by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXI.
ANOTHER ELEMENT IN THE CONTEST.
"Where are we now, Dory?" asked Peppers, appearing at the aperture inthe door, at which he had not been seen for the last half hour, thoughhis voice was heard in consultation with Moody.
"Off Cumberland Head, and close to Grand Isle," replied Dory.
"Is there any thing in sight, Dory?" continued Peppers.
"There is a steamer coming towards the Head. I saw her above Valcour'sIsland two hours ago; and she has been in at Plattsburgh since that,"answered Dory.
"Do you know what steamer it is?"
"I am not sure: she has not been within two miles of us."
"I can tell you all about her," interposed Pearl Hawlinshed with hisfrequent chuckle. "Why don't you apply at the captain's office when youwant any information?"
"I don't think I can depend upon your information," added Peppers.
"I think you can. The steamer is the Sylph," added Pearl.
"I thought it was the Sylph," said Dory.
"She is the fastest boat of her inches on the lake," continued theskipper. "She has run by any of the big steamers, except the Vermont,which is good for eighteen miles an hour."
Dory had seen the steamer before, and he never saw her without havingsad thoughts. He always kept away from her if she happened to be in anyport where he was. But she was a beautiful craft, and her ordinary rateof sailing was twelve miles an hour; and it was said that she was goodfor two or three miles more if her owner would only "let her out."
"I don't think there is any comfort in her for you," chuckled Pearl."She is a private yacht, belonging to Captain Gildrock; and he don't goout of his way to assist poor and distressed fellow-creatures like you."
"How far off is she, Dory?" asked the officer.
"She is half way across Cumberland Bay; and I should think she was fourmiles off, or thereabouts," answered Dory.
"Just about four: that was a good guess, Dory Dornwood," added theskipper.
"Can't you hail her if she comes near us?" suggested Peppers.
"No, he can't!" exclaimed Pearl sharply. "It would be cruel of you toask him to do such a thing; for as sure as he makes a sign to thatsteamer, or to any other craft, I will throw him overboard, with hishands tied behind him."
"It would be cruel of you to do such a thing, Hawlinshed."
"I know it would, and I shall not do it unless you compel me to act inself-defence."
"Where is this thing to end?" demanded Peppers in a disgusted tone ofvoice.
"Somewhere up in Canada, I guess," replied Pearl. "I don't believe itwill end before we get there, and I think we shall be over the line sometime to-night."
"Then you intend to take us into Canada, Hawlinshed?"
"Yes: unless we can make some better arrangement. If you prefer to landat some point on Grand Island, I think we could fix it so as toaccommodate you."
"How can we fix it?" asked Peppers rather anxiously.
"I have been thinking the matter over, and I believe I have a plan bywhich I might safely oblige you," said Pearl. "I have concluded not togo back to Plattsburgh: in fact, I don't believe I should be comfortableand happy there."
"I don't believe you would," added the officer significantly. "We shouldbe apt to make it warm for you."
"Why so, Peppers? You and I have always been good friends, and we neverquarrelled. Why should we now?"
"We shouldn't, and I don't intend to quarrel with you. But in my privateopinion you will spend the greater part of the rest of your days withinthe stone walls."
"I don't intend to do any thing of the sort; and I don't believe Ishall, if I only take good care of you while I have you as a passenger."
"But how can we fix this matter?" inquired the officer.
"If you will put your hands behind you, and then put them out throughthat hole you have made, I will fasten them together, as I have DoryDornwood's. I will do the same with your roommate; and then I will landall three of you at Wilcox Cove, or some other good place. How does thisplan strike you?"
"It don't strike me at all," protested Dory. "I won't agree to it."
"But, my dear little Bantam, I didn't ask you to agree to it. Your handsare already tied behind you; and, when I have done with you, I shallthrow you overboard, if that happens to be the most convenient way toget rid of you. I was speaking to Mr. Peppers, whose hands are not yettied behind him; and you should not interrupt the conversation of thosewho are older and wiser than you are."
"I don't agree to the plan. We will turn in and go to sleep, and you cantake us where you please; but you will find in the end that this worldisn't big enough to hide you from me," replied Peppers.
"Just as you please, Peppers. We shall not quarrel about a little matterlike this. I suppose you came over after me. Allow me to suggest thatyou haven't stated the nature of your business with me," continued Pearlgayly in appearance, though Dory could see that he did not feel half sochipper as he talked.
"I think I won't talk any more at present," replied Peppers. "I can waittill we see this thing through."
