Frank sat up and looked around. Deep-toned bells seemed to be ringing in
his head, which throbbed with a pain that made him weak and faint.
He was on the pier, and a man in yachting dress was approaching him.
There seemed to be something familiar in the appearance of the man.
Frank wondered what had happened, for his wits were so scattered that he
could not pull them together readily.
"That was a decidedly rough deal you received, Mr. Merriwell," said the
man in the yachting suit. "I saw it all, and you did not have a fair
show."
Frank looked at him stupidly.
"You know me," he said, speaking with an effort; "but you have the
advantage of me. Somehow, though, your face does seem familiar. I
believe I have seen you before."
"Sure you have! Why, have you forgotten last night in Chinatown?"
"No. I have not forgotten. You are Mr. Chandler."
"Yes. Permit me to assist you to rise. I hope you are not badly hurt. It
was a wicked blow, delivered with all the strength the old man could
muster."
"Blow?" muttered Frank, as he was aided to his feet, but found that at
first he was unable to stand without aid. "Was I struck? It seems that
somebody hit me on the head."
"You're dazed. Somebody did hit you. I saw you toss one chap into the
water and grapple with the other. Then the old man knocked you down with
his cane."
Frank grew excited.
"I was fighting for Inza!" he exclaimed. "I remember it now! So her
father knocked me out? Where have they taken her?"
"They took her away in a boat, although she struggled to break away and
reach you," answered Chandler. "They are on board that yacht out there
now."
He pointed toward Lord Stanford's yacht, where it was seen that sailors
were making hasty preparations to get under weigh, but no sign of the
Englishman, Inza, or Mr. Burrage could be seen.
Frank Merriwell straightened up with a sudden return of strength that
was, to say the least, astonishing.
"So they have carried her on board?" he said, quickly. "And it is plain
they will be away directly. Mr. Chandler, I believe you have a boat?"
"Yes, sir."
"Where is it?"
"There it lays."
The man pointed to a small but handsome single-sticker that lay within a
short distance of Lord Stanford's boat.
"It seems to me that you said last night that you wished to sell her."
"I do."
"How much will you take for her as she lays?"
"She cost me fifteen hundred dollars, but I am anxious to sell, and I
will take a thousand."
"I'll take her."
John Chandler gasped for breath, and then smiled doubtingly.
"That is easily said, but I must have ready cash for her, and----"
"You shall have ready cash. I will give you a check on the Nevada Bank,
where I have an account. My guardian fully expected I would need plenty
of money by the time I reached San Francisco, and he arranged it for me,
so I am able to secure almost any reasonable sum. There will be no
trouble or delay in getting your money."
Chandler still looked doubtful, as it seemed rather improbable that this
lad could draw so much money on short notice.
"How many men have you on your yacht?" asked Frank, as if the matter
were settled.
"None now. The two friends who were with me last night were the last of
my party, save the cook, and even the cook left this morning."
"Is she fitted up for a cruise?"
"I should say so! I expected to spend four more weeks on board, but
business changes have knocked me out on that."
"Remember, I have bought her just as she lays."
"Certainly."
"That includes everything on board, save your personal property, Mr.
Chandler."
"Exactly."
"I shall take possession, with a full crew, before noon."
"Great Scott! You do things in a hurry, young man."
"This occasion makes it necessary. I am going to follow that other
yacht."
"I am afraid she will get off ahead of you, and you may have some
trouble in following her."
"Well, I shall attempt it. Come; we'll get a cab, and go to the bank at
once. The transfer must be made in a hurry, and I must get my party
together without the loss of a moment."
They hastened off the pier.
Coming toward them they saw a cab that looked somewhat bruised and
battered, one of its lamps having been smashed and one side damaged.
"I believe it is the very cab in which I pursued Lord Stanford!" cried
Frank. "Yes, I know it is! And there is Barney coming, too!"
The Irish boy was on foot, limping along painfully, but he waved his
hand in a cheerful manner when he saw Frank, shouting:
"Hurro, me b'y! It's nivver a bit can yez kill Barney Mulloy at all, at
all!"
Then the Irish boy hurried forward, still limping, and excitedly asked:
"Pwhere be they, Frankie? Is it th' shlip they gave yez, me lad? Musha!
musha! it's bad luck we had!"
"They got away for the time," said Frank, swiftly; "but I am going to
follow them in a yacht I have just bought."
"A yacht? Ye've bought a yacht? It's jist loike yez! Ye'd be afther
buying a stameboat av it wur necessary!"
Then Barney recognized Chandler as one of the men who had hastened to
their aid in the Chinese theatre.
"An' is it your yacht he's bought?" asked the Irish lad. "It's nivver Oi
saw th' bate av this! An' th' droiver says ye'll have ter pay fer his
smash, though it's litthle his cab wur damaged."
The driver stopped at the curb and began to bemoan the fate that had
befallen him.
Frank cut him short.
"Give us a rest!" he exclaimed. "You were paid to take chances, and it
is not my fault if you upset by turning a corner too sharply. It's a
wonder you escaped arrest for reckless driving."
"I should have been pulled, sir," said the driver, "but it happened I
knew the officer who saw the affair. But I'll have to pay for the damage
done to the hack, sir, and I'm a poor man with a wife and five children
to support."
"Here is the ten dollars I promised you if you would get me to the water
front inside of twenty minutes," said Frank, as he handed over a bill,
which the driver eagerly grasped. "Do you want to earn ten more? That
will make twenty-five, and will pay you well for everything, damage and
all."
