod, and piled the -cockpit deep with them, and only hauled in their lines finally, about the -middle of the forenoon, when they had exhausted the supply of herring -which they had purchased for bait of the trader. They had about six -dollars' worth of fish when they weighed in their catch at the trader's -dock. - -It had been a satisfactory trip, on the whole, and had showed them what -they could do. Deducting the money they had paid out for bait and for -some provisions, they had netted nearly eighteen dollars, having fished a -part of five days. The division of this gave six dollars to Tom and Bob -and left twelve dollars to the two owners of the _Viking_. True, they -would have a new anchor and some new line to buy out of this; but that -was, in a way, an incidental of yachting, and might have happened in some -other manner. - -There was a southwesterly blowing, with some prospect of its holding on -late. So, after clearing up accounts with Mr. Hollis, the trader, and -having an early supper in the harbour, where they were free from the -pitching of the sea outside, they got under way and stood up once more -for Grand Island, running free before a good breeze. It was about five -o'clock in the afternoon, and, if the wind held, they would make the foot -of Grand Island by nine o'clock. They were impatient to be back at -Southport, and were willing to sail at night if need be. - -And yet it was a mere chance that should bring them in to the -Thoroughfare on time; for, just north of North Haven, and before they had -come to the group of islands beyond, some one suggested that they stand -on for Southport and go down to the Thoroughfare the next morning. Harvey -half-assented, and then, with a fondness that still lingered for his old -boat, was doubtful. - -"What do you say, Henry?" he had asked of Henry Burns. "I'll do as you -think about it." - -"Oh, better go down to-night and relieve the crew," said Henry Burns. -"They're probably sick of staying there by this time, all alone. At any -rate, we'll leave them a new supply of food." - -But Henry Burns himself would rather have gone to Southport. - -The wind held on for all of the eighteen miles they had to run; but it -dropped away to a very light breeze just at sundown, then freshened a -little soon after. It was not until near eleven o'clock, however, instead -of nine, as they had expected, that they entered and sailed up the -Thoroughfare. - -Tom Harris, as lookout forward to watch the shoaling of the channel, saw, -all at once, something that made his flesh creep. A stout, wholesome lad -was Tom Harris, too, with no superstition about him. Yet he had heard -sailors' yarns of ghostly things in the sea--and he might almost have -been warranted in thinking he now beheld something of that sort. - -There, off the port bow, about an eighth of a mile from shore, was -something that did look strangely like a human head bobbing along; and if -there wasn't an arm lifted again and again from the water, as of some one -swimming a side-stroke, why, then Tom Harris was dreaming, or seeing some -seaman's phantom. He had to believe his own eyes, though; and yet how -could it be, away down at this end of the island, where there were no -cabins of any sort--and the crew up beyond? - -"Jack, Henry, Bob," he whispered, excitedly, "there's a queer thing -swimming just ahead there. It may be a big fish or a seal, but it looks -different to me." - -"That's no fish," cried Harvey, springing to his feet. "It's some one -swimming. I'll bet it's one of the crew. Little Tim Reardon, most likely. -Just like the little chap to try to surprise us. He's the best swimmer I -ever saw. Learned it around the docks up the river before he was seven -years old." - -If there was any doubt in their minds it was dispelled by a faint halloo -from the swimmer, accompanied by a warning cry for them to make no noise. - -"That's queer," said Harvey. "Something's up when Tim doesn't want a -noise. I wonder if anything has gone wrong." - -Little Tim, climbing aboard a few moments later, and telling his story in -excited tones, quickly apprised them that things were decidedly wrong up -the Thoroughfare. Wrong indeed! The yachtsmen were thunderstruck. - -Jack Harvey brought the _Viking_ into the wind as near shore as he dared. - -"Bully for you, Tim!" he exclaimed. "Now take the dory and get ashore -quick, and bring the rest of the crew down here." - -Tim was away for shore in a twinkling. A few minutes later the four could -be seen coming down on the run. They piled aboard the _Viking_ in a heap, -and the yacht stood along up the Thoroughfare once more. - -"Well, what are we going to do, Jack?" inquired Henry Burns, as they -turned a bend of the shore and came in sight of the mast of the -_Seagull_. - -"I'm going to fight for that boat!" cried Harvey, angrily. "I'll die for -it, but they sha'n't get it away from me." - -"Of course we'll fight for it if we need to," said Henry Burns, calmly. -"We will all stand by you, eh, fellows?" - -"Yes, sir," exclaimed Tom and Bob together, feeling of their muscles, -developed by canoeing and gymnastics. - -The crew also assented, less warmly. They had had their taste of it -already. - -"All the same," said Henry Burns, "it would be a huge joke on them, after -they have gone to work and patched her up and floated her for us, to sail -in and tow her out without their knowing it. Just imagine them waking up -in the morning and finding the boat and the crew both gone." - -"Yes, and we'll catch it for that, too, I suppose," groaned George Baker. - -"No, we'll stand by you," said Henry Burns. And he added, "Let's try the -easiest way first, Jack. We'll run in as quietly as we can, come up -alongside the _Surprise_ and take her in tow. If they wake, we'll stand -by you and fight for the boat. But I think we may get away with her. -They're bound to be sound sleepers." - -Carefully stowing away every pail or oar or stick that could be in the -way at the wrong time and make a noise, the yachtsmen brought the Viking -close in upon the dismasted _Surprise_. Then, as Harvey made a wide sweep -to bring the _Viking_ about into the wind, Henry Burns and Tom Harris -dropped astern in the dory and picked up the line with which the -_Surprise_ had been moored. They were ready for Harvey when he had come -about. Throwing the line aboard as the _Viking_ rounded to, close in, -they rowed quickly alongside and sprang over the rail. The line had been -caught by Bob, who made it fast astern. - -The _Viking_ had not even lost headway, so skilfully had the manoeuvre -been carried out. Standing away on the starboard tack, the _Viking's_ -sails filled and the line brought up. The wind was fairly fresh and the -weight of the unballasted _Surprise_ did not stop the _Viking_. The -_Surprise_, its long, lonely stay down in the Thoroughfare ended, had at -last begun its homeward journey toward Southport. - -"I don't see but what your friends on the _Seagull_ did us a good turn in -trying to rob you of the _Surprise_," said Henry Burns, smiling. "They -seem to have made the old boat pretty fairly tight. They've saved us -time." - -"Oh, yes, we owe 'em something for that," exclaimed Little Tim, feeling -around for a sore spot, "but I hope they don't try to collect any more of -the debt from me." - -"Tim, you were a brick to do what you did!" cried Harvey. "And the rest -of you, too. You had the real pluck. But Tim suggested it, and he's first -mate of the _Surprise_ after this, and next to Skipper Joe. That's fair, -isn't it?" - -George Baker and Allan Harding agreed. - -"What do you think," asked Harvey, as they sailed on up the bay, "will -they keep up the fight for the boat? Will the squire take it to court, or -will they quit, now they find themselves outwitted?" - -"They'll give it up," said Henry Burns. "They would have tried to lie it -through if they could have got the boat away from here. But now that we -have it, they will look at it differently. They'll find, when they get -back to the village, too, that the Warren boys were down here, and that -will settle it." Henry Burns was right. - -John Hart and his comrades, astounded, on awakening, to find the -_Surprise_ nowhere to be seen, had jumped to the conclusion that the crew -had stolen down and cut her loose. - -"We'll take it out of them!" he had cried, fiercely; and, followed by his -no less irate comrades, had dashed up to the old cabin. Another -disappointment. And still another, when they had searched all the shores -of the Thoroughfare and examined its waters, and realized that the boat -was gone. - -"Well, we'll get it yet, if they have carried it off," young Brackett -ventured to suggest. - -"We'll do nothing of the kind," cried John Hart, angrily. "You idiot! -Can't you see we're beaten? Some one has been down in the night and -helped them. That must have been true, what they said about the other -chaps. The best thing we can do is to keep quiet about what we have done, -or we'll have the whole town laughing at us for working on their boat." - -Young Harry Brackett looked pained. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - HARRY BRACKETT PLAYS A JOKE - - -Southport, albeit not a place of great hilarity, took a night off once a -fortnight or so, and enjoyed itself in rollicking fashion. Up the island, -about a mile and a half from the harbour, there was a small settlement, -consisting of a half-dozen houses clustered together, overlooking a -pretty cove that made in from the western shore. They were a part of the -town of Southport, though separated from the rest. It had been, in fact, -the original place of settlement, and there was a church and town hall -there. - -This town hall, bare and uninviting in appearance for the most of its -existence, brightened up smartly on these fortnightly occasions, putting -on usually some vestments of running pine and other festoons of trailing -vines, and adorned with wild flowers in their season. - -A glittering array of lamps, some loaned for the occasion, made the hall -brilliant; while a smooth birch floor, polished and waxed as shining as -any man-o'warsman's deck, reflected the illumination and offered an -inviting surface for dancing. - -Overhead, on the floor above, it was often customary to serve a baked -bean supper before the dancing, with its inevitable accompaniment of pie -of many varieties. - -Everybody took part in the dances, from Benny Jones, who had one wooden -leg, but who could hop through the Boston Fancy with amazing nimbleness, -to old Billy Cook, who arrayed his feet, usually bare, in a pair of heavy -boots that reached to his knees, and in which he clattered about the hall -with a noise like a flock of sheep. Even the squire consented to unbend -from his dignity on some of these occasions, stalking through a few -dances stiffly, as a man carved out of wood. - -As for young Harry Brackett, he would have been welcomed, also, and -indeed had formerly taken part in the festivities. But, since his return -from Boston and from some of the livelier summer resorts, he had referred -to the island dances contemptuously as "slow." - -The campers usually went up to see the fun; and Henry Burns, who was a -favourite about the island, and George Warren were usually to be seen -among the dancers. - -By far the most important functionary of all, however, was a quaint, -little, grizzled old man, who was not a resident of the island, but lived -six miles away, over across on the cape. "Uncle Bill" Peters, with his -squeaking fiddle and well-resined bow, was, in fact, the whole orchestra. -He was the one indispensable man of all. He had a tireless arm that had -been known to scrape the wailing fiddle-strings from twilight to early -morning on more than one occasion, inspiring the muse now and then with a -little tobacco, which did not hinder him from calling off the numbers in -a singsong, penetrating voice. - -Early in the day, when a dance was arranged, it was the duty of some one -to sail across to the cape and fetch "Uncle Billy" over, his arrival -being the occasion for an ovation on the part of a selected committee. - -"You're goin' up to the dance, I see," remarked Rob Dakin to Billy Cook, -one evening shortly following the adventures down in the Thoroughfare, -just narrated. - -"Well, I reckon," answered Billy, reaching into a cracker-barrel and -abstracting some odds and ends of hardtack. - -It was easy enough for anybody to see, for Billy's boots occupied a large -part of the store doorway, as he seated himself in a chair, and crossed -one leg over the other. - -"I just saw Uncle Bill Peters go by," continued Billy Cook. "I should -think he'd be scared to fetch that 'ere fiddle clear across the bay here. -Jeff Hackett says it's one of the best fiddles this side er Portland. -Cost seven dollars, I hear." - -Just then a crowd of boys, including Henry Burns and Harvey, Tom and Bob -and the Warrens, went by the door, coming up from shore, where they had -been at work on the hull of the yacht _Surprise_. - -"Hello, Billy!" cried young Joe, spying the biggest pair of boots of -which the island boasted, filling up the doorway. "Are you going up to -the dance, Billy?" - -"Yes, I be," responded Billy, rather abruptly. - -"Hooray!" cried young Joe. "So am I." - -"Well, I don't know as I'm so overpowering anxious to have yer go," -asserted Billy; "at least, unless you mend your ways. You boys have got -ter quit your cutting up dance nights, or there'll be trouble." - -Young Joe grinned. - -"I didn't fill up your boots, Billy," he said. "Honour bright, I didn't." - -He might have added that the reason why was because somebody else thought -of it first. - -Billy Cook's memory of the preceding dance was clouded by one sad -incident. It seems that, by reason of his habit of going barefoot at -other times except funerals and dances, and of dispensing with the -conventionality of socks when he did wear boots, it was a relief to Billy -to step out-of-doors, once or twice during the evening, remove the -cumbersome boots, and walk about for a few moments barefoot. - -It fell out that, at the previous dance, after one of these moments of -respite, Billy had returned to find his boots filled with water, and that -young Joe's deep sympathy had directed suspicion against him. - -"No, sirree," said young Joe now, in response to Billy's rejoinder. "We -didn't have anything to do with that. And we didn't put the lobster in -the squire's tall hat, either. 'Twas some chaps from down the island that -did that. You know how they like the squire down there, Billy." - -"Guess I know how some folks up here like him, too," muttered Billy. - -Early that evening, the lights glimmering from the well-cleaned windows -of the town hall shone out as so many beacons to guide the islanders from -far and near. They came from up and down the island, rattling along the -stony road in wagons that must have been built at some time or -other--though nobody could remember when they were new. Moreover, whereas -a boat must be painted often to keep it sound and at its best, the same -does not apply to farm wagons. Hence, the conveyances that came bumping -along up to the town hall shed were certainly not things of beauty. - -But each carried, nevertheless, its load of human happiness and -merriment. There sprang out rosy-cheeked, buxom island girls and sturdy -young fishermen, healthy, hearty, and full of life, eager for the first -weird strains of Uncle Billy's seven-dollar fiddle. - -He was soon in action, too. Seated on a high platform at the end of the -hall, resining his bow, was Uncle Billy, smiling like a new moon upon the -company. For the hall was used, likewise, by troupes of wandering -theatrical companies; and, on this very stage where Uncle Billy was now -seated, the villagers had gazed upon the woes of Little Eva and Uncle -Tom, and had beheld Eliza Harris flee in terror, with a lumbering mastiff -(supposed to be a bloodhound) tagging after her, crossing the little -stage at two heavy bounds, and yelping behind the scenes, either from -innate ferocity or at the sight of a long-withheld bone. - -Uncle Billy was off now in earnest, with a squeaking and a shrieking of -the catgut. Captain Sam Curtis, his hair nicely "slicked," and wearing a -gorgeous new blue and red necktie, led the grand march as master of -ceremonies, with Rob Dakin's wife on his arm. Rob Dakin, escorting Mrs. -Curtis, followed next. The squire was somewhere in line, leading a -stately maiden sister of his wife. Billy Cook clattered along, with a -laughing damsel from down the island. Henry Burns and George Warren, with -comely partners, were also to be seen, entering heartily in the fun. - -At the end of the hall nearest the doorway stood a group of islanders who -didn't dance, or hadn't partners at present. Included in these were the -other two Warren boys and the most of the campers. Included, also, was -young Harry Brackett, scowling enviously at a youth from the foot of the -island, who led to the dance a certain black-haired, bright-eyed, trim -little miss, who smiled at her escort sweetly as they promenaded past the -entrance where Harry Brackett stood. - -It had happened that this same young lady had been invited by Harry -Brackett to accompany him to the dance as his partner; but that she had -coolly snubbed him, with the remark that he was "stuck-up,"--an -unpardonable offence in the eyes of a resident of Southport, as -elsewhere. - -So it came about that Harry Brackett, after glaring malevolently upon the -general merriment for a few minutes, took his departure. - -If any one had followed this young man, they would have observed him -footing it up the main road of the island for about half a mile, at a -surprising pace for one no more energetically inclined than he. Then, at -a certain point, Harry Brackett left the road, crawled through some bars -that led into a pasture, and made his way by a winding cow-path into a -clump of bushes and small trees, some distance farther. - -Harry Brackett evidently was not travelling at random, but had some fixed -destination. This destination, shortly arrived at, proved to be a large, -cone-shaped, grayish object, hanging from the branch of a tree, near to -the ground. The boy approached it cautiously, pulled a cap that he wore -down about his ears, tied a handkerchief about his neck, turned up his -coat-collar, and put on a pair of thick gloves. - -If any one had been near, they might have heard a subdued humming, or -droning sound coming from the object on the branch. It was a wasp's nest -of enormous size. - -Harry Brackett next proceeded to take from his pocket a small scrap of -cotton cloth and a bottle, from which, as he uncorked and inverted it, -there issued a thick stream of tar and pitch, used for boat calking. -Having smeared the cloth with this, he was ready for business. - -He stole quietly up to the nest, clapped the sticky cloth over the -orifice at the base of it, dodged back, and awaited results. - -A sound as of a tiny windmill arose within the nest--an angry sound, -which indicated that the fiery-tempered inmates were aware of their -imprisonment and were prepared for warfare. But Harry Brackett had -accomplished his design, unscathed. A few tiny objects, darting angrily -about in the vicinity, showed that some of the insects still remained -without the nest, and were surprised and indignant at finding their -doorway thus unexpectedly barred. - -Somewhat uncertain as to how these might receive him, Harry Brackett -screwed up his courage and dashed up to the nest, which he severed from -the tree by cutting off the branch with his clasp-knife. His venture -proved successful, and, swinging his hat about his head to ward off any -chance wasp that might come to close quarters with him, he emerged -triumphantly from the thicket, bearing his prize, and without paying the -penalty of a single sting. - -"My! but that's a mad crowd inside there," he exclaimed. "Sounds like the -buzz-saw over at Lem Barton's tide-mill. Guess they'll liven things up a -bit at the dance. Perhaps some other folks will be stuck-up to-morrow." - -The furious buzzing quieted, however, after he had gone about a quarter -of a mile, and he reflected that perhaps the wasps, cut off from a fresh -supply of air, might die on the way. So he took out his knife again and -stabbed several holes in the nest, with the thick blade; whereupon the -angry remonstrances of the prisoners was resumed, to his satisfaction. - -This time, however, he did not venture along the highway, but made his -way slowly back to the town hall through the woods and pastures. After a -time he came to where the lights of the hall gleamed through the bushes, -and the thin but vigorous scraping of Uncle Billy's fiddle sounded from -the stage. He put down his burden and made a stealthy reconnaissance as -far as the rear sheds of the hall. Some men were about there, so he -waited for a favourable opportunity. - -This opportunity did not present itself for some time, as now and again -some one would come out to see if his horse was standing all right, and -possibly suspicious that some prank might be played with the wagons; for -the young fishermen of Southport were not above playing practical jokes -of their own on these occasions. So it was not until Harry Brackett had -waited fully a half-hour that he fancied the coast clear. - -It was then half-past nine o'clock, or when the dancing had been in -progress about an hour, that Harry Brackett, bearing his burden of -pent-up mischief, stole slyly up to the rear of the hall, where a window, -opened to give a circulation of air through the place, afforded him an -entrance back of the stage. - -It happened, not all opportunely for the young man, however, that some of -the islanders came to these dances, not for the dancing itself, but -because of the opportunity it offered to meet socially and discuss -matters. Of this number, long Dave Benson, who lived on the western -shore, and Eben Slade, commonly called Old Slade, who lived across from -the harbour settlement on the bluff, had withdrawn from the hall to talk -over a dicker about a boat. - -After a friendly proffer of tobacco on Dave Benson's part, the two had -adjourned to one of the sheds at the rear of the hall, to get away from -the noise of the music and the dancers, and had seated themselves in an -old covered carryall, from which the horse had been unharnessed. - -From this point of vantage, they presently espied a solitary figure -emerge from the dark background and go cautiously on to the rear window. - -"S-h-h!" whispered Dave Benson to his companion, "what's going on there? -Some more skylarking, I reckon. Well, there won't be any wheels taken off -from my wagon to-night." - -"Why, it looks like that 'ere young good-for-nothing of the squire's," -said Old Slade. "Thinks he's a leetle too good for dancing, perhaps, but -don't mind takin' a peek at the fun from the outside. Seems to be -carrying something or other, though. What do you make that out to be?" - -"Looks like a big bunch of paper to me," replied Dave Benson. "But I -allow I can't see in the dark like I used to--however, it don't matter, I -guess. Now as to that 'ere boat of mine, she's a bit old, I'll allow, but -you can't do better for the money." - -Harry Brackett, all unconscious of his observers, vanished through the -open window. When he reappeared, a few moments later, he was minus the -object he had carried. Moreover, that object no longer bore upon its base -the piece of tarred cloth. Harry Brackett had snatched that away as he -made his hasty departure, after depositing the nest among the faded -scenery stored behind the stage. Then, from a side window, he watched the -effect of his plan. - -The dancing was in full swing. Uncle Billy, warmed to his task, and -keeping time with his foot, was calling off the numbers. - -"Balance your partners! Gentlemen swing! All hands around!" sang out -Uncle Billy. - -The dancers were in great fettle. Billy Cook, boots and all, was doing -gallantly. Captain Sam's laugh could be heard clear to the woods beyond -the pasture. Squire Brackett was actually breaking out in a smile. Henry -Burns and his friends were gathered near the doorway, watching the -surprising play of Billy Cook's boots. - -But at this happy moment something happened to Uncle Billy Peters. His -fiddle-bow, scraping across the strings in one wild, discordant shriek, -dropped from his hand. His half-articulated call for a position of the -dance blended into a startled yell, that brought the dancing to an abrupt -stop; while Uncle Billy, his fiddle discarded, had leaped from his seat -and was now dancing about the stage and describing the most extraordinary -gyrations, waving his arms in the air and slapping at his face and the -back of his neck, as though his own music had driven him stark, staring -mad. - -"What on earth!"--ejaculated Billy Cook. He got no further. Something -that felt like a fish-hook, half-way down his boot-leg, occupied his -attention; and the next moment a dozen or more of the same animated -fish-hooks were buzzing about his head. - -Billy Cook made one frantic clutch at his boot-leg; and, failing to find -relief, yanked the boot off. Swinging this wildly about his head, one -foot bared and the other clattering, poor Billy fled from the hall. - -The squire's expansive smile faded away in an expression of anguish and -wrathful indignation. Slapping madly at the bald patch at the crown of -his head, and uttering fierce denunciations upon the author of the -mischief, he ignominiously deserted his partner of the dance and likewise -fled precipitately. - -The campers had already scuttled before the storm, and in a twinkling the -hall was cleared. The angry, buzzing swarm was in complete and undisputed -possession. - -"I'll give five dollars to any one that will discover who did this -outrage!" cried Squire Brackett, dashing across the road to where a group -of dancers had gathered. "Where's that Burns boy and that Harvey--and -that little Warren imp? He had a hand in it, I'll take my oath. Whoever -they are, they'll get one horsewhipping that they'll remember for the -rest of their lives. Get those horsewhips out of the wagons! We'll teach -the young rascals a lesson." - -The squire had not observed that still another group of stalwart -fishermen had had a word with Dave Benson and Old Slade and had already, -of their own accord, provided themselves with horsewhips. - -The squire only knew, at this time, that a party of the men were off down -the road, with a hue and cry. He did not know that his own son was -fleeing before them on the wings of fear, and being fast overtaken by his -pursuers, themselves borne onward on the wings of pain and wrath. - -What the campers, joining in the pursuit, saw shortly, was the figure of -young Harry Brackett, fleeing down the highway toward the harbour, -bawling loudly for mercy, as first one whip-lash and then another cut -about his legs; and receiving no mercy, but, instead, as sound and -thorough a horsewhipping as the squire himself had recommended for the -guilty wretch. - -Some time later, there limped into Southport village a sadder, if not -wiser youth, stinging as though the whole nest of wasps had broken loose -and settled upon him. - -On the following morning, this same saddened youth, walking painfully, -and somewhat dejected in mind, resulting from an interview with the elder -Brackett, turned the corner where the main street was intersected by the -road leading up to the Warrens' cottage, and came most unexpectedly upon -Jack Harvey. It was his first face-to-face meeting with Harvey since the -episode out in the bay, and the subsequent accusation he had made against -Harvey and Henry Burns. - -It was disconcerting, but Harry Brackett resolved to put on a bold face. - -"Hello there, Harvey," he said, eying the other somewhat sheepishly -despite his resolution. - -"Hello, yourself," replied Harvey, grinning at the doleful appearance -presented by the other. Secretly, Jack Harvey had promised himself that -he would thrash him at the first opportunity; but he had seen that done -so effectively, only the night previous, that he was fully satisfied. He -couldn't have done it half so well himself. - -"Say, you had a lot of fun last night, didn't you?" said Harvey. "You did -that in fine style. But say, what did you want to keep all the fun to -yourself for? Why didn't you let us in on it?" - -Harry Brackett flushed angrily at the bantering, but, realizing he could -not resent it, made no reply. - -"How'd the squire like it?" continued Harvey. - -"Look here, you wouldn't think it any fun if you got what I did," -exclaimed Harry Brackett. - -"No, but I think it good fun that you got it," said Harvey; "and I'll -tell you right now that it saved you one from me." - -Harry Brackett eyed Harvey maliciously; but he had a mission to perform, -and he was bound to go through with it. - -"Say, I know it wasn't the square thing to lay that upset out there in -the bay to you fellows," he said, with an effort. "But, you see, I knew -father would be furious about the boat--and, well, I told him the first -thing that came into my head about it. I didn't think he would try to -make trouble for you, though." - -"No?" replied Harvey, skeptically. "Probably you don't know him as well -as some of the rest of us do." - -"Well, here, don't go yet," said Harry Brackett, as Harvey started to -brush past him. "I've got something I want to talk to you about." - -Harvey paused in surprise. - -"It's about the boat," explained Harry Brackett. "You fellows don't need -two boats--and two such good ones as the _Viking_ and the _Surprise_--" - -Harvey's wrath broke forth again at the mention of the _Surprise_. - -"That was a fine trick you tried to play on us, stealing the _Surprise_ -after we had her up," he said. - -"I didn't want to do it," said Harry Brackett. "I told John Hart you -fellows must have floated her in there, but he wouldn't believe it." - -"Any more than I believe you," sneered Harvey. - -Harry Brackett twisted uneasily. He was making poor progress. - -"Say, Harvey," he said, abruptly, "I want to buy that new yacht of yours, -the _Viking_." - -"You mean you want to steal her if you get a chance, don't you?" retorted -Harvey. - -"No, I don't," cried Harry Brackett, the perspiration standing out on his -forehead. "I mean just what I say. I want to buy her, in dead earnest. -You've got the _Surprise_ back, and you don't need the other one. I'll -pay you fifteen hundred dollars for the _Viking_. Come, will you sell -her?" - -"Who wants to buy her?" asked Harvey. - -"I do, myself," replied Harry Brackett. "I tell you I'll pay you fifteen -hundred dollars in cash for her." - -Harvey winked an eye, incredulously. - -"You must be a millionaire," he said. - -"Well, I can afford to pay that much for a good boat," said Harry -Brackett, with a well-feigned air of indifference as to money matters. - -"And have you talked it over with the squire since last night?" inquired -Harvey, whose curiosity was now aroused. - -"I haven't talked it over with anybody," replied Harry Brackett, -impatiently. "I don't have to. It's my money." - -Harvey gave a whistle denoting surprise. "Well," he said, "the _Viking_ -is not for sale. Besides, Henry Burns owns half of her. You'll have to -talk with him. He won't sell, though, I know, because the boat was a gift -to us." - -"Perhaps he would, if you urged him to," suggested young Brackett. - -"Well, I won't urge him," said Harvey, abruptly. "But I tell you what I -will do," he added, "I'll sell you the _Surprise_. She's a grand good -boat, too; and she'll be as good as ever when she is put in shape.--No, I -won't do that, either," he exclaimed, after a moment's thought. "That is, -not this summer. I've promised her to the crew, and I won't go back on -it. No, I won't sell you the _Surprise_, either." - -"Would you let me hire either of them for the season?" ventured Harry -Brackett. - -Harvey hesitated for a moment, with visions of the money it would bring -temptingly before his mind's eye. But the remembrance of the loyalty of -his crew was still fresh in his mind. - -"No," he said, determinedly. "I won't do it." - -Which was a lucky determination, if he had but known it. - -"See here," said young Harry Brackett, lowering his tone, and making one -final desperate effort to shake Harvey's resolution, "I'll make you a -better offer than that. I'll pay you and Henry fifteen hundred dollars -for the boat between you. You can get him to do it if you only try. And -I'll give you seventy-five dollars for yourself, and you needn't say -anything about it." - -A moment later, Harry Brackett was picking himself up off the ground and -rubbing one more sore spot. - -"Hang it all!" exclaimed Jack Harvey, as he strode away, "I needn't have -hit him--but he made me mad clear through. I owed it to him, anyway." - -And so Harry Brackett, eying the other angrily, swore a new resolve of -revenge on Harvey and all the crowd of campers and cottagers. - -"Why, Jack," said Henry Burns later that day, when he and Harvey were -talking it over, "don't you suppose it was some kind of a queer joke on -Harry Brackett's part? What does he want of the _Viking_? He couldn't -sail her if he had her, and in the second place, I don't believe he ever -had so much money in all his life." - -"That's just the queerest thing about it," replied Harvey. "He wasn't -joking and he was in dead earnest. He either wants the boat, or knows -somebody else who does. It is queer, but he meant it." - -"Well, I can't guess it," said Henry Burns. "Let's go and catch a mess of -flounders for supper." - - - - - CHAPTER X. - MR. CARLETON ARRIVES - - -"How d'ye do, squire," bawled Captain Sam Curtis to Squire Brackett, a -morning or two later, as the squire stopped for a moment at the door of -the captain's shop, where he was busily engaged sewing on a sail which he -was refitting for the yacht _Surprise_, for the boys. - -"Good morning, Captain Sam," replied the squire. "You're busy as usual, I -see." - -"Yes," said Captain Sam, "just helping the boys out a little. Smart -chaps, those youngsters. Why, they went to work and raised that 'ere -yacht down there in the Thoroughfare, and they're cleaning her up in -great shape; and I vow, when they get her painted and these good sails on -her, she'll be every bit as good as new. And she was always a right smart -boat." - -The squire scowled at Captain Sam, who kept on with his work; but the -squire made no reply. - -"I should er thought some of you vessel-owners that have got the rigging -handy would have dragged her out for yourselves," continued Captain Sam. -"I had a mind to do it myself this spring, but I was too busy." - -The squire sniffed as though exasperated at something. But Captain Sam, -stitching away, with an enormous sailmaker's needle strapped to his palm, -was apparently unmindful. No one would have thought, to look at his -serious face, that he had heard the whole history of the squire's venture -down in the Thoroughfare, through the expedition of Harry Brackett, and -that he was indulging in a little quiet fun at the squire's expense. - -"Why, what on earth should I do with another boat?" inquired the squire. -"The one I own is one too many for me now. I'd like to sell her if I got -a good offer." - -"Would yer?" queried Captain Sam. "Well, you'll get a good boat in her -place if you get the _Viking_. I hear you are trying to buy her." - -"Nonsense!" exclaimed the squire. "Who told you that?" - -"Why, Jack Harvey; he was in here a little while ago. He said as how your -son, Harry, offered him fifteen hundred dollars for the boat." - -"Fifteen hundred fiddlesticks!" roared the squire. "If he's got fifteen -hundred cents left out of his allowance, he's got more than I think he -has. That's a likely story. Well, you can just put it down in black and -white that I don't pay any fifteen hundred dollars for a boat for a lot -of boys to play monkey-shines with. I'll see about that." - -"Perhaps it's one of Harry's little jokes, squire," suggested Captain -Sam. "Boys will have their fun, you know." - -Captain Sam threw his head back and gave a loud haw-haw. His recollection -of Harry Brackett's most recent fun was of seeing that youth tearing -along the highway at night, with a dozen fishermen after him, armed with -horsewhips. - -The squire's conception of it was not so pleasant, however, and he took -his departure. - -"Harry," he said, at the dinner-table that day, "what's this I hear about -your trying to buy that boat of Jack Harvey?" - -Harry Brackett, taken somewhat by surprise, hesitated for a moment. -"Why--why--that was a sort of a joke," he answered, finally, forcing -himself to smile, as though he thought it funny. - -"A joke, eh?" retorted the squire, sharply. "Well, don't you think you -have had joking enough to last you one spell? Here it is getting so I -can't go down the road without folks looking at me and grinning. Haven't -you any respect for your father's dignity? Don't you know I'm of some -consequence in this town?" - -"Yes, sir," replied the son, dutifully. "But I didn't bring your name -into it. I didn't say you wanted it." - -"Well, what did you do it for?" repeated the squire. - -"Just for fun," insisted Harry Brackett. - -"May be so," said the squire, eying his son with some suspicion; "but I'm -not so sure of that, either. Now don't you go getting into any mischief. -You've had just about fun enough lately." - -"All right, sir," answered Harry Brackett. - -Nevertheless, it was not exactly all right, from the squire's standpoint. -Not altogether above taking an unfair advantage of others, he was -naturally suspicious of everybody else; and this lack of faith in -humanity extended to his son. So he said no more, but kept his eyes open. - -Chance favoured him the very day following, when young Harry Brackett, -having some work to do about the garden, threw off his jacket and -waistcoat and left them carelessly over the back of a chair in the -kitchen. The squire, passing through the room, espied a letter exposed -from an inner pocket of the waistcoat. With no compunctions, he took it -out, opened it and read it. The letter was addressed to "Mr. Harry -Brackett, Southport, Grand Island, Me.," and read as follows: - - "If you have not already made the offer for the _Viking_, don't bother - about it; for I am planning a visit to Southport, myself. Much obliged - to you for your trouble, in any case. Please don't mention the matter, - however. - - "Hoping I may be of service to you at some time, - - "Very truly yours, - "Charles Carleton." - -"So, ho!" exclaimed the squire, softly. "Been lying to me again, has he? -I am not so surprised at that. But what did he do it for?" - -The squire's first impulse was to call Harry into the house and demand an -explanation. Then his curiosity led him to alter that determination. Who -was this Mr. Carleton? Why was he trying to buy a boat through his son? -Why didn't he want the matter mentioned? What were the relations between -this Mr. Carleton and his son? Well, Mr. Carleton, whoever he was, was -coming to Southport. The squire would wait and see him for himself. - -He did not have long to wait, either, for the very next day he met Mr. -Carleton face to face. The squire was waiting in the post-office for the -evening mail when there came in with Jeff Hackett, in whose packet he had -sailed across from Bellport, a tall, gentlemanly appearing man, dressed -in a natty yachting-suit of blue, his face chiefly characterized by a -pair of cold, penetrating blue eyes and a heavy blond moustache. - -"Good evening, sir," he said, with the easy air of a man of the world, -and, withal the least deference to the pompous individual whom he -addressed, which was not lost on a man of the squire's vanity. "Beautiful -place, this island. You should be proud of it, sir." - -"Good evening," replied the squire, formally, but warming a little. "Yes, -sir, we are proud of Southport." - -"True," he continued, swelling out his waistband, "it does not afford all -the opportunities for a man of capital to exert his activities; but it -has its advantages." - -"Which I judge you have made some use of, sir," remarked the stranger, in -an offhand, easy way, smiling. - -The squire beamed affably. - -"Are you going over to the harbour?" he inquired. "If so, I should be -pleased to take you over in my carriage." - -"Why, you are very kind; I should like to ride," responded the stranger. -"I'll just leave word to have my valises sent over, and I'll go along -with you." - -He presently reappeared, sprang lightly into the wagon, and the squire -drove down the road. - -The stranger proved most agreeable to Squire Brackett. He was an easy, -fluent talker, though, to one of finer discernment than the squire, it -might have been apparent that he was not a man of education, but rather -of quick observation and who had seen something of the world. He pleased -the squire by an apparent recognition of him as the great man of the -place, without ever saying so bluntly. He spoke of business matters as of -one who was possessed of some means, and finally, intimating that the -squire should know the name of one to whom he was showing a courtesy, -handed him his card. - -To say that the squire was surprised, would be putting it mildly, for he -had not thought of Mr. Carleton arriving by other than the boat from -Mayville. Yet, so it was engraved upon the card, "Mr. Charles Carleton," -with the address below of a Boston hotel. - -The squire was, however, somewhat relieved. It flashed through his mind -now, quickly, just what it all meant. Harry had met this man at Bellport -and had been commissioned by him to purchase the boat. He had seen fit to -pose as the real purchaser to create an impression on the minds of the -other boys that he had that amount of money. As for this gentleman, Mr. -Carleton, he evidently had the means to buy as good a boat as the -_Viking_ if he chose. - -"I wish you would tell me the best boarding-house in the village," said -Mr. Carleton. "I hear the hotel is burned down." - -"Indeed it is!" cried the squire, warmly. "And a plague on the rascal -that set it, and all his kind! It's a terrible loss to the place; and I -say it, though I opposed its being built." - -"What a shame!" responded Mr. Carleton from behind his heavy moustache. -But his eyes were coldly unsympathetic. - -"There isn't any regular out-and-out boarding-place this summer," said -the squire; "but I guess Captain Sam Curtis will put you up. He takes a -boarder occasionally, and feeds 'em right well, too, I'm told." - -So, at length, arriving at the harbour and alighting at the house of -Captain Sam, Mr. Carleton bade the squire good evening. He went in at -once, engaged a room, cultivated the captain and his wife studiously for -a time, and was soon at home, after the manner he had of getting on -familiar terms with whomsoever he desired. A curious trait in Mr. -Carleton, too; for, at first approach to strangers, he seemed cold and -almost reserved, whom one might set down as a man of nerve, that would -not be likely to lose his head under any conditions. - -If Mr. Carleton had made up his mind to put himself on friendly terms -with the youngsters of Southport, despite his natural inclinations, he -certainly knew how to go about it. Witness his appearance, the following -day, in the course of the forenoon, at the camp of Joe Hinman and the -rest of Harvey's crew, as they were making their preparations for dinner. - -"Well, you boys certainly have it nice and comfortable down here," he -said, cheerily, advancing to where Joe Hinman was stirring a bed of -coals, ready for the fry-pan, while two of the boys were finishing the -cleaning of a mess of fish down by the water's edge. "I've done this sort -of thing myself, and I declare I believe I'd like a week of it now better -than living at a hotel or a boarding-house. Good camp you've got there. - -"That makes me hungrier than I've been for a long time," he added, as Joe -proceeded to cut several slivers of fat pork and put them into the -fry-pan, where they sizzled appetizingly. - -"Better stop and take dinner with us," suggested Joe. "We've got plenty -to eat, such as it is. We'll give you some of the best fish you ever -tasted, and a good cup of coffee, and a mess of fritters." - -"Fine!