Little Bobtail

by Oliver Optic

  "I cal'late I can."

  Captain Chinks enlarged on this point, and the toper promised to be as silent as the grave.

  "Now, I reckon you can find this brandy. I suppose it was brandy, but I don't know. If it was, it comes in cases."

  "Yes, I know," added Ezekiel, eagerly; and he wished he might get hold of that brandy; if he did, Captain Chinks would not get the whole of it.

  "If you keep an eye on the boy, you can easily find it. The boat was seen at anchor early in the morning after he picked her up, and I'm pretty sure he has hid the goods somewhere about your house. If you find them, just let me know, and I'll give you a case of the brandy, and a hundred dollars besides. Will you do it, Zeke?"

  "If it don't b'long to you, I don't see why I should give it up to you."

  This was a brilliant idea on the part of the toper, and Captain Chinks could not help acknowledging the force of it.

  "You can't do anything with it. The government will take it away from you. You see, I mean to make a trade with the owner of the goods. It is no more than fair that he should have his own property, if he will pay you and me for our trouble. Take something, Zeke."

  The toper drank again, and then Captain Chinks made him a present of what was left in the bottle. Ezekiel agreed to do all that was required of him, and his companion cautioned him not to say a word to Bobtail about it, but only to watch him. They separated, and the inebriate staggered to his home.

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE EXAMINATION.

  Mrs. Taylor did not sleep any better than her son. Her troubles kept her awake, and not her worthless husband, who was so tipsy when he returned from the saloon, that he dropped asleep as soon as he lay down. The poor woman had done nothing to improve the situation, for she could not leave the town until after the examination. At nine o'clock Mr. Brooks came to the cottage with a warrant for her arrest, but he considerately begged her not to disturb herself about the matter. All he required of her was to appear at the office of Squire Norwood at ten o'clock, and no one need ever know she was in custody before that hour.

  Little Bobtail came on shore before the officer left the house, and reported himself ready, in his own words, to "face the music." At the appointed hour there was a considerable collection of people in the office of Squire Norwood. Mr. Walker, who was quite a distinguished man, the mayor of Bangor, Judge Hamblin, and several other notable gentlemen of the state were present, all of them interested in the fate of the brave youth who had behaved so well off Blank Island. They were members of the Penobscot's party, and each of them was willing to do all that Colonel Montague would do if present.

  Mrs. Taylor and her son appeared, and they were warmly greeted by the interested spectators. The business proceeded in due form, and Mr. Simonton astonished Squire Gilfilian by asking for a postponement until the next Tuesday. The reasons for this request were considered, and they were deemed sufficient; but Squire Gilfilian stoutly objected, because a certain witness would be obliged to remain in Camden three days. Judge Hamblin consulted with Squire Simonton, and it was agreed to proceed with the examination. Mrs. Taylor trembled and wept when this decision was reached, and a smile of triumph played upon the lips of Squire Gilfilian. Captain Chinks tried to be indifferent, but he was evidently pleased with the result. The case was commenced, and Squire Gilfilian, Captain Chinks, and the ill-visaged man gave their evidence as they had stated it in the office of the lawyer. It appeared that Robert Taylor had left the letter on the squire's desk. The five hundred dollar bill was produced and identified by Mr. Slipwing, and it was shown that this bill had been paid to the squire by Mrs. Taylor. No evidence was introduced to show that the boy had returned to the office after Captain Chinks left, but it seemed impossible to escape the conclusion that he had done so. Mrs. Taylor now appeared as a defendant, and could not be compelled to testify. At this point in the proceedings, Squire Simonton renewed his request that the further examination of the defendants be postponed till the next Tuesday, when he hoped to bring forward an important witness in the case. Captain Chinks, in spite of his assumed indifference, was uneasy at this statement. The request was granted; Mr. Walker and the mayor of Bangor offered themselves as bail for the defendants, and they were released from custody.

