THE COMING OF THE GADABOUT
It was quickly manifest to the two interested boys that the mate and
their host were well acquainted with each other. Puzzled as they were to
account for the familiar greeting it was not long before John whispered
to his companion, "I suppose that man has been coming here so many years
that he knows all the men on the lake. That must be the reason why they
know each other so well."
"I guess that's right," said Fred, who was watching the men with an
interest which he was not entirely able to explain even to himself.
The mate was endeavoring to speak in whispers, but his voice was so
penetrating that it carried into the remote corners of the house,
although no one was able to distinguish the words which he spoke.
By this time the boys were dry once more and as they prepared to depart,
the Japanese servant unexpectedly returned. In his hands he was carrying
a tray on which there were numerous tempting viands. Both boys watched
the lithe little man as he speedily cleared the table and then deposited
upon it the plates and food which he had brought.
"You're not going now," said their host to the two boys. "You're just in
time for afternoon tea."
"We didn't know that you served anything like that," laughed Fred. "I
think we'll both be glad to stay and accept your invitation, shan't we?"
he added as he turned to John.
"I'm sure we shall," replied John, with a sigh which caused the others in
the room to smile at his eagerness.
The movements of the little Japanese speedily convinced the boys that he
had had long experience in the work he then was doing. Deftly and
silently he attended to all the wants of the guests and not many minutes
had elapsed before, responding to the influence, both Fred and John were
in better spirits.
Turning to the mate, John said, "Don't you think it is time for us to
find out what has become of the other boys?"
"Don't you worry none about them," said the mate. "I guess the cap knows
how to take care of them."
"But we don't know where they are," suggested Fred. "We don't know how we
are going to get back to Mackinac. We're sure they'll be anxious about us
and I know we are about them."
"Don't you worry none," retorted the mate. "They'll be coming this way
pretty soon. I can tell the toot of the _Gadabout_ if Gabriel was blowing
the whistle. They'll be here very soon, but I think by and by it may be a
good thing for us to go down to the shore and watch a little if we don't
hear the whistle calling pretty soon."
The entire party still was seated about the table. Relieved by the
confidence of the mate in the safety of their friends and of the
_Gadabout_, both John and Fred became more intent listeners to the
conversation which was occurring between the men.
"That Mackinac Island," suggested their host after a time, turning to the
boys, "is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Ever been there
before?"
"No, sir," replied Fred. "This is our first visit."
"Don't you like it?"
"Very much. There are no two days alike. We have been up the river, down
the shore of Lake Michigan and to-day we came over here to Drummond
Island to try the fishing."
"And pretty nearly had a shipwreck, didn't you?" asked the mate.
"Yes, if you can call a skiff that was smashed a shipwreck."
"The skiff isn't smashed," drawled the sailor. "She's just stove in.
We'll have her fixed up in no time and she'll be as good as ever."
"I'm fond myself of Mackinac Island," continued the host. "I go over
there some days and shut my eyes and try to imagine what it was like so
many years ago when it was first discovered by the French."
"They didn't hold it very long," suggested John.
"No, and we didn't either."
"Nor did the British in the War of 1812. They got it away from us just as
they got it away from the French years ago. But after that war was ended
it came back to us and nobody has been able to lay hands on it since."
"You stay there all winter?" inquired the host, turning to the mate as he
spoke.
"I do that."
"I guess it's pretty cold," suggested Fred.
"You don't need to 'guess' and you don't need to say 'pretty.' It's just
cold. It's so cold that when you toss an egg up into the air it just
freezes and stays there."
"It couldn't stay there," said John.
"Why couldn't it?" declared the mate. "I guess I know what I am talking
about."
"Why, the attraction of gravitation would pull it to the ground."
"That's all right," roared the mate, "but the attraction of gravitation
is frozen too. Yes, I've seen with my own eyes eggs staying right up in
the air and the air itself all froze up and the attraction of gravitation
froze too."
"That must be a great sight," laughed Fred.
"It is, and you can't see it anywhere except on Mackinac Island."
"What do you do with yourself all winter?" demanded John.
"Get ready for summer."
"And then when summer comes you work all the while getting ready for the
winter, don't you?"
