The Launch Boys' Adventures in Northern Waters
Page 30
CHAPTER XXIX
"THE BEAUTIFUL ISLE OF SOMEWHERE"
Detective Stockham Calvert was quick to make deductions and as quick inadapting himself to circumstances. He had said he did not expect to havethe help of Orestes Noxon--as we must continue to call him--in capturingthe two criminals, but ten minutes later he made a radical change ofplans. He meant to make use of the young man, in his pursuit of the postoffice robbers.
"We must leave here at once," he announced in his crisp manner."Searching parties are out and some of them are likely to call here atany time. Since Noxon worked with his face masked, except when the slipoccurred last night, it is not likely, he would be recognized by any ofthose who are looking for him. But there is a risk which we must avoid."
Mrs. McCaffry made strong objection to their leaving before the dinnerhour, but the officer assured her it could not be helped. He and Noxoncompelled her to accept liberal tips, but she refused to take the lastremaining quarter of Mike.
"The same would bring me bad luck," she said, with a shake of her head.
"How could it do that whin it brought me the bist of luck, being I cameto your door?" asked the youth, trying to press it upon her; but shewould not consent.
"Ah," he said, "it's mesilf that's of no more account than a naught widno circle round it."
Instead of following the path that led to the highway and so on toBeartown, Calvert turned into the woods through which his companions hadmade their way to the humble but hospitable home.
"We'll keep clear of the village," he explained, "for every one there isin a fever of excitement, and although I can do my part in the way ofprevarication, I don't wish to be driven to the limit, when it might not,after all, avert trouble."
The fogs which often plague the coast of Maine and vicinity have a habitof sometimes leaving as suddenly as they come. It was a great relief tothe party when they dived in among the pines and firs to find that thegloomy dampness had lifted and the sun was again shining from a clearsky. It impressed all as a good omen.
Noxon's rest and care for his injured leg had been of great benefit. Therising inflammation had gone and the pain was trifling. If they did notwalk fast, he was sure it would give him no anxiety.
Calvert took the lead, with Noxon next and Mike Murphy at the rear. Thelast was highly pleased to see his young friend walk without aperceptible limp.
The leader kept his bearings so well that when within an hour he reachedthe shore of the Back River, it was at the spot he had in mind. There wasthe runabout in which he and Warner Hagan had come from Wiscasset, andthe owner was calmly smoking his brier wood pipe, content to waitindefinitely when he was well paid for so doing. He lay a few rods southof the landing, and just below him was the _Water Witch_, with AlvinLandon and Chester Haynes on board, wondering what in the world hadbecome of Mike Murphy. The youths had tried to open communication withthe master of the runabout, but he had been warned by his two passengersto tell nothing to anyone, and he glumly refused to talk. Chester had setout in quest of the missing Mike, going as far as the village. All hecould learn there was that his friend had left a good while before and noone knew anything of him. The second mate went back to his Captain, andthe two were so impatient that they were half inclined to leave withouthim, when lo! he appeared with Calvert and Noxon, coming from among thetrees as if he had been absent only a few minutes.
Then followed full explanations, and you can imagine the astonishment ofAlvin and Chester. They were sure of the identity of Noxon when he firstappeared, but were considerate and said never a word that could hurt hisfeelings.
"You ran away with their launch," added Calvert. "They ran away withyours, and you and they met as you were coming back. But for the fog youwould have seen each other, for you must have passed quite close. Thebeauty of it is," said the officer, with a flash of his keen eyes, "thatwhile they have gone far away we know exactly where. My friend Hagan andI, with Noxon as our guide, are going to scoop them in."
He thought it best not to affect too much mystery.
"They passed down Montsweag Bay clear to Knubble, through Goose RockPassage into the Sheepscot, and up that to the Beautiful Isle ofSomewhere. Most folks don't know the exact location of that sweet spot,but we know--thanks to Noxon--the latitude and longitude of ours, whichthe same is the port we are heading for."
The plan was simple. Noxon, who was familiar with the running of the_Water Witch_, was to act as engineer and steersman. Calvert and Haganwould be the only passengers, and the prize would be Kit Woodford andGraff Miller.
"And phwat's to become of us?" asked Mike.
"That depends upon how you behave yourself. If you grow tired of waiting,take a walk up to Beartown, have dinner with Mrs. Friestone and then comeback and wait for a few days and nights till you see us again."