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "You're lads after my own heart. I'll -watch you do the work and then I'll help you eat up the food." And Mr. -Carleton, smiling, seated himself on the ground, with his back against a -tree, lighted a cigar, and watched operations comfortably. - -He proved very good company, too, at dinner. For he had a fund of stories -to amuse the campers; and he was heartily interested in their own -exploits--and particularly in their account of recent adventures down in -the Thoroughfare, where Harry Brackett and his companions had been -defeated. - -"Now I'll tell you what we'll do," he exclaimed, enthusiastically, as -they were finishing their camp-fire meal, "I'm in for some fun, just as -much as you are. If you will go ahead and dig some clams this afternoon, -I'll go up to the store and order a lot of fruit and nuts and that sort -of stuff, and anything else that I see that looks good. - -"I saw some chickens hanging up there, too, that will do to broil. I'll -get enough for a crowd. You tell the fellows up above in that camp -there,--you know them, I suppose,--well, you get them and anybody else -you like. And we'll build a big fire down here this evening and have the -time of our lives." - -"Hooray!" cried young Tim Reardon. "Joe Warren and the others would like -to come in on that. How about two more, besides--two fellows that own -that yacht, the _Viking_?" - -"Just the thing," replied Mr. Carleton. "As many as you like." - -There was no more work on the _Surprise_ for the rest of that day. A man -who was willing to buy good things for the boys with that recklessness -didn't come to town every day, nor once in a summer. - -"He says his name is Carleton," explained young Tim to Henry Burns and -Jack Harvey, some time later. "He says he's in for a good time, and I -guess he is by the looks of things." - -"We know him," replied Harvey. "He's an old friend of ours, eh, Henry?" - -"Yes, indeed," said Henry Burns; "he was the _Viking's_ first -invited--no, uninvited--guest." - -Mr. Carleton was as good as his word, and more. The canoe, manned by Tom -and Bob, went down alongshore that afternoon loaded with a conglomerate -mixture of oranges, bananas, bottled soda, pies, other sweet stuff, and -extra dishes from the campers' stores. And Mr. Carleton, arriving on the -scene in the course of the afternoon, brought a lot more. He paid for -everything. - -"My!" exclaimed young Joe, eying the stuff as the Warren boys put in an -appearance about five o'clock. "I hope he stays all summer, don't you, -Arthur?" - -"Hello, I'm glad to meet you once more," cried Mr. Carleton, heartily, -advancing to greet Henry Burns and Harvey as their dory landed at the -shore. "I thought I might get down this way. How's that fine boat of -yours?" - -"Fine as ever," answered Harvey. - -"Good! I'll go out for a sail with you to-morrow," cried Mr. Carleton, -clapping a hand on Harvey's shoulder. "Say the word, and I'll have the -soda and ginger ale and a new pail for some lemonade. We've got to make -the time pass somehow, eh?" - -"Suits me all right," assented Harvey. "What do you say, Henry?" - -"Bully!" said Henry Burns. - -The fire of driftwood, which was plentiful everywhere along the shores of -Grand Island, roared up cheerily against the evening sky. When it had -burned for an hour or more, Jack Harvey deftly raked an enormous bed of -the coals out from it, on which to set fry-pans and broilers and -coffee-pot, still keeping the great fire going at a little distance, for -the sake of its cheer. - -They feasted, then, by the light of blazing timbers and junks of logs, -borne down from the river, as only hungry campers can. Young Joe ceased -laughing uproariously at Mr. Carleton's stories only when his sixth -banana and fourth piece of pie precluded loud utterance. And when it was -over, and they went their several ways by woods and alongshore, they -voted Mr. Carleton a generous provider. - -He was ready again, was Mr. Carleton, the following afternoon, with the -promised luxuries, alongside the _Viking_; and he was as much a boy as -any of them when he and the owners of the yacht and Tom and Bob set out -on a sail up the bay. - -The wind was fresh and fair from the southward, the bay furrowed -everywhere with billows breaking white, with just enough sea running to -make it good sport. The _Viking_, with sheets well off, made a fine run -to Springton, and bowled into that harbour with the spray flying. - -They cast anchor and went up into the old town, which was quite a little -settlement clustered on a steep bank overhanging the harbour, and which -boasted of a fine summer hotel and several smaller ones. And when it got -to be late afternoon, Mr. Carleton wouldn't hear of their departing; but -they should all stay to supper at the hotel. If the wind died down with -the sun, why, they could stay all night. What did it matter, when they -were out for a good time? - -So they ate supper in style in the big hotel dining-room, and came forth -from there an hour later to see the waters calm and the wind fallen. - -"Never mind, we'll sleep aboard the _Viking_," said Henry Burns. "There's -room enough, though we have taken out some of the mattresses so as to put -in the fishing-truck." - -But Mr. Carleton would not hear of this. Not for a moment. He liked -roughing it, to be sure, as well as any of them. But they were his guests -now for the night. They must remain right there at the hotel, and he -would see about the rooms. And they should breakfast at the hotel and -then sail back the next day at their ease. - -They were not unwilling. It was an unusual sort of a lark, but so long as -Mr. Carleton was enjoying it and was ready to pay the bills, they were -satisfied. - -So they sat on the veranda for several hours, enjoying the music of the -orchestra in the parlour and watching the dancing through the windows. -Then, when Mr. Carleton had bade them good night and had gone up to his -room, they followed shortly, Tom and Bob occupying one room together and -Harvey and Henry Burns, likewise, one adjoining. - -"Jack," said Henry Burns, suddenly, pausing in the act of divesting -himself of his blue yachting-shirt, "hang it! but I've forgotten to lock -the cabin." - -"Oh, let it go," said Harvey, who was already in bed and was drowsy with -the sea air and good feeding. - -"No, I don't like to," said Henry Burns. "There's a lot of boats lying -close by; and you know how easy it is for one of those fishermen to slip -aboard, and sail out at four o'clock in the morning, with one of our new -lines and that compass that cost more than we could afford to pay just -now; and there's a lot of things that we couldn't afford to lose just at -this time. No, I'm going to run down and lock up." - -"It's a good half-mile," muttered Harvey. "Better take the chance and let -it go." - -"Yes, but you wouldn't say so if you had forgotten it," said Henry Burns. -"I'm to blame. And if you don't see me again, why, you'll know I've -stayed aboard." - -Henry Burns said this last half in fun, as he departed. As for Harvey, it -mattered naught to him whether Henry Burns returned or stayed away. He -was asleep before his comrade had closed the hotel door behind him. - -If it had chanced that Mr. Carleton, too, being a man of shrewd -observation, had noticed the omission on the part of Henry Burns, who was -the last one overboard, to slip the padlock that made the hatch and doors -of the companionway fast, he had not seen fit to mention the fact. -Instead, he had been most talkative as they rowed away, pointing out -various objects of interest up in the town. - -And now that the yachtsmen had retired for the night and Mr. Carleton had -withdrawn to his room, it is just barely possible that he may have -recalled that fact. At all events, he did not make ready to retire, but -sat for a half-hour smoking. Then he arose, turned down the light, and -went quietly down the stairs. - -It was about eleven o'clock, and the hotel was beginning to grow quiet. -Few guests remained in the parlour, and most of the lights were out about -the hotel and the grounds. Down in the town, as Mr. Carleton strolled -leisurely along the streets, there were few persons stirring. Yachtsmen -aboard their craft in the harbour had ceased bawling out across the water -to one another, and no songs issued forth from any cabin. Only the -harbour lights for the most part gleamed from the little fleet. - -The yacht _Viking_ lay some half-mile down below the village, toward the -entrance to the harbour, and was hidden now from Mr. Carleton's view by a -little strip of land that made out in one place, and on which some -tumble-down sheds stood leaning toward the water. - -Mr. Carleton went down confidently to the shore; but when he had arrived -at the place where they had drawn the dory out, he met with a surprise, -for there was no dory there. - -He looked about him, thinking he might have happened upon the wrong -place; but there could be no mistaking it. There were the same sheds, -with nets hung out, and the same boats in different stages of repair that -he had observed with a careful eye when they had come ashore. - -He went along the beach for a little distance, to where a lamp gleamed in -one of the sheds, and knocked at the door. - -"Some one seems to have taken our tender," he said to a man that opened -to his knock. "Do you know where I can borrow one or hire one for an hour -so I can go out aboard? My yacht lies down there below that point. -Anything you say for pay, you know." - -"I've got a skiff you're welcome to use, if you only fetch it back before -morning," replied the man, good-naturedly. "I don't want pay for it, -though. Just drag it up out of the reach of the tide when you come in." - -He pointed to the boat, and Mr. Carleton, dragging it into the water, -stepped in and sculled away. - -He was alert enough now, and he worked the little boat with a skilled -stroke and a practised arm. There were a pair of oars aboard, but it -sufficed him to use the scull-hole at the stern, with a single oar, which -gave him the advantage of being able to look ahead. He put his strength -into it, and the skiff worked its way rapidly through the fleet of -yachts. The evening was warm, and Mr. Carleton threw off jacket and -waistcoat and unbuttoned his collar. He was a strong, athletic figure as -he stood up to his work, peering eagerly ahead. - -Something gave him a sudden start, however, just as he cleared the point -that had lain between him and the _Viking_. Watching out for a glimpse of -the yacht, there seemed to be--or was it a trick of the eyes, or some -reflection from across the water--there seemed to be a momentary flash of -light from the cabin windows. Just a gleam, or an apparent gleam, and -then all was dark. - -Mr. Carleton had stopped abruptly, straining his eyes at the yacht ahead. - -"Strange," he muttered softly, resuming his sculling and watching the -yacht more eagerly, "I could have sworn that was a light in the cabin. If -'twas a light, though, it must have been in one of the other boats." - -He proceeded vigorously on his way. - -At this very moment, however, there came another surprise to Mr. -Carleton, greater than the other. - -Henry Burns, going down to the shore and sculling out to the _Viking_, -had found the cabin unlocked, as he had recalled; but everything was -safe. It was comfortable aboard the yacht, and he decided to remain, -planning to go ashore early in the morning in time for breakfast at the -hotel. He sat up for some little time, however, and it was, indeed, his -cabin light that Mr. Carleton had seen, the moment before he had -extinguished it, to turn in for the night. - -Mr. Carleton, sculling on now cautiously toward the _Viking_, suddenly -heard a noise aboard the yacht. He paused again, then seated himself -quickly at the stern of the skiff, as a boyish figure emerged from the -companionway of the _Viking_ and came out on deck. It was Henry Burns, -taking one last look at the anchor-line, and a general look around, -before he went off to sleep. - -There was nothing within sight to excite Henry Burns's interest. -Everything was all right aboard the _Viking_. There were the few lights -still left, up in the village streets. There were a few yachts anchored -at a little distance. There was the dark shore-line, with its tumbling -sheds huddled together here and there. And, also, there was the lone -figure of a man, seated at the stern of a small skiff, sculling slowly -down past, some distance away. It was all clear and serene in Henry -Burns's eyes, and he went below, rolled in on his berth, and went to -sleep. - -The lone figure that Henry Burns had seen in the skiff had ceased -sculling now. He seemed to have no destination in view. The oar was drawn -aboard and the skiff drifted with the tide. What the man in the skiff was -thinking of--what he contemplated--no one could know but he. - -But he resumed his sculling, very softly and slowly, after the lapse of a -full half-hour. Noiselessly he described a circle about the yacht, -drawing in nearer and nearer. Then he paused irresolutely, once more, and -waited. Only he could know what would happen next. Perhaps he, too, was -racked with uncertainty and irresolution. For once he seized the oar and -worked the skiff up to within twenty feet of the gently swinging yacht. -Then he paused again and waited. - -Henry Burns's sleep might, perchance, have been troubled could he have -dreamed of the man now, waiting and watching just off the starboard bow -of the _Viking_, while he slept within. But no dreams disturbed his sound -slumbers. - -Nor did aught else disturb them. For, presently, there came out from -shore another boat, a rowboat with three men in it. They were laughing -and joking about something that had happened ashore. - -Mr. Carleton, resuming his oar, sculled gently away from the _Viking_, -worked his way back again through the fleet of yachts whence he had come, -drew the skiff out of water where he had embarked, dragged it up on the -beach, and cast it from him roughly. Then he strode away up the bank to -the hotel, muttering under his breath, and looking back out over the -water once or twice as he ascended the hill, like a man that has suffered -an unexpected defeat. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - SQUIRE BRACKETT IS PUZZLED - - -Henry Burns was up early the next morning, as he had planned. He rowed -the dory quickly in to the landing-place, and was in Harvey's room before -that young gentleman was out of bed. - -"Why, I didn't hear you get up," said Harvey. - -"That's not so surprising," replied Henry Burns, "seeing as I got up -aboard the _Viking_. I slept there." - -"Is that so?" exclaimed Harvey. "I wonder how Mr. Carleton would like -that if he knew it. He needn't have hired so big a room just for me. Say, -but he's a jolly good fellow, though, isn't he?" - -"He is certainly a generous one," answered Henry Burns. - -Harvey smiled at his companion. - -"What is it you don't like about him, Henry?" he asked. - -"Why, nothing," replied Henry Burns. "Who said I didn't like him? I never -did." - -"No, you didn't," admitted Harvey. "But I know you well enough by this -time to tell when you really like a person. Now, if I asked you if you -like George Warren, you'd come out plump and flat and swear he is a fine -chap, and all that. But you don't seem quite sure about Mr. Carleton. I -think he's the best man that ever came down here. He likes to have a good -time with us boys--which is more than most men do; he enters into things; -he buys everything, and he tells good stories. What fault do you find -with him?" - -"Not any," laughed Henry Burns. "He's everything you say he is, and I -think he is one of the most generous men I ever met. There, don't that -satisfy you? But I'll tell you one thing, Jack. I was just thinking I -shouldn't want to be in Mr. Carleton's way if he had made up his mind to -do a certain thing. He's the kind of a man that wouldn't be interfered -with when once he was decided." - -"How do you make that out?" asked Harvey. - -"Oh, just by a lot of little things," answered Henry Burns, "not any of -them of any particular consequence of themselves. By the way, do you -remember inviting him to sail down the river?" - -"Why, not exactly," replied Harvey, somewhat puzzled. - -"Well, you didn't," said Henry Burns, laughing quietly. "He invited -himself. He said, 'I'll sail down with you,' or 'I'll go along with you,' -or something of that sort. - -"And do you remember inviting him to go out sailing on this trip?" -continued Henry Burns. - -"No," replied Harvey, a little impatiently. - -"That's because he invited himself," said Henry Burns, still smiling. "I -remember that he said, 'I'll go out sailing with you to-morrow.' That -settled it in his mind." - -"Well, what of it?" asked Harvey. - -"Nothing," replied Henry Burns. "I'm just as glad as you are that he -proposed it. I've enjoyed his company and his generosity. I only say he -is a man that I'd rather have for a friend than an enemy." - -Jack Harvey laughed. - -"Well, you may be right," he said. "I never think of looking at anybody -as deep as that. If a man comes along and wants a sail and wants some -fun, and is willing to do his share, why, that's enough for me. And if -he's up to any tricks, why, he and I'll fight and have it over with. I -don't worry about what might happen." - -"Did you ever see me worry about anything?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Why, no," said Harvey, emphatically, "I never did. I meant that I don't -think about things just as you do." - -Which was certainly true. - -If Mr. Carleton had any notion in his head that he had, as Harvey had -suggested, hired a larger room for him and Henry Burns than was really -needed--or if he had any notion in his head that he had wasted his money -in hiring any rooms at all at the hotel--he showed no sign of it when he -appeared in the office and they went into the dining-room. Indeed, he -thought it a good joke on Henry Burns that he should have had to go off -to the yacht for the night, and he laughed very heartily over it, behind -his big moustache. - -The wind was blowing fresh from the south as the party went out on the -hotel piazza. It had started up early in the morning, along with the -beginning of the flood-tide, which meant, in all likelihood, that it -would blow fresher from now on until sundown. There were already -whitecaps to be seen over all the bay, and the yachts that were out under -sail were lying over to it and throwing the spray smartly. It was a good -morning to show the fine sailing qualities of a boat, and they were eager -to be off. - -They went down through the town, then, to where the dory was tied. - -As they took hold to drag it down the beach, a fisherman, weather-beaten, -and smoking a short stub of a clay pipe, approached them. Addressing Mr. -Carleton, he said, good-naturedly, "Well, you got out and back safe, I -see. Found your own boat again all right, eh?" - -Mr. Carleton, glancing coolly at the man that had accommodated him the -night before, said, carelessly, "Guess you've got the advantage of me, -captain. I'm afraid I haven't the pleasure of your acquaintance." - -The man slowly removed his pipe and stared at Mr. Carleton in amazement. - -"Wall, I swear!" he ejaculated. "D'yer mean to say it wasn't you that -borrowed my skiff last night to go out to your yacht?" - -Mr. Carleton laughed heartily. - -"Well," he replied, "seeing as I haven't any yacht to go out to, in the -first place, and seeing as I was up at the hotel all last night, I think -you must indeed have me mixed up in your mind with somebody else. -However, if anybody has been using my name around here to hire a boat, -I'm willing to pay, if you're a loser." - -"Oh, no, sir," said the man, apologetically. "I don't want no pay. I just -accommodated somebody, and it looked surprisingly like you. Excuse me. -Guess I must have made a mistake." - -"Ho! that's all right, no excuse needed," said Mr. Carleton, lightly. -"You're going to row us out, are you, Harvey? Well, I'll push her off and -sit down astern. I'm the heaviest." - -They rowed out to where the _Viking_ was tossing uneasily at her line, as -though eager to be free and away from the lee of the land, amid the -tumbling waves. - -It was quite rough outside, and the wind increasing every minute; so they -put a reef in the mainsail and set only the forestaysail and a single -jib. Then, with anchor fished, they were quickly in the midst of rough -weather, with the spume flying aboard in a way that sent them scuttling -below for their oilskins. - -The harbour out of which they were now beating made inland for a mile or -two. The waters ran back thence in a salt river for several miles more, -before they grew brackish, and then were merged into a stream of fresh -water that had its origin in a pond back in the country. It followed, -that the waters of the harbour flowed in and out with much swiftness and -strength; and now, the flood-tide and the south wind being coincident, -coming in together strongly, it was slow working out, even with as good a -boat as the _Viking_. There was a heavy sea running, too, which served to -beat them back. They tacked to and fro, but they drew ahead of the -landmarks ashore very slowly. - -"I say, my lad," cried Mr. Carleton all at once, stepping aft to where -Harvey held the wheel, "let me take her a few minutes and see what I can -do, will you? Oh, you needn't be afraid that I'll upset you," he added, -as Harvey somewhat reluctantly complied. "I've owned boats and sailed -them, too,--as good as this one, if I do say it." - -It was clearly evident, as he seated himself astride the helmsman's seat, -that he was no novice. He held the yacht with a practised hand, and, -moreover, asserted himself with the rights of skipper. - -"Haul in on that main-sheet a little more," he said to Harvey. - -"She won't do as well with the boom so close aft in a heavy sea," replied -Harvey. - -"Oh, yes, she will," answered Mr. Carleton, coolly. "You are right as a -general proposition, but I'll show you something. I've been watching the -run of the tide." - -Harvey, not agreeing, still acquiesced in the order, and hauled the boom -aft. - -"A little more," insisted Mr. Carleton. "There, that will do. Now you -will see us fetch out of the harbour." - -To Harvey's surprise, and that of the other boys, the yacht certainly was -doing better. Mr. Carleton held her so close into the wind that the sail -almost shook. Every now and then it quivered slightly. But they surely -were making better progress. - -"Well," admitted Harvey at length, "that goes against what I've been -taught about sailing. The sheet a little off in a heavy sea and keep her -under good headway is Captain Sam's rule." - -"Quite correct," said Mr. Carleton, smiling. "But, if you notice, the -tide sets swift around that point ahead and we get the full force of it. -Now, with the boat heading off as you had it, don't you see we were -getting the head wind and head tide both on the same side--both hitting -the port bow and throwing her back? Now, do you see what we are doing? -She's heading up into the wind so far that the force of the tide hits the -starboard bow. So we've got the wind on one side and the tide on the -other; and, between the two forces, we go ahead." - -Harvey's respect rose for Mr. Carleton. - -"That's right," he said. "I've heard something of that kind, too. But I -never thought much about it." - -"Well, the tide is three-fourths of sailing," responded Mr. Carleton. -"Now as we clear this point we'll start the sheet off once more a little. -It's rougher, and we'll need all the headway we can make." - -It was evident Mr. Carleton was no hotel piazza sailor. He was as happy -as a boy out of school, as he held the wheel with a firm, strong hand, -heading up for the deep rollers and pointing off again quickly, keeping -the yacht under good headway, and watching the water ahead, and the -drawing of the jib, with a practised eye. They had never seen him so -enthusiastic. - -He was, somehow, a picture of particular interest to Henry Burns, who had -a way of observing how persons did things, and who conceived some -impression of them accordingly, beyond a mere surface one. - -It being a fact, to a degree, that a boat has as many peculiarities--one -might almost say individualities--all its own as a human being, or a -horse, it was interesting to see how quickly Mr. Carleton took note of -them and handled his boat accordingly. He seemed to realize at once just -how she would take the wind; how stiffly she would stand up in a flaw; -just how much the jib and forestaysail needed trimming to be at their -best; just how to humour the boat in several little ways to get the most -out of her. And he did it all very confidently. - -That he was a man of sharp discernment, and quick to learn things, was -the impression he made on Henry Burns. And if there should come a time -when Henry Burns, remembering many things which he now observed, but -attached no particular importance to, should put them all together and -form a conclusion regarding them and of Mr. Carleton, why certainly there -was nought of that in his mind now. - -He did observe one thing, however, in particular, and it was in accord -with what he had told Harvey concerning Mr. Carleton. The man had -aggressiveness and determination. Mr. Carleton surely believed in holding -a boat down to its work. There was no timidity, even to a point that -bordered on recklessness, in the way he met the heavier buffetings of the -wind. Where a more cautious man would have luffed and spilled a little of -the wind, Mr. Carleton held the wheel firm and let the _Viking_ heel over -and take it, seeming to know she would go through all right; as though he -should say, "You can stand it. Now let's see you do it. I'll not indulge -you. I know what you can stand. You can't fool me." - -Henry Burns rather liked him for this. There was something that he -admired in his skill and courage. - -The yacht _Viking_ was weathering the seas grandly. She was a boat that -did not bury deep in a smother, and flounder about and pound hard and -lose headway, but rode the waves lightly and went easily to windward. - -"Works well, doesn't she?" cried Harvey, enthusiastically. - -"Splendid, better than ever--better than she did coming down the river, -and yesterday," responded Mr. Carleton. "She'd almost stand a -gaff-topsail even with this breeze. That's a good clean stick, that -topmast. However, I guess we're doing well enough. We won't set it, eh?" - -"Here, you take the wheel," he said the next moment to Henry Burns, whom -he had observed eying him sharply. "Let's see what kind of a sailor you -are." - -One might have thought it was Mr. Carleton's own boat. He said it with -such an air. - -Henry Burns acquiesced calmly and with that confidence he had when he -knew he could do a thing right. Here was another individual who could -learn things quickly, too; and if Harvey had had more experience than he -in actual sailing and handling a boat, Henry Burns more than matched him -in coolness and resource. - -"You'll do," said Mr. Carleton at length. "I'll risk my life with you and -Harvey any day. How's the crew--are they pretty good sailors, too?" - -"First class," said Henry Burns. "We'll show you there isn't a lubber -aboard." And he turned the wheel over first to Tom and then to Bob, who -acquitted themselves very creditably, showing they had picked up the -knowledge of sailing wonderfully well. - -"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "That's the way to run a boat. Give every -man a chance to get the hang of it. One never knows what's going to -happen to a sailboat and who's going overboard, or get tangled up in a -sheet, or something the matter; and then it pays to have a crew any one -of whom can take hold at a moment's notice and lend a hand." - -So, having established himself in their confidence, and with mutual good -feeling aboard, Mr. Carleton declared himself well pleased with their -trip, as they beat up to Southport harbour. He hadn't enjoyed himself so -much in years, he said. And he thanked them cordially for his good time, -as they rowed him ashore. - -"We're much obliged to you, too," replied Harvey, "for the fun you've -given us." - -"Oh, that don't amount to anything," said Mr. Carleton. - -Mr. Carleton, oddly enough, had occasion to make Henry Burns and Jack -Harvey an apology not many hours afterward. - -The afternoon and evening had passed, and the two yachtsmen, leaving -Tom and Bob to spend the night ashore in their tent, had gone out -aboard the _Viking_. They had sat up reading until about half-past ten -o'clock,--rather later than usual,--when a most unexpected visitor -appeared. It was none other than Mr. Carleton, rowing alongside in a -small rowboat belonging to Captain Sam. He made this fast now and climbed -aboard. - -"Really this is imposing on your hospitality," he said, appearing at the -companionway. "But the fact is, I'm in a bit of a scrape. I've left my -key in another pair of trousers in Captain Curtis's house, and the door -is locked there, and they're evidently all fast asleep, as it's getting -on to eleven. I hated to wake them up, so I came down on the point and -looked in at your friends' tent. They were sleeping like good fellows, -too, and I couldn't see any extra blanket to roll up in. Then I spied -your light out aboard here. Do you think you can spare me a bunk and a -blanket for a night?" - -"We'll be only too glad to return your favour of last night," replied -Henry Burns. - -"Though you didn't make use of it yourself, eh," said Mr. Carleton, -smiling. - -They were off to sleep then in short order, Henry Burns and Harvey -occupying the cushioned berths amidships, and their guest one of the same -just forward, where Tom or Bob usually slept. - -There was really nothing of consequence occurring in the night, to be -recorded, except a slight incident that showed Mr. Carleton to be a bad -sleeper. - -Perhaps it was the strange quarters he was in that made him restless, so -that he lay for an hour or two listening to the deep breathing of the -boys, himself wide awake. Yet he was considerate, was Mr. Carleton, and -made no move to arouse them. - -Even when he sat up, after a time, and threw the blanket off, and lit a -match under the cover of the blanket to read the face of his watch by, he -did it very softly. Perhaps, even then, he was solicitous lest their -sleep be disturbed; for he stole quietly along to where they lay, and -made sure he had not aroused them. - -By and by, Mr. Carleton made another move. Taking the blanket that had -covered him, he pinned it up so that it hung from the roof of the cabin -as a sort of curtain. Then he lighted one of the cabin lamps, turning it -down so that it shone only very dimly. - -"Hang it, I don't know what makes me so wakeful," he said, in a low -voice. "That light doesn't disturb either of you boys, does it?" - -There was no answer. But Mr. Carleton, apparently to make certain, -repeated the question two or three times, very softly, so as not to -arouse them if they were sleeping, but to be overheard in case one of -them should be awake. And he repeated also the remark several times about -his sleeplessness. - -And also did he mutter to himself, so that none other could by any -possibility have overheard, "Perhaps a light will show. I couldn't make -anything out by daylight." - -A moment or two after that, Henry Burns, opening one sleepy eye to an -unusual though faint ray of light, escaping from behind the blanket, -beheld the figure of Mr. Carleton moving about the forward part of the -cabin. He lay still for a moment wondering, drowsily, what was the -matter. Perhaps he might have observed the figure for some time in -silence, but of a sudden he was seized of an overpowering impulse to -sneeze, and did so lustily. - -The figure with the lantern jumped as though it had received a blow. -Then, by the light of the lantern, the blanket being whisked aside, Mr. -Carleton was revealed, with a paper-covered novel in one hand, seating -himself in the attitude of one reading. - -"That's too bad," he said, softly. "I thought the blanket would hide my -light. I got restless, you see, and have been reading a bit. I'm all -right now though, I think. I'll douse the light and try again. Sorry I -disturbed you." - -The light went out. Hence neither Henry Burns nor any one else could by -any possibility have seen the look of anger and disappointment on the -face of Mr. Carleton as he turned in and lay down to sleep--this time in -earnest. - -While thus living his boyhood over again with his new youthful -acquaintances, Mr. Carleton did not neglect to establish friendly -relations with older persons. Squire Brackett admired him greatly. As -matter of fact, to a designing person, the squire was the easiest man in -the world to win admiration from. - -He had an inordinate vanity and love of flattery, which, united with a -pompous manner, made him unbearable to those of discrimination; and this -entrance to his good graces was quickly espied by Mr. Carleton. The -squire liked that quiet, but perceptible, deference that came to him from -a person of such apparent means. - -There was, however, another reason that appealed even more strongly to -the squire why he should cultivate Mr. Carleton, and that was a hint the -squire had gained that his new acquaintance might prove profitable to -him. - -"Squire Brackett," said Mr. Carleton, seated for the evening on the -squire's front porch, "that's a pretty little island just below here, -close to shore, between here and where those four boys are camping. Do -you know, I'd like to own that. I have an idea a man could throw out a -neat, rustic bridge from shore, just big enough to take a horse and -carriage across, build a cottage out there, and have the most beautiful -place about here." - -"Well, why don't you buy it?" replied the squire. "It would, indeed, be a -rare cottage site--prettiest spot around here, I say." - -"I think perhaps I will," said Mr. Carleton; "that is, if it is for sale. -Do you know anything about that?" - -"Why," answered the squire, "I guess I come about as near as anybody to -owning it. You see, I hold a mortgage on it." - -"How much do you value it at?" asked Mr. Carleton. - -"Why, let me see," said the squire; "about twenty-five hundred dollars, I -should say." - -"Cheap enough!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "I'll just write up to my lawyers -and see how some investments I have are turning-out. I think we can make -a trade later on." - -He said it as though it was a trifling matter, and the squire, who had -named an exorbitant figure, was sorry he had not put it higher. He also -had neglected to explain that his hold on the land was of the slightest, -consisting, as it did, of a mortgage of eight hundred dollars against -Billy Cook, the owner, who had paid off all but two hundred dollars of -the incumbrance. However, he had no doubt he could easily buy it of Billy -Cook--indeed, he had had it offered to him for only four hundred dollars -above the entire mortgage the year before. - -"You ought to have a good boat to cruise around here with," said the -squire. "You're fond of sailing, I see. Reckon you know how to handle a -boat pretty well yourself." - -The squire knew he hadn't any boat to sell that would suit Mr. Carleton, -calling to mind his son's letter from him about the _Viking_; but he had -a purpose in suggesting the buying of one. He considered that if Mr. -Carleton should make such a purchase, and become fascinated with the -sailing about Southport, he would be more likely to want the land to -build a cottage on. - -"Yes, I am very fond of sailing," responded Mr. Carleton, "but I haven't -got so far as to think about buying a boat just yet." - -"Oh, ho! you haven't, eh?" said the squire to himself. "Reckon I know -something about that." - -The squire was vastly tickled. Here was a position that just suited his -crafty nature. It didn't signify anything, to be sure, Mr. Carleton's -dissembling,--probably that he might get a better bargain by keeping -quiet and not seeming anxious to buy,--but it pleased the squire to have -this little advantage in the situation. - -"I think you might buy the _Viking_," he suggested. - -Mr. Carleton had his own doubts about this, having been informed by Harry -Brackett of the failure of his attempt, but he merely said, "That so? -Well, she might do. Ever hear of anything queer about her--any outs about -her?" - -"No," replied the squire, "nothing queer about her, except the way they -got her. I don't know of any faults that she has." - -"Well, I might buy her if they didn't hold her too high," said Mr. -Carleton, meditatively. "I suppose she's worth fifteen hundred dollars -easy enough." - -"Yes, and more if you had her up Boston way," answered the squire. "You -haven't had any idea of buying her, then?" - -"No," responded Mr. Carleton. "Still, I might like to. But please don't -say anything about it." - -"Oh, no," replied the squire, chuckling to himself. Mr. Carleton, bidding -him good night and taking his departure, was more than ever an object of -interest to the squire. Here was a man that spoke in the most casual and -nonchalant way of investing twenty-five hundred dollars in a piece of -land that he liked, and of buying a fifteen-hundred-dollar boat. The -squire's curiosity, always keen in other persons' affairs, was aroused. -He wondered--in the usual trend of such personal curiosity--how the other -man had made his money. - -This curiosity was not abated, to say the least, by a comparatively -trifling incident that occurred a day or two following. The squire had, -in the cupola of his house, which he used as a vantage-point for -surveying the bay far out to sea, and the surrounding country up and down -the island, a large telescope. It was a powerful glass, with which he -could "pick up" a vessel away down among the islands, and read the name -on the stern of one a mile away. The squire had some interests in several -small schooners plying between the coast cities and Benton, and was in -the habit of going up to his lookout two or three times each day. - -On this particular occasion, the squire, after sweeping the bay with the -glass, turned it inland and took a look down the island. He could -distinguish several familiar wagons passing along the main road, but -nothing unusual. But, when he happened to turn the glass almost directly -back inland from the direction of the town, he caught an object in its -sweep that arrested his attention. It was the figure of his new -acquaintance, Mr. Carleton, leaning against some pasture bars about a -quarter of a mile away, intently reading a letter. - -There was surely nothing unusual nor exciting about this, and yet the -squire was interested. Perhaps it was due just to the novelty of -observing a man a quarter of a mile away, reading a letter, when he could -by no possibility be aware that he was being observed. - -But if the squire's attention was drawn to Mr. Carleton in the act of -reading the letter, it was certainly doubled and trebled when the latter, -having finished his perusal of it, waved the letter in a seemingly -triumphant manner about his head and then tore it into many little pieces -and dropped the pieces at his feet. Squire Brackett, through the -spy-glass, watched Mr. Carleton come down through the fields toward the -village. - -He knew the exact spot to the inch where Mr. Carleton had stood. It was -at the bars that divided a pasture belonging to the postmaster and a -piece of town property. The squire shut the sliding glass windows that -protected his lookout, hurried out-of-doors, walked briskly up through -the fields, making a detour to avoid meeting Mr. Carleton, and arrived, -somewhat short of breath, at the bars. He gathered up the pieces of the -letter carefully. He put them into his coat-pocket, and walked briskly -back to his house. - -He hadn't got them all, for the wind had carried some away. But the -letter had evidently been a brief one. When the squire took the pieces -out that afternoon at his desk in a little room that he called his -office, there were only eleven scraps that he could assemble. Mr. -Carleton had torn the letter into small bits. - -The squire was disappointed. He had hoped to gratify his curiosity and be -able to pry into Mr. Carleton's private affairs a little. And withal, -there were two words that interested him greatly and made his -disappointment all the more keen. These were two words that followed, one -the other, in the sequence in which they had been written. They were the -words, "aboard yacht." All the others had been so separated in the -destruction of the letter that the squire despaired of ever being able to -make anything out of them, or to restore them to anything like their -original consecutive form. - -However, he arranged the words and scraps of words by pasting them on a -sheet of paper, as follows: - - lock - ey - must be - sound - mbers - aboard yacht - starboa - still - under - ays - third - -"Well, there's a puzzle for you!" he exclaimed, dubiously. "How in the -world shall I ever be able to make anything out of that?" But the next -moment he gave a chuckle of exultation. "I've got part of it already!" he -cried. "Lucky I happened to set them down just this way. Those letters, -'mbers' must have been part of the word 'timbers.' So that, after the -first three scraps that I have put down, it reads, 'sound timbers aboard -yacht.' I'll get something out of this yet. There's 'starboa,' too. -That's 'starboard,' of course. And 'ays' below may be 'stays.' That might -make 'starboard stays.'" - -A look of perplexity came over the squire's face the next moment. - -"The queer thing about this," he said, reflectively, "is that somebody -away from here is writing him about this yacht. Perhaps they don't mean -the _Viking_. However, I believe that is the boat referred to. Well, he -may be only getting advice from some one as to how to examine the -yacht--how to look her over. The remark about 'sound timbers' sounds like -that, anyway. So ho! he isn't thinking about buying a yacht, eh?" - -The squire chuckled. - -"I'll study this over at my leisure," he said, as he placed the paper -with the letters pasted on it carefully away in a drawer. "I'll figure it -out." - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - THE SURPRISE SETS SAIL AGAIN - - -The work on the _Surprise_ had gone on famously, though it had been a -hard task. The labour of cleaning her, inside and out, had been well -begun down in the Thoroughfare, but there remained still much to be done -after she had been floated up into the harbour of Southport. - -First, the boys had brought her in on the beach, at a point a little way -up the cove from the Warren cottage, where there was a break in the rocky -shore, and a clean strip of sand extended back from the water's edge. -There they had raised her on blocks and shored her up so they could work -to advantage. - -They swarmed over and in and out of her then like ants in an ant-hill, -every boy lending a hand, from the Warren brothers to the campers down -below. They scrubbed and scraped her, inside and out, and washed her -insides with soap and hot water. - -Then, following Captain Sam's advice, they built a fire on the shore and -melted a kettle full of pitch and tar. When they had gone over the entire -planking of the boat, setting up the nails that had slackened with the -straining it had undergone, and had driven many new ones in between, -Harvey, equipped with an enormous brush, and having taken up the cabin -flooring, smeared the inner part of the boat's planking with the tar and -pitch, filling all the seams with it. - -Then they went over the entire hull on the exterior, tightening it up, -scraping, sandpapering, and rubbing until their hands were blistered and -their arms ached. Then came the painting of the cabin and outer hull, and -the scraping and varnishing of the decks. The mast and ballast they had -brought up from the Thoroughfare. The latter, cleansed of its rust and -given a coating of hot coal-tar, was ready to be stowed aboard. The mast, -scraped and varnished till it glistened once more, had been carefully -stepped and fastened above and below. The yacht _Surprise_, with clean, -shining spars, with polished, glistening decks, and with hull spotless -white, was ready once more for the water. Long before they had tested -their work with innumerable buckets of water thrown aboard, and had found -her tight and not a leak remaining. - -Jack Harvey eyed the yacht admiringly, as he paused, half-way up the bank -from where she stood. His companions in the day's work had gone on ahead. - -"She's a fine old boat," he said, "and she's just as good as new. I've -had a lot of fun in her, too. I'll never have any more fun in the -_Viking_ than I've had in her, though the _Viking_ is bigger and -handsomer. I'd be satisfied with the _Surprise_ if I hadn't got the other -one." - -The moment seemed almost opportune for the offer that followed. - -"That's a fine craft there," cried a voice so close in Harvey's ear that -it made him jump, for he had been so lost in the admiration of the -_Surprise_ that he had not heard the sound of any one approaching. He -turned quickly, and there was Mr. Carleton. - -"Doesn't look much as though she had been under water all winter, does -she?" asked Harvey. - -"I should say not," replied Mr. Carleton. "Looks as though she was just -out of the shipyard. I don't see what you need of the _Viking_ when -you've got such a boat as this. You'd better let me hire the _Viking_ -from you for the rest of the summer." - -"Sorry," replied Harvey, "but I can't do it. You see, I've promised to -let the crew have this boat, and they have set their hearts on it. I -wouldn't disappoint them now for a hundred dollars." - -"How about two hundred dollars?" suggested Mr. Carleton. - -Harvey hesitated for a moment. - -"No!" he cried, determinedly, "not for a thousand dollars. There! I've -said it, and I mean it. I want the money bad enough, too. But the crew -are going to have this boat. We've made all the arrangements, and we are -using the _Viking_ for fishing, and we've got to be off for another trip, -too, for we have been about here, earning nothing, for quite awhile now." - -"I'll give you eighteen hundred dollars if you will sell the _Viking_," -said Mr. Carleton. - -Harvey shook his head stubbornly. - -"No use," he said. "But," he added, "you can arrange with the crew to -take you sailing easy enough when we aren't around here. They'll be glad -to have you go." - -"Hm!