"Tell me how I can make ten more."
"By taking us to the Nevada Bank in a hurry."
"Get in."
The door of the cab was jerked open, and Frank urged Chandler and Barney
in. He paused to say to the driver:
"Every minute is precious. You know I pay right off the reel if you give
satisfaction. Do your best."
The door slammed, and away went the cab.
"Barney," said Frank, when they were started, "this cab will land us at
the corner of Montgomery and Pine streets, where I shall leave it to
complete my business with Mr. Chandler. I want you to stay in the cab,
which will take you to my hotel. You are to tell the boys I have bought
a yacht, and every man must be on board ready to sail before noon. Get
them together, have Rattleton settle the hotel bill, and see that they
are all ready to get out of the place, for I shall want them to start
the instant I appear."
"Did yez ivver hear th' loikes av it?" gurgled the Irish lad. "Oi nivver
knew anybody to do anything in such a rush in all my loife."
"A rush is required in this case, or Lord Stanford will get too much the
start of me."
Frank finished giving Barney instructions during the ride, and before
the bank was reached, the Irish lad knew exactly what was expected of
him.
When the bank was reached, Frank and Chandler got out. Frank gave the
driver the promised money, and added something to pay him for taking
Barney to the hotel.
This was done without waste of time, and then Merriwell led the way into
the bank.
Business in the bank was soon concluded, and when Frank again reached
the pier at the foot of Taylor Street, having in his pocket a paper that
showed he had paid one thousand dollars for the yacht _Greyhound_, seven
boys were there to greet him.
Jack Diamond started in to grumble, but Frank cut him short.
"Not a word!" he said, sharply. "All who wish to go with me without
question are welcome; any who do not wish to do so are at liberty to
remain behind."
As he spoke he was eagerly looking for Lord Stanford's yacht, which was
gone from its place of anchorage. An expression of great satisfaction,
of positive joy, escaped his lips when he saw far out toward the Golden
Gate a sloop-rigged craft that he believed was the Englishman's boat.
"Thank goodness the breeze has fallen!" he muttered. "She has not been
able to get out of the harbor."
Three minutes later Frank had bargained with a boatman to set the whole
party on board the _Greyhound_.
This was not necessary, however, for he discovered the small boat beside
the pier, Chandler having come off in it.
However, as the bargain was made, the man took off all but three of the
boys. Frank, Bart and Barney used the small boat.
Frank was wondering at the non-appearance of the former owner of the
yacht, as Chandler had stated he would be on hand to see if there was
any of his personal property on the _Greyhound_ that he wished to take
away.
"I can't wait for him," Merry decided. "It was odd he did not keep with
me. As I had a little business to look after, and was in a rush, I
presume he did not care to chase me around, and he thought I would not
be able to get here as soon as this."
Immediately they were on board, Frank set each one at some task, and put
them on the jump.
"Do you see that small white yacht that is trying to beat out past the
point?" he asked.
"Yah," nodded Hans, "we seen dot."
"Yah!" exclaimed Frank, whose spirits were rising now they were on board
the _Greyhound_ and Lord Stanford had not been able to get out of sight
and give them the slip. "What do you mean by addressing the captain in
that manner, sir? Yah! Who ever heard of a sailor saying 'yah' to his
superior officer! You should say, 'Ay, ay, sir.'"
"Vale, I dinks me I said dot der next times, Vrankie."
"'Vrankie,'" shouted Merriwell. "Who ever heard anything like that?
Think of a common sailor addressing the captain of a vessel by his front
name! Have a little more respect, young man!" he suddenly thundered, as
if greatly enraged. "If you are not careful, you shall be placed in
irons and thrown into the hold!"
Hans gasped for breath and began to tremble.
"Dunder und blitzens!" he murmured. "Vat vos der madder mit dot poy! Uf
dis been der vay he done as soon as we get der vater on, der next time I
took a sail mit him I vas goin' to sday ad home. Yah!"
Frank pointed out Lord Stanford's yacht to the boys, and told them that
he did not wish to lose sight of it.
He set Toots and Hans to hoisting the anchor, while Harry, Bart and Jack
shook out the sails.
The jib was run up first, and then the mainsail was hoisted, Barney, who
was a skillful sailor, having taken the helm.
Strange to say, it seemed as if the wind had been waiting for them to
make sail, for it arose promptly and filled the sails so that the
_Greyhound_ soon bore away on the starboard tack.
Out beyond the point the _Fox_, Lord Stanford's yacht, had felt the wind
first, and was already tacking close under the northern shore.
Frank went aft and stood near Barney, while he watched the actions of
the _Greyhound_ with no little anxiety.
He had no idea what sort of a boat he had purchased, and he could see
that the Englishman's yacht had a rakish, saucy look, as if it might be
able to show him a clean pair of heels in a fair breeze.
Under Frank's directions, the sails were trimmed and the _Greyhound_
close hauled, as he wished to see how near he could run to the wind
without falling off.
Although the wind was unfavorable, as it was not steady, coming in gusts
now and then, Frank waited till fair headway had been obtained, and then
had Barney luff till the course was close into the wind, which was held
long enough to convince him that the _Greyhound_ did not jibe easily.
"Good!" he exclaimed, with satisfaction. "I was afraid she might prove
cranky. Hold her as close as you can, Barney, and not let her yaw. I
believe she is a dandy against the wind. If she proves all right before
the wind, we'll give Lord Stanford a hot little run of it."