  The case certainly looked very black for Mrs. Taylor and her son. The kind friends who appeared to assist them were staggered at the evidence, and feared it would be impossible to save him from conviction. They could only hope for the best, and hope against what appeared to be an absolute certainty. Judge Hamblin was confounded, but he was so averse to believing the brave boy was guilty, that he suspected there was a conspiracy. After the postponement of the examination, he asked Squire Gilfilian to let him see the five hundred dollar bill.

  "Mrs. Taylor, have you looked at this bill?" he asked, as he showed it to the troubled woman.

  "No, sir; I have not," she replied.

  "Won't you look at it? Do you remember the bill you paid Mr. Gilfilian?"

  "I didn't look at it much."

  "How long did you have the bill in your possession?"

  "Not long, sir."

  "Did you examine it?"

  "Not much; I looked it over a little."

  Mrs. Taylor turned over the note in her hands, and examined it very carefully.

  "Does that one look like it?" asked the judge, anxiously.

  "You don't suppose we have changed the bill—do you?" demanded Squire Gilfilian, rather indignantly.

  "Certainly not, Mr. Gilfilian," replied the judge. "At least I don't suppose you have any knowledge of such a trick. But there may be some mistake. The witness who identifies this bill is taking charge of the defence of the Buckingham Bank robbers. Perhaps he is one of them himself, and it is even possible that he sent you no money in the letter."

  "I have no desire to convict the boy, if he is not guilty," added Mr. Gilfilian.

  "Certainly not; I do not suppose the contrary, but I would like to hear what the boy's mother says about this bill. Now, Mrs. Taylor," continued the judge, turning to the troubled woman, "does that bill look like the one you paid Mr. Gilfilian?"

  "Yes, sir; very much like it," answered she, sadly.

  "Do you think it is the one?"

  "I think it is, sir."

  "Look at it very carefully, if you please."

  "I have looked at it; and I'm sure this is the one," said Mrs. Taylor.

  Squire Gilfilian looked triumphantly at the judge, who was more amazed than ever. He knew the workings of crime well enough to see the bearing of poor Mrs. Taylor's present conduct. If guilty she would not have acknowledged the identity of the bill. She would have encouraged the lawyers to save herself and her son, by following out the suggestion that the letter had contained no bill.

  "Then where did you get this bill, Mrs. Taylor?" asked the judge.

  "I can't tell at present, sir," replied the poor mother, as she glanced at her son.

  Mr. Simonton explained that, for some reason inexplicable to him, the woman positively refused to explain where the bill came from. The judge was still more confounded; though, after the straightforward and damaging answers she had given in regard to the identity of the bill, he could not believe she was guilty, even while it was impossible to see how she could be innocent. The parties left the office, and everybody talked about the examination for the rest of the day.

  Ezekiel Taylor did not attend the examination, for he was engaged in an examination on his own account. He improved the opportunity while Bobtail and his mother were absent in searching for the contraband merchandise. He had already consumed the bottle of brandy given him by Captain Chinks, and was anxious to find the goods, in order to obtain another. He ransacked the house from cellar to garret, without finding anything which looked like a case of brandy. He was bitterly disappointed, but he continued his search in the vicinity of the house, and along the shore. He spent the whole day in this fruitless occupation.

  Judge Hamblin walked to the Bay View H
ouse, after the close of the proceedings, and Little Bobtail went with him. The bewildered legal gentleman questioned the boy closely, but his replies were always square and prompt. He knew nothing whatever about the letter after he left it on the desk in the office.

  "Are you going to see Colonel Montague?" whispered Mrs. Taylor, who had followed her son to the hotel.

  "I should like to tell him about the case, but I don't see that he can do anything for us. These folks have done everything," replied Bobtail, gloomily.

  "You said you were going, but I don't ask you to go."

  "Two gentlemen here want the boat. They said they wished for a sail, and didn't care about fishing. If they had just as lief go to Belfast as anywhere else, I'll run up there. It's a tip-top breeze to go and come."

  "Do as you think best, but don't tell him I sent you," added Mrs. Taylor, as she walked towards home.

  Bobtail thought she was over sensitive about calling upon her old employer, but was willing to humor her, and promised to tell Colonel Montague, if he saw him, that his mother had not sent him.

