The Rover Boys Down East; or, The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune
Page 32
CHAPTER XXX BACK HOME--CONCLUSION
"Too late!" groaned Dick. "Oh, why didn't we get here a minute sooner!"
"Stop, you rascals!" sang out Captain Wells. "Stop, or I'll fire!" and heraised his pistol.
"Don't shoot! You might hit Mrs. Stanhope!" whispered Dick.
"I only want to scare 'em," muttered the captain of the steam tug.
The motor boat gathered headway rapidly, and soon was out of range of thepistol. The Rovers saw that the craft contained Tad Sobber, Jim Pally,Josiah Crabtree and Mrs. Stanhope and another woman, probably Mrs.Sobber.
"Wonder what has become of Koswell, Larkspur and that Darkingham," saidSam.
"I don't know, and I don't care, just now!" returned Dick. "Captain, wemust follow that boat without delay. If they get out of our sight we maynever get another chance to rescue Mrs. Stanhope!"
"I'll get after 'em as soon as I can," returned the master of the steamtug.
But to start a pursuit was not so easy, from the fact that the tug lay onthe other side of the island and could not be signalled.
"Tom and I can go after the tug," said Sam. "The rest of you can try tokeep that motor boat in sight;" and so it was arranged.
The two Rover boys skirted the south end of Chesoque Island. They kept ona run, and on turning a corner of rocks, plumped fairly and squarely intoKoswell, Larkspur and Darkingham, who were talking earnestly amongthemselves.
"They said they would send the boat back sure," Koswell was saying, whenTom almost ran him down.
"Hello! you here!" cried Tom, and then, as Koswell grabbed him by the armhe added: "Let me go!"
"Not so fast!" roared Koswell. "Bart, catch the other fellow!"
"I will!" muttered Bart Larkspur, and caught Sam by the arm.
What followed, came with such swiftness that both Koswell and Larkspurwere taken completely off their guard. Tom drew back and hit Koswell ablow in the nose that sent him staggering back against the rocks and madethe blood spurt freely. Sam, seeing this, also struck out, reachingLarkspur's left eye, and putting that optic in deep mourning. Larkspurfell back on Darkingham, and for the moment there was great confusion.
"Skip! We don't want to be delayed!" cried Tom, to his brother, and onthey went again, before their enemies had time to recover.
Inside of five minutes they came in sight of the steam tug. Those aboardwere on the watch for the return of Captain Wells, and the engineer had afull head of steam up, to use in case of emergency.
"Quick!" cried Tom, as he and Sam rushed on board. "Captain Wells and mybrother want you on the other side of the island at once!"
"We'll get there as quick as the propeller can take us," said the mate,and the engineer nodded to show that he understood. The tug backed awayfrom the island, and in a moment more was on the way to the old dock.
"Say we gave Koswell and Larkspur something to remember us by," remarkedSam, grimly.
"So we did," answered Tom, with a grin. "Wish it had been ten times asmuch!"
"They and that Darkingham must have loaned the motor boat to the Sobbercrowd."
"Most likely Sobber paid 'em well for its use. He could do it easily--outof that fortune."
As the steam tug rounded the end of the island, Tom and Sam were justable to see the motor boat in the distance. It seemed to be heading forthe mainland.
"All aboard!" sang out Tom, as they ran up to the old dock. But thisinvitation was unnecessary, for Dick, Captain Wells and Larry Dixonleaped on the deck as soon as the craft was close enough.
"Now then, after her!" sang out the eldest Rover boy. "Crowd on allsteam! I'll pay all expenses, and more!"
"Even if she blows up?" queried the captain, with a bit of dry humor.
"Yes, even if she blows up, Captain! Oh, we must catch them!" added Dick,pleadingly.
"We'll do our level best, Mr. Rover. Nobody could do more."
Soon the throbbing of the engine showed that the tug was running under afull pressure of steam. The spray dashed all over the craft and those onboard, but to this nobody paid attention. Every eye was riveted on thecraft ahead.
Those on the motor boat were equally eager, and watched the pursuit withchagrin.
"Do you--er--think they will catch us?" asked Josiah Crabtree, nervously,not once but several times.
"I don't know--I hope not," answered Pally.
"Can't we run faster?"
"I am crowding her to the limit now."
"Do you know about motor boats? Perhaps Mr. Sobber knows more."
"I don't," answered Tad Sobber. "Wish I did."
"I know about 'em--I ran one for two summers," answered Jim Pally. "I'llleave 'em behind if it's in the boat to do it."
"Oh, please let me go!" cried Mrs. Stanhope, almost tearfully. "Mr.Crabtree, I do not want to go with you another step! Please let me go!"
"Keep quiet, Mrs. Stanhope, don't excite yourself," he answered, tryingto soothe her. But he was so nervous his voice trembled as he spoke. Hehad not dreamed that the pursuit would become so swift and sure.
Closer and closer drew the steam tug, until those on board could plainlysee all that was taking place on the motor boat.
"I command you to stop!" yelled Captain Wells. "Stop, or we'll run youdown."
"No, no, don't you do that!" screamed Josiah Crabtree, in fright.
"Save me! Oh, save me!" screamed Mrs. Stanhope, and then, of a sudden,she sprang to her feet, leaped to the stern deck of the motor boat, andcast herself headlong into the waters of the bay.
The movement was so unexpected by the others on the Magnet that not ahand was raised to detain her. She went down, directly in the path of theoncoming tug.
"Stop! Back her!" screamed Dick, in horror, and Tom and Sam also yelledout a warning. There was a quick jangling of a bell, and the engine wasstopped. Then the power was reversed, and the steam tug was steered toone side.