"Yes, that's just it," acknowledged the sailor soberly. "It just seems as
if all the time nobody had a chance to live, but he just plans to get
ready for it."
As the conversation continued John became more and more thoughtful and
silent. Several times he had been startled by sounds which he had heard
in the room directly above that in which they were assembled. Twice he
suspected that some one had come to the head of the rude little stairway
and was listening to the sounds of conversation below.
On each occasion it had seemed to him that he had heard the sound of a
rustle of a woman's dress. But of all this he could not be certain and
even if his surmise had been correct he had no reason to be more
suspicious of their host.
Indeed his suspicions might not have been aroused had not he intercepted
a look which the man gave his Japanese servant, which caused the latter
quickly to go to the head of the stairway.
John was deeply interested and striving to appear indifferent watched
keenly the face of the Japanese when the latter returned to the room and
was positive that he saw the little, brown man shake his head slightly in
response to a question in the eyes of his employer.
Such actions might be entirely natural, and John tried to assure himself
that there was no cause for his increasing suspicions that something was
not right in the strange house on the shores of Cockburn Island.
He had no opportunity to explain his suspicions to Fred, however, for
just then the sailor said, "It is time for us to go back and keep a
lookout for the _Gadabout_."
Acting at once upon his suggestions the two boys arose from their seats.
Cordially thanking their host for his kindness in receiving them into his
house and providing for their wants, they soon departed, following the
mate as he led the way to one of the higher bluffs along the shore.
"I don't know that man's name yet," said John to Fred.
"That's so," acknowledged Fred. "We don't know who he is, do we? Well,
it's as broad as it is long, for he doesn't know our names either."
"Probably we never shall see him again anyway, so it won't make any
difference, but I should like to know more about him."
"He seems to have been in several parts of the world, doesn't he, Jack!"
"He surely does. I don't wonder that he can't tell what nationality he
is."
"Look out on the lake," suggested Fred. "It's as calm as a mill pond."
"Yes," acknowledged John. "It's so smooth that if one didn't know, he
wouldn't believe it possible for it to stir up such a gale as we saw
there a couple of hours ago."
"Well, there's one comfort," said Fred. "If it doesn't take very long for
a squall to come, it doesn't take very long for it to go either. So we're
just about as well off as when we started."
"Except our fish," suggested John.
"Well, we're carrying back some fish, though they don't show. I don't
think I ever ate so much fish in my life as I did this noon. I think the
pickerel will hold a revolutionary congress--"
"Look yonder!" interrupted John quickly. "Isn't that the _Gadabout_?"
Fred instantly looked in the direction indicated by his companion and far
away saw the faint outline of a small boat which plainly was headed in
the direction of the bluff. "Yes," he said after a brief silence. "I
believe that's the _Gadabout_."
"Probably they are out looking for us. I hope the boys won't be worried."
"You needn't be afraid of Papa Sanders being worried," laughed Fred. "As
long as he and Grant are in some dry place and don't have to think of any
work they won't trouble their heads about us, you may be sure about
that."
"They ought to be ashamed of themselves if they are not," replied John
half angrily. "But they certainly are coming this way," he added a moment
later.
"Yes, and they see us, too," said Fred quickly, as he pointed to the
mate, who, in advance of them, had arrived at the bluff and was waving a
signal.
This signal consisted of a large piece of cloth that had at one time been
white, attached to a long pole. The sailor was waving this back and forth
in such a peculiar manner that the attention of the boys at once was
drawn to his actions.
"What's he trying to do?" whispered John to Fred.
"Trying to signal the _Gadabout_."
"Yes, but what's he doing it in that way for?"
"Well, I don't know, Jack. You're always suspicious of somebody. Probably
the captain doesn't know that he is doing anything out of the ordinary."
Whatever the explanation may have been, in a brief time the _Gadabout_
was seen approaching the bluff on which the sailor and the two boys now
were standing.
The skiff in which their friends had been seen was in tow and soon after
it was discovered both Grant and George were seen in the bow of the swift
little motor-boat.
"That's good. That's a relief," said John when he was convinced that his
friends were on board.
"Probably they feel the same way now that they have seen us."
"We'll know about that very soon."