  "Now, where's Captain Bobtail?" shouted a gentleman, coming out of the hotel.

  "Here I am, sir."

  "You were to take us out to sail if you got out of that scrape, my boy."

  "I'm not out of it, sir; but I can take you out to sail," replied the skipper of the Skylark.

  "We are all ready, and Mr. Philbrook has put up a basket of stores for us; for we were going to take another boat if you couldn't go."

  "The boat is all ready, sir. Where do you wish to go?"

  "Don't care a fig where we go. All we want is a good sail."

  "How long do you want to be out, sir?"

  "O, till night."

  "What do you say to a run up to Belfast?"

  "Capital! But can you go as far as that in one day, or what is left of the day?"

  "I can run up there with this wind, and the tide in our favor, in about three hours. It is blowing pretty fresh."

  "I see it is."

  "And the wind is west. The tide will turn about the time we get there, and the wind is fair both ways, or nearly all the way. If the wind holds, I can get you back before nine o'clock, and give you an hour or two in Belfast."

  "All right, my lad. We don't care whether we get back by nine o'clock or not,—just as lief make a night of it as not," added the gentleman, who spoke for both.

  "You can sleep tip-top in the cabin; but I will get you back by nine, if the wind don't die out. I can't warrant you against that."

  "Belfast it is, my lad. Now, how much do you ask a day for your boat?"

  "Seven dollars, sir, for the boat and crew; eight if we cook for you," replied Bobtail, who had decided to advance the price, as he stated, in order to pay for the few groceries and other stores.

  "Cook?" queried the gentleman.

  "If you take a fish dinner and supper on board, I charge a dollar more. I can give you tea and coffee, fried fish, and fried potatoes. If you want meats, I must charge for them, too."

  "Good, Captain Bobtail. We will have fish for dinner and supper, and pay you eight dollars," laughed the gentleman, amused at the business-like talk of the boy.

  "But can we stop to catch fish?" asked his companion.

  "We have time enough," answered the skipper.

  "Then catch the fish by all means, for they are twice as good just out of the water."

  Little Bobtail procured a small can of milk, and a bucket of fresh clams for bait. The yacht was amply supplied with water and stores, and the party hastened to the steps at the Portland steamer wharf. A boy in a boat pulled them off to the Skylark.

  "Loose the mainsail, Monkey," shouted Bobtail, as the boat approached the yacht.

  "Ay, ay," replied the Darwinian, with enthusiasm; for he was glad to vary the monotony of his situation as boat-keeper.

  "Your crew is well named, Captain Bobtail," laughed one of the gentlemen.

  "Yes, sir. Monkey is a queer-looking fellow, but he is just as good as they make them," replied Bobtail, as he leaped upon the deck of the Skylark.

  The gentlemen were delighted with the yacht, and explored her above and below, while the skipper and his crew were hoisting the mainsail and weighing the anchor. In a few moments Bobtail took his place at the helm; the fresh breeze struck the mainsail as the skipper hauled in the sheet, and the Skylark heeled over, gathered headway, and went off like an arrow shot from a bow.

  "See here, Captain Bobtail; you won't upset us—will you?" said one of his passengers as the yacht heeled down, when she caught the breeze.

  "O, no, sir. I mean to keep her right side up," replied the skipper.

  "I have no doubt you mean to do so; but can you do it?"

  "To be sure I can."

  "She tipped pretty badly then."

  "That was nothing. She will go over ever so much farther than that without putting her scuppers under. She had not got her bearings then. Now hoist the jib, Monkey," shouted Bobtail.

  "Hold on, Captain Bobtail!" said one of the gentlemen. "Don't you think you have sail enough on? It blows fresher than I thought it did."

  "It's just a whole sail breeze. She will carry her jib without winking, and go along as steady as a lady on the sidewalk," laughed Bobtail, who concluded that his passengers were not accustomed to boats, especially when the wind blew.

  "We are going ten miles an hour now," suggested the second gentleman.

  "Not seven, sir. We will try the jib; and if you don't like it, we can take it in again."