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "Well, all right; but if you change your -mind, let me know. - -"When are you going to launch this one?" he added. - -"Why, I think we'll put her into the water this evening," replied Harvey. -"That is, if we don't get a shower. The moon will be up and the tide -right. That's why we are coming away so early now. We're going up to the -Warren cottage to get out some Japanese lanterns, and get the cannon -ready. When we launch her, we are going to run a line from the masthead -to the stern, and hang a chain of the lanterns, light them, and tow the -_Surprise_ around to the wharf in style, and fire a salute. Then she'll -be ready for Captain Sam to fit the sails in the morning. Better come -around and see the fun." - -"Will you all be over here?" inquired Mr. Carleton. - -"The whole crowd," answered Harvey. - -"Then I'll be on hand sure," said Mr. Carleton--but added to himself, "if -I don't have something else to do." - -There seemed to be no prospect of anybody taking part in a launching on -this particular evening, however, for the dark clouds that had warned -Harvey spread over the sky, and a quickly gathering summer shower was -soon upon them. Harvey hurried up to the Warren cottage for shelter, and -Mr. Carleton started back on the run toward Captain Sam's. - -A rowboat or two out in the harbour put hurriedly in to shore. The -occupant of one of these latter craft, scurrying in and dashing homeward, -had, it seems, been noticed by Squire Brackett through his glass from his -observation-tower. - -"Harry," he said, as that young man came into the house, somewhat red in -the face and out of breath, "what were you doing just now out around the -_Viking_? I saw you row out behind her, and it took you at least three -minutes or more to come in sight again. You didn't go aboard her, did -you?" - -"No, I didn't go aboard," replied Harry Brackett, sulkily. - -"Well, see that you don't," said Squire Brackett, emphatically. "You -might not mean any harm by it, but you've had some trouble with those -boys already this summer, and they wouldn't like having you aboard unless -they invited you." - -"Hm! well, if I wait for that I'll never step aboard that boat," -exclaimed Harry Brackett. "And what's more, I don't want to go aboard. I -wouldn't go if they asked me." - -Having thus declared himself, Harry Brackett bolted his supper and -vanished. - -The shower, of rapid approach, was of equally brief duration. It had -begun raining big, splashing drops about half-past four o'clock. Now, an -hour later, it was brightening again, the sun darting its rays forth from -the breaking cloud-banks, and the rain-drops dripping only from eaves and -tree-branches. - -Henry Burns and Harvey were vastly elated. The launching need not be put -off, for the evening would be fair. They left the Warren cottage and -hurried down alongshore to where they had left their tender, rowed out to -the _Viking_, and began their preparations for supper. - -"Henry," said Harvey, "there's some sunlight left yet, and just enough -breeze to dry the sails nicely before we leave. The sooner they are dried -the less likely they are to mildew. Shall we run them up?" - -"Yes, let's be quick about it," replied Henry Burns. "The fire's ready -for the biscuit." - -They seized the halyards, one the throat and the other the peak, and -began hauling. The sail went up smartly--when, all at once, there was an -ominous, ripping sound. - -"Hold on!" cried Harvey, "something is caught." - -"Well, I should say there was!" exclaimed Henry Burns, when he had made -his halyard fast, and started to examine. "Cracky! but there are two big -tears in the sail." - -"I don't see how that can be," said Harvey, joining him. "It's a stout, -new mainsail." - -"Why, I see what did the mischief," he exclaimed, the next moment. "The -reefing-points are caught in two places. That's funny. We shook all the -reefs out the last time we brought her in." - -"Look and see if it's funny," said Henry Burns, quietly. "I suppose -somebody thought it was funny. Those knots didn't tie themselves." - -Harvey examined them, while his face reddened with anger. - -"I'll bet I could guess who did that!" he cried. - -"We'll attend to his case if you guess right," responded Henry Burns. - -The knots certainly could not have caught themselves. There had been -design in the act. In two places along the sail, one of the points for -the fourth reef had been tied with one of the first. The consequence of -this was, that when the united strength of the boys had come to bear -directly on these two places, instead of being exerted evenly along the -entire sail, the canvas had given away. - -Harvey clinched his fist for a moment, opened his lips, as though about -to give vent to his anger, and then suddenly subsided, with an expression -on his face that half-amused Henry Burns. - -"Say, Henry," he said, "I've played the same kind of a joke myself before -this, so I guess I might as well grin and bear it. But," he continued, -doubling up his fist once more, "perhaps I won't take it out of that -young Harry Brackett just the same, if I find out he did it." - -Henry Burns smiled assent. - -"Never mind," he said. "We can mend the tears so they won't show much." - -They untied the knots, raised the sail, and let it dry while they ate -their supper. - -"Say, Tim," said Harvey, an hour later, as they stood on shore by Tom and -Bob's tent, where the campers from down below had also assembled, "will -you do something for me?" - -"Sure," replied Little Tim. "What is it?" - -"Well, we want you to stay out aboard the _Viking_ while we go up the -cove and get the _Surprise_ off and float her around," said Harvey. "You -see, Henry and I have decided not to leave the _Viking_ deserted at night -after this--that is, unless we have to. But what we want to-night -particularly is for you to stay aboard and keep watch, and see if you -notice Harry Brackett around the shore or the wharf, looking off toward -the _Viking_. He's played us a fine trick, and made us tear our -mainsail--that is, we think he did it. But whoever it was will probably -be around to see if the trick worked. You don't mind, do you?" - -"No-o-o," answered Tim; "but don't fire the cannon till you get around -the point." - -"We won't," said Harvey. "Here's the key to the cabin." - -Little Tim rowed out aboard. - -It seemed, however, as though his vigil was to be a fruitless one. -Certainly, Harry Brackett failed to put in an appearance. Little Tim -stretched himself out on the seat and waited impatiently. - -"I don't see what Jack wanted to make me stay here for," he remarked, -when eight o'clock had come and gone and it was close upon nine, and the -moon was rising. - -Presently, however, he sat up and listened. Yes, there was somebody -rowing out from shore. Tim strained his eyes eagerly. Then shortly he -made out a somewhat familiar figure. - -"Hello, Mr. Carleton," he called; "I thought they said you were going up -to the launching." - -The man in the boat stopped rowing abruptly, and turned in his seat. But -if he was surprised to find anybody aboard the _Viking_ he did not show -it. - -"So I am," he replied. "Don't you want to go up with me?" - -"Can't do it," replied Little Tim. "I'm on watch. You'd better hurry, -though. The tide is about up. She'll be afloat soon now." - -Mr. Carleton rowed away. But he was not over-impatient, it would seem, -for he rowed leisurely. In fact, he did not get up to the place of the -launching at all, but paused off the wharf and sat idly in the stern of -his boat, smoking and enjoying the beauty of the rising moon. - -The yacht _Surprise_ was at last afloat in all its glory of new paint and -shining spars. She came around the point presently, towed by two boats -filled with the boys, the string of lanterns, with candles lighted, -swaying almost dangerously in the night breeze. The rowers halted abreast -the _Viking_, the report of the cannon rang out over the waters and up -through the quiet town, and the _Surprise_, now at anchor, lay waiting -for the morrow, when Captain Sam should stretch the sails. - -"Great success, wasn't it?" cried Tom Harris to the occupant of a rowboat -that had drifted up to them. - -"Great!" replied Mr. Carleton. "Great! Sorry I didn't get over in time to -see her go into the water." - -Mr. Carleton made up for his delinquency the next day, however, for he -was on hand early, and was much interested in the work of Captain Sam. He -knew something of reeving rigging, too, it seemed, and lent a hand now -and then. Joe Hinman and the crew liked him better than ever for it. - -He was down again after dinner, too, and ready as ever to be of -assistance. - -"Hello," he said, looking over toward the _Viking_, "are the other chaps -going to play truant this afternoon, and leave us to rig the _Surprise_? -I see they've got sail up." - -"Oh, they're off for a week's fishing down among the islands," said Joe. -"Jack said for us to go ahead and run the _Surprise_ as soon as Captain -Sam gets her ready. There they start now. They've cast off." - -The _Viking_ was, indeed, under way, with Henry Burns and Harvey and Tom -and Bob waving farewell. - -"Where are you bound?" called Mr. Carleton, springing to the rail and -hailing the _Viking_. - -"Down the bay, fishing," answered Harvey. - -"Great!" cried Mr. Carleton. "Bring her up a minute, and I'll come aboard -and make the trip with you." - -Harvey looked at Henry Burns inquiringly. - -Henry Burns glanced back at Mr. Carleton, but without altering the course -of the yacht. - -"Good-bye," he called, pleasantly. "Sorry, but we've got a full crew. -Couldn't pay you high enough wages, anyway. Next trip, perhaps. Good-bye, -fellows." - -Mr. Carleton watched the yacht, footing it fleetly southward; and there -was a look of genuine disappointment on his face. - -"Never mind," said Joe Hinman, "come along with us. We're off for a -little cruise ourselves, in the morning. We'd like to have you go." - -"No, thanks," replied Mr. Carleton. "I think I will wait ashore this -trip--yes, I will go, too," he said in the next breath. "I tell you where -we will go. We'll sail down to Stoneland. I haven't been down that far -yet. I'm with you." - -"All right," said Joe. As a matter of fact, he had not contemplated so -long a trip until the sails had been fully stretched and fitted under -Captain Sam's eye. But there was something positive about Mr. Carleton's -assertion. He said it with an assurance that seemed to take it for -granted that that settled it. So Joe good-naturedly acquiesced. - -"By the way," said Mr. Carleton the next morning, when they had met -outside Rob Dakin's store, "have you got a chart of these waters aboard?" - -"No," answered Joe. "Jack has all that stuff aboard the _Viking_. But we -don't need a chart around this bay, do we, fellows? Not to go as far as -Stoneland even. We know the bay all right." - -"Well, I don't doubt that," responded Mr. Carleton; "but I like to see -where I am sailing for my own information. I'll get one in the store." - -Mr. Carleton providing not only a chart for the voyage, but a quantity of -provisions as well, they set out in high feather. It certainly was a -stroke of luck, now that Harvey's pocket-money was low, to have so -liberal a passenger. - -He was an interested and discerning sailor, too, was Mr. Carleton. He had -a sailor's interest to read the depth of water on the chart as they -sailed, and to note the points of land off at either hand, and the -islands by name, as they went southward. And he traced it all accurately -on the chart as they progressed, with a little pencilling, especially -when they sailed between some small islands at the foot of Grand Island. - -"I like to know where I am, don't you?" he asked of Joe Hinman. "I may -buy a yacht of my own down here some day." - -He was interested in the harbour of Stoneland, too, and in the town; and -he took them all up to a store there and bought them bottled soda, and -bought their supper the night of their arrival there--which was the -second night after their departure from Southport. - -Then, at his suggestion, they cruised a little way down the channel that -was the thoroughfare out to sea, on the following morning, and would have -liked to go farther, but that Joe Hinman declared they must be getting -back, as the crew had an idea of doing some fishing on their own account, -to help Harvey out with expenses. - -"There!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, as they headed about finally, "there's -our course by the chart, laid down as fine as you please. I'm going to -give this chart to you--after I amuse myself with it awhile." - -But be it recorded that when the trip had been ended, several days later, -Mr. Carleton did not leave the chart aboard the _Surprise_, but took it -ashore with him. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - STORMY WEATHER - - -"Too bad we couldn't take Carleton along with us," said Harvey, as the -yacht _Viking_, with all sail spread, was beating down the bay. "He ought -to have asked us sooner. We might have managed to make room for him." - -"You mean, he ought to have said he was going sooner," said Henry Burns, -slyly. - -"Oh, I suppose so," replied Harvey, half-impatiently. "I see, you never -will quite like our new friend. By the way, that reminds me, he wants to -buy the _Viking_. He says he will give us eighteen hundred dollars. -That's the second offer we've had this summer." - -"Are you sure it isn't the same one?" suggested Henry Burns. - -"Why, of course it is," cried Jack Harvey. "Sure enough, that's what -Harry Brackett was up to. He was buying for Mr. Carleton--just trying to -show off, and make us think he had all that money." - -"That's queer, too," remarked Henry Burns, "that Mr. Carleton should try -to buy the _Viking_ after just that one short sail down the river." - -"Oh, I don't know," returned Harvey; "he saw what the boat could do--at -least, in smooth water. No, that wouldn't quite answer, either. He must -have heard about her from some of the fishermen over at Bellport." - -"Well, do you want to sell?" inquired Henry Burns. - -"Not much!" replied Harvey, emphatically. "I know you don't, either, -although you don't say so." - -"Well, that's true; I'd rather not," admitted Henry Burns. - -The wind was light, and they had only reached Hawk Island by six o'clock. -So, not caring to risk another experience making Loon Island Harbour in -the night, they anchored, and sailed over the next morning. They had -provided bait for two days' fishing before they left Southport, so they -stood on past Loon Island Harbour and ran out direct to the -fishing-grounds. - -They had a fair afternoon's fishing, and also set two short pieces of -trawl, for hake, a few fathoms off from one of the reefs. Captain Sam had -provided them with these. They were long lines, each with about a hundred -hooks attached at intervals by short pieces of line. At either end of the -trawl-line was a sinker, and also a line extending to the surface of the -water where it was attached to a buoy. This, floating conspicuously on -the water, would mark the spot where the trawl had been set. - -Baiting these many hooks all along the trawl with herring, bought for the -purpose at Southport, they set them at a point lying between two reefs, -in about twenty-five fathoms of water, where Will Hackett had informed -them there was a strip of soft, muddy bottom, a feeding-ground frequented -by these fish. - -Then they ran in to harbour with their catch of cod, and took them up to -the trader's wharf. - -"We're going to have some hake for you, too," said Henry Burns. "That is, -we expect to. What are you paying for hake these days?" - -The trader, Mr. Hollis, eyed the young fisherman with an amused -expression. - -"Going right into the business, aren't you?" he said. "Well, I like to -see you young fellows with some spunk. Don't fetch in so many that I -can't handle 'em," he added, with a twinkle in his eye; "and if you -underrun your trawls twice a day, so the fish will come in here good and -fresh, I'll pay you half a cent a pound. You'll find it some work, -though, when the sea is running strong. Got to take the fish off the -hooks in the morning, and then underrun again at evening and bait up all -the hooks for the night's catch." - -"We'll do that all right," responded Henry Burns. "We'll bring them in -fresh." - -They put in hard, busy days now, rising at the first of daylight and -going outside as soon as the wind would allow. They had only one dory -with which to tend the trawls, so two of the boys usually tended one, and -then the other two took their turn. It proved, indeed, hard work when the -sea was high. - -If the night's catch had been good, the trawls came up heavy; and there -was ever the danger, with the pitching of the boat, of running one of the -innumerable hooks into the hands. But they soon became expert at it, -learning how to sit braced in the boat and hold the trawl with a firm -grasp, so that it might not slip through the hands, and how to unhook the -fish. - -Then, when they had underrun both trawls, they would stand off in the -_Viking_ for a different feeding-ground for the cod, and fish until it -was time to bait up the trawls for the night. - -By degrees, they came to learn other feeding-grounds than the few Will -Hackett had shown them, by following the little fleet; and they went now, -occasionally, clear across the bay that lay between Loon Island and South -Haven Island. This was often rough water, for they were at the very -entrance to the bay, at the open sea, and the waves piled in heavily, -even when the wind was light, showing there had been a disturbance far -out. This took them to the shoal water in about the reefs at the foot of -South Haven Island, a protected spot from the north, under the lee, but -open to the full sweep of the sea from the south. - -It was in this place at about five of the afternoon, on the fourth day -following their arrival, that they experienced a sudden and startling -change of weather. - -They had gone out in the morning, with a light southerly breeze blowing, -which had held steadily throughout the day. But now, near sundown, it had -died away, so that they had weighed anchor and were about to beat back -slowly across the bay, toward harbour. - -They had scarcely got under way, however, when the wind, with -extraordinary fickleness, fell off altogether, a strange and unusual calm -succeeding. - -"That's queer!" exclaimed Harvey, glancing about with some apprehension. -"Looks as though we were hung up here for the night. It won't do to try -to anchor near these reefs, and we can't fetch bottom where we are. I -guess we are in for a row of a mile to get under the lee of one of those -little islands where we can lie safe." - -They were about half a mile out from the nearest line of reefs, floating -idly on the long swells, with the sails flapping and the boom swinging -inboard in annoying fashion. - -Henry Burns groaned. - -"Oh my!" he exclaimed. "What a beastly stroke of luck. I'm tired enough -to turn in now. Don't you suppose we'll get a little evening breeze?" - -"We may," replied Harvey, "but there's something queer in the way the -wind dropped all of a sudden. I'm afraid we've seen the last of the -breeze for to-day." - -But Jack Harvey's prophecy was refuted with startling suddenness. - -"Jack," said Bob, almost the next moment, "there's something queer about -the water just along the line of the reefs and the shore back of them." - -He pointed, as he spoke, to a strange, white light that lay in a long, -thin line just off the land, a half-mile ahead. It was almost ghostly, -with a brilliant, unnatural whiteness. And, even as they gazed, its area -rapidly extended and broadened. - -Harvey shot a quick glance ahead. Then he sprang from the wheel and -seized the throat-halyard. - -"Get the peak--quick!" he cried to Bob. "Head her square as you can for -the light, Henry. Tom, cast off the jib-halyards and grab the downhaul. -It's a white squall, I think." - -Henry Burns seized the wheel, while the two boys at the halyards let the -mainsail go on the run. There was no steerageway on the _Viking_, as they -had been drifting; but Henry Burns managed, by throwing the wheel over -quickly and reversing it moderately, to swing the boat's head a little. - -They were not a moment too soon. Out of a clear, cloudless sky, there -came suddenly rushing upon them a wind with such fury that, sweeping -across the bow, it laid the yacht over; while there flew aboard, from the -smother about the bow, a cloud of fine spray that nearly blinded them. - -The _Viking_, its head thrown off by the squall, that struck the outer -jib, which they had not been able to lower, careened alarmingly. Then -Henry Burns brought her fairly before it, just as a sea began to roll -aboard. The cockpit was ankle-deep with water; but they were scudding now -safely out to sea, drenched to the skin, as the squall, whipping off the -tops of the long rollers, filled all the air with a flying storm of -spray. - -The blast had fallen upon them so unexpectedly, and with such incredible -quickness, that they scarce knew what had happened before they were -running before it toward the open sea. - -They got the hatches closed now, after Tom had dashed below and brought -up the oilskins. True, they were soaked through and through, but the wind -had a sharp, cold sting to it, and the oilskins would protect them from -that. They got the outer jib down, too. Then, when they saw there was no -immediate danger, as the _Viking_ was acting well, they collected their -wits and discussed, hurriedly, what they should do. - -"My! but that was a close call," said Bob. "How did you know what was -coming, Jack?" - -"I didn't, exactly," said Harvey. "But I've heard the fishermen tell of -the white squalls, and I thought that was one." - -"Don't they say they are worse when they come between tides?" asked Henry -Burns, quietly. - -"Seems to me they do," answered Harvey. "I guess we're in for it. Lucky -we are running out to sea, instead of in on to a lee shore, though." - -"They don't last long, I've heard say," said Henry Burns. "We may be able -to face it by and by, and work back; though it will be a long beat, by -the way we are driving." - -They were, indeed, being borne onward with great force. Moreover, a quick -transformation had taken place over the surface of the waters; for the -fury of the squall, continuing as it did for some time from the west, had -calmed the waves, and there was almost a smooth sea before them. - -Then, presently, there came another strange alteration of the wind. The -violence of the squall abated, and the breeze fell away again. But only -for a brief length of time. As often happens, with the white squall as -its forerunner, the wind now changed from the southerly of the morning -and afternoon, to northeasterly; and already, as they proceeded to get -sail again on the _Viking_, the water darkened away to the north and -eastward, showing that a new breeze was coming from that quarter. They -were fully two miles out to sea. - -"Looks downright nasty, don't it, Jack?" said Henry Burns. "Better reef, -hadn't we?" - -"Yes, and in a hurry, too," replied Harvey. "It's coming heavy before -long." - -"Here, you take the wheel," said Henry Burns. "I'm quick at tying in -reef-points. Come on, Tom. Bob will set the forestaysail. How many reefs -do you want, Jack?" - -"Two, I think," replied Harvey. "We'll watch her close, though. I'm -afraid we shall need a third. But we'll work her back as far as we can -before we tie another. It's growing dark, and we must make time." - -It was true, and ominously so. With the alteration of the wind the sky -had darkened, and was becoming overcast. Night would soon be upon them, -and a stormy one. - -Nor had they beaten back more than a half-mile, in the teeth of the wind, -before Harvey luffed and hauled the main-sheet in flat. - -"We've got to put in a third reef," he said, soberly. "We don't need it -quite yet, but we shall very soon, and we don't want to have to reef out -here in the night." - -They lowered the sail a little and tied in the reef, and the _Viking_ -stood on again. But already the sea was beginning to roll up heavily from -the northeast, having a long sweep of water to become agitated in--the -stretch of bay that lay between Loon and South Haven Islands. The wind -had become a storm, a black, heavy nor'easter. In another half-hour, rain -began to drive upon them. - -But the good yacht _Viking_ stood it well, and they had worked up to -within about half a mile of the foot of Loon Island, though still a mile -away from it out in the bay, when the wind and sea perceptibly increased. - -"We can't make the harbour," muttered Harvey. "We'll try for the little -harbour at the head of the island." - -The inhabitants of Loon Island called that end the head which fronted -seaward, and there was a good harbour there; that is, not what the -fishermen called a "whole" harbour, protected on all quarters, but good -as the wind now blew. They headed more to the eastward and stood up for -that. - -But when, at length, Harvey peered ahead, straining his eyes in the -gathering darkness for a favourable moment to come about, he could see no -apparent difference in the seas. They were all huge, and they beat over -the bows of the _Viking_ in one steady, dashing spray. - -"She won't do it," said Harvey. - -But he eased her and headed off, while the _Viking_ rolled dangerously. -Then he put the helm hard down. - -"Ready, about," he cried. - -But his fears were realized. The seas were too heavy, with the sail that -they could carry. - -"Well, we'll wear her about," said Harvey. "Drop the peak, Henry; and -climb to windward, boys, when the boom comes over." - -There was peril in this manoeuvre, jibing a boat in such a sea and wind; -but it was clearly the only thing to be done. There was scant sail on, -with the peak lowered; and Harvey did the trick pluckily and -sailor-fashion. The sheet was well in and the boat almost dead before the -wind, before he threw the wheel over and let the wind catch the sail on -the other side. The yacht came around against a flying wall of foam and -spray, with the boys clinging for one moment to the weather rail, and -throwing all their weight on that side. Then Tom and Henry Burns, with -united strength, raised the peak of the sail, though it filled in the -gale and was almost too much for them. - -They stood up again toward harbour. - -"What do you think, Jack?" asked Henry Burns, finally. - -"I don't think--I know!" exclaimed Harvey, doggedly. "We can't make the -harbour. We've got to ride it out somehow. I don't know but what the best -thing, after all, is to leave just a scrap of sail on, to steady her, and -ran to sea again. We've got to decide pretty soon, though." - -"Wait a minute," said Henry Burns, quietly. "I've got a scheme. If it -doesn't work, we'll scud for our lives again." - -Making a quick dash into the cabin, he emerged with a spare line, a heavy -anchor-rope. Then he made a second trip and brought forth some smaller -and shorter pieces. - -"Get the sweeps and the boat-hook," he cried to Tom and Bob, "and fetch -up that water-cask and the big wooden fish-box." - -The boys waited not a moment to inquire the reason, though Henry Burns's -design was an enigma to them. They scrambled forward and then below, -handed the sweeps aft, and tumbled the box and cask out on deck. - -"Pass some lashings around the cask and the box," commanded Henry Burns. - -The boys lost no time in obeying orders, while Henry Burns, himself, -quickly took a hitch around either end of one of the sweeps, with one of -the short pieces of rope. He then tied the spare anchor-line at the -centre of this rope, so that, if the sweep were cast overboard, it would -be dragged through the water horizontally, offering its full resistance. - -To this sweep he then rapidly hitched the other one, and then the -boat-hook; and, finally, he hitched to this the big box and the cask, by -their lashings. - -"What in the world are you going to do with that stuff, Henry?" inquired -Bob. - -But Harvey had perceived the other's purpose. - -"Good for you, Henry!" he exclaimed. "Where did you ever hear about a -sea-anchor?" - -"Read about it in a book, once," responded Henry Burns, coolly. "What do -you say--shall we try it? We lose all the stuff if it don't work. We'll -have to cut it loose." - -"You bet we'll try it," said Harvey, hurriedly. "We can't be in much -worse shape than we're in. Get it up aft now, fellows; and Tom, you and -Bob be ready to jump for the halyards and lower the sail, when it goes -overboard. Then we'll tie in that fourth reef in a jiffy." - -The other end of the spare anchor-rope, to which the stuff was tied, was -yet to be made fast forward. This was a dangerous task, with the yacht -pitching heavily, as it was, and the seas flying aboard. So Henry Burns -passed a line about his waist, which was held by Tom and Bob, while he -scrambled forward in the darkness and accomplished the feat. - -Then they got the mass of stuff which they had tied together up to the -stern rail, and, at the word, heaved it overboard. Harvey kept the yacht -away from it for a few moments, so that the attraction that floating -objects have for one another should not bring it in alongside; and then, -when the line had nearly run out, brought the _Viking_ as close into the -wind as the seas would allow, and held her there. - -The yacht lost headway, and drifted back. Lowering the mainsail, they -hurriedly tied in the fourth and last reef. The forestaysail had been -taken in, long before. - -The line brought up; the clean-built, shapely hull of the yacht drifting -back faster than the bulky mass of stuff at the other end of it; and, as -the tension came on the line, the bow of the _Viking_ swung around, and -she was heading fairly up into the seas, which broke evenly on either -side. - -"It's great!" cried Harvey, exultantly. "You've got a wise head on you, -Henry Burns. Now let's get the scrap of a mainsail up, and she will lie -steadier." - -They hoisted the shred of sail, hauled the boom inboard so that it was as -nearly on a line with the keel as they could bring it, and lashed it -securely. The sail, thus getting the wind alike on either side, served to -steady the yacht, and she rolled less. They had given the improvised -sea-anchor the full length of the line, which was a long one, so that the -strain would be lessened; and the yacht was riding fairly well. - -"She'll stay like a duck, if the gear only holds," said Henry Burns. - -They waited, watching anxiously, till a half-hour had gone by. The yacht -was standing it well. The great seas lifted her bows high and dropped her -heavily into the deep, black furrows, and the rain and spray drove aboard -in clouds. But the yacht held on. - -"She'll stay, I think," said Henry Burns; and added, yawning wearily, "if -she don't, I hope she will let us know right away, for I'll fall asleep -here in the cockpit pretty soon. Oh! but this is hard work. I don't know -but what I'll quit and dig clams for a living." - -"Turn in and take a wink of sleep," said Harvey. "She's riding all right. -We'll call you if anything goes wrong." - -"Go ahead," urged Tom and Bob. - -"I believe I will," said Henry Burns. "But it won't be a wink, when I get -started. You'll have hard work to wake me. Let me know, though, when it's -my turn to take the wheel, and give one of you fellows a chance." - -With which, Henry Burns, satisfied in his mind that his scheme was -working well, went below and fell asleep, unmindful of the bufferings of -the seas, the straining of the _Viking's_ cabin fixtures, and the heavy -pitching and tossing that shook the yacht from stem to stern. - -"Go ahead, one of you," said Harvey, addressing Tom and Bob. "Two of us -can watch, and if we need you we'll call you." - -But they shook their heads. - -"I'm dead tired," admitted Bob; "but I couldn't sleep a wink down in that -cabin in this storm. We'll stick it out till morning, won't we, Tom?" - -"I'd rather," replied Tom. - -"So would I," said Harvey. "But that's just like Henry Burns. When he -takes a notion a thing is so, he believes it out-and-out. I honestly -believe he thinks he is as safe as he would be on an ocean liner." - -Evidently, Henry Burns was satisfied with the situation; and clearly he -was a good sleeper. For daybreak found him still wrapped in slumber. Nor -did he waken when, the storm abated and the _Viking_ safe at anchor in -the harbour at the head of Loon Island, Jack Harvey and the others -tumbled below and laid their weary bones beside him. - -But, to make return for their kindness in not arousing him to help work -the boat, he was up before them, and had dinner piping hot when they -opened their eyes at noontime. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - THE MAN IN THE CABIN - - -The storm that had so suddenly overtaken the _Viking_ had raged over all -of Samoset Bay. The yacht _Surprise_, running up before the afternoon -southerly, had been becalmed when near the foot of Grand Island, a mile -or so out, and had felt the first force of the succeeding nor'easter. But -the squall that so nearly inflicted disaster upon the _Viking_ had passed -over them. - -They only knew that the wind changed with startling abruptness, and most -capriciously, and that the sea began to roll up from the northeast in an -unusually brief time. - -They were in no danger, apparently, there being good anchorage in a -harbour formed by the foot of Grand Island and a small island adjacent, -where they could lie snug till the threatening weather had cleared. - -Still, their apparent safety did not prevent their receiving a momentary -shock of alarm, when they were within less than a half-mile of shelter. - -The yacht _Surprise_ was beating ably up to the lee of the islands, -thrashing about some and throwing the spray, as the waves came spitefully -chopping and tossing under the spur of the wind, when suddenly she -struck, bow on. There was a mild shock from one end to the other, and an -ominous grating sound along the bottom. At the same time, the centreboard -rod, hit by some object, was forced part way upward through its box. - -Joe Hinman, in great alarm, threw the yacht up into the wind, and glanced -anxiously about for breakers. But none was in sight. - -"We can't be in on the rocks," he gasped. "Why, we've been down here with -Jack fifty times, if we have once. There aren't any reefs out here." - -"I'll get that chart and take a look," said Mr. Carleton. - -"Better wait and see if we've stove a hole in the bottom," said Joe. - -But the next moment the mystery was explained. There was a continued -grating sound along bottom, and presently a bundle of floating laths -drifted out, clearing the rudder. Coincident with this, the yacht struck -again very slightly at the bows. Then, as they scanned the water all -about, the boys saw that they had run into a mass of drifting, -half-submerged laths, tied into bundles. It was clear that, in some blow, -or storm, the deck-load of a coaster had been carried overboard. - -By their water-soaked appearance, the laths had been afloat for many -days. The coasters that ran from Benton to the smaller towns down the bay -often carried these for a superficial cargo; and evidently some one of -them, hit by a squall, had run its deck well under and the stuff had -floated off. - -Joe Hinman sprang forward, seized the boat-hook, and caught one of the -bundles by the rope that bound it at one end. He drew it alongside and -hauled it aboard with some difficulty, as it was heavy with water. Then -he took out his pocket-knife and proceeded to cut a sliver from one of -the laths. Though darkened a little by its exposure, and with trails of -slimy, green seaweed clinging to the bundle, the laths were sound, and -the wood bright as ever beneath the surface. - -"Hooray!" he cried. "They're worth several dollars a bundle. We're in -luck. We'll gather them all in." - -They picked up seven or eight of the bundles, stowing them in on either -side of the cockpit. - -"Makes us look like a cargo-carrier," said Allan Harding. - -"Yes, and a good cargo, too," replied Joe Hinman. "They are worth several -dollars each, to sell. But we won't sell 'em. I've got an idea. We'll -earn as much money as Jack and Henry Burns." - -"How's that?" asked Mr. Carleton, curiously eying the enthusiastic -speaker. - -Joe looked at him, beaming, and in reply exclaimed briefly, but -triumphantly, "Lobster-pots!" - -"That's so," laughed Mr. Carleton. "I guess if you can make those queer, -bird-cage sort of things, you can catch all the lobsters you want around -here." - -"Oh, yes, there's money in it," responded Joe, "though the lobsters -aren't so plenty as they used to be, the fishermen say. But we couldn't -afford to buy any pots to fish with, because it costs so much to make -them nowadays." - -Joyfully, they put the _Surprise_ on its course again and gained the -shelter of the little harbour. - -Three days later, the crew might have been seen, at a point about three -miles down the island from their camp, busily at work out on shore, with -axe and saw and hammer and nails. - -"Going to build some lath-pots, eh?" Captain Sam had queried, when they -consulted him. "Yes, you can do it all right. Just go out and fetch one -of mine in shore, and go by that." Then he added, with a twinkle in his -eye, and a shrewd Yankee smile, "You don't need all them 'ere laths -anyway. You give me one of them bundles, and I'll go to work and make -three of the slickest lath-pots you ever saw, for myself; and you can see -just how I do it." - -"It's a bargain," replied Joe, "if you will let us take your tools after -you get the pots made." - -"Reckon I will," said Captain Sam, smiling. - -It was a good bargain for the boys, at that; for Captain Sam was a clever -workman at whatever he set his hand to do. - -"One of these 'ere lath-pots," said the captain next day, as he set to -work, "is just as long as the length of a lath--four feet. Now we want -three strips of board, two feet long, to lay down crosswise for the -bottom pieces, at equal distances apart." - -He illustrated his remarks by splitting off the requisite pieces from a -chunk of board. Next he took an auger and bored a hole in each end of the -three pieces. - -"Now," he said, "we want three pieces of spruce that will bend up like -you was going to make a bow to shoot arrows with. Here they be, too, and -I've had 'em soaking in water all the morning, so they'll bend better." - -Whereupon, Captain Sam, having whittled the ends of the pieces of spruce -down so they would fit snugly into the holes he had made, bent them and -inserted the ends in the holes of the three strips of board. The three -bows stood up like the tiny beams for a miniature house, with a rounded -roof, instead of a peaked one. - -"Now, we'll nail on our laths, top and bottom," said Captain Sam, "and -then we've got the frame-work for a lobster-pot." - -He nailed them on to the three strips of board at the bottom and to the -three hoops of spruce at the top, making a cage with a flat bottom and a -rounded roof. Then, in the same way, he made a lath door, three laths in -width, running the entire length of the pot. This was fitted with leather -hinges and a wooden button to fasten on the inside, so that, when closed, -the door formed part of the roof of the pot. - -"That's the front door where Mr. Lobster always comes out," remarked -Captain Sam. "It's more work, though, making the end doors for him to -walk in at." - -These end doors, that the captain referred to, he now proceeded to fit -into place. Each consisted of a funnel-shaped mesh made of knotted cord, -the larger end fastened snugly all around to the end frame of the pot, -and leading into a small opening, six inches in diameter, made of a -wooden hoop. This hoop was held in place by Captain Sam's tying it fast -with strings to the centre of the frame. - -So that the entrance, for a hungry lobster seeking the bait inside, would -be the entire end of the frame, or what Captain Sam called the "street -entrance," and narrowing to an opening only six inches in diameter, where -the lobster would enter the cage. - -"Why don't they walk out again?" inquired young Tim, whose experience in -fishing had been limited mostly to catching flounders and cunners. - -"Well, they would, I reckon, if they swam like fish," replied Captain -Sam. "But when they have followed down the slope of the mesh, and once -squeezed in through that small opening, they don't know how to get back -again, because their claws spread out so. The slope of the mesh helps -them to get in, and there isn't any on the inside to help them get out. -But they will crawl out again sometimes, too, if you leave the pots too -long and they get all out of food." - -He next proceeded to set up, in the bottom of the pot, a small, upright -post for a bait-holder. This was spear-shaped, with a barb whittled in -it, after the style of a fish-hook, so that a fish once impaled thereon -could not work off with the action of the water. - -"There!" exclaimed Captain Sam, when he had driven the last nail and tied -the last cord. "Reckon it's done. You boys can be chopping yourselves out -some buoys, to mark your pots with, while I make the other two. You come -up to the house to-night, and I'll show you how to knot that twine to -make the meshes. So it won't cost you much to make your pots, only for a -little twine and some nails." - -The crew, having thus gained their experience and the use of Captain -Sam's tools, carried their stuff some three miles down the shore the next -day, and proceeded to construct their own lath-pots. The intermediate -waters had been fished so much by the townsfolk that they reckoned on -better success farther away. Then, too, much of the water lying between -was taken up with the pots of other fishermen, as was shown by their -buoys floating here and there. They constructed four of the pots the -first day. - -"Let's quit for the afternoon now, and get these set," suggested Little -Tim, along about half-past four in the afternoon. - -"All right, if you will trot up to town and get some rope," said Joe. -"That's the only thing we forgot. We'll need the boat, though, to catch -some bait with. You'll have to foot it." - -"I'll go," replied Tim; "but, say, who's got any money?" - -"Not any of us," said Joe. "You'll have to get Rob Dakin to trust us for -it. Tell him Jack will pay, if we can't. But we can pay all right, if we -have any luck. Let's see, we want a lot of rope. This water is ten feet -deep at low tide off those ledges, and the tide rises eight or nine feet. -We'll need about twenty-five or thirty feet of line for each pot. That -will allow for its snagging, too. Come on, fellows, we'll catch some -bait." - -There was a cove just below, with mud-flats making out into it, but -covered now with water. They rowed around to this, in a small boat -borrowed from Captain Sam. Baiting their hooks with clams, they dropped -their lines overboard; but the fish bit slowly. - -"Guess they aren't hungry," said Joe. "Hand me up the spear, George, and -the oil. I'll make a 'slick,' and we'll see what we can do." - -The spear was a long, light pole of spruce, with a trident at one -end--three sharp prongs, the middle blade with a clean point, the outer -blades barbed. - -They rowed into shallow water, but the bottom could not be seen, because -of a slight ruffling of the surface by the wind. Taking the bottle of -fish-oil that George Baker handed to him, Joe Hinman poured some of it -out on to a rag tied to the end of a stick. With this, he scattered the -oil for some distance about the boat. The oil spread out over the surface -of the water, smoothing its tiny chopping, so that through it the bottom -could be plainly seen. - -Joe Hinman lay flat at the bow of the boat, holding the spear down in the -water. Presently he gave a jab with it, into the mud, and brought to the -surface a huge sculpin, wriggling, but fast on the prongs. - -"They aren't exactly handsome," he remarked, as he dropped the sculpin -into the bottom of the boat, "but lobsters aren't particular about -looks." - -The next jab brought up a big flounder that had wriggled its head into -the mud, and fancied itself safe. The bottom of the boat was soon covered -with them. - -By the time young Tim was back with the rope, they had enough fish to -bait the four pots, and more, and a mess of flounders for supper. - -They cut the line into proper lengths, tied one end of each length to the -end frame of a pot, and fastened a wooden buoy, previously boiled in -coal-tar to prevent its becoming water-logged, to the other end. Then -they took the pots, one by one, and rowed out with them to the off-lying -ledges. - -They baited each pot, by impaling the fish on the wooden spear-head -sticking up from the bottom, closed the door, turned the wooden button -that fastened it, and dumped it overboard. The pots, weighted with -stones, sank slowly to the bottom. - -"Great!" exclaimed Joe, as the last of the four went overboard. -"Everything complete, except we might have painted a sign, 'Walk in,' on -each one. What do you think about that, Tim?" - -"No, they don't need it," said Tim, emphatically. "You might want me to -go to the store again for the paint." - -They were down bright and early the next morning to haul the pots. In -three of them, their efforts had been rewarded. In the fourth, the bait -had been untouched. But one of the pots had begun as a money-maker in -earnest. There were three good-sized lobsters in it. The other two had -one each. - -They had saved some fish from the catch of the night before, so they -baited up the pots again, put them overboard, and resumed their -occupation ashore of constructing more pots, delegating young Tim to sell -their catch among the cottagers, who had nearly all arrived for the -summer. - -Young Tim was gone not a great while, either. He came back, whooping -hilariously, and opened a small and rather begrimed fist, to disclose to -their admiring gaze the sum of a dollar and twenty-five cents in silver -money. - -"Hooray!" cried Joe Hinman, throwing up his cap. "At this rate, we'll -have the rope paid for, and the nails, and something more besides, when -Jack and Henry Burns get back. We'll come pretty near taking care of -ourselves for the rest of the summer." - -Already the crew, with visions of being self-supporting, began to have an -increased respect for themselves. It was an agreeable sensation. - -They soon found, however, that they were handicapped by the need of a car -to store their catch in; for, on some days when they had lobsters to -sell, the cottagers didn't happen to want any; and again it happened that -they hadn't any on hand when they were wanted. They began the -construction of a car, therefore, out of some old packing-boxes, after -they had finished a few more pots, and were hard at work on it when the -yacht _Viking_ hove in sight on an afternoon. - -The _Viking_, following its frightful experience in the storm, had had a -prosperous trip. The boys had made some heavy catches, and were returning -with twenty-two hard-earned dollars. - -There was a joyful celebration down on the shore that evening, in honour -of the _Viking's_ return, and to commemorate their luck as fishermen. - -"You've been buying the stuff for us all along," Joe Hinman had said to -Jack Harvey. "Just come down to the camp to-night, and bring Tom and Bob -and the Warren boys. We'll get the food this time." - -And they did, in generous style. There were seven of the biggest and -fiercest-looking lobsters that they had caught in the last two days, -broiling over a bed of red coals, when the visitors arrived. There were -two tins of biscuit, baked in the sheet-iron oven. There were provisions -that the crew had been able to buy with their own earnings. There were -potatoes baked in the ashes, and coffee, steaming hot. - -"Yes, and what's more, Jack," said Joe Hinman, as they sat about the fire -on the shore, "there's enough stuff left to make about seven more pots. -You fellows can go ahead and make the rest, if you want to; and we'll -take turns tending them and getting the bait." - -"All right," replied Harvey; "and if we get a bigger stock in the car -than we can dispose of around here, we'll load up the _Viking_, when we -get a strong westerly some day, and run down to the big hotel at -Stoneland. They'll pay bigger prices than we can get at the market." - -"My! but this lobster is good," said young Joe Warren. "Henry, pass over -that melted butter and vinegar." - -"Isn't it a great feast, though?" exclaimed young Tim. "Beats city grub -all hollow." - -And, indeed, it probably did surpass the sort of living Tim got at home. - -"How's our friend, Mr. Carleton?" asked Bob. "It's a wonder he hasn't -been around to welcome us back." - -"Perhaps he is offended with me for not taking him aboard on our fishing -trip," said Henry Burns. - -"Why, he hasn't been to see us for two days," replied Joe. "By the way, -though, last time I met him he asked me if I had seen anything of a ruby -scarf-pin aboard the _Surprise_. Said he'd lost one." - -"He asked me that, too," said Arthur Warren. "He was up near the cottage -yesterday. Said he thought he might have dropped it out aboard the -_Viking_." - -"I think not," said Harvey. "If he had we should have found it, for we -air that bedding out every clear day." - -"I don't recall seeing him wear one," said Henry Burns. - -It is quite possible that Mr. Carleton might have been on hand to greet -the fishermen on their return, had he not been away down the island for -the day, in a rig he had hired of Captain Sam. The horse, though well -recommended by Captain Sam, was modelled somewhat on the same generous -lines as the captain's boat, the _Nancy Jane_; that is, broad and beamy, -solid and substantial, but not especially speedy; more inclined to thrash -up and down, with considerable clatter, than to skim along and make time. -The result on this occasion was, that it was about half-past nine o'clock -when Mr. Carleton drove into Captain Sam's dooryard, rather weary, and -not in the best of temper. - -However, good-hearted Mrs. Curtis had supper waiting for him, and he lost -no time in stretching his legs under the table, where, at his ease over a -hot cup of tea, he was inclined to improve in spirits and rally the -captain on the slowness of his horse. - -"Well," said Captain Sam, with imperturbable good humour, "I'm sorry the -old nag didn't fetch you up a little quicker. She's a safe, steady -driver, though. Reckon the youngsters would have liked to see you over to -their shore supper. They're all over there. Guess you must have seen -their fire down on the shore as you drove up. You know the _Viking_ got -in this afternoon. Had real good luck, too, so Henry Burns was saying." - -Mr. Carleton, leaning back in his chair and leisurely passing his cup for -another serving of tea, straightened up suddenly at this remark. But he -only said, indifferently, "That so? I'll have to look them up in the -morning. I'm afraid I'm too tired to walk down there to-night." - -"Oh, they will be coming up before long now," said Captain Sam. - -"Why, don't seem as if you was eating much," he added, as Mr. Carleton -rose from the table. - -Mr. Carleton had swallowed his last cup of tea in two gulps. - -"First rate, first rate," he said. "Had a good supper. I'll take a little -stroll with a cigar, before turning in." - -Mr. Carleton walked leisurely out of the yard; but, when he had passed -down the road a few steps, he quickened his pace and reached the shore -almost running. Taking the first boat that came to hand, at random, he -pushed off and rowed out to the _Viking_ with a few quick, powerful -strokes. Then, pausing for a moment alongside, he listened for the sounds -of any one approaching. It was still. Mr. Carleton sprang aboard. - -He rushed to the companionway. But the hatch was drawn, the cabin doors -shut, and the lock set. Mr. Carleton uttered an exclamation of anger. -Stooping over, he felt along under the seats on either side of the -cockpit. His search was rewarded, for his hand rested presently on the -blade of a small hatchet, which was used by the yachtsmen for all sorts -of work, from chopping bait to splitting kindling. - -Mr. Carleton sprang to his feet, gave one quick glance about, then rushed -to the companionway and smashed the lock with two smart blows. The next -moment, he shoved back the hatch, opened the doors, and vanished below. - -But, though unseen, Mr. Carleton had not been unheard. - -Only a few moments before this, Tom and Bob and Henry Burns and Harvey -had gone down to the shore, after bidding the crew good night. - -"How did you happen to bring the canoe, Jack?" inquired Allan Harding. "I -thought you wasn't going to use that any more." - -"Well, I did say so last year," replied Harvey. "I thought I had come too -near drowning ever to enjoy it again. But Tom and Bob were coming down in -theirs, so Henry and I got mine down from the Warren's shed." - -"We'll race you up," said Tom. - -"All right," said Harvey. "I think you can beat us, though." - -For a short distance, however, Henry Burns and Harvey held their own. -Then the skill of the other two, and their long practice of paddling -together, began to tell, and their canoe forged ahead. - -"It's no use, Henry," said Harvey, good-naturedly. "I can't handle a -paddle with Tom Harris. They have kept a straight line, but I can't keep -this craft up to her course." - -They slowed down, accordingly, and the other canoe left them considerably -astern. Then Tom, turning and discovering that the others had fallen -back, spoke to Bob, and they waited for the second canoe to come up. - -It was at this very moment that Mr. Carleton, hatchet in hand, had -smashed the lock. - -"Hark! what was that?" exclaimed Bob White. "Did you hear it? That was -out aboard the _Viking_." - -"It sounded like it, sure enough," said Tom. "Say, fellows," he cried as -the other canoe came near, "did you leave anybody aboard the yacht? We -just heard somebody out there." - -"No, we didn't," replied Harvey. "Come on, let's get up to her quick." - -If Tom and Bob had beaten them before, they could not do it now. Harvey's -paddle went into the water with a strength that was well-nigh doubled -with excitement. Moreover, if there had been any possible doubt in their -minds as to whether there was really anybody aboard the _Viking_, that -doubt was dispelled by a faint gleam of light showing from out the cabin -door. - -"How can that be?" exclaimed Harvey. "I sprung that lock, myself." - -They were alongside, next moment, and aboard, with the light lines that -held the canoes quickly made fast. - -Rushing to the companionway, Harvey cried, angrily: - -"Here! Who's that down there? What are you doing?" - -The man, springing up, and holding the lantern in one hand, disclosed the -features of their friend, Mr. Carleton. - -"Hello!" he said. "Say, this is too bad." - -"You bet it's too bad!" cried Harvey, interrupting him. "What do you mean -by breaking in here?" - -Mr. Carleton, setting down the lantern, emerged from the cabin. - -"I really must apologize," he said, coolly. "I simply couldn't wait--" - -"Yes, but you could wait!" Harvey broke in, hotly, and advancing toward -Mr. Carleton. "It's no way to do, to sneak out here in the night and -smash our things." - -"See here, young man," exclaimed Mr. Carleton, himself warming a little, -though his voice was calm and modulated, "I wouldn't try to threaten me, -if I was you, don't you know. I might get angry, too. I--" - -"Do it!" cried Harvey, excitedly. "Get angry. I'd just like to have you. -Just give us a chance and see what happens." - -"And what might that be?" demanded Mr. Carleton, sharply. - -"I'll tell you," replied Harvey. "We'll throw you overboard. Say, -fellows, won't we?" - -"We certainly will," answered Henry Burns, calmly. - -"Say the word, Jack," said Bob. - -The four boys approached Mr. Carleton. He eyed them for a moment -threateningly. They were certainly sturdy opponents. And that his -intended threat had been without avail, and that they were thoroughly -fearless and ready to act, there could be no doubt. Mr. Carleton's -demeanour altered. - -"Good! I like your pluck," he laughed. "Really, I think I'd do the same -thing if I were in your place. I don't blame you, and I was sorry I was -so hasty, the moment I had done it. You see, I've lost a very valuable -ruby scarf-pin somewhere--a keepsake, too, don't you know. I've worried -myself just about frantic over it. Now I thought it must have fallen out -when I was aboard here. So, when I found your cabin locked up, I simply -couldn't stand it any longer. - -"But I'll make any amends in my power," he added. "I'll come out -to-morrow, and I'll bring the best lock that money will buy over in -Bellport. I'll send over for it first thing." - -"Hadn't you better go ashore now?" suggested Henry Burns. - -"Why, yes,--good night,--I will," replied Mr. Carleton. "Good night--I'm -sorry it happened--I'll fix it all right, though." - -And, stepping into his boat alongside, he put out his oars and rowed -away. - -"Never mind about that lock," Henry Burns called out. - -"What!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, pausing for a moment. - -"I say, never mind the lock," repeated Henry Burns. "We'll attend to -that, ourselves. We'd just as lieves you would keep away from the -_Viking_ after this." - -Mr. Carleton made no reply as he rowed away. - -"I wonder if we were too rough on him," said Jack Harvey to his -companion, a little later, as they were undressing, preparatory to -turning in for the night. - -"I don't see why," answered Henry Burns. "That's a pretty high-handed -proceeding, to come aboard here and smash into our cabin." - -"Well, perhaps he _was_ worried about that pin," said Harvey. "Some -persons do lose their heads just that way." - -"Yes, but he isn't one of the kind that lose their heads," said Henry -Burns. "And for my part, I can't recall for the life of me ever seeing -him wear any such kind of a pin." - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - MR. CARLETON GOES AWAY - - -Squire Brackett, having received sufficient encouragement from Mr. -Carleton to warrant action on his part, hitched up his horse one -afternoon and drove around the road back of the cove, turning off at -length at the pasture lane that led in to Billy Cook's farmhouse. Billy, -barefoot, as usual, was busy hoeing in a small garden patch at a little -distance from the house. - -"How d'ye do, Billy," said the squire, sauntering out, with his hands -tucked under his coat-tails. - -"Afternoon, squire," responded Billy; and added, to himself, "Wonder what -he's up to." - -"Quite a stranger, squire," said he. "What brings you way 'round here?" - -"Oh, nothing," replied Squire Brackett, seating himself on the handle of -the wheelbarrow that was loaded with garden-truck. "I was driving by and -thought I'd just drop in and say good day." - -"Humph! guess not," thought Billy to himself. He knew the squire was not -in the habit of making social visits. - -"Well, glad to see you, squire," he declared, cordially. "Nice summer -we're having. Wouldn't like to take home a couple dozen fresh eggs, would -you? Hens doing right well lately. I can spare you some, I reckon, store -price." - -"Why, yes, I should," answered the squire. "Those hens of yours do lay -the finest eggs I know of." - -The squire, watching Billy at his work, discoursed of this and that; of -the weather, the fishing, politics, and the prospect of the hay crop. - -"Wonder what he's driving at," was Billy's inward reflection. - -"Have a smoke, Billy?" asked the squire, proffering the other one of Rob -Dakin's best and biggest five-cent affairs. - -"Don't care if I do," replied Billy, and made a further mental -observation that something was coming now, sure. - -"By the way, Billy," remarked the squire, presently, "how do we stand on -that mortgage on the island down yonder?" - -He said it in an offhand way, just as though he didn't know, even to the -fraction of a cent, the amount of principal and interest due to that very -hour. - -"Why, I guess you know better than I do, the amount of interest up to -date," replied Billy. "But it ain't due just yet, eh, squire?" - -"Why, no, it isn't," replied Squire Brackett; "and I was thinking perhaps -we might fix it up between us so there wouldn't be anything due, and so -that you would have something in your own pocket, besides. How would you -like that?" - -"P'r'aps," said Billy. - -"Well, now," continued the squire, "there's two hundred dollars and -interest due. Seems to me, if I remember right, you offered to sell the -island to me, a year ago or so, for twelve hundred dollars. That's a -pretty big price, but I've been thinking it over some lately, and I -reckon I'll come pretty near that figure, if you'd like to make the -trade." - -A year ago, Billy Cook would have jumped at the offer. But Billy, boots -or no boots, had a vein of Yankee shrewdness in him. - -"There's something in the wind," he thought. "The squire told me I was -crazy when I offered it to him for that, last year." - -"Well, squire, I'll tell you," he replied. "Guess I did name something -like that as a figure, a year ago. But I dunno about letting it go for -that now, when things are looking up so. They tell me some of them New -York and Boston real estate fellers have been down here lately, looking -over land. However, I'll just talk it over with the old lady, and let you -know in a day or two." - -The squire was taken aback. - -"Well," said he, rising to go, "of course I don't leave that offer open. -That's a whole lot of money for the land. But I've got a little money -just come due, and I thought I might put it into that. Maybe I won't have -it to spare by the time you get ready." - -"Well, I reckon the land won't blow away, squire," chuckled Billy. "It's -anchored pretty reasonably firm, I guess. I'll just go in and get those -eggs." - -It did not take Billy Cook long, following the squire's departure, to -come to a conclusion regarding the true inwardness of the affair. There -was only one man, at present, in the village, who would be likely to be -offering anything like that amount of money for the island; and that man -was Mr. Carleton. So Billy lost no time in hunting the gentleman up. - -But, when he had found Mr. Carleton and suggested the matter to him, he -was surprised to meet with a curt denial. Mr. Carleton, being in a bad -humour, and having, moreover, as much an intention of purchasing the land -as he had of buying the bay, replied, very shortly, in the negative. - -"Hm! p'r'aps I guessed wrong," commented Billy. "But there's something -up. That's sure. I'll just jump the squire on the price, anyway. I may -catch him." - -With which resolve, Billy visited the squire the following day, offered -him the land at an advance of three hundred dollars, and, much to his own -surprise, got it. - -"It's a fearful price, fifteen hundred dollars for that land," exclaimed -the squire, after he had tried in vain to beat down the figure. "I'll -never get a cent out of it; but I'm just fool enough to do it." - -"P'r'aps you be," thought Billy. - -"I don't like to part with that island, squire," he said. "If you want -it, you'd better draw up the papers, right away to-day, and we'll go over -to Mayville and have everything filed straight and regular. Else I might -get sorry and back out." - -"All right," said Squire Brackett. - -"We can't do it any too soon to suit me," he thought. - -So Uncle Billy and Squire Brackett went to Mayville, and the squire -generously paid the fares. - -"Guess I can stand it, at a thousand dollars profit," said the squire to -himself. - -Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, arising on the morning following their -adventure with Mr. Carleton, proceeded at once to restore the yacht to -its former condition, by purchasing at Rob Dakin's a strong lock for the -cabin. It was heavier and clumsier than the one that had been broken, -but, as Henry Burns remarked, it was good enough for fishermen. - -Then they sailed down alongshore to where the crew had made their -lobster-pots, went to work, and, in a few days, completed the making of -the remainder to the extent of their material. This proved easier -fishing, too, in a way, than the outside cod and hake fishing, and -involved, of course, no danger, as the pots were set near shore. And, as -they had got their lath-pots practically without expense, it was likely -to prove even more profitable, while it lasted. - -The car that they had made, to keep the lobsters alive in, was a big, -square boxlike affair, with the slats nailed on just far enough apart so -the lobsters could not escape, but affording a flow of sea-water through -the car almost as free as the sea itself. The two trap-doors in the roof -of the car, through which the lobsters were put in and taken out, were -fastened with heavy padlocks. The car was moored in a sheltered nook -alongshore, a little distance above the area of water covered by the -lath-pots. - -They learned how to pack the live lobsters for shipping, too, and sent -lots, now and then, by steamer, over to the Bellport and Mayville -markets, and to Stoneland. They learned how to stow them into a -flour-barrel with their tails curled snugly under, and their backs -uppermost, so they could not move; and that a barrel would hold just -fifty-five, by actual count, stowed in that way, allowing for ice at the -top, and all covered securely with a piece of coarse sacking. They -received as much as twelve and fifteen cents a pound for these, shipped -so that they would arrive alive at market, and began to feel quite -prosperous. - -They listened to many a learned discussion, in Rob Dakin's cracker and -sugar-barrel forum, over the habits of the lobster; how it was generally -conceded by the local fisherman that the lobster took the bait better at -night; but that other wise men among the catchers argued stoutly that -flood-tide, whether it served by night or day, was the more favourable -time; and how both the ebb and flow of the tides doubtless carried the -lobsters back and forth across the feeding-grounds. - -They heard discussed, too, the relative merits of flounder and sculpin -and cod's heads as the more attractive baits, and whether these, fresh or -old, were the more enticing. - -Billy Cook had a theory that a lobster has as keen a scent as a hound, -and that a fish of somewhat gamy odour was the better lure; while Long -Dave Benson "allowed" that a lobster has an eye like a fish-hawk, and -that what was needed was a fish with a gleam of white showing at a -distance, like the flounder. - -In all, there was a greater and more varied amount of natural philosophy -and fish-lore dispensed, free, within the walls of Rob Dakin's grocery -store, than one might hear in a lifetime at any university. - -Be it recorded, however, that the suggestion made by young Joe Warren, at -one of these discussions, that the lobster regarded one of these -lath-pots as some sort of a summer-house, thoughtfully provided for -homeless wanderers of the sea, was received with merited and unanimous -contempt. - -They saw little of Mr. Carleton, these days. He had, at first, attempted -to retain the favour of Harvey's crew, but they would have nought to do -with him, following the example of their recognized leader. So it came -about that Mr. Carleton, left much to himself, and not caring, seemingly, -to cultivate the friendship of the elder persons among the summer -arrivals, spent the greater part of his time in driving about the island, -and in hiring Captain Sam's sailboat, for short cruises about the bay. - -He took Harry Brackett out with him occasionally, and, being a man of -shrewd observation, startled that young man one day not a little, by -bursting suddenly into laughter when the yacht _Viking_ sailed past, at a -little distance. - -"I see your two beauty-spots on the sail," he said, laughing heartily, -and pointing to the places where the sail had been neatly mended. "That -was a clever trick. Ha! ha! How did you happen to think of that little -dodge of tying up the reef-points? Guess you know more about a sailboat -than some folks seem to think, eh?" - -Harry Brackett, taken by surprise, made a feeble attempt at denial, but -Mr. Carleton wouldn't listen to it. He had an assertive, positive way, -that Harry Brackett could not withstand. So the boy ended by admitting -the act, vastly relieved to find that a man like Mr. Carleton, of whom -his father spoke so highly, regarded it as a really good joke. - -"Makes me feel like a boy again, for all the world," chuckled Mr. -Carleton. "Count me in on the next one. I'm a good deal of a boy, -myself." - -Also, did the astute Mr. Carleton feign to regard as a joke an incident -that occurred some days later, of a more serious nature, and which he -discovered quite by chance. - -It had come on foggy, with a lazy wind from the southeast, and for -several days the island and the bay had been obscured by thick banks of -fog, so that one could not see a boat's length ahead. The steamers came -in cautiously, sounding their whistles, to note, if they were near land, -how quick the echo, or an answering fog-bell, came back to them. - -There was no sailing, and the boys remained ashore, mostly up at the -comfortable Warren cottage, or within the tents. They tended the -lobster-pots when the fog did not roll in too thick; but for two entire -days it was too heavy for them to find the buoys, and they did no -fishing. - -It happened on one of these days that, finding it dull in the town, Mr. -Carleton invested in a suit of oilskins and rowed down along the shore, -where he dropped a line off the ledges and fished for cunners. He was a -smart fisherman, and caught a good mess in a short running of the -flood-tide. - -"I'll get the captain to clean them, and have Mrs. Curtis make me one of -those fine chowders for supper," he said, as he pushed the basket of fish -under the seat, put the oars into the oar-locks and proceeded to row in. - -But Mr. Carleton miscalculated a little, in the fog, and rowed some -distance down the shore before he discovered his mistake. He was turning -to row back, when the sound of some one else rowing attracted his -attention. He was close to shore, out of sight. - -Presently the boat came dimly into view through the fog, and Mr. Carleton -made out the occupant to be Harry Brackett. He was about to hail him, -when the rower turned his boat inshore and stepped out. Then Mr. Carleton -observed that the object at which Harry Brackett had arrived was the -lobster-car owned by the campers. Mr. Carleton quietly stepped out of his -own boat, and walked up into the bushes. - -Harry Brackett reached for the line with which the car was moored, and -drew the car in to shore. Then, taking from his pocket a ring on which -several keys dangled, he proceeded to try them, one by one, in the -padlock of one of the trap-doors. A certain key finally answered his -purpose, and the next moment Mr. Carleton saw the door lifted. Harry -Brackett, using a short-handled net, lifted out half a dozen lobsters, -dropped them into his boat, and, relocking the trap-door, got into his -boat, and started to row away. - -But he nearly fell over in his seat with fright, when the sound of -laughter close on shore greeted him. The next moment, Mr. Carleton -stepped into view. - -"Ha! ha!" laughed Mr. Carleton. "Oh, you're a sly dog. I see what you're -up to. Little bake going on among some of you island chaps, eh? No reason -why our friends should not contribute something to the fun. Oh, I've been -a boy, myself. Look out they don't catch you, though. Heavy fine, you -know, for that sort of thing." - -Harry Brackett, terrified, rowed ashore to where Mr. Carleton was -standing. He must explain. He had no idea of stealing the lobsters--which -was met with derisive laughter from Mr. Carleton, and the assurance that -he was a bold young chap. - -From which effort at dissimulation, Harry Brackett came, at length, to -beg and implore Mr. Carleton that he would say nothing about it. - -Now, if Mr. Carleton had had any notion that young Harry Brackett might -at some time be useful to him, he certainly went about the manner of -gaining an ascendency over him most admirably. For didn't Mr. Carleton -promise that he would say nothing about the affair? And didn't he feign -to treat it as a huge joke? He certainly did. But how cunningly, also, in -all his making light of it, did he convey to young Harry Brackett's mind -the fact that he knew it was a criminal thing; and that it would meet -with heavy punishment, if discovered. And how cunningly did he play upon -first the one, and then the other idea; the idea of a practical joke, and -the idea of the penalty for it, if it should be known; until young Harry -Brackett would gladly have promised to do anything in all the world that -Mr. Carleton might ask, to buy his silence. - -"Then you won't let on about it?" urged Harry Brackett, apprehensively, -for the tenth time or more, as he started to row away. - -"Never a word from me," said Mr. Carleton. "Ho, you rascal--I've been a -youngster, too. But you're taking pretty big chances of getting into -trouble. Look out for yourself. Ho! ho!" - -"I'll never take another chance like it," whined Harry Brackett. - -For the remainder of Mr. Carleton's stay on the island, there was one -more youth that avoided him now, though for a different reason than that -of the others. This was young Harry Brackett. He was ashamed to look Mr. -Carleton in the face. Perhaps, on the other hand, it was rather Mr. -Carleton who avoided meeting the young yachtsman. And perhaps he, too, -was ashamed of what he had done. - -However, this newly developed modesty on Harry Brackett's part did not -prevent Mr. Carleton, driving along the road an afternoon or two later, -from overtaking him and insisting that he get in and ride. - -"Glad to see you," said Mr. Carleton, as affably as he knew how. "Haven't -seen you around much for a day or two. Lobsters didn't make you chaps -sick, did they? Ha! ha!" - -Harry Brackett flushed, and felt decidedly uncomfortable. - -But he tried to laugh it off, and said he was feeling first rate. - -"Well," said Mr. Carleton, "you're all right. I like to see a boy of -spirit. I'm glad to have met you. I'm going to leave, to-morrow, by the -way." - -Harry Brackett wouldn't, for the world, have said how glad he was to hear -of it. On the contrary, he said he was sorry; and added, that his father, -the squire, would be sorry, too. - -"I'll be sorry to lose the squire's company," replied Mr. Carleton. "But -don't say anything to him about my going. That's a peculiarity of mine; I -don't like to say good-bye to people. Sort of distresses me, don't you -know. That is, don't say anything about it until after I am gone. Like as -not, I shall not speak of it to anybody but you. Captain Sam, even, won't -know of it until I settle up with him, to-morrow." - -"How about Harvey and Henry Burns and that crowd?" inquired Harry -Brackett. - -"Why, the fact is," replied Mr. Carleton, "we have had a little falling -out. I'm sorry about it, too. They're not such bad young chaps--except -that Burns boy. He's too notional--don't you think so?" - -"Yes," said Harry Brackett, decidedly. - -"Well, I broke a lock on their cabin door," continued Mr. Carleton, -"because I was desperately worried about the loss of a pin that was worth -most as much as their boat--to say nothing of a cheap lock. Of course I -was going to get them another, and a better one. They wouldn't have made -much fuss, either, I think, if it hadn't been for young Burns. Harvey was -hot-headed about it, but he would have got over it. The other young chap, -he was cool as ice; but I could see he was the one I couldn't make -friends with again, so I gave it up." - -"Humph!" exclaimed Harry Brackett--"and after all you have done for them, -too." - -"That's it," said Mr. Carleton; "though I don't care anything about that. -I was glad to give them a good time." - -"Say," he exclaimed, suddenly, as though an idea had just come to his -mind, "I tell you what you do. I'm going over to Bellport for a few days, -and then down the coast somewhere. But I'll leave word at Bellport for my -letters to be forwarded. I want you to write to me once a week or so. Let -me know where the _Viking_ is, and what the boys are doing, and what you -are doing. If we get a chance, you and I will play a little joke on them, -just to show them they're not so smart--might just tie in a few more -reef-points, or something of that sort, eh?" - -Mr. Carleton laughed as he spoke. - -"I'll do it," said Harry Brackett. "Are you in earnest, though?" - -"Yes, sir, honour bright," replied Mr. Carleton. "You keep me informed, -and we'll have a joke on them yet." - -"Well, good-bye," said Harry Brackett, getting down from the wagon and -shaking hands with Mr. Carleton. - -"Good-bye," said the other. "And if any one inquires about me, after I am -gone, just tell them you heard me say I was going back to Boston." - -"Harry," said Squire Brackett, the second evening following this, "I want -you to go over to Captain Sam's and take this note to Mr. Carleton. It's -about a little business transaction, so be careful and don't lose it. -You're pretty careless sometimes." - -"Why, he's gone away," answered Harry Brackett. "No use taking that over -to Captain Sam's." - -"Gone away!" shouted the squire, seizing his son by the collar. "Gone -away! When did he go?" - -"Captain Sam says he went yesterday." - -"Why didn't you tell me about it before?" cried Squire Brackett, shaking -his son vigorously. - -"Why, how did I know anything about it?" whined Harry Brackett. "How did -I know you wanted to see him before he went? You're always blaming me for -things. I'm not to blame." - -On second thought, Squire Brackett came to the same conclusion. Still, it -being his habit of mind invariably to blame somebody else for his own -misfortunes, he had to vent his irritation on his son. - -"Well, clear out of here!" he cried. "You never know anything except at -the wrong time." - -Harry Brackett disappeared. - -One would have thought that the squire had lost his dearest friend on -earth, in the departure of Mr. Carleton, judging by the deep and profound -melancholy that fell upon him, for a fortnight. Or, on the other hand, -one might have thought that Mr. Carleton was his bitterest foe, if any -one had seen him rage and fume in secret, whenever he thought of Mr. -Carleton or pronounced his name. Mrs. Brackett overheard him mutter, on -one or two occasions, "Fifteen hundred dollars tied up in an island!" -But, when she inquired what he meant, she received a reply that was both -incommunicative and not wholly courteous. - -As for Billy Cook, the squire wouldn't speak to him, when next they -met--nor for half the summer. - -"Never mind," said Uncle Billy to himself, "I'll buy a new pair of Sunday -boots, and I'll pay as much as two dollars and a half for 'em." - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - SEARCHING THE VIKING - - -"Where are you fellows going?" asked George Warren, from a comfortable -seat on the Warren veranda, of Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, as they were -passing the cottage of an afternoon. The two yachtsmen were carrying, -between them, a big basket of clams, which they had just dug on the flats -at the head of the cove. - -"Going fishing, down the shore a way," replied Henry Burns. "We've just -got the bait. We have to keep our lobsters fat and contented, you know, -so they'll look pleasant when they get to market." - -"Don't you think you humour them too much?" asked George Warren, -quizzically. "You'll spoil them with overfeeding, the way Colonel Witham -did his boarders." - -"No, we feed them the same way he did," answered Henry Burns; "give them -lots of fish, because they are