The Rover Boys on the Great Lakes; Or, The Secret of the Island Cave
Page 27
CHAPTER XXVII.
HOW TOM WAS CAPTURED.
Tom was pacing the deck of the wreck in thoughtful mood when, onlooking up, he saw Josiah Crabtree coming back alone.
"Where is Sam?" he called out.
"Samuel wishes you to join him at the headland," replied Crabtree. "Hethinks a boat is coming around the other side of the island."
"Did you see it?"
"No, my eyesight is failing me and I had no spectacles along."
"Well, you can go back with me," said Tom, to make sure that the formerteacher should not bother Mrs. Stanhope during his absence from the_Wellington_.
"I calculated to go back," responded Crabtree.
Telling Mrs. Stanhope that he would soon return, Tom left the wreck andfollowed Josiah Crabtree around the marsh land and over the cocks.
So long as Crabtree was in front poor Tom did not anticipate anytreachery, consequently he was taken completely by surprise when theBaxters fell upon him from behind and bore him to the ground.
"Don't!" he cried, and tried to rise. But Dan Baxter struck him a heavyblow with a club, and then pointed the pistol at his head, and he hadto submit.
When he was a prisoner Josiah Crabtree came back, his face beamingsarcastically. "The tables are turned once more, Thomas," he said. "Weare masters of the situation. How do you like the prospect?"
"What have you done with Sam?"
"We have taken care of him," answered Arnold Baxter. "And we'll takegood care of you after this, too."
Tom said no more, but his heart sank like a lump of lead in his breast.The talk of a ship being in sight must be a hoax, unless Crabtreereferred to the _Peacock_.
The Baxters had a small bit of rope remaining, and with this they tiedTom's hands behind him. Then he was made to march to where Sam was aprisoner.
"What, Tom! you too?" cried the youngest Rover. And then he felt worsethan ever, for he had hoped that his brother might come to his rescue.
Both boys were tied to the trees, but at some distance apart. Then,without delay, the Baxters and Josiah Crabtree hurried off toward the_Wellington_. The Baxters had heard that the boat was not muchdamaged, and thought that it might be possible to patch her upsufficiently to reach the mainland, and to do this ere Dick Rover andhis party discovered them. For the _Peacock_ and Langless ArnoldBaxter now cared but little.
"She has left the bay," he said to Dan, "and more than likely hasabandoned us."
The Canadians were surprised to see Josiah Crabtree returning with twostrangers, and Mrs. Stanhope uttered a shriek when confronted by theBaxters.
"I must be dreaming," she murmured, when she had recovered sufficientlyto speak. "How came you here?"
"We are not answering questions just now, madam," said Arnold Baxter."We wish to patch up this boat if we can, and at once," and he calledthe Canadians to him.
As can be imagined, the sailors were dumfounded, especially when toldthat the Rover boys would not be back, at least for the present. Theyshook their heads.
"Ze ship cannot be patched up," said Peglace. "Ze whole bottom eesready to fall out."
Arnold Baxter would not believe him, and armed with lanterns he and Danwent below to make an examination.
"What does this mean?" demanded Mrs. Stanhope of Crabtree, when theywere left alone. "What have you done with the Rover boys?"
"Do not worry about them, my dear," said the former teacher soothingly."All will come right in the end."
Then he began to look at her steadily, in an endeavor to bring her oncemore under his hypnotic influence. But, without waiting, she ran offand refused to confront him again.
"Follow me and I will leap into the lake," she cried, and fearful shewould commit suicide, he let her alone.
The examination below decks lasted nearly an hour, and was far fromsatisfactory to Arnold Baxter. He felt that the _Wellington_ mightbe patched up, but the work would take at least several days, and therewas no telling what would happen in the meantime.
"Dick Rover and his party are sure to find us Before that time," saidDan.
"I am afraid so, Dan. But I know of nothing better to do than to remainhere."
"We might find the _Peacock_ and make a new deal with CaptainLangless."
"Langless is a weak-hearted fool, and I'll never trust him again. Wewould have done much better had we hired a small boat which we couldran alone."
"But what shall we do, dad?"
"I think we had best go into hiding in the interior of the island. Wecan take a store of provisions along from this boat."
"Shall we take the Rovers with us?"
"We may as well. We can't let them starve, and by holding themprisoners we may be able to make terms with Dick Rover and hisfriends."
"That's an idea. I reckon Dick will do a lot rather than see Tom andSam suffer."
"To be sure."
"Where do you suppose Dick Rover and his friends are now?"
"Somewhere around the island, although I have seen nothing of theirboat."
By noon the Baxters had completed their plans and left the boat,carrying with them a load of provisions wrapped up in a sheet ofcanvas. They invited Josiah Crabtree to go with them, but thatindividual declined.
"I cannot take Mrs. Stanhope along," he said, "and I will not desertthe lady."
"As you please," replied Arnold Baxter.
"What are you going to do with Tom and Sam Rover?"
"Take them with us. If you see anything of Dick Rover, don't sayanything about us."
"I don't wish to see Dick Rover," answered Josiah Crabtree nervously.
"If the Dick Rover party leaves the island, we'll come back," put inDan. "In the meantime, if I was you, I'd lay low."
Soon the Baxters were out of sight, and then Josiah Crabtree turned tohave another talk with Mrs. Stanhope, in the meantime setting theCanadians on guard, to watch for and hail any passing sail which mightappear.
In his wandering on the island Arnold Baxter had stumbled across aconvenient cave near the headland where he had encountered Sam Rover,and thither father and son now made their way.
The cave gained they put down their bundles, which included a quantityof rope, and then started for the headland to bring in Tom and Sam.
The headland gained, a surprise awaited them. Both boys haddisappeared.