"That's aisy, as I told me taicher whin she asked me how much two and twomade and I informed her the same was five."
"But Mr. Hagan isn't here," reminded Chester.
"He will be very soon. Meanwhile, I'll say a word to my man."
He walked to the runabout, where he told its owner he might return toWiscasset as he was not needed further. He added a dollar to the priceagreed upon and the man bade him good-by. Hagan, who had gone off on whatmight be called a reconnaissance, justified the faith of his partner, forhe came forward, and thus the party was complete.
The distance was shorter by way of the Narrows and down the Sheepscotthan by the route just named. Accordingly, the _Water Witch_ headednorth, while the _Deerfoot_ it will be remembered went south. Thedifference was not much, the real reason why the course was taken beingof another nature. If the _Water Witch_ had set out to search for theother boat, with no knowledge of its destination, it would have prowledto the southward, inspecting all likely hiding places on the way, with astrong chance that she herself would be detected and her purpose readbefore she discovered the fugitive. By taking the northern route thishandicap would be avoided. They could make much better progress and notbe seen until it was too late for the criminals to escape.
Thus Alvin Landon, Chester Haynes and Mike Murphy were left on the shoreof the Back River, near Beartown landing, without any launch andcompelled to pass the time as best they could. They decided to spend afew hours in the village.
They appreciated the reason why Calvert would not have their company. Hewas plunging into a venture where deadly weapons were likely to be used,and their lives would be endangered. The affair was really none oftheirs. Besides, their presence would be a serious handicap and mightprove fatal to success.
The _Water Witch_ soon shot past Cushman Point, passing the runabout soclose that the officers exchanged salutations with the man who hadbrought them from Wiscasset. Calvert and Hagan sat side by side, bothpuffing heavy black cigars, the smoke of which as it streamed asternmight have suggested that the launch was impelled by steam instead ofgasoline. She ran smoothly, and Noxon, with a pale face, his handsgrasping the wheel, steered as skilfully as Alvin Landon had directed theswifter _Deerfoot_. He had done it many times and had no fear. The youngman had come to the parting of the ways, and nothing could turn him back.His resolution was due to the wound, which had distressed him so muchwhen he hobbled to the home of Mrs. McCaffry that he believed for a timehe was near the end of life, and when one reaches _that_ point he is sureto do some serious thinking.
Just above Clough Point, marking the northern extremity of the largeisland of Westport, the _Water Witch_ turned eastward through the Narrowsand headed straight south down the Sheepscot River to its destinationsome ten miles away. Noxon seated with his hands upon the wheel remainedsilent. The officers spoke to each other now and then in low tones, butmost of the time left him to his meditations. He held the boat tomoderate speed, for there was no call for haste. She was running easily,but a glance by the young man into the gasoline tank showed the supplywas low, and he wished to avoid stopping at any of the landings to renewit. Besides, high speed is always a strain upon an engine, and he wasnervo
usly anxious to prevent a breakdown at a critical point in theenterprise. His familiarity with the launch made him cautious.
While Calvert and Hagan were following a clearly defined plan, they knew"there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip." They had high hopes offinding the other boat at the spot which Calvert had facetiously namedthe Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, but it might well happen that they wouldbe disappointed. At the first sign of danger the _Deerfoot_ would runaway and her superior fleetness would leave her pursuers hopelesslybehind. Above all, it was important that the criminals should notdiscover their peril in time to get away.
"Noxon," said Calvert, leaning forward, "let us know when we are near thecove."
"We are within less than a mile of it now. It is just ahead on theright."
Each officer flung his stump of a cigar overboard and slipped from hischair to the bottom of the boat. Inasmuch as their interest was centredon one side of the boat, they crowded each other a little. They removedtheir headgear and permitted only their crowns to show a few inches abovethe rail as they peered over. They held themselves ready at the same timeto duck into complete invisibility.
"The cove is in sight," announced Noxon, slightly turning his head."Better keep down."
A few minutes later they felt the change in the course of the launch.They were entering the inlet and the officers raised their heads barelyenough to peer alongside of the steersman, over the front and beyond theflagstaff with its fluttering bunting.
"There it is!" whispered Calvert to his friend.
"I see it," said the other, "the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere; we arecloser to it than I supposed."