"You won't have to wait many hours," answered the skipper, as he lookedastern to see if any craft was coming near the Goldwing.
Dory was certain that the skipper was disgusted with the decision of theofficer, and that he was very anxious to get rid of his troublesomepassengers. But the owner of the boat was delighted with the conduct ofthe detective. He had been afraid that he would compromise with thevillain, and that he should lose his boat, or at least be deprived ofthe use of her for a long time.
"Where is the Sylph now?" asked the officer half an hour later.
"She is not more than a mile astern of us," replied Dory.
"Is she coming near us?"
"She is headed directly for us."
"And where is this boat?" continued Peppers.
"We are approaching Long Point, and are within half a mile of it. We areinside of Sister Islands, and the Sylph seems to be taking the samecourse. She acts just as though she was following us," said Dory, whohad been watching the progress of the beautiful steam-yacht ever sinceshe first came in sight.
"She does act as though she was following us, don't she, Dory Dornwood?"added Pearl Hawlinshed.
"I have no doubt she is following us," replied Dory.
"Do you know of any reason why she should follow us?" asked the skipper,trying to conceal his anxiety.
"I don't," answered Dory.
"Do you know her owner, Dory?" inquired Pearl.
Dory hesitated. It was a disagreeable topic to him, and he would gladlyhave avoided it. It was plain enough that the Sylph was following theGoldwing, but Dory could think of no reason why she should do so.
"Do you know Captain Gildrock, her owner?" asked Pearl again, and withmore energy than before.
"I do know him: he is my uncle," replied Dory, who could see no reasonwhy he should conceal the disagreeable truth--for it was disagreeable tohim--from the skipper.
"Your uncle!" exclaimed Pearl, apparently startled at the reply. "Do youmean to say that Captain Gildrock is your uncle, you young cub?"
"I mean to say it, and I do say it."
But Dory wished with all his might that the captain was not his uncle,or any other relation.
"He is one of the richest men in this part of the country," added Pearl,looking astern at the elegant steam-yacht.
"I know it; but I don't have any thing to do with him, and I don't thinkhe is coming after this boat on my account," added Dory.
"I suppose you will be glad to get on board of her," suggested Pearl,who had now become quite nervous in spite of his fine philosophy.
"No, I shouldn't. I was never on board of the Sylph in my life; and Ishall not go on board of her if I can help it," answered Dory.
"You and your uncle don't seem to be on the best of terms," continuedPearl, as he headed the boat to the eastward, after passing Long Point.
The skipper ran the Goldwing close to the point. The Sylph
was withinhailing-distance of her at this time; but the steamer had to go aquarter of a mile or more to the northward of the point in order to findwater enough for her greater draught. In this way Pearl gained half amile or more upon her. This enabled him to run the distance to the Gut,which is the strait, or channel, between North Hero and South Hero, orGrand Isle. It was about half a mile wide, between Bow-Arrow Point andTromp's Point; though there is only a narrow channel, between a red anda black buoy, for vessels that drew over five feet of water at thelowest stage of the lake.
Pearl headed the Goldwing to the southward of the buoys. The Sylph wasalmost up with the schooner again; and, if the latter had gone betweenthe buoys, the steamer would have overhauled her before she reachedthem. The skipper became more and more nervous. It was clear to Dorythat Pearl was not familiar with the navigation of this difficultplace; for he frequently looked over the side of the boat into thewater, doubtless to see how deep it was.
"How deep is the water ahead, Dory Dornwood?" asked the skipper, when heseemed to be bewildered, and evidently expected the boat to take thebottom every moment.
"If you are going to sail the boat, you must do it alone," replied Doryafter a little hesitation. "I won't do any thing to help you as thingsare now."
"Goldwing, ahoy!" shouted some one with a gruff voice in the forwardpart of the Sylph.
But the steam-yacht had stopped her propeller, and immediately began toback. Her pilot knew how deep the water was on the shoal. Pearl made noreply to the hail, and the schooner continued on her course. Off Tromp'sPoint she struck her centre-board; but, as she was going before thewind, she did not need it, and Pearl hauled it up so that the boat slidover the shallow place.
The man with the gruff voice hailed the boat again; but the skipper didnot respond. Pearl hauled in his sheets, and headed the boat to thenorth-west. The steamer then went through the channel.
"I will play your game upon him, Dory Dornwood," said Pearl, as he putthe boat about.
The Sylph stopped her propeller again.