"There she is!" cried Tom, pointing with his hand, and the next instantcame a splash, as Dick made a dive overboard. He, too, had seen Mrs.Stanhope floating near, and soon he had her in his arms and wassupporting her.
The engine of the tug was now stopped, and a rope was thrown to theeldest Rover boy, and he and Mrs. Stanhope were hauled on board. As thelady was brought on deck, she fainted away, but in a few minutes sherecovered.
"Thank heaven, she is safe!" murmured Dick.
"I'm thankful we didn't run her down!" added Captain Wells. "It was aclose shave! We had to reverse like lightning."
"It was well done, sir," answered Sam.
"Couldn't have been better," came from Tom.
"But, say, aren't we going after those rascals? Remember, even though wehave rescued Mrs. Stanhope, they still have the fortune!"
"Sure, we are going after 'em!" cried Dick. "Go ahead!"
The order to proceed was given, but, much to the captain's chagrin, thetug refused to get up any speed. Then came a report from the engineerthat the sudden reversing of the engine had broken some of the machinery.They could run, but it would have to be slowly.
"Then they'll get away after all!" groaned Sam. "And with that fortune,too!"
"Fortune?" came from Mrs. Stanhope, who was standing near the boiler,trying to dry her wet garments. "What about the fortune, boys?"
"Haven't they got that fortune with them?" questioned Tom, quickly.
"Oh, no, they buried it, in the cave on the island," was the answer."They didn't know I saw them, but I did. Tad Sobber and Mr. Crabtree saidthey would come back, after--after--" And here she blushed deeply.
"After old Crabtree had forced you to marry him, I suppose," whisperedDick.
"Yes, Dick. But, oh! I didn't want to do it! He tried to hypnotize me,just as he tried to do years ago--but I fought him off as best I could!"answered Mrs. Stanhope, earnestly.
"He ought to be in prison again!" muttered Dick.
"If the fortune is on the island, let us go and get it," cried Sam. "Wecan't catch that motor b
oat anyway!" For the craft was now all but out ofsight.
The steam tug was headed for Chesoque Island, and slowly made her way tothe old dock. There the engineer and his assistant set to work to makethe necessary repairs, while the three Rover boys and Mrs. Stanhopevisited the cave. Once in the underground opening, the lady pointed outthe spot where the valise containing the fortune had been secretedbetween the rocks.
"Here it is!" cried Tom, and dragged the valise to light.
"Open it and see if the fortune is safe!" came from Sam, in a voice hetried in vain to steady.
The key to the valise was missing, so the lock to the bag had to bebroken open. Inside were the gold and precious stones.
"All here--or at least the greater portion of it," was Dick's comment,and he was right. Only about five hundred dollars in gold was missing,and two small diamonds--hardly worth mentioning beside the total value ofthe treasure.
"Hurrah!" shouted Tom. "We've beaten them after all! We've got thetreasure!"
"And Mrs. Stanhope," added Dick. "We must send word to Dora and theothers just as soon as we can!"
"It's a pity we didn't catch those rascals," murmured Sam.
"Oh, we'll get them some time!" said Dick. How they fell in with theirenemies again will be related in another volume of this series, to beentitled, "The Rover Boys in the Air; or, From College Campus to theClouds," a tale telling the particulars of several happenings far out ofthe ordinary.
While the steam tug was laid up for repairs, several of the party took awalk and looked for Koswell, Larkspur and Darkingham. But they looked invain, for those rascals were thoroughly frightened, and kept themselveswell hidden in the woods.
That evening found the Rover boys and Mrs. Stanhope in Portland, wherethey put up at one of the leading hotels. Messages were sent to Dora, theLanings, and the Rovers at home, telling of the rescue of Mrs. Stanhope,and of the recovery of the fortune. Then Mrs. Stanhope told how she hadbeen lured from her home and abducted, and then placed in the care ofMrs. Sobber, and how she had managed to mail the postal card.
"They treated me kindly enough," she said. "But they would not let mehave my liberty, and I think they told outsiders that I was insane."
"That is just what they did," answered Dick.
A general alarm was sent out for Sobber, Crabtree and the others. Butthey kept in the dark and were not captured.
"Oh, how glad I shall be to get back home!" murmured Mrs. Stanhope, whenthe return was begun. "It seems an age since I went away!"
"Dora will be glad to see you," answered Dick.
"I owe you and your brothers a great deal, Dick!" she went on earnestly."You are all noble young men!" And this earnest praise made all of theRover boys blush.
The return to Cedarville was a great event. Dora clasped her mother inher arms and laughed and wept by turns, and then threw herself intoDick's embrace.
"Oh, Dick! It was splendid!" she cried. "Oh, I shall never forget it,never!" And then she kissed him right in front of everybody.
The Lanings were equally pleased, and Nellie and Grace were proud of theparts Tom and Sam had played in the affair.
"You are a regular hero!" said Nellie to Tom, and gave him a glance thatthrilled him through and through.
"And we shall always remember what you did!" added Grace, to Sam.
"You did better than the authorities," was Mr. Anderson Rover's comment.
"The authorities did nothing," added Mr. Laning. "If it hadn't been foryour boys----" And then he bobbed his head enthusiastically. "Great lads!fine lads!" he added.
"Whoop!" cried Tom, in sudden high spirits, and catching Sam by the armsand whirling him around. "Say, I suppose now we can go back and finishthat vacation, eh?"
"Sure thing, Tom!" cried Sam.
And then both set up a merry whistle; and here let us take our leave andsay good-bye.
THE END
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Two of the Hardy Boys' chums take a motor trip down the coast. They disappear and are almost rescued by their friends when all are captured. A thrilling story of adventure.
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When the boys reached the caves they came unexpectedly upon a queer old hermit.
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Andy Lane and his restless crew take off in a monster autogyro in search of pirate treasure.
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