cheap. And we hope they'll get tired of -fish, by and by, the way Witham's boarders used to, and not eat so much. -Then we'll take it easy. Come on, though, and help us catch some. We've -got bait enough for the whole crowd." - -"All right," responded George. "You go ahead, and we'll take our boat and -come out and join you." - -The three Warren boys, launching their boat in the cove, rowed down to -the point and joined the party, consisting of Henry Burns and Harvey and -Tom and Bob, who were just putting off in the _Viking's_ tender. When -they had rowed down the shore a way, they were met by Harvey's crew, and -all proceeded in the three boats a short distance farther, a half-mile or -more below the crew's camp. They baited up their hooks and threw out. - -"This looks nice and social," said George Warren, surveying the three -boats, with their eleven occupants. "It's the first time we have all been -out here together this year. We ought to make this a prize contest." - -"Good!" exclaimed Harvey. "What do you say to one of those new dollar -yachting-caps at the store, for the one that catches the most fish? We'll -each put in nine cents to pay for it. Got any money, fellows?" - -"Lots of it," replied young Tim. "We're in for it." - -"They're regular millionaires, nowadays, since they made those -lobster-pots," remarked Henry Burns. - -"There'll be one cent left over," said young Joe Warren. "What do we do -with that?" - -"That goes with the hat," said Henry Burns. "You can buy peanuts with it, -if you win, Joe." - -"Well, I've got the first fish, anyway," cried young Joe, who had felt a -tremendous yank on his line. - -Up came a big flounder, which was skittering about, the next moment, in -the bottom of the boat. - -"I've got a bigger one," cried Joe Hinman, excitedly; but, when he began -to haul in, nothing came of it. - -Little Tim Reardon, who had given a sly tug at Joe's line when the other -wasn't looking, snickered. - -"That would have beaten Joe's, if you'd got him," he said, grinning. - -"I'll beat you, if you try that trick again," exclaimed Joe Hinman, eying -Tim sharply. - -The fish began coming in lively, from little harbour pollock to sculpins -with monster heads and attenuated bodies, and cunners, that stole the -bait almost as fast as the boys could throw overboard. - -"Everything counts," said Henry Burns, as he drew in a huge skate; and -added, as he took the hook out of the fish's capacious mouth, "Wonder how -Old Witham would have liked him for a boarder." - -"Hello!" exclaimed Harvey, "here comes another boat; and it looks like -Squire Brackett in the stern." - -"Yes, and it's young Harry, rowing," said Arthur Warren. "First time I've -seen him working, this summer." - -The squire and his son were, indeed, coming out to the fishing-grounds. - -"Something new for the squire to be doing his own fishing," remarked -Arthur Warren. "He must be saving money." - -"Well, we ought to salute him, anyway," said Henry Burns. "Say, fellows, -one, two, three, all together, 'How d'ye do, squire,' just as he comes -abreast." - -The chorus that greeted Squire Brackett made him jump up in his seat. - -He didn't reply to the salutation, but glared at the boys, angrily. - -"Always up to their monkey-shines!" he muttered. "I'll teach 'em to have -respect for me, some day yet." - -"Better stop and drop in a line here, squire," said George Warren, -good-naturedly. "We've got them tolled around, with so many baits out." - -And he demonstrated his remark by pulling out a big cunner. - -"Bah!" ejaculated the squire. "I should think you would scare all the -fish between here and the cape, with your confounded racket." - -The squire directed his son, and the latter rowed past the other boats -and tied up, at length, at a spar buoy, with red and black horizontal -stripes, which marked a ledge in the middle of a channel. - -"We'll get a mess of cunners about these rocks," the squire remarked, as -he and Harry made ready. - -Luck in fishing, always capricious, seemed to have deserted the boat in -which were Harvey's crew, although the boys in the other two boats -continued to pull in the fish at intervals. - -"Let's give it up," said Joe Hinman, at length, winding in his line and -removing a clam-head. "What do you say to going down now and hauling the -lobster-pots? We'll take down our fish, and some from the other boat, to -bait them up with." - -"Guess we might as well," said George Baker, reluctantly. "We can't catch -up with the other fellows now." - -So they drew up alongside of the _Viking's_ tender, and the boys threw -their catch into the crew's boat. - -"Twenty-six, twenty-seven," counted Henry Burns, as the last one went -over. "Keep that score in mind, George, when we come to reckon up. Tom's -ahead in our boat. He's caught ten of them. But we want to see which boat -wins, too." - -The crew rowed away, down alongshore. - -An hour and a half later, the boys in both boats stopped fishing, to -reckon up their catch. - -"Tom's got nineteen fish," called out Henry Burns. - -"It's a tie," cried young Joe, excitedly. "I've got just nineteen." - -"Then we'll give you each five minutes more," said Harvey, pulling out a -silver watch. "Say when you're ready to throw overboard, fellows." - -Tom and young Joe baited up for the final effort, and the lines went out -together. - -They waited expectantly. Two, three, four minutes went by, without a -bite. - -"Guess they'll need five minutes more," said Henry Burns. - -But the words were hardly uttered before young Joe gave a whoop, and -began hauling in vigorously. - -"I've won!" he shouted. - -"No, you haven't," cried Tom, pulling in rapidly, hand over hand. - -"You're just within the time-limit," said Harvey, as Tom's fish came in -over the gunwale. "It's another tie; you'll have to try it over again." - -"All right," said young Joe. "I got mine first, though--No, hold on here. -Hooray! I've won, after all." - -Young Joe, who had been in the act of disengaging his bait from the mouth -of a sculpin, stopped suddenly, and made a grimace of delight. - -"Pull up the anchor, George," he said to his eldest brother. "Let's row -alongside the other boat, and I'll prove that I win." - -George Warren looked at Joe's catch, and laughed. - -"I guess you're right," he said. - -They rowed up to the other boat. - -"What did you do--catch two at once, Joe?" asked Tom, as Joe produced his -catch. - -"That's what!" exclaimed young Joe. - -"I don't see but one," said Tom. - -"Well, look here," said young Joe. He reached his fingers cautiously down -the throat of the big sculpin, holding the jaws open with a piece of -stick. Then, triumphantly, he dragged forth by the tail a smaller fish, -that had in fact been swallowed the moment before Joe had caught the -larger one. - -"The cannibal!" exclaimed Tom Harris. "That's the meanest trick I ever -had played on me by a fish." But he added, smiling, "I give up, Joe. -You've won. I wouldn't catch a fish as mean as that sculpin. And to think -that he'd gobble a clam before he had a fish half-swallowed! He's a -regular Squire Brackett." - -Mention of that gentleman called attention to the fact that the squire -and his son had ceased fishing also, and were casting off from the buoy, -preparatory to rowing in. At the same moment the boys noticed that the -crew's boat was coming in sight from down below, and that the crew were -waving for them to wait. - -They pulled up anchor, and rowed a little way in the direction of the -other boat. - -Squire Brackett's curiosity over the success of the crew was perhaps -aroused, for he, too, waited a few moments. Then, when the crew had come -up, Harry Brackett rowed near enough for the squire to look into the -boat, with the others. - -The crew had certainly made a successful haul. There were a score of fine -lobsters in the bottom of their boat--a score of good-sized ones, and one -other. That one other caught the squire's watchful eye. - -"Want to sell a couple of them?" he asked. - -"Yes, certainly," replied Joe Hinman. - -"Well, give me that one," said Squire Brackett, pointing to one of large -size, "and that one, there," pointing to the small one. - -Joe handed them over. - -"Those will cost you thirty-five cents, squire," he said. - -"That small one will cost you more than that," chuckled the squire to -himself, as he paid the money. - -Then the squire, reaching a hand into his pocket and producing a folding -rule, opened it and laid it carefully along the length of the lobster. - -"Ha!" he exclaimed, turning in triumph to the boys, "that lobster will -cost you just twenty dollars. That's a short lobster--a half-inch shorter -than the law allows. You know the fine for it." - -"Why, you don't mean that, do you, squire?" asked Joe Hinman, dismayed at -seeing the profits of their fishing thus suddenly threatening to vanish. -"We haven't shipped a single short lobster all this summer. But we don't -stop to measure them down here. We wait till we get up to the car. We -have a measuring-stick there, and if a lobster is under the law we set -him free, near the ledges off the camp. We throw out some old fish around -those ledges, to see if we can't keep them around there, and be able to -catch 'em later--perhaps another year, when they've got their growth." - -"No, you don't!" exclaimed the squire. "Can't fool me that way. There's -the evidence!" And he held up the incriminating lobster, triumphantly. - -As matter of fact, the squire well knew that the fishermen around Grand -Island, when they wanted a lobster for a dinner, took the first one that -came to hand, long or short. They figured out that the law was devised to -prevent the indiscriminate and wholesale shipping of lobsters before they -had attained a fair growth; and the local custom about the island was to -catch and eat a lobster, long or short, whenever anybody wanted one. Nor -was the squire an exception to this custom. But the law answered his -purpose now. - -He and his son rowed up alongshore, the latter grinning derisively back -at the chagrined crew. - -"Hello, what luck?" bawled a voice, as the crew ruefully pulled in to -land and proceeded to stow their catch in the car. - -"Mighty bad luck, Captain Sam," replied Joe Hinman, dolefully, to the -figure on shore. - -Little Tim, the first to jump from the bow of the boat, narrated their -adventure with the squire. Captain Sam snorted. - -"Ho, the shrewd old fox!" he exclaimed. "Why, he's eaten enough short -lobsters in the last two years to cost him a thousand dollars. Only -trouble is, he's eaten the proof. We can't catch him on those. Wait till -I see him, though, I'll give him a piece of my mind about raking up laws -that way." - -Perhaps the utterance about law, on Captain Sam's part, refreshed his -memory, however; for, the next moment, he burst into a roar of laughter. - -"Oh, yes, it's funny, I suppose," said Little Tim; "but you don't have to -pay the fine." - -Captain Sam roared again. - -"No, and you won't, either, I reckon," he laughed. "See here." - -He whispered something in Little Tim's ear. - -"Don't let on that I told you, though," he said. "The squire owes me a -grudge already. Ha! ha! I was watching all of you out there fishing. Ho! -the old fox!" - -Captain Sam walked away, chuckling to himself. - -"He will rake up laws just to pay a spite with, eh?" he muttered. - -Little Tim was off like a shot. - -Twenty minutes later, a barefoot figure, panting and perspiring, accosted -Squire Brackett, as the latter, bearing his precious evidence in the -shape of the offending lobster, walked up the village street. - -"We'll just show this lobster to the fish-warden, my son," said the -squire. "Then we'll go home to supper." - -"Squire Brackett, you aren't really going to complain on us, are you?" -piped Little Tim, out of breath. "We didn't mean to break the law, you -know." - -"Get out of here, you little ragamuffin!" exclaimed the squire, reddening -and waving Tim out of his path. "Somebody's got to teach you youngsters a -lesson--playing your pranks 'round here, day and night. Somebody's got to -uphold the law. Sooner you boys begin to have some respect for it, the -better for honest folks on the island." - -"Well, if a chap breaks the law without thinking, do you want him to -'catch it' just the same?" queried young Tim. "P'r'aps you have eaten -short lobsters, yourself." - -"Certainly, any person that breaks the law ought to be punished--every -time," replied the squire. "That'll teach 'em a lesson. I'll show you -boys that when you come down here you've got to behave, or suffer for -it." - -"Because," continued young Tim, "you were breaking the law, yourself, -this afternoon--you and Harry." - -Little Tim dodged back out of reach, in a hurry; for the squire made a -dart at him, turning purple with anger. - -"What do you mean, you young scamp!" cried the squire. "Just let me get -you by the ear once. Accusing me of breaking the law!" - -Little Tim's nimble bare feet carried him out of the way of the squire's -arm. From a safe distance, he continued: - -"Yes, you and Harry were breaking the law, out there in the boat. You -were tied up to one of the spar-buoys. They belong to the gov'ment. I've -heard a fisherman say so; and it's fifty dollars fine for any one to moor -a boat to one of 'em. Didn't you know that, squire?" - -Little Tim asked this question with a provoking innocence that nearly -threw the squire into an apoplectic fit. - -"Pooh!" he exclaimed. "Pooh!" He turned a shade deeper purple, feigned to -bluster for a moment, and then, realizing, with full and overwhelming -consciousness, that what Little Tim had said was true, subsided, -muttering to himself. - -The squire stood irresolutely in the street, holding the lobster in one -hand, and glaring in a confused sort of way at Little Tim, who was now -grinning provokingly. - -"Here, you young scamp," he said at length, "come here." - -Little Tim approached, discreetly. - -"Now," said the squire, hemming and hawing, and evidently somewhat -embarrassed, "on second thought, I--I'm going to let you youngsters off -this time. I guess you didn't intend to do anything wrong, did you?" - -"No, sir," replied Little Tim, looking very sober and serious, but -chuckling inwardly. - -"Well," said the squire, "I think I won't complain of you this time. -We'll just drop the whole affair. Of course a mere nominal fine of fifty -dollars wouldn't be anything to me; but I reckon twenty dollars would be -kind of a pinch for you boys, and you have been working pretty -industriously. You go along now--but look out, and don't do anything of -the sort again." - -Little Tim bolted for the camp. - -The squire stood for a moment, scowling after the vanishing figure, and -glancing out of the corner of an eye at his son, Harry, to see if that -young man was treating the incident in its proper light--to wit, with -respect to his father. Harry Brackett was discreetly serious. - -"Harry," said the squire, finally, handing over the piece of -incriminating evidence, "you take those lobsters up to the house and tell -your mother to boil them for supper." - -"The short one, too?" asked Harry Brackett. - -"Yes, confound you!" roared the squire. "Take them both along. Do you -think I buy lobsters to throw away? Clear out! And, look here, if I hear -of your saying anything about this affair to any one, you'll catch it." - -Harry Brackett departed homeward, while the squire, muttering -maledictions on Harvey, his crew, and Henry Burns, entered the village -store. - -"Those boys have altogether too much information," he said. "I'd like to -know if that young Henry Burns put him up to that." - -As for Henry Burns, his mind had been given over for some time to the -consideration of a different matter. He, himself, couldn't have told -exactly just when and where he had formed a certain impression; but, once -the idea had impressed him, he had turned it over and over, looking at it -from all sides, and trying to recall any incident that would shed light -on it. - -He had a habit of thinking of things in this way, without saying anything -to anybody about them until he had made up his mind. And what he had been -considering in this way, for a week or more, was nothing less than the -yacht _Viking_, and their departed friend, Mr. Carleton. - -"Jack," he said, as he and Harvey sat cooking their supper on the stove -in the cabin, the evening following this same afternoon's fishing, "do -you know I believe there is something queer about the _Viking_." - -"Not a thing!" exclaimed Harvey. "She's as straight and clean a boat, -without faults, as any one could find in a year." - -"No, that isn't what I meant," said Henry Burns, smiling. "I almost think -there's something about her that we haven't discovered. Did you ever -think there might be something hidden aboard the boat that's valuable?" - -"Cracky! no," replied Harvey. "What in the world put that into your -head?" - -"Mr. Carleton did," answered Henry Burns. - -"Mr. Carleton!" exclaimed Harvey. "Why, I never heard him say anything -like that." - -"Neither did I," said Henry Burns. "It's what he did--breaking into our -cabin, and that sort of thing." - -"What sort of thing?" asked Harvey, somewhat incredulous, despite his -having considerable faith in the ideas of his companion. - -"Why, he tried to do it once before," said Henry Burns. - -"He did?" queried Harvey, in amazement. "You never said anything to me -about it." - -"No; because I didn't think so, myself, at the time," replied Henry -Burns. "You see, it was over there that night at Springton. Do you -remember the man on the beach next morning?" - -"Go ahead," said Harvey. "Perhaps I'll see it when you tell it." - -"Well," continued Henry Burns, "I mean the old fisherman that spoke to -Mr. Carleton just as we were pushing off. Don't you remember, he spoke -about Mr. Carleton's borrowing his skiff to go out to his yacht the night -before? Now you just think how Mr. Carleton looks--tall and nicely -dressed--and that big blond moustache--and then that heavy, deep voice of -his. That fisherman wasn't mistaken. He remembered him. It was only the -night before, too, mind you. - -"And, besides, the fisherman asked him if he had found his own boat all -right in the morning. Now, don't you see, whoever it was that borrowed -the fisherman's boat had gone down to the place where we had left our -tender, expecting to find a boat at that very spot. You put the two -things together, and it looks like Mr. Carleton. I didn't think of it -then, but I've been thinking of it since." - -Harry gave a whistle of astonishment. - -"And he hadn't lost that pin at that time, either," said Henry Burns. -"Nor had he lost the pin he told about, the night after, when he was -looking about the cabin with a light, while we were asleep. Then, I don't -believe he had lost any pin at all when he broke into our cabin; and if -he had, why didn't he wait till we came up? He knew we would be back in -an hour or two. No, sir, he was after something in that cabin." - -"Well, if you don't think of queer things!" exclaimed Harvey. "Anything -else?" - -"Nothing of itself," replied Henry Burns, thoughtfully. "But isn't it -kind of queer that he should have tried to buy the _Viking_ when he had -seen her only once? I'm sure Harry Brackett was making an offer for him. -He had just come from Bellport, you know; and that's where Mr. Carleton -was staying. Now a man doesn't usually buy a boat offhand that way." - -"That's so," assented Harvey. "Well, what do you make of it all?" - -"Why, that's what puzzles me," said Henry Burns. "But you know how we -came by the boat, in the first place. Supposing the men that owned her, -and who committed that robbery up at Benton, had hidden something -valuable aboard her, and that Mr. Carleton had heard of it. Naturally, he -would try to get hold of it, wouldn't he?" - -"Whew!" ejaculated Harvey. "But how could he hear of it? The men that -committed the robbery are in prison." - -"Yes, that's true," said Henry Burns. "But persons can visit them on -certain days, in certain hours. There are ways in which Mr. Carleton -could have got the information." - -Jack Harvey was by this time wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. - -"We'll overhaul her this very night," he cried. "We'll light the lanterns -and go over her from one end to the other. Say, do you know, it might be -hidden in the ballast--in a hollow piece of the pig-iron, I mean. Of -course the ballast was taken out of her last fall." - -Henry Burns gave a quiet smile. - -"It might be," he said, "but more likely somewhere about the cabin. We -better wait till morning, though, and do the job thoroughly. We'll get -Tom and Bob out then, to help--especially if you want to go through the -ballast." - -"I'll turn her upside down, if necessary," cried Harvey, who was fired -with the novelty of the adventure. "Well, perhaps we better wait till -morning. But I don't feel as though I could go to sleep." - -"I can," said Henry Burns, and he set the example, shortly. - -"Well, if he can't think of weirder things, and go to sleep more -peacefully than anybody I ever heard of!" exclaimed Harvey, as he put out -the cabin lantern and turned in for the night. - -On his promise of secrecy, they let George Warren into the scheme next -morning. The other Warren boys had gone up the island. So, at George's -suggestion, they took the _Viking_ up the cove, alongside the _Spray_, -and lashed the two boats together. - -"Now you can take the ballast out on to the deck of our yacht, if you -want to," said George Warren. - -"Let's overhaul the cabin, first," said Henry Burns. - -As for Jack Harvey, he wanted to overhaul the whole boat at once, so -filled was he with the mystery and the excitement of the thing. He threw -open this locker and that, piled their contents out on to the cabin -floor, and rummaged eagerly fore and aft, as though he half-expected to -come across a hidden fortune in the turning of a hand. - -"Look out for Jack," said George Warren, winking at Henry Burns. "With -half a word of encouragement, he'll take the hatchet and chop into the -fine woodwork." - -"I'll bet I would, too," declared Harvey, seating himself, red-faced and -perspiring, on one of the berths. "Say, Henry, where do you think it is?" - -"Probably under where you're sitting," replied Henry Burns, slyly, -winking back at George Warren. - -Harvey jumped up, with a spring that bumped his head against the roof of -the cabin; whereupon he sat down again, as abruptly, rubbing his crown, -and muttering in a way that made the others double up with laughter. - -"That's a good suggestion, anyway," he said, making the best of it. And -he fell to tossing the blankets out of the cabin door. He searched in -vain, however, for any hidden opening in the floor of the berth, and -sounded fruitlessly for any suspicious hollow place about its frame. - -"I'll tell you what we'll do," suggested Henry Burns; "you and Tom start -forward, and George and I will start aft, and we'll work toward one -another, examining everything carefully as we go. We'll pass the stuff to -Bob and he can carry it outside." - -Setting the example, Henry Burns began with the provision locker on the -starboard side, next to the bulkhead. He took everything out, scrutinized -every board with which the locker was sealed, and tapped on the boards -with a little hammer. But there was no unusual fitting of the boards that -suggested a hidden chamber, nor any variance in the sound where the -hammer fell, to warrant cutting into the sides of the locker. He examined -top, sides, and bottom, with equal care and with no favourable result. - -Next, on the starboard side, was the stove platform and the stove. There -was no use disturbing that, so he passed it by. - -A chamber, sealed up and lined with zinc for an ice-box, afforded a -likewise unfavourable field for exploration. - -Then came a series of lockers, with alcoves and shelves between, which -occupied the space above the berths. These, and the drawers beneath the -berths, were searched, but yielded no secrets. - -George Warren, on the port side, searched likewise, but with equally -discouraging results. - -Harvey, forward, had the hatch off and the water-casks and some spare -rigging thrown out on deck. The cabin deck and cockpit of the _Viking_ -looked as though the boat had been in eruption and had heaved up all its -contents. - -"My!" exclaimed George Warren, "this is hot work. I feel like a pirate -sacking a ship for gold." - -"Only there isn't any gold," said Harvey; "but I'll try the ballast -before I quit." - -"I'm afraid that's not much use," said Henry Burns. "They wouldn't go so -deep as that to hide anything. I'm afraid I've raised your hopes for -nothing." - -But Harvey was not for giving up so soon; and, seeing his heart was set -on it, the others took hold with a will and helped him. They took up the -cabin floor and lifted out the sticks of ballast. - -"Glad there isn't very much of this stuff," said George Warren, as he -passed a heavy piece of the iron out to Harvey. - -"Well, so am I," responded Harvey. "There's lead forward, so we won't -disturb that. But I've heard of hiding things this way, and there might -be a hollow piece of the iron, with a cap screwed in it, or something of -that sort." - -"He must have been reading detective stories," said Henry Burns. - -Perhaps Harvey, himself, came to the conclusion that he was a little too -visionary; for, after he had sounded each piece with the hammer until -they had a big pile of it heaped outside, he grinned rather sheepishly -and suggested that they had gone far enough. The boys needed no second -admission on his part. They passed the stuff in again, and it was stowed -away as before. - -"Say, Henry," said Jack Harvey, when, after another half-hour, they had -restored the yacht to its former order, "this wasn't one of your jokes, -was it--this hidden treasure idea?" - -Henry Burns sat down by the wheel, wearily. - -"No, it wasn't, honour bright," he replied. "But I guess it is a kind of -a joke, after all. You four can pitch in and throw me overboard, if you -like." - -But they were too tired to accept Henry Burns's invitation. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - A RAINY NIGHT - - -The summer days went by pleasantly now, with naught to interrupt the -enjoyment of the yachtsmen. The three yachts, the _Viking_, the -_Surprise_, and the _Spray_, went on a friendly cruise around Grand -Island, putting in at little harbours overnight, and the crews waking the -stillness of many a small hamlet with their songs and skylarking at -twilight. They had races from port to port, the largest boat giving the -other two time-allowance. They fished and swam and grew strong. - -Toward the middle of August, the crew gave up lobster catching and stored -the lath-pots away for another year. The _Surprise_ took to going on -voyages down the bay, fishing on its own account. In fact, Harvey's four -charges had developed a surprising and most commendable ability to look -out for themselves, without assistance from him and Henry Burns. - -The _Viking_, too, went on a ten days' fishing voyage to the outer -islands, cleaned up a good catch of cod and hake, and came back, with all -the gear neatly packed away, ready to store for the winter. - -There had been only one thing lacking for the season's complete financial -success. The mackerel had not appeared around the coast. It was getting -near the first of September, and the local fishermen had lost hope of -their coming. - -"Guess it's going to be an off year," remarked Captain Sam. "They're -uncertain fish. One year you can almost bail 'em out with a pail, and -another year they just keep away. They're getting a few down around Cape -Cod, I hear, but I reckon the seiners have cleaned 'em out so there won't -be any 'round these parts." - -Nevertheless, the young fishermen were alive to the possibility of their -coming. They scanned the water eagerly for signs of a school whenever -they were cruising, and, at early morning, watched the harbour entrances -in the hope they might see the fish breaking. - -"If we could only get the first run of them," said Little Tim, "we'd just -make a fortune. The big hotels down the bay haven't had any this season, -except those they've sent to Boston and Portland for. They'd take the -whole boat-load." - -Little Tim was, in fact, the greatest optimist to be found around Grand -Island. Perhaps it was because he knew less about signs and indications -of fish, and trusted only to his own hopes. The old salts shook their -heads and agreed it was surely an off year. But, wherever the _Surprise_ -cruised, if there was not a sea on, and the yacht was sailing slowly -enough to admit of it, Little Tim had a line overboard, trolling far -astern. The jig was baited with a white strip of fish, to catch the eye -of any hungry mackerel that might have ventured into the bay, despite the -predictions of the islanders. - -Then, early one afternoon, Little Tim's faith was rewarded. They were -sailing lazily along, with a light west wind, in the lee of the small -islands back of Hawk Island, some six or seven miles below Southport. -Little Tim, seated on the after-rail, had his usual line astern, and the -crew had had their usual jokes at his expense--especially when, now and -then, a tug at the line, which had set Tim's heart jumping, had proved to -be only a floating bunch of seaweed, greatly to the chagrin of Tim, and -to the amusement of the others. - -There came a smart tug at the line, and Little Tim was up like a rabbit -out of its hole. He seized the line and began hauling in rapidly. - -"Tim's got some more seaweed," said Allan Harding. "Too bad there isn't -money in that. He's pulled enough up alongside the boat to make us all -rich." - -"No, it isn't!" cried Tim, excitedly. "Look, there's a fish coming -in--hooray! It's a mackerel, too. See him shine." - -Little Tim yanked the fish out of water, with a jerk that sent fish and -mackerel-jig higher than his head. But there was no mistake about it. -There was a mackerel, flopping and jumping in the bottom of the boat, -glistening and gleaming, with its mingled shades of green and black and -white. - -"Isn't he a beauty?" exclaimed Tim, dancing about in wild excitement. "It -isn't a No. 1 size--only a 'tinker;' but it's a mackerel sure enough, and -they don't come alone, these fellows. There are more. Get out the lines." - -But his companions, no longer scoffing, were as excited as he. Joe Hinman -had the boat up into the wind, in a twinkling. The other two boys had the -sail down on the run, and furled, with a couple of stops about it, and -they were drifting slowly, the next moment, with lines out on every hand. - -However, Little Tim proved to be more of a discoverer than prophet. The -fish, if there were more of them about, were not running in large -numbers. They caught a few more scattering ones, but they could see no -school in sight. They stuck to it, however, till the middle of the -afternoon. - -"They're coming in, though," said Joe Hinman; "and we are the only ones -that know it. We haven't the bait for much fishing, anyway; so let's run -up to harbour while the wind lasts, tell Jack and Henry Burns, and we'll -all come down here again early in the morning, before the other boats get -out." - -Little Tim, winding up his line reluctantly, drew one more fish in before -they set sail, well-nigh going overboard in his excitement. - -They reached Southport Harbour about five o'clock, and ran close -alongside the _Viking_, which lay at its mooring. - -"We've got something good for supper, Henry," said Little Tim to Henry -Burns, who was busily engaged cleaning up the decks of the yacht, with a -broom which he dipped overboard now and then. - -"Better send up and invite young Joe down," said Henry Burns, paying -little attention to the new arrivals. "Jack and I are going into the -tent, to eat supper with Tom and Bob." - -"All right," said young Tim. "It may be your only chance, though, to eat -one of these this summer." Henry Burns glanced up from his work at the -string of six mackerel which Tim proudly displayed. Then he flung down -his broom and ran to the companionway. - -"Jack, come out here," he cried. "They've got some mackerel. They've come -at last." - -Harvey emerged hurriedly from the cabin, and gave a whoop of exultation -when he saw the fish. - -"We want to go down first thing in the morning," said Joe Hinman, "before -any of the other boats get out. There'll be money in the first catch, if -we have any luck." - -"We won't wait till morning," said Henry Burns, decidedly. "We'll start -to-night, and be on the grounds first thing. I'll get Tom and Bob out. -You fellows get your lines ready and we'll go and catch some bait right -off." - -Henry Burns, while not of excitable temperament, had a way of doing -things sharply and promptly when occasion demanded. He went below and -presently gave a signal of three short toots on the fish-horn, in the -direction of the camp. Bob was alongside next moment, in the canoe. - -"What's up?" he asked. - -"Get ready for a trip down the bay," replied Henry Burns. "We're off -to-night, just as soon as we get the bait. The mackerel are in. Tim's -found them at last." - -Tim showed the crew's catch. - -"Fine!" exclaimed Bob. "I'll tell you what," he added, "I've got supper -under way. Let me take those fish, and I'll cook them, too, and get -supper ready for all of us, while the rest of you catch the bait. Tom -will come out and help you." - -Tim tossed the fish into the canoe, and Bob hastened ashore. - -They were all out in the cove shortly, with lines down close to the muddy -bottom, for flounders and sculpins. The tide, at half-flood, served them -fortunately, and soon the fish began to come aboard. Then, when they had -their catch, they rowed around to the wharf, dropping Henry Burns ashore -near the Warren cottage. - -The _Spray_ was gone from harbour; but Henry Burns left word for the -Warren boys to follow, in the morning, impressing the importance of -secrecy on Mrs. Warren, with a solemnity as great as if they were going -after hidden gold. - -At the wharf, near the beach, a huge sort of coffee-mill was set up, -which the mackerel fishermen used for grinding bait--but which had had no -service thus far this year. Chopping the fish into pieces, they threw -these into the mill, whence they dropped into a big wooden bucket, ground -into a mess that might, as Little Tim remarked, look appetizing to a -mackerel, but didn't to him. - -"There, we've got 'chum' enough," said Harvey, when the bucket was -two-thirds filled. "We'll need the rest of the fish to bait the hooks. -Come on, before any of the fishermen see what we are doing." - -They rowed around quickly to the camp, whence the odours of supper -emerged, appetizingly. Bob had been as good as his word, and everything -was ready. They sat about the opening of the tent, and did full justice -to Bob's cooking. - -"Lucky it's going to be a good night," said Henry Burns, glancing off at -the sea and sky. "Looks like a little breeze, doesn't it, Jack?" - -"I hope so," replied Harvey. "We'll start, anyway. It's clear, and it -won't be like drifting about down off Loon Island, if we get becalmed." - -"Can't stop to clean up dishes to-night," said Bob, as he piled the stuff -into the tent, as soon as they were finished. "We usually leave things -more shipshape, don't we, Tom?" - -They tied the flap of the tent carefully, saw that the tent-pegs were -firm, and the guy-ropes all right, and departed. By half-past seven -o'clock they were out aboard, and the two yachts were under way. - -"Too bad the _Spray_ isn't coming along," said Henry Burns; "but I've -left word for them to follow in the morning." - -There was a light westerly breeze blowing, which was favourable for a -straight run to the islands, with sheets started a little, and everything -drawing. They set the forestaysail and both jibs and the club-topsail on -the _Viking_; and, there being no sea, with the wind offshore, they made -fast time. - -The _Surprise_, with everything spread, followed in the wake of the -larger yacht. - -"We'll tell the mackerel you are coming," called Henry Burns to the crew. - -"They know it already. We told them we were coming back. We saw 'em -first," responded Tim. - -They were among the islands by ten o'clock, though the wind had fallen. -They anchored in the lee of one, and prepared to turn in. - -"We ought to be out early," said Harvey; "but how are we going to wake -up? I'm sure to sleep till long after sunrise, unless somebody wakes me. -We ought to have some alarm to set, to wake us." - -"Don't need it," replied Henry Burns. "I'll set myself. I don't know how -I do it, but if I go to bed thinking I want to wake up at a certain hour, -I almost always do wake at about that time. How will four o'clock do?" - -"Early enough," said Harvey; "but don't over-sleep." - -Sure enough, Henry Burns was awake next morning by a few minutes after -four o'clock; but he was not ahead of Little Tim, this time, who was so -excited that he had slept all night with one eye half-open, and who had -been up once or twice in the dead of night, thinking it must be near -morning. He was over the rail of the _Viking_, at the first appearance of -Henry Burns, and, between them, there was no more sleep for anybody. - -It was dead calm over all the bay; and, one thing was certain, there was -as yet no news of the mackerel having come in, for there were no boats -out. - -"We've stolen a march on the fishermen for once," exclaimed Tom, as they -ate a hurried breakfast and got the lines ready. "I wonder if the -mackerel are looking for breakfast, too." - -They put out, shortly, in the two dories, rowing down a half-mile to -where the crew had seen the fish the night before. There was no sign of -the water breaking, anywhere, to denote the presence of a school. - -"Never mind, we'll throw out, anyway," said Harvey. "Sometimes they're -around when they don't break. They may be feeding deeper." - -Taking a long-handled tin dipper, he filled the bucket of bait nearly to -the brim with sea-water, and stirred it vigorously for a moment. Then he -took a dipper of the stuff and threw it as far from the boat as he could, -scattering it broadly over the surface of the water. - -They waited, watching eagerly, but the bits of ground fish sank slowly, -undisturbed. - -"Don't seem to be at home," muttered Harvey. "Row out a little farther, -and we'll try them again." - -They repeated the manoeuvre several times, but each time the bait was -untaken. It sank slowly, each tiny particle clearly defined in the still -water, settling in odd little patches of discoloration. - -Then, of a sudden, there was a sharp severance of one of these patches, -as though an arrow had been shot through it. The next moment, there was a -darting here and there and everywhere. The pieces of fish disappeared in -tiny flurries. At the same time, the surface of the water broke into -myriads of tiny ripples, as though whipped up by a breeze. - -"They're here," whispered Harvey. "Get out the lines." He filled the -dipper once more and threw it broadcast, but this time nearer the boats. -They threw out the lines, baited with the shining pieces of flounder. - -It seemed as though every bait was seized at once; for, in a moment, -every boy was pulling in, and a half-dozen mackerel came over the -gunwales together. - -They baited up anew, then, knowing that no bait serves so well for -mackerel as a piece cut from the under side of the fish, itself. This, -white and shiny, and pierced twice through the tough skin with the barb -of the hook, would indeed often answer several times in succession, -without rebaiting. - -They rigged two lines for each fisherman, tying an end of each line to -the gunwale, so that, when a bite was felt, one of the lines could be -dropped while the fish on the other was hauled aboard. The mackerel, -indeed, bit so ravenously that it was hardly necessary to stop to see if -a fish was hooked, but only to catch up one line, as quick as a fish had -been removed from the other and that line thrown out, and haul in again. -Nine times out of ten there would be a mackerel on the hook. Standing up -in the dories, to work to better advantage, they were soon half knee-deep -in the fish. - -"We'll fill the boats, if they keep this up," said Harvey. "Tom, you're -nearest the oars; just row back toward the yacht, easily, and we'll toll -them up that way." - -He threw out more bait, as Tom worked the dory back, and the whole school -followed, hungrily. In a few minutes the boys had climbed aboard the -yachts and were fishing from them, to better advantage. - -A half-hour went by, and the fish had not ceased biting. The boys were -drenched to the skin from their hips to their feet, with the drippings -from the wet lines; for, in their haste, they had not stopped to don -their oilskin breeches. - -"We ought to have known better, with all the experience we have had this -summer," said Henry Burns; "but never mind, we'll make enough out of this -catch to buy new clothes, if the wind only serves us, later." - -By the end of an hour, the sun was up and gleaming across the water. - -"They're likely to leave us soon, now," remarked Harvey; but, oddly -enough, the fish still remained about the boats in such numbers that the -water seemed fairly alive with them. However, with the warmth of the -sun's rays, the voracity of the mackerel abated somewhat, and they began -pulling them in more slowly. - -"I'm just as glad," exclaimed Tom, whose arms, bronzed and muscular, were -nevertheless beginning to feel the novel exercise. "My arms and wrists -ache, and I know I'll never be able to stand up straight again. My back -is bent, and frozen that way, with leaning over this rail." - -Suddenly, after a quarter of an hour more, the fish began making little -leaps half out of water, breaking the surface with little splashings and -whirls. - -"They'll be gone now," said Harvey. "Some bigger fish are chasing them. -That's what makes them act that way." - -This seemed to be true, for presently the water that, a moment before, -had been alive with the darting fish, became still and deserted. They -took one or two more, by letting their baits sink deep in the water, but -the big catch was ended. - -"It's pretty near a record for hand-line fishing in a single morning -around here, I guess," said Harvey. "How many do you think we've caught, -Henry?" - -"Nearly five hundred, I should say," answered Henry Burns. - -"More than that, I'll bet," exclaimed his enthusiastic comrade. And for -once, at least, Harvey was nearer correct than Henry Burns; for, when -they had counted them, some hours later, there were five hundred, and -eighteen more, in the _Viking's_ catch; and as for the crew of