  Monkey had hoisted the jib, and it was flapping and pounding furiously,—making a noise which was rather trying to the nerves of the gentlemen. The skipper seized the lee sheet, and luffing up the boat, flattened down the sail to its proper place, for he was obliged to run a short distance to the northward in order to clear some vessels at anchor. Having passed these, the sheets were started, and the Skylark went off before the wind. The sea was not heavy so far in shore, but it was exciting sailing, and the passengers kept silence, watching the swift motion of the yacht. In a short time they were accustomed to the situation, and began to talk, though in rather subdued tones at first. They seemed to regard the skipper with a feeling of awe, and realized that their lives were in his keeping. They knew little or nothing about a boat, and did not feel quite at home with such lively sailing. The confident manner of the young skipper, his perfect command of the situation, his pleasant speech and laugh, reassured them. When the yacht had passed North-east Point the course was changed to the north-east, and the sheets hauled in, so that the Skylark had the wind a little abaft the beam. This was her best point in sailing, and she soon exhibited her best speed. She heeled over so that her scuppers often went under. Bobtail kept her just far enough from the land to get the full force of the wind, but not far enough to be shaken up by the waves, which beat heavily on La Salle Island, east of them.

  "This is lively—isn't it, Howe?" said one of the gentlemen.

  "It is the smartest sailing I ever saw," replied Mr. Howe. "You seem to know what you are about, Captain Bobtail."

  "I think I do, sir," answered the skipper. "I have been in a boat ever since I was born, and I can't remember the time when I couldn't sail one."

  "I would give a hundred dollar bill if I could sail a boat as well as you can," said Mr. Jones.

  "So would I," added Mr. Howe.

  "I will tell you all I know about it for nothing," laughed the skipper. "I don't pretend to know much, but somehow I always get along. Won't you take the helm, sir, and try your hand at it?"

  "No, not now; I should rather begin when it is not quite so lively," replied Mr. Jones.

  "It is easy enough. She will almost steer herself. All you have to do is to run for that point of land, about eight miles ahead."

  "Eight miles—is it?" asked Mr. Howe, consulting his watch.

  "About eight from here. It is just ten from the point astern of us."

  "It is exactly twelve o'clock now. Let us see how lon
g it takes us to go eight miles."

  "I can tell you now, sir," laughed Bobtail. "It will take us just forty-eight minutes."

  "Good, my lad! I will time you. If it takes forty-nine, you are no prophet."

  "I don't expect to tell within a minute; but I guess I'll steer myself, if you are going to whittle me down as close as that."

  Bobtail began to be very exact in his steering and sailing. He started the sheets a couple of inches, and watched the point ahead very closely. Ten miles an hour was fast sailing for a boat of the size of the Skylark; but he knew she would do it if she was well handled. The two gentlemen kept looking at their watches, and as the distance diminished they declared she would make the point in half an hour; but distances are very delusive on the water, and when half an hour had elapsed, they thought that five minutes more would bring the boat up with the headland. Bobtail watched his sails, and "steered small." In forty minutes he found that he should make the point a little too soon, and he let out the jib-sheet a little, so that the sail did not draw full.

  "Forty-five minutes!" exclaimed Mr. Jones, "and we are off the point."

  "But we are not up with it, sir," replied Bobtail, hauling in the jib-sheet again.

  "You are cutting it fine, Captain Bobtail," added Mr. Howe.

  "Of course I meant abreast of the point, and when it lies just abeam, we shall be up with it. Here we are, sir!"

  "Forty-eight minutes to a second!" ejaculated Mr. Jones, as he showed his watch to the skipper.

  "Lower the jib, Monkey!" shouted Bobtail.

  "I did not think you could hit it so closely as that," said Mr. Howe.

  "Well, sir, I couldn't if you hadn't told me the time every few minutes," laughed Bobtail. "I bamboozled you."

  "How?"

  "I should have made the point in three quarters of an hour if I hadn't let out the jib-sheet. I lost the three minutes on purpose."

  "But why do you lower the jib here?" asked Mr. Jones.

  "We will try the fish here. Ready with the anchor, Monkey!"