the -_Surprise_, they were only fifty below this figure. - -"Oh, but I'm hungry!" exclaimed Bob, dropping on to the seat. "And, say, -it's somebody's else turn to cook breakfast." - -"I'll do it," said Tom. - -"Well, you go ahead," said Henry Burns, "and the rest of us will stow -these fish down below, out of the sun." - -They went to work with a will, the crew of the _Surprise_ doing likewise. - -"Too bad to stow fish in this nice, clean cabin," said Joe Hinman; "but -never mind, we'll have to turn to, by and by, and scrub it, that's all." - -They had the luck with them, again; for hardly had they begun to prepare -breakfast, than the water rippled with a second day's westerly breeze. -They got the two yachts under sail, without a moment's loss of time. - -"See here, Joe," called Harvey, as the yachts began to fill away, "we'll -play fair with you. We can outsail you some, and we shall get to -Stoneland before you do. We'll take the big hotel in the harbour, and -then the market. The market will buy all that either of us have left. -We'll leave you the other hotel, a half-mile up the shore. There are -'most as many guests there, and they're all summer boarders, so they'll -take as many fish. If we break a stay on the trip over and get delayed, -you give us the same chance, eh?" - -"Ay, ay," responded Joe. "Good luck!" - -The wind not only came sharp and strong, an hour later, but there were -thunder-clouds in the sky, down near the horizon-line, and the breeze was -full of quick flaws and was treacherous. Before they were half-way over -to Stoneland, they were sailing under two reefs and making the water fly. - -"It's great!" cried Harvey, hugging the wheel, in his delight. "Let her -blow good and hard as long as it doesn't storm. We'll do the fifteen -miles in an hour and a half, at this rate." - -The two yachts were lying well over in the water, crushing it white under -the lee-rail, and making fast time. - -"We'll get a storm, too, by nightfall," said Henry Burns, looking -weather-wise at the sky. "But we shall have sold our fish first, and -we'll be snug behind the breakwater. So let it come." - -The yachtsmen were in great spirits. Even Henry Burns betrayed symptoms -of excitement as they ran into the harbour, early in the forenoon, and -brought the _Viking_ up neatly at the hotel wharf. - -A few minutes later, Henry Burns and Jack Harvey approached a somewhat -important-appearing person on the hotel veranda, who had been pointed out -to them as the proprietor. - -"Fish? No, I don't buy fish," he answered, shortly, in reply to Henry -Burns's question. "See the steward. He attends to that." - -Harvey reddened, but Henry Burns smiled and said: - -"That's all right, Jack. We're only fishermen, you know. Come on, we'll -see the steward. We'll make him pay more for the fish, just because the -proprietor was haughty." - -Henry Burns was fortunate enough to catch the steward in the hotel -office, where he stated his errand, coolly, before some of the guests. - -"Good!" exclaimed one of them. "You'd better get 'em, Mr. Blake. You -haven't given us any fresh mackerel this season." - -"He'll have to buy some, now, whether he wants to or not," said Henry -Burns to Harvey, as they followed the steward into his private office. - -"Now see here," said the steward, "I've got some six hundred guests in -this house, and I need about three hundred fish. I want a fairly easy -price for that many." - -"Twenty cents apiece, right through," answered Henry Burns, promptly. - -"Ho! That's too much," said the steward. "Can't do it. Try again." - -"That's the figure," insisted Henry Burns. "You'll have to pay more, if -we sell them to the market, you know. Then there's the hotel up the -shore. What would your boarders say if we took them up there and sold -them?" - -Steward Blake looked at Henry Burns sternly for a moment; then a grim -smile played about the corners of his mouth. - -"You're kind of sharp, aren't you?" he asked. "Well, I guess you've got -me there, as these are the first of the season. Throw in an extra dozen -for good measure, and it's a bargain." - -"All right," said Henry Burns. - -A few moments later, with three twenty-dollar bills tucked away in a -wallet in his inner waistcoat pocket, Henry Burns, with Harvey, was going -briskly down to the wharf, where he and his comrades were soon engaged in -loading the fish into the hotel wagon. - -"We can be haughty now, ourselves," he said, as they got under way once -more and stood down for the market. - -Ten cents apiece was the marketman's figure, and they let the remainder -go for that. Then, with eighty dollars for the entire morning's catch, -they went aboard the _Viking_ and punched and pummelled one another like -a lot of young bears, from sheer excess of joy. - -"I wonder how the crew will come out," said Harvey. "I'm afraid they -won't do as well at a bargain as you did, Henry." - -"Perhaps so," said Henry Burns. "They've got Little Tim aboard, and he's -pretty shrewd, sometimes." - -And indeed, it was at Little Tim's suggestion that the _Surprise_ went on -up the coast, after the crew had done business with the hotel left for -them according to the agreement, and they sold the remainder of their -catch at the hotel at Hampton, three miles farther on. And they, too, -found themselves rich at the end of their bargaining, with sixty dollars -to divide among the four of them. - -Then, as the day wore on threatening, with the thunder-clouds slowly -mounting higher, and the wind coming in fiercer gusts, the yachts, each -in a safe harbour, laid up for the day. The respective crews wandered -about the towns as if they were each, individually, the mayor, or at -least were a party of the selectmen. - -The Warren boys, having returned on the previous evening, and being -apprised by Mrs. Warren of the news confided to her care, were -disappointed not to have joined the party; but they made ready, the next -morning, to follow. Then the early morning steamer from Bellport brought -them a letter, saying that Mr. Warren, senior, would arrive on the -night-boat from Benton, and had arranged for a week's cruise with them, -among the islands. So they changed their plans to a short run down toward -the foot of Grand Island, to be back at nightfall. - -There, again, the fortune of sailing was against them. By mid-afternoon, -when they would have put back, the storm threatened. - -"No use," said George Warren, reluctantly. "We'll have to wait for it to -blow over. We'll be glad enough of this good harbour in a half-hour -more." - -The storm broke soon after, heavily. By five o'clock it was pouring in -torrents, with sharp flashes of lightning illumining the darkened waters -of the bay. By six o'clock it eased up a little. - -"Well, one of us is in for it," said George Warren. "Somebody's got to -tramp up the island, home. Father will be down, and he won't like it, to -find us gone. The other two can sail the yacht up in the morning. We'll -draw lots to see who goes." - -To the immense relief of his brothers, the lot fell to him. They consoled -him, but with satisfaction not all unconcealed. He took it in good part, -however. - -"Don't feel too bad about it, Joe," he said, as he bade them good night. -"I know you wanted to go home, but I'll tell the folks you're -comfortable." - -He started off in the drizzle. They had run down about seven miles, and -there was that length of muddy road ahead of him. It was not his fortune -to accomplish much of his journey, however. Three miles up the island, -the storm resumed its fury, blowing the rain fiercely in his face, while -the whole island seemed to shake with the crashing of the thunder. It was -useless to contend against it, and, at length, he turned in at a -farmhouse by the roadside, and sought shelter. - -"Yes, indeed," said the housewife, to his request. "There's the spare -room at the end of the hall up-stairs for you, and welcome. There's wood -in the wood-box, too, and you can build up a fire in the fireplace and -dry your clothes. You're as wet as a drowned cat. When you're dried out, -come down-stairs and I'll have a cup of tea for you. We've had a boarder -for two days in that room, but he went away yesterday; and I'm glad he's -gone, for your sake." - -George Warren scrambled up the stairs, at the risk of the lamp which the -woman had handed to him, lighted. Inside the room, he took a handful of -kindling from the wood-box, and soon had it ablaze, with the aid of a few -scraps of old newspaper. Then he laid some larger pieces of driftwood -across, and quickly had a cheerful fire roaring up the chimney. - -He threw off his wet clothing, wrapped a blanket about him, and crouched -by the fire to enjoy its warmth--for he had been chilled through. - -The huge, old-fashioned fireplace would seem not to have been used for a -long time; for, in the corners of it were odds and ends and scraps of -paper, that had evidently been swept up from the floor and thrown in -there, as the most convenient place for their disposal. George Warren -poked some of this stuff into the fire and watched it blaze. He picked up -a few scraps of paper and threw them in. - -Then, as he repeated this action, there was the half of an envelope that -the light of the fire illuminated, as he held it in his hand. Part of the -address remained, and, even as he consigned it to the flames, he read it -clearly: - - "Carleton, - "Bellport, - "Me." - -"Hello! that's funny," he remarked. "That's Mr. Carleton's name--and he -was over at Bellport, too. I thought he had gone away to Boston. I'll -have to ask about him in the morning." - -But, in his hurry next morning, George Warren forgot about the letter -until he was a half-mile up the road. - -"I'll have to tell Henry Burns and Harvey about that, anyway," he said, -as he walked along. "Henry Burns likes mysteries. He'll have some queer -notion about why Mr. Carleton was down there, I'll bet." - -But George Warren failed to inform either Henry Burns or any one else -about his discovery; for he went on a week's cruise, next day, and when -he returned it had passed out of his mind. At least, he didn't think of -it till about two weeks later. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - TWO SECRETS DISCOVERED - - -Squire Brackett sat in his office, deep in thought. To say that he was -out of temper, would be putting it mildly. Something that he was trying -to do baffled him; and, being thwarted, he was irritable and unhappy. Now -when Squire Brackett was unhappy, he usually succeeded in making -everybody else with whom he came in contact likewise unhappy. Therefore, -when he betook himself to his office, of an afternoon, and sat himself -down at his desk, to attempt to solve a certain puzzle, as he had done -now for several weeks, at intervals, the members of his household kept -discreetly aloof. - -Before the squire, on the shelf of his desk, lay the paper on which he -had pasted the scraps of Mr. Carleton's letter. The first effort at a -solution of the puzzle had been one more of curiosity than aught else on -his part. He had thought it would be rather a smart achievement, to -discover something which another man had attempted to destroy, though it -probably would be of no particular importance to the discoverer. But, -from that condition of mind, he had progressed to a state wherein he -thought he saw, hidden in the fragments of the letter, something of more -than ordinary import. - -As Squire Brackett had arranged them, the words and parts of words now -lay before him thus: - - lock - ey - must be - sound - mbers - aboard yacht - starboa - still - under - ays - third - -The squire's increase of curiosity had resulted largely from his -interpretation of the first two fragments. At a casual glance, he had -decided that the first four letters were a part of the word, -"locker,"--which would be natural if the writer were referring to a -yacht. But he arrived at a different and more exciting conclusion, when -it suddenly dawned upon him that the first word was really complete as it -stood; that it was the word, "lock." This, because the next two letters -clearly were part of the word, "key." - -"Of course," he exclaimed. "If I hadn't been stupid I'd have thought of -that before. Aha! I have a whole sentence now, by simply supplying a few -of the missing words." He wrote as follows, picking out these words that -the letter, as he had it before him, contained: "key -- lock -- must be -still aboard yacht." - -"That's plain enough for a boy to read," said Squire Brackett. "The -sentence was, 'The key to the lock must be still aboard yacht.'" - -"Hm!" he exclaimed, rubbing his forehead, reflectively. "That's -interesting; and it's queer. Somebody knows a thing or two about that -boat--and that somebody, whoever he is, has been writing it to Carleton. -Still, I don't see how that helps me. I can't make much out of it." - -The letter, having yielded up this much of its secret to the squire, -became immediately of greater interest to him; but, at the same time, an -object of greater annoyance and perplexity. He couldn't get the thing off -his mind. It became a sort of continual nightmare to him. Why, he asked, -should any one write to Mr. Carleton about a key to a lock aboard the -_Viking_? - -Being somewhat heavy-witted, in spite of a certain natural shrewdness, -the squire did not answer his own question readily. - -On this particular afternoon, however, he advanced a step farther. - -"Perhaps," he said to himself, "that word, 'sound,' does not refer to -timbers at all. It might be Long Island Sound, where this yacht has been -at some time, probably. Oh, I wish I had the rest of the letter." - -"I tell you what!" exclaimed the squire, "this thing is queer. That's -what it is. Who should know anything about this yacht, and who would be -writing to Mr. Carleton about it? It couldn't be the men that had it -before the boys got it. They were a band of thieves. What's that? Hello! -Why not? This man Carleton has cleared out. He didn't buy that land of -me. He never intended to; that's what." - -"I've got it!" he cried, jumping up excitedly and thumping his desk with -his fist. "Chambers! Chambers! That's the man. He's the man that set fire -to the hotel. He's the man that Jack Harvey captured down in the -Thoroughfare. He's the man that knows about the _Viking_--and there's his -name in the letter--or a part of his name. - -"Those letters, 'mbers,' don't mean 'timbers' at all. They were a part of -the name 'Chambers.' Yes, and those letters at the end of the list, -'ays,' don't mean 'stays,' either, as I thought they did. That word is -'says.' - -"'Chambers says' something--now what does he say? I have it: - -"'Chambers says key to the lock must be still aboard yacht.' - -"Wait a minute," said the squire to himself. "That word, 'starboard' -comes in here somewhere. Starboard--starboard--oh, I see; 'starboard -locker.' That first word is 'locker,' just as I thought in the -beginning." - -The squire wrote his translation of the letter, as he had thus far -evolved it, as follows: - -"Chambers says the key to the starboard locker must be still aboard -yacht." - -"Now let me see," reflected Squire Brackett, "that leaves only three more -words--'sound,' 'third,' and 'under.' Well, I don't know what they have -to do with it. They probably referred to something else in the letter. -But what on earth can that be in the starboard locker,--that's what I'd -like to know." - -Deeply agitated, he arose from his chair and strode up and down the room. -He rubbed his hands together in a self-satisfied way. - -"Looks like I'd get even with some of 'em yet," he exclaimed, softly. -"There's something aboard that yacht that's valuable--and what's more, -that man Carleton came all the way down here on purpose to get it. I see -it--I see it. They had a locker where they hid valuables, and there's -something there yet worth getting. Oh, I wish I had the rest of that -letter!" - -The squire, forming a sudden resolve, put the precious paper in a drawer, -locked it therein, and hurried down to the tent on the point. By good -luck, he met Henry Burns coming away from it. - -"How d'ye do, my boy?" he said, trying to smile agreeably and to conceal -his excitement, at the same time. - -"How do you do, Squire Brackett?" replied Henry Burns, reading easily -something of more than ordinary significance in the squire's shrewd face. -"Nice day, sir." - -"Yes--yes, so it is," returned the squire. "See here, I'd like to hire -that yacht of yours for a few days--possibly a week. I won't sail her, of -course. I'm no skipper. I'll get John Hart to run her for me." - -"Sorry to disappoint you, squire," said Henry Burns, "but we can't let -the _Viking_. The season is most over, you see, and we want to have some -fun with her the rest of the time. We've begun cleaning her out and -washing her insides, ready for painting. Perhaps the crew will let you -have the _Surprise_, though. I guess Harvey will be willing." - -"Well, now," said the squire, "supposing I pay you ten dollars for her, -just for four days. I'll take--" - -"No, sorry to refuse," said Henry Burns, "but I don't see how we can do -it. Besides, we've got lots of money, ourselves, you know. We've been -mackereling." - -The squire continued his urging, but Henry Burns was obdurate. The -_Viking_ couldn't be hired--by Squire Brackett, at least. He went home, -fuming inwardly. - -"If I only had the rest of that letter," he kept repeating. "I don't dare -to offer them very much, on a mere chance. It might turn out like that -land I bought of Billy Cook." - -The squire, having his mind thus tantalized, began to worry over the -mystery and even to dream of it. One night he dreamed that he had hired -the yacht, and that he had found a bag filled with twenty dollar gold -pieces in it; and, when he woke up, he was so angry to find it was only a -dream that he scandalized poor Mrs. Brackett with his exclamations. - -Young Harry Brackett was made to feel the effects of his father's mental -disturbance. The squire assailed him with questions about Mr. Carleton, -which puzzled the son exceedingly. Finally the squire demanded, -point-blank, to know what Mr. Carleton had said to him when he -commissioned him to buy the yacht. - -"And you needn't deny that he did get you to try to buy it, either," he -exclaimed, warmly, "because I know all about that." - -Harry Brackett, taken aback, but concluding that Mr. Carleton had told -his father about it, admitted the commission, but could not recall -anything in particular that Mr. Carleton had said at that time. - -"Didn't he want to know something about the yacht that he was intending -to buy?" demanded the squire. "Now just wake those sleepy wits of yours -up and try to think." - -Harry Brackett, much confused, endeavoured to obey. - -"No, I don't remember that he did," said he, finally, "only he wanted to -know, of course, if I'd heard anything wrong about the yacht--anything -queer about her--or something of that sort--seems to me he asked if there -was anything queer about the boat--anything ever discovered about her." - -The squire concealed a thrill of satisfaction by scowling, and exclaimed: - -"Well, why didn't you say so before? I might want to buy that boat, -myself, sometime. I want to find out about her." - -A night or two after this, Squire Brackett awoke. He had had another -dream: that he and Mr. Carleton had stolen aboard the _Viking_, in the -dead of night, and had broken into the cabin. There, after the strange -and impossible fashion of dreams, they had discovered the man, Chambers, -at work, tearing up the cabin floor. Then, the dream progressed to a -stage wherein Mr. Carleton and Chambers were handing out bags of money to -the squire, piling his arms full of them. - -By degrees, these bags grew heavier, until the squire sank under their -weight. But, to his horror, Carleton and Chambers did not cease heaping -the bags of money upon him until he was smothering under them. They -covered his face, his nose, the top of his head. He woke up in the midst -of a vain endeavour to call for help, in which he could not utter a -sound. - -Possibly the squire's dream was explained by the fact that he found -himself submerged beneath the bed-clothes, which he had drawn completely -over his head, almost stifling himself. His pillow, which he clutched -tightly in his arms, rested also on his left ear, like one of the -imaginary bags of gold. - -"Oh! oh!" he groaned, freeing himself from the weight of clothing, "that -was a terrible nightmare. Confound that yacht! I wish it was sunk in the -middle of Samoset Bay, and I'd never set eyes on it again." - -But, with this awakening, the old subject of the mystery of the _Viking_ -returned to torment him. He lay awake for a half-hour or more, vainly -trying to forget it and go to sleep, but finding the paper with the -cryptogram forever flitting before his eyes. - -Then, of a sudden, he sprang out of bed, with a yell that awakened poor -Mrs. Brackett in terror. Her first thought, naturally, was of burglars. - -"I have it! I have it!" cried Squire Brackett, dancing about like a -certain philosopher of old, "I have it--it's 'money!'" - -"James Brackett!" exclaimed his wife, sitting up and glaring at him -indignantly, "I believe you're going crazy over money. That's all you -think about, is money--and all you talk about is money; and now here you -are dreaming about money. Aren't you ashamed of yourself, jumping out of -bed in the middle of the night and screaming 'money,' and frightening me -almost to death? You come back to bed!" - -But the squire did seem to have gone actually crazy, for it was evident -he was fully awake. He continued to prance about excitedly, exclaiming, -"It's money! I've got it! I've got it!" until poor Mrs. Brackett was at -her wit's end. - -Ignoring alike her entreaties and her scornful remarks, he descended to -his office, drew forth the mystical paper, eyed it triumphantly for a -moment, and then wrote as follows: - -"Chambers says MONEY must be still aboard yacht." - -"Hooray!" cried the squire. "There it is. Oh, I reckon I'm pretty deep, -myself. Yes, and I see the rest of it now." The squire finished the -letter thus: - -"Sound under third starboard locker." - -"That's right," he said. "That means there's some sort of a secret -chamber in one of the starboard lockers, and that by sounding, or -hammering, on the right spot, it will echo hollow, or give some sound -different from the other boards. Oh, I'll get that yacht, no matter what -I have to pay--and I'll get the money, too. I reckon I haven't cut my -eye-teeth for nothing." - -The squire could hardly close his eyes for the rest of the night. By -daybreak he was out alongside the _Viking_. - -"Look here," said Squire Brackett, as he opened the doors of the cabin, -and peered in at Henry Burns and Harvey, who were at breakfast, "I want -you boys to do me a little favour." - -Harvey's face betrayed his astonishment. - -"Oh, I'll make it worth your while, too," continued the squire. "I'm -willing to pay handsomely for it. You see, I've got a party of friends -coming down the bay, and I want to meet them at Mayville and give them a -few days' cruising. I'll admit there's a little business in it for me, -too. Now I want to do the thing up in good shape, and my boat isn't fit -for putting on style. I want the _Viking_ for just one week, and I'll pay -you twenty dollars for it." - -There was no immediate response. Henry Burns and Harvey looked at each -other doubtfully. The offer was almost tempting. - -"Well," cried the squire, seizing the opportunity, "I'll not stand at -five dollars at a time like this. Say twenty-five dollars for a single -week, and the money is yours." - -"In advance?" asked Henry Burns. - -"Yes, sir," replied Squire Brackett, "in advance--though I reckon my name -on a piece of paper is good for that amount anywhere in this county. Yes, -and I'll do more. I'll sign an agreement to deliver the yacht back to you -in this harbour, one week from the time of hiring it, in as good -condition as when I get it, or pay for the difference." - -Henry Burns looked at Harvey, inquiringly. Harvey nodded. - -"Well," said Henry Burns, "on those conditions I think we'll let you have -her--but only for one week. You'll have to wait two days, though. We've -got some fresh enamel on part of the woodwork, and some of the mahogany -finish has been scraped and newly oiled, and it isn't quite dry enough -for hard usage yet. Let's see, to-day is Wednesday. You may have her on -Saturday morning, if you'll bring her back the next Saturday, any time -before night." - -"Here's the money," said Squire Brackett, promptly. "We'll consider the -bargain closed, eh?" - -"Yes," assented the two yachtsmen. - -"Now what do you make of that?" exclaimed Harvey, as the squire rowed -awkwardly ashore. - -"Why, I think he has some land deal on hand," replied Henry Burns, "and -he wishes to make a grand impression on the persons he is going to meet. -He calls them his friends, but he's friendly to any one that he thinks he -can make money out of. They probably are from the city, and he wishes to -have them enjoy the sights of the bay in a fine boat. There's money in it -in some way for the squire, you can depend on it, or he wouldn't do it." - -Henry Burns was certainly right, in part. - -"Well, we will have the yacht in fairly good shape for him by Saturday," -said Harvey. "We'll bring down the fine cushions and fixings from the -Warren cottage, Friday night." - -The boys worked industriously through this and the two succeeding days, -putting the _Viking_ in shape. The outer body of the boat had not -received hard usage, even in their fishing, and the decks had been kept -carefully scrubbed. So, with the cleaning and painting and oiling of the -cabin woodwork, and varnishing, where needed, they had got the yacht in -fairly good condition before the squire had applied for her. Now, with -the finishing touches, and the rubbing up of brass work, the _Viking_ was -beginning to shine and glisten as of old. - -"I am almost sorry we agreed to let the squire have her," said Henry -Burns, as he and Harvey lay rolled in their blankets, the former on the -starboard, the latter on the port berth, in the midship section of the -yacht, on Friday night. They had finished a hard day's work, had -extinguished the cabin lantern, and were having a quiet chat before going -off to sleep. - -"Oh, well, a week will soon pass," said Harvey, "and twenty-five dollars -will swell our bank-account and put a finishing touch to the season's -balance. We'll have to go and figure up with Rob Dakin, pretty soon, and -see how we stand." - -Rob Dakin, the storekeeper, was the boys' banker. They had deposited -their earnings in his safe, from time to time, keeping an account with -him for groceries and rigging, and drawing out what they needed. - -"Yes," responded Henry Burns, "we've got a good balance coming to us--and -we've had a good time, too." - -"I've had the best time I ever had here," said Harvey, enthusiastically. - -They were talking in this way, growing drowsy, and speaking in low tones, -when Henry Burns suddenly uttered a warning "hush" to Harvey, and half -arose, resting on one elbow. - -"What's the matter?" whispered Harvey. - -Henry Burns laughed, softly. - -"The boat is bewitched," he said. "You needn't get nervous, though. It's -just a funny little, squeaky kind of witch-noise. I heard it the other -night when I was lying here; but, when I sat up and listened, the sound -stopped." - -"What sort of a noise is it?" asked Harvey, not much interested. - -"Why, I'll tell you," answered Henry Burns, "I suppose the witchcraft is -really something loose about this berth, or about one of those shelves, -or lockers; and that it works with the swinging of the boat in some way, -and makes a squeaking noise." - -"I don't see anything very mysterious about that," muttered Harvey. - -"I don't, either," replied Henry Burns. "Only the queer thing about it -seems to be, that when I get up and listen for it, it stops." - -"Well, if any witches fly out of that locker, just wake me up to take a -look at them," laughed Harvey, preparing to roll up in his blanket again -for the night. - -Henry Burns, also, lay down again, and the cabin was still. In about five -minutes more, Henry Burns reached down quietly for one of his shoes and -rapped with it on the shelf, above his head. - -"What's that?" demanded Harvey, roused from the early stages of -slumber--"some more of your witches? Say, you can't make me nervous, so -you better let me go to sleep." - -"Jack," said Henry Burns, arising and stepping over beside his companion, -"go over and try my berth awhile. Don't go to sleep, but keep still, and -listen--and tell me what you hear." - -Harvey, grumbling a little at his comrade's oddity, complied, yawning -ferociously. - -"If I see a witch I'll eat him up," he exclaimed. "I'm dead tired." - -"Keep quiet," was Henry Burns's admonition. Harvey was silent, and again -they lay still for almost ten minutes. Then, of a sudden, Harvey raised -himself on an elbow. Henry Burns was all attention. "Did you hear it?" he -asked, softly. - -"Sh-h-h," whispered Harvey. He lifted his head close to the door of the -locker and listened intently. Then, presently, he burst into laughter. - -"You're right, Henry," he cried. "They're witches--four-legged ones--and -we'll have to clear 'em out of this cabin before they do any mischief. -There's a nest of young mice in there somewhere, and it's them we hear -squeaking." - -"Well, to tell the truth, I thought of that, too," said Henry Burns; "but -I didn't suppose mice ever got into a boat like this in the summer-time, -when it's in use." - -"Well, I don't know as I ever heard of it," responded Harvey, "though I -don't see why they shouldn't. The schooners and fishermen have them in -the hold, often. But sure enough they've got in here somehow. Let's have -a look." - -The boys got up, lighted two of the cabin lanterns, and proceeded to -investigate. - -The berth on which Henry Burns had lain, and from which Harvey had just -arisen, was in the middle of the boat. It was about six feet long by two -feet wide, and sufficiently raised from the cabin floor to admit of two -good-sized drawers occupying the space beneath. There was a locker in the -side of the cabin, opening by a door close by the head, and one of the -same size at the foot, of the berth. Between these was an alcove with -some shelves. - -The door of the forward locker was so disposed that, if one were lying on -the berth with his head forward, the door could not be opened without its -coming in contact with his head. Therefore, the sound, if it came from -within the locker, would be immediately in the ears of any one occupying -the berth. - -Holding a lantern in one hand, Henry Burns opened the door of the locker -and looked within. There was no sign of anything alive there. - -"We gave this cabin a pretty good overhauling before, after that -treasure," said Harvey. "It looks just the same now as it did." - -"Well, it must be underneath, then," said Henry Burns. - -"Yes, and we looked there, too," said Harvey. - -"Well, we'll do the job more thoroughly, this time," replied Henry Burns. -"Hand me one of those candles, and I'll look underneath." - -So saying, he set down his lantern, and pulled out one of the drawers -directly underneath the berth where he had lain. As he did so, he gave an -exclamation of surprise. - -"What is it?" asked Harvey, appearing with the candle. - -"I think we're on the right track," said Henry Burns. "Look, there's -where the witches get through." - -Close to the cabin floor, where a support of the cabin roof came down, a -few inches below the lower edge of the drawer, was a small hole, large -enough to admit of a mouse. - -"That looks like the front door, sure enough," said Harvey. - -They looked within the drawer, but there was no sign of occupancy there. - -"We'll take the drawer completely out," said Henry Burns. "I don't -believe we did that, before. Perhaps it doesn't fill the entire space." - -"All right, I'll take the other one out, too," responded Harvey. "We'll -look behind both." - -He drew the drawer out and set it down on the cabin floor. Henry Burns -pulled out the drawer he had been examining, and set it down on top of -the other. Then, as he glanced at them by the light of the candle which -he held, he said, abruptly: - -"Look there, Jack. We've found it. As sure as you live, this drawer is -six or seven inches shorter than the other. There's a chamber behind it. -Say, you don't suppose--" - -Henry Burns did not conclude his sentence. Instead, he got down on hands -and knees, held the candle under the berth, and peered within. As he did -so, he uttered a cry of triumph. - -"Here, Jack, look inside," he said, hastily, withdrawing his head, and -handing the candle to his companion. - -Harvey ducked his head, and peered within. - -What he saw, in the chamber behind the space taken up by the drawer, was -a little boxlike object, fastened in some manner to the under side of the -bottom of the locker. - -Harvey, in turn, handed the candle over to Henry Burns. - -"Here," he said. "You found it. It's your right to have the first look at -whatever is there." - -Henry Burns, as near the point of actual excitement as he ever got, took -the candle, eagerly, and looked again. The boxlike object was clearly a -drawer of some sort, for, on closer scrutiny, there was revealed a tiny -knob by which it might be drawn out. - -"The mice are here, anyway," said Henry Burns, as he reached in and set -the candle down, preparatory to extending his arm at full length to draw -out the box. "I see a hole in one corner where they can get in and out." - -Then, as he seized the knob and pulled the little drawer open, there -darted out a small object that ran across his hand and disappeared in the -darkness beyond the lantern lights. - -Henry Burns laughed, the next moment, for he had dodged back, bumping his -head and letting go of the knob. - -"Run for your life, Jack," he cried. "Here comes the witch." - -Then, before Harvey's astonished eyes, Henry Burns drew forth into the -light of the cabin lantern a little drawer; and, within it, a nest -fashioned of odds and ends of paper and soft stuff; and, within the nest, -a family of tiny mice, lying as snug as the proverbial bug in a rug. - -The drawer was about a foot in length, six inches deep, and perhaps four -inches in height. It contained no apparent treasure--only a litter of -paper that mice had torn and gnawed into pieces. There was no gold nor -jewels therein. - -"Hm!" exclaimed Harvey, with an expression of chagrin overshadowing his -face, "Don't look as though there was anything there to make us rich--or -to have warranted Carleton in breaking into our cabin, eh?" - -"There isn't now," replied Henry Burns, calmly, but with a shade of -disappointment in his voice. "There isn't now, but there was. The mice -have got here before us, that's all." - -He held up to the light a scrap of the torn paper. It was no ordinary -paper that the lantern-light revealed to the eyes of the astonished -Harvey--far from it. It was the paper that no man may make for -himself--the paper of a national bank-note--and there were, on this -particular fragment, yet to be seen, a full cipher and the half of -another. Harvey fairly gasped. - -"That was a hundred-dollar bill!" he exclaimed. - -"Yes, or a thousand," said Henry Burns. - -Harvey groaned. - -"Better drop those mice overboard, hadn't we?" said he. - -Henry Burns scooped the family up in his hand and passed them over. - -"I believe you said if you saw a witch you'd eat her," he remarked, -slyly. - -"Ugh!" ejaculated Harvey, as he dropped the mice alongside. "Say, you -take it coolly enough, don't you?" - -"Well, why not?" replied Henry Burns. "It isn't our money that's gone." - -"It would have been," said Harvey. - -"I don't know whether it would or not," responded Henry Burns. "We'd have -to turn it over to the authorities, I suppose, to see if any one claimed -it--hullo! what's this?" - -Running the litter through his fingers, he turned up from the very bottom -a piece of the paper that had escaped entire mutilation. He held it up -triumphantly to the light. - -"We've got one prize," he cried. "It's the only one that isn't -destroyed--but it's fifty dollars, and that's something." - -"But there's only a piece of it," said Harvey. - -"More than half," said Henry Burns, joyfully. "That's enough. We can -redeem it." - -"Oh, but isn't that awful?" groaned Harvey, gazing ruefully at the litter -of paper that filled the drawer. "Just think of all that money going to -make a nest for mice." - -"It's what you might call extravagance," replied Henry Burns. "I wonder -how much there was. We'll never know, though. But there was enough to -make it worth while for Mr. Carleton to come down here after it." - -"Say," exclaimed Harvey, suddenly, "do you suppose that's what the -squire's after?" - -Henry Burns smiled, and stood for a moment thinking, before he replied. - -"Possibly," he answered. "But I don't see how he could know of it. Where -could he have learned of it? At any rate," he added, with a twinkle in -his eyes, "I don't see as we are under any obligation to tell him about -it. We don't have to assume that he is hiring our yacht to steal -something out of the cabin. He has told us what he wants the boat for. -We'll take him at his word." - -"Oh, by the way," he added, "did we throw those lobster shells overboard -after we finished supper?" - -"All but one claw that I didn't eat," replied the astonished Harvey. -"Why, what do you want of it?" - -In reply, Henry Burns, his eyes twinkling more than ever, and with a -quiet smile playing about the corners of his mouth, went and got the -lobster-claw from the ice-box. Emptying out the scraps of now worthless -paper, he deposited the lobster-claw in their place, took the candle, and -once more replaced the drawer in the secret chamber. Then he shoved in -the larger drawer. - -"Whoever finds that may keep it," he said, as he rolled himself in his -blanket and blew out the lantern nearest him. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - THE LOSS OF THE VIKING - - -Squire Brackett was for once in rare good humour, as he came down to the -breakfast-table on Saturday morning. He was beaming like a harvest moon, -and a look of satisfaction overspread his heavy face. He even smiled -affably on his son Harry, and was, withal, so pleased with himself, and -so off his guard, that his son took advantage of the opportunity to ask -him for ten dollars--and got it. By the time Squire Brackett had repented -of his generosity, young Harry had disappeared. - -"The scamp!" reflected the squire. "Smart enough to see something is up, -wasn't he? Well, I reckon I'm glad of it. He comes by his smartness -honestly, I vow. I wonder how the wind is." - -He was, indeed, a bit apprehensive on this score, for he was a bad -sailor. He had, moreover, a vivid recollection of the last time he went -threshing down the bay in Captain Sam's _Nancy Jane_, and of how sick and -frightened he was. - -"However," he thought, "I guess I can stand it." And he added, chuckling, -"It will be worth my while, or my name isn't Brackett." - -Mrs. Brackett was perplexed. She couldn't, for the life of her, -understand what had come over the squire, to induce him to venture forth -on a yachting trip. - -"Why, you just hate the water--you know you do, James," she exclaimed, as -the squire was bustling about, getting out his greatcoat and preparing -otherwise for his departure. "You said, a year ago, when you got back -from that chase after those boys, that you'd had enough sailing to last -you the rest of your life. And I don't see why you don't use your own -boat. Here you've been talking about selling her for the last three -years, because every time you go out in her you're dreadfully sick. You'd -better get some use out of that boat while you have it." - -"Well! well!" responded Squire Brackett, somewhat impatiently. "This is a -business trip. You can't understand, because it's business--important -business. I guess I know my affairs, or I wouldn't be the richest man on -Grand Island. You just get that lunch ready, so I can start before the -wind grows any stronger." - -Mrs. Brackett complied, obediently, but wondering. - -"Morning! morning! Nice day, my lads," said the squire with unwonted -cordiality, some minutes later, as he appeared alongside the _Viking_, -accompanied by John Hart and Ed Sanders, who were to constitute his crew. - -"Good morning, squire," responded the yachtsmen, catching the painter of -his boat and making it fast. "You're going to have a glorious day to -start off in." - -"Think so?" queried the squire. "Not going to blow much, eh?" - -"Not this morning, by the looks," replied Henry Burns; "just a nice -little easy southerly that will take you up to the head of the island in -fine style. Then all you've got to do is to beat down the western side, a -mile or so, and you can stand right over to Mayville without touching a -sheet--isn't that so, Captain Hart?" - -John Hart, having the prevailing contempt of the born and bred fisherman -for the amateur sailor, grunted a curt affirmative. - -"Well, take good care of the _Viking_," said Harvey, as the squire's crew -cast loose from the mooring and stood away, leaving the boys in their -tender astern. - -"We'll do that," replied the squire, assuringly. "And if we don't, why, -you've got it in black and white that I'll make it good to you. A -bargain's a bargain. That's my principle." - -The _Viking_, under a gentle breeze, was soon out of the harbour, clear -of the bluff, and was running up alongshore. Jack Harvey and Henry Burns -rowed ashore, to the tent, where Tom and Bob were awaiting them. -Something that Henry Burns and Harvey confided to them, as they sat -together on the point, sent the campers off into roars of laughter. - -"Oh, but I'd give my shoes to see the squire when he finds that -lobster-claw--if that's what he's after," cried Tom, punching Henry Burns -in an ecstasy of mirth. "Do you suppose that's really what he's hired her -for, though?" - -"Don't know," replied Henry Burns, solemnly. "No; Squire Brackett -wouldn't do anything like that." - -"Well, let's go up to the store and see how we stand," suggested Harvey. -"Come on, fellows. You're interested in this." - -"How much do you think we have earned, Jack?" asked Henry Burns, as they -walked up the street toward Rob Dakin's store. - -"Oh, more than two hundred dollars--quite a little more, before taking -out expenses," replied Harvey. - -"Yes; nearer three hundred, counting Tom's and Bob's share, I think," -said Henry Burns. - -"Well, that's reckoning in the fifty dollars we found in the cabin, isn't -it?" asked Harvey. - -"Yes, I guess it is," said his companion. "It remains to be seen, of -course, whether we can keep that or not. We'll ask Rob Dakin what he -thinks about that." - -"Well, I'll tell you what I think about it," said Rob Dakin, some minutes -later, after the boys had seated themselves in his store. "You say you -found that piece of a bill in a locker in the cabin of your boat. Now -there are two things to consider about that: - -"In the first place, if the owner of the boat--supposing she was -stolen--put that money in there, and he should turn up and claim the -money, why, you might have to give it up. Of course the boat was taken -over by the sheriff and sold, according to law; and if the owner claimed -the boat I reckon he'd have to pay Mrs. Newcome what it cost her. But -nobody has ever claimed her, and there isn't really any danger of that. -So far as that goes, the money seems to be yours. - -"Now, in the second place, the men that had this boat, and who were sent -to prison, might have had this money. Well, if it was their own money, -why, the State would take it and keep it and restore it to them after -they are set free. If it was stolen money, and the owner couldn't be -found, I can't just say whether you could keep it or whether it would -belong to the State. I'm not quite lawyer enough for that. But if they -should deny knowing anything about it, why, I reckon it would belong to -you, as you found it aboard your own boat." - -"Well, we will figure it in, anyway," said Henry Burns. - -So, at their request to draw them up a statement of their affairs, real -"shipshape," as Henry Burns expressed it, Rob Dakin set to work and, -after some minutes' figuring, produced a sheet at which they gazed with -pride and satisfaction. It was as follows: - - LEDGER OF THE VIKING--FISHING SLOOP - _Earnings_ - -1st trip to Loon Island $18.00 -2d trip to Loon Island 22.00 -3d trip to Loon Island 35.00 -Lobsters--apart from crew 45.00 -Big mackerel catch 80.00 -Other mackerel 30.00 -Other fishing 15.00 -Paid by the Squire 25.00 -Found in the cabin 50.00 - ------ -Total earnings $320.00 - - _Expenses_ - -Tom's and Bob's share first three trips $25.00 -Tom's and Bob's share mackerel 36.66 -Tom's and Bob's share other fish 5.00 -Bait purchased 9.50 -Anchor 5.00 -Extra rigging 15.00 -Hooks and lines 10.00 -Provisions 25.00 -Hire of tender 10.00 -Paid Captain Sam for labour 11.50 -Incidentals 13.50 - ------ -Total expenses $166.16 - ------ - Balance $153.84 -Henry Burns's share 76.92 -Jack Harvey's share 76.92 - - -"Hooray!" cried Harvey, waving the paper, triumphantly. "I wonder what my -dad would say to that. I'll bet he'd be pleased. That's the first money I -ever earned." - -"Well, why don't you write him about it?" suggested Henry Burns, with a -wink at Tom. "You're feeling pretty strong after the summer's sailing." - -"Say, I never thought of that," exclaimed Harvey. "I'll do it--that is, -I'll do it some day--say--well, some rainy day when I've nothing else to -do." - -"You like to write letters about as well as I do," said Henry Burns, -laughing. "But I'll tell you what I'll do. You write to your father, and -I'll write and tell old Mrs. Newcome what we've done this summer with the -boat. She'd be pleased to know about it." - -"All right," said Harvey. "It's a bargain--that is, some day when it's -raining good and hard and nothing else to do. Perhaps you'll let me read -your letter over first. It will sort of give me an idea what to say." - -"We're much obliged to you, Mr. Dakin," said Henry Burns, as they left -the store. "You keep the money for us till we go home. We'll want a few -more provisions, too." - -"Oh, you're welcome," responded Rob Dakin, good-naturedly. "You're good -customers, and I'm glad to oblige you. I hope you can keep that fifty -dollars." - -And, to look ahead a little, they did keep it. Some days later, Mr. -Warren, who had been communicated with at Benton, and who had looked into -the matter, wrote them a letter that contained good news. It was, simply, -that the men in prison, questioned regarding it, had denied flatly -knowing anything about a secret drawer or hiding-place anywhere aboard -the _Viking_. Perhaps they had their own good reasons for doing this. -Perhaps it was, that they feared the consequences of the disclosure. -Perhaps the money had really been stolen and concealed there by them. -Perhaps they feared their admission of such a hiding-place would put them -at the mercy of the authorities--who might have unearthed more about it -than had been told--and that it might convict them of still another -crime. - -Whatever their reason, it was known to them alone. But their denial left -the money to the finders. - -To return, however, to the day of their reckoning, the yachtsmen, in high -spirits, invaded the Warren cottage; and, later, the party, augmented by -the three brothers, travelled down to the camp of Harvey's crew, where -they held carnival till late into the night. - -Squire Brackett's adventures throughout the day had been, on the whole, -rather more exciting than those of the campers and the yachtsmen. The -squire had gone aboard the _Viking_ with mingled feelings of exultation -and misgiving. But, as he had looked abroad over the surface of the bay, -his courage had been restored somewhat, for there were no waves of any -size discernible to his eyes, and the wind was still light. - -He seated himself nervously near the stern, where John Hart was holding -the wheel, while Ed Sanders managed the jib-sheets. The jibs soon ceased -to draw, however, as they were beginning to run squarely before the wind; -so Ed Sanders contented himself with hauling up the centreboard, and then -betook himself to the cabin, for a nap. - -This was a sad blow to the squire. He was fairly consumed with eagerness -to go below and hunt about in the cabin, undisturbed, and without -attracting attention. But he couldn't do it while Ed Sanders remained -awake. So he was constrained to sit out in the sun, and listen to John -Hart's explanations of the art of sailing--which didn't interest the -squire at all--and hope for slumber on the part of Ed Sanders. - -Finally there came a welcome sound to his ears, a hearty snore from the -cabin. - -"I declare, that makes me sleepy, too," said Squire Brackett, simulating -a yawn and stretching his arms above his head. "I believe I'll go below -for a few moments, myself, and see if I can't get a nap. It's hot, this -morning." - -The morning was, in fact, unusually sultry for September, and the wind -showed no signs of increasing and cooling the air. - -"Well," replied John Hart, "this is a good morning to sleep, but I don't -know as I would go below if I were you, squire. You know, if a man has -any tendency to be squeamish, that is apt to send him off." - -"Yes, I know," answered the squire; "but it seems so nice and still that -I think it won't disturb me. I'll just drop off to sleep as easy as a -kitten." - -He accordingly descended the companion, looked sharply at Ed Sanders, to -satisfy himself that he was sound asleep, and went to the forward end of -the cabin. - -"Let's see," he muttered, "I wonder if the 'third starboard locker' means -the third from the stern or the third from the bow." - -The squire began opening the lockers along the starboard side, at random, -and peering inside. - -"We'll see what sort of an equipment these youngsters have left us," he -exclaimed, aloud. - -But, just at this moment, the squire felt a queer sensation, like a -strange, quick spasm of dizziness, accompanied by a slight shiver. It was -gone the next moment. - -"Nonsense!" he exclaimed to himself. "Funny how a man's imagination works -in a cubby-hole like this. I almost thought I was dizzy for a moment. -Confound that John Hart! I wish he hadn't said anything about being -seasick. Of course a man can't be seasick on a quiet day like this. -Pooh!" - -The squire perhaps had not taken into account, as had John Hart, that, -whereas the sea was not ruffled by any chop-sea or breakers, there was -still an exceedingly long, almost imperceptible undulation of the bay; a -moderate but continuous heaving of the ground-swell, that swayed the boat -gently from beam to beam or rocked it slowly from stem to stern. The -squire did not realize that it was this that had set his brain -momentarily awhirl. - -Like many another sailorman, John Hart, having given his advice and -finding it disregarded, considered it no longer his business whether the -squire fared well or ill. Likewise, he did not see fit to warn him of the -near approach of a big tramp steamer that was on its way, a little -farther out in the bay, to Benton, to load with spool-wood. - -The big tramp was making time, with black smoke pouring out of its two -funnels; and, as it went along, it sent a heavy cross-sea rolling away -from its bows and stern. - -A few moments later, just as the squire had opened the lower drawer -beneath the third locker from the starboard end of the yacht, something -extraordinary happened to him. His feet were suddenly knocked from under -him. At the same time, it seemed as though the cabin roof had fallen -down; for the squire's head came in violent contact with it. Likewise, it -seemed as though the yacht was standing on its bowsprit and kicking its -stern into the air; and, likewise, as though it were performing, at the -very same instant, as violent a series of antics as the craziest bronco -that ever tried to buck its rider. - -The immediate result was, that Squire Brackett first bumped his head -against the roof of the cabin. Then he fell over sidewise and hit a -corner of the centreboard box. Finally, he found himself lying on the -cabin floor, rolling about in highly undignified and uncomfortable -fashion. - -But, saddest to relate, when he had in a measure recovered from his -amazement and endeavoured to pick himself up from the floor, his head was -swimming round and round like a humming-top. Poor Squire Brackett was, -indeed, as addle-brained as a sailor that has had a day's shore leave and -has spent it among the grog-shops. With a groan of anguish, he -relinquished all hope of treasure-hunting and crawled upon one of the -berths, where he lay helpless, and muttering maledictions on the head of -John Hart for not warning him of what was coming. - -"Hello, what's the matter?" cried Ed Sanders, sitting up and addressing -the squire, whose sudden downfall had awakened him. - -"The matter!" roared the squire, in a burst of energy and -indignation--"the matter is, that you were down here sleeping like a -mummy instead of attending to business on deck. Here's a sea hit us and -nearly turned the yacht upside down, and my neck nearly broken." - -"Ho, we're all right," said Ed Sanders, intending to be reassuring. "Just -a little swash from a steamer, I guess. She's rocking a little, but there -ain't any harm in it." - -The squire was so unutterably disgusted that he couldn't find words to -reply. What could he say to a man that assured him he was all right when -he was beginning to feel the qualms of seasickness? There were no words -in the language to do the occasion justice. - -Nor was he mollified or comforted by the appearance, the next moment, of -John Hart at the companionway, also declaring that really nothing had -happened--nothing of any consequence--and that he would be feeling as -fine as an admiral in a few minutes. - -The squire tried to reply, but could only choke and sputter. - -"Nothing of any consequence, eh?" he groaned. "Oh, my head! O-h-h! If I -die I hope they'll indict John Hart for murder, and hang Ed Sanders for -criminal negligence. Nothing of any consequence--but I know I'll never -live to see the end of this voyage." - -The squire's agitation was not abated with the rounding of the head of -the island; for, with this, what slight sea was running was soon -broadside on, so that it rolled the _Viking_ from side to side--not -roughly, but enough to cause him untold misery. - -Finally, at John Hart's solicitation, he was induced to return to the -outer air, where he sat, wrapped up in two heavy blankets, shivering, and -with his teeth chattering, although the day was exceedingly hot. - -When, at the close of the afternoon, they had arrived at Mayville, the -squire had had enough yachting. He staggered ashore and took a carriage -to the hotel, rather than spend the night aboard the _Viking_. - -"Well, sir," said John Hart, some time the next forenoon, when the -squire, improved in appearance and temper, had come down to the dock, -"when do you expect that yachting party to arrive?" - -"What yacht--" began the squire. He had forgotten for the moment the -alleged object of the trip to Mayville. "Oh, you mean my party?" he said. -"Why, they won't be here until night. I won't need you two at all to-day. -You can have the day off. Here's fifty cents to buy both of you your -dinners. You needn't come back until night." - -"Well," said Ed Sanders as he and John Hart departed from the dock and -went on up the main street of Mayville, "I thought the squire wasn't hurt -much by that bump he got yesterday in the cabin, but I declare if I don't -think it injured his brain. Did you ever know of his giving anybody fifty -cents before?" - -"No, never did," answered John Hart; "but if getting seasick has that -effect on him, we'll make him sick every time he goes out. Next southerly -we get, with the tide running out, we'll sail into the worst chop-sea we -can find and give him a dollar's worth." - -Squire Brackett, however, watched them disappear with a satisfaction -equal to theirs. He rubbed his hands like a money-changer, and stepped -from the wharf aboard the _Viking_ with the assurance of a buccaneer. He -almost imagined he was a sailor when a man on the wharf accosted him. - -"Fine boat you've got there," said the stranger--evidently from the city. - -"She's pretty good, if I do say it," replied Squire Brackett, swelling -out his chest and looking nautical. - -"Looks as though she might carry sail some," continued the stranger, -admiringly. - -"Ha!" exclaimed the squire. "The harder it blows the better we like it. -My men say to me, time and time again, 'Most too much wind, Captain -Brackett; better reef, hadn't we?' 'Not much,' is what I say. 'Let a -topsail go if it wants to. I'll buy another when that's gone. Keep her -down to her work. She'll stand it.' What's the use of having a good boat -if you keep her in a glass case, eh, sir?" - -"Well, I suppose that's so," replied the stranger, much impressed. "But -you've got to have the nerve to do it." - -"It's nothing when you're accustomed to it," said Squire Brackett, taking -a nautical survey of the sky, and rolling toward the companionway like an -old salt. - -Before he began operations, however, he returned on deck, took the -bow-line and drew the yacht close in to the pier, stepped off and cast -loose the end of the line where it was made fast to a spiling. There was -another line out astern, to which an anchor was attached, and which had -been dropped at some distance from the boat. This was to keep the yacht -from getting in too snug to the pier and scraping the paint from its -sides. The squire took hold of this rope and drew the yacht out farther -from the pier, so that no one could step aboard from there. - -Thus safe from interruption, he again went below and sprang breathlessly -to the drawer. - -"Here's the third starboard locker from the bow," he muttered. "'Money is -still aboard yacht,' eh? Ha! ha! I'll show 'em a thing or two. He didn't -intend to buy my land--the rascal. Well, I'll get his treasure. They will -run down my sailboat, will they? Well, I'll pull a prize out of their own -boat. They're a smart lot, the whole of them; but I'll show 'em who's -smarter." - -Squire Brackett's hand shook with excitement as he drew out the large -drawer. - -He looked into it earnestly, but there was clearly nothing of value in -it, nor anything queer in its construction. He opened the door to the -locker, and pounded on the bottom of that. - -"There's nothing odd about that, so far as I can see," he exclaimed. -"Well, it's in behind there. That's where it is. I'll just get a light -and take a look." - -The squire hurried to the provision locker, rummaged therein, and found -the stub of a candle. He nearly burned his fingers in lighting it, so -wrought up was he. - -Returning to the opening whence he had withdrawn the drawer, he got down -on his hands and knees and peered within. The candle-light flickered on -the little drawer that fitted snugly to the under side of the locker's -bottom. The squire felt a queer, almost choking sensation come over him. -He thought of the jewel robbery of the year before, up at Benton. He -thought of the men that had had the _Viking_. The possibilities of his -find swept through his excited brain, till the fancy fired his -imagination beyond his hitherto wildest dreams. - -In a delirium of expectation, and breathing short and quick like a man -that has run a race, the squire snatched at the tiny knob, grasped the -little drawer with eager hands, drew it forth, and rushed with it to the -cabin door. - -For one brief, ecstatic moment he paused exultantly. Then a strange, -remarkable change came over him and he stood like a man stiff frozen. The -look of anguish, of rage, of disappointment, of amazement that distorted -his features was like that which an ingenious South Sea Islander might -give to an image he had carved out of a very knotty and cross-grained -junk of wood. - -He held the drawer out at arm's length, as though he was demanding that -some imaginary person should look and behold the contents. And the -contents, that the squire's own eyes rested upon, were indeed not silver -nor gold nor precious jewels, nor even the tawdriest trinkets, but--of -all abominations--Henry Burns's lobster-claw! - -A moment later, the squire uttering an exclamation that shall not be -recorded here, lifted the drawer above his head, hurled it down upon the -floor, and crushed it with his heel. Once, twice, thrice he stamped upon -it, shattering it to pieces, and crunching the lobster-claw into a -shapeless mass. And then--why then, all at once, it flashed into his mind -that he had, in his fury, done precisely the wrong thing; the very thing -he should not have done. - -If any one had put that claw in there for him to find, why, of course, -they would look for it when the _Viking_ was returned. It was bad enough -to be cheated, defrauded, robbed--thought the squire. But to know that -Henry Burns and Jack Harvey and all the rest of the scamps would look for -that drawer, and find it missing, and laugh themselves sick to think of -his discomfiture, why, that was not to be thought of. - -Squire Brackett stooped down and gathered up the pieces of the shattered -drawer. Fortunately, they were of common pine, and were mostly wrenched -apart where they had been nailed together. The squire hunted for hammer -and nails in the yachtsmen's stores, and hammered the drawer together as -best it would go. He cast loose the line astern and pushed the yacht in -to the pier again. Then he hunted around, outside of a boat-shop near by, -till he found, a small piece of wood that would do, with proper shaping, -to supply one of the parts he had broken. - -Altogether, with his clumsiness in the matter of reconstruction, the -squire consumed the rest of the morning repairing the drawer he had -wrecked. - -Then, when he had finished his work, he strode away up the street and -made a purchase. The purchase was a fine, big boiled lobster--just a -shade redder than the squire's face as he paid for it. But, having paid -for it, he took it back to the yacht and ate it for his dinner--all but -one claw. That claw he wished to save. He was so careful of it, indeed, -that he put it away in a certain secret drawer under the third locker on -the starboard side. - -"No, they're not coming," he said, that evening, to John Hart and Ed -Sanders, on their return. "Too bad. Got a telegram saying they can't -come. The sailing party's given up. Shame, isn't it? However, I've got -some business I'm going to attend to before I go home. We'll stay the -week out. Your pay goes on just the same. So you needn't say anything to -the boys about my not using their yacht. They might think they got a -shade the best of me. It's all right, though. I can make use of the -time." - -The squire, in truth, was too ashamed to return so suddenly. He spent the -week in Mayville; and of all miserable weeks in his existence, that week -was the most dismal of any. - -Saturday came, and it was a day of fitful weather. Part of the day it -rained. Then there were signs of clearing, with the wind sharp and -squally from the west. They waited till mid-afternoon, and then the -weather improving a little, the squire gave the order to start. He -dreaded the sail, but he would wait no longer. They went across the bay -under two reefs, and the squire's hair stood on end all the way. - -It was shortly after supper, and Henry Burns and Jack Harvey sat with -their friends, the Warren boys, on the veranda of the Warren cottage. The -wind was still high, and now and then there came a brief rain-squall. - -"I wonder if the _Viking_ will be in," said George Warren. - -"Possibly," replied Harvey; "but, if she isn't, we'll give the squire -another day. It's stiff wind for him to sail in. What worries me, is -whether the crew are all right or not. They've been gone a week almost, -and they're way down 'round Stoneland somewhere." - -"Oh, they are all right," said Henry Burns. - -And yet, if Henry Burns could have seen the position of the good yacht -_Surprise_, at that precise moment, he might not have thought she was -exactly all right. For the yacht _Surprise_ was hung up on a sand-bar, -some ten miles below Stoneland, among the islands; and the crew had -already worked an hour, in vain attempts to get her off. - -There came a driving squall of wind and rain, presently, and the boys -went inside. - -"The _Viking_ won't be in to-night, I guess, after all," said Harvey. - -Then, as it grew dark, they busied themselves till they were taken all by -surprise by a knock at the door. There stood Ed Sanders, his clothes -dripping. - -"We're in," he said. "The squire sent me up to tell you. He's gone home. -The _Viking's_ fast at her mooring, and all right. Come out and you can -see her lantern that I set at the foremast. She don't need a light, safe -in the harbour here, but I thought you might like to see it and know she -is there." - -"We'll go down right away," said Henry Burns. "Much obliged to you." - -"No, you won't," cried George Warren. "You don't stir out of this house -to-night. You're going to stay with us. The boat is all right." - -They stepped to the door and looked out upon the bay. It was clearing, -but it was not pleasant. Everything was soaked with the rain, and the -wind was blowing. - -"What do you say, Jack?" - -"Oh, I think we might as well stay," answered Harvey. - -So they stayed. And they slept soundly, too, with the night-breeze -whistling past their window. But it is certain they would not have slept -soundly, nor slept at all, if they had but known of a certain letter that -young Harry Brackett had written and sent to Bellport, three days before, -and of the significance it had to the man who received it. - -It was about six o'clock the next morning that Jack Harvey, still -sleeping soundly, was rudely awakened. Henry Burns was shaking him -violently. - -"Jack, wake up!" cried Henry Burns. "Wake up and get your clothes on. -There's something the matter. The _Viking's_ gone. Yes, she's really gone -out of the harbour; for I've been clear down to the shore to see. It -isn't any joke. Hurry up. I'll get the fellows out." - -A few moments later, Henry Burns, followed by Harvey and the three Warren -boys, was running for the shore. - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - FLEEING IN THE NIGHT - - -Southport was very quiet of a Sunday morning, the sleepy aspect of its -weather-beaten, low buildings taking on an even more drowsy appearance -with the Sabbath calm, and without the sign of any activity along the -shore and in the harbour to interrupt its rest. The faint tinkle of a -cow-bell, or the mild bleating of a few sheep coming in from a near-by -pasture, only served to accentuate the stillness. - -The whole island sparkled with the morning sunlight, the rain-drops of -the night before gleaming on bushes and grass before they vanished under -its warmth and with the drying wind. The waters of the bay rolled away -clear and blue, ruffled a little by the freshening breeze, and here and -there showing patches of a darker hue, where a wind-flaw bore down quick -and sharp and flayed the water. - -On the point, in front of the tent, stood the boys that had dashed down -from the Warren cottage, with Tom and Bob, rudely aroused from their -morning nap, and hastily dressed in trousers and sweaters. - -There was no comfort nor hope in the view that extended before them. Down -between the islands, a schooner was running to sea, winged out before the -favouring breeze. Nearer, a coaster, light and drawing little water, was -beating up the bay, bound for Benton, to load with lumber. Over toward -the Cape was a fisherman, with stubby mast and no topmast, skirting -alongshore. - -But there was no yacht, sailing or drifting. There was no yacht _Viking_ -anywhere to be seen. Nor could she have sunk at the mooring, for at that -depth of water her topmast would be showing. However, half suspecting -some trick might have been played on them, and the yacht taken out into -deeper water and sunk, they went out in a rowboat and the canoe, and -examined the water for quite a distance, all about. - -"We're losing precious time, though," said Henry Burns. "The _Viking's_ -been stolen. The first thing we've got to do, is to run over to the -mainland and send a telegram down to Stoneland--though I'm afraid, with -this breeze blowing all night, she's got past there long before this. -We'll telegraph on to Portland, and to Boston, too, and have the police -on the watch." - -"Oh, if the _Surprise_ was only here," groaned Harvey. "We might stand -some chance in a long chase. Confound the crew! Here they are, gone, at -the one time in the whole summer that we need them most." - -"Isn't it just barely possible, though, that John Hart or Ed Sanders -didn't make her good and fast to the mooring, and that she went adrift? -If that is so, she would have gone clear across to the islands in the -night, or even past them, out to sea." - -"That's possible," replied Henry Burns, "but it isn't likely. That's one -thing a good sailor does, always, by sheer habit--leave a boat secure. -We'll get them out, though." - -A hurried search brought forth Ed Sanders and John Hart, who stoutly -protested the yacht had been left as fast as human hands could tie her. -Moreover, they intimated, in no uncertain language, that the yacht had -been turned over to the possession of the owners, according to agreement; -and that, if they had not seen fit to look after their own property, it -was not the fault of John Hart or Ed Sanders or Squire Brackett. - -And the yachtsmen realized there was no answer to this. - -"Jack," said Henry Burns, as they hurried back again to the shore, -"there's no use trying to fool ourselves with false hopes. The _Viking's_ -stolen--and you and I know who took her. He came back for the treasure in -the cabin." - -In the same breath, they uttered the name of Mr. Carleton. - -Then, to their amazement, George Warren gave an exclamation of dismay and -self-reproach; for there had come back to him again, for the first time, -the memory of that rainy night down the island, and of the envelope he -had found in the fireplace, with the name of Mr. Carleton upon it. He -told them now of the discovery he had made. - -"Oh, if I'd only thought of it last night," he cried, "I shouldn't have -urged you to stay at the cottage. You see, the cruise we've been on put -the thing clean out of my mind. I hadn't thought of Carleton since that -night. Hang it! I feel as though I was to blame--and you'd have gone -aboard last night if it hadn't been for me." - -Poor George Warren looked the picture of dismay. "There's nothing for you -to blame yourself about," said Henry Burns. "You couldn't suspect -Carleton was coming back." - -They had been running all the while, and had come by this time to Captain -Sam's door. - -"Now," said Henry Burns, quick and sharp, "we've got to jump lively and -be off. You fellows will all help, of course. Tom, you and Bob have got -to go to Bellport. The canoe will do it twice as quick as any boat could -beat up around the head of the island and sail over." - -"We're off," replied Tom Harris. Without another word, he and Bob dashed -for the shore, had their sweaters off, in a twinkling, snatched up the -canoe as though it were a feather's weight, launched it, and started down -along the island for the Narrows. The light craft darted ahead swiftly, -impelled by bronzed and muscular arms. The boys were trained to hard -work, in rough water and smooth; and they wasted no effort now in -starting off at any frenzied pace, under the excitement. They set, from -the first, a strong, steady, even stroke, that could be sustained for -hours if need be, knowing, as does a trained athlete, that the long -distance race is to the man that sustains, and does not exhaust, his -strength in useless haste. - -"You fellows make for the islands in the _Spray_, will you?" said Henry -Burns, turning to the Warren boys. "There's a man in back of Hawk Island -that owns a big fishing-boat; and if they've seen the _Viking_ go down -through that way, perhaps he'll go along for us. Every man around this -bay will help, when he knows there's a yacht been stolen." - -"We'll start just as soon as we can get a jug of water and some food -aboard," said George Warren. - -"I'll go back to the house for the food," said young Joe. - -The Warren boys started off on the run. - -Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, their faces drawn and anxious-looking, but -determined to keep up their courage, knocked at the door of Captain Sam. - -"Come in," was the hearty response. - -They opened the door, which admitted directly into the dining-room, where -sat Captain Sam, with Mrs. Curtis about to pour his coffee. - -"You're just in time. Sit right down," cried Captain Sam hospitably. -"Baked beans and brown bread is what you get, you know. I can always tell -it's Sunday morning, as soon as I wake up, by the smell from the oven. -Haw! haw!" - -"Hello, what's the matter?" he added, seeing the expressions of distress -on their faces. "Nothing gone wrong, is there?" - -They told him, hurriedly. - -Captain Sam Curtis raised his brawny right hand, which clutched an iron -knife with which he had been dexterously engaged in conveying beans from -his dish to his mouth, and brought it down on the table with a smash that -made the coffee-cups jump in their saucers. - -"I knew it and I said it!" he cried. "I didn't like the looks of that -Carleton from the first--did I, Nancy Jane?" - -"No, you didn't, Sam," responded Mrs. Curtis. "You declared he had a -queer way with him--though I couldn't see it." - -"The villain!" roared Captain Sam. "A boat-thief, is he? We'll catch him, -if we have to sail to New York after him. Nancy Jane, throw some bread -and cheese and that cold meat and brown bread into a box, and we'll get -away quicker'n scat." - -He bolted a cup of coffee at one swallow and unloaded his plate of beans -with a rapidity truly marvellous, urging the boys, between gulps, to do -likewise. But they had not much appetite and ate only a little, hastily. - -"He's the man--the scoundrel!" exclaimed Captain Sam, wrathfully, as they -gathered his belongings and prepared to leave the cottage. "And didn't I -see him night before last, as sure as a man can see? I was coming down -through the pasture from the post-office, about dusk, and there was a man -ahead in the path; and when he heard me coming behind him, he slips off -into the bushes and cuts across lots. Once he looks back for a moment, -over his shoulder, and I says, 'Why, that looks as much like that man -Carleton that boarded at my house as one pea looks like another.' But he -didn't answer when I called to him; only pushed ahead, out of the way. -And I thought it was queer--and now I know it." - -The _Nancy Jane_, Captain Sam's big fishing-boat, named for his wife, -and, like that good woman, plump and sturdy of build, and not dashing, -was swinging idly at its mooring. They jumped aboard, lifted the tender -aboard also, so it would not drag and delay them, ran the mainsail and -jib up, cast off, and stood down alongshore. The chase of the _Viking_ -had begun. - -The yacht _Spray_, which had been under way for some minutes, was off -about half a mile, heading for the islands. The canoe had already reached -the Narrows, a little more than half a mile below, and was not to be -seen. The _Nancy Jane_ was doing her best. Jack Harvey and Henry Burns -looked at each other, their faces set and anxious. They could hardly -speak. - -Only Henry Burns managed to say, "Keep up your courage, Jack. We'll get -him, yet." - -Jack Harvey shook his head, dubiously. - -"He's got a long start," he said; "and you know how the old _Viking_ can -sail." - -As for Captain Sam, he must have had his own convictions about the -relative merits of the _Nancy Jane_ and the _Viking_; but he refrained -from expressing them. He merely drew out his pipe and sent up such clouds -of smoke that it might have seemed as though the _Nancy Jane_ was -propelled by an engine. - -Tom Harris and Bob White lost little time in reaching the Narrows. At -this point, the waters of the Eastern and Western Bays came so near -together that only a narrow strip of the island prevented the sea from -flowing between and making two islands, instead of one. The boys lifted -the canoe on their shoulders, carried across and launched it again in the -Western Bay. They had now some six miles of water to cross. - -Heading somewhat above their destination, so as to allow for the setting -of the tide, they proceeded vigorously. With the precision bred of long -practice, their paddles cut the water at the same moment; while, under -the guidance of Tom's stern paddle, the canoe sped on an undeviating -course, leaving a wake as straight as though a line had been drawn for -them to follow. - -Then, when they came to within the last mile of Bellport, Tom gave the -word, and they finished at racing speed. In upon a clean strip of sandy -beach they ran; nor had the bow scarcely grated upon the shore, before -they were out and were carrying the canoe up above the reach of -tide-water, or the wash of any passing boat. Then, still stripped for the -race, with arms and shoulders bared, they started on a run for the -telegraph office. They had set out at about half-past six, and it was now -eight o'clock. - -Oh, but the minutes seemed hours now. The little office, where the one -operator did whatever business came that way, was locked, when they -arrived. It was Sunday morning, and the operator was being shaved at a -near-by hotel. They fairly dragged him out of the barber's hands, -however, and got him to send their messages: one to Stoneland, another to -Boston, and another to Portland. They were brief: - -"Yacht _Viking_; thirty-eight feet, six; sloop; foresail, two jibs; -painted white; new sails. Stolen last night. Stop her." - -The messages were directed to the harbour-master at each port. - -The boys, donning their sweaters, sat in the shade by the roadside, to -rest. The pace had been so swift, and their intent so absorbing, that -they had not fairly considered until now the real extent of the loss. But -now they groaned with sympathy for their comrades. - -"Isn't it awful?" exclaimed Bob. "Just think of losing a boat like the -_Viking_." - -"Yes, and think of the start he's got," replied Tom. "He's had a smashing -breeze all night. He must have got past Stoneland. Only the despatch to -Portland or Boston will catch him." - -"Well," said Bob, "what next?" - -"Breakfast, the first thing," said Tom. "Then let's go down the bay -toward Stoneland and see what's happened." - -They had, indeed, eaten nothing since Henry Burns had awakened them with -the dire news. - -An hour later, they were paddling leisurely down alongshore. - -In all the village of Southport, through which the exciting and unusual -news had spread, there was but one man who regarded the loss of the -_Viking_ with anything approaching satisfaction. Having assured himself -that no legal blame could attach to him, Squire Brackett was far from -being downcast over the event. He thought of the secret drawer and the -lobster-claw. - -"I'm glad she's gone," he muttered. "Serves 'em right. And they can't -blame me for it. I brought her back all safe." - -And yet, if the squire had known it, he was, by reason of having a son, -in that measure responsible for the _Viking's_ strange disappearance. - -Since Mr. Carleton's sudden departure from Southport, there had been a -desultory correspondence carried on between him and young Harry Brackett, -unknown to any one but themselves. Harry Brackett, indeed, felt rather -flattered to receive attention from so important a person; and he had -become convinced that Mr. Carleton did, in truth, regard certain things -that the boy had done as practical jokes, instead of putting a worse -interpretation on them. - -Moreover, in furtherance of this idea, Mr. Carleton in all his letters -spoke of a certain indefinite time when, if occasion offered, he should -return to Southport, and the two would have some quiet joke of their own -at the expense of the yachtsmen. - -"And when I come, I shall stay into the fall," he wrote, in one letter. -"I expect to buy some land of your father. But say nothing to him about -my coming. My plans might fall through and I should not wish to -disappoint him." - -Thus it had happened that when, on Thursday, Harry Brackett's letter of -the day before reached Mr. Carleton at Bellport, it was a letter of much -importance to that gentleman. He sat on the veranda of the hotel, holding -the letter in his hand, thinking deeply, and uttering his thoughts softly -to himself. - -"So the squire's got the boat," he murmured. "I wish it was I that had -her. I was a fool to start off so soon down this way, and not see -Chambers, myself. It's funny, too, about that secret drawer with the -money. There wasn't any when Chambers and I and French owned her. But it -must be there, for Chambers's friend, Will Edwards, told me about it in -Portland. And didn't he write me from Boston that Chambers says it is -still there? And isn't it queer, and lucky, too, that there's only -Chambers and I left to share it, since Will Edwards has been put where he -won't need money for ten long years?" - -Mr. Carleton arose and paced the veranda, still talking to himself. - -"He said I was the one to get it, did Will Edwards, because I appear like -a gentleman, and can meet people--and, besides, I had the money to spend. -But there's little enough of that left. I've spent a lot. Somebody's got -to pay me. It's the last chance, and I'll have the boat if--" - -Mr. Carleton did not finish the sentence. But behind the heavy moustache, -that had seemed like a disguise, almost, to Henry Burns, Mr. Carleton's -teeth were clenched tight; and his eyes looked away across the bay to -Grand Island, with an expression in them that was cold and resolute. - -Harry Brackett got an answer to his letter, next morning, and the secret -it contained filled him with expectation and excitement. - -"A capital scheme for us, he says," exclaimed Harry Brackett, tearing the -letter into little pieces and casting them to the winds. "I wonder what -it is? I'm to meet him in the pasture to-morrow night. Cracky! but I -guess something's going to happen. I'd like to get even with Jack Harvey -and Henry Burns for once. I'll dare to do anything that Mr. Carleton -will, too; for he'll get the blame, if there's any trouble, because he's -a man." - -Thus it happened that Captain Sam Curtis had not been mistaken when, on -Friday night, he thought he saw his former lodger, Mr. Carleton, stealing -through the bushes in the pasture, as he was coming from the post-office. -Indeed, Captain Sam might have seen more, if he had been sharper-eyed. He -might have seen Harry Brackett dodge quickly out of sight at the sound of -his voice, then throw himself on the ground and lie still until he had -passed. - -What took place between Harry Brackett and Mr. Carleton, on this Friday -night, was an agreement, merely, to meet there again on the succeeding -night; after which, Mr. Carleton proceeded some three miles down the -island, where he had engaged a room at a farmhouse. - -"And what's the joke?" Harry Brackett had asked, eagerly. - -"Leave that to me," Mr. Carleton had replied. "It won't hurt the boat -any; I promise you that. But they may have to mend their sail a little -after it. You know what that means, eh, you young rascal?" - -Mr. Carleton chuckled. - -"Keep watch for the _Viking_," were his parting words. - -There was little need for Harry Brackett to watch for the _Viking's_ -return. He knew of it by the arrival home of Squire Brackett, in the -worst humour he had ever been in--if there could be degrees of such bad -humour as the squire's. He knew of it by his father's ordering him to -"clear out," when he asked about the trip. So, his supper finished, he -lost little time in obeying. - -Harry Brackett hurrying up the road and turning off at length into the -pasture, and Mr. Carleton walking rapidly up the island, and coming at -length to the same spot, they met, shortly after eight o'clock. Great -news had Harry Brackett to impart: the arrival of the _Viking_. Important -enough it was to Mr. Carleton, but he took it coolly--or seemed to. - -"Well, well," he said, laughing, "you're in for fun, aren't you? I didn't -half expect you; the night started in so bad. I shouldn't have come, if I -hadn't promised you I would. However, we're in for it. Ha! ha! I declare -it makes me feel like a boy again. We'll have a laugh on them to-morrow, -for I'm coming back to Captain Sam's to-morrow afternoon, to stay." - -"Now," he continued, "you get back to the shore as quick as you can, and -keep a watch on the _Viking_, to see whether the boys go aboard. If they -do, we'll have our little joke some other night. If they don't--ho! ho! -I'm too old to play jokes like a boy--but I'm in for a good time. I'll be -down to the shore by ten o'clock." - -"He's a queer sort of a man," said Harry Brackett, as he started on a -jog-trot back to the village. - -"I wish I didn't have to use him," said Mr. Carleton, as he watched the -retreating figure. "But I don't dare keep watch, myself; and I need some -one to help run the boat." - -It was a long and somewhat dreary wait for Harry Brackett, down by the -shore. The sky was clearing, but it was wet and soggy underfoot, and the -night was depressing. He almost fancied that he was sorry he had entered -into the scheme, though he didn't know exactly why. However, if Mr. -Carleton, who had money to spend like a gentleman, and who was going to -buy his father's land, could indulge in such a prank, why shouldn't he? - -Yet he jumped, and sprang up almost frightened, when a hand was laid -suddenly on his shoulder and a low voice spoke in his ear: - -"Well, anybody appeared?" - -Mr. Carleton had come very quietly. The boy had not heard a footfall. - -"No," he replied. "But how you startled me. What time is it?" - -"A little after ten," replied Mr. Carleton. "We'll wait till nearer -eleven, to make sure." - -He was not especially companionable, was Mr. Carleton, during their -vigil. He screened himself behind a thin clump of alders, lighted a -cigar, and smoked silently. Harry Brackett quivered with impatience. He -wondered what it was about Mr. Carleton that so changed his appearance. -Why, of course, it was the dress. Mr. Carleton, the night being bad, had -discarded his light yachting costume, and wore a heavy, almost -shabby-looking suit, with a rough felt hat. - -"What are we going to do?" inquired Harry Brackett, once more. - -"Wait till we run her down alongshore between here and the crew's camp," -replied Mr. Carleton. "Then you'll see." - -It was a quarter to eleven, by Mr. Carleton's watch, when he at length -arose and motioned for the boy to follow him. - -"Any skiffs along the beach?" he asked. - -"There are, 'most always," replied Harry Brackett. "The cottagers have -them." - -They found what they wanted, shortly, a little flat-bottomed affair, that -just sufficed to float the two. They got in and rowed out to the yacht. -Stepping aboard, Mr. Carleton dragged the light skiff also aboard after -him. Then he paused abruptly, as though a thought had occurred to him. He -shot one quick glance at Harry Brackett, and another off through the -darkness. - -"We need another small boat," he said. "When we get down alongshore we'll -use them both." - -"There's a rowboat moored off that cottage just below," said Harry -Brackett. - -"Get it," said Mr. Carleton, "when we sail up to it." - -Harry Brackett expressed surprise. - -"Oh, we've got to put them back where we get them from, when we are -through," laughed Mr. Carleton. "Let's untie the stops in this mainsail -now. We'll run it up only a little way, enough to drift down out of sight -of any one from shore here. I want to light a cabin lamp, and I shouldn't -dare to do it here, though I guess every one's gone to bed." - -There was certainly no sign of life in and about the town. There was not -a fisherman in the harbour. Not even a light gleamed from a cottage -window. Southport had gone to bed. It was a gloomy sort of night, too, -with the black clouds wheeling along overhead, and only the uncertain -glimmering of the stars in the shifting patches of blue to relieve the -dreariness. Harry Brackett wondered what time he would get back home. - -"It's getting late," he suggested. - -"Well, it won't take us long," replied Mr. Carleton. "There, the sail's -free. Get forward and cast that mooring off, while I start the sail up a -bit." - -Harry Brackett quickly gave the word that the _Viking_ had dropped its -mooring. Mr. Carleton gave another vigorous haul on the halyards, made -them fast, and sprang to the wheel. They ran down to where the rowboat -lay, and picked that up. But then, Mr. Carleton, strangely enough, ran -the sail up more than "a little way." In fact, as it bagged out with a -sharp flaw of the night-wind, the _Viking_ shot ahead quickly and was -almost instantly under full headway, gliding rapidly out from the shore. - -"We've got to get that sail up still more," exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "We -don't need it, but it's dangerous sailing this way. However, we will get -there all the quicker. You pull on those halyards when I head up into the -wind." - -Harry Brackett, knowing little of what he was doing, complied. - -"Now break into that cabin," commanded Mr. Carleton. "There's a hatchet -under that seat. It's all right. It's a cheap lock. We've got to get in -there." - -Harry Brackett hesitated. Was it going a bit too far? - -"Hurry up, there!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, impatiently. "We mustn't lose -any time." - -There was something in his voice that made Harry Brackett hesitate no -longer. He took the hatchet and smashed the lock from the staple. - -"Now," said Mr. Carleton, quickly, "we're down 'most far enough. We'll -need some rope. There's some light spare line up forward in the cabin, -usually. You just go below and look for it. Don't light a lantern, -though. It isn't safe yet." - -Harry Brackett stumbled below. - -There were two reefs in the sail, but the wind was squally; and there was -sail enough on to make the water boil around the stern, as the _Viking_ -sped swiftly onward. Harry Brackett, fumbling and groping about in the -cabin, could hear the rush of the water along the yacht's sides. They -were sailing fast. - -Moreover, had Harry Brackett been on deck, he would have seen, now, that -they were not running down alongshore, but, instead, were standing -directly out from it, and rapidly leaving it astern. - -"I can't find any rope," he called, at length. - -"Look again. It must be there," replied Mr. Carleton. - -Harry Brackett rummaged some more. - -"Light a lantern if you want to," called Mr. Carleton, finally. "We're -most ready to drop anchor now. But turn the wick down low first." - -The light glimmered for a moment or two--and then Harry Brackett, dashing -out of the cabin as though he had seen an evil spirit in some dark -corner, and giving one wild, terrified glance across the waters, rushed -up to and confronted Mr. Carleton. - -"Here!" he cried, "What does this mean? You're not going down alongshore! -Why, we're half a mile out! What are you doing? Don't you get me into a -scrape--oh, don't you!" - -The boy was trembling; and the chill night air, seeming to penetrate to -his very marrow all at once, with his fright, set his teeth to -chattering. - -In answer, Mr. Carleton, holding the wheel with his right hand, reached -out suddenly with the other hand and clutched the boy by an arm. He held -him in a powerful grasp. - -"See here," he said, "you keep quiet. Do you understand? It's a long swim -from here to shore, and the water's cold. One cry from you, and overboard -you go. Sit down!" - -Harry Brackett fell upon the seat, all in a heap. He tried to speak; to -beg; to implore this cruel, evil man that was now revealed to him, to -stop--to let him go ashore. But something rose in his throat that seemed -to choke him; while the tears rolled down his cheeks. He could only gasp -and utter a few sobs. He shook and shivered as though it had been a -winter's night. - -"Get out of here!" exclaimed Mr. Carleton, sharply. "Go below and stop -that whimpering. You're not going to be hurt. And when you get your spunk -back, come on deck again. I need you to help." - -Harry Brackett stumbled below and threw himself on a berth, groaning in -anguish. - -The _Viking_, with Mr. Carleton sitting stern and silent at the wheel, -sped on through the night. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - A TIMELY ARRIVAL - - -Would they be pursued this night? Would before the dawn, to race with -him? Thus there be any yacht set sail from Southport, thought Mr. -Carleton. Thus he questioned himself, and answered, "No." - -And yet the good yacht _Viking_ was, all unknown to any one, running a -race. The goal was Stoneland--and the competitor, the yacht _Surprise_. - -Thirty miles apart, these two yachts had entered upon this race--and no -one knew it. At about the time the _Viking_ had got under way from out -Southport Harbour, so had the yacht _Surprise_ floated clear. Should they -try to beat back to Stoneland before morning? Why not? The night need not -stop them. The crew knew the way. The yacht _Surprise_ began the long, -ten-mile beat for Stoneland at about twelve o'clock. The yacht _Viking_ -was already under way. Would they meet or would they pass? - -Harry Brackett, lying miserably on the cabin berth, was suddenly aware -that the yacht had ceased running and had swung up into the wind. Then he -heard the sound of the sail dropping. He sat up in wonder. The next -moment, Mr. Carleton descended into the cabin. The yacht _Viking_ was -drifting before the wind at its own will. There was little sea on, and -Mr. Carleton had abandoned the wheel. - -"What--what's the matter?" stammered poor Harry Brackett. - -"Nothing," replied Mr. Carleton, shortly. He paid no heed to the forlorn -figure on the berth, but hastily proceeded to light another lantern. He -turned the wick up so that it shone brightly, and, carrying it, went -direct to the third starboard locker that had been Squire Brackett's -undoing. He stooped down and pulled out, first, the larger drawer, and -then the smaller and secret one. By the lantern light, he looked within. - -Harry Brackett, gazing at him in amazement, saw a strange and -unaccountable thing. He saw the man's face, in the lantern's gleam, pale -to a deathly hue. He saw the drawer that he held drop from his fingers -and fall to the floor. He saw the man stagger back, like one that has -been struck a blow. Then, the man's face, turned toward him, was so full -of fierce passion and wrath that he shrank back, terrified, and dared not -speak to ask him what it might mean. Now Mr. Carleton advanced to where -he lay. - -"Get up! I want you to help me," was all he said. But Harry Brackett, to -his dying day, would never forget that voice. He scrambled up and -followed the man outside. - -"Get that sail up!" said Mr. Carleton. - -Harry Brackett seized the halyards. The yacht _Viking_ went on its course -again. But precious moments had been lost. - -The man's face was something fearful to look into. He threw the wheel -over and back, as though he would twist it apart. But he uttered not a -word. - -Now they were running near a thin chain of islands. Mr. Carleton brought -forth a chart and spread it out upon the cockpit floor, with the lantern -on one corner. - -"Do you know this bay at all?" he inquired, suddenly. - -"Ye-es," answered the boy. "Those are the Pine Islands just ahead, I -think." - -"Right," exclaimed Mr. Carleton. "I thought so. I'll go through like a -book." - -Presently he muttered something else, inaudible to Harry Brackett--and -mercifully so. "I'll do it," he said. "The boy's in the way. I've got to -go it alone." - -It was quiet water in the channel between the islands, and the _Viking_ -skimmed through like a phantom yacht. - -"Here, hold this wheel," said Mr. Carleton, suddenly, turning to Harry -Brackett. "Keep her just as she's going." - -As the boy obeyed, Mr. Carleton seized the line by which the rowboat was -towing and drew it up close astern. - -"Get into that boat!" he said, the next moment. - -Harry Brackett gave a howl of terror, and shrank away. - -"No, no, oh don't!" he cried. "Don't you leave me here. I might have to -stay a week. I'd starve. I'll do any--" - -Harry Brackett's words were choked off, abruptly. He felt himself -gathered up in two powerful arms. He was half-dragged, half-lifted, over -the stern of the yacht, and tumbled into the boat, headlong. Then, as he -scrambled to his feet, howling for mercy, a knife flashed in the hand of -Mr. Carleton. The rope was severed. The _Viking_ shot ahead. The rowboat -dropped astern. Harry Brackett, alone in the night, beheld the yacht -speeding away like a shadow. A few rods away, the light waves moaned in -upon a sandy beach. There was only the black, desolate island, untenanted -save by sea-birds, to turn to. Like a lost and hopeless mariner, he got -out an oar and paddled in to land, where, upon the beach, abandoned and -overcome, he sank down and wept--a faint-hearted Crusoe, monarch of all -the shadows and dreariness that he surveyed. - -And now that he was in turn alone and in sight of no man, Mr. Carleton, -at the wheel of the _Viking_, engaged in strange pantomime. He clenched -his fist and shook it at imaginary foes. He struck his hand again and -again upon the wheel, as though that were alive and could feel the pain -of the blow. If he had suddenly lost his wits he would not have done -stranger things. - -"But I've got the yacht!" he cried, angrily. "She'll pay me for what I've -spent. I'll put her through." - -And then a sudden thought struck him. He brought the _Viking_ abruptly -into the wind again, dropped the wheel, and rushed down the companionway. -He threw open the door of the provision locker--and uttered a cry of -rage. It was empty. - -Back at the wheel now was Mr. Carleton. The lights of Stoneland Harbour -shone faintly, far, far ahead. He sat, grim and troubled. - -"More time wasted!" he muttered. "But I've got to stop. And 'twill be -three o'clock before I get in. If they've got word there, I'm lost. And -where can a man buy food at that hour of the night? I have it--the big -hotel. There'll be somebody on watch. I'll get it by four at the latest. -I'll play the gentleman yachtsman in distress, and pay handsomely." - -But he had lost time. The night had hindered him. By day, he could have -laid a straighter course. And there had been delays. It was nearly -half-past three when the yacht _Viking_, feeling its way into the harbour -of Stoneland, rounded to off the wharves, and the anchor went down. -Leaving his sail set, and giving the yacht plenty of sheet, to lie easy, -Mr. Carleton lifted the skiff over the rail, jumped in, and rowed ashore. - -All safe and clear thus far. No sign of disturbance in the town, as he -rowed in. No launch darting out to seize him. Only a few sluggish -coasters lying near peacefully at anchor. Only a fishing-boat or two -making an early start for the outer islands. Only, far down below, a red -and a green light indistinctly to be seen, as of a small craft beating up -to harbour. - -Mr. Carleton rowed in to the wharf, tied his boat in a slip, and vanished -up into the town. - -A red and a green light, showing from port and starboard respectively, -came to be seen more distinctly as the time went by. Close to, one might -have seen now that it was a trim yacht, but beating in slowly, as one -goes carefully in darkness, where shipping may lie. - -There was also to be seen--if there had been any one to look--that a -weary youth sat at the wheel; that a smaller, but brighter-eyed, nimble -youngster was standing up forward, peering ahead into the darkness. - -"I think we can anchor most anywhere here now," said the boy astern. "I -guess the water isn't too deep to fetch bottom." - -"Wait a minute, Joe," answered the boy forward, rubbing one bare foot -against his trousers leg. "I say, there's a sail, on ahead a few rods. -Luff up a little more, and we'll run in near to that." - -"All right, Tim, tell me when we're heading right," responded the other -boy. But he stared at his small companion in astonishment, a moment -later, when the latter, deserting his post, darted aft, uttering a -warning "hush." - -"What on earth is the matter with you, Tim Reardon?" exclaimed the boy at -the wheel. - -"Let her come up and take a look for yourself," was Tim Reardon's reply. -"It's the _Viking_, as sure as you're alive. They must be asleep. We'll -get aboard and give Henry Burns one good toot on the horn. He's fond of -that sort of thing, so he can't say anything to us. But I wonder what -they've left the sail up for. Won't they be surprised to see us?" - -Joe Hinman, bringing the _Surprise_ up into the wind at the other's -words, himself gave an exclamation of surprise to see the sail set on the -_Viking_. - -"That's queer," he said. "Tim, you take the tender and go aboard, while I -hold the _Surprise_ where she is. Don't be a fool, though, and blow any -horn. If they're as tired as we are, they'll be mad enough to throw you -overboard." - -Tim Reardon made no reply, as he rowed alongside the _Viking_, but a -mischievous twinkle danced in his eyes. - -When he had stepped softly aboard, however, and had crept down into the -cabin, he darted swiftly on deck again. - -"Joe," he called, "this is great! They've gone ashore. And they must be -coming back soon. That's why they've left the sail up." - -Then Little Tim Reardon, scampering forward, did a strange thing. Tugging -away at the rope, he brought the anchor off from bottom and clear to the -surface of the water. Taking a few turns of the rope around the bitts, to -secure it, he darted astern, seized the wheel of the _Viking_, and put -her under way. - -"Here, you Tim, quit that!" cried Joe Hinman in disgust, from the stern -of the _Surprise_. "You don't want to be too free with your tomfoolery -with Jack and Henry Burns. Just remember whose yacht we're sailing. -They'll be mad clean through, too. It's no joke to think you've lost a -fine yacht." - -Little Tim only chuckled derisively, realizing that his larger companion -could not compel obedience from the deck of another boat. - -"I'm doing this," he said. "We don't get a chance to play a joke like -this on Henry Burns every day. Wouldn't he do it quick, himself, though? -Besides, I'm not going far--only up around the end of that long wharf. We -can watch from there and see what happens." - -"You're a meddlesome little monkey; that's what you are," exclaimed Joe -Hinman, too sleepy and weary to see fun in anything. "You'll catch it -from Jack--and you'll get what you deserve." - -And yet Joe Hinman, so long as somebody else would smart for it, had just -enough interest in the plot to follow along with the _Surprise_. -Together, the two yachts turned in under the lee of a long wharf, less -than an eighth of a mile ahead, lowered the sails so they should not be -visible, and came to anchor. - -"You've got to take the blame for this, Tim," said Joe Hinman, as they -waited together on deck. - -"I'll do it," chuckled Tim Reardon. "I like a joke as well as Henry Burns -does. He'll take it all right, too. You see if he don't." - -They woke the two boys who were sleeping in the cabin of the -_Surprise_--to see the fun. George Baker and Allan Harding came on deck, -sleepy and grumbling. Nor did the joke take on a more hilarious aspect, -as the time went by and no Jack Harvey and no Henry Burns put in an -appearance. - -"I'm going to turn in," said Joe Hinman, at length. "You can have all the -fun to yourself, Tim." - -He went below, the two other boys following his example. - -Little Tim, himself, began to lose heart in the joke--when, suddenly, in -the faint gray of the approaching dawn, he espied a boat coming out from -shore toward where the _Viking_ had lain. It was four o'clock. The boat -was a small skiff. There was only one person in it. Whoever he was, he -was rowing furiously. There seemed to be a box of some sort on the seat -in front of him. - -Suddenly the man ceased rowing. His head was turned for a moment. Then he -sprang to his feet in the small skiff, with a jump that almost upset the -craft. He peered wildly about him and seemed to be rubbing his eyes, like -a person in a dream or one rudely aroused from sleep. Then he sat down -and rowed a way down the harbour--then across to one side--then in toward -shore again. - -"That isn't either Jack or Henry Burns," said Tim Reardon; "and yet he -acts as though he had lost something--his head, I guess." - -Little Tim was nearer correct than he knew. - -"He looks familiar, too," thought Tim Reardon. "What man does he look -like? I can't think." - -But what happened next was more extraordinary than before. The man -suddenly sprang up, gave one glance about on all sides, then picked up -the box on the seat before him and dumped it overboard. He resumed his -seat, seized the oars, and began rowing furiously down the harbour. At a -point some way below where he had first appeared, he ran the boat in to -shore, sprang out, left the boat without tying it or dragging it up on -the beach, and started off, running desperately. - -"That's a crazy man," said Little Tim to himself--and again spoke not far -from the truth, unwittingly. - -"Hang the joke!" cried Tim, finally. "I wish I hadn't done it now. It -don't seem so funny after waiting all this time. I'm going to bed, too. I -guess I will catch it, just as Joe said I would." - -He went below, in the cabin of the _Viking_. His companions were aboard -the _Surprise_. - -Morning came, and Little Tim awoke with something disturbing his mind. -Oh, yes; now that he was wide awake, he knew. It was that joke. He wished -he hadn't played it. He wished so more and more when Joe Hinman awoke and -found that Jack and Henry Burns had not put in an appearance. - -"You've made a nice mess of it, Tim," he exclaimed. "I wouldn't be in -your shoes, when Jack gets you. Like as not they've come down in sight of -shore and seen that the yacht was gone, and have given out an alarm. The -best thing we can do is to go up into the town and find them, and try to -square things." - -Little Tim, looking very sober, scampered off, followed soon by the -others. More puzzling than ever it became, when a search through the town -failed to yield any trace of the missing yachtsmen. The boys returned to -the yachts, and waited. - -Somewhere near eleven o'clock there was a curious coincidence. Joe -Hinman, looking off on the water, suddenly uttered an exclamation of -surprise and pointed to a sailboat that was coming in. - -"That's Captain Sam's old tub," he said. "I know her as far as I can see -her." - -But they received a greater surprise, the next moment. A man in some sort -of uniform, passing along by the wharves, also uttered an exclamation and -stopped short. - -"Well, if that don't beat me!" he said. "Of all fool things, to steal a -yacht and bring her in here. That's her, though: about thirty-eight feet; -white; two jibs, and there's the name, '_Viking_.' Well, I never saw the -like of this before." - -The man stepped to the edge of the wharf and jumped down on to the deck -of the _Viking_. - -"Who's in charge here?" he asked. - -"I am," replied Little Tim Reardon, emerging from the cabin. - -The man laughed. - -"You're the youngest boat-thief on record," he said, eying Tim -wonderingly. "What put you up to it, boy? Been reading dime-novels?" - -"Well, it's all right, anyway," replied Little Tim, who had, however, -turned pale beneath his coating of tan. "They're our friends that own the -yacht. We're waiting for 'em. Just let 'em know we're here with the boat, -and they'll come down and tell you it's all right." - -The man grinned. - -"Say, you're pretty slick, if you are small," he said. "But the trouble -is, your friends don't happen to be in town. They sent a telegram from -Bellport. I guess you'll have to wait somewhere else for them." - -Little Tim's eyes bulged out and his jaw dropped. But the next moment he -was standing on his head, with his bare toes twinkling in the air, for -sheer delight. - -"Hooray; 'twas the man in the skiff that had her," he cried--to the utter -amazement of the stranger and of his own companions. "Just wait a minute, -anyway, till that sailboat gets in. It comes from Southport, and perhaps -Captain Sam can explain things." - -But there was some one besides Captain Sam aboard the good old _Nancy -Jane_, to explain things. There were Jack Harvey and Henry Burns, -standing up forward and peering ahead eagerly. And how they did yell when -they saw the crew of the _Surprise_ standing on the wharf, waving to -attract their attention. - -And then, ten minutes later, when the _Nancy Jane_, waddling in like a -fat, good-natured duck of a boat, had come alongside, and had let Jack -Harvey and Henry Burns scramble aboard the _Viking_--almost with tears in -their eyes--why then, Little Tim stepped forward and said he was under -arrest for stealing the boat. And wouldn't they please pardon him, and -get the man to let him go; he wouldn't do it again; oh, no. He had just -found the yacht down below, with the sail up, and had run it up here for -a joke--he was sorry-- - -But Little Tim didn't get any farther, for Henry Burns had him lifted -clear up on his shoulder. And Jack Harvey had him, the next minute, and -between the two he was mauled and hugged and slapped till his shoulders -smarted--and he was almost in tears, too, to discover what he had -accomplished. - -As for the official, who had made such an important discovery, he hardly -knew at first whether to be angry or not, at finding that his discovery -was really of a yacht that had already been recovered. But he finally -relented, and patted Little Tim on the back, too, and said he was a good -boy. Then he took Mr. Carleton's description and hurried up into the -town. - -He got trace of Mr. Carleton, too, after a time, at the big hotel, where -Carleton had succeeded in buying some provisions. He traced him from -there, down through the town, to the wharf. Later, he found a man who had -seen such a person come ashore from a skiff, and leave her adrift and run -up the shore. And lastly, the station agent had seen a man answering that -description take the early morning train out of town. - -Mr. Carleton had, indeed, vanished--a disappointed, wrathful, frightened -man. A strange and most complete disappearance, too, for neither -Stoneland nor Southport heard of him more. True, there came a message -from the police, a day later, that a man who was much like the missing -Mr. Carleton, had had some trouble over a ticket with the conductor of a -train entering Boston; but the man had got away from the station, and no -arrest had been made. - -But it was all one to Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, what should become of -Mr. Carleton, when they had the _Viking_ back. And there, in the course -of the afternoon, when they were preparing to depart, was a canoe to be -seen, coming down alongshore. So they sailed up and met it, and had Tom -and Bob aboard. And there was Little Tim, whom they had taken with them, -to be congratulated. And then, there were the Warren boys in the _Spray_, -to be hunted up among the islands, and told the good news. - -Oh, yes, and there was Captain Sam, roaring like a sea-lion over the good -news. And there were the two yachts, the _Viking_ and the _Surprise_, -going up the bay together, to meet the _Spray_ wherever they should find -her. - -Then, late that afternoon, as Captain Sam was nearing Grand Island, on -his return voyage, he espied in the distance, close to shore, a forlorn -figure, rowing wearily in the direction of Southport. - -"I'm blest if that don't look like young Harry Brackett," exclaimed -Captain Sam. "It is, as sure as you're alive. Ahoy, don't you want a tow, -there?" - -But the boy, turning his head in the direction of the _Nancy Jane_, shook -his head mournfully, and resumed his rowing. - -"Well, you don't have ter," was Captain Sam's comment. - -Harry Brackett, sore, sleepless, and weary, had his own reasons for not -wishing to face the captain. - -One week later, Jack Harvey, sitting on the step of Rob Dakin's store, -received a letter. He opened and read: - - "My dear Jack:--I've won the lawsuit and you shall have some money as - soon as things are settled. I wonder how you have got along this - summer. Too bad to cut you off, but I'll make it up to you by and by. - Let me know how much money you need. - - "Affectionately, - "Your father, - "William Harvey." - -For once in his life, Jack Harvey was prompt with an answer. This is what -he wrote: - - "Dear Dad:--Glad you won. Much obliged for offering me the money. I - don't need it. I've been earning some, and if you want some ready money - I'll lend you twenty-five dollars. - - "Affectionately, - "Your son, - "Jack." - -They were all aboard the yacht _Viking_, one evening not long -after--Henry Burns and Jack Harvey, the crew, Tom and Bob, and the Warren -boys. - -"Fellows," said Harvey, "Henry's got us all together to tell us a -secret--something he's discovered, he says. Come on, Henry, out with it." - -Henry Burns, holding one hand in his coat pocket, and looking as grave as -though his communication was to be one of the greatest importance, turned -to his companions, and said: - -"I thought, because you were all such warm friends of Squire Brackett, -you might like to know whether he was after that secret drawer in the -_Viking_, and whether he found the lobster-claw." - -The outburst of elation and surprise that followed assured Henry Burns he -was not mistaken. - -"Well, I've found out," said Henry Burns. "You see, when we got the yacht -back we saw the drawer on the floor, and the claw, too. That was -Carleton's work, of course. I didn't think about the squire's having the -drawer out, till later. We were all so upset, you know." - -"Jack," he continued, "do you remember our eating that lobster--the one -that owned the claw we put into the drawer?" - -"Why, yes, of course," replied Harvey. - -"And do you remember saying that you'd have eaten both claws if the one -you left hadn't been so big?" - -"Why, yes, I remember that, too," replied the puzzled Harvey. - -"Well, now, which claw was it that you didn't eat, and that we put into -the drawer?" asked Henry Burns. - -"The right one," answered Harvey. "I remember breaking off the left one -to eat because it was smaller." - -"That's just as I remember it, too," said Henry Burns. "Now look here." -He withdrew his hand from his pocket and produced the claw they had found -on the cabin floor. A roar of laughter greeted its appearance. - -It was the left claw of a lobster that Henry Burns held up to view. - - - THE END. - - - - - BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - - THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS - (Trade Mark) - - _By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON_ - - Each, 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth decorative, per vol. $1.50 - - - The Little Colonel Stories. - (Trade Mark) - - - Illustrated. - -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) - -Illustrated by Louis Meynell. - - - The Little Colonel's Holidays. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by L. J. Bridgman. - - - The Little Colonel's Hero. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - - - The Little Colonel at Boarding School. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - - - The Little Colonel in Arizona. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - - - The Little Colonel's Christmas Vacation. - (Trade Mark) - The Little Colonel, Maid of Honour. - (Trade Mark) - -Illustrated by E. B. Barry. - -Since the time of "Little Women," no juvenile heroine has been better -beloved of her child readers than Mrs. Johnston's "Little Colonel." - - - The Little Colonel. - (Trade-Mark) - Two Little Knights of Kentucky. - The Giant Scissors. - -A Special Holiday Edition of Mrs. Johnston's most famous books. - -Each one volume, cloth decorative, small quarto, $1.25 - -New plates, handsomely illustrated, with eight full-page drawings in -color. - -"There are no brighter or better stories for boys and girls than -these."--_Chicago Record-Herald_. - -"The books are as satisfactory to the small girls, who find them -adorable, as for the mothers and librarians, who delight in their -influence."--_Christian Register_. - -These three volumes, boxed as a three-volume set to complete the library -editions of The Little Colonel books, $3.75. - - - 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. - - 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 three stories, which were originally included in three of the -"Little Colonel" books, and the present editions, which are very -charmingly gotten up, will be delightful and valued gift-books for both -old and young. - - - 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, and which has been translated into many languages, the last being -Italian. - - - 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. -The lovable, cheerful, touching incidents, the descriptions of persons -and things, are wonderfully true to nature."--_Boston Times_. - - - The Rival Campers; or, The Adventures of Henry Burns. By Ruel P. Smith. - -Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by A. B. Shute $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 best boys' book since 'Tom Sawyer.'"--_San Francisco Examiner_. - -"Henry Burns, the hero, is the 'Tom Brown' of America."--_N. Y. Sun_. - - - The Rival Campers Afloat; or, The Prize Yacht Viking. By Ruel P. Smith, - author of "The Rival Campers." - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -This book is a continuation of the adventures of "The Rival Campers" on -their prize yacht _Viking_. Every reader will be enthusiastic over the -adventures of Henry Burns and his friends on their sailing trip. They -have a splendid time, fishing, racing, and sailing, until an accidental -collision results in a series of exciting adventures, culminating in a -mysterious chase, the loss of their prize yacht, and its recapture by -means of their old yacht, _Surprise_, which they raise from its watery -grave. - - - The Young Section-hand; or, The Adventures of Allan West. By Burton E. - Stevenson, author of "The Marathon Mystery," etc. - - 12mo, cloth, illustrated by L. J. Bridgman $1.50 - -Mr. Stevenson's hero is a manly lad of sixteen, who is given a chance as -a section-hand on a big Western railroad, and whose experiences are as -real as they are thrilling. - -"It appeals to every boy of enterprising spirit, and at the same time -teaches him some valuable lessons in honor, pluck, and -perseverance."--_Cleveland Plain Dealer_. - - - The Young Train Despatcher. By Burton E. Stevenson, author of "The - Young Section-hand," etc. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50 - -A new volume in the "Railroad Series," in which the young section-hand is -promoted to a train despatcher. Another branch of railroading is -presented, in which the young hero has many chances to prove his -manliness and courage in the exciting adventures which befall him in the -discharge of his duty. - - - Jack Lorimer. By Winn Standish. - - Square 12mo, cloth decorative. Illustrated by A. B. Shute $1.50 - -Jack Lorimer, whose adventures have for some time been one of the leading -features of the Boston Sunday _Herald_, is the popular favorite of -fiction with the boys and girls of New England, and, now that Mr. -Standish has made him the hero of his book, he will soon be a favorite -throughout the country. - -Jack is a fine example of the all-around American high-school boy. He has -the sturdy qualities boys admire, and his fondness for clean, honest -sport of all kinds will strike a chord of sympathy among athletic youths. - - - The Roses of Saint Elizabeth. By Jane Scott Woodruff, author of "The - Little Christmas Shoe." - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in color by - Adelaide Everhart $1.00 - -This is a charming little story of a child whose father was caretaker of -the great castle of the Wartburg, where Saint Elizabeth once had her -home, with a fairy-tale interwoven, in which the roses and the ivy in the -castle yard tell to the child and her playmate quaint old legends of the -saint and the castle. - - - Gabriel and the Hour Book. By Evaleen Stein. - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in colors by - Adelaide Everhart $1.00 - -Gabriel was a loving, patient, little French lad, who assisted the monks -in the long ago days, when all the books were written and illuminated by -hand, in the monasteries. It is a dear little story, and will appeal to -every child who is fortunate enough to read it. - - - The Enchanted Automobile. Translated from the French by Mary J. - Safford. - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in colors by - Edna M. Sawyer $1.00 - -The enchanted automobile was sent by the fairy godmother of a lazy, -discontented little prince and princess to take them to fairyland, where -they might visit their old story-book favorites. - -Here they find that Sleeping Beauty has become a famously busy queen; -Princess Charming keeps a jewelry shop; where she sells the jewels that -drop from her lips; Hop-o'-My-Thumb is a farmer, too busy even to see the -children, and Little Red Riding Hood has trained the wolf into a trick -animal, who performs in the city squares. - -They learn the lesson that happy people are the busy people, and they -return home cured of their discontent and laziness. - - - Beautiful Joe's Paradise; or, The Island of Brotherly Love. A sequel to - "Beautiful Joe." By Marshall Saunders, author of "Beautiful - Joe," "For His Country," etc. With fifteen full-page plates and - many decorations from drawings by Charles Livingston Bull. - - One vol., library 12mo, cloth decorative $1.50 - -"Will be immensely enjoyed by the boys and girls who read -it."--_Pittsburg Gazette_. - -"Miss Saunders has put life, humor, action, and tenderness into her -story. The book deserves to be a favorite."--_Chicago Record-Herald_. - -"This book revives the spirit of 'Beautiful Joe' capitally. It is fairly -riotous with fun, and as a whole is about as unusual as anything in the -animal book line that has seen the light. It is a book for juveniles--old -and young."--_Philadelphia Item_. - - - 'Tilda Jane. By Marshall Saunders, author of "Beautiful Joe," etc. - - One vol., 12mo, fully illustrated, cloth, decorative cover, $1.50 - -"No more amusing and attractive child's story has appeared for a long -time than this quaint and curious recital of the adventures of that -pitiful and charming little runaway. - -"It is one of those exquisitely simple and truthful books that win and -charm the reader, and I did not put it down until I had finished -it--honest! And I am sure that every one, young or old, who reads will be -proud and happy to make the acquaintance of the delicious waif. - -"I cannot think of any better book for children than this. I commend it -unreservedly."--_Cyrus Townsend Brady_. - - - The Story of the Graveleys. By Marshall Saunders, author of "Beautiful - Joe's Paradise," "'Tilda Jane," etc. - - Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by E. B. Barry $1.50 - -Here we have the haps and mishaps, the trials and triumphs, of a -delightful New England family, of whose devotion and sturdiness it will -do the reader good to hear. From the kindly, serene-souled grandmother to -the buoyant madcap, Berty, these Graveleys are folk of fibre and -blood--genuine human beings. - - - PHYLLIS' FIELD FRIENDS SERIES - _By LENORE E. MULETS_ - -Six vols., cloth decorative, illustrated by Sophie Schneider. Sold -separately, or as a set. - - Per volume $1.00 - Per set 6.00 - - - Insect Stories. - Stories of Little Animals. - Flower Stories. - Bird Stories. - Tree Stories. - Stories of Little Fishes. - -In this series of six little Nature books, it is the author's intention -so to present to the child reader the facts about each particular flower, -insect, bird, or animal, in story form, as to make delightful reading. -Classical legends, myths, poems, and songs are so introduced as to -correlate fully with these lessons, to which the excellent illustrations -are no little help. - - - THE WOODRANGER TALES - _By G. WALDO BROWNE_ - - - The Woodranger. - The Young Gunbearer. - The Hero of the Hills. - With Rogers' Rangers. - - Each 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth, decorative cover, illustrated, - per volume 1.25 - Four vols., boxed, per set 5.00 - -"The Woodranger Tales," like the "Pathfinder Tales" of J. Fenimore -Cooper, combine historical information relating to early pioneer days in -America with interesting adventures in the backwoods. Although the same -characters are continued throughout the series, each book is complete in -itself, and, while based strictly on historical facts, is an interesting -and exciting tale of adventure. - - - Born to the Blue. By Florence Kimball Russel. - - 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.25 - -The atmosphere of army life on the plains breathes on every page of this -delightful tale. The boy is the son of a captain of U. S. cavalry -stationed at a frontier post in the days when our regulars earned the -gratitude of a nation. - -The author is herself "of the army," and knows every detail of the life. -Her descriptions are accurate, which adds to the value and interest of -the book. - - - Pussy-Cat Town. By Marion Ames Taggart. - - Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated in - colors $1.00 - -"Pussy-Cat Town" is a most unusual, delightful cat story. Ban-Ban, a pure -Maltese who belonged to Rob, Kiku-san, Lois's beautiful snow-white pet, -and their neighbors Bedelia the tortoise-shell, Madame Laura the widow, -Wutz Butz the warrior, and wise old Tommy Traddles, were really and truly -cats, and Miss Taggart has here explained the reason for their mysterious -disappearance all one long summer. - - - The Sandman: His Farm Stories. By William J. Hopkins. With fifty - illustrations by Ada Clendenin Williamson. - - Large 12mo, decorative cover $1.50 - -"An amusing, original book, written for the benefit of very small -children. It should be one of the most popular of the year's books for -reading to small children."--_Buffalo Express_. - -"Mothers and fathers and kind elder sisters who take the little ones to -bed and rack their brains for stories will find this book a -treasure."--_Cleveland Leader_. - - - The Sandman: More Farm Stories. By William J. Hopkins. - - Large 12mo, decorative cover, fully illustrated $1.50 - -Mr. Hopkins's first essay at bedtime stories has met with such approval -that this second book of "Sandman" tales has been issued for scores of -eager children. Life on the farm, and out-of-doors, is portrayed in his -inimitable manner, and many a little one will hail the bedtime season as -one of delight. - - - - - 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. - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Rival Campers Afloat, by Ruel Perley Smith - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT *** - -***** This file should be named 40547.txt or 40547.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/5/4/40547/ - -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. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -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 - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. 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. diff --git a/40547.zip b/40547.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 78c0901..0000000 --- a/40547.zip +++ /dev/null |